Just said that to get your attention. If you don't know what I'm talking about (caution, language).
The choice today is take a beginning class or buy your own skates?
I think this is pretty much as easy as cake or death, where your own skates=cake and rental skates=death.
Most people who can't skate in beginner class would be just fine if they had skates that hadn't been ruined because budget cuts at public rinks, and profit margins at private ones, means that no one ever replaces their rental skates anymore. They just grind the blades into dust.
You can tell a bad blade-- it will be narrow at the back end, instead of square. The bottom edge, which should have a curved hollow and two clear edges, will be flat. The "profile" (the side view, essentially) will be wavy.
Then there's the "we're out of 9s, here's a 10" problem. Badly fitted skates don't just mean loose, or tight. It means the blade is the wrong length for your foot, making it harder to balance properly.
So where were we? Oh, yes, cake or death.
The problem is that beginning skating class costs about the same as decent recreational skates. So people think "well, we'll see if she likes to skate, then we'll get skates." Problem is, she's not going to like skating if the crap rentals are preventing her from standing up.
I believe it is in the PSA Manual that says that coaches shouldn't tell students that the rental skates are no good, because it reflects badly on the rink, and sets up possible liability. I have also been told by at least one rink that telling people their rental skates are no good is grounds for dismissal. Really. So your coach may or may not tell you if the skates are part of the problem.
I say, spend the money on a pair of skates and go skating together once a week for 6 months. THEN take lessons.
Showing posts with label equipment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label equipment. Show all posts
Jan 2, 2013
Dec 30, 2012
Staying safe on the ice
Who got skates for Christmas? Don't suppose you managed to get safety equipment, too, hmmm? Here's an overview:
Helmets
All beginners should wear head protection. Period. I would love to see the federations start requiring it for everyone, but I'm a well-known maverick. As regular readers of this blog know, I'm sold on the Ice Halo. It's comfortable, stylish and functional for skating. Other good choices are skateboard helmets, which have forehead protection, and a flat back. Bike helmets are not a good choice. The pointy backs on some helmets can snap your head forward if you fall backwards, adding whiplash to the injury.
Helmets must fit. A helmet that is too big or too small is essentially the same as no helmet at all. Do not wear a hat under the helmet. If you think you'll be cold without, get a do-rag, which will provide enough wind protection to keep your head warm. (Do rags are great for hockey players-- they keep the hair out of your face without having to resort to girl-stuff like scrunchies.)
Helmet alternatives
A soft hat is better than a helmet that doesn't fit. The Ice Halo is even better.
Wrist guards
I wouldn't hate to see all adult beginners in wrist guards. Adults commonly brace falls on their wrists, rather than aiming for tuck and roll. It's an instinct, very hard to fight. Wrist guards are the answer, plus they're unobtrusive.
Knee pads
I see more knee pads creating problems than solving them. If you feel you need them, don't get pads that stick out and catch on themselves or your clothing-- try to find the ace-bandage type that have a soft pad over the knee, rather than strap-on braces. Knee pads, especially on children, should not be made of slick plastic, because you won't be able to put your knee on the ice when trying to stand up--you'll just slide. Cover them with fabric, or put them under your clothes.
Hockey equipment
Are you in a game or scrimmage? Go for it-- full regalia. Are you messing around with your buds? I think you can skip the shoulder pads, at least. Shin guards should ALWAYS be covered with socks, otherwise it's an open invitation to sliding games, otherwise known as bowling on the ice, with the hockey boy as the bowling ball, and YOU as the pin. Or better yet, skip everything but the helmet when you're just out there for fun, you little wimps.
Gloves
A must for little kids. Gloves will avert more injuries than any other single item in a class or crowded public session. When little kids fall, they tend to stay on the ice, and they tend to put their hands on the ice. If another skater runs into their bare hands, they will get cut. With gloves on, even thin gloves, it just hurts. No gloves also means they'll need help getting up, because they won't want to put their hands down on the cold surface.
Not being stupid
• Don't carry things. No cameras. No purses. For pity's sake, no small children.
• Don't hold hands, or, if you do, remember to let go if someone starts to fall. If you hold hands, remember that this is not a guarantee of keeping your feet.
• Crack the whip, and pinwheels. Well, I'm not crazy about crack the whip, but I'm a known wimp. Don't play this game unless EVERYONE on the ice is involved and the guards are okay with it.
• Hot dogging. Like to go fast and crazy? Find an empty session. Hot dogging on crowded public ice doesn't prove your a good skater. It just proves you're an asshole.
• Public sessions. Not for multiple rotation jumps, hot dogging (see above). running programs, backward spirals, et cetera, unless it's one of those midday sessions that are empty.
Ice injuries are rare
If you skate only occasionally your odds are good against injury, even if you're not very good. Falls on the ice hurt, and are scary, but seldom result in injury. If you skate a lot, the odds go up, and you should consider some of the recommendations above. Beginner classes, in my opinion, should require head protection, and many rinks now do require this in tot classes. If your rink does not require helmets for tots or hockey classes, make them tell you why.
Helmets
All beginners should wear head protection. Period. I would love to see the federations start requiring it for everyone, but I'm a well-known maverick. As regular readers of this blog know, I'm sold on the Ice Halo. It's comfortable, stylish and functional for skating. Other good choices are skateboard helmets, which have forehead protection, and a flat back. Bike helmets are not a good choice. The pointy backs on some helmets can snap your head forward if you fall backwards, adding whiplash to the injury.
Helmets must fit. A helmet that is too big or too small is essentially the same as no helmet at all. Do not wear a hat under the helmet. If you think you'll be cold without, get a do-rag, which will provide enough wind protection to keep your head warm. (Do rags are great for hockey players-- they keep the hair out of your face without having to resort to girl-stuff like scrunchies.)
Helmet alternatives
A soft hat is better than a helmet that doesn't fit. The Ice Halo is even better.
Wrist guards
I wouldn't hate to see all adult beginners in wrist guards. Adults commonly brace falls on their wrists, rather than aiming for tuck and roll. It's an instinct, very hard to fight. Wrist guards are the answer, plus they're unobtrusive.
Knee pads
I see more knee pads creating problems than solving them. If you feel you need them, don't get pads that stick out and catch on themselves or your clothing-- try to find the ace-bandage type that have a soft pad over the knee, rather than strap-on braces. Knee pads, especially on children, should not be made of slick plastic, because you won't be able to put your knee on the ice when trying to stand up--you'll just slide. Cover them with fabric, or put them under your clothes.
Hockey equipment
Are you in a game or scrimmage? Go for it-- full regalia. Are you messing around with your buds? I think you can skip the shoulder pads, at least. Shin guards should ALWAYS be covered with socks, otherwise it's an open invitation to sliding games, otherwise known as bowling on the ice, with the hockey boy as the bowling ball, and YOU as the pin. Or better yet, skip everything but the helmet when you're just out there for fun, you little wimps.
Gloves
A must for little kids. Gloves will avert more injuries than any other single item in a class or crowded public session. When little kids fall, they tend to stay on the ice, and they tend to put their hands on the ice. If another skater runs into their bare hands, they will get cut. With gloves on, even thin gloves, it just hurts. No gloves also means they'll need help getting up, because they won't want to put their hands down on the cold surface.
Not being stupid
• Don't carry things. No cameras. No purses. For pity's sake, no small children.
• Don't hold hands, or, if you do, remember to let go if someone starts to fall. If you hold hands, remember that this is not a guarantee of keeping your feet.
• Crack the whip, and pinwheels. Well, I'm not crazy about crack the whip, but I'm a known wimp. Don't play this game unless EVERYONE on the ice is involved and the guards are okay with it.
• Hot dogging. Like to go fast and crazy? Find an empty session. Hot dogging on crowded public ice doesn't prove your a good skater. It just proves you're an asshole.
• Public sessions. Not for multiple rotation jumps, hot dogging (see above). running programs, backward spirals, et cetera, unless it's one of those midday sessions that are empty.
Ice injuries are rare
If you skate only occasionally your odds are good against injury, even if you're not very good. Falls on the ice hurt, and are scary, but seldom result in injury. If you skate a lot, the odds go up, and you should consider some of the recommendations above. Beginner classes, in my opinion, should require head protection, and many rinks now do require this in tot classes. If your rink does not require helmets for tots or hockey classes, make them tell you why.
Sep 22, 2012
The Ice Halo (repost)
I last posted this one year ago, but with skating season gearing up, I think it's important to talk again about safety equipment. Special bonus: Ice Halo will give Xanboni readers a 10% discount. Enter "Xanboni blog" in the comments section on the PayPal order form to take advantage of this!
I've been wearing the Ice Halo®, generously loaned me for review by the company, for a week (UPDATE- for a year, and now I have two) . I've been wearing it in all my classes, and did a brief moves practice with it.
I am sold. It's moderately distracting when you first step on the ice, but no more than is a new costume with fussy bits, and I think because the one I've been wearing is fur, that's what I'm seeing. After about 5 minutes you forget it's there. Lots of compliments, because, well, it's very attractive. People would tell me "love your hat" and I would get to say "it's actually a helmet!" Many oohs and aahs. It's a little warm, but I wore it as long as 4 hours at a stretch, and it would just get moderately sweaty; not to the point of distraction or discomfort. This might be different for an extended high-level practice; I would suggest that the company investigate developing a "competitors" version with better moisture wicking.
One of the best things about it is that even if it shifts (which it never did), it's a ring, so it doesn't affect vision no matter what part is forward, unlike a full helmet.
I tested it on as many different types of skaters as I could- "baby" competitors, LTS class and LTS privates, high level multiple rotation jumpers, adults, and coaches.
SF (7-years old, FS3 class) Loved it. Mom loved it. Skated an entire lesson, doing all warmups, moves, jumps and spins. Stayed in place, looked adorable. Class coach thought it was a hat, or possibly is too self-absorbed to actually notice stuff like this. Her private lesson coach was receptive.
SBM (6 years old, Gamma private) Also loved it, and, again, mother also loved it. This is a child who can be fussy and difficult, but she put it on and forgot it was there. It did not shift for the entire lesson. I'm her private coach, so I'm on board. If it comes in turquoise, that's a sale.
