Author Topic: Reasons to have a go at Hockey  (Read 4916 times)

MadMax

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Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« on: May 16, 2013, 04:29:10 pm »
I know there has always been somewhat of a Figure/Hockey divide but realistically if you pull it to bits they are both great things to do and both on Ice. Figure is far more difficult, the moves, posture, balance, and jumps can take years and years to master. Hockey on the other hand is definately harder, physically it will take your body to extremes of fatigue and you will literally boil up on the ice, like figure the advanced stuff can take years to learn but most recreational Hockey players just need the ability to go fast, stop, turn and go backwards quickly and anything else comes with practice.
If you can skate in figures, you can skate in Hockeys given a little time. They are faster skates, they have a thinner blade lower edges (generally) and don't have a toe pick. You will find that Hockey will improve your fitness if you are doing figure, will help improve your speed and your stamina. A good few people I know (do both) and they all agree that each discipline has benefits to the other. You will also find at your local rink that a lot of the Hockey time is in the evenings with games being at the weekends. So if you work full time and are struggle to make patch sessions then it will give you access for extra ice time.
Normally there are beginner sessions at the rink for adults or children, go along to watch and see how you go from there?. Kit can be bought second hand from ebay, or new starting at around £250 for budget stuff excluding the cost of skates.
Ice Hockey is DEFINITELY harder, but Figure Skating is DEFINITELY more difficult.

Skate UK 1-10, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and playing Hockey.

Florence

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2013, 06:48:27 pm »
I watch a lot of Hockey tutorials on youtube, find them really useful for figure skating and more easily available.


Love watching the Hockey kids footwork when I go skating, can't fault em for that at all!


I don't really know why there is a divide, but I do see the kids taking the pee out of the figure skaters so obviously there is (but that could just be cos they are kids)


I used to watch the American Hockey on my breaks at work early hours morning, and while I would love to be able to do some of their footwork and speed.... there is no way I would want to be in game play, even with all my padding!! Brutal  :buck2:

linny40

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2013, 07:23:53 pm »
Oh Sloth yes there can be a divide - more so i think its Arrogance and some ( not all) think they are fer more superiors and better skaters than figure skaters.

Now as i am really neither. I am learning to skate off ice but yes it is the same programme as figures learn - well some as i do the Rainbow programme, which it think is only done at Sobell Ice Rink  Not sure if Jenny at Skate City does the rainbow.

Anyways Hockey skaters do tend to show off on the ice and because they are much faster they tend to weave in and out of people. On Disco sessions you often see the boys showing off to the poor young girls that are on hire skates - who have gone skating for fun.

  I was an extra in a tv prog Off their rockers, and this guy turned up - no one seems to know how he knew about it, anyways he got his hockey skates on and yup you got it decided to show off. Now the producer asks us to skate around naturally  no skills no showing off just  as if we were taking a leisurely skate around the rink.  But this twit ( couldnt think of a more politer word) decided to show off and scrape the ice and show what he could do because obviously he was a far superior skater than the  Ice skating coaches that were also there - some of which were professional ( not that he knew that) WELL!! he showed off so much he came unstuck and went erm AoT - oh did we laugh!!!!! he got his comeuppance!!!! after that i think he went off the ice for a bit as his face was a tad Red!!

He also seems to forget that a blade is a blade and the Ice treats everyone  the same and we ALL have to learn from the beginning!!

So yes to get back to the above there is a divide as some just like to show off!
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Steve+Kayleigh

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2013, 11:36:25 pm »
OK  I'm gonna beg to differ.

Not everybody who dons hockey boots tears around the ice like a bat outta hell. I don't - I can't (yet).
And even when eventually I can I won't. I'd like the skills, but temper the speed.

I think it's a young machoismic (?) thing the same as a young driver in a GTI wheelspinning, or even a Peacock showing he has the best plumes.

Not all young drivers in sports cars are fast though, and not all hockey boot skaters are 'tear-aways' -  I know some that are very considerate to other skaters.

I think we just have an in-built defence mechanism so that we notice 'the bad' such that we remember it so we are more on our guard next time we encounter it, and unfortunately the rest in that group get tarred with the same brush.

