The advent of winter is amending leisure activities. Snow and frost remind lovers of winter holidays about hidden sledges, skis, skates and other equipment.
Where is better to skate?
If a little descent is enough for sledding or skiing, then skates require both special cover and special skills. The person who first skated the shoes cannot go right away. In addition, this type of recreation is quite traumatic if you do not know certain rules of behavior on ice. What is a skating rink, everyone knows, but not everyone decides to step on it. Anyone who can overcome his fear, learn the first lessons and feel the charm of the sensation of flying on ice, is unlikely to exchange skates for anything else.
The quality of the slip largely depends on the type of coating. Pure smooth ice is poured mainly on indoor ice rinks. Many owners of ice arenas use purified water to make coatings. In addition, some indoor skating rinks can function year-round. However, this advantage is available mainly for residents of large cities. For smaller settlements, a much more familiar picture is the skating rink in the park. Here, the low quality of ice is compensated by the abundance of fresh air, the cost of a subscription (in some cities admission is generally free) and the ability to ride under the starry sky.
Choosing skates
There are several types of skates, depending on where they are used: hockey, jogging and figured. It is the latter that we will consider. Most ice arenas provide rental equipment, but for those who understand well what a skating rink is and the quality of gliding, the option of renting skates is not suitable - they often do not sit so tight on their feet, worn out, and not always well sharpened. Therefore, if you intend to seriously learn how to ride, it is better to purchase individual skates. The best method is to go to a specialty store and try on a few pairs. It is better to take shoes one or one and a half more, given that you have to ride in a cold room and you need to put on a warm sock. Fixation of the ridge on the leg should be tight and the ankle held tight, otherwise the foot may turn up, and to feel what a skating rink is, by means of constant falls on it, is not quite right. It is good if the shoe is leather and has a quick-drying insole. Listen to your feelings in the leg, if the foot is “resting” - make a bold purchase.
How to get dressed on the rink?
The number of things and their density will depend on the place of skiing. If this is a covered room, a sweatshirt or sweater will suffice, as a rule, the temperature here drops a couple of degrees below zero. On an open skating rink, the temperature may have lower values, so dress fairly warmly. Clothing should not constrain movement. For those who do not know what an ice rink is, the main tips:
- no fluttering scarves;
- no clothes with long floors;
- gloves are required on the hands (protect the hands when falling).
Newbie
The first time it’s better to go to the rink with someone who can keep on ice, and even better - take a few lessons from a professional. If you decide to learn the basics of skiing on your own, first of all, learn to fall - if you feel that you are losing balance, tumble to one side and group. Also, before the first visit, it’s better to find out the schedule of skating rinks - it is quite possible that the time you chose for ice skating will be allocated for hockey club classes. It should also be prepared for the fact that some institutions, in addition to the subscription fee, may charge extra money for the rental of skates, knee pads and other equipment.
If all points are agreed, and a burning desire to get on the ice increases, we wish you a pleasant ride.