Goals for Beginners

Oicusk82huh · August 2nd, 2018, 05:03 AM

If there are any beginners here, what are your goals with skating? Do you set small goals and try to achieve them? What are those goals, or things that you wish someone would teach you?

Or, if you could go back and give your self some advice (when you were a beginner), what would it be?

Thanks. Just doing a little research.

campingnut · August 5th, 2018, 05:33 AM

I’m not a beginner, but rather a returner (after a 20+ year break). Besides learning about the mechanics of my skates, my priorities have been:

1. Using multiple ways to stop.
2. Controlling my speed at all times (related to #1). Especially down hills...
3. Skating backwards.
4. Being able to turn from being faced forward to backwards and back again without stopping.

Oicusk82huh · August 5th, 2018, 08:00 AM

I'm cracking up, because I guess there's not many beginners here!

The reason I'm asking what people want to learn, is because I'm thinking about running a class. I spend about 90% of my time at the rink teaching, so I might as well run a class. Although I quad skate now, I mainly teach the kids slalom. The quad skaters usually want to learn how to rhythm skate, so that's what I work on with them. They still learn cones too!

A few years ago our local rink was owned by a nice couple that wouldn't allow cones. Local people didn't know that cone skating was a sport. The new owners allowed me to start setting up cones and teaching kids how to slalom. Now the kids have all turned into AMAZING skaters! Half of them are toe-gunning!!! It's drawing quite a crowd, and people want to get involved.

So that's why I'm asking. If I'm gonna teach an organized class, I'd love to hear any ideas that anyone has to make it go smooth. Thanks in advance.

kcire10 · August 7th, 2018, 07:13 PM

My goal is getting better at controlling my roll. I practice a good amount of tricks but I also want to get better at my rink routines, skating in trains, and maintaining complete control with ease.

Oicusk82huh · August 8th, 2018, 06:48 AM

Honestly, I gotta work on trains too. The switch is never that fluid. I usually have to go out of town to work on trains, but it's a great recommendation!

Routines too, awesome. Sometimes people want to work on tricks when they can barely even skate. There's a lot to be said for getting good control.

Also, thanks Campingnut. These are things that will definitely be included. Good recommendations.

zebra1922 · August 8th, 2018, 08:54 PM

Blimey, where do I start!

Used to skate as a kid(and I mean 10 years old) but only up and downtime street, never backwards, no spins etc.

Main aims right now are:

1 Learn to stop properly. I'm getting better but still rely on the rink wall too often.
2. Crossover turns both ways. The rink I use is anticlockwise and I have a bad right knee so I find anti clockwise cross overs OK but I'm rubbish clockwise, keep working on that.
3. General balance only right leg. I'm much better on my left.
4. Skating backwards, no idea how todo it, lessons coming up in September to learn.

I think that should keep me busy for a few months before I work on forward/backward transitions, jumps and maybe a wee spin.

I'm so glad my daughter wants to skate, gives a 43 year old guy an excuse to go to the rink!

MissyPatch · August 9th, 2018, 04:01 AM

I'm with zebra1922, just starting back after doing it a lot as a kid...... and have skated on hireds in the last year or so, but have just recently bought my own speed skates......

I wish there was speed skating lessons for quad skaters, they have them for inline at my local rink.....

Things I am working on is cross over, just one way at the moment.....im working on T-stop, I wish I could do the turn stop...... using you tube for this..... one of the quad speedies at my local rink has been really great to me and showing me stuff.....and correcting me, I was doing it wrong last week and he kindly pointed out what I needed to be doing.

It would also be nice if you could try different wheels on your own skates....instad of forking out $200 for a wheel you might end up with and don't like......

Would be nice if there was some sort of order in which to learn as well or exercises that you could do....

I hope that helps.

MissyPatch · August 9th, 2018, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oicusk82huh

Honestly, I gotta work on trains too. The switch is never that fluid. I usually have to go out of town to work on trains, but it's a great recommendation!

Routines too, awesome. Sometimes people want to work on tricks when they can barely even skate. There's a lot to be said for getting good control.

Also, thanks Campingnut. These are things that will definitely be included. Good recommendations.

