Wobbly ankles were the reason I never became an accomplished figure skater. Okay, there may have been others, such as a fear of having my body splatter across a cold, hard surface and my tendency to engage in sports in which grace is not a prerequisite. But wobbly ankles always were my biggest obstacle. I just figured that I was born with weak ankles. My perception changed a few days ago when I took a skating lesson.
Bob Mock, an instructor at a Pittsburgh ice arena, prescribed an instant cure: ”Wear skates that are one to 1 1/2 sizes smaller than your shoe size.” I was sure he was wrong, but I played along. My shoe size is 8 1/2 so I shoved my feet into a size 7 skate. Mock laced the boots tightly.
”My toes feel like they are curling under,” I said. ”I can feel the end of the boots.”
”That`s good,” Mock said. ”The boots should feel tight, even a little uncomfortable. . . . People want to wear skates that feel like tennis shoes and boots are just not going to fit that way.”
The tightness seemed to disappear once I skated onto the ice. Either that or my feet had gone numb. But my ankles didn`t wobble, not one bit. And that made a difference.
I felt more stable, more secure. The fact that I was clinging to Mock`s hand or jacket probably helped.
The first thing I learned on the ice was how to fall.
”Every beginner has to do this,” said Mock, a nationally ranked figure skater in the early 1970s. ”It helps to take the fear away.”
Somehow, I couldn`t picture Peggy Fleming working on her crash technique. But I decided to follow Mock`s instructions. Besides, I didn`t think falling would be anything I would have to work at very long. I was right. You could say I`m a natural. Getting up was slightly more challenging.
From there, we moved to forward glides and forward bubbles. The latter involves generating momentum by moving the blades together and apart (drawing small bubbles on the ice) without lifting either foot. I also tried backward bubbles, a few crossover steps and a snow-plow stop. My legs were beginning to ache.
At the end of the session, Mock tested me on glides, bubbles and a backward skating technique. I passed, no sweat.
My reward was a Pre-Alpha badge. It indicated that I had passed the first of five basic skills tests administered by the Ice Skating Institute of America, which governs recreational skating.
My confidence was soaring. I decided to go for broke:
”How long would it take me to master a Hamill Camel?”
The move, created by former Olympics figure skater Dorothy Hamill, involves spinning in a circle while leaning forward over the ice and extending one leg behind you. Nothing to it.
Mock hedged.
”It would probably take a year or so to be able to do a two-foot spin in a circle,” he said.
He didn`t say how long it would take to learn the Hamill Camel. I took that to mean it would take a long time.
Guess I won`t be appearing in the next Winter Olympics. But I discovered that you don`t have to be an Olympics-caliber skater to compete. There are competitions for skaters of all skill levels and ages. Officials at local skating rinks can provide details.
I decided that the thing I enjoyed most about skating was that it was
”fun exercise.” I didn`t realize I was working hard physically because I was busy learning new skills. It was challenging.
Here are other lessons I learned:
– Skating is a form of aerobic exercise. It can be compared to brisk walking or jogging. It is possible to burn 300 to 400 calories in 30 minutes. – The primary muscles used in skating are those in the upper legs and buttocks.
– Recreational skating is inexpensive. Fees for public sessions are about $3.50 per person. Rental skates generally cost about $1.50 a pair.
– Wearing two pairs of socks inside your skates creates more wrinkles and friction, which usually causes blisters. Wearing one pair of thin socks is best.
