Ice skating and falling over!?

Question

What is the strategy for staying up and not falling over?

Answer 1

Never lock your knees.  Keep them flexed.

Answer 2

Bend your knees, hold your arms up and out to the side, stand up straight and don't lean forward or backward, look up (don't look at the ice), and go slowly.  You can hold onto the wall until you get a feel for your balance.  Everyone falls though - it's the only way you really learn:)

Answer 3

Practice, practice, practice! The only way to not fall is to fall. That might sound weird but it is true. Before you can get better at anything you must learn from your mistakes, so look at falling as a learning expierience.

Answer 4

use the heal and pick

Answer 5

always bend your knees, a tad. and never lock your knees staright and tall, and NEVER lean back!!!!! especially while your moving! and even just THINKING about falling or leaning back may allow you to loose your balance and fall! (ALWAYS keep your balance!!) and if your still worried about falling while your coach is explaining something and you can't move, then just stand normally on one skate, and then face or stick your toe pick into the ice for grip! ;) good luck!

Answer 6

First, make sure the skates you're using, whether they're rentals or your own, are in good condition (boot and blade).  If the ankles are soft and worn, they probably won't help support you very much.  If the blades feel flat on the bottom (no edges) like they haven't been sharpened in awhile, you may have a hard time keeping your feet under you.  When lacing your skates make them comfortable over your foot and keep them tighter around your ankle.  Once you're all set with that and get on the ice, start off with small marching steps.  Keep your knees bent and your arms out for balance.  When you feel a little more comfortable, start trying to push with the sides of your blades, like you would in roller blades.  Maintaining a little knee bend will prevent you from falling forward or backward.

Answer 7

Have skates that fit properly and are sharpened properly, then practice! (btw, if you want to get better at it, you are bound to fall many many times. Even the olympic athletes you see on TV fall multiple times each time they skate - except hopefully not in competition :))

Answer 8

Practice. Stay low and overcome fears of falling by practicing falling too. It just takes time to get used to having skates on your feet. Your body will learn to balance.