Coach Fashionista: gave it 3 seconds, for a 7 year old child in FS2. Not, "let's go around one time and then see", not "hey mom, what's the deal?" Just a completely closed mind. This is going to be the biggest hurdle for this company. I think a coach this closed-minded about it can have a huge effect-even if the parents are adamant about a child wearing head gear (even such innocuous and fashionable head gear as this), the parent is going to lose, because a child will not go against a coach on this. Further, once a coach has made such a fuss about it (the mother described her reaction as "vehement") it's over-that child will never wear safety equipment. I feel bad that the kid lost face over this.
Adult free style class: very resistant, despite the fact that one of them is the mother of a student and was fine with testing it on the child, and that I know this is a group of skaters who really trust me. But they had lots of reasons why it could not even be tested-- sloping forehead, no one else wears it, I don't like fake fur, it's hot, I'll look silly (this after complimenting me on it, so either I actually look silly, or they were just making noise).
SR (very skittish adult, class) Would not even try it, despite the fact that she is clearly terrified of falling. First she complained that it would mess up her hair (the lesson is at 8:30 at night--what, she's going clubbing after this?). Then she decided it would be distracting (mind you she hadn't put it on her head). Unfortunately, the adults were universally the most resistant to it, even though they are the group who would benefit most, as I would venture that far the majority of head injuries I have observed have been adults.
Giordano and Davis (2010 US National Juvenile Ice Dance Champions): After an initial period of distraction, just fine. As I suspected, they felt it was hot, which might be mitigated by using the microfleece. Angel felt she could not do a layback with it on, it didn't feel secure, so this would be a definite issue for a competitive lady. They liked the idea of using these just when bringing new lifts onto the ice.
GJ (5 years old, Delta private, that's
her in the picture) 'nuff said. All the 4- and 5-year olds did this. Every. Single. One. Get a skateboard helmet for the really little ones. (NOT a bike helmet--you want a helmet that fits close to the head, with good peripheral visibility and no points, which can force the neck to snap forward.)
Nora (professional skater, my daughter) Like all the high level skaters, she thought it was fine, but couldn't imagine ever wearing it. She ran through spins, jumps and moves and had no problems with anything, including the layback, probably because she was wearing it a little lower on the back of her head. She liked the warmth.
Chelsea (Senior ladies competitor) ditto Nora. All the high skaters who tried it claimed that high level skaters don't need safety equipment, while then proceeding to tell me all the awful injuries they have either witnessed or experienced. Sigh.
Manol (Bulgarian Junior Men's Champion) Like all the boys, he immediately "tested" it, by diving full speed at the ice and banging his head. No apparent effect, but with Manol, a head injury might just look like business as usual.
Stitch (St. Lidwina's kid) liked it, but Coach apparently had an apoplexy over it. He immediately started banging his head against the boards (he's short) "to see if it works."
The Noisyboys really liked it, but were extremely distracted by it, not because it was innately distracting, but because they are very distractable (this could be a general problem with boys and some of the crazier girls; the novelty of it was the main attraction). They also had a predictable boy reaction--punching each other in the head, yes "to see if it works." On the whole, however, their verdict was "yes." They wanted a better fit, but of course I had limited options for them.
Currently, these seem best for recreational skaters, who unfortunately are the least likely to suffer head bangs, at least on a per capita basis. The company would do well do develop lines for rental facilities and ones that specifically address the needs of competitive skaters. For rentals there needs to be a way to overcome the no-hat-sharing problem (because of epidemic head lice in some parts of the continent), especially since these are primarily cloth. Perhaps removable, replaceable (or washable) liners or covers (that's an on-going revenue source too!), and/or a plastic fashion side?
The other difficult hurdle is the coaches. ALL of the older and most of the competitive coaches were not fans, ranging from skeptical to scoffing to actively hostile. The Russians all hated it, and I caught at least one making fun of me. For something like this to catch on, I think the clubs and federations (SkateCanada and USFS) would have to make it required equipment, starting at the lower levels. Nearly every youth sport that you can think of requires safety equipment, in particular head protection, but somehow in figure skating it's anathema (not "pretty " I guess).
So here's the tl;dr (too long, didn't read)--it's a great product. I think it should be required equipment, especially for adult beginners. Buy it.
I have not received any remuneration or promises from Ice Halo. They provided me with samples, one of which I kept for my own use, and they sent me a surprise pink fur one, because they found out I like pink (wonder what the first clue was).
---------------------------------------------
I've been wearing the Ice Halo®, generously loaned me for review by the company, for a week (UPDATE- for a year, and now I have two) . I've been wearing it in all my classes, and did a brief moves practice with it.
I am sold. It's moderately distracting when you first step on the ice, but no more than is a new costume with fussy bits, and I think because the one I've been wearing is fur, that's what I'm seeing. After about 5 minutes you forget it's there. Lots of compliments, because, well, it's very attractive. People would tell me "love your hat" and I would get to say "it's actually a helmet!" Many oohs and aahs. It's a little warm, but I wore it as long as 4 hours at a stretch, and it would just get moderately sweaty; not to the point of distraction or discomfort. This might be different for an extended high-level practice; I would suggest that the company investigate developing a "competitors" version with better moisture wicking.
One of the best things about it is that even if it shifts (which it never did), it's a ring, so it doesn't affect vision no matter what part is forward, unlike a full helmet.
I tested it on as many different types of skaters as I could- "baby" competitors, LTS class and LTS privates, high level multiple rotation jumpers, adults, and coaches.
SF (7-years old, FS3 class) Loved it. Mom loved it. Skated an entire lesson, doing all warmups, moves, jumps and spins. Stayed in place, looked adorable. Class coach thought it was a hat, or possibly is too self-absorbed to actually notice stuff like this. Her private lesson coach was receptive.
SBM (6 years old, Gamma private) Also loved it, and, again, mother also loved it. This is a child who can be fussy and difficult, but she put it on and forgot it was there. It did not shift for the entire lesson. I'm her private coach, so I'm on board. If it comes in turquoise, that's a sale.
Coach Fashionista: gave it 3 seconds, for a 7 year old child in FS2. Not, "let's go around one time and then see", not "hey mom, what's the deal?" Just a completely closed mind. This is going to be the biggest hurdle for this company. I think a coach this closed-minded about it can have a huge effect-even if the parents are adamant about a child wearing head gear (even such innocuous and fashionable head gear as this), the parent is going to lose, because a child will not go against a coach on this. Further, once a coach has made such a fuss about it (the mother described her reaction as "vehement") it's over-that child will never wear safety equipment. I feel bad that the kid lost face over this.
Adult free style class: very resistant, despite the fact that one of them is the mother of a student and was fine with testing it on the child, and that I know this is a group of skaters who really trust me. But they had lots of reasons why it could not even be tested-- sloping forehead, no one else wears it, I don't like fake fur, it's hot, I'll look silly (this after complimenting me on it, so either I actually look silly, or they were just making noise).
SR (very skittish adult, class) Would not even try it, despite the fact that she is clearly terrified of falling. First she complained that it would mess up her hair (the lesson is at 8:30 at night--what, she's going clubbing after this?). Then she decided it would be distracting (mind you she hadn't put it on her head). Unfortunately, the adults were universally the most resistant to it, even though they are the group who would benefit most, as I would venture that far the majority of head injuries I have observed have been adults.
Giordano and Davis (2010 US National Juvenile Ice Dance Champions): After an initial period of distraction, just fine. As I suspected, they felt it was hot, which might be mitigated by using the microfleece. Angel felt she could not do a layback with it on, it didn't feel secure, so this would be a definite issue for a competitive lady. They liked the idea of using these just when bringing new lifts onto the ice.
GJ (5 years old, Delta private, that's
her in the picture) 'nuff said. All the 4- and 5-year olds did this. Every. Single. One. Get a skateboard helmet for the really little ones. (NOT a bike helmet--you want a helmet that fits close to the head, with good peripheral visibility and no points, which can force the neck to snap forward.)Nora (professional skater, my daughter) Like all the high level skaters, she thought it was fine, but couldn't imagine ever wearing it. She ran through spins, jumps and moves and had no problems with anything, including the layback, probably because she was wearing it a little lower on the back of her head. She liked the warmth.
Chelsea (Senior ladies competitor) ditto Nora. All the high skaters who tried it claimed that high level skaters don't need safety equipment, while then proceeding to tell me all the awful injuries they have either witnessed or experienced. Sigh.
Manol (Bulgarian Junior Men's Champion) Like all the boys, he immediately "tested" it, by diving full speed at the ice and banging his head. No apparent effect, but with Manol, a head injury might just look like business as usual.
Stitch (St. Lidwina's kid) liked it, but Coach apparently had an apoplexy over it. He immediately started banging his head against the boards (he's short) "to see if it works."
The Noisyboys really liked it, but were extremely distracted by it, not because it was innately distracting, but because they are very distractable (this could be a general problem with boys and some of the crazier girls; the novelty of it was the main attraction). They also had a predictable boy reaction--punching each other in the head, yes "to see if it works." On the whole, however, their verdict was "yes." They wanted a better fit, but of course I had limited options for them.Currently, these seem best for recreational skaters, who unfortunately are the least likely to suffer head bangs, at least on a per capita basis. The company would do well do develop lines for rental facilities and ones that specifically address the needs of competitive skaters. For rentals there needs to be a way to overcome the no-hat-sharing problem (because of epidemic head lice in some parts of the continent), especially since these are primarily cloth. Perhaps removable, replaceable (or washable) liners or covers (that's an on-going revenue source too!), and/or a plastic fashion side?
The other difficult hurdle is the coaches. ALL of the older and most of the competitive coaches were not fans, ranging from skeptical to scoffing to actively hostile. The Russians all hated it, and I caught at least one making fun of me. For something like this to catch on, I think the clubs and federations (SkateCanada and USFS) would have to make it required equipment, starting at the lower levels. Nearly every youth sport that you can think of requires safety equipment, in particular head protection, but somehow in figure skating it's anathema (not "pretty " I guess).
