Learning to skate with equipment

[RustBucket 0]

The public skate I go to is usually deserted except for a couple figure skaters and a handful of kids.

I was wondering if it might be a good idea to wear hockey pants and shin guards while I'm trying to learn to skate in order to get used to moving in the equipment and maybe get over some mental blocks (full hockey stop, skating backwards.

So? Yea or nay?

[wrangler 157]

The public skate I go to is usually deserted except for a couple figure skaters and a handful of kids.

I was wondering if it might be a good idea to wear hockey pants and shin guards while I'm trying to learn to skate in order to get used to moving in the equipment and maybe get over some mental blocks (full hockey stop, skating backwards.

So? Yea or nay?

If you want protection from falling (and concern about it), you might consider it. But as for just getting used to the equipment, I wouldn't bother. Properly-fitting equipment shouldn't bind or restrict your movement. I think you can develop your skating skills just fine without equipment.

Granted, it's a bit clumsier with equipment, but that might actually slow your skating development. I skated a lot as a skating guard years ago, and found my skating improved noticeably, and I didn't really lost anything when I played with equipment.

[fatwabbit 93]

Somehow I feel less complete without gear on when I skate.

Once you are used to it, You wont even think about it when you are playing.

[jds 20]

It depends on your age. If you are, ahem, mature, the voice of reason in the back of your head that keeps telling you that you could really hurt if you fall makes you less likely to test your edges to discover what is possible on skates. With equipment on you can push your limits and not pay for it the next day with bruises. I have only been skating for about four years now (I'm 46) and I still feel a bit tentative without gear on.

[beth 0]

I just started playing hockey, and learning to skate was a lot less painful with pads on. Sometimes I would feel self-conscious about wearing gear, and then I would take a big fall and not get hurt and then I'd be thankful that I wore it. :) You can push yourself a lot harder if you're not worried about falling all the time, which will make you progress faster. I recommend wearing elbow pads too, especially when learning backwards. I fell on my elbows a LOT.

Have fun!!

[Lee-Bro 1]

When getting used to ice skating at open skate, I wore my roller-derby protective gear: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and mouth guard. I know what it feels like to fall in that gear so I wasn't worried about wiping out.

[wrangler 157]

It depends on your age. If you are, ahem, mature, the voice of reason in the back of your head that keeps telling you that you could really hurt if you fall makes you less likely to test your edges to discover what is possible on skates. With equipment on you can push your limits and not pay for it the next day with bruises. I have only been skating for about four years now (I'm 46) and I still feel a bit tentative without gear on.

Understandable, if you want to push your limits harder and/or faster, though I wonder how helpful that is.

When getting used to ice skating at open skate, I wore my roller-derby protective gear: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and mouth guard. I know what it feels like to fall in that gear so I wasn't worried about wiping out.

Didn't know they still had roller derby.

[troy 12]

It depends on your age. If you are, ahem, mature, the voice of reason in the back of your head that keeps telling you that you could really hurt if you fall makes you less likely to test your edges to discover what is possible on skates. With equipment on you can push your limits and not pay for it the next day with bruises. I have only been skating for about four years now (I'm 46) and I still feel a bit tentative without gear on.

Understandable, if you want to push your limits harder and/or faster, though I wonder how helpful that is.

When I was young at clinics and practices it was drilled into my head that if you're not falling, you're not trying. I'd recommend going to a not too populated sticks and pucks in full gear, if that's available.

[RustBucket 0]

When I was young at clinics and practices it was drilled into my head that if you're not falling, you're not trying. I'd recommend going to a not too populated sticks and pucks in full gear, if that's available.

In that case, I'm surely wearing some equipment tomorrow. I wanted to see if anyone had any reason why it is a bad idea (Ex. develops bad habits, etc.) since I haven't heard a good reason not to I will probably try it.

It should ease my mind a bit about hurting myself. At this point, I think my worrying is holding me back from trying as hard as I can.

Thanks everyone.

[Larry54 243]

In that case, I'm surely wearing some equipment tomorrow. I wanted to see if anyone had any reason why it is a bad idea (Ex. develops bad habits, etc.) since I haven't heard a good reason not to I will probably try it.

It should ease my mind a bit about hurting myself. At this point, I think my worrying is holding me back from trying as hard as I can.

Thanks everyone.

I agree that you would benefit from skating wearing your gear. It might also be a good idea to spend a bit of that time skating without a stick in your hands, to learn not to totally rely on it for balance.

[GoBucky 0]

Id agree that wearing pads is never a bad idea. You might find that you progess more quickly because you wont be concern about falling and hurting yourself.

I never wear any kind of protective gear when I go to public skate, although I should.

[Lee-Bro 1]

Understandable, if you want to push your limits harder and/or faster, though I wonder how helpful that is.

Didn't know they still had roller derby.

Yup. There are over 500 teams in North America now. Only 12 or so use the traditional banked track. The rest use a "flat track" which is a playing field marked out w/ tape and rope on polished concrete, skate court, sport court, hardwood or other smooth hard surface.

