Learn how to ice skate in 9 easy steps... --Halle

O nce upon a time, in a land far far away called the Philippines, I was enrolled in a
figure skating program at the age of seven. I fell in love with the sport and continued to pursue it till I was thirteen. Since I started high school and life got busy, I was no longer able to spend my weekends and afternoons at the ice rink. However, I come back once in a while to relieve my stress or to simply just spend time with loved ones.
MATERIALS NEEDED

1. Rental skates
   
2. Gloves (or your hands WILL freeze)
   
3. SOCKS
   
4. Comfortable pants (I prefer sweats/leggings over jeans)
   
5. Jackets, Sweaters, or Coats
   
6. Dinero $$$
   

STEPS:
1. Find skates that are exactly your size . This is important because having

them too loose or too tight on you can be dangerous and will cause you to
lose your balance and hurt yourself.

2. Tie your skates correctly : If you don’t tie them correctly, you will probably
   fall. Find a friend/staff member to help you or watch this 93-second
   tutorial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDw1I4XwQI
   
3. Finding your balance : Stand on two feet and stick both of your arms out
   in order to find your balance. (Do a T pose and assert your dominance!) 
   
   
   
   

It’s best to keep your knees bent and your weight forward because leaning back is your ticket to landing on your butt. If you are having trouble balancing, the railing is your friend!

4. Start marching: Once you are able to finally balance on your own, start marching on the ice. This is the first step to gliding.
   
5. Glide: (This is a bit complicated but trust me, once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like a pro figure skater already!) Push off with your dominant
   

foot first in diagonal motion, as if you were on a scooter. It might help to have your arms in front of you or to the sides in order to keep your balance. Do the same scooter movement for both feet: push off of your dominant foot, rest both feet on the ice, then push off with the dominant
foot. You should be able to skate around your area by repeating these

steps. 

6. Learn how to do a snowplow stop : I used to think that skating to the
   nearest railing or the nearest friend was the only way to stop. However, I eventually learned this technique and it allowed me to stop anytime and
   avoid embarrassing moments such as crashing into strangers. Start with pushing your feet apart while pointing your toes inward (as if you were pigeon-toed). You should notice yourself slowing down and eventually coming to a stop. Keep your arms out once again to maintain balance.
   
   
   
   
7. “Can you make it dip? :” Once you’ve mastered gliding, as you are moving, squat down as far as possible. For this technique it is better to have both of your arms out in front of you- (but don’t hit anyone because that’s considered abuse)
   

8. “ I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!:” It’s normal to fall on the ice, we’ve all been there, so do not let this discourage you from having a great time! After falling, turn over to your front side and have your knees and hands touch the ground. In between your arms, lift up one one of your knees so that your foot is flat on the ground. Lift up the other knee in between your arms

as well, and stand up!

9. Have fun and explore ! : There are many tricks you can do once you’ve
mastered these steps. If you’re brave enough, try racing your friends if try gliding with one foot. If you’re interested in learning other tricks, there’s plenty of youtube tutorials out there or maybe try taking a few lessons. 

10. Don’t give up: It’s normal to not get all these steps down during your first visit, everyone is different and it’s the experience that matters.

Ice skating is not only a therapeutic outlet of mine, but it also allowed me to improve my balance and coordination. It’s an amazing workout for those who absolutely hate sweating or being out in the sun, (like me) and most of all, it allowed me to strengthen
my leg muscles and improve my flexibility over time.
Here’s 10 year old me :)