Ice skating might feel strange until you learned and practiced some techniques. Get you winter workout off to a gliding start with these helpful tips.
Get Skates that Fit Properly
A good pair of figure skates will fit you properly, provide plenty of support and have sharp blades that cut into the ice. Make sure that you wear skates that are the correct size. It’s also important to lace up your skates correctly. However, you don’t want your skates to fit too tight, or too loose, feeling like they’re about to come off.
Know How to Fall
Falling is inevitable when you’re ice skating, which is why you need to know the right way to fall in order to prevent injuries. When you fall, bend your knees like you’re squatting. Then, lean to one side instead of falling straight forward or backwards. Keep your chin tucked to prevent any violent head movements. Don’t try to catch yourself with your hands; this can result in wrist or finger injuries.
Step and Glide
Before you glide, you should try taking small steps on the ice like you’re marching forward. This will help you move around on the ice and stay balanced. When you’ve built up momentum, stand on both feet and glide forward. That’s called the two-foot glide. When you become comfortable doing the two-foot glide, try putting weight from one leg to the other until you can pick one leg up completely and do a one-foot glide.
Bend Those Knees
One common mistake beginners make is leaning backwards, when you lean back, it’s very easy to lose your balance and fall. When you skate, bend your knees and position your weight a bit forward. A small learn forward will help you when you’re gliding in that direction. It also helps if you have your arms in front of you.
Keep Your Head Up
Looking down affects your balance. When you’re skating, your head should be up and your eyes should be looking ahead of you. This will help you stay balanced and aware of your surroundings.
Learn How to Slow Down and Stop
One of the most important ice skating tips is learning how to stop. Have your knees bent to stop and as you’re moving forward, turn both of your feet so your toes are pointing in and your heels are pointing out. Push into the ice with your heels to dig into the ice, the flat parts of your skate blades will cause you to slow down and stop. Try stopping from a slow glide position first, then work your way up to faster speeds and stops.
Forward Stroking
Stroking is a good technique to learn once you can glide on each leg and stop. It’s essential to alternate between one-foot glides, allowing you to build up some speed.
Start small with shorter glides on each foot and once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you’ll be able to balance on each leg better.
