7 Ways to Ice Skate

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Have you always wanted to glide gracefully without falling on your butt? Do you always do a split every time you step on the ice? Every beginner ice skater is bound to fall several times. But if you commit to practice and put in your best effort, you can learn to skate like a pro. All you need is the right equipment, a place to skate, and a very strong will.

Step

Method 1 of 7: Dress for Ice Skating

Step 1. Wear appropriate clothing for moving in cold environments

When ice skating, wear clothes that are easy to move around and won't get heavy when wet. Skating is an activity to move the body, so the body will become warmer when moving. Do not wear thick socks, because it will make your feet colder. When you sweat, the sweat actually freezes your feet.

• Don't wear jeans. Jeans are the stiffest and the hardest to move around. If a person falls, the pants can become damp and make it even more difficult to carry for skating; Moist jeans can also get frozen when you're skating outdoors.

  

• Try wearing warm, thick leggings, t-shirts, jackets, gloves, and hats.

  

Step 2. Find a good skate

Skates should be comfortable and available in most shoe sizes. There are some good brands to buy. However, renting shoes is more than adequate for the first try, until you're sure this is what you want to keep doing.

• When trying on skates, always measure the width of your feet while sitting. The shoe size will fit.
• Skating shoes may feel tight when worn, but they always should be. But it doesn't have to be very strict. So, ask someone who is skating or experienced to help check if the shoes are too tight or not.

Method 2 of 7: Getting Started

Step 1. Start by walking on the ice

Most skating rinks have rubber mats that you can step on and walk on. Take walks to help maintain your center of gravity, but remember to always put a skate guard on your shoes.

• The trick is to feel comfortable wearing skates. The longer you skate, the better your body will adapt to balance itself. It's a learning process, so don't expect to become an expert right away.

  

• If you're staggering in your skates, focus your eyes on one point and trust your body to balance. In order to balance yourself, your head must always be firm and your eyes fixed on one point.

  

Step 2. Climb onto the ice

The key to skating well is relaxation and technique. So relax and try to keep both feet as firm as possible. Learning to walk will provide ankle support and help get used to the ice.

• Walk around the outskirts of the arena while holding onto the wall. This will help in familiarizing the ice surface.

  

• Start slowly. At first it will not feel natural, but do it slowly and move smoothly. You won't win a fast race in the early days of skating. Avoid jerky movements. If you want, pretend to be a graceful animal walking in its natural habitat or a bird flying in the sky.

  

Method 3 of 7: Perfecting Your Balance

Step 1. Learn to maintain balance

As you learn this stage, remember to move slowly. In the end, the faster you move, the easier it will be to balance yourself. So if you can balance yourself slowly, moving fast will be easy.

• Start by spreading your arms slightly below shoulder height to learn to balance yourself.

  

• Try not to stiffen your body, as a stiff body will make skating more difficult. Always stay flexible and you will glide more easily.

  

• Bend your knees slightly and lean forward, not back. Bend your knees until you can't see your big toe. Both shoulders should be forward and over both knees. Try not to hold anything. Walls can be a means of support.

  

• You will fall several times. Get back up, forget about falling, and try again. The city of Rome was not built in a day. Practice if you want to be perfect!

  

Method 4 of 7: Practicing Essential Basic Skating Skills

Step 1. Once you can keep your balance, try gliding a little faster

If you feel like you're going to fall forward, bend your knees and spread your arms out to the sides to avoid falling and avoiding injury.

• If you fall forward while sliding, you will likely fall on the toe pick of your shoe. Make sure the blade is straight when it hits the ice. Also make sure it's not the toe pick that hits the surface first.

  

Step 2. Do a squat or half squat

Doing squats will help strengthen your thighs and help train balance techniques.

• Stand straight, feet waist-width apart, and arms extended in front. Now, do a few squats, until you find your center of balance. Repeat several times until you feel comfortable.

  

• When you're ready, try doing the squat further down, just until you feel both knees bending. Keep both eyes looking straight ahead.

  

Step 3. Do the fall exercise

Falls are part of this sport, so it's natural for them to happen. Falling with the right technique will save you from injury and help you stay on the ice longer.

• If you feel the need to fall, bend your knees and squat into a fall position.

  

• Extend your hands out to cushion your fall, quickly clench your fists (thumbs clasped into the other four fingers) so you don't risk losing your fingers by a passing skater.

