What do you need when starting figure skating lessons?

Question

My daughter is 11 and wants to start ice skating lessons. I know very little about the sport and would like some info on what she needs. She loves skating and is very very good at skating, but will need lessons to learn the jumps and other things.

I see that most girls wear tights(mondor) but will she need to wear socks as well as tights?

What kinds of socks are best?

Should I invest in a nicer pair of skates? I have seen some cheap ones for about $50 but I don't want the skates to hold her back, should I get nicer skates for her? We were looking at the Riedell's blue ribbon or bronze medallion.

How should the skates fit, snug or with room for growth?

How often should skates be sharpened and where do you get them sharpened?

What do you need to care for your skate blades?

What is so great about this $150 Zuca bag that we see everywhere? Is it needed?

Any other insider tips that you think I should know would be helpfull, thanks for your help.

Answer 1

1. it depends on the couach they will tell you evarthing

2. gloves it takes a while to get use to the cold

   ps good luck

Answer 2

i'm 13 and i'm a pre pre skater, i've skated for 2 years and i really reccomend these things not because of the price but because of the quality:

-depending on the level: riedell skates and parabolic blades(they give better edge or k pick which give a better lift off in toe jumps)

-at least 2 pairs of tights

-thin socks

-a pair of skating pants

-a pair of skating gloves

-soft blade guards to soak in the excess water and hard guards which'll keep the blades protected when off the ice

-a warm, thinish sort of jacket, NO coats

-zuca bags are expensive but they do have good quality, they last long and they hold alot(i have one and i love it)

good luck to you and your daughter!!! hope i helped!!!

Answer 3

For the first lessons, she'll be fine with the rental skates.  Don't invest in Reidell skates and a Zuca bag until you know that she's going to stick with it for a while.  Long pants with some stretch to them (not jeans) will be fine for lesson.  Make sure she has gloves.  

Your rink probably has a pro shop.  They can fit her for skates, order them, sharpen them, etc.

Answer 4

1) In her first group lessons she can (if she wants this isn't necessary) wear skating tights and skirt. There are three types of skating tights. under the boot (which is basically just a normal pair of tights but thicker and warmer) over the boot. these are mainly used for competitions, they cover the skate so you can't see the skate at all. There are also tights that cover only the laces of the skate. I think the best kind to start with are plain under the boot tights (over the boot tights get lots of wholes really quickly.) Tights and a skirt are found at most skating pro shops, or you can look up skating apparel in the phone book. If you don't want to buy skating tight just yet, you can just have your daughter wear leggings. I personally don't wear socks in addition to tights but some people choose to.

2) Definetly get nice skates. Don't order them online, get them at the pro shop at your rink where they will tell you what level skate she needs and fit them properly.

3) Skates can be sharpened at the pro shop at your rink and once your daughter reaches a higher level her coach can find you a professional to do it. theres no perfect time span of when to get them sharpened because it depends on often she skates. If when you finger on the blade and it feels dull, it is. Or if your daughter feels like her blade is slipping, its time to get them sharpened. Ask your daughters coach/teacher if your not sure if they need sharpening or not.

4) have a wash cloth/rag to wipe the skates down after skating. get hard guards to use while walking around in the skates. http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Hard-Gua...

and after the skates have been wiped off, store them in soft guards/soakers

http://www.amazon.com/Large-Terry-Cloth-...

5) you do not need a zuca bag, although they are very cute. Start out with just using a old backpack, duffel bag or small suitcase. And if your daughter still really likes skating, buy one for christmas or for her birthday.

Skating is an awesome sport!!!!

good luck!!

Answer 5

Definitely, invest in good skates. She'll get nowhere in $50 skates . Wear tights with skirts or dresses or she can wear knee highs( same thickness) also by Mondor or Danskin. Thick socks make you lose support from the boot. Skates need to fit snug-support issue again. Get her fitted at a skate proshop-regular sporting good stores haven't a clue when it comes to figure skates. Different brands work better with different feet- you need an expert. How often to sharpen deepens on how often she skates- she will soon be able to tell when her skates need sharpening. Once a skater is able to skate on edges, she will know when she cannot hold her

edges and she needs sharpening. Ask your daughter's coach

to suggest a sharpener. This is very important- poor sharpening can ruin blades- even new ones! To care for blades wipe them dry with a soft towel or chamois. It is best to

put soakers(usually lined in terry cloth) on after drying- this prevents rusting. Hard rubber or plastic skate guards protect

blades when walking off ice. Never store your skates with hard guards on-the blades will rust. The Zuca bag is not a must, but as your daughter gets more serious, it is very nice

to have.It stores skates towels, guards. It has pockets for cds and tapes- nice when you start to compete. It is on wheels so you save your back. The wheels light when you pull it. This is a fun as well as a safety feature. The frame is very strong- you can sit on it- It supports up to 300  pounds. The seat is handy to have at competitions where locker rooms and get crowded. The bags are easily replaceable so you can change the color or replace a worn bag. I am an adult skater and I love mine. I carry all my competition music and fine the seat handy especially at synchro team competitions and ice shows.

