Ice Skating is a versatile game that has grown over the years. Basic skills of skating can lead to hockey skating, figure skating, and speed skating. Are you wondering if you could transition from figure skates to hockey skates or speed skates? If yes, this post will help you cross any barriers that have stopped you.
Read on as we reveal 11 things you need to know about the transition from figure skates to hockey skates.
- Carryover skills from figure skating to ice hockey is an advantage.
In most Ice skating forums, most people discussions figure skating skill that will enable you to become a better ice hockey player. Professionals advise that you develop the right balance, posture, stroking, and stopping.
For instance, if you are a beginner ice skater and want to learn balance, which involves forward, backward, left, and right stance, you will need to develop those skills faster as a figure skater than if you started playing ice hockey directly. Once you acquire the ability to balance firmly, you will carry them over into ice hockey, and they will help you become a more outstanding player. But, if you are still wondering why you need this balance skill as a hockey player, this simple revelation will convince you.
The hockey skate is rocketed, but there is nothing attached that can halt your movement when you are in motion on ice. But if you have that balance skating skills as a figure skater, it will put you ahead of other players. You will not position yourself as other hockey players who didn’t start as figure skaters that must spread their hands and bend forward to avoid falling. That edge is worth having as you transition into ice hockey.
- The rules are different for hockey and figure skate.
As you are aware, in figure skating, the aim of this sport is to execute movements in graceful manners and do more robust turns and perfects landings to get more points. Ice hockey is a game played on the ice between two teams of six each; the aim is to score the highest points. Some of the Ice hockey rules include no player other than a goalie can handle the Puck. The last stoppage decides the spot of a faceoff in play. Removing the goal from its usual spot attracts a 2-minute slight penalty.
If you score a goal with a puck that goes beyond the crossbar’s height, it shall be nullified. You can substitute players many times apart from when the opposing team ices the Puck or if the referee had reprimanded the player earlier. If there is a stalemate in a game, three players from each side can shoot to determine a winner.
- Hockey skate and figure skate are uniquely built.
Another thing to know is how the skates are built. For example, figure skate comes with a toe pick for jumping and spinning, and it is longer and more substantial than a hockey skate. The Figure skate boot is usually created with leather, and cost more than hockey skate.
As of date, more of these boots are made of synthetic leather with a lining that you can heat mold. Some come with a joint at the ankle for suppleness and side support. The blade is installed separately on the boot and is of different kinds. A few are tapering and thicker in front and slimmer behind, or hollow with denser edges and tinnier center. Others are parabolas with a tiny center and extensive ends for more balance.
The hockey skates have less ankle support compared to figure skates. The hockey boot is stiff and generally made of synthetic material or plastic with the blade installed on the boot’s bottom. It is created to be firm to preserve the skater’s foot from injury from hockey sticks, skates, and the Puck. It is curved up in front and behind and have an extra rocker than that of the figure skate.
- Skating with a bat in hockey
If you want to transition from figure skates to hockey skates, take note of the hockey stick. When you figure skate, you don’t carry any sticks in your hand; instead, you use your hands for balance. In ice hockey, the bat is more like a prop at the initial stages. A player must carry the hockey stick while wearing skates, and it must be under your chin. During the exercise routine, you use either side of the blades to hit the Puck.
Skating with the stick is interesting as you try to control the Puck by passing it to fellow players while the opposing team tries to block your moves. Scoring is the tricky part as the goaltender does their best to prevent the Puck from entering the goal. To score, use the stick to shoot the Puck into the opponent’s goal.
- Getting a feel of the Puck and shooting the Puck
Imagine the routines you perform as a figure skater compared to carrying a stick and moving with skates and pushing the Puck with it. Not to talk of putting on the ice hockey skating gears compared to the elegant figure skate outfit, which shows how different the two games are.
To play the ice hockey game, you must learn how to pass the Puck as you skate around the team members’ rink. To pass the Puck properly, you must assimilate new instructions from your coaches as they keep telling you to keep your head upright, see the Puck slightly ahead as you skate around the neutral area.
