Beginner ice skating advice

[max_boost]

I'm starting ice skating lessons at COP next week. This will be my first time on skates. I'm not exactly sure what to expect. I asked the girl on the phone what I need to bring, other than showing up early and putting on skates. She just said, bring whatever makes you feel comfortable. Well then that doesn't really answer my question.

OK this is what I think I need, chime in.

A tailbone guard of some sort since I'll be falling backwards. Where do I buy this? I check the Sport Chek website and it's not on there.

Gloves with wrist guards for when I fall forward.

Do I go all out? knee pads, elbow pads, helmet lol

Who knows how long it'll take me to pick this up. I'm a slow learner.

TIA.

[My_name_is_Rob]

I would definatly get elbow pads and knee pads, and likely a helmet too. Hockey pants would probably work just as well for a tail bone guard. Have you ever roller bladed before?

[D'z Nutz]

Damn MB! First swimming and now skating? You're getting all kinds of shit done!

Haha honestly I wouldn't really worry too much about ass pads or anything. Once you get balance figured out, you'll be doing triple axles in no time. Just keep your centre of balance low. Or do what the kids are doing and bring a chair onto the ice haha

Or, IMO, go rollerblading. It's a bit easier to learn that way.

[Boat]

You could get wrist guards too , although I'm told they increase the chance of collarbone injuries. Sport check had some butt protector.... hold that.. impact shorts:

http://www.sportchek.ca/product/inde...767838.3758851

[Moonracer]

ya elbow and knee pads would be good but instead of wrist guards you could use hockey gloves

[max_boost]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Damn MB! First swimming and now skating? You're getting all kinds of shit done!

Haha honestly I wouldn't really worry too much about ass pads or anything. Once you get balance figured out, you'll be doing triple axles in no time. Just keep your centre of balance low. Or do what the kids are doing and bring a chair onto the ice haha

Or, IMO, go rollerblading. It's a bit easier to learn that way.

Yes. I'm on a roll. The plan calls for snowboarding in Nov and Scuba diving in spring.

Nothing can be harder than swimming. That was the greatest fear of my life.

Anyway, yes I roller bladed a little bit back in gr.6 just going around the block a bunch of times. I was quite slow but I got around fine. That was 19 years ago though.

BOAT: Those impact shorts are $110 man! The Asian in me can't justify that. I was hoping to find something I can use for skating and then use it for snowboarding later.

[colinxx235]

Personally I would ditch the elbow/knee pads/wrist guards etc.


Buy a cheap pair of hockey gloves from anywhere.

I'd probably get a helmet (your head hitting the ice is the worst scenario)

and maybe pick up a cheap hockey stick to help with the balance. i'm assuming the ultimate goal is to be able to play hockey?


edit: also make sure you wear track pants when skating. i find when you fall you slide easier + its a little wet. being in jeans/sweats can be VERY uncomfortable at that point.

[wintonyk]

I started skating/playing hockey 6 months ago. The biggest lifesavers for me were elbow pads. When I was younger and did martial arts i always learned to land on your forearms vs wrists.

Maybe pick up some of that stuff on kijiji. I bought all my hockey equipment for maybe 150 bucks. Then have since upgraded a few things.

[max_boost]

Yes the goal is to someday be able to skate around and play some non contact hockey. That would be awesome but for now I just don't want to fall and break my bones.

Yes. Keep all the comments and your first experiences coming.

[Boat]

Originally posted by max_boost

BOAT: Those impact shorts are $110 man! The Asian in me can't justify that. I was hoping to find something I can use for skating and then use it for snowboarding later.

I hear you. I was the same way when I saw them. (Didn't end up buying) Technically they are used for snowboarding so you could make the investment. Just wait till you smack your tailbone on the surface COP calls "snow".

[mr2mike]

IMO rollerblading and skating are two different techniques. You can pick out the people on rollerblades who started ice skating first, a mile away.

Go with just a helmet, hockey gloves and hockey elbow pads.
If your skates are brand new, go somewhere like Tuxedo Sports and tell them you want a slight rocker put on the blades. They'll sharpen them and take some more metal off the toe of the blade. Helps focus your balance forwards.

Then just keep your knees bent and try to fall forward if you're gonna fall.

[colinxx235]

Originally posted by max_boost
Yes the goal is to someday be able to skate around and play some non contact hockey. That would be awesome but for now I just don't want to fall and break my bones.