The game was reborn about 10 years ago in Texas and is no longer "wrestling on wheels." There are still nicknames but the days of a clothesline hit or elbow to the head are gone. The skaters are intense athletes and training with them is an eye-opening experience.

I'm the Head Ref for the Cincinnati Rollergirls, www.cincinnatirollergirls.com. Most cities w/ a roller rink or arena nearby have a team. If you Google your city's name and "roller derby," I'm sure you'll find a local team.

The governing body for women's roller derby is the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) - www.wftda.com

If you want to learn more, PM me. I will say the 2+ years of derby have made me a better roller skater at 40 than I ever was at 13. It's also allowed me to jump right into beer league hockey having NEVER played hockey before and ice skating less than 5 times ever w/o being a pylon because it only took a few weeks to transfer the mechanics from roller to ice skating.

</derail>.

[wrangler 157]

Yup. There are over 500 teams in North America now. Only 12 or so use the traditional banked track. The rest use a "flat track" which is a playing field marked out w/ tape and rope on polished concrete, skate court, sport court, hardwood or other smooth hard surface.

The game was reborn about 10 years ago in Texas and is no longer "wrestling on wheels." There are still nicknames but the days of a clothesline hit or elbow to the head are gone. The skaters are intense athletes and training with them is an eye-opening experience.

I'm the Head Ref for the Cincinnati Rollergirls, www.cincinnatirollergirls.com. Most cities w/ a roller rink or arena nearby have a team. If you Google your city's name and "roller derby," I'm sure you'll find a local team.

The governing body for women's roller derby is the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) - www.wftda.com

If you want to learn more, PM me. I will say the 2+ years of derby have made me a better roller skater at 40 than I ever was at 13. It's also allowed me to jump right into beer league hockey having NEVER played hockey before and ice skating less than 5 times ever w/o being a pylon because it only took a few weeks to transfer the mechanics from roller to ice skating.

</derail>.

Interesting. I remember watching it on B/W TV as a kid, late 50s or so. They had men's and women's matches. One team that seemed to be on all the time was the L.A. Thunderbirds. I remember "jammers", and the clotheslines and elbows; it was rough.

[GoBucky 0]

Yup. There are over 500 teams in North America now. Only 12 or so use the traditional banked track. The rest use a "flat track" which is a playing field marked out w/ tape and rope on polished concrete, skate court, sport court, hardwood or other smooth hard surface.

The game was reborn about 10 years ago in Texas and is no longer "wrestling on wheels." There are still nicknames but the days of a clothesline hit or elbow to the head are gone. The skaters are intense athletes and training with them is an eye-opening experience.

I'm the Head Ref for the Cincinnati Rollergirls, www.cincinnatirollergirls.com. Most cities w/ a roller rink or arena nearby have a team. If you Google your city's name and "roller derby," I'm sure you'll find a local team.

The governing body for women's roller derby is the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) - www.wftda.com

If you want to learn more, PM me. I will say the 2+ years of derby have made me a better roller skater at 40 than I ever was at 13. It's also allowed me to jump right into beer league hockey having NEVER played hockey before and ice skating less than 5 times ever w/o being a pylon because it only took a few weeks to transfer the mechanics from roller to ice skating.

</derail>.

We've got a womens' roller derby league here in Madison, WI and its actually fairly popular.

[tareatingrat 4]

If you don want to go full out, buy some inline knee/elbow pads and go to town. You can just wear it under your clothes and you won't look totally out of place, which is probably what you're worried about.

[Vet88 674]

I was a mature (45+) late starter to ice and can honestly say if I didn't wear pads under my clothes at the public sessions I wouldn't have survived the many falls I had. My knees and elbows thanked me for wearing protection. Conscious of appearance, I used skate pads but also added folded bubble wrap on the inside for just that little bit more protection. When it came to hockey training / playing, I got the best gear I could afford (2nd hand 9k elbow pads and 10k shin guards) and it was worth every cent I spent on it. The confidence you get from knowing you aren't go to damage yourself when falling enables you to push yourself harder.

[TexasICE 0]

I just started at christmas and at the open skates i went to i wore shin guards and gloves because then i felt like if i fall so what it helped me alot to skate with gear on because i didnt care about falling so i would try more things.

[Lee-Bro 1]

We've got a womens' roller derby league here in Madison, WI and its actually fairly popular.

Yup. Mad Rollin' Dolls. Know 'em well.

[t6lock 24]

I agree that you would benefit from skating wearing your gear. It might also be a good idea to spend a bit of that time skating without a stick in your hands, to learn not to totally rely on it for balance.

love this quote because i hate skating without a stick :)

[penum 0]

I started at 22 and found it hardest to commit to learning how to stop without gear on. I felt my skating improved most with gear on particularly shins, pants, elbows, and helmet. So I say go for it, I see it all the time with people learning to skate.