Why Not Give Ice Skating A Try?

There isn’t a sensation quite like that of ice skating. The smoothness of a glide and the joy of moving fast. The thrill of being able to stop on a dime or push limits with turns or maybe a jump or a spin. Skating can be a great way to get exercise and be active, especially in indoor rinks when the weather outside isn’t so agreeable. With stormy weather or when temperatures that are soaring, the ice rink can be a really cool place to burn off some energy or settle back into your mind. You’ll be surprised when you break a sweat and at how many muscles you use or didn’t knew you had.

Skating can also be a great way to meet new people, get together with friends or make new ones. It can be something you do for and by yourself. Ice skating is an amazingly versatile activity that can be almost anything you need it to be – an activity that fits your schedule or a dedicated hobby that helps you expand your limits and express yourself.

For kids, skating can be a great way to explore fitness, movement and physical limits (or the lack thereof) in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. For adults, skating can be a wonderful way to stay active, meet new people and find new parts of yourself.

Most arenas or programs will encourage participants to try skating through open skating sessions or learn to skate classes. Both provide a safe and fun environment with the opportunity to engage with others. Open skating sessions, often called Public Skating, will be relatively unstructured and will allow for a more free exploration of the ice. Monitors are likely on the ice during busier sessions to control traffic and supervise patron activity. Learn to Skate classes will provide more direction and structure and will often group participants as beginners and more advanced, young and old to provide a conducive and fun learning environment more specific to different needs. Both will provide a unique and exciting experience for young and old that can be an occasional pastime or a more committed pursuit that provides fun and joy and many other benefits.

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If you want it to be, skating can be an occasional or limited activity. It can be a more committed pursuit with a wide range of investment. Not all skating has to lead to elite commitments that require a lot of money or time. any opportunities exist for skaters to challenge themselves towards whatever commitment level they wish to invest. Whatever the commitment level, skating can help all participants grow and develop parts of themselves in ways that most people may not realize.

Where the physical benefits of playing hockey or figure skating are likely evident, both sports also provide the opportunity to meet new people and make lifelong friendships. They give participants opportunities to learn discipline and goal setting, strategy and critical thinking skills. Both hockey and figure skating provide structures for learning how to be part of a team, the value of teamwork, how to be coachable and teachable and an ability to follow direction. They both also provide positive ways for participants to channel emotion and find one’s expression. Skating also provides valuable life lessons that help participants turn fear, mistakes, frustration and failure into learning, improvements and achievements. And there are still more that skaters will tell you they gained from being a part of either sport. This is what FMC Ice Sports means by making our communities better, one skater at a time; these sports help develop good things in people.

If you’re looking for a unique activity that provides a host of benefits, short term and long term, that can be tailored to a variety of commitment and skill levels, why not give skating a try? There are many arenas available that provide lessons and public skate. FMC Ice Sports operates 23 arenas across the state of Massachusetts alone. Most of these facilities are community owned and our goal is to make our communities better one skater at a time. Visit www.fmcnewdesign.wpengine.com or call 1-888-74-SKATE to find out how skating can become part of your life today.