| How to Roller Skate Backwards Posted: 18 Jul 2019 05:00 PM PDT For many people, roller skating forwards is incredibly difficult. Learning how to skate takes practice, so you should make sure you wear protective gear in case you fall down. Before you attempt to skate backwards, you need to know the basics of roller skating. Once you are confident in your ability to skate forward and stop with ease, you can move on to learning how to skate backwards. By repeating the simple motion of bringing your toes together and then moving your heels apart, you will move backwards on your skates. EditSkating Backwards - Make a "V" shape with your feet. Your toes should be touching together, and your heels should be apart. The outer edges of your feet should create a rough 90 degree angle with your toes forming the corner.[1]
- If you find this uncomfortable, it helps to bend your knees a bit.
- Push your heels apart and bring them back together. The wider the gap that you create when you push your heels apart, the faster and longer you will move backwards. When your heels meet, recreate the "V" shape with your toes and repeat.[2]
- Alternatively, you can apply pressure to your right toes while lifting your left foot to glide backwards on one skate. Mirror this motion with the other foot when you start to run out of momentum.
- Look behind you over your shoulder. The only way to see where you are going is to glance over your shoulder regularly. This can be very disorienting, so be careful and take it slowly when you are first learning how to skate backwards.
- Do not lean back when you look to see where you are going. This is how most people fall down.[3]
- Increase the length of your strokes to pick up speed. The wider you can spread your ankles apart, the more momentum you will generate. The faster that you can repeat the process of putting your toes together and then pushing your ankles apart, the faster you will move.[4]
- Practice before you skate on the rink. If you want to get good at skating backwards, practice by going slowly at first and stepping slowly. If you fall, don't panic; it happens to everybody and eventually you will get better.
- Skating backward takes lots of practice. Do not increase your speed or the width of your spread until you are comfortable and confident.
- Switch between skating backwards and forwards. Transfer your weight to your right foot. At the same time lift up on your left foot and use it to swing your body 180 degrees. Then turn your right foot to face forward and use it to push off.[5]
- Once you start to turn, make sure your core and hips stay aligned. Don't twist around at the waist.
EditLearning the Fundamentals of Skating - Wear protective gear on your head, knees, and arms. If you are just learning how to skate, you should wear plenty of protective gear because you will probably fall down sometimes. If you are an experienced skater, you should still consider wearing some gear because accident can even happen to professionals.[6]
- The most important piece of protective gear is a solid helmet. You can injure your head from taking a slight fall. Make sure the helmet is comfortable and has a snug fit on your head.
- You can also get knee pads and wrist guards for some added protection. These are especially useful if you are skating on rougher surfaces like cement or asphalt.
- Lace up your skates. Start with the bottom and work your way up the skate. The laces should go underneath the first eye-holes and they should criss-cross over each other as you run the laces up the skate. You will also rotate pulling the laces under and over the eye holes.[7]
- Pull the laces as tight as you can after you run them through each eye-hole.
- Learn how to skate forward. You should be practiced at roller skating before you start trying to skate backwards. Push off with one foot and glide until you lose momentum. Then, push off with the other foot.[8]
- Develop your forward glide and a posture that works for you. Once you have these down, you can start practicing more difficult maneuvers like backward skating.
- You should be fairly confident in your ability to skate forward before trying to skate backward. Two important skills you should know before skating backwards are finding your balance and being able to increase your speed without losing control.
- Use your front brake to stop skating. Roller skates have brakes on the front of the shoe. They are the round, hard-plastic or rubber knobs near the end of the toe. Move one skate in front of the other and lift it slightly. Then press that toe down against the surface you are skating on.[9]
- Push down quickly with a good amount of force to avoid losing your balance.
