Billie and #ITSMYMOVE want to help encourage Kiwi teenage girls to explore more ways to move.

Whether you move for fun, friendship or the feels -  we will help you discover how to be active – your way.

This month influencer, Macarena Carrascosa, tells us how her relationship with roller skating has evolved from competitive to passion and why she thinks exercise should be fun.

As a teenager my relationship with physical activity was strong. I grew up as an athlete competing in Artistic Roller Skating and representing New Zealand at Oceania and World Championships. 

However, as my time in competitive sport progressed, my relationship with exercise changed drastically. I had my fair share of over-training and under-eating through my late teens until an injury forced me to look at what I was doing and how much I actually needed to do in order to be successful. The injury was soul destroying for me as I attributed my self-worth to being able to perform on skates, so when that was taken away, I really had to look at what else I had to offer and re-think my relationship with exercise. Taking that step back taught me to be kinder to myself.

Because I was an international athlete, I never saw exercise as “fun”. It was always competitive and I always did it for my sport.

But I’ve now seen, and have personally had, a huge shift in focus from competitive to more recreational and casual engagement in sport and physical activity. And this is great! Young people want to learn some new stuff but more importantly, they want to see their friends. After nearly three years of being locked down, it makes sense that we want to connect with each other.

I now teach skating and have set up my own club. I saw a real need to offer classes where people didn’t have to compete or commit for longer than a term, where they could connect with friends, learn new skills and be around skaters their own age.  These classes focus on fun, confidence and the social side of skating, giving a safe space for people to enjoy skating as a hobby.

Roller skating has a magical way of capturing those people, especially young women, who have been told traditional sport is not for them. There are so many people I have taught who thought sport and exercise just wasn’t something they were good at, but then are so surprised when roller skating becomes a huge part of their life.  Roller skating can be done alone or in a group and a big focus is on skill acquisition. You don’t need much, just a pair of skates and away you go!

After I finished competing in 2019, I was in my mid 20’s and I had to re-evaluate my relationship to exercise again. Training to be fit for life is not the same as training to be fit for your sport. I have been working on my relationship to exercise and how it fits into my life ever since. I had always loved running and going to the gym but now I don’t have to apply the same discipline as I always had. So what if I miss a run? I don’t have a competition coming up, I can do it for me and my mental health.

I also started trying out things I never had time for before, like fun beginner dance classes which got me sweaty and gave me that same feeling of freedom within my body that skating gave me. If I was dancing, I would forget all my worries and unlocking new choreography really gave me a sense of achievement. Being a beginner at something really helped me appreciate the vulnerability you need in order to try something new. It got me thinking about how hard and brave it is to start a new hobby or sport in your teens and young adulthood. Heck, at any age really! 

With all I’ve learnt since retiring from my sport, I’m able to appreciate all the big emotions that come with trying something new. Especially when the new activity is something you have been told you are not good at. Our girls often grow up being told they “throw like a girl” or “kick like a girl”.  They believe some kids are just built for sport and others are not. And that is simply not true. Everyone deserves to be active and find that activity that brings them joy. Everyone has the potential to build their skills and enjoy moving. We are built for movement, that is what our bodies do. 

Nowadays, my exercise time is my “me” time. I no longer pressure myself to get a workout in when I’m tired. I still enjoy going to the gym and getting sweaty by myself, but my favourite kind of workouts are in groups. Going for walks and chatting to friends, trying dance workouts with friends and laughing about how bad we are but celebrating together when we get something right. I genuinely enjoy being strong and lifting heavy weights. I love having the power to do push-ups and I love my muscles. Growing up, it was hard to have the big thighs that skating gave me, but now I love my strong thighs. They help me teach skating and they help me lift weights at the gym. Without them I wouldn’t be doing what I do today.

If I could give some advice to my teenage self, it would be to relax and enjoy your moment. Push yourself when you need to but learn to honour your recovery and take it seriously. 

I think finding enjoyment in exercise is so important. When I was teenager, I relied on my discipline and dedication to competition to keep myself accountable. Since stopping my competitive career, I have had to find a different way to motivate myself. I can no longer use upcoming competitions to push myself. So over the years, it has become increasingly important to enjoy my exercise. And if something isn’t enjoyable, I really question why I’m doing it. I don’t spend hours in the gym, I do just enough to keep myself strong and healthy and then the rest of my exercise routine is relaxed. Whether it’s going for walks with friends or walking my dog - it is a privilege to move my body and it’s a privilege to be able to show others how to do the same.

Sport NZ launched the #ITSMYMOVE campaign to help young women get active and stay active, their way, after research showed many young women stop participating in physical activity and sport in their teenage years.

Do you want to learn more about #ITSMYMOVE? Head to their website where you can find inspiration, free online workouts, podcasts and playlists.

If you haven’t already, check out our other stories with Tegan Yorwarth and Tayla Clement.