A classic winter activity is taking a spin on the ice at a nearby rink. Additionally, during the holiday season, you have a variety of options to choose from, including festive seasonal rinks in Bellevue, Olympia, and Everett in addition to one of the region’s more traditional indoor skating rinks. Bring on the hot cocoa in steaming mugs.
The only issue is that learning to skate isn’t the simplest activity. Small children and adults of all ages will be clinging to their parents for dear life during any local public skating event, while the parents are considering when they can make an appointment with the chiropractor.
So, what’s your ice skating tips for beginners?
Quick look at ice skating tips: dress for comfort and safety, choose the right size of skates, secure your skates correctly, lace your skate for comfort and ankle support, start slowly…
For more information, continue reading.
Table of Contents
Dress For Comfort & Safety
Your first time on the ice will be influenced by how you dress. Comfort, warmth, and safety must all be provided by your clothing.
Below are the essential dos and don’ts of ice skating beginner clothes:
- Wearing thick socks is the number one error people make, and it’s because so many websites advise it… and people are afraid that their feet will get cold. However, wearing thick socks will prevent airflow and restrict your movements. Your feet will eventually become colder. Additionally, the thickness makes it harder to maintain your balance.
- DO wear socks that reach above the boot to avoid friction and blisters
- DO wear layers – depending on how fast you are going to move you might need more or less warmth – wear layers so that you can easily remove or add depending on how you feel
- DON’T wear a jean as a beginner – they limit movements and if the ice is wet and you fall, it will become very uncomfortable
- DO wear gloves – they will keep you warm and protect your hands if you fall
- DON’T WEAR A HAT THAT DOESN’T HOLD WELL TO YOUR HEAD OR A HANGING SCARF. ALSO, AVOID WEARING ANYTHING LOOSE THAT COULD FALL AND CAUSE ANOTHER TO FALL OR THAT COULD GET STUCK IN ANOTHER PIECE OF CLOTHING AND BE DANGEROUS
Select The Right Size Of Skates
It’s crucial to select skates that fit properly. Here are some tips for your first-time ice skating:
- If they are too small your toes and feet will be sore quickly and you will only be thinking of removing them making the experience not fun
- If they are too big, you won’t have proper ankle support and will increase risk of injury
It is theoretically the same size as you or bigger. You can test them out to see which one is best. They should be comfortable. However, they shouldn’t feel overly constrictive. Your toes must be mobile so they don’t become numb.
Secure Your Skates Rightly
Making sure the skates are fastened properly is just as crucial as finding the right size. To feel stable and steady on the ice and to prevent your feet from turning inwards, you want your skates to be snug and secure. Before you step onto the ice, make sure your skates are comfortable.
Lace Your Skate For Comfort & Ankle Support
It is equally important to lace them up or fasten them properly once you have skates that are the correct size.
The same objectives apply:
- you don’t want your feet to feel compressed and your toes not to move
- you do want your ankle to be supported.
If you have proper skates with laces:
- Sit down on a bench,
- Leave your heel on the ground and bend your back,
- Don’t lace too tight at the bottom,
- Make a knot in the middle to hold the ankle in place,
- Secure the ankle firmly but make sure you can still bend your ankle,
- Finish with a secure knot that will not become unlaced during skating,
- If you have long socks, fold them around the top of the boot and tuck the ends into the tops of your skates to keep everything in place.
Begin Slowly
4a – Warm Up
Warming up before any activity is always a smart move in my book.
However, this is one of the best ways to lower the risk of injury. People do feel embarrassed doing it when they are just starting out.
Be sure to move your shoulders, neck, and back.
Warm up and stretch your legs
4b – Check Direction And Breathe
Take your time even before you enter the rink. Observe the other skaters. Make sure you enter the rink facing the same way when you skate.
Take a deep breath to relax before stepping on the ice
4c – At First, Stay Close To The Barrier
To feel safer and to have a chance to catch it if necessary, stay close to the barrier at first.
Learn how your body responds to movement on the ice.
Try not holding the barrier once you feel a little bit more confident. Without it, you must learn to find balance. Just stay close.
Take Your Time
It’s best to take your time and not set high expectations for yourself when you first step onto the ice if you’re a beginner. To begin, march in a brisk manner while holding on to the side barrier. Your balance will improve as a result, and you’ll get more comfortable with the way the ice feels under your skates. Try doing a lap or two while holding onto the wall or someone else’s hand, and when you feel comfortable letting go, start gliding.
