Learning In Hockey Skates

[batonstar]

Is it possible to learn spin jumps such as toe loops in hockey skates?

[blackmanskating]

It would be pretty dangerous to attempt a toe assisted jump like a toeloop without a toepick. You could do edge jumps on hockey skates (Loop, salchow, waltz/axel) but I would leave the other 3 jumps alone. If your picking foot slips, down you go. . . .painfully.

Spins will be more challenging as well because hockey skates don't really have a rocker. The middle of the blade is almost flat and it curves sharply at the front and at the back. 3 turns are difficult on hockey skates so if you can manage to spin on them, then my hats off to you!!!


BlackManSkating

[Sessy]

I've seen hockeyers try to mimic my toe jumps with VERY sorrowful results (one guy had to be taken off-ice after landing jaw-first on the ice)
I've also seen hockeyers try to mimic my spins with approximately the same results.

I'm gonna guess no, you need toepicks for toe-assisted jumps like the lutz, flip and toe-loop, and you need the distance between the first toepick and the middle of the blade to do spins.

You could probably try salchows, loops and waltz jumps though. Although landing those will be difficult because of the short length of the blade which touches the ice in hockey skates.


I'd say get used figure skates :)

[blackmanskating]

I've seen hockeyers try to mimic my toe jumps with VERY sorrowful results (one guy had to be taken off-ice after landing jaw-first on the ice)
I've also seen hockeyers try to mimic my spins with approximately the same results.

I'm gonna guess no, you need toepicks for toe-assisted jumps like the lutz, flip and toe-loop, and you need the distance between the first toepick and the middle of the blade to do spins.

You could probably try salchows, loops and waltz jumps though. Although landing those will be difficult because of the short length of the blade which touches the ice in hockey skates.


I'd say get used figure skates :)


It is unanimous!!!! :) My suggestion to you would be to buy skates that are designed to accommodate the skating elements you would like to do.

BlackManSkating

[Laura H]

My DS was in hockey skates before he realized he was a figure skater :halo: . . . he almost knocked a tooth out in his learn to skate class learning 3-turns in hockey skates . . . not long after that I broke down and got him the figure skates. Not that I didn't want him to have figure skates, I just couldn't believe that he would stick with it . . . happy to have been proven wrong as he is now working on his axel!! :giveup:

So yeah, would definitely recommend figure skates if that's the road you plan on taking . . . will make everything so much easier to learn.

[Thin-Ice]

Several years ago I was at a Synchro competition, and the Seattle Adult team had two guys skating with them. Our team had four guys.. so the guys were hanging out together and trading stories about what it's like to be "the guy" or "the guys" in Synchro.

One of their guys skated in hockey skates, so one of our guys asked him if he ever had any grief from the women on their team about wearing hockey skates, and he said never... because he could do anything they could.. including jumps. Our guys figured he meant maybe a waltz jump.

He was not the most graceful skater, but boy did he have power-a-plenty.. and at the end of their practice, when we were getting ready to take the ice for our practice, he yelled across the ice at our guys to "Watch this!" -- and he launched into a LUTZ!8O We all stood and applauded. I have NO idea how he managed to do it (unless it was a toeless lutz, as they teach in ISI).. but it was awesome. We later asked how he learned to do that and he said one of the women on his team taught him, before he knew you weren't supposed to be able to do big jumps in hockey skates.

[Mrs Redboots]

The basic skating skills you need are exactly the same in all the disciplines, but once you start working on specific figure-skating skills, you need figure-skating blades.

[CanAmSk8ter]

In a word, no. You can't do a technically correct toe-loop, flip, or lutz without a toe pick.

I've known a couple of coaches who had grown up both playing hockey and figure skating, and they could do some pretty impressive single jumps and compulsory dances in hockey skates. But they were both very accomplished figure skaters (one an Olympic Team member, one a national champion in juniors) who had learned to do those things in figure skates. Kurt Browning can do a lot of jumps in hockey skates, but again, he learned to do them in figure skates.

Given what you've said you've taught youself already, you really need to get into a good pair figure skates, especially if you'd ever want to take tests or compete in figure skating. As it is, you're almost certainly going to have relearn some stuff both because you'll have a different blade and because you're self-taught.

[Coldfete]

See: http://figureskating.about.com/od/skatingstarsofthepas1/youtube/hockeyskates.htm

[sue123]

My psuedo cousin is an excellent hockey player, with really great skating skills. I'm not just bragging either, it really is true, he's taken lessons with figure skaters and speed skaters and incorporates a little of it all into his skating. So anyway, he can do a few jumps in hsi hockey skates, he does waltz jumps, loops, nad sals. And he lands better then when I land a jump. So it's probably not impossible, but if you want to figure skate, buy yourself some figure skates nad blades.

