Ice skating general

Is ice-skating good exercise? Are you wondering if you should head to the rink for your workout? Below you will find the benefits of ice skating in terms of mental and physical health.

Summary - Is ice skating good exercise?

#1 - The Skating Happiness Boost

All workouts are a great way to relieve stress. The physical activity releases endorphins.

But ice skating brings much more than that. It has special benefits compared to other sports that, in my biased opinion, make it one of the greatest sports to enjoy. I call it the skating happiness boost. Those are:

• The boost in self-confidence from learning to master the balance. You are being thrown out of your walking comfort zone, and, mastering a completely new way of moving is very satisfying
• The boost in pleasure from gliding over the ice. It is like no other feeling (well a little bit like skiing or roller blading to be honest). The wind on your face and body and as you move faster and faster, it makes you focus on the present. But be warned, the feeling is addictive.

#2 - It improves Balance - One of the great benefits of ice skating

#3 - It improves Motor Coordination

#4 - It increases Joints Flexibility - Health benefits of ice skating

Ice skating is also recognized for improving joints flexibility.  Skating is even said by some to be more beneficial than cycling and running, because it works on many more joints and muscles, and is low impact.

The constant movement of joints without massive impact helps indeed strengthen the ligaments and connective tissue around the joints and produce synovial fluid to keep them lubricated.

If you don't jump, ice skating workouts are low impact. So, it is a great way to get physical exercise for people with joint pain.

#5 - It builds muscles & improves posture

Ice skating also builds up the leg and abdominal muscles.
Those are the muscles that benefit the most when skating (even at leisure pace) - they increase in mass and are strengthened and toned:

• hips,
• hamstrings,
• quadriceps
• calves,
• abdomen,
• pelvic floor muscles (being stretched in multiple dimensions which is good for women in perimenopause who have stress incontinence),
• back muscles (great for people with some back issues),
• gluteus maximus.
• but also, the arms and more!

Some even say that ice skating also provides anaerobic benefits such as those of light weightlifting exercises because of the constant state of contraction of the muscles.

The balancing on a thin blade of metal makes the skater contract all the muscles of the abdomen and the legs. The result is stronger core muscles which are essential for a good posture.

#6 - It increases Cardio Health and Endurance

Like any workout, ice skating gets blood pumping and the heart rates up. So, it is great for cardiovascular health.
But the advantage of ice skating over other cardio workouts is that it is low impact (if you don't jump). The consistent effort of stroking, while using your arms to balance yourself, will increase your heart rate. Even if you are just in a recreational setting, simply skating around the rink, it is evaluated to be similar to walking up a hill or light jogging.

And because you keep turning around the rink for a long period of time, contracting muscles and elevating your heart rate, you are building endurance.
Your legs are constantly in motion. The longer you skate, the more you’ll improve your endurance.

Biomechanically, it is considered to combine some benefits of running and swimming.

#7 - It helps with Weight Management

Of course, like any sport, ice skating helps with weight management when combined with a healthy diet.
The advantage is that, if you are overweight, the low impact of ice skating will not damage your articulations.

Since it increases you heart rate, you might be wondering how many calories you are burning while skating. There are big variations is estimates: between 200 and 650 per hour. It is hard to identify as it depends on your weight and how much of an effort you are doing for balance and speed.

How to stay safe

Of course, to be able to enjoy all those benefits, you must be ice skating in good condition.

Skates in good condition

First, you need to wear skates in good condition:

• The boot is still strong enough
• The blades must have been sharpened
• You are tying your skates properly (articles to be published)

Wear proper equipment

Wear appropriate clothing that keeps you warm and doesn't hinder your movements.
It is a good idea to wear gloves in order to keep warm.
If your balance is really not good, you can wear protection pads for your first few sessions until you feel comfortable.

Take it as a workout

A lot of people go ice skating as a leisure activity and don't take is as a workout, and it is a long one!
Therefore, they do not engage in the proper acts to take care of their body.
When going ice skating you should:

• Warm up before
• Bring a bottle of water to hydrate during the session
• Stretch after.