EditReferences
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| How to Measure a Dog for Clothes Posted: 18 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT Dog clothes are cute, and they can also be super functional. From sweaters, coats, and hoods that keep your pup warm in cool weather to harnesses to keep them safe on walks, it's important to get your dog's measurements right. Clothes that are too tight could cut off blood circulation, and clothes that are too loose could fall off or get tangled in their legs. All you need to get your dog's measurements is a soft tape measure and a pen and paper to write down the numbers. From there, you can buy, make, or order new clothes for your canine friend. EditGetting Your Dog's Measurements - Determine the top-line measurement for coats, sweaters, and shirts. The top-line is the length of your dog, measured from the base of their neck to where their tail starts. Take a soft tape measure and place one end at the base of your dog's neck and measure to the base of their tail. Use this measurement to figure out what size of clothing you should buy for them, or use it to make one-of-a-kind clothing yourself. Check out the following measurements to get an idea of what size sweater or coat your dog might need:[1]
- = XXS
- = XS
- = S
- = M
- = L
- = XL
- Get the measurement of the under-chest area to properly fit a sweater. Measure from the top of the dog's chest (the base of its throat in the front), bring the tape measure between its front legs and stop measuring at the end of the dog's rib cage. Really long dogs, (like dachshunds, basset hounds, and corgis) might need special sweaters with an extra-elongated under-chest area; otherwise, the sweater will end in the middle of their ribs and won't keep them very warm.[2]
- This measurement works for picking the right size of T-shirts, too.
- Take the girth (chest) measurement to make sure straps will fit correctly. Use a soft tape measure to determine how big around your dog's chest is. Measure just behind the dog's front legs and up around the dog's ribcage. This is especially important if you're special-ordering a piece of clothing or if you're making clothes for your dog.[3]
- Measure the width of your dog's neck to fit collars and scarves. Take your soft tape measure and put it around your dog's neck, taking care to not pull it too tight. Measure from the top of the dog's chest, completely around its neck. Leave it loose enough so that you can easily fit 2 fingers underneath of it.[4]
- It's important for the collar (or scarf, bandana, or bowtie) to not be too tight, otherwise it could hurt the dog's windpipe or even cut off their airflow.
- Fit your dog for a hood by measuring around its head and down its neck. Place the soft tape measure in front of the dog's ears, bring it down around the jaws, and bring the tape measure around until it meets the end behind the ears. If the hood is going to be attached to a sweater or coat, also measure from the midpoint of the ears to the base of the neck to ensure that length of material will be big enough.[5]
EditPicking Different Types of Clothes - Get a coat for your dog to wear in inclement weather. Protect your pup from rain, snow, and cold weather by outfitting them with a coat. Small dogs that don't have much body fat or thick fur will especially benefit from a coat in colder weather. Bigger dogs will love them if you're still taking long walks after the weather gets cool.[6]
- You could even get a raincoat to help keep your dog dry and warm and a separate winter coat for snowy, cold winter days.
- Keep your dog comfy at home with a sweater during cooler months. If you notice your dog has been extra cuddly in the fall and winter months, that may be because they need a little extra warmth! Get them a sweater to wear when the temperatures drop.[7]
- Sweaters aren't the best for dogs to wear outdoors if there is rain or snow, as the precipitation could absorb into the material and make them really cold.
- Avoid buying or making a sweater made of wool. The fabric is just as itchy to dogs as it is to humans.
- Pair your dog's outfits with hats and hoods to keep their face warm. Rain hats and warm hoods are great ways to keep your pup's face from getting too cold or wet when it's raining, snowing, or getting cooler outdoors. Use hats that are made specifically for dogs, make your own, or make alterations to a small hat you already have (make sure there are holes for your dog's ears to poke out).[8]
- Put a cute T-shirt on your pup to make them look stylish. T-shirts don't provide much in the way of functionality—they don't keep your dog very warm or protect them from bad weather—but they are super cute! Pick the right size based off of your dog's top-line measurement and get ready for the compliments to start rolling in![9]
- If the shirt is too tight on your dog it could cause them to overheat. If you're in doubt about the sizing, pick the next size up.
- Select the right-sized harness to keep your dog safe on walks. There are a lot of different types of harnesses out there, from mobility harnesses to help you lift your dog if it needs it, to lightweight harnesses which are great for training purposes, to front-clip harnesses for dogs that tend to pull on their lead. Ask someone at a pet store to help you make a decision, or do some research to make sure you're picking the best harness for your pup.[10]
- Don't forget, if you have a puppy you will need to upgrade their harness from time to time until they are full grown.
- Add bowties, bandanas, and fun collars to your dog's wardrobe. Once you know the measurement for your dog's neck, you can pick out tons of great accessories for your pooch to wear. Always check to make sure you can fit 2 fingers underneath the collar so that your dog can breathe easily.[11]
- If your dog goes outside on its own, make sure it is always wearing a collar with an I.D. tag attached.
