Who here can ice-skate

T

Tallchick

Cathlete
My younger daughter is going to begin lessons in May. She is six. My older daughter, who is ten, began last summer. I always wanted but never took lessons. I think when they are through their cycles of lessons (I think about three years) I am going to learn.
Who can ice-skate? It is sooo hard. I am just starting and find it fun but wow, it really takes work.
The rental shoes are awful too. They feel like they are going to rip the skin off the bottom of my feet. I am thinking of getting a cheap pair for myself. The cheap pair are $60.00. This is what my girls have. My friend tells me they are much much better than the rentals since she has them and can confirm with experience.
So, how often do you skate? Where do you go? Did you do much skating as a child?
I want to know!!!
 
Kate...my Mom worked at an Ice skating rink when I was a kid. I suffered from the week ankle syndrome. And the ice hurt like hell if you fell....I decided Roller skating was way more fun...I think your daughters will do great!!!
 
Well, I can stay up, if I have to.:) 3 of my 4 DS, however, put on their skates for the first time at various ages and just took off. When we lived in a larger city it was always a fun thing we did around Christmas each year at the local ice skating rink.

Hope you gals have fun!
 
I have always wanted to go ice skating but I fear I would kill myself. I love it, though. It's such a beautiful sport. Have fun!

Michele
 
Mabe you should start out with roller blades...it can help build those muscles needed for ice skating.

Good Luck!

jooge
 
I'm Canadian. 'Nuff said;) I practically grew up with skates on my feet. We had a rink in the backyard every winter, my brother played hockey (heck, we ALL played hockey!).

Ice skating is so much fun. You'll love it. You WILL fall. So be prepared.;)
 
I used to teach ice skating and skate semi-competitively, but haven't skated in about 8 years now. I sometimes think about getting back into it, but I'd need a new pair of skates (think $$$$$), plus I'm just not sure I want to spend the money on ice time and lessons and getting back into it. I think that Cathe and my other workouts fulfill a lot of what I used to get out of skating.
 
I’m not a very good skater anymore, but it is still fun! I took a quick lesson when I was five- they taught us how to fall down and get up. When I was ten, I took 2 months of figure skating. I went skating last year, and I hadn’t done it in years. My ankles hurt, and I fell a lot, but it was really nice, especially when the kiddies are around. There are some local rinks throughout NJ.

Definitely go for it! I also agree with your friend that you should spring for your own skates, even if you get a cheap pair. They are far more comfty than the rentals, and over time, you will break them in, and skating will become easier. After you buy them, take them to the rink and ask for them to be sharpened. If you do this periodically, they seem to work better. You may have to search online, because they are kind of out of season now!

Good luck, and tell us all about it after you’ve tried!
 
The younger they start, the better I think. My niece is fabulous and does dance routines with partners and stuff. I can ice skate, but not as well as when I was young. I have further to fall now, and I don't heal nearly as quickly as I used to! :(
-Nancy
 
This brings me the memory.

I did not have choice. My daughter, when she was five, she wanted to skate so much but did not want to take structured lesson. So, I had to take her to the rink and we both started together very slowly. I mean very slowwwwly. Can you picture a little girl and mom walking baby steps all the way around the rink and holding on to the rail like as if were our life jackets? I was terrified that little hockey players would run into us. Whenever we saw someone comes near, we just stood solid frozen and waiting for them to move away.

We skated nearly for three hours and I kept begged her to take some break but she would not. I could not leave her along in the rink. Who is the kid here??

Well, we finally learned. By the end of this ordeal, we were no longer just walking but started to glide through the ice!!! Of course, I was still scared to death of that little hockey players.:7

We examined the damages on our feet but too exhausted to care and the pure joy of feeling that we can now jump in the rink without fearing for life. :7

As far as protecting your feet, we wear two pairs of socks and insert some soft stuff around the back of our feet. Of course, you would need to go up the sizes.

Good luck.
 
Definitely buy your own skates if you're at all interested in skating--rental skates are a nightmare. I'd recommend going to the skating shop at your local ice rink. They should have some decent, not horribly expensive skates for recreational skating, and they should work with you to make sure you're getting the right fit. You actually should NOT buy your skates big. The only reason that people have "weak ankles" when they skate is because their skates don't fit correctly. For kids, many skate shops sell used skates, so you may be able to get a really great pair for not a lot of money. Other rinks have "swap" boards where people sell used skates and such. Ask around at the rink and ask the skating teachers--they should be able to help you out.
 
Another Canuck here who's been on skate since childhood. I have fond memories of our community outdoor rink and going with my Dad to water the ice surface on cold winter nights. I put my Kids in lessons when they were young and thought the initial teaching method was genius. A bunch of 3 and 4 year olds unsure and teetering on the ice then the instructor pulls out bubbles and starts blowing and says 'chase the bubbles'. They all forgot about their feet and away they went. I just loved that!:)

Now I've got that 'School House Rock' 'Figure 8' song stuck in my head!:7

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
Thank you everyone and Yeah, I think I am going to get my own skates. I think I will spring for the leather $130.00 ones. I mean, my feet are not going to grow (no more pregnancies for me) and it is so fun. OUch to those rental skates!
I have Canadian cousins who also skate. Maybe I should have been Canadian, but then again, I am a real whimp when it comes to the cold!
 
I skated for the first time in about 20 years this past winter! I pulled out my white skates from when I was a kid (still fit me now, lol) and laughed when we saw the seam threads were yellow with age. BUT they still worked.

I can stay up on my feet, but I'm not at all graceful! LOL. Stiff arms, stiff legs, stick straight, BUT ON MY FEET! LOL

Gayle
 
I started ice skating as an adult and got hooked. Met a group of adult figure skaters and we became "rink rats" - traveling to wherever there was "good" ice. From watching other skaters taking lessons, I decided who I wanted as a coach - I took weekly lessons, practiced 3x a week and eventually started doing the USFSA testing. Never interested in competing. I passed my first 5 ice dancing tests,and then decided to temporarily call it quits. However, I haven't been back yet. You can get information about Adult Figure Skating from www.usfsa.org and I did a week at a camp for adults in Lake Placid http://www.lakeplacidskating.com/programs/adult_programs.htm It was great. You might want to rent skates first - to see if you like it - then purchase a pair. I started with Reidells - and then went to Graf.

http://www.figureskatingdeals.com/b..."graf skates"&OVKEY=graf skate&OVMTC=standard

Also, ask around as to who does good blade sharpening.

You will love skating - its great exercise and a way to meet other folks with the same interest. Hope this helps.

Elln
 
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