Should I take figure skating lessons

[Blackjack]

I'm 29 years old, been skating since I was about 22. I generally try to get to public skating once a week to work on pivots and stops/starts etc.

I've seen figure skaters at public skating before, but today there was a girl there that was just absolutely fantastic. Crossovers at blistering speed, casual pivots into backwards crossovers and all of it was just so smooth and effortless.

I don't have any delusions of ever being able to skate like that, but if I could only learn to skate half that well I imagine I could jump from C league to B league. Anyone here have experience taking figure skating lessons? Did it help your game?

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[Maccas]

To be honest I started learning on a figure skating course (got up to grade 7) so I can't really compare my skating before and after but I can't imagine my edge control would be anywhere as near as good as it is now without the lessons. I regularly get complemented on my skating considering I've only been skating for about 5/6 months now

 

[Mathradio]

Are you saying that it would be preferrable to start figure skating and then go for hockey?

 

[Copeland]

To be honest I started learning on a figure skating course (got up to grade 7) so I can't really compare my skating before and after but I can't imagine my edge control would be anywhere as near as good as it is now without the lessons. I regularly get complemented on my skating considering I've only been skating for about 5/6 months now

How did you get to such a high level (I'm guessing grade 7 is fairly high in the "learn to skate" system where you are) in just 5-6 months?

Well, in my neck of the woods you can't take a hockey class until you know how to skate, so it's either take the figure skating classes or learn on your own, so I can't really help you there

 

[Blackjack]

Are you saying that it would be preferrable to start figure skating and then go for hockey?

I already play hockey. I'm thinking that learning figure skating could help me improve.

 

[noobman]

Figure skating is a different animal from ice hockey skating, but there are some skills that cross over. I'd imagine that figure skating teaches you how to be light on your feet, and it also seems to emphasize flawless crossover technique and quick transitions.What it doesn't really prepare you for is quick stops and starts, tight turns, transitions with strength and balance (important for puck protection) and the likes.


The only thing a figure skating class would do is to help reinforce the fundamentals of skating, and even then there's going to be a notable difference between how your foot feel and how your skate reacts in figure skates and in hockey skates.You'd benefit a lot more from powerskating lessons than figure skating lessons at this stage.

 

[biturbo19]

wouldn't it make more sense to just sign up for some sort of power skating course? you'll work on and improve your skating immensely, and it will be a lot more applicable to what you're going to want to do playing hockey.

 

[Steelhead16]

I already play hockey. I'm thinking that learning figure skating could help me improve.

If you can manage the cost I would recommend taking lessons from a figure skating instructor. Power skating clinics are all well and good but not usually readily availible. A figure skating instructor will give you all the same power skating instruction as a clinic but one on one you will learn much faster. Figure skaters skate with much more powerful strides than hockey players and you will learn to skate with power on your crossovers. You will also learn to use your edges as well and transition from forwards to backwards. You probably don't need to be lighter on your feet but more powerful on your skates instead. With 3 or 4 half hour lessons and some work on your part you should see huge improvement.
Props to you for having the stones to even think about doing it. Most hockey players wouldn't even consider it.

And don't do this in figure skates, just do it in your hockey skates. A good figure skating instructor will be plenty familiar with how to skate in them and what you are trying to do. They won't teach you to spin and jump. Good luck.

 

[Copeland]

They won't teach you to spin and jump.

Though this can be useful sometimes...

 

[Maccas]

How did you get to such a high level (I'm guessing grade 7 is fairly high in the "learn to skate" system where you are) in just 5-6 months?

Well, in my neck of the woods you can't take a hockey class until you know how to skate, so it's either take the figure skating classes or learn on your own, so I can't really help you there

Grade 7 isn't amazingly high, but I did practice a lot!
Grade 7 is doing things like Three-turns, Mohawks and forwards and backwards crossovers, also learnt a nifty little transition from backwards to forwards which has come in very handy with Hockey (kinda like a reverse Mohawk) but it doesn't cover any of the jumps or fancy spins.
I used to do a lesson on a Sunday at 10am then would regularly stay for the whole of the public skate session afterwards until about 4pm just skating and practicing what I had learnt, during this time I also worked on speed and taught myself the basics of Hockey stops (I'm still not particularly good at them though) This has however meant that I am a lot better at doing crossovers etc on one side than I am the other due to everyone skating around the rink in one direction during the sessions.

 

[Copeland]

Wow... I took lessons for two months (and went to public skating twice a week in addition) and came out of them only knowing how to do a half-snowplow stop... all I can say is wow

Er sorry for the thread hijacking lol

 

[2fast4u2*]

I had figure skating coach on for my team when i was younger and i found that it helped out alot.....especially playing defense it helps your mobility alot IMO

 

[Jarick]

Figure skating would really help your ability to play hockey well, but if you just want to get better at skating for hockey, do power skating instead. 1-on-1 lessons if you have the time/money.