Grinds (skating)

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Grinds are any sliding stances held across surfaces with the assistance of inline skates. Grinds in inline skating are based on the ability to balance on one or two legs while sliding across the obstacle or surface with the leg(s) facing perpendicular and/or parallel to the direction of motion. When a skater correctly places his or her feet on the obstacle in the desired position that skater is said to be 'locked-in'. The ability to lock and hold various combinations of perpendicular/parallel, right foot/left foot form the basic level from which more advanced grinds and combinations of grinds can be executed. The use of single row skates or inline skates enable the skater to grind on the outer and inner sole on each skate; The 'soul', or positive soul and the 'negative' spaces respectively. When the grinding leg is bent such that the frame is sliding nearly sideways on top of the obstacle, this is known as the 'topside' variations of soul-based grinds. Thus more possible stances are at the disposal of the blader when inline skates are used for aggressive skating, leaving more room for expression. It is mainly a stunt technique employed in the aggressive skating discipline and many niche inline skate brands focus innovation around this concept together with traditional durability, comfort, and speed design principles that go into making skate products as adopted by the inline skating industry. While the foot position of a grind is standard, the visual aesthetic of a grind varies from skater to skater depending on skill, experience, flexibility, and personal expression. Also known as style in the aggressive skating community, this plays an important role in judging during professional aggressive skating competitions such as the IMYTA (I match your trick association), World Rolling Series sanctioned competitions and competitions hosted by Action sport events such as the Gravity Games and X Games.

Frontside and backside

Also abbreviated FS or BS, this distinction is used when sliding using the surface of the frames found between the wheels and used to describe whether the skater is sliding with his or her back turned to the obstacle (backside), or facing the obstacle (frontside).

Soul/Negative

A soul grind and a Soul-based grind are two different things. Soul-based grinds are all grinds that use the outer wings of the base of the inline skate boot. Regardless of stance and direction of motion. Negative based grinds use the inner wings, the opposite of soul based grind thus the name.

Variations

Topside

When the soul based trick is locked-in by putting the weight on the outer most wall of the frame instead of the soul plate such that the skater is grinding on his/her frame. The sliding frame should be as close to horizontal as possible.

Torque

When the skater bends his/her legs so that the boot touches the surface upon which they are grinding while doing a FS/BS

Alley-oop

A soul-based grind sliding in the opposite direction. AO grinds are always done backwards. The skater spins 180° while maintaining sight of the obstacle before performing the grind.

Other

  • Rough: A variation on any soul plate based trick where you are grinding on your heel instead of your whole foot.
  • Tough: A variation on any soul plate based trick where you are grinding on your toe instead of your whole foot.
  • Christ: Setting your other foot on top of your toe in a soul grind position.
  • Acid Christ: Setting your other foot on top of your toe in an acid grind position.
  • Wheelbarrow: Rolling the free foot (heel or toe) on a ledge while the other foot grinds. Also known as Training Wheel.
  • Taps and Bonks: Knocking another obstacle with a free foot on purpose while grinding or gapping something.

Execution

The skater rolls towards the obstacle either facing the direction they are going in or going backwards (fakie) at a speed they are comfortable with or find appropriate for the grind and/or trick combination, known as a line to the Action Sport industry, and uses his/her own power to jump onto the obstacle 'locking' the grind using the available surfaces of the inline skate to complete the various sliding stances known as Grinds. Execution of grinds in inline skating may include spinning into or out of the grind and/or spinning while sliding into another grind in one continuous motion, known as 'switching-up'.

Regular

Regular is a designation for the foot a skater is more comfortable with. A person who does more tricks on the right foot will have a regular right foot. A left-footed skater will be regular on the left foot.

Switch

When a skater executes a grind leading with the opposite foot of what comes naturally. It is given the name switch in aggressive skating because of the compromise the skaters has to make in their balance. The term is a play on the directional 'switch' stance of skateboarding. Rolling backwards on inline skates is the equivalent to skate boarding's rolling switch which inline skaters refer to as 'fakie'. The grind is called 'switch' when the skater that normally grinds on the right foot executes the same grind using the left or vice versa.

Mounting and Dismounting

  • Darkside: Coming into a ledge grind from on top of the ledge.
  • Grab: Grabbing the free foot while doing a one-footed grind. You can grab it as a Plain (Safety), Cross Grab (Mute), Backside Grab, Rocket, Parallel, or Stale.
  • Tru Spin: Spinning away from the obstacle (blind) and locking into a grind.
  • In-Spin: Spinning towards the obstacle (spotted) from fakie and locking into a grind.
  • Out-Spin: Spinning away from the obstacle from fakie and locking into a grind.
  • Zero Spin: Jumping into a grind from fakie without spinning at all.
  • Illusion: Looking over the opposite shoulder of the direction you are going to spin.
  • Med Spin: Rotating one foot on the ground just before beginning the greater part of the trick.
  • Medwind: A Med Spin while then after spinning the opposite direction of the initial spin.
  • Hurricane: Spinning a full 360 away (blind) from the obstacle into a grind.
  • Sugarcane: Spinning a 360 towards (spotted) the obstacle into a grind.
  • Revert: Spinning out of a grind the same direction the skater spun in.
  • Rewind: Spinning out the opposite direction of the direction the skater spun in.
  • Disaster: Gap to grind.
  • Shifty: Pretending to go one way on take-off by twisting the body one direction then going the very opposite direction.
  • Transfer: Jumping over to another obstacle mid-grind.

Biometrics

Bladers use of the corners between the base plate of the boot and the single row going from heel-to-toe to lock into grinds onto obstacles. Holding these many of these stances requires strength and flexibility similar to many yoga stances but also involves impact from jumping which can hyperextend Musculoskeletal tissue, especially if performed badly as is the case with beginners. The most common injury sustained while skating is a sprained ankle. The high-impact of jumps, grinding, and landing aerial maneuvers places stress on the knees and ankles. While little data is available about the long term effects of grinding with inline skates there is a link between the possibility of such damage or injury and the experience of the blader performing the grind; less-experienced skaters struggle more with balance which compromises the techniques involved in minimizing impact.[1] Stretching before and after skating is recommended to reduce the risk of injury.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/ftinterface~content=a772392222~fulltext=713240930~frm=content

Other Reference

Styles of inline skating
Physical design
Manufacturers
Other roller sports
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