Obey The Rules Of The Rink
Every ice rink you visit has a set of regulations that patrons must adhere to in order to keep everyone safe and prevent accidents. Skating in the proper direction, which at Norwich Ice Rink is counterclockwise, is one of the most crucial of these. Make sure you are familiar with all of the rules before you begin skating because they are posted on signs all around the rink.
Don’t Look Down When Skating
Although it may be very alluring to look down at your feet while ice skating, doing so can actually make things more challenging and potentially dangerous. Attempt your best to maintain a straight forward gaze in the desired direction.
Don’t Lean Backwards
When skating, it’s just as important to avoid leaning too far forward as it is to avoid doing the opposite. Your chance of falling and losing your balance increases significantly if you lean back. Instead, make an effort to maintain an upright posture and always remember to look forward rather than backward.
Bend Your Knees
Here is where things start to get serious. LOL.
Even without skates, you are aware that bending your knees will make you more stable if someone pushes you than standing straight will.
The more balance and control you have, the lower your center of gravity is.
To maintain better balance while gliding, you must therefore slightly bend your knees.
If it’s comfortable for you, try balancing your weight from one side to the other while opening your feet to push and glide!
Don’t Be Afraid To Fall
Every ice skater occasionally falls, whether they are a beginner or a professional. To laugh it off and avoid letting it bother you is the key. When you fall, tuck your hands under to protect your fingers, shift your weight to your knees to rest, and then immediately get back up on your skates and prepare for another attempt!
If You Start Going Faster, Learn To Stop
You’ve probably gained confidence and are moving a little faster at this point.
As a result, you must learn to stop!
To stop:
- keep your feet straight under your shoulders,
- bend your knees,
- turn the toes of each foot inwards (and thus, point your heels out)
- and push out on the middle of the feet.
- Keep your head up and keep looking in the direction you want to go.
Make sure to practice before you need it. Because you won’t have time to consider the various stages of the brake if you are about to collide with another skater. It must develop into a reflex.
Know How To Stand Up
Let’s face it, there is a good chance you could land on the ice with your bottom.
It is better to know how to get back up in order to feel in control of your experience. Because getting back up when your feet slide is different from getting back up on solid ground.
Injury risk can be decreased by learning to fall and get back up.
First, the tips for when you fall (which are applicable for everywhere) – try to roll yourself into a ball
- Avoid using your hands to arrest your fall.
- Try tucking your head, chin tucked into your chest
- Bend elbows and knees
- Try falling on the side
Once you are down, to get back up:
- Laugh it up
- Roll your fingers inside your hands
- Turn around to be on your knees
- Lift one leg, place the blade on the ice between your hands
- Push and lift the other leg
- but do not go all the way standing, keep your knees bent to regain your balance.
See more detailed information about How To Stop With Ice Skates For Beginners?
Get Some Lessons
Taking lessons is a necessity if you are serious about mastering the fundamentals. Try out some of the group lessons, which are offered for a range of ages and at most rinks. Bring a friend as well, as you’ll be more relaxed on the ice if you have someone to learn with.
Skate In The Correct Direction
Although the direction you are skating in may not be your preference at first, there is usually a directional rule to follow on the ice, which is either clockwise or vice versa. Avoid trying to skate the wrong way around the ice rink as you risk hurting both yourself and others.
Make Use Of Temporary Rinks
Make the most of temporary ice rinks if one opens up nearby if you aren’t fortunate enough to have one close by. Go along; you’ll have a good time, regardless of your skating ability. Christmas is a particularly good time to try to visit a temporary ice rink in some major cities.
Don’t Take It Too Seriously
When you fall off your skates—which you will—laugh about it and immediately get back up. Remember that even the best skaters occasionally end up on their backs, so don’t take yourself or your skating too seriously. When done with style, it’s even funnier!
Relax And Enjoy!
Above all else, ensure that you unwind and take pleasure in your time on the ice because ice skating is all about having fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously because, even if you fall, there will undoubtedly be others in your shoes.
Conclusion
There you have it, some advice to help you get started on the ice. Keep in mind that proper instruction is crucial, particularly if you want to advance to more advanced skating used in figure skating, ice hockey, or speed skating. However, if you are skating purely for enjoyment or even for exercise, make sure you are actually having fun on the ice, and if the worst happens, make sure you have a good friend to take down with you.
Many thanks for reading.
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