As the holiday season approaches, you might consider going ice skating. Spoiler alert: Ice is slippery! To help you have a smoother ice skating experience, I have put together five tips to help you skate more confidently.
Rental Skates
The first thing you need to do is get rental skates that fit correctly. They should be snug on your feet so you are not wobbling around, and it helps with ankle support. Your toes should lightly graze the front of the skate.
You also need to know how to tie your skates properly. The laces may sometimes be too long. In this case, please DO NOT wrap the laces around your ankle before tying them. It is best to tie your skates snugly and tuck the loops inside your skates.
Correct Clothing
When you go ice skating, you should wear clothing that allows you to move freely. Do not wear tight or restrictive clothing such as jeans. Also, do not wear items of clothing that may be a hazard, such as a long scarf that may cause you or others to trip.
Bend Your Knees
Once you are on the ice, BEND YOUR KNEES. I can’t emphasize this enough. Please bend your knees! Bending your knees will allow you to have better balance. You will lean or slip backward or forward if you do not bend your knees.
How to Fall and Get Up
If you were to fall, it is important to know how to get up correctly. It is the first thing that ice skating lessons teach. If you fall, you need to push yourself into a kneeling position. From the kneeling position, you will place your foot on the ice and then push yourself up to get on both feet. When doing this, avoid keeping your hands on the ice longer than needed to prevent an injury.
ToePick (Spiky part at the front of the blade)
Your rental skates will probably have a spiky part at the front of the blade called a toepick. This part of the blade is for figure skaters, and it is *NOT* for stopping. If you attempt to stop with the toepick, you will probably fall. If you prefer not to have the toepick, you may request hockey skates, if available.
Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful. Happy skating!! Remember, you’ve got this!