After a few training sessions, you will learn to control the Puck better by slanting the stick and getting close to it to shoot it rightly into the air. To execute the shooting of the Puck demands consistent practice sessions.
- No Body contact in Solo figure skating
Another thing to consider as you transition from figure skates to hockey skates is body contact, unlike when you skated solo as a figure skater. Occasionally, players struggled to push each other off the Puck or herd them away from the goalmouth. If that shocks you, let us explain how they play the game.
The duration of the game is 1 hour, with three 20 minutes breaks. When the game stops for any reason, they pause the timer. The teams change sides after the second and third intervals of the game. To start the gameplay, the referee puts the Puck in front of the teams’ central players. There is a faceoff there as they struggle to gain control of the Puck. Besides, the uncontrolled fight of players attempting to shield the goalie might cause you to lean on another player.
- Shooting at the goal
This is another thing that you need to know in the game of ice hockey. You must strike at the goal and try to score. The routine involves skating around the ice, and once you receive a pass from your teammates, you can attempt to score.
To execute the move correctly, you must be balanced; else, you may topple and miss the shot as a beginner. But as you keep practicing, you will get the technique and shoot forcefully and accurately.
- Learning exercise routines
Here is another thing in the transition from figure skates to hockey skates that you must know. Once you know the drill, you will be more confident to play the game like a graceful figure skater. Hockey tactical drills are different. During the exercise routines, lack of understanding of the strange lingo, like F1, D2, F3, and more, might be frustrating at first.
Since you could persist as a beginner figure Skater, you will learn how to do the drill without abandoning the game. The exercise routine might be bumpy at first, but rest assured that it will become less intimidating as you do the training regularly, and you will come to enjoy it.
- Edgework is different
Edge control is a vital part of figure skating and is different when transiting into hockey skates. In Figure skating, you start the sessions by doing figure eight and twists for forty-five minutes, and then they flood the ice, and you begin to perform free skate.
You skate on the outside edge or inside edge without skating on a flat edge. When it is time for the judges to test your ability, they will ask you to do three circles, and check it for size, and flat edges, and how round your circles are.
The more robust the lines are, the better, and the more points you will get for executing them brilliantly. The habit of executing cross overs and pointing your toes as if you were still doing figure skating, during ice hockey drills is one problem you will notice.
In figure skating, you must take off properly, land well when you perform Jumps, maintain excellent footwork, and spins in intricate circles. But in Hockey sessions, the forward and backward edges are the prominent part of the drill. The blades are different, the stance is different, but the ideas are alike. The power skating routines jumps, and spins are absent in the ice hockey routines.
- Hockey is a team sport.
You can perform figure skating alone or in a pair. The skater does all the movements. Winning a competition depend on that skater’s capability and strategy, including their ability to make all the moves to beat other performers. Even when they skate in pairs, their performance still depended on each of them.
That is unlike Hockey players who play in a team made up of five players and the goalie making six in all. During a competition, the team could win more laurels if they all contribute to delivering top-notch performance.
You will learn to be a team player and try to put the team ahead, and not try to win a game by your effort. If the hockey players hope to play and win, they must collaborate fully and perform brilliantly.
- Figure skating and ice hockey skates have distinct advantages.
The two skates have their benefits. See them below.
- Figure skate: A longer blade let the skater gracefully perform curves and do flawless lines. The leather boot supports the ankles, yet it is soft enough to execute jumps and demonstrations that are expected from every figure skater. The skate comes with a toe pick for ease of jumping and spins.
- Hockey Skate: The skate shoe is made from plastic and does not weigh much. It has an extra rocker on each end for effortless movements and enables the skater to smooth turns faster than a figure skater. The skate is stiff and built to protect the skater’s foot from injury, several blows from fellow skater’s hockey sticks, and the Puck.
In Summary
Transiting from figure skates to hockey skates have its demanding sides as you try to learn new skills, perform different drills, work in a team, and score goals. You can transition successfully with some effort and endurance. Act now, take advantage of your figure skating edge, and transition to hockey skates.