You might also be interested in:

Wondering what to buy as a beginner ice skater? Hockey skates vs figure skates - which ones to choose?
Below are explanations about:

• their technical differences (boots and blades),
• and the pros and cons for beginners,
• the best option to start ice skating.

This article may contain affiliate Links (info on the Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to buy for a beginner? Hockey skates or figure skates - summary

First, there is no better skate or better sport between figure skating and hockey.
There are often small conflicts between hockey skaters and figure skaters or people skating with hockey skates or figure skates.
But both allow impressive moves. Don't let people tell you what is supposed to be 'cooler' to wear.

Hockey skates vs Figure skates - which ones to choose:

Whatever the chosen sport, the beginner has to learn a set of basic skating skills: balance, posture, stopping, stroking.
You can learn with both types of skates. However, it is often considered that the long blade of figure skates makes it easier to get balance at the beginning.
I think you should choose your skates based on your skating objectives.
Below are more detailed answers based on different situations.

If you do know what sport you want to practice

If you already know you want to do figure skating or hockey. Then no need to wonder. Just start learning on the right skates for your sport.
If you want to speed, turn, stop fast choose the hockey skate.
If you want to jump and spin, choose figure skates.

If you just want to skate as fast as possible

If you just want to have fun during public skating session and be able to go as fast as possible, then hockey skates are for you. Just know that it will take a little bit more time to get the balance (unless you are used to roller blading)

If you want to feel safer at the beginning and progress faster

Figure skates have longer blades with toe picks. It is easier to find balance with them. So, most people feel safer when starting with figure skates.
Therefore beginners normally progress faster with figure skates.

And check out my Top 10 First time ice skating tips for beginners

Should my child start with figure skates or hockey skates?

Considering it is easier to find balance with figure skates, it is often a better choice for young kids. They will feel more confident fast.
Anyway the choice of ice skates for toddlers is limited. Check out my article about the best options.

Whichever skates you choose, ice skating is great exercise with many benefits.

Hockey skates or figure skates - differences in the boots

The main difference between the hockey skating boots and the figure skating boots are in their respective designs. While figure skating boots consist of multiple layers of leather, which makes them highly expensive, the boots worn by the hockey skater are made up of both leather and light plastics and are relatively cheaper.

Figure skating boots characteristics

• they have a small outer heel and a wooden sole inside to provide extra comfort;
• they are light, short and thin as compared to hockey skating boots when placed side by side;
• they are shaped specifically for performing precision moves and not speed runs as is deemed necessary for ice hockey skating.

Ice Hockey boots characteristics

• they are solely meant to cater to good support of the feet in order to make standing erect easy, something which is not a requirement for figure skating boots; 
• they are taller, thicker and are heavily padded with foam to safeguard against collision with other hockey players and hits from hockey sticks and the puck;
• they are designed to take all kinds of abuse, for a long stretch of time.

Comparing the hockey and figure skating blades

Figure skating blades 

The blades under the boots of a figure skater have a serrated edge, known as a toe pick, which allows the skater to perform various routines like jumping, spinning, stopping, etc. quite effectively. 

Figure skating blades are longer and extend to the length of the boot
They are also wider and heavier than the blades on the hockey skating boots.
The blades are fixed to the boot by a pair of plates known as toe and heel plates.

Hockey blades

Hockey skating blades are narrow and deep so as to allow the player free movement at high speeds.
The blades are slightly curved at the back and front and do not extend beyond the length of the boot. They are more rounded and have less edges.
They are also comparatively much lighter than ice skating blades due to the smaller size.
The blades are fixed to the boots by a solid piece of plastic called tuuk. 

Types of skating possible with figure vs hockey skates

Why choose Figure skates?

Pros of the figure skate

• PRECISION - The longer blade allows the skater to carve better arcs and more perfect lines.
• SUPPORT & FLEXIBILITY - The boot is tight enough to support the ankle, but flexible enough to flex and jump
• TOE PICK - The toe pick helps the skater execute jumps and pivots.