Having said all that, yes, young lads in hockey boots are 'brash' on the ice... Just not all of them.

Incidentally, I've never felt a divide even though I'm in hockey's. Kayleigh's doing her SkateUK and on a weekday public session I quite often have a friendly chat with her instructor. And I've quite often had a lady or two in figure skates come and chat with me - we're just there to skate, and it's great.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2013, 11:47:27 pm by Steve+Kayleigh »

MadMax

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2013, 12:18:18 am »
Hockey stopping is not showing off, it is the best way to stop on these skates  O0 the blades are thinner and the grind is generally less deep, so the most effective stopping is the hockey stop . Same for stopping in reverse, not like you can stick a toe pick in the ice so you do a Hockey stop in reverse.

As for people showing off, IMO that comes down to the person rather than what they have on there feet. I do both so I kind of sit on the fence and see both sides. I think more people should have a go at both disciplines, It's all just about enjoying yourself at the end of the day  :-*
Ice Hockey is DEFINITELY harder, but Figure Skating is DEFINITELY more difficult.

Skate UK 1-10, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and playing Hockey.

linny40

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2013, 07:18:30 am »
Quote
Hockey stopping is not showing off
Quote
As for people showing off, IMO that comes down to the person rather than what they have on there feet
. Totally agree with you there, but  some do tend to show off and like anything in life the show offs -im better than you type, do ruin things for others and yes it does tar everyone with the same brush :(
The particular senario above was an idiot showing off because knew was going to be on tv and there were quite a few young ladies there and sorry guys ( yes in know im sure ladies do it to) but he was showing off his tail feathers lol!  Not sure if the guy actually  got to be in the scene, haha maybe i will check!!

But yes i agree both type of skaters want ice time and should get along. Maybe its an area thing and if the rink is more hockey orientated some do seem to thing it "belongs" to them and im sure its the same the other way round
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Iced Cookie

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2013, 08:42:05 am »
I've experienced both sides having skated initially in hockey then changing to figures(and now I'm going back) 

In hockeys I have had figure skaters lift their chin, stick out their chest and prance past me looking out of the corner of their eye at me or deliberately spin in front of me etc

In figures I've had adults and kids hockey stop deliberately at me whilst entering a spin or jump or had people deliberately skate round and round the area I'm trying to practice in to cause disruption(I know it was deliberate because I heard one of them comment on it)

Fortunately these people are a minority in my experience and most people at the rink see each other as fellow skaters and share the rink amicably     

22/05/11 Started Skate UK
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Steve+Kayleigh

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2013, 10:38:03 am »
Kayleigh has skated (in her figure skates) wearing her hero's hockey jersey! She's made friends 'on both sides' (don't like the term, but you know what I mean).

Curiously Engaging Bob

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2013, 01:40:39 pm »
this chick I know, she does both hockey and figure skating. She tells me she likes hockey for the social side and figure skating for the dainty side.


MadMax

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2013, 01:07:29 am »
The Hockey social side is a big factor, kind of like being in a fraternity or something. You get an awful lot of friends when you join a team and they tend to do a lot socially.
Ice Hockey is DEFINITELY harder, but Figure Skating is DEFINITELY more difficult.

Skate UK 1-10, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and playing Hockey.

learnedrobb

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Re: Reasons to have a go at Hockey
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2013, 06:53:58 pm »
i'm new here, so be gentle with me....

Regarding the Hockey/Figure divide, I can only speak from my experiences in my local rink.

Most of the animosity I've witnessed has come down to how the ice is used. I've seen countless hockey players getting worked up before their sessions watching figures stand around kicking lumps out of the ice. I know nthat toe picks have a use, but to stand still, chatting whilst chipping away for a couple of minutes serves no purpose.

Equally so, i've seen many figure skaters get royally upset at the hockey crowd over how we 'treat' the ice (holes to anchor the nets, 'stealing' the public session many use as extra practise to host games/training).

I guess its a case of 'six of one, half a dozen of the other'.



 

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