Aggressive Skating

Skating isn’t just about relaxing fun or getting fit and toned. For those whose interests lie a little more on the extreme side, there is plenty of opportunity to let off some steam on Rollerblades.

The extreme side of blading seems to be split very much down the middle. On the one hand there is the aggressive skating that has characterised a prominent section of the male skateboarding scene for many years, while on the other there is the predominantly female, feminism baiting thrill of the roller derby.

Aggressive skating focuses mainly on tricks and stunts, using either street obstacles to grind or slide on or ramps to perform flips and spins. The results can be spectacular, or painful, depending on the ability of the performer. It is classed as an extreme sport, although its popularity is no longer at the peaks that it was in the 90s.

While aggressive skating utilises Rollerblades to find the thrills, roller derbies are based around the more traditional roller skates. While aggressive skating has dipped slightly recently, roller derbies seem to be growing in popularity all the time. Stretching back as far as the 1920s, this high contact sport has moved from small town America throughout the world and has even blossomed here in the UK. While it doesn’t share the name of its more male heavy counterpart, roller derby may be the more aggressive of the two sports, since it is heavily based on contact with other players. Players must lap opponents on a track while �blocking’ the opposition. The empowerment aspects of the sport are extremely important, making it hugely popular with teenagers and not just adults.

So next time you are looking to put some spice back in your life, maybe it’s time to dust off those old roller skates and do something extreme.