So here's the tl;dr (too long, didn't read)--it's a great product. I think it should be required equipment, especially for adult beginners. Buy it.
I have not received any remuneration or promises from Ice Halo. They provided me with samples, one of which I kept for my own use, and they sent me a surprise pink fur one, because they found out I like pink (wonder what the first clue was).
May 27, 2012
Storing skates
I've been putting in gardens for the past month, for the organizations where I volunteer. It doesn't leave a lot of time for skating.
In fact, a couple of people have contacted me about what to do with their skates when they aren't planning to skate for a while. First the don'ts-- don't leave them in the car. Don't leave them in a bag, especially if it's got any sort of moisture barrier (many gym carriers and skate bags do). Some basic advice:
Get them cleaned, refurbished, and sharpened
If you're not going to be skating for a while, this is a perfect time to get that ratty tongue replaced, or fix the varnish. These maintenance activities can take a couple to a few weeks, especially if you live in an area with no skate technicians and you have to ship them. I like to store my skates with a clean new edge on them. This also guarantees that you're not putting away rust.
So how do I find a skate technician?
Contact the manufacturer. If you have a major-brand boot like Reidell, Harlick, Graff, Jackson, SPTeri or Edea, these are family-owned companies with great customer service. They can either advise you about a boot technician in your area, or let you know how to ship them right back to the company for repair.
DON'T take them to the local shoe repair shop.
Keep them cool and dry
Pull the tongues all the way out, tuck the laces inside (or better yet, chuck the laces and get new ones), and just store them on a shelf in your closet. Don't leave them in a bag, where residual moisture can get trapped.
Don't hide them
I once put away a pair of skates so effectively that I didn't find them for 20 years. True story. If you're not sure you'll remember where they are, make yourself a little note in your calendar.
While you're at it, empty out your locker or bag and clean everything in there, too!
In fact, a couple of people have contacted me about what to do with their skates when they aren't planning to skate for a while. First the don'ts-- don't leave them in the car. Don't leave them in a bag, especially if it's got any sort of moisture barrier (many gym carriers and skate bags do). Some basic advice:
Get them cleaned, refurbished, and sharpened
If you're not going to be skating for a while, this is a perfect time to get that ratty tongue replaced, or fix the varnish. These maintenance activities can take a couple to a few weeks, especially if you live in an area with no skate technicians and you have to ship them. I like to store my skates with a clean new edge on them. This also guarantees that you're not putting away rust.
So how do I find a skate technician?
Contact the manufacturer. If you have a major-brand boot like Reidell, Harlick, Graff, Jackson, SPTeri or Edea, these are family-owned companies with great customer service. They can either advise you about a boot technician in your area, or let you know how to ship them right back to the company for repair.
DON'T take them to the local shoe repair shop.
Keep them cool and dry
Pull the tongues all the way out, tuck the laces inside (or better yet, chuck the laces and get new ones), and just store them on a shelf in your closet. Don't leave them in a bag, where residual moisture can get trapped.
Don't hide them
I once put away a pair of skates so effectively that I didn't find them for 20 years. True story. If you're not sure you'll remember where they are, make yourself a little note in your calendar.
While you're at it, empty out your locker or bag and clean everything in there, too!
Sep 21, 2011
The Ice Halo®
I've been wearing the Ice Halo®, generously loaned me for review by the company, for a week. I've been wearing it in all my classes, and did a brief moves practice with it.
I am sold. It's moderately distracting when you first step on the ice, but no more than is a new costume with fussy bits, and I think because the one I've been wearing is fur, that's what I'm seeing. After about 5 minutes you forget it's there. Lots of compliments, because, well, it's very attractive. People would tell me "love your hat" and I would get to say "it's actually a helmet!" Many oohs and aahs. It's a little warm, but I wore it as long as 4 hours at a stretch, and it would just get moderately sweaty; not to the point of distraction or discomfort. This might be different for an extended high-level practice; I would suggest that the company investigate developing a "competitors" version with better moisture wicking.
One of the best things about it is that even if it shifts (which it never did), it's a ring, so it doesn't affect vision no matter what part is forward, unlike a full helmet.
I tested it on as many different types of skaters as I could- "baby" competitors, LTS class and LTS privates, high level multiple rotation jumpers, adults, and coaches.
SF (7-years old, FS3 class) Loved it. Mom loved it. Skated an entire lesson, doing all warmups, moves, jumps and spins. Stayed in place, looked adorable. Class coach thought it was a hat, or possibly is too self-absorbed to actually notice stuff like this. Her private lesson coach was receptive.
SBM (6 years old, Gamma private) Also loved it, and, again, mother also loved it. This is a child who can be fussy and difficult, but she put it on and forgot it was there. It did not shift for the entire lesson. I'm her private coach, so I'm on board. If it comes in turquoise, that's a sale.
Coach Fashionista: gave it 3 seconds, for a 7 year old child in FS2. Not, "let's go around one time and then see", not "hey mom, what's the deal?" Just a completely closed mind. This is going to be the biggest hurdle for this company. I think a coach this closed-minded about it can have a huge effect-even if the parents are adamant about a child wearing head gear (even such innocuous and fashionable head gear as this), the parent is going to lose, because a child will not go against a coach on this. Further, once a coach has made such a fuss about it (the mother described her reaction as "vehement") it's over-that child will never wear safety equipment. I feel bad that the kid lost face over this.
Adult free style class: very resistant, despite the fact that one of them is the mother of a student and was fine with testing it on the child, and that I know this is a group of skaters who really trust me. But they had lots of reasons why it could not even be tested-- sloping forehead, no one else wears it, I don't like fake fur, it's hot, I'll look silly (this after complimenting me on it, so either I actually look silly, or they were just making noise).
SR (very skittish adult, class) Would not even try it, despite the fact that she is clearly terrified of falling. First she complained that it would mess up her hair (the lesson is at 8:30 at night--what, she's going clubbing after this?). Then she decided it would be distracting (mind you she hadn't put it on her head). Unfortunately, the adults were universally the most resistant to it, even though they are the group who would benefit most, as I would venture that far the majority of head injuries I have observed have been adults.
Giordano and Davis (2010 US National Juvenile Ice Dance Champions): After an initial period of distraction, just fine. As I suspected, they felt it was hot, which might be mitigated by using the microfleece. Angel felt she could not do a layback with it on, it didn't feel secure, so this would be a definite issue for a competitive lady. They liked the idea of using these just when bringing new lifts onto the ice.
GJ (5 years old, Delta private, that'sher in the picture) 'nuff said. All the 4- and 5-year olds did this. Every. Single. One. Get a skateboard helmet for the really little ones. (NOT a bike helmet--you want a helmet that fits close to the head, with good peripheral visibility and no points, which can force the neck to snap forward.)
Nora (professional skater, my daughter) Like all the high level skaters, she thought it was fine, but couldn't imagine ever wearing it. She ran through spins, jumps and moves and had no problems with anything, including the layback, probably because she was wearing it a little lower on the back of her head. She liked the warmth.
Chelsea (Senior ladies competitor) ditto Nora. All the high skaters who tried it claimed that high level skaters don't need safety equipment, while then proceeding to tell me all the awful injuries they have either witnessed or experienced. Sigh.
Manol (Bulgarian Junior Men's Champion) Like all the boys, he immediately "tested" it, by diving full speed at the ice and banging his head. No apparent effect, but with Manol, a head injury might just look like business as usual.
Stitch (St. Lidwina's kid) liked it, but Coach apparently had an apoplexy over it. He immediately started banging his head against the boards (he's short) "to see if it works."
The Noisyboys really liked it, but were extremely distracted by it, not because it was innately distracting, but because they are very distractable (this could be a general problem with boys and some of the crazier girls; the novelty of it was the main attraction). They also had a predictable boy reaction--punching each other in the head, yes "to see if it works." On the whole, however, their verdict was "yes." They wanted a better fit, but of course I had limited options for them.
Currently, these seem best for recreational skaters, who unfortunately are the least likely to suffer head bangs, at least on a per capita basis. The company would do well do develop lines for rental facilities and ones that specifically address the needs of competitive skaters. For rentals there needs to be a way to overcome the no-hat-sharing problem (because of epidemic head lice in some parts of the continent), especially since these are primarily cloth. Perhaps removable, replaceable (or washable) liners or covers (that's an on-going revenue source too!), and/or a plastic fashion side?
The other difficult hurdle is the coaches. ALL of the older and most of the competitive coaches were not fans, ranging from skeptical to scoffing to actively hostile. The Russians all hated it, and I caught at least one making fun of me. For something like this to catch on, I think the clubs and federations (SkateCanada and USFS) would have to make it required equipment, starting at the lower levels. Nearly every youth sport that you can think of requires safety equipment, in particular head protection, but somehow in figure skating it's anathema (not "pretty " I guess).
So here's the tl;dr (too long, didn't read)--it's a great product. I think it should be required equipment, especially for adult beginners. Buy it.
At this writing, I have not received any remuneration, products for personal use, or promises from Ice Halo.
I am sold. It's moderately distracting when you first step on the ice, but no more than is a new costume with fussy bits, and I think because the one I've been wearing is fur, that's what I'm seeing. After about 5 minutes you forget it's there. Lots of compliments, because, well, it's very attractive. People would tell me "love your hat" and I would get to say "it's actually a helmet!" Many oohs and aahs. It's a little warm, but I wore it as long as 4 hours at a stretch, and it would just get moderately sweaty; not to the point of distraction or discomfort. This might be different for an extended high-level practice; I would suggest that the company investigate developing a "competitors" version with better moisture wicking.
One of the best things about it is that even if it shifts (which it never did), it's a ring, so it doesn't affect vision no matter what part is forward, unlike a full helmet.
I tested it on as many different types of skaters as I could- "baby" competitors, LTS class and LTS privates, high level multiple rotation jumpers, adults, and coaches.
SF (7-years old, FS3 class) Loved it. Mom loved it. Skated an entire lesson, doing all warmups, moves, jumps and spins. Stayed in place, looked adorable. Class coach thought it was a hat, or possibly is too self-absorbed to actually notice stuff like this. Her private lesson coach was receptive.
