how long until my ankles are used to ice skating?
Posted in Ice Skates For Kids on Jul 26th, 2012 | 3 commentsQuestion by : how long until my ankles are used to ice skating?
i just started ice skating yoday. ive never ice skated before but i have roller bladed. when i put the skates on they were a little uncomfortable but i was okay. i got on the ice and was a little unsure until i started moving. i used the wall about halfway around the rink then let go because i had to go around someone with a little kid ( public ice arena ) and i was okay, so i was fine after that and didnt need the wall anymore. i was doing good until after about an hour of good skating in circles, there was a group of people sticking really far out from the wall and i was going not really fast but not slow either so when i was going around them i lost balance and fell. i fell one more time in the two hours that i was there and im just curious, how long will it take until my ankles stop hurting when i ice skate and how long will it take before i have more fluent skating? btw i am 12. i thought i did pretty good for the first time. thank you for your answers.
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Answer by Lori
not long
keep it up!
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3 Responses to “ “how long until my ankles are used to ice skating?”
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Your ankles will stop hurting when you buy good skates. By good, I mean they should be leather/ synthetic level, not plastic, and made by Jackson, Riedell, SP Teri, Graf, Risport, or Edea (I think I’m missing 1 good brand… but those cover the main ones). They should also fit very well – you kind of need to get measured at a pro store, honestly, because shoe sizes are not the same as skate sizes. Rental skates are absolute trash at virtually all rinks, so get your own asap. A good beginner skate is Risport Etoile, cheap Jacksons (up to mystique or so), Graf Davos, etc. Should be around 100 bucks new or so (but used skates might work too, as long as they’re quality brands like I mentioned)
If you’ve just bought skates, and they are good skates, then it will take about 10-15 hours of skating on them (and a few hours of walking in them around the house, especially stairs, with blade protectors on of course) before they’re “broken in” and good to use. This is a common property of leather, it needs to adjust to your feet before you’re comfortable in it.
If your ankles still hurt after that, or if you’re forced to use rental skates, use Bunga or Silipo ankle sleeves / gel pads (available at most skating stores) – they’ll only set you back about 30 bucks – or, if it’s just blisters, put tape/band aids on the area where you usually get the blisters BEFORE skating.
Before you have more fluent skating… Depends on how much talent you have, how often you skate. Three hours a week – will probably take a half a year to a year. I mean by that point you’ll probably be good enough to do your first (small) competition or show. Before you THINK yourself fluid, that’s a whole different story. Power and flow are things that are worked on even by athletes who do olympics, because they can be improved indefinitely.
I agree with European Chick. You need your own skates. Since you are a beginner there are some really good beginner skates out there for you. As a matter of fact, Kinzie’s Closet carries beginner skate packages for Riedell and Jackson. You should check them out. They also have a page with a Skate Comparison chart that will give you an idea of what skate would be best for you depending upon your skate level.
Sounds like you did great for a first-timer on your own. Welcome to skating!
Falling isn’t a big deal – everyone falls. If you’re not falling, you’re not improving in skating.
It takes time to find the four-way balance of ice skates.
Ankle pain in skates comes from too-big, too-loose, or too-floppy skates.
. Get skates in the right size – usually a size smaller than your sneakers.
. Rentals don’t come in half-sizes, so try the smaller size first.
. Wear socks that come up past the top of your skates, thin or regular weight UNLESS:
. . . The smaller size doesn’t fit well – then get the next largest size and wear thicker socks.
. . . The rental skates are hard plastic – go with the larger skate/thicker sock to protect your ankles.
Tie your skates well: put your foot in the skate with your heel all the way back. There should only be a 1/2″ of space at the front – too much space means the skate is too big. Switch it. Pull the laces tight at the bottom – you shouldn’t be able to fit a finger under the laces over your foot. When you get to the top of the eyelets, tie a half knot. Then, do up the hooks comfortably tight to give your ankle some support. If the laces are really long, go around the hooks twice to pick up the slack.
Some rental skates are really “tall” meaning they come up very high above your ankle. If that’s the case, leave the top hook undone so you can bend your knees and take some stress off your lower leg/ankle.
How long it takes for you to get “fluent” at skating really depends on you. Some skaters are zipping around within a few hours, others take weeks or months to get comfortable on skates. Having good well-fitted skates really makes it happen faster, as does taking lessons.