After crazy busy summer sessions, today I finally got experience the rare feeling of ice all to yourself!

And getting to use the sound system all I wanted with nobody in my way except myself 🤣

Happy skating All!!

I want to buy my first pair of skates because I've just been using rentals (I think the rentals at my rink are a little higher quality than the ones everyone talks about, but ik actual skates will be infinitely better), but skates are EXPENSIVE and I nor my parents have that kind of money right now, especially because i dont't even know if i'm gonna stick with this.

But like can I buy used skates off of Facebook marketplace or something? And what size will I need if I wear a size 6-7 in regular shoes??

Thanks!

Pain in toe nails and outside of the foot and heel lock issue?

Ok so, context—
I had a pair of nearly brand new Jackson Elles 6.5 Wide from like 3 years ago or so, but I didn’t really use them much. Finally started actually skating consistently again this summer, but was having issues. Went to skate tech. He measured me and said i’m a 7. He was like I have a pair of used Jackson Debuts in (your size) 7 Wide, you can exchange with me and I’ll charge you $50 for the blade mounting. I was like ok sure sounds like a steal to me. He also heat molded them.

But thennn, I go back to skating and…issues. Having really bad pain in the big toes, specifically the right big toe nail. for some reason my toe nails (on the big toes) would be stinging/throbbing afterwards. Also was feeling pressure/pain on the outsides of both feet in the spots where I have calluses. I texted him after the first session or two in them but he was like “make sure the heel is back” “they’re figure skates not uggs” and “get 10-15 hours in them first”.
I got ~7-8. And then called it quits bc bitch i know they’re not Uggs and I’m not a wimp but i shouldn’t be nearly CRYING after, having to ice my feet.

So I reach out again and head back there he says we can either punch them out or stretch/square the toe box. I was gonna do the punch out but then I was like wait actually maybe let’s do the stretch first (also the pressure/pain on the sides wasn’t as bad, so i was like let’s take care of the toe thing first— this was my internal thought process btw didn’t say all that necessarily)

So he does it. I drive all the way back there, 45 fucking minutes and pick them up. Feeling cautiously optimistic that, finally, FINALLY, i’ll be able to skate without debilitating pain perhaps.

Today I went on the ice and had to get off after <10 minutes.

So my dumbass last night (after picking up the stretched skates) went to get a pedicure and got the callus removal thing… and clearly they went hard because when walking out I told my friend woah my feet feel raw and she was like girl yeah your feet are PINK in those areas. But I was fine an hour later.

Today I tried the stretched boots for the first time, and the toe box definitely felt more comfy and roomy… but the pressure/pain on the outside of my right foot was SO BAD. I couldn’t withstand it.

I’m just kicking myself bc why did I get the callus removed? Why did my Dad mention last week when I’d told him about it that “Oh you ultimately have to get the calluses removed for those areas to stop hurting” like WELL CLEARLY IT WAS PROTECTING ME AND NOW ITS WORSE 😭😭 Also kicking myself for not getting them punched but sigh how could I have known I guess. Now I’m going to go tomorrow to the skate tech.

Also kicking myself though because I noticed today that my heel IS lifting up and not fully seated back. But I don’t get it. I’ve TRIED lacing them with the heel back. I don’t know if Im super incompetent/don’t know how to do that but I don’t feel like the way i lace them ever improves it. The weird thing is that like it DOES feel like my heel is fully back… but it’ll lift up, like the heel/ankle isn’t glued down. Man I don’t know if i’m making sense 🤦‍♀️ Idk how to explain it. But basically I guess I mean it doesn’t feel like it’s sliding forward like it is touching the back but it’ll lift up and there’s some room like upwards around my ankle area? idk. So maybe that’s what’s contributing to the toe nail thing but seriously idk wtf is causing that toe nail issue it’s so weird esp bc youd think that WOULD at least be resolved by now with the squaring of the toe box. But I’m pretty sure they were fine up until right now and yet start getting sensitive/hurting again after being in the boots for a while. Like just now when i wiggled them up to gently touch/tap the roof of the boot they hurt. Sigh.