SBM (6 years old, Gamma private) Also loved it, and, again, mother also loved it. This is a child who can be fussy and difficult, but she put it on and forgot it was there. It did not shift for the entire lesson. I'm her private coach, so I'm on board. If it comes in turquoise, that's a sale.
Coach Fashionista: gave it 3 seconds, for a 7 year old child in FS2. Not, "let's go around one time and then see", not "hey mom, what's the deal?" Just a completely closed mind. This is going to be the biggest hurdle for this company. I think a coach this closed-minded about it can have a huge effect-even if the parents are adamant about a child wearing head gear (even such innocuous and fashionable head gear as this), the parent is going to lose, because a child will not go against a coach on this. Further, once a coach has made such a fuss about it (the mother described her reaction as "vehement") it's over-that child will never wear safety equipment. I feel bad that the kid lost face over this.
Adult free style class: very resistant, despite the fact that one of them is the mother of a student and was fine with testing it on the child, and that I know this is a group of skaters who really trust me. But they had lots of reasons why it could not even be tested-- sloping forehead, no one else wears it, I don't like fake fur, it's hot, I'll look silly (this after complimenting me on it, so either I actually look silly, or they were just making noise).
SR (very skittish adult, class) Would not even try it, despite the fact that she is clearly terrified of falling. First she complained that it would mess up her hair (the lesson is at 8:30 at night--what, she's going clubbing after this?). Then she decided it would be distracting (mind you she hadn't put it on her head). Unfortunately, the adults were universally the most resistant to it, even though they are the group who would benefit most, as I would venture that far the majority of head injuries I have observed have been adults.
Giordano and Davis (2010 US National Juvenile Ice Dance Champions): After an initial period of distraction, just fine. As I suspected, they felt it was hot, which might be mitigated by using the microfleece. Angel felt she could not do a layback with it on, it didn't feel secure, so this would be a definite issue for a competitive lady. They liked the idea of using these just when bringing new lifts onto the ice.
GJ (5 years old, Delta private, that's
her in the picture) 'nuff said. All the 4- and 5-year olds did this. Every. Single. One. Get a skateboard helmet for the really little ones. (NOT a bike helmet--you want a helmet that fits close to the head, with good peripheral visibility and no points, which can force the neck to snap forward.)Nora (professional skater, my daughter) Like all the high level skaters, she thought it was fine, but couldn't imagine ever wearing it. She ran through spins, jumps and moves and had no problems with anything, including the layback, probably because she was wearing it a little lower on the back of her head. She liked the warmth.
Chelsea (Senior ladies competitor) ditto Nora. All the high skaters who tried it claimed that high level skaters don't need safety equipment, while then proceeding to tell me all the awful injuries they have either witnessed or experienced. Sigh.
Manol (Bulgarian Junior Men's Champion) Like all the boys, he immediately "tested" it, by diving full speed at the ice and banging his head. No apparent effect, but with Manol, a head injury might just look like business as usual.
Stitch (St. Lidwina's kid) liked it, but Coach apparently had an apoplexy over it. He immediately started banging his head against the boards (he's short) "to see if it works."
The Noisyboys really liked it, but were extremely distracted by it, not because it was innately distracting, but because they are very distractable (this could be a general problem with boys and some of the crazier girls; the novelty of it was the main attraction). They also had a predictable boy reaction--punching each other in the head, yes "to see if it works." On the whole, however, their verdict was "yes." They wanted a better fit, but of course I had limited options for them.Currently, these seem best for recreational skaters, who unfortunately are the least likely to suffer head bangs, at least on a per capita basis. The company would do well do develop lines for rental facilities and ones that specifically address the needs of competitive skaters. For rentals there needs to be a way to overcome the no-hat-sharing problem (because of epidemic head lice in some parts of the continent), especially since these are primarily cloth. Perhaps removable, replaceable (or washable) liners or covers (that's an on-going revenue source too!), and/or a plastic fashion side?
The other difficult hurdle is the coaches. ALL of the older and most of the competitive coaches were not fans, ranging from skeptical to scoffing to actively hostile. The Russians all hated it, and I caught at least one making fun of me. For something like this to catch on, I think the clubs and federations (SkateCanada and USFS) would have to make it required equipment, starting at the lower levels. Nearly every youth sport that you can think of requires safety equipment, in particular head protection, but somehow in figure skating it's anathema (not "pretty " I guess).
So here's the tl;dr (too long, didn't read)--it's a great product. I think it should be required equipment, especially for adult beginners. Buy it.
At this writing, I have not received any remuneration, products for personal use, or promises from Ice Halo.
Nov 25, 2010
How to get used to new skates
It's gift giving time-- are there new skates in your future?
If you're an experienced skater, you already know the bad news-- new skates are awful, especially if you also have new blades; they just feel completely different. If you've been in rentals, you might even have the experience of suddenly not being able to stand up.
High level free style skaters have the fewest problems, for multiple reasons. First, their skill level is solid, so they have a more instinctive understanding of the balance and motion. Second, the new high-level boots are made of some space age material that allows you to skip the old, agonizing "break in" period, where the leather got soft and molded to your foot. (Unfortunately, it also means that these skates, which are essentially plastic, smell terrible after a while.)
For children and beginners, you're going to have an adjustment period. Here's some things to do:
Start slow
Don't expect to go out and immediately skate exactly the way you did in your old boots, or the rentals. Some people feel an immediate comfort, or even improvement, but most people find it very disconcerting to wear new boots and blades. So the first couple of times, just skate around until you feel solid. Younger children especially, even if they are very good skaters, will be extremely sensitive to the change. Kids like things to be the Way They Are; they're the most hide-bound conservatives you'll ever meet.
Skate a lot
As you skate more in the new boots, your body will start to forget what the old skates felt like. You don't have to skate for a long time each outing, but come every day that you can for a couple of weeks.
Don't give in
Let yourself adjust. For beginners, trust me your blade isn't "mounted wrong" and it's sharp enough. The problem is with you, because you're still inexperienced enough to be very sensitive to changes in your skating environment. For parents, try to figure out the difference between actual pain and just that it feels different. Some kids fall a lot the first few times out. This can be for multiple reasons-- the blade might be a different length, which changes your balance; if you've switched from rentals, new boots will hold your ankles straight, which again affects the balance you've learned. Out-of-the-box blades from places like SportMart sometimes have a coating on the surface of the blade to protect it during shipping (we call this "factory edging". If you hear someone say, oh it's still got the factory edge, this is what they're talking about.) This needs to be ground off by a professional skate shop (do NOT use steel wool, although you can rub aluminum foil over it a few times.)
Listen to your child, but not too much
Ask "does it hurt enough for a bandaid?" or "do we need to stop skating now?" Most kids will answer very honestly to these specific questions. Sometimes even the ones who actually get off the ice, if you tell them okay let's go home, will decide that it's fine and get back on. Especially for a kid who loves to skate, telling them that "if the skates hurt that much, we'll just stop skating" will make them evaluate the discomfort honestly. I confess I have let kids get to actual tears before giving in on new skates, especially the ones that have established themselves as complainers. Seems cruel, but I haven't lost one yet. (You don't have to let your child cry, that's just me, meanest tot teacher on the planet.)
Make sure it's the correct size
The number one reason that kids can't skate in new skates is that people get skates that are too big. Do NOT, I beg you, get skates with grow room. One 1/2 size up is the biggest you can go. Extra socks or extra insoles are not the answer. Boots that are too big force a skater to tense up their feet to keep from slipping around inside (and doubled socks makes this worse). This is what causes foot cramps, which is extremely painful. Along with a boot that's too big, will be a blade that is too big. Blades are designed to have specific points of contact with the ice. If the blade is too long, that contact point will be in the wrong place relative to your foot, and it will be harder to stand up.
If you don't know much about skates, go to a professional skate shop
Even if it means a long drive, like several counties. Buy a known brand, like Reidel, Jackson, Graf, or SPTeri. Be honest with the clerk about your skating level (i.e. don't buy a freestyle boot for a beginner-- it'll be too stiff, and will have too big a toe pick).
Here are some prior posts on skates.
If you're an experienced skater, you already know the bad news-- new skates are awful, especially if you also have new blades; they just feel completely different. If you've been in rentals, you might even have the experience of suddenly not being able to stand up.
High level free style skaters have the fewest problems, for multiple reasons. First, their skill level is solid, so they have a more instinctive understanding of the balance and motion. Second, the new high-level boots are made of some space age material that allows you to skip the old, agonizing "break in" period, where the leather got soft and molded to your foot. (Unfortunately, it also means that these skates, which are essentially plastic, smell terrible after a while.)
For children and beginners, you're going to have an adjustment period. Here's some things to do:
Start slow
Don't expect to go out and immediately skate exactly the way you did in your old boots, or the rentals. Some people feel an immediate comfort, or even improvement, but most people find it very disconcerting to wear new boots and blades. So the first couple of times, just skate around until you feel solid. Younger children especially, even if they are very good skaters, will be extremely sensitive to the change. Kids like things to be the Way They Are; they're the most hide-bound conservatives you'll ever meet.
Skate a lot
As you skate more in the new boots, your body will start to forget what the old skates felt like. You don't have to skate for a long time each outing, but come every day that you can for a couple of weeks.
Don't give in
Let yourself adjust. For beginners, trust me your blade isn't "mounted wrong" and it's sharp enough. The problem is with you, because you're still inexperienced enough to be very sensitive to changes in your skating environment. For parents, try to figure out the difference between actual pain and just that it feels different. Some kids fall a lot the first few times out. This can be for multiple reasons-- the blade might be a different length, which changes your balance; if you've switched from rentals, new boots will hold your ankles straight, which again affects the balance you've learned. Out-of-the-box blades from places like SportMart sometimes have a coating on the surface of the blade to protect it during shipping (we call this "factory edging". If you hear someone say, oh it's still got the factory edge, this is what they're talking about.) This needs to be ground off by a professional skate shop (do NOT use steel wool, although you can rub aluminum foil over it a few times.)
