Ice skating has many physical and mental draws, it's fun and exciting. Vancouver is a city of many both professional and recreational ice skaters, and well-known ice rinks. However, when you consider learning ice skating, you might still find yourself with a whole host of questions and concerns, that can be discouraging. Learn more about skating in Canada.
Learning a new sport can be overwhelming when you have never tried it. That is why detailed guides like this are readily available to help you build confidence and get to learning ice skating as quickly as possible. If you live in Vancouver and want to learn ice skating, this is the perfect place to start. Or if you happen to live in Ottawa and have stumbled upon the wrong article, see where to find the best ice skating lessons in Ottawa.
How Long Would it Take me to Learn to Ice Skating?
If you are just starting with ice skating, it is normal to ask how long it will take you to learn. However, you should first know that the time it takes to learn ice skating will depend on certain factors, your own natural ability and your propensity to learn new things quickly. We will touch on these things later in the article, but now let's look at the average time it takes to learn ice skating.
Assuming you do not have any experience with ice skating, it will take an average of 4 to 5 hours to learn the basics. However, this is just an estimate from people's experiences, so you may learn faster or take longer.
Suppose you already have some prior experience with skating, or even another sport that shares some parallels, like rollerblading - in that case, you may be able to learn the basics of ice skating more efficiently.
Factors That Affect Your Learning Speed During Ice Skating
Age
Although there is no perfect ice skating age, young people or children tend to learn new skills and sports faster than adults. This is because children have more energy, their brains are in a state of evolution and thus they can more easily adapt to changes and new situations.
Another good reason is that children have more enthusiasm; they are not scared of falls and injuries like older people. So age can be a determining factor in the pace of your learning.
Physical Fitness
Ice skating requires a lot of body movements, so if you are physically fit, it will be easier for you to move around and skate, unlike someone who isn't fit. In addition, being physically fit gives your body more coordination and balance, two of the most important attributes of a competent ice skater.
Frequent Practice
As the saying goes, 'practice makes perfect' - the more time you dedicate to ice skating, the faster you will learn and progress. For example, if you practice two times every week, you will likely do better than someone who only practices ice skating once a week.
Mental Attitude
One thing that holds most adults back when learning ice skating is their mindset; many fear and feel like they will never understand it and become frustrated. This mindset is wrong. It would be best if you approached ice skating positively, understanding there is a learning curve and these things take time, in doing so you will more than likely find it more enjoyable and ultimately guard your motivation.
What Are the Different Skates for Beginners?
Ice skates are of course, an essential tool for ice skating; you may have to learn the different types and determine which suits your needs, especially if you are a beginner; not all skates will be good for you. So here are the four most typical kinds of ice skates:
Figure Skates
Figure skating entails spins, sharp turns, and jumps in creatively choreographed combinations. Therefore the skates used for figure skating need to be flexible and, if possible, sculpted from leather. Also, the skate blades must be very sharp to match the performer's need for speed and accuracy. See the best apparel to wear to ice skate.
In figure skates, the blades run along the base and have a toe pick at the front to complement it and allow for easier jumps and spins. Figure skates are suitable for beginners because they offer enough support and are easier to control than speed or hockey skates.
Hockey Ice Skates
As the name implies, hockey skates are the best choice for playing hockey; they are built for grace and speed and are designed to withstand the pressure of a physically intense high-contact sport like ice hockey.
Even though they do not fit the user's ankle as snugly as the figure skates, they are durable and very comfortable. Furthermore, they are more slender, lighter, and flatter than figure skates and have no toe pick at the front.
Additionally, hockey ice skates provide more support for the feet because they have rounded blades at the back, which are the same length as the skate boot.
Speed Skates
When speed skating, you will need to make fast movements with your feet, so the speed skates are designed to have long and thin blades and are made in a way that the blades are not connected to the string heel of the boots.