What are trains?

Oicusk82huh · August 9th, 2018, 05:46 AM

This video is a bit long, but these are trains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t2H-SEvEpI

Missy Patch, that is such a good idea (about the wheels). I have several different types of wheels. I could actually keep them at the rink and let people try them on so that they don't waste their money. Never would have thought of that.

You guys are really helping me come up with some great class ideas. Please, keep letting me know what you want to learn.

MissyPatch · August 9th, 2018, 06:21 AM

No worries, I know it's probably easy to onsell wheels but yea, would be great to try them out, you know.....

I should actually check out what other lessons they have at my local rink, I only enquired about the speed skating one.... there might be others.... who knows.....lol

Thanks for the link too..... I'll have a squizz. Thanks.

MissyPatch · August 9th, 2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oicusk82huh

This video is a bit long, but these are trains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t2H-SEvEpI

Missy Patch, that is such a good idea (about the wheels). I have several different types of wheels. I could actually keep them at the rink and let people try them on so that they don't waste their money. Never would have thought of that.

You guys are really helping me come up with some great class ideas. Please, keep letting me know what you want to learn.

Omgosh, I just watched that video! Hahaha that's awesome.....that rink also looks huge!!! Is that the normal size of rinks over there?

Oicusk82huh · August 10th, 2018, 06:47 AM

Yes, this rink is a normal size. I think we may be spoiled. What's the skating scene like where you live? What types of places do you skate? What are the floors like, or do you skate outside? What's it like? Is there a popular regional style?

MissyPatch · August 13th, 2018, 08:39 PM

I o ly go to the 1 rink....... there are 2 older guys I say hello to as they are regulars, and around my age, there are a bunch of younger quad and blade speeders, but harder to get to know.....

I would like to start skating outside or more often here I just don't know where I can go....... I need to find a concrete loop of some sort.....

There's an adult skate time at my local rink......im going to go there and check it out........

FUBAR · August 16th, 2018, 01:03 AM

I would like to learn to skate backward. It feels so unatural to me. It’s hard to correct myself when I don’t know what I’m doing. This applies to all skating skills. Crossovers, standing still, how to push, how to stop. All of this is very hard while starting out. What is correct form? Am I doing it right? I can’t tell because I can’t see myself. Could I tell? Even if I could see myself. Does anyone teach how to skate outdoors?

I’d like to know how fast I can go. A way to clock speed would interest me.

I’d like to race other skaters. I’d love to see other skaters. I’d like to skate as many skates as possible. I’d love to try a high end skate before buying one. is there a place that you can test drive boots, plates, and wheels?

Education on equipment and terms would be nice. I usually need to research the terms being used because they are unfamiliar to me.

I would be delighted if I could jump and do 1 complete spin and land. This is far down the list of things to do.

MissyPatch · August 16th, 2018, 03:59 AM

You have lots of questions.......i use a lot of you tube........ and I watch videos over and over that way I see and pick up things that I may have missed the first time around...... what I struggle with is when I get in my skates, i go to do some of this stuff and it's hard!! They make it look so easy! Lol...... wish I was better sooner.....

I'm working on my balance also at the moment...... I think that will help with eveything..... doing one leg then the other......i favour my right leg, so trying to get better on the left as i can tell there is a big difference between the 2...

FUBAR · August 16th, 2018, 06:06 PM

I wish someone would of shown me how to put on my skates and tie them correctly. I used to try and slide my foot into my boot whithout unlacing as much as possible. Now I unlace as much as possible. I try to get my toes where they belong, and push my heel straight down. The difference is amazing.

How to properly fit safety gear.

How to determine what is junk and what is good equipment/gear.

kcire10 · August 17th, 2018, 02:55 AM

When learning to skate, you have to be patient and practice on 1 thing at a time. YouTube videos are good but only focus on the videos that address what you want to learn. Getting comfortable going forward then backwards is a good start. Then learning to transition from front to back is good. After that, transitioning from back to front. Then backward crossovers and so on. Even after this practice balancing on your toes because it'll help your balance and your all around skillset increase. This is what I did but it didn't take me long because I learn very quickly. Don't rush it or you could get hurt. Last night at the rink one of our skate guys broke his ankle trying to do toe toe spins. I tried to tell him to start off balancing on his toes, then maneuvering on his toes, and then learn heel toe spins but he didn't listen and now he is out of commission for a while. Be patient, practice and you'll progress properly.

