Best way to learn to skate?

[charlish2099]

Just wondering, im hoping to move to Sheffield next eptember, many of you i think will know my story by now but the short story is i wanna play hockey but have not yet learned to skate. i hope to join the ice tigers when i get to sheffield.

Does anyone have reccomendations of the best way to learn? would it be a skate uk course or one on one?

[Rob #12]

I would be interested to know too, but I have mastered the basics. My stops could do with some help but I can do alright.

In answer to you question Nath, I think the NIC to do some great tutorials, but learning in a group would be cheaper. Skate UK course seems a good way. Though not yet taken one of these up.

Hope you a ready for an expensive hobby Nath! I would liken it to Golf, 'cept not at relaxing. i already have my stick though. An Easton Jamie Leach gamer!

[Helen B]

If you're moving to Sheffield then IceSheffield do learn to skate sessions look here and they have a specific class for adults.

[charlish2099]

aspertarion said:

Hope you a ready for an expensive hobby Nath! I would liken it to Golf, 'cept not at relaxing. i already have my stick though. An Easton Jamie Leach gamer!

Thats what student loans were invented mate ;D going to build kit now while still on the MOD's payroll and fingers crossed should be ok from there

[heja]

best thing to do is just get one the ice and skate,

[pantherfan]

Yeh lots of public sessions and skate UK or whatever the sheffield lessons are.

1 on 1 is not something I would reccomend although i haven't dont it, but I think its something like £7/15mins and just getting on the ice at the very begginer level is the best thing you can do, I'd also reccomend having your own skates as rental skates SUCK.

[BJ]

Go training with the Tigers, someone'll take you down the quiet end of the rink while the others do drills or whatever and get you skating, the rest'll come with practice

[Louisa]

Very good advice here...

I would say dont be afraid, cos you wont improve. I remember a wise man saying, "if you dont fall over, you aren't trying!" - of course we had full kit on. However, having your own skates is a must!

Also, try not to think of skating in terms of speed. also focus on technique. Watching a lot of people in EPL don't know how to skate properly and efficiently.

Some tips are:

Bend your knees, pretend you are doing a poo (honest this is the best way to stand)
Don't try to skate forward, you should be skating at 45 degrees, and you are pushing to the sides.
Do as bigger pushes as possible finishing with a completely straight leg (the one you are standing on should still be bent)
Once the leg is straight and you have finished the push, dont kick it up in the air (like you do when running), you should almost drag it back.
Put your feet back to centre once you have pushed.

Hope this helps!!

[dodyfan13]

heja said:

best thing to do is just get one the ice and skate,

defo with tim on this one best thing to do is get on the ice and skate in your own time.

[ted]

Yea learn your own technique... there are the 'best way' to things but to master the basics your best off just doing it.

Only thing I cant teach myself is to hockey stop.

Youll find as well that if you go to public sessions you just get morons who thing break dancing centre ice is 'cool' and jump inbetween everyone else. Playing hokcey you dont need to skate like that. Its all well and good skating really fast weaving in and out of people in a circle but in full kit and with a stick its a whole different thing. So just ignore those pillocks with stupid patterns shaved into their heads figure skating centre ice and concentrate on your own skating.


(turned into a bit of a rant there... sorry)

[Helen B]

ted said:

Only thing I cant teach myself is to hockey stop.

Don't worry Ted, you will. Been playing 5 weeks and I can do it now. You need to learn to do a tight turn. I can only do it turning left but I'm getting better going right.

[loveday]

If you want to do Ice Hockey through Skate UK, you have to have Skate UK Ice Skating minimum Grade 5 first.

If you are older and can already Skate they will assess you and move you up a couple of grades at the start, otherwise you need to do all 5. They run the classes for Juniors and Adults.

I presume it is similar at Ice Sheffield.

.
For more info see
nottingham-arena.com/nic_new/disciplines/icehockey.htm

[DaveE]

As soon as my knee sorts itself out, I will be doing this also.

