Ice Skating Tips !!!

[alittlebitfrench]

I appreciate that most people on this forum are on their 2nd or 3rd hip replacement but I am hoping that some may have done some ice skating when they were young and can offer advice..

I take my daughter ice skating every weekend and I am bored watching her go around in circles for 2 hours. So I am thinking of joining her on the ice.

So, any tips for a beginner ? I can ski...quite well. Will that save me ?

[Pierre ZFP]

I used to a lot of cycling as a lad and had the luck to do some speed skating as the same muscle groups are used. I could never do fancy twirls but I could go fast.  After I broke my ankle (not a related injury) I could not face the thought of turning my ankle over on ice so I gave up, even though I believe that ice skating boots are much better than the leather things I used to wear. Many years later I took up skiing and took to it instantly.  I found many of the skills are transferable.   I know that is going the opposite way to you but yes, your skiing experience will help no end.

[alittlebitfrench]

Thanks for that.

I have googled about and everyone asks about the transition from skating to ski and not from ski to skate.

Technique looks similar, but skating does looks harder to me.

Just finished 4 months of Kiné after trashing my achilles tendon....and I think I am ready to find out.

[Loiseau]

I seem to remember being taught to push off with the inside edge of one skate, and advance on the other a bit diagonally, so you sort of advance in a series of herring-bone movements if you see what I mean. I think it's a bit like you would do when skiing down a very gentle slope where you need to push off with one ski after another in order to get a bit of momentum.

[richard51]

Three ALBF-type tips:

1. hang on to sides

2. hang on to daughter.

3. ask daughter how she learned.

[Gardengirl]

Yes, the side is a good place to start, get the feel of what you can and can't do by pushing a bit away from it and hanging on again when needed. It helps if you have decent balance, something I didn't - and still don't have, have never even managed to ride a bike because if it.

But I had a great instructor too many years ago, who patiently taught me to have confidence and I did learn to skate - not anywhere near Torville & Dean's class, of course, but not too badly.

So, yes, go for it! You have nothing to lose but your pride if you end up on your bottom!

[Department71]

If you had roller skates when you were a kid, like I did, horrid old metal wheels, not the rubber/plastic ones nowdays you should have the basics of it, at least I did. Don't forget you bounce harder as you get older. Keep your fingers in when you fall, its not unknown for another learner skater taking you fingers out. It has happened. Its fairly easy to start, not so easy to stop without looking a proper muppet, remember Tod Carty on tv years ago.

Have fun!

[Gardengirl]

Goodness, yes, Department71, how could I forget vulnerable fingers?! Can be nasty; so albf, nothing to lose but your pride - and your fingers!

[alittlebitfrench]

Thanks all.

Not losing your fingers is quite a good tip.

[Pierre ZFP]

You just need something like this [:)]

http://www.icebusiness.de/skating-aids/

[alittlebitfrench]

Thanks....not !

It is one of the most renowned skating rinks in Paris with champions to match

I am going to look an idiot using that. The children will laugh at me. I would rather lose a couple of fingers than skate around with the help of a plastic dolphin type thing.

[Department71]

Can you not get a wheeled zima frame in France, maybe the local hospital or ebay.fr.

With that other skaters might take pity on you.

[idun]

My OH is multi talented and used to do ice hockey and race to national level. He laughed when I mentioned this and said you should have been on skates by the age of 7........... which I said was not helpful and he smiled and shrugged.

Didn't you roller blade?????? My sons found the transition fine, and I shall add that they ski too.

 I remember the youngest fancying starting ice hockey and taking him along and the club said that he would have to have ice dance lessons to a certain level first......... which is strange as my Uncle in Canada used to train kids and you'd put a little kid on the ice, with skates, some padding and a stick and they were soon away. As my son was truly an excellent roller blader.... and could already ice skate ...... I thought that it was all nonsense... and frankly he did not want to go to ice dance, he wanted to play ice hockey, so joined a roller hockey club instead, in fact OH and other son did too.

I think that if you take it easy, you could very gently start ice skating, and build up bit by bit, maybe a few lessons....... says she who has no talent (and little balance) for such things. Good luck if you do.

[Loiseau]

Easier said than done, I know, but you need to keep your weight over the forward leg as you move. Like skiing, if you keep your weight back you tend to end up on your b*m.