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In learning to skate, body balance is the key, so every beginner should start with exercises to improve balance. The next step is to learn to drive, wheel and brake - these skills are necessary to move freely on the rink avoiding collisions. Watch the video where instructor Renata Aleksander from the ICE & FUN school shows how to skate, turn and brake on skates.

BasicSkills inSkatingare forward skating and braking. However, for people who have never had skates on their feet before, it can be difficult to even stand on the rink without sticking to the railing. That is why it is worth starting your first skating lesson with getting the correct body position that will help you keep your balance, and then move on to moving on slippery ice.

Watch 4 videos where instructor Renata Aleksander from ICE & FUN school shows you how to learn to skate step by step.

1. Keeping balance while skating, falling safely and getting up from falling

Before you start skating, you need to learn to keep your balance while skating. You will avoid tipping over if you keep the following position: legs close together, knees slightly bent, body weight distributed over the front and center of the feet, arms outstretched. The tips of the skates should be tilted outward from each other to prevent the legs from "rolling away" forward.

More self-confidence on the ice will also give you the ability to safely fall down and get up from the surface. When you feel that you are losing your balance and are about to fall backwards, try to lean your torso forward as soon as possible, bend your knees and stretch your arms out in front of you. If you are unable to avoid falling, be sure to bend your knees - thanks to this you will absorb the impact on hard ice.

Due to the slippery surface, getting up from a fall may be difficult. But there is a way to do it: leaning on your hands, kneel sideways on your knees, place one skate next to your hand, lift your hips up and get the other leg. You can straighten up safely from this position.

2. Ice skating forward

When you feel relatively confident on the ice sheet, start learning to drive forward. Remember to stay on slightly bent legs andKeep your arms outstretched all the time to help you keep your balance.

Start learning by riding a herringbone: shift your weight to your back leg, push it slightly to the side, and then smoothly transfer the weight to the front leg, moving - keep the other leg up for a moment, and then join. Then change the push leg and take turns.

3. Ice skating

Another essential skill of a skater is riding on a circle, i.e. gently turning. To learn it, you need to start with the correct positioning - this time with the skates connected in parallel. From this position (keeping your arms outstretched), push off with the outside leg and shift the weight to the inside leg, which is the one that turns. Keep the outer leg up for a while, then join the other skate and push off again. Remember that you have to learn to twist both ways, so train both legs.

4. Braking: with a plow and T-stop

Beginners are recommended to learn how to brake with a plow. What is it about? Move slowly forward and leave the push leg up for a while. Then attach it to the other leg (parallel) and then slide it forward at a 45-degree angle to the skate. As soon as the front leg touches the surface of the ice rink, smoothly transfer your body weight to it and brake it by pressing the skid to the ground.

There is one more fast method of braking, the so-called T-stop. However, it is recommended for more advanced skaters, so start learning it once you have mastered plow braking. To do a T-stop, push off as in a normal forward and turn the rear leg at a 90-degree angle to the driver. Then slowly straighten your legs at the knees and bring the rear skate closer to the surface of the ice rink as if you would like to drag it behind you.

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Winter sports