  

• Push your arms out to slightly cushion your fall before you hit the ice. Falling is also safer.

  

Step 4. Do the standing exercise

Stand on your palms and knees, then place one leg between your hands. Repeat with the other leg and rise until you are standing again.

Step 5. Make a forward movement

Lean on the weak leg, then push it out diagonally with the strong leg.

• Pretend you're shoveling snow on the right and back. This will push you forward. Then bring the right leg back to the left and repeat the process.

  

Method 5 of 7: Glide

Step 1. Do a longer leg pull and try to glide

Bend both knees and move your body with the pulls of your legs.

• To slide, make sure both shoes are parallel to each other. If your skates point in the same direction, you'll slide farther and faster. Imagine that you are riding a scooter on ice.

  

• If you try to give your toe picks and ankles extra flick at the end of each leg, you'll have more power, and you'll be a faster, more efficient skater.

  

Method 6 of 7: Stop

Step 1. Learn to quit

To stop, bend both knees slightly inward and then push out with one or both legs.

• You'll need to apply a little pressure on the surface of the ice to keep your feet from slipping out from under your torso.

  

• When you stop, you'll create a small amount of "snow" that has been scraped off the surface of the ice.

  

Method 7 of 7: Improve Your Skating Skills

Step 1. Keep practicing

The more you practice these techniques, the better off you will become. Don't expect to be a pro the first time you try.

• Try practicing making a figure 8 while skating.

• Take group or individual lessons if you can afford the fees. A teacher will be able to observe you personally and give specific tips.

  

• Try rollerblading if you're not on ice. The technique is the same and you can rely on your body's muscle memory.

  

Tips

• Wearing the right shoes is very important. So are knives that are well sharpened. The big toe should only touch the inside of the shoe and the heel should not lift off the sole.
• When learning to skate, make sure to lift both feet (as if you were walking) and don't just keep dragging them. This common mistake is a bad habit and hinders the skater's development.
• Dry the shoe blades with a towel after skating, and remove the skate guard to cool the blades and prevent rust.
• Try wearing tighter clothing. This will help balance by not waving and disturbing balance.
• When learning to skate, be sure not to stop with a toe pick. In addition to not being optimal, you will also be easier to fall forward.
• Glide on the outskirts of the arena for a moment. When skating, you can't slide perfectly right away. When you start to balance yourself, try shifting to the center. When your balance gets better, start doing tricks.
• If you really want to wear jeans, try wearing long Jon's (a special kind of leggings worn under jeans). That way, you won't feel wet when you fall and are much more comfortable than snow pants.
• Try wearing skate socks. Thick socks make the skates feel tighter and can cause blisters on the feet.
• Use standard safety equipment for inline/roller blades for knee, elbow and wrist protection. If you're no longer young and worrying about your spine and tailbone, consider wearing protective padded pants like those worn by motocross, snowboard, or skateboarders.
• For a faster glide and twist, bring your knees together and/or cross your arms over your chest. Both of these methods will reduce weight and make you move faster (also helps balance). To slow down, let your arms stretch out at your sides. You will also make a beautiful transition to the glide position.
• Transfer your weight to the back of the shoe by leaning back slightly. Beginners inadvertently often lean forward. Though it increases the risk of rolling forward.
• Try skating in figure skates instead of ice hockey shoes. The difference is that figure skates have a toe pick on the front of the blade. Ice hockey shoes have rounded blades in the front and back, so you can fall more easily if you don't have very good balance.

Warning

• Always wear gloves, so your hands don't hurt when you fall on the ice.
• When you fall (which is sure to happen), do not too long on the floor. If you lie there for minutes after falling, the skater may run over your fingers or trip over you.
• Think of the other skaters in the rink. You share the arena with other skaters, so be careful!
• Be careful with ice picks (toe-picks) on figure skate shoes. These types of shoes can be tripping up in the first place!
• If you're going to fall, "don't" lean back to try to maintain balance. Not only will you fall on your back, you can also be seriously injured. Bend your knees slightly and stretch your arms out in front of you.
• Never step on anything other than ice with a shoe knife. Rubber mats are tolerable, but skate guards are better.
• Don't hit the ice with your shoes. You can make a small hole and fall. Try skating gently. Ask others for help if you need it.
• You're bound to fall, so wear a helmet or headgear. You may be the only one wearing a helmet, but at least you know you won't get a head injury if you fall. Watch for people skating backwards, as they can't see and could hit you.