Rollerblading at 31?

Conor30 · 10-08-2010 05:07PM #1

Hi,

I'm new to boards.ie. I'm 31, make and trying to lose weight. I'm eager to take part in pretty much any physical activity so as to burn calories and get fitter.

I cycle and I play the occasional soccer and tennis and also go jogging and brisk walking quite regularly. I absolutely love skiing but unfortunately that's more just a holiday than a sport if you're living in Ireland.

I was thinking of taking up rollerblading too as another alternative. I live near the Phoenix Park, which is ideal for this. I have never rollerbladed before but I'd say I'd be OK at it.

Is it OK to take up rollerblading as an adult? Yes, I've heard all the jokes about rollerblading being 'gay' etc but apparently that's thrown around by skateboarders as I've come to realise there's a lot of friendly rivaly between the two factions!

The reality is, I think it's too late for me to take up skateboarding or even longboarding at my age now. I've never ever skateboarded in my life before. I was going to take it up as a kid but never got around to it and then skateboarding went completely out of fashion. Nobody did it where I lived anyway. The reality is that I think it's still acceptable for me to take up rollerblading, whereas starting skateboarding at 31 would just be odd. I also think rollerblading is much faster and perhaps more fun as a result. I have no interest in hanging out with the teenagers in 'skate parks', so this is another reason why I should probably go for rollerblading as opposed to skateboarding.

Am I right in thinking that?

Do any other adults on here (male and female) go rollerblading?

Owen · 10-08-2010 05:07PM

I'm 31, and I'm just starting rollerblading. Having no co-ordination is a huge help. I end up on my ass all the time.

Conor30 · 10-08-2010 05:10PM

Yeah I think it's OK to start rollerblading at 31 and not skateboaring I'd say. It's only kids and teenagers who do that. People would think I hadn't grown up if they saw me on a skateboard!
It does seem to be mostly girls that do rollerblading and guys who do skateboarding. Shame that.

Owen · 10-08-2010 05:14PM

Try to find an area close to you where people Rollerblade. You'd be surprised how many men you see doing it!

Conor30 · 10-08-2010 05:17PM

The Phoenix Park is near me and has rollerbladers and it's almost always girls. The only guys would be with their girlfriends and they look like they were dragged out on them!

I'm going to check out SkateCity in Temple Bar (Dublin) for a cheap pair. Only going to spend about €100. Might even buy them online once I see the pair and size I like.
Do you have a skate shop in Cork. The only other ones I know outside of Dublin are in Belfast and Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Thomasofmel · 12-08-2010 11:25PM

Just remember to invest in some knee / elbow etc protection as well - if you have never used skates or Rollerblades you will end up falling, and falling - and to know how to fall correctly is important as well

shagman · 13-08-2010 07:16AM

Conor30 wrote: »

Yeah I think it's OK to start rollerblading at 31 and not skateboaring I'd say. It's only kids and teenagers who do that. People would think I hadn't grown up if they saw me on a skateboard!
It does seem to be mostly girls that do rollerblading and guys who do skateboarding. Shame that.

I'm 40 and I skateboard as do a lot of others there is even an over 30s skatepark tour every year called Old Man City. Maybe in the 80s skateboarding was regarded as for kids and teenagers but I'd say nearly half of all skaters are in their 20s nowadays and quite a lot in their 30s.

But from what you say I don't think skateboarding would be for you anyway.

syklops · 13-08-2010 07:27AM

Tony Hawk is 42.

Conor30 · 19-08-2010 06:54PM

shagman wrote: »

I'm 40 and I skateboard as do a lot of others there is even an over 30s skatepark tour every year called Old Man City. Maybe in the 80s skateboarding was regarded as for kids and teenagers but I'd say nearly half of all skaters are in their 20s nowadays and quite a lot in their 30s.

But from what you say I don't think skateboarding would be for you anyway.

I think 31 is too late to start skateboarding. However, it's perfectly OK to skateboard in your 30s and 40s etc if you already learnt how to skateboard years previously. I think it takes years to master how to skateboard, whereas basic recreational rollerblading can be picked up in a few days.

I've bought my rollerblades today and am excited about giving it a go. Just waiting for a bit of dry weather to come now!

quietsailor · 13-10-2010 01:43PM

Conor30 wrote: »

Yeah I think it's OK to start rollerblading at 31 and not skateboaring I'd say. It's only kids and teenagers who do that. People would think I hadn't grown up if they saw me on a skateboard!
It does seem to be mostly girls that do rollerblading and guys who do skateboarding. Shame that.

A friend of mine rollerblades (among other things) in Cork and he's never mentioned about his age - he turned 30 last week -

As for the comment that only girls do it he says there is a few male rollerbladers out that he'd recognise

red_ice · 18-10-2010 12:10AM

do me a fav and watch this. The two lads were the best in the world not so long ago! Im 27, i rollerblade, i love it.

Age is a number. The chap who i go skating with mostly is 30. Granted we've been skating since 93/4, its never too late to start.