This ensures that the blades don't go deep into the ice and that the player can always slow down due to friction. Speed skates are not recommended for beginners because they will be difficult to control without experience using normal ice skates.
Recreational Skates
Recreational skates are designed for leisure, as the name suggests. Therefore, they are the best for beginners since they are intended for use by everyone who skates for fun.
If you are planning to visit the rinks with your friends and family, this is the best skate to wear, and they are also cheaper than the other types of ice skates. However, most recreational skates lack padding and adequate support, so they are not recommended for professional skaters.
Do I Need a Coach to Learn Ice Skating?
When you head out to the rinks for the first time, you will find yourself wobbling and grabbing onto everything you can find; it is usually a very exciting experience if you don't fall too hard and sustain injuries.
However, as you keep practicing, you will gradually find your balance and move progressively without needing to hold things. Will this routine be enough for you to learn ice skating? Unfortunately, the honest answer is no.
First, you should know that you will learn faster with a coach, so much so that what will take you weeks to learn on your own may take a few minutes with a coach. In addition, you might need to know some of the necessary things alone, but with a coach, you can start from the basics and gradually progress to more advanced techniques.
Skating could be dangerous for most beginners. However, a coach can help you stay safe on the rinks. There are many reasons why it is better to learn ice skating with a coach than to learn alone. Keep reading to discover them.
What Can a Coach do for me?
Ice skating coaches are responsible for teaching and inspiring skaters on the recreational and competitive levels, sharing the joy of skating, and teaching a lifelong love for the sport. In addition, a coach is a support system, a role model, and even more; let's see some of the numerous things a coach can do for you.
- A coach will provide a constructive and positive environment for your learning.
- Assess your skill level and create a learning syllabus specifically for you.
- Help you set and achieve goals.
- Be a mentor and role model.
- Answer all your questions regarding ice skating.
- Teach you from basics to advanced ice skating techniques.
- Monitor your progress and determine the areas where you still need improvement.
- Keep you motivated even when you feel discouraged.
Qualities to Expect From a Coach?
While an ice skating coach may have many responsibilities, you should expect some good qualities from them to ensure you learn ice skating in the best way possible. So a good coach should:
- Know the sport and the students; they should understand the capabilities of boys and girls when learning ice skating.
- Understand your motivation for learning ice skating.
- Be sensitive to students of various economic, social, and racial backgrounds.
- Understand and be able to deal with differences in emotional and physical maturity.
- Teach skaters to enjoy success and respond to failures with renewed motivation.
- Emphasize the need for improvement and excellence and strive for competence.
- Love the sport and have a positive attitude toward teaching.
- Be patient and willing to teach as often as possible until the students get it.
- Have excellent communication and listening skills to give clear instructions.
- Lead by example by staying disciplined, committed, and respectful.
Where to Learn to Skate in Vancouver, BC
The city of Vancouver boasts a good selection of both indoor and outdoor ice rinks, below we will focus on the indoor ones, some of which are seasonal and a few that remain open for lessons year-round!
- Britannia Rink (Ice: all year)
- Hillcrest Rink (Ice: all year)
- Kerrisdale Cyclone Taylor Arena (Ice: September to March)
- Killarney Rink (Ice: September to March)
- Kitsilano Rink (Ice: September to March)
- Sunset Rink (Ice: all year)
- Trout Lake Rink (Ice: July to March)
- West End Rink (Ice: October to March)
Private Ice Skating Lessons
Coming to the end of this guide, hopefully you are more confident about how and where to start learning ice skating. However, are you confident that you can learn independently? Perhaps you need a reputable ice-staking coach, and you can quickly find one from Superprof.
The platform has all the help you need to learn any new sport, and you can choose from different coaches as well as additional learning methods, from online to in-person and from private to group ice skating lessons in Vancouver. So no matter your learning preferences, Superprof can help you learn ice skating in a fun and fantastic way.
Discover how a coach can help you enjoy your first ice skating in Montreal.
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