First, I gotta get myself some skates though ;D

[pantherfan]

Try doing it as a 1 footed stop with the back foot as a stabalizer, and eventually even your weight out between both feet

[Louisa]

One of the girls from IceCapades in Canada told me THE best way to teach a hockey stop.

Do a two footed snow plow. I know this may seem weird, but when you are comfortable with that... then start to turn in either direction. This honestly works, and has helped my guys no end. The only thing to remember is dont turn to much otherwise you'll spin. Just take it slow and control what you are doing (but not too slow otherwise you wont need to stop!!)

[Cooke#19]

I remember when I taught myself to stop, I'd had skateUK grades, and did upto level 10 then realised all I could do was a snow plow. So at a public session, I stood facing a board then tried stopping on one foot (if I was stopping right, I'd use the left foot and visa versa). That way it was easier to grab the board and it wasn't far to try again. Did that for about half an hour then eventually built up each way and vwala!

I'm sure different people find it easier in different ways, but that's the way I did it.
Diamondbabe will probably have the best answers for you though as she's been in the business a hell of a lot longer!

[charlish2099]

is there any skate uk courses aimed at hockey? i always thoguht level ten turned you into a demon skater:)

[Cooke#19]

charlish2099 said:

is there any skate uk courses aimed at hockey? i always thoguht level ten turned you into a demon skater:)

Nope, never really did anything too figure skatery! We did some like hopping and what not but it was useful as it helped keep balance etc. All types of skating generally improves how you skate balance wise. The more skating you do the better you get I always feel. After I'd done level 10, I went onto the hockey school courses and finished those off (upto grade 6). They build you up and that improves puck handling, skating etc a lot. If you're over 18 they do adult skate UK course which I think have already been mentioned, but I've seen them taking place and they have skaters of all abilities. I've known people who have done the course and by the end of it they've got themselves off to a good start, so it's worth a try IMO. It's completely upto you cus as BJ says at Ice Tigers I'm sure someone'd just help you one-to-one to get you started then work from there.

[pantherfan]

charlish2099 said:

is there any skate uk courses aimed at hockey? i always thoguht level ten turned you into a demon skater:)

If you can ever get to power skating lessons you should go, they basically go back to basics teaching you how to get the most from your stride and help develop leg muscles which are core to skating faster and stronger, skate UK in my opinion is just extra ice time.

A good thing to try and learn before hockey is stopping in every way:

Back foot left
Back foot right
Front foot Left
Front foot Right
Both feet left
Both feet right

Not everybody can do all of these anyway but it's really good if you can, also concentrate on edge work, such as outside edges, so when at public skating turn a left corner on the left foot only, this will help you gain balance and help you divide your weight between both feet during tight turns.

[Louisa]

pantherfan said:

Not everybody can do all of these anyway

I can ;D

[Rich]

diamondbabe said:

pantherfan said:

Not everybody can do all of these anyway

I can ;D

Showoff! Me too obviously. It is a great help because it gives you confidence knowing whatever edge you are on you can stop if you need to so you can concentrate more on your game.

Theres tons of ways to learn how to stop, whatever you do tho be patient. It took me a couple of years of practice in junior to learn to stop on all edges

[ted]

Im just getting the hang of both feet left at slow speeds!

Back feet stops are alright. Front feet... never tried them.

[martinski83]

I also want to learn to skate.

I can quite happily get round the rink on rental skates but on hockey skates im always on my arse. Is there a reason for this?

Also, I'm back in the UK at the end of September so if anyones up for making a prat of themselves in a group... i'd really love to be able to skate properly.

Will be getting my own skates a.s.a.p

[Cooke#19]

Cage skating session ;D Anyone else up for it?

I think the reason you probably have trouble in hockey skates is that you're not used to them. Once you've worn them a few times and have got used to them and they've moulded themselves to your feet you should be ok. I used to do figure skating, and when I try skating again in figures which are similar to the rental ones, I find it really hard. It's the same the other way round as well. I found it was because figures (and rental I believe) have a spike on the front, making you more aware of the front of the skate.

[jaycourtney]

l love being Dispraxic! cus I have great centre of balance through that