New to hockey (Can't even skate!)

[Sitka]

This is probably the worst advice I've ever seen.

No matter the amount of support, it doesn't crutch the ankles or take the place of strength. The support is mostly comfort and impact related, but can play a small role in ankle strength.

Additionally, not having enough support can lead to ankle problems and bad skating technique which hinders you more than strength

I always recommend getting the best skates you can. Not only are they usually more comfortable, but they'll usually last longer.

Usually, the more expensive a skate is the stiffer it is.

If a skate is too stiff, you won't have proper ankle flexibility and it will affect your stride. If it is too soft, you will feel like you can overpower it when cutting or stopping.

How stiff your skate should be is a function of skating skill and size. Heavier guys and good skaters need stiffer skates. Newer skaters who will be applying less force should go for softer (and cheaper) skates.

 

[biturbo19]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

JoeCool, it will be the lowest level adult league I can find! Right now I am just asking for information. I need to take care of some personal issues before I can dedicate myself to this fully.

One thing a skating instructor once told me years ago. She told me to learn ice skating on figure skates and once you can skate on figure skates then switch to hockey skates. Do you guys agree?

This sounds basically very stupid. As below...

The rockers of the blades between the two are actually quite different, so you end up with completely different strides and stances. I could see in some respects in terms of developing your balance and body awareness to start in figure skates, but that'd more be an overall long term plan thing.

If you're wanting to be ready in 5 months, you'll want to stick with hockey skates - but see if you can find an adult learn to skate program to join to get the ice time and skating technique taught.

The completely different rockered cut of hockey skate blades, along with the extremely different boot make trying to learn to skate as a hockey player by using figure skates basically pretty stupid. But that doesn't make that sort of instruction a bad idea at all.

As a kid, i took a ton of powerskating lessons from an instructor with a figure skating background (a lot of top power skating instructors are from that skating tree because they're extremely attentive to nuance and detail in skating strides and motions, edge control, efficiency, coming from a background where those sort of things are literally judged always). There are some real telltale signs of a figure-skating related background when you watch a lot of really good skaters i think. But in my experience, never once was it suggested that i should be learning with figure skates though...that would be a red flag for me.

But if you want to see the potential benefits of a figure skating background to your skating instruction...Jeff Skinner is the poster boy for that kind of stuff.



Or just watch a highlight video of Skinner like this...don't watch the play, just watch Skinners feet...that's what traces of figure skating in a hockey player look like, and it ain't too bad.

 

[cptjeff]

Those are the benefits of learning how to actually figure skate, not just learning on figure skates. Big difference.

 

[biturbo19]

Those are the benefits of learning how to actually figure skate, not just learning on figure skates. Big difference.

Like i said, major red flag for me if someone is suggesting that you learn on figure skates just to play in hockey skates later.

It doesn't necessarily hurt, but there's really no reason for it at all and it just adds an extra unnecessary step in the process.

 

[blackout44]

The only time I've heard of using figure skates first is when the skater (usually a toddler) is having a horrible time balancing on the rocker of a hockey skate (so they can at least get used to the skating feeling as opposed to falling immediately once they get back on their feet....something just to encourage them). Getting used to the rocker of the hockey skate blade is going to involve many falls whether you are brand new to skating, or have skated on figure skates.

Figure skating lessons (using hockey skates) and edgework, however, could definitely be beneficial as others have already stated. Sure, you won't be able to do jumps in hockey skates as figure skaters use the toe picks (correct me if I'm wrong), but all of the edge fundamentals.... the important stuff for a hockey player, I'd imagine would be very relevant.

 

[Caeldan]

The only time I've heard of using figure skates first is when the skater (usually a toddler) is having a horrible time balancing on the rocker of a hockey skate (so they can at least get used to the skating feeling as opposed to falling immediately once they get back on their feet....something just to encourage them). Getting used to the rocker of the hockey skate blade is going to involve many falls whether you are brand new to skating, or have skated on figure skates.

Figure skating lessons (using hockey skates) and edgework, however, could definitely be beneficial as others have already stated. Sure, you won't be able to do jumps in hockey skates as figure skaters use the toe picks (correct me if I'm wrong), but all of the edge fundamentals.... the important stuff for a hockey player, I'd imagine would be very relevant.

It's tricky but I can manage to do some smaller edge jumps in hockey skates. Toe picks definitely help for a stable takeoff and landing though

 

[sanityplease]

Are you implying the Canadian beer/recreational leagues are at a higher skill level than American beer/rec leagues?

I think what the other poster was implying (& made a really great point) was that hockey is really growing in the US. Which means that there are a lot of people learning the game. So there are likely more beginner leagues available.

Hockey has been the most popular sport in Canada for at least 70 years. A lot of leagues here are difficult to get into even if you've played for 20 years. It's even harder for beginners to get in. I play in an over 35 league, %90 of the players have skated all of their lives. A lot of the teams have basically played together since they were 5-6 years old, they play a very advanced level of hockey with structure & systems to their game, even though the individual players are not exceptionally skilled.