These are general tips but your best source is your child's

coach. Happy skating!

Answer 6

most people think that figure skating is all about the bags, and the glitter, and the dresses. i started with really cheap skates and normal pants and stuff. i personally HATE reidell. i think the skates are ugly and they dont work for me. thats just mii opinion tho. reidells are ok for beginners but if she gets really good, she needs to get really good skates. i think i have jackson boots and wilson blades. she needs to get them sharpened at least every like 5 months at least thats what i do. i havent gotten them sharpened them in a long time actually. but i use a normal bag and normal gloves and stuff but some ppl like to go to the extreme and get their name with rhinestones on their gloves and stuff. she should wear one size bigger than what her shoe size is. if it doesnt fit, have her wear two pairs of socks, first to make it fit better, and second, to protect her feet from getting cold. most girls that i know that have just started get zuca bags and many dresses and they barely know how to skate. i have only 3 dresses and i am really good, ive passed and skipped many levels and all of that is not really necessarry. just buy her what YOU think is necessary...good luck  =]

Answer 7

If she is just beginning in learn to skate rental skates will be alright for a little while. Skating dresses and tights are not nessecary until they get a little higher in levels (neither are tights), but if you choose she can wear them. Socks that are thin polyester or nylon socks are typically the best. A Riedell Blue ribbon skate would be a great skate if you would like to buy her skates now, but if you would like to wait a little while then I would go ahead and upgrade to the Bronze Medallion, a Bronze medallion will be too stiff for a beginning skater. Any decent pair of beginning skate is going to cost around $100-$150. Skates should be fairly snuggly fitted, to get the best proper fit being sized by the local skating pro shop is best. Your local pro shop can also sharpen skates, make sure that they are trained in sharpening skates. Usually about every 20 hours of skating they need to be sharpened, but each skater learns whether they like thier skates a little sharper or a little duller and learns to sharpen them when they feel nessecary. As far as caring for skate blades you will need a pair of soakers to store the blades in so they don't rust, and a pair of hard guards is also useful for walking around in, but make sure you don't store the skate blades in them for long because they will promote rusting. Zuca bags are one of those things that is just optional for carrying your skates, that I personally think are over rated, a rolling suitcase is much cheaper and fills the function of a Zuca bag just as well as a Zuca bag. Good luck!

Answer 8

i dont think you have to wear socks but i dont know.

well it depends of how old your skates are if they are ratty and have holes then defanitly throw them out ,but you have to remember that you have to break in the new skates if you dont then she will have some trouble skating.

and they should but snug not loose because then she will have trouble skating and it will be wabbaling.

before you go skating you should always check the balde to make sure its not dull because if its dull then is will be harder to skate and you can go proable go anywhere where theres a skating arena right inside or around should be a skate sharpaning place .but then some places are different so you could go on o the internet and search up where to find skate sharpaning places that are around you.

and im not so sure if you need a $ 150 zuca bag all you really need is some kind of a bag to put your skates in .

you also have to remember to wipe off the snow that gets stuck to the blade to prevent rusting and after that you should have some skate guardes.

thats all i can think of hope i helped. good luck on figure skating.

Answer 9

Okay well first before i anwer your questions she will need:

-skates

-a skating bag for her gear

-a leotard and skirt or just a leotard with a skirt built in

-tights

-thin socks to go over the tights

Okay now i will answer your questions:

1)she does not have to wear socks over her tights but it is usually more comforstable to skate with and it helps maintain the durability of the tights

2)the type of socks that are best are slightly thin socks but not like extremely thin unless you buy her some skates that are roomy and you can get thicker socks so the skates fit more snug

3)Nicer skates are usually best but when starting you might want to look into some used pairs of decent brands or get her a cheaper typr bnut look like they have good duability. Because just incase she decides to quit skating you dont have to feel like you spent so mcuh money.

4) the skates should fit snug but if you want them roomy so you dont have to spend money on new skates for those growing feet just buy the skates a half size or 1 size bigger and have her wear thicker socks

5)hen skates need to be sharpened i about once a month depending on how dull the blade is or if she likes to skate with them sharpere so that kinda depends on how your daughter likes them

6)skate blades are easy to maintain. they have little covers that kinda are like socks that you put over the blade so it does not get damaged and the only other thing you have to do is get them sharpened and keep them in good shape

7) its just a very popular thing with skaters and people who have lots of sports gear for their sports and no its definatly not needed

Tips:

-Let your daughter get comfortable with skating to make sure its really what she wants to do before you go and spend a whole lot of money on other things some skating coaches claim they NEED when they only WANT the parents to spend more money