Oicusk82huh · August 17th, 2018, 07:28 AM

Couldn't agree more with the order of learning KCIRE10 Everyone learns at different paces. Repetition is so important.
Here's what I'm hearing. I'd have to determine which level people are skating at and work from there. I have a few methods of doing this from taking ice skating lessons, but I won't elaborate, it could get boring. Some of the basics...

How to stop
how to skate backwards
skating clockwise and counter clockwise
how to transition from front to back and vice versa
how to control speed
cross overs, both sides and backwards
toe skating, heel skating and heel toe skating
Spins
Routines (I have specific routines for inline kids and specific routines for quads)
trains
Basic equipment teaching

How do you guys feel about warm up routines, cones and edge work?

kcire10 · August 18th, 2018, 06:34 PM

Good stuff for practice!

For me, I don't usually do warm up routines and I use cones for toe work/balancing exercises. I go around the rink a few times and move into moves a bit at a time until I warm up then I go crazy.

Monkeybeaver · August 19th, 2018, 07:34 AM

Learnt to skate again about a year ago, after a 30 year gap. Used to go the local rink (school sports hall with converted cupboard as the skate hire) when I was 13, could crossover forwards both ways but couldn’t skate backwards.
My goals starting again were crossovers, backwards & transitions forwards to backwards & vice versa.
I learnt because my 7 year old went to an ice skating party & really loved it, we took lessons together & now he plays hockey for the local team.
We learnt on ice, taught by the local figure skating coaches (2 of our coaches have taken skaters to the olympics & one was a pro skater on the dancing on ice tv show). The lessons were very well structured, simple drills that at the time don’t necessarily make a lot of sense but over time you realise that they were braking down the major skills. There was a huge emphasis on edge control & body position.
I live in the U.K. & there are a couple of nationally run & recognised ice skating programs, one of which is designed to eventually produce competitive figure skaters, it might be worth looking up the Skate U.K. & Skate Excellence programs to see how they progress people. The Skate U.K. program is the one that’s designed to take people through to a competitive level, the Skate excellence program is designed more to teach the basics to recreational skaters.

August 16th, 2018, 01:03 AM	#14
FUBAR Rookie Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 26	I would like to learn to skate backward. It feels so unatural to me. It’s hard to correct myself when I don’t know what I’m doing. This applies to all skating skills. Crossovers, standing still, how to push, how to stop. All of this is very hard while starting out. What is correct form? Am I doing it right? I can’t tell because I can’t see myself. Could I tell? Even if I could see myself. Does anyone teach how to skate outdoors? I’d like to know how fast I can go. A way to clock speed would interest me. I’d like to race other skaters. I’d love to see other skaters. I’d like to skate as many skates as possible. I’d love to try a high end skate before buying one. is there a place that you can test drive boots, plates, and wheels? Education on equipment and terms would be nice. I usually need to research the terms being used because they are unfamiliar to me. I would be delighted if I could jump and do 1 complete spin and land. This is far down the list of things to do. __________________ FUBAR

August 16th, 2018, 06:06 PM	#16
FUBAR Rookie Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 26	I wish someone would of shown me how to put on my skates and tie them correctly. I used to try and slide my foot into my boot whithout unlacing as much as possible. Now I unlace as much as possible. I try to get my toes where they belong, and push my heel straight down. The difference is amazing. How to properly fit safety gear. How to determine what is junk and what is good equipment/gear. __________________ FUBAR Last edited by FUBAR; August 17th, 2018 at 02:22 PM.

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August 2nd, 2018, 05:03 AM	#1
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	Goals for Beginners If there are any beginners here, what are your goals with skating? Do you set small goals and try to achieve them? What are those goals, or things that you wish someone would teach you? Or, if you could go back and give your self some advice (when you were a beginner), what would it be? Thanks. Just doing a little research.

