SPOKANE, Wash. — If you are new to ice skating and not sure where to start, don’t worry, you are not alone. The Spokane Figure Skating Club is offering skating lessons for beginners at any age!
Nonstop Local spoke with local skating coach, Moe Herr, about tips for beginners. She said it all starts with the equipment you wear.
According to Herr, it’s a good idea to wear snow pants and gloves to stay warm. She also recommends avoiding wearing knee pads because they can limit your range of motion while you are skating.
For all beginners, it’s a good idea to avoid hockey skates and instead use figure skating skates. Hockey skates are less forgiving if you happen to make a mistake.
Herr says that, “beginners should focus on learning how to fall first. When you fall you want to do it on body parts with some cushion. Falling sideways onto your thighs can be safer than straight onto your face, butt or arms.”
When you think you are going to fall, the first thing you should do is put your hands on your knees and try to regain stability.
Also, while you are gliding across the ice, use your arms like an airplane to balance while gliding. Try not to let your rib cage get too close to your knees, you want to be upright when skating.
Lastly, try not to hold onto the wall because there’s a dip in the ice right next to it. If you are skating at Numerica’s Skate Ribbon in Riverfront Park, there are hills that can increase your speed, so be aware and be careful.
Remember, skating is harder than it looks so be patient if you don’t get it the first go around. For more information about skating lessons, visit the Spokane Figure Skating website.
