Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Learning Tips on How to Ice Skate for the First Time
Have you ever wondered about the best way to make your winter memorable? There’s just one activity that suits this season: ice skating. This adventurous activity is open to both kids and adults. Think about the fun and bliss you would get from gliding enthusiastically on the ice, performing extraordinary triple toe loops and spins. Except for experts, t his activity can be quite tedious for beginners.
The thrills and chills that come with skating on ice are incomparable. As a beginner, you may want to get it all at once, but it doesn’t work that way. Taking a step-by-step approach will go a long way in helping you master the art of ice skating. By exercising patience, dexterity, and readiness to learn basic skills, you will enjoy the process and become used to the venture in little time.
Precautionary Measures
The first steps to skating on ice can be pretty challenging. In order to make your first ice skating experience a memorable one, there are certain precautionary measures you need to take. These precautionary measures will help you start right as a newbie. Contained in the paragraphs below are the various precautionary measures you need to get right if you are ice skating for the first time.
Select the Best Skates
Since you are going ice skating, one object you can’t afford not to have at your disposal is your skate. There are different types of skates; hence it is crucial that you choose the right one for you. Choosing right doesn’t relate to your size alone; it also involves opting for the best style of skating. The figure skating skates, which are designed to accommodate the feet at the front, are considered to be the most suitable for newbies because it makes learning ice skating less tedious. This is as a result of its long blades.
Another thing you need to put into consideration here is the right size of skate for you. Putting on a skate that is bigger than your feet can increase your chances of sustaining an injury and cause your ankles to clash. Likewise, if they are relatively too small for your feet, having sores on your toes is inevitable. If you desire the fun and bliss of ice skating, make sure you get your right skate size and carefully lace it for more comfort.
Wear something Comfortable and Safe
What you choose to wear will affect your first ice skating experience greatly. This is why it is important that you put on clothes that will guarantee your safety and comfort and perhaps give you some warmth. As far as ice skating is concerned, there are certain things you ought to wear and those you ought not to wear. Below are some of them.
- Avoid Wearing Jeans: if you are a newbie at ice skating, it is most recommended that you don’t start your skating experience with jeans. Jeans limit movement. A fall, while the ice is wet, can make you feel quite irritable and uncomfortable if you’re putting on jeans.
- Avoid Wearing Thick Socks: Socks are quite good because they protect the feet from injuries. In the case of ice skating, socks are believed to prevent the feet from getting cold. This belief is the reason many people choose to wear thick socks while ice skating. However, this is not a healthy practice. Thick socks will prevent you from moving and gliding freely. They are also not breathable, thereby hindering your balance.
- Always Wear Gloves: Avoid the habit of keeping your palms and hands bare and naked. Use gloves to cover them. Perhaps you fall; gloves will protect your palms and hands against cold and keep you warm.
- Always Wear Layers: Not everyone can withstand the cold that comes with ice skating; hence it is often recommended that you wear layers, particularly if you can’t keep up with the cold. In fact, some newbies can get it all right during the first practice, and they often tend to move faster. While moving fast, they are exposed to excess cold. With layers, this inconvenience can be addressed.
-
Avoid Wearing a Hat or Scarf That Doesn’t Fit Your Head: a loose hat or scarf can cause a lot of discomfort and inconvenience while skating on ice. Another common disadvantage that comes with wearing a loose hat or scarf is falling. If at all you are putting on a hat or scarf to protect your head, make sure it fits tightly to your head.
Ice Skating Tips for Beginners
Now that you have gotten yourself acquainted with the precautionary measures needed to ease your first attempt at skating on ice, it is necessary that you also know how to go about the act. In the subsequent paragraphs, you will be exposed to ice skating tips suitable for beginners.
Begin slowly by warming up
If you want to get the best out of any activity, you need to start by warming up. This will get your body ready for the next action. More often than not, people feel irritated having to warm up, especially when they are new to the activity. However, if you want to reduce the risk of sustaining an injury while ice skating, make sure you warm up by moving your neck, arms, shoulders, feet, and back. Stretch your legs and hands to their full length.
Avoid The Crowd
As a beginner, do well to avoid crowded areas where many people are pushing and rushing to get started. Take your time, and observe other skaters meticulously. A deep breath will help you relax before putting out your feet on the ice. Also, enter the rink from a safe direction.
- Entering The Rink: In addition to the last sentence of the previous paragraphs, there are several other factors you need to put into consideration as you take a step to enter the rink. Some of them include:
- Balance: Before stepping out to the ice, ensure you are balanced. To effectively do this, hold the railing or hockey board with a hand, then step down or up to set your skate into motion on the ice. Ensure the ice is safe before getting onto it.
- Bent Knees: Make sure you keep your knees bent throughout the process of your ice skating, particularly if it is your first time at it. Falling to the ground is quite inevitable if you keep your knees locked while skating on ice. A simple analogy can help you understand this better. It is easier for you to fall if someone pushes you while you’re standing straight than when your knees are bent. This is because you tend to have more control and balance when the center of gravity is relatively low.
- Slow and Steady Push: As a beginner or someone who has skated for a relatively long time, don’t start by getting your two feet moving. Instead, begin by taking one step at a time. Glide from one foot and continue witah the other. Continue doing this while trying to move past the rink.
- Constant Shift: Use your feet to shift and glide from one side of the ice to another. After you’ve found your way around the rink, you can go ahead to remove one foot from the ice while quickly replacing it with the other foot. Continue pushing consistently, leaving at least a short span of time before switching from one foot to another.
-
Avoid Looking Down: Just like cycling, it is very dangerous for you to be looking down while skating. If you do this, you are likely to find yourself on the ice. Instead of fixing your gaze on what your legs are doing, raise your head and look ahead. This will help you to maintain balance on the skating blade. It will also help you to maintain direction. The moment you look down, you will find it difficult to set your body weight in motion. You’ll eventually lose balance and direction.
Stop when necessary if you begin to go faster.
The more you practice, the closer you are to reaching perfection; the nearer you are to perfection, the higher your level of confidence. The confidence usually comes with the intention to become faster at skating. However, you should learn to stop as soon as you begin to go faster.
Rise After Each Fall:
This is particularly one virtue you should have in mind. You shouldn’t give up after one or two failed attempt(s). In fact, the probability that you will fall more than once while skating on ice is very high. So, whenever you lose control and fall, endeavor to rise again. To rise after a fall, roll yourself onto the rear and regain balance with your two hands resting on the ice. Proceed to rise and ensure that your knees are bent.
Conclusion
Ice skating has myriads of benefits. If you desire to lose weight and get into better shape, ice skating is an option. Research has shown that ice skating has the capacity to help in burning as much as 199 calories per thirty minutes of skating. It also offers an effective means of having fun with friends and families.