Advantages for the beginner

For a beginner, the figure skates are often considered a better option because they feel more stable: the blade is longer, the toe pick stops the skater from going too far forward on the blade and the tail prevents from leaning too far back.
The beginner often uses the toe pick to propel, getting speed faster at the beginning (even though it is not a good idea to propel with the toe pick).

What are figure skates best shaped for?

The skates are shaped to perform precision moves while gilding and acrobatic moves such as: 

• Jumps: axel, lutz, salchow, to loop...
• Spins: turning fast on one foot in various positions
• Technical turns: rocker, twizzles

You won't be able to perform such moves with hockey skates.

Why choose Hockey skates?

Pros of the hockey skates

• PROTECTION - The boots protect the feet against the blades of other players and pucks flying at full speed
• SPEED - The lighter weight allows players to skate fast and stop fast
• TURNS - The blades are more curved at both ends. It makes it easier to turn for the skater.

Advantages for the beginner

For a beginner, the hockey skate option should not be overlooked. Especially if you are looking for speed. They are made for it.
Plus, as I said with the figure skates, beginners use the toe pick for propulsion which is not a good technic. With the hockey skate, there is no risk of doing that.
And hockey skates are lighter (in weight), so you can practice longer before fatigue sets in.

What are hockey skates best shaped for?

The skates are shaped to perform maneuvers and quick reflex movements such as: 

• Starting fast - being explosive to chase the opponent
• Stopping fast, scraping the flat part of the blade over the ice surface
• Turning fast / changing direction - the puck flies all across the rink and you have to change directions very quickly.

Which skates to buy for beginners?

Based on all the explanations above, I hope you have been able to decide on your type of skates.

Now, if you are looking for help choosing between the large quantity of options, check out my various articles, depending on your situation: 

• Check our my tips and reviews to choose the best skates for beginners adults and teens
• or my article about the best toddler ice skates
• Or for little hockey player - the best hockey skates for kids
• Or for little girls, the best girl ice skates

Suggestion beginner figure skates

Suggestion beginner hockey skates

How to take care of your skates

Irrespective of your choice between the two games, skates make up a vital part of the equipment of any player and are required to be serviced regularly in order to be in tip top condition at all times:

• Make sure the blades get sharpened regularly,
• Wear skate guards whenever walking off the ice,
• Dry your blades thoroughly after practice,
• Inside the bag, protect your blades with soakers,
• Once at home, take your skates out of the bag to dry,
• Carry your skates in a bag to protect them.

You can find all my tips to take care of your skates in this article.

Figure skates vs hockey skates - FAQs

Is it easier to skate in figure or hockey skates?

Figure skates are generally consider easier to skate in for beginners because the shape of the blade distributes weight more evenly over the foot and the skater has more balance. over the foot, making it easier to balance. 

Can you figure skate with hockey skates?

No.
You can manage basic figure skating moves with hockey skates. However, since the blade is completely different (curve, toe picks...), you cannot reproduce figure skating moves with hockey skates.

Are figure skates good for beginners?

Absolutely. Figure skates offer great balance, compared to other types of skates, which is best for beginners. The skaters feels more confidence.

Which is harder hockey or figure skating?

There is no right answer here. Both sports have difficulties and require a lot of practice to master.
They are so different, it is impossible to compare. They just have the ice rink in common.
However, in terms of difficulty of skating, figure skating is harder considering the variety of moves required.

Are figure skaters faster than hockey players?

That is a fight often discussed between teens.
On a short race (or burst of skating link in playing hockey), hockey skates have the advantage.
However, if skating for a longer time, the length of the strides the figure skaters create would prove and advantage.
But all of them will be beaten by the speed skater anyway.

More articles about figure skating:

• The essential pieces of figure skating equipment you need - read article
• Best ice skating bags to carry your skates - read article
• Best ice skate towels to dry out blades - read article
• Figure skating training clothes - tips + 5 looks - read article

Which of the ice skating sports is right for you? The best-known ice sports are ice hockey and figure skating. But there are many others... Here is an introduction to the different sports activities you can do in an ice rink, on skates or shoes, or on an ice track. What will you choose?

