| Skating does not mean simply gliding and moving on | | | | to the gliding foot, and weight is once again evenly |
| ice. There are specific techniques involved in order to | | | | distributed on both limbs. The previously gliding foot is |
| get to a certain point while doing certain moves. These | | | | then used to push against the ice, while the other foot |
| techniques are sculling, stroking, and crossovers. | | | | is the one used to glide. The 45-degree angle between |
| In order to skate forward or backward without lifting | | | | the skates needs to be maintained between glides. |
| either skate, you will have to use the sculling technique. | | | | Again, for continuous stroking, one merely needs to |
| Before you can scull by yourself, you have to get | | | | repeat the steps. |
| away from the rink barrier, so that you avoid the | | | | The third technique, called crossover, is |
| possibility of hitting it in the event of a fall while sculling, | | | | self-explanatory. One leg, or the outside skate, crosses |
| and learn quicker to scull because of the removal of | | | | over the other, the inside skate, while gliding forward or |
| the railings for support, thereby having more focus on | | | | skating backwards. This is especially useful around |
| the undertaking. Sculling is performed by first standing | | | | corners because it is perfect for changing directions. It |
| with weight evenly distributed on both feet and arms | | | | is a must not just around corners but also when going |
| on both sides. The knees are bent and ankles | | | | in circles and building speed. It is only difference from |
| tightened, then the toes are turned out away from | | | | stroking is the crossing over of the legs. To do a right |
| each other, with shifts in weight until the legs separate | | | | over left crossover, the stance is similar to that of |
| and straighten. The toes are then turned toward each | | | | stroking, but the right leg crosses over the left leg then |
| other, just like pigeon toes. The steps are merely | | | | the weight is transferred to the right skate. The left |
| repeated for continuous sculling. | | | | knee is then straightened, and used to push with its |
| The second, equally important technique to be aware | | | | outside edge. The process is just repeated for another |
| of is stroking, the use of only one foot for gliding. With | | | | crossover. |
| one foot forward while both skates touch each other | | | | Aside from these three, there are other similarly |
| in a 45-degree angle, the entire body weight is first on | | | | essential techniques, such as doing spins and spirals, |
| the foot that is on the back. With movement, the | | | | getting up on skates in the event of a fall, learning how |
| weight is shifted to the foot that is in front, while the | | | | to stop, and some footwork sequences. These cannot |
| left is used to push the body. The skater then glides | | | | be learned by merely reading, though. One has to go |
| using the foot that was initially in front. Once the glide | | | | through the steps in a real skating rink in order to truly |
| slows down, the other foot is once again placed next | | | | learn them by heart. |