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Another beginner here and I had a question for you all. I have flat feet and when I use my skates my feet cramp up real bad. Now these are skate that I got as a gift so I have never been to a store for a fitting so is that the most obvious thing I should do? and What exactly is heat molding?
Heat molding is where the skates are put in a "oven" and heated. This loosens the glue and fabric. Then the skates are put on your feet and you sit with them on (feet at a 90 degree angle) for 15 minutes. When teh skate cools, it will mold around your feel becoming more comfortable. IF you feel any pressure points after that, they can usually heat up that one spot and stretch it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by asaint05
Heat molding is awesome, get it done.
Ok, when I mean my ankles are weak, I mean that I am skating primarly on my inside edges. Not standing straight on the blade.Quote:
Originally Posted by fansince67
I do ski, a lot....but trying to stop on skates feels SO DIFFERENT than on skis. I will try it, but I can predict much pain from failing.
I got to bite the bullet and get some pads.
It does feel different, but that's the best way I can explain it. As far as the ankles, I'm not sure why you're having the problem with new skates. New skates should be very stiff and not broken in at all like rental skates. The problem you're describing is very common to rental skates.Quote:
Originally Posted by Player Misconduct
Hope you don't hurt yourself too bad. It's alot easier to learn when you're young. Good luck to you.
22 is young, but it is not like I am 5. I see those little hooligans fall in ways that would break any adult.
I learned when I was 20... The key is getting the pads and going out there and doing it. The more you do it, the more you try, the more confidence you'll have. The more pads you have on, the less you'll be worried about ending up on your butt or landing on your elbow or things like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Player Misconduct
Get the feel for shaving the ice with your blade. Stand there on one skate and take your other foot and shave the ice out in front of you with the inside of your blade. Think snow plow position. Do it with both skates to get the feel for the pressure on the ice.
Then push off and go slow and do the same thing... one skate out in front, turning it sideways, shaving the ice with the inside of the blade until you stop. Do it with both skates. Get the feel. Then try a little faster and a little faster and soon you'll have the confidence in that method.
After that, you can start using both feet at the same time. Your lead foot will be on the inside edge, your rear foot will be on its outside edge. Give this a while, and get pads before you start getting crazy with it. Once you get crazy, start stopping using only your rear foot on the outside edge.
Have fun!
As has been stated, "baking" the skates is literally putting them in a small oven to warm them up (I wouldn't recommend you do this at home, since the oven they use doesn't get that hot), then you lace them up and let them cool. While this cuts down on break-in time a lot, it doesn't completely eliminate it. Some added break in time will probably be needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by asaint05
Obviously, getting properly fitted at a store is key. If you live here in So. Cal, go down to Hockey Giant in Anaheim or Hockey Monkey in Santa Ana.
As for flat feet, maybe try some superfeet insoles or other orthotics. You can get something like that at the two places I just mentioned.
As for stopping, I still can't do a real hockey stop, but since I'm a goalie, I don't exactly need to either. Usually I just do a two skate snow-plow thing that slows me down quickly as opposed to stopping. Basically, as I skate forwards I point my toes inward and lean more into the instep of my skates. This, I assume, is probably the most basic way of stopping, but it works for me.
Let me thank everybody again for the help you are providing in this thread. I trully log onto LGK for the sole reason to see if anybody has more advice for me (and the other beginners).
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Hopefully I am not annoying about with my rentless stream of questions.
If you have flat feet definitely get foot beds, you can go to REI or the skate shop. If you have skinny feet like me foot beds help to fill the volume of the skate.
Age is something to consider. In a nutshell if you start skating at an early age the muscles develop to mimic the motion it takes to skate. If you start at a later age your muscles will have to compensate to mimic the motion. So it’s a little more difficult to do, but don’t get discouraged.
It sounds like you are ready for lessons, earlier in the thread there were suggestions, seek them out.
In terms of used hockey gear, how much should things cost? When I got to people's houses to try stuff on, how do I know if things fit?
Hopefully people will sell use parts of a set instead of an entire package (helmet, shoulder, elbow, pants, shins, gloves, stick, socks, etc). How much would a used set like that cost?
