Proper Blade Care

It is important to take good care of ice skates, especially when you move from rental skates to your own pair.  Skate blades are one of the most important components of the skates as it affects your speed and balance and the precision of your jumps, spins and turns.  You should always wear skate guards when you are walking in your skates around the rink and use skating soakers once you've taken off your skates and dried them ready to be packed away. 

My skating guards for my freestyle figure skates and ice dance skates

Your blades must be kept dry, clean and safe to prevent any damage. You want to make sure your blades are protected from rocks, metal, cement or wood because they can result in nicks and scratches on your blades.  Once your blades are damaged, it will result in uneven skating and negatively impact your performance. To prevent this from happening, you should buy skate guards from any local skate shop or online. A recommended brand would be Rockerz which is what I have and I customized my own guards with different colors.  Unless you're on the ice, skate guards should always be worn.  The guards will keep your blades shielded and protected. One important thing to keep in mind when it comes to your skate guards is to take them off when you are about to get on the ice. If you forget to take off your guards, it will be impossible for you to stand on the ice.  Your skates will slide from under you and you will crash hard onto the ice.  Although it's the funniest thing to see, it's quite embarrassing for the person who fell and he/she looks like such an idiot; however, it's bound to happen because we all do it at least once in our lives.  When you take the guards off , make sure you carry them with you onto the ice so that you can put them back on the moment you get off the ice.  To maintain your guards, you should often clean out the insides because they accumulate dirt and grit over time which can be abrasive to your blades.

My soakers are always on my skates when I'm not on ice and they keep my blades dry and protected

When you're finished skating, you should quickly use a clean absorbent towel to wipe the blades dry to get rid of excess water. Water can lead to rust and deterioration of the metal and once your blades have rusted, it can never hold an edge again. So, it is extremely important to keep your blades dry and avoid water damage. You should definitely invest in skating soakers because they're made of terry cloth and are the best material for keeping blades dry and protected. Even after drying your blades, it will still be wet because the metal blades will be cold and after some time, there will be more water formed from condensate due to the warmer room temperature. The soakers will draw off any remaining water and keeps the blades dry until your next skate.  There are some really cute soaker styles out there - besides different colors, there are various animal skating soakers and some even make the sounds of the animals they represent!  My soakers are just plain purple which is my favorite color.  

The better you take care of your blades, the longer they last.  Skates are an expensive investment. When you advance to higher level skating, you will buy your blades separate from your boots and the blades can cost as much as $500-$700!  So, it's wise to take good care of your skate blades.

How to Properly Tie Skates

As with any new sport, the start of Learn to Skate attracts many excited yet confused parents. If you are concerned about properly tying skates, don't worry - you're not alone. It is definitely a complicated process - they are often too tight, too loose, wrong size, etc. It is important to tie skates properly because it will affect your child’s experience on the ice. I often have to retie skates for students during the lesson and this is counterproductive because it wastes time and takes my attention away from other students. Each lesson is only 30 minutes, so in order to maximize the little time we have, all students’ skates should be tied properly before the lesson begins.

Tying the skates is extremely important in terms of providing comfort as well as ensuring the efficiency of the skates. Skates that are too loose can cause wobbliness and the risk of a twisted ankle, while skates that are too tight may prevent proper foot movement such as bending and pushing. To begin with, make sure you receive the correct size rental skate and that your foot fits snugly inside. There should be room to wiggle your toes, however not too much room that your entire foot can slide around. Begin with the laces closest to the toes and tighten them by pulling until it is secure. These laces are only meant to keep your foot in place, so they do not need to be extremely tight or constricting. Tie each lace slightly tighter than the last as you go up the boot. When you finish tightening the laces, you will reach the ankle which is the most crucial part of tying skates. The ankle requires the most support so it is important to make this as snug as possible to prevent any foot movement on the ice. After tying a secure knot on the ankle, work your way up the remainder of the boot by looping the laces around the hooks. These laces should be tight as well since they will prevent the skaters’ foot from shifting on the ice. When both skates are finished, make sure your child is capable of bending his/her knees and walking properly. There should not be room for the heel to lift while walking, but there should be room for toe movement. Listen to your child and adjust his/her skates based on how tight or loose they feel they are. As usual, the skaters’ comfort is of utmost importance.