Wheels Skating Center

1200 Odenton Road | Odenton, MD | (410) 674-9661 | P.O. Box 439

Roller Skate Maintenance: Simple Tips & Tricks

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roller skatesSpring is here, and that means millions of people are cleaning their homes, cars, lawn, and more. The team at Wheels Skate Center suggests cleaning your roller skates, too! By cleaning and maintaining them, they will stay in top condition for years to come. Check out two simple tips:

Rotate Your Toe Stops

Your toe stops are incredibly important, as they are your roller skates’ brakes! Over time, it’s likely that they will loosen. Make it a habit to check your toe stops regularly, and if they are loose, simply tighten them. If they look worn down, replace them to ensure safety. If you want to increase their longevity, rotate the toe stops just like you would the tires on a car.

Check & Clean Your Wheels

Your roller skates’ wheels need to be tight to ensure a safe ride. So, after several uses, check your skates’ wheels to make sure they aren’t loose. You can even rotate your wheels so they get an even amount of wear and tear. Dust or dirt may cling to your wheels as you skate, and this can make for a difficult glide. After every skate session, use a damp cloth to clean your wheels.

Although this is not essential to improve the longevity of your skates, replacing your roller skates’ laces can make them look fun and fresh. (Did you know that adjusting your laces can actually help you skate better?) When you’re done cleaning your skates, come to Wheels Skate Center and have endless hours of fun! Check out our hours.

How to Increase Roller Skating Endurance

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stretchingDo you absolutely love roller skating but can’t roller skate for very long? Fortunately, there are ways to improve your endurance! These easy steps will help you increase your longevity and get healthy by roller skating.

Set Aside Time for Stretching

Stretching is the key ingredient to a successful roller skating experience. But, why is stretching so important? When you stretch, you are loosening your muscles, increasing blood flow, and improving your range of motion. If you exercise without stretching, your muscles are tight and an injury is likely to occur. Make sure to stretch before and after you roller skate. This will dramatically help your endurance!

Get Healthy in All Areas

To maximize your endurance while roller skating, your body needs to be filled with nutritious food. If you eat junk food and drink soda often, your body may feel sluggish and unable to exercise properly. Make it your goal to eat properly and exercise often – before and after you head to the skating rink! Creating healthy meals for you and your family doesn’t have to take hours. Take a look at these 30 healthy recipes that can be made in 30 minutes!

Practice Roller Skating in Intervals

Pacing yourself is key to increase your endurance. While you’re skating at Wheels Skate Center, try roller skating very fast for about one minute. Afterward, give yourself a five-minute break where you glide around the rink. Then, try roller skating fast again. Do this several times until you feel like you can increase your “fast” time. This will help your endurance grow (plus it’s fun)!

Check out our schedule, then skate with us today! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Skate Problems? Adjust Your Laces!

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How do your skates feel? Nothing will ruin your roller skating experience faster than uncomfortable feet! If you’re sure that your skates are the right size but still having some problems, you may be able to adjust the laces to fix them. We see a lot of this at Wheels Skate Center. Check out some common skate fit problems and how to correct them!

If you have high arches, you may find that the top of your skates press uncomfortably against the top of your feet. Relace your skates to alleviate this without sacrificing the stability your feet and ankles need.

If you’re having trouble with your heels slipping around, double-check the fit of your skates and the thickness of your socks. If you’re not sure about the size skate you need, don’t guess! Ask the staff at Wheels Skate Center and let’s make sure. If you’re wearing the right size, consider this slightly more complex method of lacing your skates to keep your heels where they need to be.

Finally, if you have problems with your toes, toenails, etc. you’ll want to try a totally different lacing pattern. It may seem a little bit crazy, but trust us–it works!

As with any fit issue, you may need to experiment to find out what works best for you. You might even find that you need to lace your skates differently on different days. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box to make sure your skating time at Wheels is fun and pain-free!

Skating 101: Dress to Impress

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Since it’s still near the beginning of the year, let’s go back to basics for some Skating 101! At Wheels Skate Center we see a lot of awesome styles, but we want to talk about how to dress for the skating rink.

Lesson One: Socks!