- Avoid pieces of clothing that have buttons or zippers—your pet might try to chew them off and swallow them!
- To help keep your pet calm while you're measuring them, try giving them a treat or some peanut butter to distract them.
EditThings You'll Need - Pencil or pen
- Paper
- Soft tape measure
EditReferences
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| How to Start a Volunteer Organization Posted: 18 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT Creating a volunteer organization can be a deeply fulfilling and fun process, but it requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Anyone can start a volunteer group with a positive attitude and patient mindset. To create a successful organization, you'll want to carefully define your goals to craft a mission statement. From there, you can build a website, recruit online, and create a project for your organization to accomplish. EditDesigning a Mission - Identify the specific elements of an issue to focus on. Most successful volunteer organizations focus on one specific issue, and identifying your main focus will inform how you design your organization. Brainstorm some issues that matter to you by freewriting on a piece of paper. Ask yourself what kind of change you want to see in the world and then narrow it down from there.[1]
- Your focus doesn't need to be a massive issue like global warming or animal cruelty. It's perfectly fine to focus on a smaller area of concern.
- If you're struggling to think of an issue to focus on, start small. Ask people in your local community what they think could be improved where you live. You're more likely to generate interest in your group if the people around you care about your topic.
- Select an obtainable goal in order to guide your organization. Think about how long it will take to solve the problems surrounding your particular issue, and use this information to estimate a timeline for your organization. People will want to know when their participation in your group could end, so consider starting with short-term obtainable goals.[2]
- It may be that there is no achievable solution to your problem in sight. In this case, consider creating an exploratory volunteer organization—a group that seeks to explore the dynamics of an issue.
- You could also create an awareness group to heighten people's understanding of a topic, or a conservation organization—a group that focuses on saving a specific place or group from potential dangers.[3]
- Determine the action steps that your organization will take. Start by writing down a few concrete steps that your organization will take to solve your issue. It's alright if you aren't sure about every practical detail at first, but you'll need to be able to explain what your organization actually plans on doing in order to generate interest in your group.
- Awareness campaigns, door-to-door surveys, and public protests are all actionable steps that would serve as great places to start.
- Combine your focus, objection, and action steps to write a mission statement. A mission statement should explain your group's goals and plans in one paragraph or less. Include an explanation of why your topic is important in order to justify your organization's existence, and emphasize the specific group that you're serving. If your organization wants to help pets, the environment, or a particular demographic of people, you'll want to make that explicit in your mission statement.[4]
- For example, "Students for Peace is a nonprofit that focuses on preventing inner-city violence by connecting with at-risk youth and running after-school programs to provide a safe space for these young people," is an excellent start to a mission statement. It explains why the group exists, who it serves, and how it helps.
- A mission statement is important because it guides every decision that an organization makes by anchoring it in a specific belief and orientation towards a problem.
- Ask a friend or colleague to proofread, edit, and revise your mission statement. You want it to be as tightly and carefully written as possible, since you'll use it to appeal to your audience, recruit volunteers, and make major decisions.
- Create a name for your volunteer group. If you want attract volunteers and stick in your audience's memory, you'll want to think of a catchy name for your organization. Consider incorporating your group's goal or location in your name. Say potential names out loud to see how the name sounds when spoken. Once you have a name, obtainable goals, and mission statement, you're ready to get started.[5]
- American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Peace Corps are all organizations with great names because they're memorable, catchy, and give you a sense of what their goal is in their name.
- An easy way to come up with a name is to use a simple formula. Take your volunteer demographic, use the word "for," and then include the issue. Examples might look like "Citizens for Justice Reform," or "Young Workers for a Higher Wage."[6]
EditCreating a Foundation - Register your organization with your state or country to make it official. Registering your organization will give it credibility and make it an official group. Every state and country has different laws and rules regarding the registration and incorporation of volunteer organizations. Do a thorough search online for laws regarding registration where you live, and file the necessary applications to make it official![7]
- Registering a nonprofit or volunteer organization typically requires you to pay a fee, but it often gives your organization protection from lawsuits and copyright infringement.[8]
- Create a website so that people can learn about your group. You'll want to ensure that your website contains your mission statement, contact information, future projects, and information on how to get involved. Consider including a calendar or monthly meeting schedule so that volunteers can easily refer back to important dates or events. Try to keep your website simple in terms of design to ensure that it's easy for people to navigate.
