How to Ice Skate

: Skate only in areas that have been approved as ice-skating rinks.
Step 1: Practice falling Practice falling with your skates on. Tuck in your arms, land on your rear, get up on your hands and knees, and place your feet underneath you one at a time.
TIP: Practice falls onto the ground before entering the rink.
Step 2: Learn how to stop Practice stopping techniques while standing still. Drag one foot behind the other at a 45-degree angle, and shift your weight to the back skate to stop.
Step 3: Stand and relax Once you’re on the ice, stand with your feet six inches apart, toes straight ahead, knees slightly bent, arms out at your sides, eyes forward, and your weight evenly distributed between your skates.
Step 4: Glide Turn your right foot to the two o’clock position and your left foot to the ten o’clock position. Keep your weight evenly distributed and glide, keeping both skates on the ice.
Step 5: Shift your weight Shift your weight from one skate to the other once you feel more confident.
Step 6: Practice the one-foot glide Lift the skate opposite to the one your weight is on slightly off the ground. Keep practicing this technique and you will soon master the beginning steps of ice skating.
FACT: Did you know? Figure skating was officially a summer Olympic sport in 1908.

Lessons in this Guide