Philly Roller Girls: How to Roller Skate As An Adult

Ice skating is so last season.

The Delaware River Waterfront Corp. (DRWC) will reopen its summer festivities Friday, such as Spruce Street Harbor Park, the massively popular outdoor space that helped Philly land on the No. 3 spot on the New York Times' places to visit in 2015 (behind Milan and Cuba).

This year, there's the added bonus of Summerfest at the Blue Cross RiverRink, where the DRWC will add Philly's only outdoor skating rink to its list of activities.

Roller skates and blades are available for rent at Summerfest, but let's be honest - it has been a minute since you hopped on eight wheels. To make sure you skate smoothly, we went to an expert: Philly Roller Derby vice president Kristen Herrmann, a.k.a. Ginger Vitis.

Herrmann is the production director and midday DJ on BEN FM (95.7), and Sunday morning DJ on WMMR (93.3). But on the rink, she's an expert skater in the city's premiere roller-derby league.

So here's Herrmann on how to put your best skate forward.

If you are renting a pair, as you can at Summerfest, take an extra minute or two to feel them out a bit. Blisters might happen either way, but a well-fitting pair of skates is a good start.

This new outdoor rink sounds amazing, so if you're going to be there a lot, consider buying yourself a pair of skates. There are skates out there for every level of skater, many of them pretty inexpensive. The Riedell R3 is a good (cheap) pair for a beginner. Jump to the Riedell 495 boots if you don't mind spending some money. If you want a really awesome-looking pair of skates, we hear all the cool kids are buying Moxi Roller Skates. They're a retro skate and are pretty rad.

Don't go crazy right off the bat. Take a couple of laps and get your bearings before challenging the 8-year-old next to you to a race.

If you're new to skating, don't expect to be amazing right away. It is pretty easy to learn, though, with practice. Don't get frustrated. Give yourself time to get used to life on wheels.

There are plenty of roller derby and skating how-to videos online. Research how to stop or specific stops like a T-stop, toe stop, or plow stop. Being able to stop yourself is half the battle.

If you are pretty good on skates, dynamic stretching while skating around the rink is a great way to warm up your muscles. Bring your knees up one at a time, rotate your hips a bit, kick your feet to your butt. These types of stretches are better for your body than attempting to statically stretch without warming up your muscles first.

Skating is a ridiculous amount of fun, but believe it or not, you are working out. If you're burning calories, you're going to sweat. Stay hydrated, and bring a change of clothes for later at the beer garden, which reminds us: Alcohol is for after skating.

Wear something you can move in. Roller skating is one of the few athletic activities that, like surfing or skateboarding, can be fashionable. If you're skating for fitness or combining it with a little fashion, whatever way you approach it, it's tough to skate in jeans.

Concussions are no joke. Whether you just want to skate around in a circle for exercise, or you plan to play a contact sport like roller derby or hockey, you definitely need a helmet.

Invest in some knee pads. Again, if you're going to play a contact sport or just want to get tricky out there on the rink, knee pads are your new best friend.

There is so much to learn on roller skates. Once you are able to skate around the rink fairly easily, consider learning how to do a crossover. Once you master that, turn it around and skate backward. You can spin, jump, dance - the possibilities are endless.

There's more than just skating happening on the Waterfront this summer.

To get Memorial Day Weekend started, Philly's very own DJ Jazzy Jeff will headline from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday at the Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest.

The opening weekend will continue through Monday at both Summerfest and Spruce Street Harbor Park, with both spots hosting family favorites such as the Philly Circus, balloon artist Black Cat Balloon, and face painting. On Saturday at Spruce Street Harbor Park, performance troupe Invisible River will dance while suspended above the Delaware River at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

Shoppers, be on the lookout for the Art Star Pop Up Market on Saturday and the Punk Rock Flea Market on Sunday at Spruce Street Harbor Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. These outdoor markets will be back weekly until Sept. 27.

Spruce Street Harbor Park welcomes PortFedNuts, an outpost of Federal Donuts that will serve up a fried-chicken sandwich, iced coffee, and those singular doughnuts. Franklin Fountain will get its own shipping container, dubbed the S.S. Franklin Fountain, to serve up old-school ice cream treats, including regular offerings and the Mighty Warship (a waffle boat, two scoops of ice cream, two toppings, and whipped cream with a cherry on top). On weekends, the Distrito Taco Truck will serve tacos.

Back at Summerfest, if skating becomes tiresome, the Garces Group offers specialty items from the menu of its esteemed restaurant Village Whiskey. Dining options include the Village Burger, a veggie burger, rotating specials, and Shorty Fries (fries topped with short ribs and Sly Fox cheddar sauce).

For those craving a sweet ending to a fun-filled day, Old City's Shane Confectionery sells Shore sweets like saltwater taffy, homemade fudge, penny candy, and ice cream sandwiches. General concessions such as pizza, nachos, and soda will be available to feed hungry skaters who are on the go.

The 21-plus crowd can enjoy a selection of local beers and specialty cocktails at the Lodge at Summerfest. After cooling off, wander around and stop at the old-time photo booth for themed pictures with friends.

Not ready to get back on the rink after all the eating? There will be alternatives to skating, such as Philly Roller Derby exhibitions, kid-friendly entertainment (face painting and interactive arts and crafts), as well as DJs on Friday and Saturday night.

- Alix Steerman and Molly Eichel

Blue Cross RiverRink Summer Fest

11 a.m.-11 p.m. (open skate) Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. (last skating session begins at 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (last skating session begins at 9 p.m.) through the end of September at 101 S. Columbus Blvd.

Tickets: $3 for skate admission, $13 for admission and

skate rental.

Information: 215-922-2386, www.delaware

riverwaterfront.com.EndText

215-854-5909