August 5th, 2018, 05:33 AM	#2
campingnut Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 46	I’m not a beginner, but rather a returner (after a 20+ year break). Besides learning about the mechanics of my skates, my priorities have been: 1. Using multiple ways to stop. 2. Controlling my speed at all times (related to #1). Especially down hills... 3. Skating backwards. 4. Being able to turn from being faced forward to backwards and back again without stopping.

August 5th, 2018, 08:00 AM	#3
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	I'm cracking up, because I guess there's not many beginners here! The reason I'm asking what people want to learn, is because I'm thinking about running a class. I spend about 90% of my time at the rink teaching, so I might as well run a class. Although I quad skate now, I mainly teach the kids slalom. The quad skaters usually want to learn how to rhythm skate, so that's what I work on with them. They still learn cones too! A few years ago our local rink was owned by a nice couple that wouldn't allow cones. Local people didn't know that cone skating was a sport. The new owners allowed me to start setting up cones and teaching kids how to slalom. Now the kids have all turned into AMAZING skaters! Half of them are toe-gunning!!! It's drawing quite a crowd, and people want to get involved. So that's why I'm asking. If I'm gonna teach an organized class, I'd love to hear any ideas that anyone has to make it go smooth. Thanks in advance.

August 7th, 2018, 07:13 PM	#4
kcire10 Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Maplewood, NJ Posts: 46	My goal is getting better at controlling my roll. I practice a good amount of tricks but I also want to get better at my rink routines, skating in trains, and maintaining complete control with ease.

August 8th, 2018, 06:48 AM	#5
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	Honestly, I gotta work on trains too. The switch is never that fluid. I usually have to go out of town to work on trains, but it's a great recommendation! Routines too, awesome. Sometimes people want to work on tricks when they can barely even skate. There's a lot to be said for getting good control. Also, thanks Campingnut. These are things that will definitely be included. Good recommendations.

August 8th, 2018, 08:54 PM	#6
zebra1922 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 117	Blimey, where do I start! Used to skate as a kid(and I mean 10 years old) but only up and downtime street, never backwards, no spins etc. Main aims right now are: 1 Learn to stop properly. I'm getting better but still rely on the rink wall too often. 2. Crossover turns both ways. The rink I use is anticlockwise and I have a bad right knee so I find anti clockwise cross overs OK but I'm rubbish clockwise, keep working on that. 3. General balance only right leg. I'm much better on my left. 4. Skating backwards, no idea how todo it, lessons coming up in September to learn. I think that should keep me busy for a few months before I work on forward/backward transitions, jumps and maybe a wee spin. I'm so glad my daughter wants to skate, gives a 43 year old guy an excuse to go to the rink!

August 9th, 2018, 04:01 AM	#7
MissyPatch Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 56	I'm with zebra1922, just starting back after doing it a lot as a kid...... and have skated on hireds in the last year or so, but have just recently bought my own speed skates...... I wish there was speed skating lessons for quad skaters, they have them for inline at my local rink..... Things I am working on is cross over, just one way at the moment.....im working on T-stop, I wish I could do the turn stop...... using you tube for this..... one of the quad speedies at my local rink has been really great to me and showing me stuff.....and correcting me, I was doing it wrong last week and he kindly pointed out what I needed to be doing. It would also be nice if you could try different wheels on your own skates....instad of forking out $200 for a wheel you might end up with and don't like...... Would be nice if there was some sort of order in which to learn as well or exercises that you could do.... I hope that helps.

August 9th, 2018, 05:46 AM	#9
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	This video is a bit long, but these are trains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t2H-SEvEpI Missy Patch, that is such a good idea (about the wheels). I have several different types of wheels. I could actually keep them at the rink and let people try them on so that they don't waste their money. Never would have thought of that. You guys are really helping me come up with some great class ideas. Please, keep letting me know what you want to learn.

August 9th, 2018, 06:21 AM	#10
MissyPatch Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 56	No worries, I know it's probably easy to onsell wheels but yea, would be great to try them out, you know..... I should actually check out what other lessons they have at my local rink, I only enquired about the speed skating one.... there might be others.... who knows.....lol Thanks for the link too..... I'll have a squizz. Thanks.