Always wear socks when you roller skate. For one thing, it will save a lot of wear and tear on your feet, prevent blisters, and help your skates fit better, which in turn will help prevent you from slipping. That’s not all, though. The inside of your skates is already host to a lot of moisture and odor. Skipping socks intensifies that and can cause some pretty gross funk. Plus, are you renting your skates? We clean each pair, but do you really want to share skates with someone who doesn’t wear socks?

Lesson Two: Dress the Part

You want to make sure that your pants or skirt aren’t so long that they’re going to drag the ground–this is a safety hazard, as it could cause you to trip and fall and really hurt yourself. Fitted clothes will probably serve you best, and with all that exercise you’re sure to work up a sweat, so skip the sweater or wear layers!

Lesson Three: Pick Your Skates

Do you want quads (i.e. the traditional skates with two wheels in the front and two in the back) or inline skates? That depends on you! Quads are easier for balance but inlines give you better maneuverability.

Now that you’ve got the basics, come join us for some open skating at Wheels Skate Center!

3 Budget-Friendly Valentine’s Day Date Activities

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Valentine's Day dessertsAre you searching for a fun (and affordable) Valentine’s Day date night activity? Your special someone loves feeling appreciated, but you don’t need to go broke to impress your S.O. Thankfully, there are plenty of budget-friendly Valentine’s Day activities that are as fun as they are affordable!

Check out these affordable Valentine’s Day date night activities:

Visit the Roller Skating Rink

If you want to completely surprise your date, take her to the roller rink! This activity is affordable and fun! (Plus, you’ll get to hold her hand, which is always a great bonus.) Visit Wheels Skate Center all year for an entertaining activity that’s also great for your health.

Make Dinner & Desserts at Home

Going out to eat on Valentine’s Day is what everybody does. Why don’t you switch it up a bit by making a homemade meal instead? Bake a sweet dessert with your special someone after you’re finished with dinner! You’ll be able to have quality time together without breaking the bank. After dinner, you can watch a Valentine’s Day movie or play games together.

Host a Game Night

Speaking of games, Valentine’s Day is a great night to play fun games! If you want, invite other couples over to have a game night with friends. Fun games include charades, Pictionary, Fibbage, and more. You, your date, and your friends will have a blast playing games and laughing together.

The team at Wheels Skate Center hopes you have a great Valentine’s Day! If you want to learn more about planning the perfect roller-skating date, contact us today.

Make Time for Fun in 2018

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Everybody says they want to have more fun, but how many of us actually follow through? At Wheels Skate Center we think the new year is the perfect time to stop making excuses and prioritize having a good time. If you’re having trouble convincing your shoulder angel to let down their hair a bit, check out some of our favorite excuses to have fun!

  • It’s Good For You. You’ve heard the expression that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It probably won’t drive you crazy like it did in The Shining, but it is worth taking the chance? Blowing off steam will reduce stress and put you in a better mood.

  • Life Is Short. People’s top regrets often include things like “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Getting together with friends, family, and loved ones is one of the most important things you’ll do in life.

  • Celebrate! The major holidays are over, so what could we celebrate? How about lacing up your skates for an obscure holiday, like National Measure Your Feet Day on January 23rd? Honestly, though, you don’t need a reason to party. Just being with friends is reason enough.

Between our special events and regular hours, Wheels Skate Center is a great place to have a good time. Not only that, but if you really need to feel like you’re improving yourself, know that roller skating is good exercise! Gather your friends and family, put on some comfy socks, and come visit us as the skating rink.

 

Get Healthy in 2018 with Roller Skating!

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roller skatingWas “get in shape” or “exercise more” one of your New Year’s resolutions? Well, roller skating is one of the best ways to accomplish this resolution (and, you get to have fun)! Skating helps you improve balance, increase endurance, boost your mood, and much more.

Did you know that Wheels Skate Center offers skating classes? Check out the details.

Discover why roller skating is great for your health:

Improves Balance

When you roller skate for the first time, your balance may be a little off. It’s tough to balance on wheels! However, with time and practice, you’ll be skating like a professional! Roller skating strengthens your lower back muscles and abdominal muscles – which in turn improves your balance while you walk, run, skate, and do other activities.

Increases Endurance

Do you ever walk up the stairs or go for a brisk jog and feel out of breath? Roller skating can help! When you roller skate, you are increasing your endurance. (Endurance is how long you can withstand physical or mental efforts.) So strap on skates and improve your endurance! You will see the difference on and off the rink.

