Active recreation every year is gaining more and more popularity and this is due, first of all, to the reluctance of people to sit still. What can I do on a winter weekend? Going to the rink is a great choice!
Skates are shoes, which is a combination of specialized boots and blades attached to them. They are intended for riding on a smooth hard ice surface.
Types of skates
Conventionally, they can be divided into amateur and professional. Let's talk about each view in more detail.
Amateur skates - what is it?
This type is intended for those who are not going to participate in various kinds of competitions, but simply want to ride for their pleasure, relax and have fun. These skates are also called recreational skates. They are made, as a rule, of artificial materials, and the blades and their sharpening are not designed to perform complex acrobatic combinations or high speed.
Manufacturers of amateur skates focus on the convenience and reliability of shoes. The boot should be as comfortable as possible for the foot and not provide inconvenience while riding. Such skates are insulated, but at the same time they pay less attention to protective elements and other subtleties inherent in sports equipment. However, at the same time, they should be well fixed on the leg in order to prevent falls and injuries. This is mainly done by lacing.
Professional skates
Their main differences from amateur ones are the high cost, quality of the material and the reliability of the design. There are several sports associated with ice skating, and therefore, special sports equipment is needed for each of them.
1. Hockey skates.
It is no secret that hockey is a rather dangerous sport, and in connection with this the equipment of athletes not only costs a lot of money, but is also very reliable. And skates are no exception.
Particular attention is paid to the protection of the ankle joint, which is subjected to high loads. The protection of the sides and the cape is also strengthened, because in this sport the danger is provided not only by the fast-racing puck, but also by contacts with other players. The blades are not attached to the boot itself, as is done on ice skates for figure skating, but to a special plastic holder. However, despite the rigidity and reliability of the design, hockey skates make it as light as possible.
2. Skates for figure skating.
The main difference from hockey are special teeth on the front of the blade. They are necessary to perform various elements - jumps and spins. The boots themselves are quite thin, but this does not prevent them from firmly fixing their legs. Between themselves, figure skates differ in heel height, color and number of teeth.
3. Running skates.
This type is fundamentally different from the previous ones. Running skates are lower, lighter, and generally have a different design. Their blades are much longer than the boots themselves, and they are not attached exactly in the center, but are slightly shifted to the edge. This is done for more convenient cornering on the sports track. The main function of the boots is to fix the foot as tightly as possible, so they are made of durable, reliable, but at the same time very lightweight materials.
Ice skating as an active holiday
Every year more and more people appear on the rinks. Skating is not only entertainment, but also a great way to keep your health in good shape. To do this, you need to have some skills, but, as practice shows, anyone who wants to can afford to master this unusual shoe with blades. The most important thing is to be patient and persistent!