Listen to your child, but not too much
Ask "does it hurt enough for a bandaid?" or "do we need to stop skating now?" Most kids will answer very honestly to these specific questions. Sometimes even the ones who actually get off the ice, if you tell them okay let's go home, will decide that it's fine and get back on. Especially for a kid who loves to skate, telling them that "if the skates hurt that much, we'll just stop skating" will make them evaluate the discomfort honestly. I confess I have let kids get to actual tears before giving in on new skates, especially the ones that have established themselves as complainers. Seems cruel, but I haven't lost one yet. (You don't have to let your child cry, that's just me, meanest tot teacher on the planet.)
Make sure it's the correct size
The number one reason that kids can't skate in new skates is that people get skates that are too big. Do NOT, I beg you, get skates with grow room. One 1/2 size up is the biggest you can go. Extra socks or extra insoles are not the answer. Boots that are too big force a skater to tense up their feet to keep from slipping around inside (and doubled socks makes this worse). This is what causes foot cramps, which is extremely painful. Along with a boot that's too big, will be a blade that is too big. Blades are designed to have specific points of contact with the ice. If the blade is too long, that contact point will be in the wrong place relative to your foot, and it will be harder to stand up.
If you don't know much about skates, go to a professional skate shop
Even if it means a long drive, like several counties. Buy a known brand, like Reidel, Jackson, Graf, or SPTeri. Be honest with the clerk about your skating level (i.e. don't buy a freestyle boot for a beginner-- it'll be too stiff, and will have too big a toe pick).
Here are some prior posts on skates.
Mar 17, 2010
Safety at the ice rink
The most common question I get from new parents, especially tot parents, is whether the child needs a helmet.
Some rinks will have a policy on this-- all beginner and tot classes, helmet required, or anyone in hockey skates helmet required-- but not always. Here's a brief guide to safety equipment that doesn't interfere with learning:
Helmets: Get a skateboarder's/inline skater helmet, with the flat back, (or a standard hockey helmet, although they are more expensive and a nuisance to put on) and make sure it fits fully and snugly. A helmet with a pointy back, like a bike helmet, will force a child's head forward and down if she goes over backward, risking neck injury. A too-loose or too-tight helmet will not properly protect from impact if the kid strikes the helmet, and may slip off just when needed the most. Don't use a cracked helmet, ever, for anything. (Okay, you can plant things in it. But don't use it as safety equipment, because it's not.)
I like to see tots in helmets, but frankly a soft thick wooly cap does the trick nicely. If you think your child won't wear a hat, you haven't seen me make 15 tots bow to my will. Head bumps are actually fairly rare in skating class. I tell the kids "don't kiss the ice!"
Knee and elbow pads: Children, even beginning tots, need the full range of motion for skating. A pad that is constantly slipping, or is too tight or too loose will interfere with the motion needed for balance, completely defeating the purpose. The best knee pads are soccer pads that are a soft cushion in an ace-bandage type stretchy cuff, in the child's size. For very small children, sometimes a small adult elbow pad works great. DON'T get those Toys backwardsR Us hard plastic pads (often with trademarked characters on them). First of all, they fall off. Second, they are so slippery that the child can't kneel on the ice to help him stand. Elbow pads are a waste of time. Ditto wrist braces, except for adults, for whom wrist injuries are the most common skating injury.
Hockey equipment: Completely unnecessary, even in beginner hockey class. But if Dad insists that Junior has to wear full equipment, at least no shoulder pads, and the shin guards must be covered-- the bare hard plastic just encourages them to do nothing but knee slides. Fun, but kind of annoying in class, not to say dangerous (think bowling ball, with the rest of the tots as the pins). Hockey gloves in beginner class are the devil's tool.
Gloves: Ever since having a child get a bad cut having her hand skated over, I make gloves a rule, even in my advanced classes. In the warm weather I bring a big bag of them onto the ice with me for the people who forget. Don't worry if your child says "no." I just make it a rule, and kids respect rules. You can usually find gloves in the lost and found if you forget yours.
Snow pants, parkas and snow suits. At ground level, an ice rink is cold, about 24-28F/-2to -4C. Two feet up it's about 50F/10C. (YMMV, as they say on the web: your mileage may vary.) It is not cold enough for a heavy snow suit in class, where we move around all the time. For children 4 and younger, snow pants are a good idea, because we tend to spend a lot of time sitting on the ice, and the cold is a distraction. But in general two layers will do it-- a long sleeve shirt and a heavy sweater, and long johns or leggings with sweatpants over them. PLEASE no low-rise jeans, especially on tots, in an ice rink. You wouldn't believe the number of bare baby butts I see in a week.
All that said, your child will not die from childhood bumps and bruises. Kids fall. Very very very rarely, they get seriously hurt (although in 11 years of teaching I have seen only three injuries in learn to skate classes serious enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. None of them were head injuries.) Skating at a beginning level is not any more dangerous than running on the sidewalk.
Things to avoid: Hockey gloves. Big heavy padded mittens or gloves (too hot-- the kid will just want to take them off.) Jackets or sweaters with too-long sleeves. Hoods--they obscure vision. Tiny skating dresses on beginner tots-- too cold. Helmets that don't fit properly. In other words, anything that impedes vision, sound, or movement.
Safety equipment for advanced skaters:
Unlike beginning skaters (which I define as Beginner through Freestyle 2), advanced skaters do get injured, with soft tissue injuries to knee and groin being the most common, followed by dislocated bones -- knees, shoulders, fingers, followed by broken wrists and ankles. For a typical serious recreational skater these are like other varsity sports: injuries happen, and can be serious, but life- and career-threatening injuries are vanishingly rare.
Knee and elbow braces should only be used with the advice of a doctor or physical therapist. If your skater has an issue severe enough to warrant the use of braces, it is severe enough to warrant professional medical advice. (Make sure you go to someone familiar with sports injuries. I can't tell you how many parents tell me that their doctor told them to quit skating because it's too dangerous. I wonder how many football players are getting that advice?)
Butt pads: For some kids, hip padding distorts their movement and makes the technique they are trying to improve worse. But for most kids, it adds a layer of confidence and takes away some of the fear of falling, not to mention some of the pain. They will not, however, remove pain entirely, and the skater needs to understand that. Older adults (over age 35) who are resorting to butt pads because they are falling a lot while learning jumps really need to rethink whether they should be attempting these moves.
Helmets: I live for the day that someone finally convinces US Figure Skating to invest R&D dollars in designing a safe training helmet for figure skaters, especially for women in pairs. All helmets now on the market, because they aren't designed with our sport in mind, impede movement, obscure vision and alter balance, besides being unattractive. It is the discretion of the parent whether to put your freestyle skater in a helmet; I won't argue with you. But I think helmets create their own problems because of the reasons above, and are better left off once the skater starts jumping.
Rink padding. Speed skaters get soft padding on rink walls. Figure skaters do not. Why not? The most serious injuries I have seen all involved skaters crashing into the boards at high speeds after a fall. It is inexplicable, and inexcusable, that rinks are not designed with soft boards. Please write to your local, state and federal representatives requesting that this be made law.
In the lobby
Please please please do not let your toddler walk around the ice rink lobby barefoot. If I tell you he needs to be wearing shoes, don't for god's sake tell me "oh he hates wearing shoes." WTH, he's 3. You get to be the boss. When he gets stepped on, do not yell at me for not controlling the forty 8 year olds in skates who are milling heedlessly around stomping on babies.
Some rinks will have a policy on this-- all beginner and tot classes, helmet required, or anyone in hockey skates helmet required-- but not always. Here's a brief guide to safety equipment that doesn't interfere with learning:
Helmets: Get a skateboarder's/inline skater helmet, with the flat back, (or a standard hockey helmet, although they are more expensive and a nuisance to put on) and make sure it fits fully and snugly. A helmet with a pointy back, like a bike helmet, will force a child's head forward and down if she goes over backward, risking neck injury. A too-loose or too-tight helmet will not properly protect from impact if the kid strikes the helmet, and may slip off just when needed the most. Don't use a cracked helmet, ever, for anything. (Okay, you can plant things in it. But don't use it as safety equipment, because it's not.)
I like to see tots in helmets, but frankly a soft thick wooly cap does the trick nicely. If you think your child won't wear a hat, you haven't seen me make 15 tots bow to my will. Head bumps are actually fairly rare in skating class. I tell the kids "don't kiss the ice!"
Knee and elbow pads: Children, even beginning tots, need the full range of motion for skating. A pad that is constantly slipping, or is too tight or too loose will interfere with the motion needed for balance, completely defeating the purpose. The best knee pads are soccer pads that are a soft cushion in an ace-bandage type stretchy cuff, in the child's size. For very small children, sometimes a small adult elbow pad works great. DON'T get those Toys backwardsR Us hard plastic pads (often with trademarked characters on them). First of all, they fall off. Second, they are so slippery that the child can't kneel on the ice to help him stand. Elbow pads are a waste of time. Ditto wrist braces, except for adults, for whom wrist injuries are the most common skating injury.
Hockey equipment: Completely unnecessary, even in beginner hockey class. But if Dad insists that Junior has to wear full equipment, at least no shoulder pads, and the shin guards must be covered-- the bare hard plastic just encourages them to do nothing but knee slides. Fun, but kind of annoying in class, not to say dangerous (think bowling ball, with the rest of the tots as the pins). Hockey gloves in beginner class are the devil's tool.
Gloves: Ever since having a child get a bad cut having her hand skated over, I make gloves a rule, even in my advanced classes. In the warm weather I bring a big bag of them onto the ice with me for the people who forget. Don't worry if your child says "no." I just make it a rule, and kids respect rules. You can usually find gloves in the lost and found if you forget yours.
Snow pants, parkas and snow suits. At ground level, an ice rink is cold, about 24-28F/-2to -4C. Two feet up it's about 50F/10C. (YMMV, as they say on the web: your mileage may vary.) It is not cold enough for a heavy snow suit in class, where we move around all the time. For children 4 and younger, snow pants are a good idea, because we tend to spend a lot of time sitting on the ice, and the cold is a distraction. But in general two layers will do it-- a long sleeve shirt and a heavy sweater, and long johns or leggings with sweatpants over them. PLEASE no low-rise jeans, especially on tots, in an ice rink. You wouldn't believe the number of bare baby butts I see in a week.
