is figure skating a good idea

[masterpeice_patrice 4]

im thinking of taking up figure skating lessons with my gear on with a coach. I know some might laugh at me but my skating is not good enough to my standards and im very serious about improving. I work on plyometrics once a week and before I skate I find it helps a lot and quickens the legs. so i want to experment mixing plyometrics with figure skating while handng a puck.

do I just need to relax and stop stressing over skating? and just focus More on the overall game? this summer is around the corner and I just want to take in as much as I can to stay focused.

hockey is making me crazy.

help me out boys.

[chikinpotpie 137]

its never a bad idea to work on your skating. There is a lot of pressure to work on other aspects of your game, but what it boils down to is that if you are not happy with your skating, your game wont develop. There is no problem with working on your skating with a figure skating coach, many are very technically sound when it comes to edgework and body positioning.

[D-MaN88 0]

In the first years of taking up hockey I actually worked with a figure skating coach with of course my hockey skates on and it did wonders for my edge control. Getting your edges down and balance on your skates will do wonders for your game and for your skating. If you can't skate, you might as well not even worry about working on the other parts of your game.

I'd say give it a try, who cares if people laugh at you, what you're doing is trying to get better and if that means some people have to be tools and stereotype you/make fun of you because you're working with a figure skating coach so be it. Figure skating coaches are very knowledgeable and most of the time are excellent skaters. I'd say give it a try, it can't hurt.

[rubberduckie 0]

A good powerskating school will teach you all the same things, but primarily focus on how they relate to hockey. I would try the powerskating route before figure skating, just because both will teach you the technique, but powerskating is hockey specific.

I do know alot of people that did figure skating when they first started hockey, just to gain the balance and edges like above said though.

[fatwabbit 93]

i would giv eit a shot. I would do that myself, but have got too many nights already packed with other crap.

[biff44 0]

Other than to looks silly, why would you want to wear your gear?

A figure skating instructor will have you working on edges, balance, etc. Gear is not needed.

Later on, when you are working on speed/explosiveness, then you would need the weight of the gear.

[jeffw 1]

Most of the power skating coaches around here are figure skaters. I might give a good power skating class a shot before figure skating. It would IMO be more general skating and edge control vs jumps, spins & sow cows (no idea how to spell that), lol) Probably cheaper, too.

[chk hrd 164]

a good figure skating coach will teach you edge control, balance, stride, transition, etc. If you watch figure skaters they have unbelievable control. I have seen alot of high level youth teams use a figure skating coach for thier power skating. Explain to them what you want and they will design your instructions around your needs (no they won't teach you to jump and spin). I wouldn't wear gear because it's not needed and will probably get in the way. The better of a skater you are the better of a hockey player you can become. Take any and all lessons you can...figure skating, power skating, overspeed skating, etc.

[masterpeice_patrice 4]

hey boys thanks for the replies im was on the ice today working on the skating with a coach. not figure skating yet.. wich im going to take up pretty soon at ice sports.

i was having difficualities with my skates today my feet were hurting really badly ive tried changing insoles and everything and the pressure cut on my ankle wont heal up. its effecting my skating. they are just breaking down on me. unfortunally im tight on budget and i have to wait till june. wich sucks.

i been using duct tape on the blister. if i dont tie them really tight ill be very choppy and maybe break an ankle. im using the 735s and they were good for a year and a half.

i know its not the equipment that makes you a better skater but good skates dont hurt your feet..

i was thinking about sitll having my equipment on because i want to get used to skating with it on so right when i play and try out those teqniques i wont have to take time to adjust it would be right off the bat kind of thing. i duno if its just me but maybe my mind plays tricks on me.

i guess i just have to find a way for now to skate around in those skates im not at home right now but when i get back ill try tying them up other ways maybe tapeing up the ankles.

[troy 12]

This is a great idea. Just like another poster, when I started playing when I was 4 or so, I worked with a figure skating coach with hockey skates on and have gotten many compliments on my stride and edge control.

[DarkStar50 679]

Whenever I ask a hockey parent from out of my area where his son first learned to skate, they usually say he started to learn to skate with a figure skating coach. The technique and advantages I see from players who have learned from figure skating coaches is overwhelming. The rink I work at sent 9 figure skaters to the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City including Sarah Hughes, gold medalist women, and the Russian Pairs team that won/tied for gold with the Canadians. In 2006, 2 figure skaters went to Torino for the Olympics. This past year we have a Russian coach who has the #1 woman in Worlds and #2 man in Worlds from 2007. When I watch these coaches work with the figure skaters on ice, it is amazing what they see in the skaters' technique to correct and enhance. If you ever watch figure skaters warm up, they power skate the rink end-to-end never lifting their skates off the ice. They will skate backwards faster than some of us can forwards, all in power strides. The edge control that figure skaters have for tight turns, spins, and transition is something to die for. If it wasn't for the old school attitudes of both camps, it would be the best of both worlds for the figure skaters to work closer with the hockey players in skating. Exceptional figure skating coaches will see things in your skating that most hockey coaches would not even know to look for.

[chole 0]

I have had a few friends try this. The ratio of who liked it and who hated is 50:50. I hope it works for you. I know edge work is really important.

[willsnipe 0]

Paul Kariya was known to seek help from Figure skating coaches throughout his career, not to mention he is one of the games best all round skaters.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

great for edge control... just dont wear figure skates, and you'll be alright.