The different types of ice skating sports

The main types are:

• Figure skating - for people looking for a more artistic sport
• Ice Hockey - for a team sport
• Speed skating - for those looking to push their physical performance

They have various disciplines you can practice, and I will introduce them in this article.

Despite happening in the same ice rink, these sports are radically different, even in their equipment:

Other sports on ice also exist where you don't need to wear skates: Bobsleigh, Luge, Skeleton, Curling

The figure skating sports

Figure skating - single (Men & Women)

Figure skating - pairs

• Introduction -
  Similar to Single figure skating - skaters do side by side jumps and pirouettes but also combined elements with spirals, above the head lifts and figures where the man throws the woman into a jump.
• What is needed to practice - 
  Same as single
• Origin - 
  The history of pair figure skating developed with the single sport.
• Olympic history - 
  Joined the Olympics at the same time
• Famous sportsperson from the US -
  Kitty and Peter Carruthers, Vivian and Ronald Joseph, Nancy and Ronald Ludington

Ice Dance

Synchronized skating

Theater on ice

• Introduction -
  Know as ballet on ice in Europe, it consists in 8 to 30 skaters telling a story together. It combines figure skating, theater and dance.
  2 programs are being performed: the free skate and the choreographic exercise
• What is needed to practice - 
  Skates and costumes for each program
• Origin - 
  I have not found how it has developed. But it has been quite recent, maybe from the beginning of the 21st century.
  Some countries have formal championships but there are no regulated international competitions yet.
• Olympic history - 
  This is not an Olympic sport

Ice Hockey

• Introduction -
  Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on the ice. The skater use sticks to shoot the puck into to the opponent's net. The objective is to score goals.
• What is needed to practice - 
  Ice hockey skates (different from figure skates), a helmet, gloves and a stick
• Origin - 
  Mentions of games with sticks and some sort of puck date back to the 18th century and developed during the 19th century.
  The contemporary organized sport of ice hockey originated in Montreal, Canada. In 1875 a game was played between 2 teams of 9 players.
  Professional hockey developed from the beginning of the 20th century.
  NHL is the league.
• Olympic history - 
  Ice hockey (men teams) was introduced during the 1920 Olympic Games. The Women tournaments only started in 1998.
• Famous teams from the US -
  Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers
• Learn more on my introduction to Ice hockey

Speed skating disciplines

Here are a few facts about speed skating and short track  - you can learn more on my introduction article.

Long Track speed skating (often called speed skating)

• Introduction -
  Speed skating is a race over a certain distance on skates. What is commonly known as speed skating is the long track speed skating.
  It takes place on 400-meter ovals. And various distances are raced.
• What is needed to practice - 
  Special speed skates, helmet
• Origin - 
  It seems that the first official race took place in 1763 in England.
  It started developing in North America during the second half of the 19th century.
  The federation was founded in 1892.
• Olympic history - 
  It was supposed to make its Olympic debut in 1916 but because of the war it was pushed back to 1924.
• Famous sportsperson from the US -
  Men - Chad Hedrick (1000m - 1500m-5000m - 10000m), Derek Parra (5000m - 1500m), Shani Davis (1000m-1500m), Joey Cheek (500m - 1000m), Eric Heiden
  Women - Beth Heiden (3000m), Dianne Holum (1500m - 3000m), Jennifer Rodriguez (1000m-1500m), Christine Witty (1000m - 1500m), Bonnie Blair (500m - 1000m)

Short-Track speed skating

• Introduction -
  Short track skaters race just over one-quarter of the 400m oval (111.12m).
  The goal is not necessarily to manage the best  time.The goal is to finish in the top two of each heat to progress to the next round.
• What is needed to practice - 
  Special speed skates, helmet
• Origin - 
  Some European and Japanese leaders expressed the wish of mass-start races. They started in 1967 with international competitions from 1976.
• Olympic history - 
  First appearing on the Olympic scene at Calgary in 1988, short track skating competition quickly integrated the core group of medal event from 1992. 
• Famous sportsperson from the US -
  Men - Apolo Anton Ohno, Rusty Smith, John Henry Krueger, J.R. Celski
  Women - Cathy turner, Amy Peterson, Katherine Reutter

The new extreme ice skating sports

In recent years, a new extreme sport has developed: competitive downhill skating on a walled track featuring sharp turns and high vertical drops.
The world tour is called Crashed Ice. 
A men world championship has been established since 2010 and a women version since 2015.