All that said, your child will not die from childhood bumps and bruises. Kids fall. Very very very rarely, they get seriously hurt (although in 11 years of teaching I have seen only three injuries in learn to skate classes serious enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. None of them were head injuries.) Skating at a beginning level is not any more dangerous than running on the sidewalk.
Things to avoid: Hockey gloves. Big heavy padded mittens or gloves (too hot-- the kid will just want to take them off.) Jackets or sweaters with too-long sleeves. Hoods--they obscure vision. Tiny skating dresses on beginner tots-- too cold. Helmets that don't fit properly. In other words, anything that impedes vision, sound, or movement.
Safety equipment for advanced skaters:
Unlike beginning skaters (which I define as Beginner through Freestyle 2), advanced skaters do get injured, with soft tissue injuries to knee and groin being the most common, followed by dislocated bones -- knees, shoulders, fingers, followed by broken wrists and ankles. For a typical serious recreational skater these are like other varsity sports: injuries happen, and can be serious, but life- and career-threatening injuries are vanishingly rare.
Knee and elbow braces should only be used with the advice of a doctor or physical therapist. If your skater has an issue severe enough to warrant the use of braces, it is severe enough to warrant professional medical advice. (Make sure you go to someone familiar with sports injuries. I can't tell you how many parents tell me that their doctor told them to quit skating because it's too dangerous. I wonder how many football players are getting that advice?)
Butt pads: For some kids, hip padding distorts their movement and makes the technique they are trying to improve worse. But for most kids, it adds a layer of confidence and takes away some of the fear of falling, not to mention some of the pain. They will not, however, remove pain entirely, and the skater needs to understand that. Older adults (over age 35) who are resorting to butt pads because they are falling a lot while learning jumps really need to rethink whether they should be attempting these moves.
Helmets: I live for the day that someone finally convinces US Figure Skating to invest R&D dollars in designing a safe training helmet for figure skaters, especially for women in pairs. All helmets now on the market, because they aren't designed with our sport in mind, impede movement, obscure vision and alter balance, besides being unattractive. It is the discretion of the parent whether to put your freestyle skater in a helmet; I won't argue with you. But I think helmets create their own problems because of the reasons above, and are better left off once the skater starts jumping.
Rink padding. Speed skaters get soft padding on rink walls. Figure skaters do not. Why not? The most serious injuries I have seen all involved skaters crashing into the boards at high speeds after a fall. It is inexplicable, and inexcusable, that rinks are not designed with soft boards. Please write to your local, state and federal representatives requesting that this be made law.
In the lobby
Please please please do not let your toddler walk around the ice rink lobby barefoot. If I tell you he needs to be wearing shoes, don't for god's sake tell me "oh he hates wearing shoes." WTH, he's 3. You get to be the boss. When he gets stepped on, do not yell at me for not controlling the forty 8 year olds in skates who are milling heedlessly around stomping on babies.
The Olympic effect
We just started our second week of the post-Olympic session, and the beginner classes are packed. For the first time ever, we had to actually close all 9 times of the Beginner 1 level-- 19 kids (the limit) in every class. All the classes through Beta are nearly full, and Saturday is a madhouse.
So what can all these new parents expect? Here's some of the concerns I got this week:
"I want her to have fun, and all she did last week was fall."
This parent's solution was double-runner skates. (Child looks about 8 years old.) While these may be fine for public or pond skating, they are inappropriate for class, because you can't glide. This parent is just wasting her money on lessons, because the equipment is wrong. It would be like sending your child to basketball with a beach ball because the basketball is too heavy. Probably the child had a bad pair of rental skates, and because classes are so full, no one caught it (which is unacceptable, but human).
So here's my first piece of advice to new parents-- if your physically normal child cannot stand up in his rental skates, it's not the child, it's the skates. It is NOT HARD to stand up in ice skates. Ask a pro for help (not the office staff). If the pro cannot help during the class, because the class is full, snag them or someone else after class or before the next class. Either that, or just go to the office and say "my kid can't stand up in these skates. Can I try a different pair?"
"He wants to play hockey, so we bought him hockey skates"
You can learn to skate in hockey skates, or speed skates (or anything except double blade skates), but be prepared with a real beginner for a possibly longer learning curve. Hockey skates can be harder to learn in (not for all kids but for some.) If you buy hockey skates, they must be the child's shoe size. Do NOT buy grow room in hockey skates. The soft wide boot will make it harder for the kid to keep his ankles straight. If the child is having a lot of trouble and the coach suggests switching to regular skates until he's got his feet under him, this is not to impugn your manhood, or his. It's just to help him learn to skate. He can switch to hockey skates in a few weeks.
"She's only 4, but she's really athletic, so we put her in the regular track. But she needs you to give her special attention."
No can do. On most classes, it's one coach and maybe a junior coach, with 19 kids. I'll help the slowpokes and the scared ones where I can, but if you want special attention for a too-young child, put them in tot class, where the teacher-student ratio is lower. If I suggest that tot class is a better fit, trust me. It's not because I think your 4-year-old child is stupid. It's because I think your 4-year-old child is four.
"She wants to compete!"
Great! While starting this out right from the first day of Beginner One is jumping the gun a little bit, we can work with that. But make sure you understand that this means private lessons, extra practice, and additional expense. Talk to any coach at the rink, or the skating director about how to hire a private coach. Be sensitive that the coach you talk to is probably going to expect you to hire her.
"We hate that teacher, what do we do?"
This is a toughie. Option one, which I recommend, is stick with it. We can't always go through life only dealing with people we like, so here's where that skating teaches life lessons thing starts. Also, maybe the teacher comes off too soft or too gruff in the first lesson, and the child will get used to it. Option two, check the schedule and see if there is another class that you can attend instead (make sure you're not trading a small class with a "bad" teacher for a full class with a "better" teacher. This is not a good bargain.) Option three, drop the class entirely and switch to private lessons. This is my least favorite option, even when it benefits me. Kids benefit from the class learning environment, and privates are expensive. It is not okay to just move your child to a higher level with a teacher you like.
I'll add more as they come up! In the meantime, what are your first-week-of-class questions and comments?
So what can all these new parents expect? Here's some of the concerns I got this week:
"I want her to have fun, and all she did last week was fall."
This parent's solution was double-runner skates. (Child looks about 8 years old.) While these may be fine for public or pond skating, they are inappropriate for class, because you can't glide. This parent is just wasting her money on lessons, because the equipment is wrong. It would be like sending your child to basketball with a beach ball because the basketball is too heavy. Probably the child had a bad pair of rental skates, and because classes are so full, no one caught it (which is unacceptable, but human).
So here's my first piece of advice to new parents-- if your physically normal child cannot stand up in his rental skates, it's not the child, it's the skates. It is NOT HARD to stand up in ice skates. Ask a pro for help (not the office staff). If the pro cannot help during the class, because the class is full, snag them or someone else after class or before the next class. Either that, or just go to the office and say "my kid can't stand up in these skates. Can I try a different pair?"
"He wants to play hockey, so we bought him hockey skates"
You can learn to skate in hockey skates, or speed skates (or anything except double blade skates), but be prepared with a real beginner for a possibly longer learning curve. Hockey skates can be harder to learn in (not for all kids but for some.) If you buy hockey skates, they must be the child's shoe size. Do NOT buy grow room in hockey skates. The soft wide boot will make it harder for the kid to keep his ankles straight. If the child is having a lot of trouble and the coach suggests switching to regular skates until he's got his feet under him, this is not to impugn your manhood, or his. It's just to help him learn to skate. He can switch to hockey skates in a few weeks.
"She's only 4, but she's really athletic, so we put her in the regular track. But she needs you to give her special attention."
No can do. On most classes, it's one coach and maybe a junior coach, with 19 kids. I'll help the slowpokes and the scared ones where I can, but if you want special attention for a too-young child, put them in tot class, where the teacher-student ratio is lower. If I suggest that tot class is a better fit, trust me. It's not because I think your 4-year-old child is stupid. It's because I think your 4-year-old child is four.
"She wants to compete!"
Great! While starting this out right from the first day of Beginner One is jumping the gun a little bit, we can work with that. But make sure you understand that this means private lessons, extra practice, and additional expense. Talk to any coach at the rink, or the skating director about how to hire a private coach. Be sensitive that the coach you talk to is probably going to expect you to hire her.
"We hate that teacher, what do we do?"
This is a toughie. Option one, which I recommend, is stick with it. We can't always go through life only dealing with people we like, so here's where that skating teaches life lessons thing starts. Also, maybe the teacher comes off too soft or too gruff in the first lesson, and the child will get used to it. Option two, check the schedule and see if there is another class that you can attend instead (make sure you're not trading a small class with a "bad" teacher for a full class with a "better" teacher. This is not a good bargain.) Option three, drop the class entirely and switch to private lessons. This is my least favorite option, even when it benefits me. Kids benefit from the class learning environment, and privates are expensive. It is not okay to just move your child to a higher level with a teacher you like.
I'll add more as they come up! In the meantime, what are your first-week-of-class questions and comments?
Jan 19, 2010
Buying skates
I had a new student on Sunday-- a 4 1/2 year old girl, described by her parents as "actually kind of good, and really into it." But when I skated with her, she was slipping and sliding all over the place. She could barely stand up, and forward motion was agony-- 5 running steps and then splat.
This is what we call a clue. You should be able to stand up in skates. You might feel a little rocky, and even scared. You might not be able to glide (or not want to allow yourself to glide). But you should be able to stand up. It's just standing. A stationary skate is not slippery. A slippery skate has a bad blade.
This turned out to be the case with M's skates. Dad had gone to SportMart and gotten a perfectly decent little pair of skates-- nice boot, correct size. And then some idiot had sharpened the grinding edge completely away. Ruined the skates. I told him to return them and go to Rainbo Sports, a specialty figure skating store that we are fortunate to have here in the Chicago area.
And this is the thing to do.