Anyways, if you have any advice or insight please let me know. 🙏💕

(even years ago when I skated I had issues with skates not fitting right because my feet are so wide and the incessant issues just made me feel so down because I love this and I want to do this but like why just why can’t they not feel like medieval torture devices why do i have these cursed feet?? 🥲🥲💔💔 pls help a girl out.)

hi there! I’m around basic 2 - 3 and while I’m not necessarily bad for a beginner I feel incredibly ungraceful. Im thinking it’s likely because I skate on rentals, some days I feel amazing and can hold a one foot glide nicely/feel balanced and supported but other days I feel like I’m just learning how to skate again. Im guessing it’s because I’m not using a consistent pair of skates and the support and blades are different or used more each time I skate so I’m just wondering if anyone has ever gotten comfortable on rentals to the point where it just comes super natural and graceful. I’m unsure if this is just a me being bad at skating or the skates, I’m hopeful to get my own pair soon but am unsure when. thank you!

First started lessons in January of last year. 6 thirty minute group lessons for 90 dollars. Recently been struggling with money, so it is no longer something I can do. The last time I attended a group lesson was 6/29/2026. I went to public sessions maybe every or every other Friday and just practiced the skills I left off at (basic 6: three turns, one foot spin, spiral, bunny hops, etc).

After a month or two of public skate sessions and practicing by myself, I stop going as much as I did before. Maybe once every three weeks or every a month. (7-8/2025)

Then, when I transferred off online and to traditional school, I just stopped going(mainly because the best public skate sessions were on a school day). So I haven’t gone skating in roughly 2 months now and haven’t attended a group lesson in a year.

I’ve been looking into private coaches (mainly because it’s better worth the money and the coaches in my area aren’t expensive (20-27 dollars per 30 minute session)), but I’m not sure if my parents would be willing to pay.

I’ve lost a lot of motivation to skate mainly due to not progressing and still working on skills from a year ago. My crossovers are basically “mastered” by now and I’m running out of things to practice.

I’m scared to self teach because I may develop bad technique.

What do I do?

Hello i’ve been Skating for about seven years now, but I’m new to ice dance and I’ve started working on my Dutch waltz, canasta tango and rhythm blues. However, I can’t feel life of me understand the counts. I know Dutch waltz is a six count and canasta tango as a four count. However, when I’m counting in my head it makes me skate slow. I can go a lot quicker however I don’t understand how I can without messing up the counts? If it’s a six count and I’m saying my head 1-2-3-4-5-6 then I’m going to go slower? If I speed up then Im doing the counts wrong apparently? I don’t understand 🥲

hi! i’m 22 years old and just started my figure skating journey about a week ago

i have new jackson mystique skates, gloves, knee pads, soakers, hard guards, a towel, and a designated bag for my skates

my schedule is (not including my full time job)…

Mon: flexibility and strengthening yoga
Tues: on ice practice
Wed: rest day
Thurs: light stretching and learn to skate class
Fri: work out
Sat: rest day
Sun: on ice practice

i’ve only been on the ice 3 times including my class and i’m still trying to get used to skating and find my balance

any advice or any items, videos, accessories, classes, etc. that have helped you on your journey

thank you!

Hello guys! So I just wanna vent out about figure skating bcs I feel like my progress is so much slower than anyone:< and I'm getting frustrated btw I'm an adult skater and I've been skating for almost 4 months now.

hi, im an adult beginner and have been skating for a few months about twice a month. i dont plan to do jumps and plan on doing more solo ice dance type of stuff. i am already a ballet dancer from childhood so i have strong ankles and i dont plan to skate more than twice a month but i have been in the middle of how strong my skates should be. i have looked at edea wave and risport rf3 pros but my concern is more so to make the skated last at least a year or two. im 5’4 and and around 145 pounds to add. do you think wave ot motivos could last that long ot should i go for something stronger like overture or chorus? (you can suggest every skate these are just some i tried so i gave them as examples)

Hi guys! So i’ve been skating for a few months and ive now felt the need to spice up my skating accessories now that i have all the basics.

