How To Ice Skate

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One of my all time favorite winter activities is ice skating. In fact, I was a competitive ice skater growing up and coached for over 10 years. Besides being tons of fun, ice skating has multiple health benefits. 

  • Uses muscles that normally don’t get worked, especially in your butt and legs. 
  • Burns up to 200 calories an hour
  • Boosts self confidence when you master a new skill. 
  • A great source of stress release. 
  • Improves your sense of balance and core strength. 

Did you know that skating 289 laps around a full-sized ice rink is the equivalence of a marathon? 11 laps is a mile! Go out there and get your workout on!

Equipment

Proper equipment is key in being successful at ice skating. 

  • Dress in layers. Ice rinks can be cold but once you get moving, your body temperature will rise and you will be thankful you can take a layer off. 
  • Wear gloves. Falling is part of learning to skate and we all know ice is cold. Keeping your hands covered is a must!
  • Wear stretchy clothes. Ice skating is easier when you can move freely. While skinny jeans may be cute and stylish, I promise you will be more comfortable in leggings or sweats. 
  • Proper fitting ice skates. You want to make sure ice skates fit snug- your toes should actually touch the front of the skate. It’s also important to make sure that you tie the skates tightly, starting at the toes all the way up to the ankle. Loose fitting skates are one of the biggest causes of injury I’ve seen in beginner skaters. If your ankles start tipping inwards, you need smaller skates. 

Tips

  • Bend your knees! This keeps your center of gravity closer to the ice so if you do fall, it won’t be so hard. 
  • Keep your arms out. This helps with balance.
  • Don’t look at your feet- keep your head up! I always say that your body goes where you’re looking. If you’re looking down at the ground, your body is going to follow. Look straight ahead of you and you’ll be great!
  • Stomp your feet like you’re marching. This prevents you from hitting those toepicks (little teeth on the front of the blades) which often cause people ti wipe out. Practice walking around off the ice before actually getting on to get used to it. Small steps are recommended until you get comfortable!

Falling and Getting Back Up

I’m not going to lie- you have a really good chance of falling while ice skating. Falling is actually a good thing because it means you’re trying! But safety is important and here are a few tips to make sure your tumble doesn’t get you injured. 

  • Fall on your butt. One of the perks of having a big butt is that it provides extra cushioning. If you’re following my tip above about bending your knees, it will be easy to bend a little more and sit down on you bum when you feel yourself falling. This is the safest way to fall to avoid knee, ankle and wrist injuries, as well as hitting your head. 
  • Get up or out of the way as quickly as possible. Many people who are ice skating are also beginners and they don’t know how to stop or turn quickly. If you fall, try to move out of the way before someone else runs you over. 
  • When getting back up, start on your hands and knees, like a cat. Place one foot on the ground and use your hands to push up to your other foot. Stand up slowly to maintain your balance. 

Happy skating friends!

-Wendy

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