- Use a professional web address. A safe way to go is to simply use your group's name as your web address if it's available.
- Weebly, Ucraft, Wordpress, and Google Sites are all popular platforms that are used to create websites. They're also free, and easy to use.[9]
- Squarespace is a popular website builder, but it'll require a monthly payment plan.[10]
- Design promotional materials to market your group. Start with a simple brochure or poster. You can either design it yourself or use an online template. Include a call to action by asking your reader to do something specific, like vote on a particular topic or educate themselves on an issue. Tell the reader to refer to your website for more information, and include contact information about joining your group.[11]
- If you're designing your marketing materials yourself, make sure that you don't violate any copyright laws by including images without the owner's permission. This could get you into big trouble as a registered nonprofit or volunteer organization.
EditRecruiting Members - Approach close friends and family and ask them to help. People that know you intimately are going to be more inclined to help you at the beginning. Consider asking close friends and family to join as registered members of your organization. Even if they don't meaningfully contribute, it'll show future potential members that they aren't alone in joining your group.
- Develop a quick pitch that can be delivered in one minute or less. Make sure that you explain your organization's importance and how you plan to affect change.
- Promote your organization online by using social media. Join Facebook groups and follow Twitter hashtags that relate to your organization's specific goals and overarching issues. This will help you identify people that may be interested in helping and give you an easy platform to promote your group. Encourage people to share your website, and use every opportunity to bring awareness to your topic.[12]
- A good social media post will start off with a call to action, followed by more specific details about your group. A strong call to action will activate interest in your group's solution to a problem. "Save the whales!" or, "Don't you want to improve life here in your city?" are both excellent openers because they provoke the reader to do something.
- Keep hashtags as short as possible in order to make sure that people remember them. They should include an action, whenever possible. "#StopLittering" is a perfect example of a simple hashtag that demands something from the audience.
- Create incentives for volunteers to attract new members. Incentives are an excellent way to get people excited about joining your group. They also increase morale and encourage involvement in your organization. Simple incentives like group outings, meals, snacks, and free t-shirts are excellent motivators that you can use to get people to join your group.[13]
- You can also appeal to an audience's sense of belonging to attract members. Try playing up networking opportunities and telling potential members that they'd make a great fit in your organization.[14]
EditTaking Action and Growing as a Group - Execute your organization's first project. Start with something small and obtainable, like cleaning a section of roadway or creating a petition. You'll want your first project to be something you can celebrate, so don't get too ambitious at the beginning. If you start with a massive project, you could also overwhelm your first round of volunteers, which could scare them away in the future.[15]
- Be open to input from the members of your group. If they can't get behind your idea, you'll have a hard time convincing anyone to show up.
- Keep volunteers engaged by communicating often and finding something fun about your project. If you can listen to music while you work, consider bringing some speakers and playing some fun background tunes.[16]
- Have volunteers sign in by bringing a blank contact form so that you can reach out to active volunteers in the future.[17]
- Delegate responsibilities to other members in your group. Since they're not being paid, it can often be hard to incentivize volunteers to take on additional work. Choose members that enjoy socializing for tasks that involve interacting with people. If there is someone in your group that loves to draw or paint, ask them to create your logo. A successful volunteer group requires a lot of effort, but if you can get your members to contribute in ways that interest them, you'll develop group loyalty and make the organization feel more like a family.[18]
- Ask people about what motivates them directly. You may be able to delegate a lot of responsibilities to members that care deeply about your group's mission. [19]
- Monitor results carefully and celebrate fellow volunteers. Discuss how things are going with fellow members to generate a growth plan. Be open to input from other members of your group when considering how effective a project has been. Make it a point to applaud your group's efforts and celebrate them whenever you can. This will keep your volunteers returning to events and meetings!
- Keep a record of your work and growth by saving important events in a calendar. You can use a physical or digital calendar, but you'll want to track events and membership in order to change your group's direction in the future.
EditRelated wikiHows EditReferences
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