r/iceskating

Hi, I am an adult (late 20s) who has enjoyed recreationally skating throughout my life but I have never taken classes or learned any proper techniques. I am very comfortable skating forward at speed and doing swizzles but I've never learned to skate backward nor have I ever learned crossovers or more elegant stops.

With that said, I really want to learn how to skate properly and eventually progress into figure skating classes and am wondering which of these two classes I should choose to start with? The classes are only 30 minutes once a week so I'm a little worried the first class will be too limiting. I plan on spending around 10 hours a week at the rink outside of class and working on these skills on my own. Also, my rink is opening a couple weeks before classes start so I plan on going early and trying to get comfortable with the skills in the first class.

Adult Beginner: This class is for ages 16+ with little or no previous skating experience. Skills taught in these classes include: basic forward skating, pushing, 2 foot glide, 1 foot glide, forward swizzle, backward swizzle, backward skating, beginning snow plow stop, and forward crossovers.

Adult Advanced Beginner: This class is for adults ages 16+ who have mastered the skills taught in Adult Beginner. Skills taught in these classes include: strong forward and backward skating, forward crossovers, 2-foot turns, snow-plow stop, hockey stop, beginning 2-foot spin, bunny hop, and beginning backwards crossovers.

Can you share any experiences or opinions about taking small group skating classes run by an instructor whose background is hockey? Did it help your skating (speed, power) or hinder your skating (different habits than figure)?

I’m a relative beginner - no crossovers yet! - who intends to progress to figure skating later. Which is better:

Community rec group learn to skate classes:

*Larger 8:1 student:instructor ratio

*Cheaper

*Risk of being mixed with complete beginners as it’s all one group

*Possibly less experienced instructor? Less critique

Private group learn to skate run by hockey-focused instructor

*Smaller 5:1 student:instructor ratio

*More expensive

*More experienced main instructor w/hockey background (they said it’s fine to wear figure skates) who gives more corrections

I know hockey skaters can find lessons taught by figure skaters helpful - wondering if it works the other way too, or am I messing myself up with a hockey-biased basic skating foundation? Or is it all basically the same for low-level skaters?

So I'm currently in Learn to skate level 8 (UK)

I practice for one hour a week and do my rinks coffee skate in the school holidays.

Would it be beneficial to do one private lesson a month? The regular learn to skate coach has offered to privately tutor me occasionally, and I do get along with that.

I have already started work on salchow from my private lessons, and I stretch (every day but Saturday) to get more flexible as I am as flexible as a plank and hate spirals currently

I returned to the ice a few months back after injury. Its been awful. No enjoyment, just a grinding fear every time.

Yesterday felt like a breakthrough. No new tricks or anything technical, but the first time that I felt like I was gliding and enjoying it. There's still some nerves, but I felt like my skates and body were working together again.

It's really cheered me up.