August 10th, 2018, 06:47 AM	#12
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	Yes, this rink is a normal size. I think we may be spoiled. What's the skating scene like where you live? What types of places do you skate? What are the floors like, or do you skate outside? What's it like? Is there a popular regional style?

August 13th, 2018, 08:39 PM	#13
MissyPatch Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 56	I o ly go to the 1 rink....... there are 2 older guys I say hello to as they are regulars, and around my age, there are a bunch of younger quad and blade speeders, but harder to get to know..... I would like to start skating outside or more often here I just don't know where I can go....... I need to find a concrete loop of some sort..... There's an adult skate time at my local rink......im going to go there and check it out........

August 16th, 2018, 03:59 AM	#15
MissyPatch Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 56	You have lots of questions.......i use a lot of you tube........ and I watch videos over and over that way I see and pick up things that I may have missed the first time around...... what I struggle with is when I get in my skates, i go to do some of this stuff and it's hard!! They make it look so easy! Lol...... wish I was better sooner..... I'm working on my balance also at the moment...... I think that will help with eveything..... doing one leg then the other......i favour my right leg, so trying to get better on the left as i can tell there is a big difference between the 2...

August 17th, 2018, 02:55 AM	#17
kcire10 Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Maplewood, NJ Posts: 46	When learning to skate, you have to be patient and practice on 1 thing at a time. YouTube videos are good but only focus on the videos that address what you want to learn. Getting comfortable going forward then backwards is a good start. Then learning to transition from front to back is good. After that, transitioning from back to front. Then backward crossovers and so on. Even after this practice balancing on your toes because it'll help your balance and your all around skillset increase. This is what I did but it didn't take me long because I learn very quickly. Don't rush it or you could get hurt. Last night at the rink one of our skate guys broke his ankle trying to do toe toe spins. I tried to tell him to start off balancing on his toes, then maneuvering on his toes, and then learn heel toe spins but he didn't listen and now he is out of commission for a while. Be patient, practice and you'll progress properly.

August 17th, 2018, 07:28 AM	#18
Oicusk82huh Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Highland NY Posts: 442	Couldn't agree more with the order of learning KCIRE10 Everyone learns at different paces. Repetition is so important. Here's what I'm hearing. I'd have to determine which level people are skating at and work from there. I have a few methods of doing this from taking ice skating lessons, but I won't elaborate, it could get boring. Some of the basics... How to stop how to skate backwards skating clockwise and counter clockwise how to transition from front to back and vice versa how to control speed cross overs, both sides and backwards toe skating, heel skating and heel toe skating Spins Routines (I have specific routines for inline kids and specific routines for quads) trains Basic equipment teaching How do you guys feel about warm up routines, cones and edge work?

August 18th, 2018, 06:34 PM	#19
kcire10 Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Maplewood, NJ Posts: 46	Good stuff for practice! For me, I don't usually do warm up routines and I use cones for toe work/balancing exercises. I go around the rink a few times and move into moves a bit at a time until I warm up then I go crazy.

August 19th, 2018, 07:34 AM	#20
Monkeybeaver Junior Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: Peterborough UK Posts: 18	Learnt to skate again about a year ago, after a 30 year gap. Used to go the local rink (school sports hall with converted cupboard as the skate hire) when I was 13, could crossover forwards both ways but couldn’t skate backwards. My goals starting again were crossovers, backwards & transitions forwards to backwards & vice versa. I learnt because my 7 year old went to an ice skating party & really loved it, we took lessons together & now he plays hockey for the local team. We learnt on ice, taught by the local figure skating coaches (2 of our coaches have taken skaters to the olympics & one was a pro skater on the dancing on ice tv show). The lessons were very well structured, simple drills that at the time don’t necessarily make a lot of sense but over time you realise that they were braking down the major skills. There was a huge emphasis on edge control & body position. I live in the U.K. & there are a couple of nationally run & recognised ice skating programs, one of which is designed to eventually produce competitive figure skaters, it might be worth looking up the Skate U.K. & Skate Excellence programs to see how they progress people. The Skate U.K. program is the one that’s designed to take people through to a competitive level, the Skate excellence program is designed more to teach the basics to recreational skaters.