Freestyle ice skating

Since around 2010, Freestyle ice skating is developing as a new phenomenon, using hockey skates.
It is an extreme sport where you try to create the craziest figures with long jumps, ramps and other pieces of equipment.

Adaptive sports on ice

Recreational skating

Programs have been established in many rinks to empower people with disabilities to enjoy ice skating.
In 1976, the Sabah organization started the movement. 

It is accessible to people with blindness, mental challenges as well as physical ones.
Devices have been created to help people feel the joy of gliding on the ice: the support walker, orthotic inserts, wheelchair runners...

Sled hockey - Ice sledding

Seated equivalent of ice skating. The skater is seated on an oval ice sled and propels himself with picking sticks or shortened ski poles.
It started in Norway back in the 1960s and arrived in the US around 1989.

Adaptive figure skating

Skaters with mental disabilities can take part in the US figure skating special Olympics program and other competitions.

Wheelchair curling

Wheelchair curling is an adaptation of curling for athletes with a disability affecting their lower limbs or gait. It is played with the same rocks as regular curling, but they are thrown from a stationary wheelchair and there is no sweeping. 

Ice skating at the Paralympics

Only 2 ice skating sports are currently present at the Paralympics: male sled hockey and wheelchair curling. 

Other ice sports without skates

We have seen an overview of the ice sports performed with skates. 
But there are a few other "ice sports" which happen on ice but without skates, some in the rink others on a track.
Below is a brief introduction to them.

Bobsleigh (or Bobsled)

It is a timed run down a narrow and twisting ice track inside a gravity-powered sleigh.
A 4-person team pushes and maneuvers the sleigh to get the best aggregated time over several runs.

It has been featured in the Olympics since the 1924 games.

Luge

Luge is a race down a narrow and twisting ice track by a single person without protection. The feet are stretched in from of them and speed can reach 140km/h.
There are also pair events.
It made its debut at the Olympic games in 1964. Since 1976 it is on the same track as bobsleigh.

Skeleton

Skeleton is also a single race down a narrow and twisting ice track without protection. But in this case, the racer goes down head first.
It became an Olympic event at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Curling

Curling is a team sport played on the rink but without skates. Two teams of 4 players play 16 shots each to bring the stone curls to a target by preparing the ice with a broom.
Curling appeared at the 1924 Olympics, came back as a demonstration sport in 1932 but become a regular medal event from 1998.

Looking for ideas for your next movie night? Below you will find a detailed list of ice skating movies about figure skating movies. Plus, some TV shows and documentaries about famous figure skaters, important ice skating moments and ice skating shows. Enjoy!

This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you (learn more).
Some of the movies may not be available on Amazon Prime in some countries, or during certain periods. I have no control.

About this list best ice skating movies

Below is a list as complete as I can about movies, TV shows and documentaries about ice skating (figure skating).
If you have other suggestions, please let me know.

Note: in most movies the actors are not ice-skaters - don't be disappointed by the obviousness of their beginner level, even if producers try hiding it.

Note2: if you are looking for hockey movies and documentaries, head to this other article with 35 suggestions!

Best Figure Skating Movies

Want to see more figure skating videos (even without a story)? Check out my article about some of the best figure skating Instagram account to follow.

Ice Skating Cartoon shows for kids

General ice skating movie

Ice skating documentaries (figure skaters)

Below are some documentaries about:

• famous figure skaters and their story
• history of ice skating
• historical figure skating moments

Ice skating TV shows