The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-02-03
LEARNING TO SKATE.


Skates made with the best steel are.
OF course, proportionately expensive;
but il is very requisite that the steel
should be good. Choose skates that are
exactly the length of the foot, not those
which have the iron ont of an inch with
in the heel The iron should extend
backward 10 the extreme edge OF the
heel. and the corners should be rounded.
Pay attention TO the depth of the blade,
for it is desirable that tho foot be as
near the ice rs possible, and vet neces-
sary to have 1t so high that, in leaning
over the edge of the sole should not
touch the ice. As to the fastenings,
there are many modes ,ually good; the
main point is to see that the skate is SO
perfectly secured to the foot that il can
not move in the least, and the impor-
tance of this can not be oyerrated Any
fastening that aids in supporting the
ankle is lood.
Now let us suppose that you have
donned your skates. At first You will
have enough to do to prevent them run
ming away with you. SO begin by at
tempting. rs gently as you like, and
with the very shortest steps you can
take, to walk upon the ice. After n
little practice you will find yourself in
stinctivcly striking out little. II is
then time to learn the first movement,
which is called forward striking, or
running, and is done in this way: The
toes are turned out SO that the lee. are
nearly at right angles with each other;
the position is important, because il is
! only thus you can obtain pushing power.
from that position each foot is lifted
alternately, and set down on the inside
edge, when it Immediately slides for
ward, all the more readily since the 9th
er foot (held at right angles) can bear
against the ice without slid ng. Perfect
regularity in stepping from foot to foot
is essential.
When You can tine your strokes
evenly, and gain the necessary impetus,
you may occa ,ionally vary the proceed
ings by bringing your feet together,
and running in that way for a consider
able distance. In this, which is called
the serpentine," the feet are placed
parallel, instead OF at right angles, and
they remain parallel throughout the
movement. If you would learn it east
ly, take few strokes forward 10 gain
force, and then bring the feet parallel,
but well apart, keeping the knees bent,
and while going along in this manner
try to make the Inc wavy by turning
both feet at once without lifting them)
in the same direction, say to the right,
swinging the body with them; then
both to the left, with swing to that
side. and SO on.
The common backward motion on
both feet is exactly the same rs the
serpentine," except that it is back
ward instead OF forward. To learn
this backward motion take few
strokes forward then spin quite round,
and while the impetus lasts turn the
ght toe inward, and push yourself
back from that foot; then turn the left
one inward, pushing from it, and so on
alternately, lean 'ng forward all the
time. Practice will make it easy not
merely to keep up the first impetus
but to increase it, and even TO begin il
without any forward strokes.
How delightful is the swift motion!
Exulting in your growing confidence
and in the progress already made, and
feeling that you are at length attaining
your wish and becoming indeed a
skater, it is crushing at this juncture TO
be told by some friendly proficient that
you are only at the threshold OF the art,
since you know nothing yet of moving
on the outside edge. Moving on the
outside edge! 1t sounds alarming.
Take courage; it is really not so for
midable as it seems, and, moreover,
there are few difficulties you know,
which do not van sh before perseverance.
The first thing you have to do in
order to get yourself on the outside
edge is to endeavor to skate round in
circle. rs large circle as you please at
first, but to be gradually reduced as you
improve. AS you lift each foot for the
next stroke try to cross it in front quite
over the other and set it down, then
the other in front of that, and so on al
ternately. Now, as the iron alwal 4
| circles toward the side on which it
rests. it follows that the foot nearest
| the inside of the circle must work on
the outside edge Of the iron. Conse-
| quently your object will be to dwell as
| long as you can on that foot, and as
briefly as you can on the other, which
works on the inside edge. The foot
that is behind must be kept behind un-
til it is to be set down in front; it must
mol be carried in the air in front TOR an
instant
1t is scarcely necessary to remind
you again that the LEFT foot must be ex-
ercised ualIy with the right. In fact,
it is good rule in this and all figures
to 81 ; the left double practice. SO
alter skating with the right foot TO the
inside of the circle, go off in the oppo-
site direction, and make a circle with
the left foot to inside of it. Some
difficulty is sure TO be experienced in
putting down the foot quite across the
other; but diligent practice will soon
repay you with the discovery that YOU
can dwell for few yards on the outside
edge. and perhaps keeping the raised
foot well back in the mean time-near-
ly complete the circle.
After this is accompl she'd you may
congratulate yourself on having become
skIllful skater. Ii you wish to learn
figure skating, however. GU have much
work still before you. The key to it is
being able TO turn rapidly from one
edge of the skate to the other. but
long and arduous practice will be re-
CURED before the graceful grape