Winter Feels More Enjoyable When You're Ice Skating

For many people, winter can be a frustrating time. Many people’s hobbies revolve around the outdoors and good weather.That being said, just because the snow is falling and temperatures are low,that doesn’t mean you have to give up on happiness and fun. One of the best things you can do during the cold winter months is go ice skating. 

Skating is a great sport or activity to take part in. Admittedly, there’s a learning curve. Learning to skate can be tricky and many beginners do look like a baby giraffe trying to keep their balance. However, once you get the hang of it, zipping around on the ice is great fun. In addition, skating can be really good exercise too. It’s always nice when fun also means staying healthy. If you’re going to start skating during the winter months, there’s some things you’ll need to consider. 

Where to Skate? 

The good news is that there’s lots of different places that you can skate throughout the winter, or in some cases year round. There are many arenas and rinks that offer free skating times. Many of these are within or near a community center. Check in to find out when they offer free skating times.

For people who live in the north, there’s often outdoor skating rinks that get created in parks, backyards or in city areas. You can even make your own skating rink in your backyard if you want. The process isn’t difficult, it just takes a little time to get the base ice going. 

Social Skating

There’s a lot of activities that you can do with your friends and family, but don’t really get to spend time with each other. Going to a movie is great, but then you’re sitting around quietly as you watch for a few hours. 

Compare that to skating instead. People who go ice skating can talk throughout as they skate next to each other. As they become better skaters, they can interact with each other even more. Two good skaters can race, play sports like hockey or try some ice dancing!

Types of Ice Skates

Unfortunately, when it comes to skating properly, it’s not a case where one skate supports every activity. Traditionally, men tended to purchase hockey skates, while women chose figure skates. However, more people than ever before are interested in just finding the right skate for the job. The main three type of skates include: 

• Figure Skates - Figure skates are the main footwear that all figure skaters use. What makes them special? These skates have toe picks. These are sharp metal picks located at the front of the skate that allows for abrupt sharp stops and all kinds of flexible movements on the ice. 
• Hockey Skates - Many people think hockey skates are simple and boring. Hockey skates actually angle a foot forward a little bit. This makes it easier to push off and gain speed. The blades on the skate are curved at the front and the back as well. This means movement and turning is at a premium. Hockey skates are very strong and very stiff to protect against the chances of a stick quickly smashing into it. 
• Speed Skates - When it comes to moving fast, nothing beat a speed skate. The blade on a skate is actually much longer than the skate itself. This allows for maximum buildup of momentum. The blade is also flat for the same reason. There’s of course a payoff that must be made for such speed. Speed skates are not ideal when you want to turn. Special technique can be needed to turn while maintaining any level of speed, so there’s added difficulty there.