People take up rollerblading as a means to start playing ice hockey in america/canada. A friend of mines dad whos 74 still plays oldtimer hockey, and a friend of his in his 50s just got into hockey by learning to skate on rollerblades.

Do what you want, fk anyone who says anything. If it makes you happy, go ahead and do it. I would suggest you try change your view's on what looks 'odd'. Its a bit of fun, thats all. Rollerblading is faster and easier to get into than skateboarding. However, both offer more or less the same lifestyle and comradory if you decide to start frequenting a skatepark.

Thursday nights in sofd skatepark are for the older skater, and the average skateboarder is 20-45 on that night. rollerbladers are usually 18-30, but thats because its not around as long as skateboarding. If that nights on the go in 10 years time the age groups will both go up 10 years

Its not odd to start rollerblading/skateboarding at 30. Get that out of your head.

as i was reviewing the other posts to add to this one I saw shagmans comment. Shaggy hasnt been there the past 2 weeks, but i was there with himself and few other lads including a friend of mine from newyork whos mid 40's and they all looked like they were having a savage time. So shaggy can vouch for my above statement!

Get some skates/skateboard and have some fun!

Eebs · 18-10-2010 02:11PM

Go longboarding. It's skateboarding for adults.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rXwBmGyMRo

Thomasofmel · 18-10-2010 02:23PM

I'm over 40 and have been blading for years and years - it's a very good sport for anybody - no age limits. Just need to be careful in traffic, because cars definitely do not respect you :mad:

croney29 · 18-10-2010 10:38PM

I started longboarding at 32 it's the best thing I ever did,I cant get enough of it. Every longboarder I've met in Limerick was over 28 even a woman in her 40's. I don't know about rollerblading its a bit girly, my brother in law does it he's 24 and we're still laughing at him. There's no way rollerblading is is faster than longboarding, some boards can go over 60 mph. Check out loaded and original longboarding on you tube im sure you'll be convinced.

red_ice · 18-10-2010 11:45PM

croney29 wrote: »

I don't know about rollerblading its a bit girly, my brother in law does it he's 24 and we're still laughing at him. There's no way rollerblading is is faster than longboarding, some boards can go over 60 mph. Check out loaded and original longboarding on you tube im sure you'll be convinced.

you're obviously a tit.

croney29 · 19-10-2010 11:02AM

red_ice wrote: »

you're obviously a tit.

I'm entitled to my opinion, grew up with my sisters roller skating still seems girly to me.

Jumpy · 19-10-2010 11:07AM

croney29 wrote: »

I started longboarding at 32 it's the best thing I ever did,I cant get enough of it. Every longboarder I've met in Limerick was over 28 even a woman in her 40's. I don't know about rollerblading its a bit girly, my brother in law does it he's 24 and we're still laughing at him. There's no way rollerblading is is faster than longboarding, some boards can go over 60 mph. Check out loaded and original longboarding on you tube im sure you'll be convinced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAckV6J8FXI

The guy that won this is a friend of mine. This was my sport back in Australia.
He is 31.
I would love to see someone try to race him on a longboard.

oneweb · 05-11-2010 12:51PM

I tried rollerblading about 2 years ago (same age range) along the Coast Road to Sutton, loved it but yeah the lack of co-ordination didn't help. It's something that I still want to do, I think it's just getting into it the first few weeks that's the hard part! If you're already fit or even semi-fit it shouldn't be a problem

nix · 06-11-2010 12:54PM

croney29 wrote: »

I'm entitled to my opinion, grew up with my sisters roller skating still seems girly to me.

Your opinion aint worth **** if its based on ignorance

Which it clearly is, if you grew up rollerblading with a girl and did girly things then thats why you think its girly. Try skating with men

And longboarding looks fast, mainly becuase they are going down steep hill roads. Where could one do that safely in Ireland? In Dublin? no where!

sarsfield06 · 06-11-2010 10:19PM

Do whatever you enjoy what has age got to do with it? And who cares what anyone else thinks live your life for yourself not based on someone elses judgements. I ski, blade, scooter, play GAA, soccer, Aussie rules, netball, ride horses and bikes, surf, have tried polo, done adventure races.... Try whatever u like, keep it up if u enjoy it.

I started blading a few years ago, as an avid skier didn't take long to pick it up, and great for balance and exercise, blading is massive in Paris and they get up to 10000 at night street events.

Eebs · 09-11-2010 11:03AM

Rollerblading and longboarding are both excellent.
They're not girly or for young people. Just get over what other people think and do what you enjoy.

Me and my friends go out together and some longboard, some blade. Generally the rollerbladers have the advantage on the straight and then the longboard catches up on the downhill.

Longboarding is extremely relaxing but without hills (to exhaust yourself going up) I think rollerblading is a bit more active.

I know a good few people, all over 25 who go blading and longboarding at the weekends. Fun is fun.

oneweb · 09-11-2010 11:51AM

Would this be considered a longboard??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU1qSSZDPws

Rollerblading at 31?

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