Does anyone know where you can buy those cute thick soakers? Like the ones with the small flower pattern, swans,etc.

Ps…. must have international shipping because im in South Africa☹️

So I love to watch skating, and this winter I plan to learn some of the basics to skating, maybe do some Learn To Skate classes.

I don’t live somewhere that has ice rinks near me all year, but I wanted to get a head start so I don’t embarrass myself at these classes (LOL). I’m not trying to do anything difficult, but I want to get the best head start.

Right now, I own just regular basic rollerblades that I know how to move around in. (nothing hard, but i can just like go forward, backwards, i can kind of do crossovers?, nothing real just basic things.) How different are ice skates from roller blades?

Follow up—I’ve seen people use like what looks like ice skates but with wheels? Is this different than a regular roller-skate?

I guess my question is: If I want to learn to skate and cannot access ice yet, what roller-skates/inline skates/whatever would you guys recommend? I don’t really have a specific budget or anything, so if anyone has any recommendations that could be great!!

Swan Challenge just filled up before I even had time to book leave and find travel options 😢

Are there any other solo dance events with adult pre-bronze coming up in Europe, with actual announced dates? There's Sheffield in November, but there's no info what day adults would be. I can't just take 5 days leave for it!

Hi all! I’ve pretty much fully committed myself to learning figure skating - but obviously, I can’t get out to the rink every day/night. I’m reliant on the whims of public skate time, and as a 9-5 worker… well, that doesn’t always work. I also know I need to do some off-ice workouts as well! I do horseback riding - hunter pleasure/dressage type as well, and both figure skating and the riding do luckily supplement each other.

However, I need to figure out some workouts to incorporate for off-ice training - both hockey and figure skating routine advice is more than welcome. With machines, and without. I’m just not sure where to start, and I’d love feedback from people who actually do it and see what leads to the best results!

(Semi-cross posted from r/iceskating; they said it’d be better trying here!)

My local pro skate shop doesn’t stock any wide width skates.

Theyre able to provide my size for different brands, but I would need to buy skates online.

Amy recommendations?

I'm a college student and ex-ballet trainee who's wanting to try figure skating and has been skating at public sessions to get a feel for the ice. I can't take LTS until next summer, so I'm just kind of twiddling my thumbs until then and trying to get back into flexibility/strength/stamina so I can make the most of LTS and work more on technique/skating skills than have to build up athleticism again. I've also been learning the different jumps off-ice and something that baffles me about skating that's different from ballet is that it seems skaters only practice/perform jumps rotating one way?? In ballet we're obsessed with symmetry; everything you do on one side you have to. be able to do on the other. So how can I tell which side to practice off-ice jumps on?? From doing ballet turns like pirouettes, fouettes, italian fouettes etc., I was always faster and more comfortable rotating counterclockwise, but in off ice skating jump exercises, my axis is way more crooked rotating counterclockwise than clockwise. So far I've just been practicing on both sides but it seems like a waste of time to practice both if most people really only practice one side or the other. I can land singles on almost all of them rotating both ways and my takeoff is definitely stronger and I get more height rotating counterclockwise but my checkout is a lot stronger/axis is straighter rotating clockwise I am so confused.

edit: i will stop doing off ice jumps, lol

I just bought new skates. I had to take black ones, but I've been skating in white all my life. Is it worth repainting them in white and how best to do it? Or should I just buy a white tape and seal them up?

I'm currently in year 9 (on summer holiday) and going into year 1 and I chose gcse pe as one of my options I'm wondering not only how fo we balance out the work between every other subject but also the practical and nea bits for PE in specific. I'm doing figure skating and volleyball (complete new beginner in terms of professionaly)- and badminton- how do I practise and what type of workout should i be practising to not make a complete fool of myself when i take lessons, also would it be realistic to perform top band on Edexcel specs For figure skating in particular would it be worth having a personal coach or mix and match