IT’S a pastime that many of us enjoy over the festive period.
But unless you’re an ice skating pro, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll take a tumble on the rink.
However, one professional skater has changed the game by revealing a secret trick that means you’ll never fall over on the ice – even if you’re a total newbie.
The certified skating instructor took to TikTok to share five tips to help people, especially first-time skaters, on the ice.
Firstly, to stand still on the ice, you just need to lock your heels together – with your feet in a ‘V’ position.
When you’re feeling more confident, you can use a “scooter push” to propel yourself along the ice.
To do that, put one leg behind you and push off, as you would if you were on a scooter.
Or you can try a “duck walk”.
For this, keep your skates in a V position, and then slowly walk along the ice.
To stop when you’re skating on the ice, bring one skate in front of you and turn it horizontally, which is called a “plow stop”.
It’s also important to bend your knees when ice skating.
And as for his secret tip – if you hold your knees, you will “never fall”.
He had been responding to someone who wrote on a previous video “y’all underestimate new skaters”.
And in the video caption, he added: “Not with the secret tip I give at the end!
“I promise you will look like a pro your first time ice skating.”
People were quick to comment on the video, with one writing: “I’ve been figure skating for 9 years and ima tell you right now, I know it feels excessive but BEND YOU KNEES!!!!
“Like to a point it feels exaggerated”.
“You forgot, don’t lean back, always have a forward stance, same with skateboarding,” another added.
“Good tips!” a third praised.
While someone else insisted they’d “take notes” while watching the clip ahead of their next skating session.
“I definitely needed this!” someone else wrote.
“Thanks I’m going ice skating on Saturday so this helped!” another added.
But others used the comments section to share the injuries they’d sustained while ice skating.
“My first time ice-skating, I fractured both my tibia and my fibula and had to get a metal rod in my leg,” one wrote.
“Never again!”
“I broke my leg first time trying HAHAHA,” another added.
“I injured my tailbone my first time ice skating and I’m traumatised,” a third admitted.
“My aunt went ice skating with me and she fell and almost broke her spine,” someone else commented.
“I just went skating for the first time this year and left with a fractured ankle,” another said.