Learn about skates first
If you've never bought skates, don't go to a resale shop or Sportmart first time out. Go to a reliable pro shop that specializes in the type of skates you want-- figure, hockey, or speed. The shop at your rink, if you don't have a place like Rainbo (and they're rare), is a good bet, especially if you can talk a pro into going with you, or if the shop employs a figure skating pro. Have them show you what makes a good skate, what skate is most appropriate for your level, and how to determine the correct size. Get a lacing lesson.
This does not obligate you to buy the skates from them. Of course they want your business, but if you're buying skates, they've got you. Maybe you won't get the $70-$120 beginner skates from them; maybe you'll take their expertise and go to Sportmart or Play it Again Sports, but you'll be back. You may not buy your first pair of skates from them, but you'll buy the second pair and the third, and the guards, and the tights, and the warm up jacket from them and they know it. They won't begrudge you the time.
Arm yourself with reliable expertise before you buy skates.
Don't begrudge the cost
Beginner skates, what I call "comfort skates" cost $70 to $110. Beginning figure skates like a Jackson Mystique are around $100. Pricey, but comparable to other children's specialty sport equipment, like a bicycle from Target. And unless you're unlucky enough to hit a growth spurt, your child will wear them for somewhere between 12 and 18 months. Don't worry about the fact that high test skates require a second mortgage. You're not there yet; don't freak yourself out. Skating has the potential for hazard; get proper equipment and you will reduce the hazard immeasurably. Watching little M take headers on the crowded Sunday afternoon ice was terrifying. I was afraid someone would trip over her, all because she had bad blades. Not because she couldn't skate. We switched her to rentals and she was fine.
Buy the right size
You can't buy grow room in skates. A too-large boot also has a too-large blade, which makes balance harder. Go up one size (like buy a 1 1/2 for a child whose street shoe is a 1). With a reliable person fitting the boot, you might be able to go up 2 sizes, but no more. This is like buying a 27" bike for a someone who needs a 20" one. Their feet, so to speak, can't reach the pedals.
A skate is too large if you need extra socks to make it fit. Standard figure skates are too large if it forms a large dimple or crease when the skater bends his or her ankle. Skates are probably too large if the skater has difficulty walking around in them. Wobbly ankles are not a sign of "weak ankles." They are a sign of too-large skates.
Please, I'm begging you on my knees, buy skates that look like skates
Do not under any circumstances, buy those abominations that look like ski boots, or where the boots slip out so you can change sizes, or with adjustable blades, or the hard-cast plastic where you can't bend your ankles. You need to be able to bend your ankles. These are not only hard to skate in, they are dangerous. Your ankle wants to bend. If it can't bend at the joint, it's going to attempt to bend farther up the bone. Ankle bend is a good thing in skating.
Get the correct type of blade
A figure skating blade extends beyond the heel and has spiky things on the front (the toe pick). A hockey blade is approximately the same length as the boot and is curved front and back. There are these weird things that are the length and shape of a hockey blade, but have a modest toe pick, I don't even know what to say about these. A completely pointless affectation, but whatever.
If you want a hockey skate, get a hockey blade, even in a beginner skate rather than a hockey skate. Hockey skates can be hard to skate in-- they have a wider boot, less ankle support and a challenging blade, so I wouldn't recommend them as a beginning skate for a very young child as a general rule. But kids can and do learn to skate in hockey skates. If that's what you want, get that, don't get some weird hybrid.
If you want a figure skate, or the child wants to be a figure skater, not a hockey skater, get a figure skating blade, toe picks and all. Get a beginner blade for a beginnger. Look at the bottom of the boot-- if the blade is riveted on (i.e. you couldn't remove it without a specialty tool)-- it's a beginner skate. If the blade is screwed on (usually with phillips-type screws), it's probably a free style skate. Don't put a beginner in a free style blade. The toe pick is too big and they'll trip.
What about used skates?
Especially for kids in the middle levels- say Delta/Basic 7-8 through FS 4 or so- used skates are a godsend. At the lower levels the boots aren't usually worn long enough to get really broken down and they can be very economical. Make sure you get your pro's assessment if you are considering used skates from a non-specialty dealer, or from your neighbor or a skate exchange. I hate to say not to buy used skates from Goodwill, or from a place like Play It Again Sports, but you really have to know what you're doing. You can luck into a decent pair, but you can also get really burned, like the mom who came to me so excited because she'd found this gorgeous pair of "figure skates" for $25. Turns out they were "patch" skates, for school figures, next to impossible to use for any other purpose, and actually dangerous to jump in.
Never wear the skates that you found in the old toy bin in grandma's garage. Just. Don't.
This is what we call a clue. You should be able to stand up in skates. You might feel a little rocky, and even scared. You might not be able to glide (or not want to allow yourself to glide). But you should be able to stand up. It's just standing. A stationary skate is not slippery. A slippery skate has a bad blade.
This turned out to be the case with M's skates. Dad had gone to SportMart and gotten a perfectly decent little pair of skates-- nice boot, correct size. And then some idiot had sharpened the grinding edge completely away. Ruined the skates. I told him to return them and go to Rainbo Sports, a specialty figure skating store that we are fortunate to have here in the Chicago area.
And this is the thing to do.
Learn about skates first
If you've never bought skates, don't go to a resale shop or Sportmart first time out. Go to a reliable pro shop that specializes in the type of skates you want-- figure, hockey, or speed. The shop at your rink, if you don't have a place like Rainbo (and they're rare), is a good bet, especially if you can talk a pro into going with you, or if the shop employs a figure skating pro. Have them show you what makes a good skate, what skate is most appropriate for your level, and how to determine the correct size. Get a lacing lesson.
This does not obligate you to buy the skates from them. Of course they want your business, but if you're buying skates, they've got you. Maybe you won't get the $70-$120 beginner skates from them; maybe you'll take their expertise and go to Sportmart or Play it Again Sports, but you'll be back. You may not buy your first pair of skates from them, but you'll buy the second pair and the third, and the guards, and the tights, and the warm up jacket from them and they know it. They won't begrudge you the time.
Arm yourself with reliable expertise before you buy skates.
Don't begrudge the cost
Beginner skates, what I call "comfort skates" cost $70 to $110. Beginning figure skates like a Jackson Mystique are around $100. Pricey, but comparable to other children's specialty sport equipment, like a bicycle from Target. And unless you're unlucky enough to hit a growth spurt, your child will wear them for somewhere between 12 and 18 months. Don't worry about the fact that high test skates require a second mortgage. You're not there yet; don't freak yourself out. Skating has the potential for hazard; get proper equipment and you will reduce the hazard immeasurably. Watching little M take headers on the crowded Sunday afternoon ice was terrifying. I was afraid someone would trip over her, all because she had bad blades. Not because she couldn't skate. We switched her to rentals and she was fine.
Buy the right size
You can't buy grow room in skates. A too-large boot also has a too-large blade, which makes balance harder. Go up one size (like buy a 1 1/2 for a child whose street shoe is a 1). With a reliable person fitting the boot, you might be able to go up 2 sizes, but no more. This is like buying a 27" bike for a someone who needs a 20" one. Their feet, so to speak, can't reach the pedals.
A skate is too large if you need extra socks to make it fit. Standard figure skates are too large if it forms a large dimple or crease when the skater bends his or her ankle. Skates are probably too large if the skater has difficulty walking around in them. Wobbly ankles are not a sign of "weak ankles." They are a sign of too-large skates.
Please, I'm begging you on my knees, buy skates that look like skates
Do not under any circumstances, buy those abominations that look like ski boots, or where the boots slip out so you can change sizes, or with adjustable blades, or the hard-cast plastic where you can't bend your ankles. You need to be able to bend your ankles. These are not only hard to skate in, they are dangerous. Your ankle wants to bend. If it can't bend at the joint, it's going to attempt to bend farther up the bone. Ankle bend is a good thing in skating.
Get the correct type of blade
A figure skating blade extends beyond the heel and has spiky things on the front (the toe pick). A hockey blade is approximately the same length as the boot and is curved front and back. There are these weird things that are the length and shape of a hockey blade, but have a modest toe pick, I don't even know what to say about these. A completely pointless affectation, but whatever.
If you want a hockey skate, get a hockey blade, even in a beginner skate rather than a hockey skate. Hockey skates can be hard to skate in-- they have a wider boot, less ankle support and a challenging blade, so I wouldn't recommend them as a beginning skate for a very young child as a general rule. But kids can and do learn to skate in hockey skates. If that's what you want, get that, don't get some weird hybrid.
If you want a figure skate, or the child wants to be a figure skater, not a hockey skater, get a figure skating blade, toe picks and all. Get a beginner blade for a beginnger. Look at the bottom of the boot-- if the blade is riveted on (i.e. you couldn't remove it without a specialty tool)-- it's a beginner skate. If the blade is screwed on (usually with phillips-type screws), it's probably a free style skate. Don't put a beginner in a free style blade. The toe pick is too big and they'll trip.
What about used skates?
Especially for kids in the middle levels- say Delta/Basic 7-8 through FS 4 or so- used skates are a godsend. At the lower levels the boots aren't usually worn long enough to get really broken down and they can be very economical. Make sure you get your pro's assessment if you are considering used skates from a non-specialty dealer, or from your neighbor or a skate exchange. I hate to say not to buy used skates from Goodwill, or from a place like Play It Again Sports, but you really have to know what you're doing. You can luck into a decent pair, but you can also get really burned, like the mom who came to me so excited because she'd found this gorgeous pair of "figure skates" for $25. Turns out they were "patch" skates, for school figures, next to impossible to use for any other purpose, and actually dangerous to jump in.
Never wear the skates that you found in the old toy bin in grandma's garage. Just. Don't.
Jan 13, 2010
What about rental skates
Yesterday's tutorial on types of skates got my friend Kristen editorializing (on FB chat!) about whether one should ever recommend rental skates. I had stated that I feel rentals are fine through back crossovers; she was concerned about the quality of rentals and how it affects the skating experience.
