Finding a hobby as a child can be difficult, however with the additional support and guidance from your parents it takes the pressure off you a bit. But when you are looking at taking up a new hobby as an adult it is a completely different feeling overall. You have to be the driving force being attending the new class or activity and grab the bull by the horns. This takes a lot of courage, but it will turn out to be very beneficial in the end.
With figure skating, many skaters start at a young age where the fear of falling is little to none existent. However when learning to skate as an adult you will be much more weary of the environment you are in which makes you more tentative when on the ice. But this shouldn’t put you off wanting to get on the ice and give it a go. Whether you have had experience during a public session or you are completely new to the concept of skating, attending a learn to skate class at your local rink will be really beneficial when it comes to gaining confidence on the ice.
Some rinks may offer an adults only course which means that you will be able to mix with people roughly around your age and experience level. However, on the off chance your rink offers group tuition based on experience rather than age, you may find yourself among skaters of a younger age who may be of a higher level than you. This can be intimidating in some situations, but what you would need to remember is that everyone had to start somewhere. So that thirteen year old child who is gliding around the rink without a care in the world, was in the same position as you once, barely able to move without being unsteady.
By attending a class specially designed to teach you the basics of skating, you will be able to learn the ropes from a trained professional who will assist and guide you through each move until it feels comfortable. When you first attend a learn to skate class, you may find yourself using the hire skates which means that you will not be using the same spec of skates as maybe someone else in the class who has been a few times and purchased their own. This should not put you off trying the sport, as after all you would need to get the feel of skating before you commit to investing in your own pair of skates. Hire skates are good for complete beginners as their blades are very basic and often lack the inclusion of a pick. But when you look into ordering your own you will find that their blades are much different as they will be better suited for higher levels which contain spins and jumps.
Once you have attended a few learn to skate classes you will start to recognize regular attendees and form friendships and bonds around skating. This is a fantastic way to keep yourself motivated to going to the classes as well as encouraging and supporting one another on your new journey of learning to skate. A friendly face most certainly takes the pressure off a stressful situation if you are struggling to master a new move in the lesson.
Personally, I started my skating journey by attending a learn to skate class as an adult and definitely found it informative and motivational with pursuing my interesting the sport. Since starting their 6 week set course when I was 19 years old, I was able to make a bond with one of the tutors who is now my coach. I now have one on one tuition with my coach which I find much better compared to a group session as I am now learning more complex moves which aren’t often covered in a learning course. Five years on since I first ever took my steps out onto ice I am now working towards the NISA Level 1 exam after passing Skate UK 1-10 and Bronze to Gold.
Skating takes time and patience to master, but those little moments where a move works in a way you never expected it to, those are the moments which make all the stress and bad skates worth it. So if you are contemplating giving skating a go I would highly recommend it, don’t worry about the other people attending the classes, just do your best and have fun.
– Loren
IG – loren_skates