Yes. Keep all the comments and your first experiences coming.

I can't recall meeting anyone whos broken a bone learning to skate. I've had some HUGE spills at mckenzie lake before too going full speed.

I highly recommend the hockey gloves because they serve a few purposes. Keep your hands warm. Tons of padding so that when you fall, you can clench your first and no worries. plus afterwards they have a usage for hockey. wrist guards probably not.

I never found that the knees took a beating falling. the eblows maybeee a little, depending how you fall. it's usually the gloves that go down first as you fall.

between that and using the hockey stick to start out and balance would really help you out.

also I believe before you've mentioned you weren't a very big guy, so its not like youre a 6'4 heavy guy falling on the ice right? haha

[colinxx235]

Originally posted by mr2mike
IMO rollerblading and skating are two different techniques. You can pick out the people on rollerblades who started ice skating first, a mile away.

Only in april/may when they do the first and only two footed hockey stop lol

[Type_S1]

Whoa...picking up even more skills.

Skating is easy man...that why kids learn in when they are young. For protection you won't need anything more then gloves and I'd get a helmet(that doesn't have a cage). If you are really worried you could bring knee pads. I wouldn't recommend buying them though until you actually play hockey. They are meant to protect you from pucks and sticks to the leg, not from falling. A stick would be good for balance though.

You won't be going fast so falling shouldn't hurt that bad when it happens, which it most likely will. Just remember to keep a center of balance legs shoulder width apart and stay in a "sitting" position while you are learning I.E. Bum down, knees bent. Your arms at first will be for balance. I've taught tons of my little cousins to skate and you will catch on fast.

In learn to skate, when I was 5, our genius instructor thought it would be a good idea to let all the little kids play soccer on ice without helmets. Thinking back what a dumb idea to let kids do this, long story short my skate got stuck on the ball, went flying forward and had 8 stitches in my chin

[reiRei]

I've done ice skating, roller blading and I also roller skate (I play roller derby)

I would get a multi-impact helmet if you're planning on doing lessons, a hockey helmet works great! I can't begin to tell you how often that saves my head from when I've been hit very hard.

Knee-pads are always good, when you fall, you tend to take a knee to get back up to keep skating, it's nice to be able to push off on that knee without hurting it. I would suggest hitting up vv boutique for a set. Honestly, I wear my roller derby pads every time I hit the ice.. my knees are important to me, so protecting them is important.

Form is important, bend your knees and just keep skating. I taught myself how to ice skate at 16, you're getting lessons, and it'll be fun. Another big thing is to learn how to fall properly, if you can get the muscle memory to fall right, recovering is just that much faster.

hope this helps!

[dirtsniffer]

Originally posted by colinxx235
Personally I would ditch the elbow/knee pads/wrist guards etc.
Buy a cheap pair of hockey gloves from anywhere.
and maybe pick up a cheap hockey stick to help with the balance. i'm assuming the ultimate goal is to be able to play hockey?

came in here to say this, hockey gloves will protect your wrists a good deal, and keep other newbs from running over your fingas. and you can lean on the stick to help with you balance and turning

[88CRX]

If you want to actually learn how to skate then don’t learn with a stick in your hands... and if you’re having instructions I’m sure they won’t let you use a stick anyways.

[C_Dave45]

All beginners hurt these areas a LOT: tailbone, elbows, wrists and back of head.

Max...forget about shin pads...you will never fall on your knees. Elbow pads and helmet are the most important! Tailbone....mmmmmm, not so much. You might land on your ass, but your cheeks will absorb most of it. Might knock the wind out of you a bit. Hockey gloves> wrist guards. Plus it looks more natural with hockey gloves than wrist guards.

Make sure you have sharp skates. New skates blades haven't even been "hollowed" yet....you can't even stand on the ice. Keep them sharp and do the laces up to the very top eyelet. The more ankle support, the better. If you get used..just make sure they're really "stiff".

If you're using "rentals", they will do...they usually keep them "fairly" sharp.

[max_boost]

Alright thanks for all advice. I'll head out to Hockey Experts this weekend to buy some gear.

I really wish I did these things when I was much much younger instead of doing it now at age 30 LOL Oh well, now or never. Maybe someday I can join in the Beyond shinny team.

[dandia89]

definitely good to bring to for dates, especially when you get pro