Dyspraxia and rollerblading

[Boxes-of-Foxes]

So I've recently started rollerblading and the people I joined with also had never skated but they're progressing so much faster than me. I don't mind, I mean they're so much more daring than me, but I can't help but blame my dyspraxia and now I'm scared it'll never get any better. Is there a plateau that I'll reach where my balance can't be improved? People I've spoken to think it's strange I've gone for the hobbies that "dyspraxics shouldn't participate in" being skating and dancing. Yes I struggle with both (more so dance, remembering the steps AND coordinating my limbs) but I still see improvements every week. It just frustrates me a lot when it's the 10th time I've fallen over in an hour and I still can't do what I intended. So I guess my question is - practice makes perfect, but is this the case where dyspraxia and balance is concerned? Or am I just fighting a losing battle?

[FrankieSoup]

I cycle as my primary mode of transportation when I’m on my own - I only drive if I need to take the kids (joys of living rurally with mad petrol prices and terrible public transport ). I’m crap at cycling- I can barely indicate and if I don’t do it regularly I have to relearn it. I was the last one in the 60 kids of our cycling proficiency class in primary to even learn to ride a bike and i only did it because I had to. My point is, I can totally relate to balance issues.

Practice and keeping up the skills between sessions definitely helps and I think there’ll come a time when muscle memory just works (like it does for me in the car- took me five years to learn to drive but I’m easily my family’s safest driver). It just takes waaaay longer for us than anyone else and we have to work twice as hard.

Doing yoga specifically for balance has definitely helped my coordination, and weirdly, so did exercises I did for (with?) my kid to help with “crossing the midline”. It’s just stuff like throwing a ball from hand to hand but there’s loads of examples on Pinterest.

Hope some of that helps.

[Tom fod]

This got me thinking of the episode of Father Ted where they try to give up Cigarettes, Alcohol and Rollerblading for Lent

I decided Skateboarding wasn't for me after collection a number of painful grazes in just one afternoon. I think it can be a case of if we want to we'll find a way. The temptation is always to compare ourselves and that is rarely fair or objective so we can very quickly be discouraged to the point of screw this

I can ride a bike but wouldn't really feel safe or necessarily trust myself on local roads. I never ever passed Cycling Proficiency

There was a guy on here a while back who posted about crawling and how that might in theory aid Proprioception. Link here viewtopic.php?p=31732&hilit=crawling#p31732

[MelSheba]

I started roller skating a little over a year ago. I’d only ever done a bit of roller derby before but I wanted to try jam/dance skating. I found it very frustrating as picking up movements and particularly combos to do the dance moves was taking me much longer than other ppl on insta. I have persevered though as I see it as a fun way to workout and I need to workout often for my mental health. It took me 6-7 months to pick up crazy legs and even now it’s still a struggle to do any variations as my brain doesn’t follow videos well when it comes to learning new moves. Took me even longer for some specific things and I still cannot spin more than 3 turns. I plan on keeping at it but any new move or combo takes me insane amounts of time and usually involves Frustration and tears

[FromtheHill]

That is great to hear you are rollerblading! Sometimes we all have to find something that we will struggle with and potentially fail at. Sometimes it's the constant practice, repetition & finding a different way that works best.

I tried rollerblading - paid $90 for a pair in the early 2000s. Strapped them on and it felt like I was on a stepladder on an icy pond. I knew that $90 was lost. But sometimes I make an attempt and see if I'll be able to succeed.

[Andrew_S_Hatton]

Years ago - before she discovered dyspraxia my daughter discovered roller skating and I think got pleasure and a sense of achievement from being part of a club and it helped her spatial awareness as well.