Boosts Your Mood

When you roller skate, your body releases endorphins – the “feel good hormones.” These hormones interact with your brain, and your brain produces positive feelings throughout your body. Other activities that enable the release of endorphins are laughing, eating chocolate, listening to music, and working out.

So come to Wheels Skate Center for a great workout and fun time! Check out our hours, then visit us today.

Cool Winter Birthday Parties at Wheels!

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With all the activities (and sometimes chaos) of the holiday season, it’s easy to overlook the other important celebrations: winter birthdays! Don’t let your child feel left out or overshadowed because their birthday falls during this busy time. Here are some tips to plan a winter birthday party from Wheels Skate Center.

  • Outsource. You’re tired, you’re stressed, your house is in chaos. Don’t add to the insanity! Host a party at Wheels Skate Center and we do the work for you. Not only do we provide food, drinks, tableware, and activities, but your party package comes with a Party Host or Hostess to keep things running on schedule and handle the setup and cleanup. You’ll be free to worry about the rest of the party etiquette or–call us crazy–to relax and enjoy the party!
  • Be Flexible. Remember that you may need to pick a day for a party that isn’t your child’s actual birthday. Consider a small family celebration the day of and then have a party for friends later, when it’s more convenient.

  • Start Early. Give yourself and your guests plenty of time to plan for this extra event and everyone will have more fun.

  • Don’t Combine Presents! Remember: you should never combine Christmas and birthday presents for children born around the holidays. This is an expensive time of year, it’s true, but each celebration should have a specific gift, or your child may feel like their birthday was just tacked onto the holiday season. Make sure that grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. know this family policy as well.

With a little extra effort, a winter birthday party can be just as special as a summer party. Contact Wheels Skate Center today and let’s start planning!

Holiday Gift Guide for Roller Skaters!

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presentsAre you struggling to think of gifts now that it’s December and time is running out? Check out our Skating Gift Guide from Wheels Skate Center in Odenton, MD!

Skates make a great gift! The Wheels pro shop is open whenever our skate center is; come on down to browse our stock, with or without your skater. The investment will make everyone happy. Parents will save money every time they go to the skate center, and kids will get a chance to practice at home. Even if your skater already owns their own pair, they may have been dying for a new set. Plus, it’s always handy to have extras in case of loss or damage.

If you don’t need to get anyone new skates, don’t forget about all the necessary skating accessories. Consider getting something boring but important like a helmet or knee pads, but look for favorite colors and include some stickers to make it a little more special. If you’re looking for something more fun, check out some special skate socks or new laces. There are also plenty of fun treats for the roller skater in your life. Totes and bags are a fun way to show off their hobby, and also useful for carrying their skating gear. T-shirts or jewelry, like charm bracelets, earrings, and keyrings, will also be welcome.

Don’t forget that the most important gift is the gift of time. Bring your skater to Wheels Skate Center for a few hours of togetherness any time we’re open!

Adult Nite at Wheels Skate Center!

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Being an adult is pretty great–most of the time. Sometimes, though, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be! When the pressures of work and responsibilities have you feeling crazy stressed, why not take a break? Get your friends together for Adult Nite at Wheels Skate Center in Odenton, MD! Every Tuesday night from 7:30 to 9:30 we close the doors for anyone under 21.

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Roller skating may not be the first thing you think of when planning a date or a night out with your group of friends, but hear us out: it’s actually one of the most fun things you can do together. What makes Adult Nite at Wheels so great?

  • It’s Affordable!  Admission is just $5. Skate rental is extra unless you bring your own–but when was the last time you got a night out for under $10?
  • It’s Great Exercise! Let’s face it: most of us don’t get enough exercise. Roller skating is good for your heart, lungs, and muscles, and it’s easier on your joints than running. After a long day sitting at a desk, don’t you feel like you want to stretch out and get moving?
  • It’s Fun! Remember how much fun you had skating as a kid? Now that you’re an adult, there’s no reason that has to stop. At Wheels we have great music, tons of space, and delicious snacks, and on Adult Nite, there are no kids to worry about underfoot.

Has it been a long time since you went skating? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one! Check out some simple tips and then bring your friends down to Wheels Skate Center for Adult Nite!