Author Topic: New to Skating  (Read 3611 times)

WednesdayMarch

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2018, 04:16:06 pm »
Back in my yoof in snowy parts of Europe, I used to practice figure skating whilst avoiding the young hockey boys and their flying pucks.  Got quite adept at it.

These days, I wouldn't be happy doing that.

Actually there ain't no way on this earth I'd even consider getting on the ice with a bunch of Hockey Boys brandishing sticks and pucks without full body armour, visor, cage, bodyguards, some form of defensive forcefield...  Of course, I wouldn't tell Leif that.  ;)

And I think that protective helmets should be available to hire at rinks.  Having seen a couple of head injuries in the past week, I've mentioned it to the seasonal rink concerned to consider for their next season.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

PK

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2018, 11:45:16 am »
I am enjoying learning to skate recreationally and now after 2 to 3 weeks don't need support of the rink-side rail. My hockey skates (Bauer Vapor X400's) are really comfortable and I choose to wear my mountain bike knee and elbow pads (although at the age of 65, my bike will never see a mountain). Just struggling to co-ordinate the feet apart, knees bent and ankles turned in for smooth gliding along the ice. Hockey skates seem to like to go backwards . . . but nevertheless great fun and challenging at the same time.

Leif

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2018, 01:03:38 pm »
 O0

Florence

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2018, 04:51:47 pm »
(a Hockey skates seem to like to go backwards . . .


EY up  ???  The answer to my prayers!!!

PK

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2018, 08:52:50 pm »
Been offered a pair of unused Jackson figure skates which I will try out next Tuesday. If they fit I will be able to buy (very cheaply I have been told). Don't yet know whether they are e.g. Mystique or Marquis, but I have been advised by fellow skaters from my regular Tuesday group to consider Coronation Ace blades. My coach thinks this will be a good move for me, and that I will be able to switch back (or use alongside) my hockey skates when I have gone further down the line.

Leif

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #16 on: February 20, 2018, 10:34:10 pm »
I know several people who have, or had, both types of skate. One is an ex pro hockey skater, who had figures for using on rinks when hockeys were not allowed. I am told there are a few issues with swapping between them, such as remembering one has picks, and that many moves are much easier in figures, due to the shape and width of the blades. I suppose as a hockey skate wearer, I should abhor your transgression to the dark side, but honestly I am sure you will enjoy using them. My view, for right or wrong, is that a lot of figure skating technique is very beneficial for hockey skaters.

PK

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #17 on: February 20, 2018, 10:57:06 pm »
Leif,

Thanks for that. I don't really want to change from Hockey skates but on an ice rink with slopes on all sides my hockey skates sometimes have a mind of their own (that's not to say figure skates won't as well). However, as I am having skating lessons where everyone has figure skates and the coach is obviously more familiar figure skates so perhaps it might be a smart move.

The Sacred Voice

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #18 on: February 20, 2018, 11:03:02 pm »
I suppose as a hockey skate wearer, I should abhor your transgression to the dark side, but honestly I am sure you will enjoy using them. My view, for right or wrong, is that a lot of figure skating technique is very beneficial for hockey skaters.

I must confess I felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of anyone practising their chosen discipline on anything other than the skates designed for that discipline. That said, I agree with Leif that I feel a lot of figure skating stuff is helpful across skating disciplines.

That said, the Jackson Marquis (less so for the Mystique) is a very sturdy mid-level boot so turning down a bargain on that would be somewhat hard to justify, especially as you can potentially just resell them if you decide you don't need them and you're unlikely to make a loss if you get a bargain in the first place.

The Coronation Ace is kind of the staple of intermediate free skating blades so it's an undeniably solid choice, but it is kinda pricey (~£120-140 I think?) considering that these are a secondary pair of boots to your preferred discipline. You could get a novice blade for cheaper and it would still be more than serviceable for learning on so that you're not overspending on a second pair of figures when you're mostly interested in hockey. I'm not familiar with the brands/names of the novice blades (my beginner blade was just labelled 'Graf' and came with the boot, so I presume it was some kind of basic one they slapped on their beginner boots) so I'm afraid I can't help there.
I'm blogging about my skating journey, please read along at dontexcelaxel.blogspot.com

WednesdayMarch

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #19 on: February 21, 2018, 08:30:19 am »
I know several people who have, or had, both types of skate. One is an ex pro hockey skater, who had figures for using on rinks when hockeys were not allowed. I am told there are a few issues with swapping between them, such as remembering one has picks, and that many moves are much easier in figures, due to the shape and width of the blades. I suppose as a hockey skate wearer, I should abhor your transgression to the dark side, but honestly I am sure you will enjoy using them. My view, for right or wrong, is that a lot of figure skating technique is very beneficial for hockey skaters.

What Leif said. 

As to the bargain boots, I'd say go for them.  And you won't go wrong with Coronation Ace blades, and you can always sell them on, too, if you decide to go back to hockey skates.  They often come up second hand but you do need to know what pitfalls to look out for, eg the heels being ground off/up.  As an excellent, all-round, all purpose, all skaters blade, I don't think there's anything better.   :)
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

PK

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #20 on: February 21, 2018, 09:28:03 am »
Thanks for that.

Those who I skate with every Tuesday morning endorsed Coronation Ace blades big time. Just need to settle on a boot and onwards and upwards!

PK

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Re: New to Skating
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2018, 04:36:02 pm »
My Ice Skating Coach endorsed any of these listed below with the suggestion 'get the one that fits like a glove'.


    Risport RF Light Black Sizes 260 – 305 (comes complete with a Mark IV blade) £149
    Edea Overture Black Sizes 260 – 310 (comes complete with a Mark IV blade) £164
    Jackson Mystique Black Sizes 6uk - 12uk at £119 (blade ?)
    Jackson Marquis (Mirage Blade) Sizes 6uk - 12uk (NEW! Ultima Mirage all purpose blade) £159



 

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