New York Ice Skating Rinks

Where to ice skate, play hockey in New York

OK, so maybe you’ll never execute a Triple-Toe-Loop…and the closest you’ve gotten to the Winter Olympics is watching it on TV.  But ice skating is a great activity for everyone.   Whether you’re looking for a way to pry the family off the couch in the dead of winter, need an alternative to the X-Box for the kids, or are looking for a fun date idea, skating is it!

If it’s been awhile since you hit the ice – or are a complete novice – experts offer these suggestions;

• Keep your head up and your knees bent.  This is probably the best piece of advice you’ll get, since it keeps your weight forward.  Leaning backwards is the surest way to take a spill.  Also, if you do fall, its far better to fall on your hands versus your head.

• Get comfortable taking small steps on the ice.  Eventually, you’ll be able to glide on each step.  Work on transferring your weight from one foot to the other, pushing your weight through the balls of the foot.

• Children as young as three or four can start learning the basics of skating. Kids of all ages need proper safety precautions, like a helmet (hey, that ice is HARD!).  Kids who are just learning to skate may find it helpful to push a chair around the ice (within a supervised class, of course).