How to Lose Weight Rollerblading

Co-authored by Brendon Rearick and Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 10, 2021 References

If you’re looking to have a blast while you lose weight exercising, rollerblading is an awesome option. It may seem counterintuitive since rollerblading doesn’t always feel like a tough workout, but it might even be one of the most efficient ways to shed the pounds! While we’re going to focus exclusively on exercise here, it really can’t be overstated enough that your diet is extremely important when it comes to losing weight. You can rollerblade until the sun goes down, but if you aren’t running a caloric deficit and eating a healthy diet, you won’t lose weight. With that said, read on if you want to know more about how to lose weight with rollerblades!

Question 1 of 5:

Is rollerblading good exercise for weight loss?

Yes, rollerblading is a phenomenal choice if you enjoy it. Anything that helps you break a sweat can be helpful when it comes to weight loss, but healthy weight loss requires a sustained effort over time. Since it’s so important to stick with it, you should choose activities you enjoy. If you really have fun rollerblading, this is an absolutely awesome choice!^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- If you’re worried about whether it’s an effective way to lose weight, it is. So long as you pair regular exercise with a healthy diet, you’re on the road to success.

Question 2 of 5:

How many calories does rollerblading burn?

It varies based on your weight, but about 300-500 calories every 30 minutes. It can be kind of tricky to figure out exactly how many calories you burn a day because your metabolism, BMI, and weight all play a role here. Generally speaking, 30 minutes of rollerblading should burn about 400 calories. If you skate for at least 1 hour 3 times a week, that’s 2,400 calories a week!^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- If you cut roughly 500-1,000 calories a day from your diet, you’ll lose about 1 lb (0.45 kg) a week. If you burn an additional 2,400 calories a week, you’re going to be happy with the results!
- Just to put this in context, this is roughly the same range of calorie-burning as 30 minutes of bicycling, rope jumping, or cross-country running.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  Go to source}

Question 3 of 5:

Is rollerblading as good as running?

1
Rollerblading is probably better from a raw weight-loss perspective. Your primary concern when it comes to exercise and weight loss is calories. The more of those you burn, the more weight you’ll lose. From that angle, rollerblading is the clear winner since it burns more calories than an equal amount of running.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- This assumes that you’re putting in an equal amount of energy. If your choice is between casually and slowly rolling down a gentle incline on your skates and wind sprints, the running is going to be better for you.
- Rollerblading may not feel like as much work as running, but it engages a lot of muscles in your core, back, and legs in a way that running doesn’t. Even balancing with your arms can give you a workout. Believe it or not, that work adds up!^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
2
Rollerblading is a lot easier for your joints to handle than running. In terms of the amount of pressure you put on your body, rollerblading is also the clear winner. It’s a lot easier for your joints to handle rollerblading than running. If you’ve ever had any issues with joint pain or high-impact exercise gives you wobbly, achy knees, then rollerblading is going to be better for you.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- This isn’t to say that rollerblading is risk-free. You absolutely must wear a helmet. Knee and elbow pads are optional, but they’re highly recommended. It’s possible to fall and injure yourself, so be careful out there!

Question 4 of 5:

Can you lose thigh fat by rollerblading?

Rollerblading will help you lose weight everywhere. Unfortunately, you can’t target specific parts of your body for weight loss. You can’t exercise to “lose belly fat” or “get thinner thighs.” If you’re going to lose weight, you’ll lose it everywhere. Rollerblading will absolutely strengthen your thigh muscles and tone your legs, so you’re sure to have a slimmer lower body if you stick with it. Just know that those thighs won’t get skinny faster than anything else.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- While you will generally lose a good amount of weight wherever your body is storing the most excess fat when you start shredding the pounds, there is a genetic component here. If you were born with naturally big thighs, there may not be a ton you can do.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}

Question 5 of 5:

Is roller-skating or rollerblading better for weight loss?

They’re pretty interchangeable from a weight loss perspective. If weight loss is your primary goal, it’s really not about what you’re doing so long as it causes you to burn more calories than you consume. Roller-skating and rollerblading are both low-impact cardio activities, and it doesn’t really make a difference one way or another so long as the activity causes you to break a sweat.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Roller-skating is going to be better if you don’t have great balance, since it’s harder to stabilize yourself on rollerblades. Rollerblades are probably better if you really love to go fast.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}