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How to Ice Skate


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Don't try to go too fast too soon. You will fall.

Tie your skates tight.

I used to ice skate when I was younger and I recently started again in the past few years. But we don't have a rink around here so I have to wait until the canal freezes over during winter, so I don't get much practice. I would suggest using a hockey stick or shovel to keep your balance at first, but if you're at a rink they'll most likely have railings.

It's very fun! I hope you enjoy it :)

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I like using waxed laces which allow your laces to stay tighter and will not loosen as fast as regular laces. Just don't be like Ovi and use yellow laces. White or black.

If you fall, don't worry...the ice is right there if you break anything :thumbsup:

All kidding aside, I'm sure you will do fine and you will enjoy it

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I'm not sure if the roller blades will help that much. There is far more friction when you are on blades, and also stopping is very different. It could help with balance but it might just make learning to use skates that much more of an adjustment for you.

The most important thing happens before you even hit the ice. Get properly fitting skates. It sounds extremely simple but there are people who buy a skate without considering how fit will affect their performance on ice. I would suggest going to a good hockey shop and asking to speak with an employee familiar with fittings.

It takes a little while to feel comfortable on skates when you first start but the classes will help. I will give you the one piece of advice that always stuck with me: Get low. Your knees should be bent so that your knee caps are above your toes. Focus on sticking your butt out and getting low. This helped me when I first started because it helps lower your center of gravity and feel more balanced. Standing up too straight will make you feel much more wobbly and make it feel like you will fall over backwards very easily. Staying low and sticking your butt out will help you. Hopefully that will help, but if the instructor says otherwise certainly listen to them.

Take it slow and don't be too afraid to fall, it will happen. If you want to help keep the ice feeling less painful on your body I would suggest buying a helmet to protect your most valuable asset, as well as shin pads. The shins will protect your knees if you do fall on them repeatedly. Full hockey gear makes you feel almost nothing at all, but it is a more expensive investment. Go with the helmet and shins at a minimum.

Hopefully this helps a little and make sure you have fun!

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Also go wrist guards/elbow pads. You seriously do not want to fall on your wrist/hands. Try to fall on your Arse. My wrist is still messed up from when I fell 2 years ago.

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My wrist is still messed up from when I fell 2 years ago.

Yeah, I'm sure that's what it was. :lol:

Get used to skating without a stick. IMO you need to find a balance that you are comfortable with ASAP and go from there. It will be repetitive and might even seem pointless in the beginning but it will be worth the payoff later. I have seen way too many n00bs try to play hockey before they learned how to skate and they fall whenever they get the puck because they never learned to properly balance themselves without a stick.

As mentioned the two things you don't cheap out on are skates and helmet.

Don't bother starting out with roller. Once you pick up ice going to roller (which you won't even want to) will be easy.

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I agree with those that said buy a helmet and fasten it properly. I've seen a few people fall and crack their heads open because they didn't have a helmet on or it flew off because the chip strap wasn't tight enough. I played hockey as a kid then stopped for about 30 years, when I descided to start again I took skating lessons for a year before I started playing hockey again, it really helped. It's amazing how many amature hockey players can't really skate.

The rink I play at also has beginer hockey classes for adults which are very good. Most of the instructors are former college and minor league hockey players. The classes are 1 hour a week and they spend the first half running drills and the second half of the hour you actually play a game. I have learned a lot by doing this. I take these classes along with playing in a league. I also go to drop in hockey about once a week.

The absolute most important thing is to have fun and don't get discouraged when you fall, because fall you will.

One more suggestion, make sure to stretch before and after skating, just like any other exersizing you do. When you first start your legs will get sore until you're used to the muscles you forgot you had being used.

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A lot of good stuff here, a few things I would add - kinda along the same lines as Kendelev - repetition is key, the more you do it the more comfortable you will be.

The shorter the gap between skates the faster you will get yer legs.

I wouldn't rule out the roller blade thing, when I started I would take a stick and a tennis ball over to a tennis court and just work on cross over's and stick handling. I think it paid off.

Also good to have a friend who shares the same interest,

I had a buddy that worked at the local rinks pro shop, this is a good friend to have.

They can hook you up with equipment, open ice slots, pick up games, pond pick up games, plus it always makes it more fun when you have someone to go with / motivate you.

If you are not lucky enough to know someone like that do everything you can to get to know others / make friends in the classes.

You never know who they know.

Be careful, it's like the mafia... once yer "in" you can never get out.

And last... I hope you like beer.

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Having coached minor hockey for the last 5 years i can give you a few small pointers that will help

-skates.....make sure you have the right size they should not fit like shoes they should 1 to 1.5 sizes smaller then your shoes . You need to almost feel uncomfortable in them. if your foot moves while skating then this will result in many other problems.

-Tie you skates looser at the bottom then the top, get a good tight fit on the top but not as tight on the bottom. this will give you more stability in the ankle and if you tie it too tight at the bottom it may feel very uncomfortable.

- wear comfortable clothing and a helmet is a good idea like others mentioned

-if you are taking lessons then i am summing the instructor will be able to guide you on the technical aspect of skating just remember to take t easy at first eventually you will be a pro ripping down the ice taking snapshot!!!!!

good luck

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I'm in the same boat, can't skate on ice or blades which is a pain 'cos there's no street hockey here that I know of. It'd be a rather sad sight, a 22 year old on the street playing hockey by himself.

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  • 1 month later...

First of all, thanks again everyone!

Second, it was a real hassle trying to find skates. My foot is a 4E width. The rentals at the rinks were all too narrow. I went to several hockey places, and there was nothing that fit. But one store was good enough to size my foot for skates, made a few recommendations, then I started ordering online. I had to return a few skates, but I found a pair of Bauer's (Flexlite 3.0) that came in a wide, and they fit.

Classes began this weekend. I was absolutely awful! :) Couldnt let go of the wall and to skate, I was pushing off on the wall with my hand and just shuffling feet. I was disappointed because the class size is maybe 10 people, and I am the only person in Adult 1, while the others had all been through Adult 2 class. So I am basically on my own as the instructor was working with the others in the center of the rink. Anyhow, I did go to a different rink today where they had open skating, and I practiced for 3 hours. About 90 minutes in, I began taking my hand off the wall for a few seconds. And on my final couple laps around the rink, I twice made it from the red goalie line on one side of the rink to the other side of the rink with only touching the wall once or twice for balance.

Some of my lessons learned: I thought that skates would "bite" the ice for traction, but I quickly found out that was not the case. Go slow, it helps with balance. Concentrate - the harder I focused on doing things correctly, the more in control I was. Finally, I also was concentrated on slightly bending knees like the post said above. It did help.

So while I was greatly discouraged in class, the 3 hour open skate today gave me a glimmer of hope that as long as I pratice alot, I might one day be able to skate a lap one day without holding onto the wall or falling.

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  • 3 weeks later...

i don't think it has been mentioned, but skating at a local park or pond is going to be a heck of alot different than an indoor (even proper outdoor) rink. i learned (and am reteaching myself after many many years off) out on the park and ponds. the uneven ice is going to quickly challenge your balance, but the outdoor ice (imo) provides a bit more gritty type traction (for lack of better words).

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