[doubletoe]

If you land a jump slightly forward on the blade in figure skates (and it happens fairly often), you are saved by your toepick. If you do the same thing in hockey skates, it can end up in a face plant. 8O And that can happen on any jump, regardless of whether it's a toe takeoff or edge takeoff.

[dooobedooo]

Why do you want hockey skates - is it because the boots look cooler? Or maybe because they are a bit cheaper?

[Sessy]

He was not the most graceful skater, but boy did he have power-a-plenty.. and at the end of their practice, when we were getting ready to take the ice for our practice, he yelled across the ice at our guys to "Watch this!" -- and he launched into a LUTZ!8O We all stood and applauded. I have NO idea how he managed to do it (unless it was a toeless lutz, as they teach in ISI).. but it was awesome. We later asked how he learned to do that and he said one of the women on his team taught him, before he knew you weren't supposed to be able to do big jumps in hockey skates.

Sure, if you wanna miss a tooth or two.

[Skittl1321]

With all the examples of doing figure skating tricks in Hockey Skates- it's probably important to note that all of the skaters mentioned seem to have strong basic skills before launching into these jumps.

I don't think it is advisable to LEARN skating for figure skating in hockey skates- but once you are a really strong skater- lots of hockey players will attempt to jump or spin for laughs.

[Sessy]

I don't think it is advisable to LEARN skating for figure skating in hockey skates- but once you are a really strong skater- lots of hockey players will attempt to jump or spin for laughs.

I think you hit the nail right on the head there. 8-)

[skatingdoris]

I absolutley agree with what everyone has said here, yes if you want to learn to jump and spin learn to do it properly with the right skates.

However jumps can be done in hockey skates,

one of the coaches at my old rink wears hockey skates when he is stewarding and I have seen him land a triple loop in them - it wasn't very gracefull though! Also one of the boys there (junior level I think) can land a triple toe loop in his hockey skates8O Its his party trick!

But like others have said these are high level figure skaters - and did not learn to jump in hockey skates.

[Skittl1321]

I'm kind of confused how it is possible to do a toe jump without a toe pick. Are they just jamming the front of their skate into the ice?

[Lmarletto]

I'm kind of confused how it is possible to do a toe jump without a toe pick. Are they just jamming the front of their skate into the ice?
Yeah, the point where the metal blade fits into the plastic blade holder forms a sort of knobby one-pick toe pick. Since the "pick" doesn't give anywhere near the security of a real one, it makes proper technique *a lot* more difficult. It's also *really* bad for the hockey skates. The blade/plastic junction is not designed to be slammed straight down into the ice. My son's hockey skates cost almost as much as his sister's figure skates and I'd be mighty peeved if he broke them fooling around with toe jumps.

[FSWer]

Say,we know it is impossible to do them CORRECTLY. But is it actually possible to do any moves in some way? IIn which case it may be DIFICULT...but not impossible?

[WeirFan06]

A few years ago my ex-dance coach's skates were stolen out of his car the day before he had to partner his student for her pre-silver (I think) test. Acutally I'm not sure if it was pre-silver, but I know it wasn't one of the easier tests. Anyway, growing up he played hockey and did figure skating, so he just decided to skate the test in his hockey skates. He did fine in them, and she passed easily. Not knowing the actual test, I'm not sure how many difficult moves were involved, but to me, the simple fact that he didn't fall on his face made me :bow:

[Award]

Spins will be more challenging as well because hockey skates don't really have a rocker. The middle of the blade is almost flat and it curves sharply at the front and at the back. 3 turns are difficult on hockey skates so if you can manage to spin on them, then my hats off to you!!!

3 turns are very simple with hockey skates hehe... because the skates are very rockered! Doing spins in hockey skates is not difficult either. I have used hockey skates in the past, which do feel different from figure skates and takes time to get used to. But then again, even changing from one pair of figure skates to a different model of figure skates can take time to get used to as well. But I can say from my experience that once you have gotten the feel of hockey skates, you can easily maintain a long, fast, and centered spin in them. It is no problem. Although it does help to have a good fitting so the feet and ankles are well supported. You can do spins, power pulls (forward and reverse), ina bauer and simple jumps. But obviously you can't do moves that requires toe picks.

But after getting the feel of hockey skates, then jumping back into figure skates can feel weird yet again, because the body must re-adjust to the different rockering.