With the launch of this year’s real ice rinks coming ever closer, we thought now would be a great time to give you our top 5 tips for first time skaters who are nervous about getting on the ice!
- ‘Your Going to Fall!’
No really, you are. The most important thing is to fall properly!
- Never put your hands above your head – this will likely cause you to fall backwards with a high chance of hitting the back of your head.
- To avoid ‘A’, fall towards the ice and choose a side you want to land on – an assist fall!
- Finally, always fall with your hands in a fist, this avoids fingers getting caught by the blades of other skaters!
2. Getting up!
Keep trying, but get up properly! Never give up.
- Come to on both knees
- Choose your dominant leg to stand on
- Put both hands either side of the leg you are choosing to stand on
- Slowly and steadily push yourself up!
3. Under 6?
- Become a living penguin! Waddle along in the same motion, like the Charlie Chaplin walk
- Make sure you have a dual blade skates on, specially made to provide extra stability
- Failing that ‘A’ and ‘B’, use a skate aid and get push around by mum and dad!
4. Everyone else?
- Keep your feet in a ‘V’ and try to walk, naturally pushing forward, eventually coming to a glide
- If starting out, begin with very small strides. There’s no shame in starting out as a penguin!
5. Stopping!
- Never go at a speed that you can’t control with a stop
- Bend your knees and choose one foot, bending your ankle to create a half snow plough stop
If you follow these simple tips for first time skaters, you will be having fun skating along in no time!
A special thanks to Mike Aldred for providing great tips for this article!!
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