I still believe that rentals are the best bet for beginners, due to the cost of skates, but she makes a good point. Especially in this era of budget cuts, for good and bad reasons rental skates can be terrible. The good reason is that we're getting a lot more people coming to public skating, because it's a cheap thing to do. The bad reason is that rinks are trying to cut expenses and reducing skate maintenance and replacement is one of the places this is happening. It's short-sighted of course-- if people can't skate because your inventory is so bad, they won't be back to spend more money-- but one can understand why it's happening.
But you can have a good experience, and learn to skate, in rentals. Here's what you need to know:
Next post-- when to buy skates.
I still believe that rentals are the best bet for beginners, due to the cost of skates, but she makes a good point. Especially in this era of budget cuts, for good and bad reasons rental skates can be terrible. The good reason is that we're getting a lot more people coming to public skating, because it's a cheap thing to do. The bad reason is that rinks are trying to cut expenses and reducing skate maintenance and replacement is one of the places this is happening. It's short-sighted of course-- if people can't skate because your inventory is so bad, they won't be back to spend more money-- but one can understand why it's happening.
But you can have a good experience, and learn to skate, in rentals. Here's what you need to know:
- Don't wear extra socks. Thick socks do not make skates that are too big fit you, and you don't need them to keep your feet warm in an indoor rink. An indoor rink just isn't that cold. This impulse is cultural memory left over from frozen ponds two centuries back. And you have to remember that with skates, it's not just the boot that has to be the correct size. The blade does too. A blade that is too long (because it's on a too-big boot) will have an incorrectly balanced rocker for your foot length and will be very hard to control.
- Rental skates are like restaurant wine-- you can send them back if they aren't any good. Look for a straight shaft-- look down into the boot through the ankle shaft from above. If it's bent over or twisted (a consequence of idiots, um, neophytes not tying the laces tight enough) don't wear it. Get a boot that's straight. Doesn't have to be new, or stiff, but it should be straight.
- Blades are called that for a reason. They should be sharp. Run your finger over the bottom of the blade. You should feel two distinct edges and no nicks. Look at the blade. You should be able to see shiny metal on the sides, and then a duller, matte edge near the bottom. This is the "grinding edge" and if it's gone, you can't sharpen them properly. The back of the blade should not come to a point, but should have a boxy appearance. If it comes to a point it's probably been sharpened by someone used to sharpening hockey blades, or just by someone ignorant.
- There should be no rust or discoloration.
- If your child complains they are uncomfortable, find out what that means. First check that you've put them on properly (including on the correct feet-- you'd be amazed at how many people mix up right and left skates). When putting on a skate loosen the laces ALL THE WAY (yes, that is me shouting). A skate that fits will slide right onto your foot-- you don't need to force it. If you've got a skate that's the same size as the street shoe and you have to force it on, it's not the wrong size; you probably haven't loosened it enough (look at the picture of my skates in the sidebar. That's how loose the laces should be). Ask the child if her/his toes are curled or flat when standing in the skates. If they are curled, skate might be to small. Ask the child if it hurts like an owie like it needs a bandaid, or if it's just tight. A child will be honest. Explain that a skate needs to hug your foot and won't feel soft like shoes. Kids totally get this.
- Lace them properly-- tight through the foot, comfortably tight in the shaft. You should not be able to get more, or less, than two finger joints to slip in between your ankle and the shaft when the skates are tied. If you can't get your finger in at all they're too tight. If you can slip your whole finger, or more than one finger in, they're too loose.
- Trust the pro. Especially a pro rated through the Professional Skaters Association has been required to learn about skates and blades; it's part of the rating exam. If the pro thinks the skates are all right, give them a try. One of the tricky things about bad rental skates is that rink staff are not technically allowed to complain public about the skates, or to say that they are bad. This is for both public relations and liability reasons. If the pro thinks the skates are no good they will probably dance around the issue a little bit, rather than coming out and saying "oh rental skates are crap" (at least they shouldn't). So you may need to read between the lines a little.
Next post-- when to buy skates.
Regular skates
Regular skates is what I've taken to calling figure skates, especially to fathers of young boys. (And thanks to my friend Jan Tremer from the PSA for the tip.)
A couple of years ago I had 3 or 4 year old boy in a tot class, whose father had put him in hockey skates, and the poor kid couldn't stand up. So we told the dad, let's try figure skates. "Oh no," he told us. "Figure skates will make him gay."
I am not making this up.
There are three basic types of ice skates, and variations within those types. These are figure skates ("regular" skates), hockey skates, and speed skates. Each is engineered for the skills each discipline calls for.
For first time skaters your best option is, ahem, regular skates. Okay figure skates. These are characterized by a long wide (in relative terms) blade with points on the front end (the toe pick and toe rack), and a length that generally extends beyond your heel in the back. ("Patch" blades and dance blades are shorter to give greater edge control.) Figure skates are easier for most people because of their length and width (I know they look skinny, but hockey blades are skinnier, and speed skating blades skinnier still). You just have to learn to avoid the toe pick, but unless you routinely walk tippy-toe, this isn't that challenging for most people. Specialty skates include "patch" blades for compulsory figures, and dance blades.
Beginner figure skates have a smaller toe rack without a distinguishing large top pick. It is very hard for beginners to skate in a free style blade because of the large toe pick. Don't let a skate salesman talk you into it. I recently had a Beta-level student show up in a Phantom blade (a $300 high-end freestyle blade). Poor kid was tripping all over the place. I told her that she was in too much blade for her level and that she'd need to be careful, but apparently her uncle was an "expert" and he said this was the skate she needed. The following week she showed me how her uncle "the expert" had ground off the top pick. So he basically ruined a pair of $300 blades.
Don't do this. Get the skate your child needs, not the one that satisfies your ego. In fact, rental skates are fine through Beta, or even Gamma (Basic 5-6). Ask a coach to help you learn to choose rental skates with a decent blade.
Hockey blades, in addition to being narrower, have more of a rocker (the slight curve back to front along the length of the blade). They are also shorter, which, in combination with the deeper rocker, is what makes them hard to stand up in. It's always entertaining to watch the little first-time hockey kids lean forward and just keep tipping over because of the slippery curvy blades (this would also be me in hockey blades). Goalies wear a specialty blade. If your child can stand up in hockey blades right off the bat, hooray. If he can't, let the coach put him (or her) in figure skating blades, um I mean "regular" blades, just until he learns to balance. I promise, that if he turns out gay, this is not the reason.
Speed skates, of course, are much longer, and I believe have a negligible rocker. I've tried to skate in speed skates, but that long blade makes me feel like I'm glued to the ice. I've never had a student come to a beginning class in speed skates, but I don't know why you wouldn't. Don't take anything higher than Alpha/Basic 4 in speedskates. Don't try to go backwards. You cannot even do a three-turn in speed skates.
You can learn everything up to three turns in hockey skates; at that point the skills diverge (hockey players don't generally do three-turns, at least not on purpose, although it's possible). Most people who reach a free style (figure skating) or varsity (hockey skating) level can easily switch from one type to the other because they've learned what a rocker feels like and can compensate for the differences in the blades.
Finally-- skating is skating. As a beginner/developmental coach I have no opinion on what type of skating any given student ends up doing. I just want them to learn to have fun on the ice.
A couple of years ago I had 3 or 4 year old boy in a tot class, whose father had put him in hockey skates, and the poor kid couldn't stand up. So we told the dad, let's try figure skates. "Oh no," he told us. "Figure skates will make him gay."
I am not making this up.
There are three basic types of ice skates, and variations within those types. These are figure skates ("regular" skates), hockey skates, and speed skates. Each is engineered for the skills each discipline calls for.
For first time skaters your best option is, ahem, regular skates. Okay figure skates. These are characterized by a long wide (in relative terms) blade with points on the front end (the toe pick and toe rack), and a length that generally extends beyond your heel in the back. ("Patch" blades and dance blades are shorter to give greater edge control.) Figure skates are easier for most people because of their length and width (I know they look skinny, but hockey blades are skinnier, and speed skating blades skinnier still). You just have to learn to avoid the toe pick, but unless you routinely walk tippy-toe, this isn't that challenging for most people. Specialty skates include "patch" blades for compulsory figures, and dance blades.
Beginner figure skates have a smaller toe rack without a distinguishing large top pick. It is very hard for beginners to skate in a free style blade because of the large toe pick. Don't let a skate salesman talk you into it. I recently had a Beta-level student show up in a Phantom blade (a $300 high-end freestyle blade). Poor kid was tripping all over the place. I told her that she was in too much blade for her level and that she'd need to be careful, but apparently her uncle was an "expert" and he said this was the skate she needed. The following week she showed me how her uncle "the expert" had ground off the top pick. So he basically ruined a pair of $300 blades.
Don't do this. Get the skate your child needs, not the one that satisfies your ego. In fact, rental skates are fine through Beta, or even Gamma (Basic 5-6). Ask a coach to help you learn to choose rental skates with a decent blade.
Hockey blades, in addition to being narrower, have more of a rocker (the slight curve back to front along the length of the blade). They are also shorter, which, in combination with the deeper rocker, is what makes them hard to stand up in. It's always entertaining to watch the little first-time hockey kids lean forward and just keep tipping over because of the slippery curvy blades (this would also be me in hockey blades). Goalies wear a specialty blade. If your child can stand up in hockey blades right off the bat, hooray. If he can't, let the coach put him (or her) in figure skating blades, um I mean "regular" blades, just until he learns to balance. I promise, that if he turns out gay, this is not the reason.
Speed skates, of course, are much longer, and I believe have a negligible rocker. I've tried to skate in speed skates, but that long blade makes me feel like I'm glued to the ice. I've never had a student come to a beginning class in speed skates, but I don't know why you wouldn't. Don't take anything higher than Alpha/Basic 4 in speedskates. Don't try to go backwards. You cannot even do a three-turn in speed skates.
You can learn everything up to three turns in hockey skates; at that point the skills diverge (hockey players don't generally do three-turns, at least not on purpose, although it's possible). Most people who reach a free style (figure skating) or varsity (hockey skating) level can easily switch from one type to the other because they've learned what a rocker feels like and can compensate for the differences in the blades.
Finally-- skating is skating. As a beginner/developmental coach I have no opinion on what type of skating any given student ends up doing. I just want them to learn to have fun on the ice.
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