Skating after a long layoff

[wombat]

I'm 22 years old and i'm thinking about signing up for a rec league in my town. Problem is i haven't skated at all in 8 years. My question is after i practice for a few hours will i be able to skate again or will i basically have to learn to skate again from scratch? (which i won't have the time to do) I have no clue what to expect and is skating like riding a bike in that you never really forget or am i screwed since the last time i put on skates was so long ago.

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[Methane]

I'm 22 years old and i'm thinking about signing up for a rec league in my town. Problem is i haven't skated at all in 8 years. My question is after i practice for a few hours will i be able to skate again or will i basically have to learn to skate again from scratch? (which i won't have the time to do) I have no clue what to expect and is skating like riding a bike in that you never really forget or am i screwed since the last time i put on skates was so long ago.

I was never a great skater and was off the ice for about 3 years. The first time back out there I was a bit wobbly, but it started to come back to me. By the end of the hour I was back to doing crossovers and such.

 

[Greeneye]

It will come back after a few sessions at worst.

 

[Meichel Kane]

I was off skates for 3 years and it took me all of about 2 hours to get good again. It shouldn't be a problem - you'll go "whoaaa" when you start, but after a little bit you'll say "I remember this."

 

[Muttley*]

I'm 22 years old and i'm thinking about signing up for a rec league in my town. Problem is i haven't skated at all in 8 years. My question is after i practice for a few hours will i be able to skate again or will i basically have to learn to skate again from scratch? (which i won't have the time to do) I have no clue what to expect and is skating like riding a bike in that you never really forget or am i screwed since the last time i put on skates was so long ago.

You'll probably feel uncomfortable at first, but then it should all come back to you again pretty quickly like everyone mentioned. Just wait untill you feel your lower back and legs when you wake up the next morning!

 

[vwg*]

I was in the same boat as you. Almost 9 year layoff, but I did have to relearn to skate since I wasn't a good skater to begin with. I'm still getting more and more comfortable after a little less than a year on the ice.

 

[scud9]

I was off the skates for 15 years and I had to learn it all over again. I went to outdoor rinks at very early mornings at -20celsius that nobody could see me. I was terrible and after approx. 30 times skating is coming back. Two more years and I'm ready to senior league....

 

[Phoenix]

depends how good you were before. If you were relatively ok, it'd take a session at most i reckon to get back. Then more to start honing. Either way, if you've skated, you won't be from scratch.

I didn't skate for 5 years, and prior to that I just did some basic figure skating for about 4 years. But when I got back on the ice, it came back fairly fast.

Whereas I rollerskated as a 5 year old, and stopped that at about 8years, then started ice at 14. That transition took much longer, but I still wasn't as bad as those who'd never skated.