How to Ice Skate: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

To ice skate, put on snug, firmly laced skates, step onto the ice while holding the wall, and stand with your knees bent and your chest up. March forward in small steps with your toes turned slightly out, then let both skates glide. Learn to fall to one side and get back up first, then add the snowplow stop, swizzles and one-foot glides.

How to ice skate, step by step:

1. Fit and lace: heel locked back, laces tight over the foot and ankle, top hooks a little looser.
2. Stand: skates shoulder-width apart, knees and ankles bent, chest and head up.
3. March, then glide: three or four small steps, then glide on two feet.
4. Fall and get up: fall to one side, then hands and knees, one foot, the other foot, stand.
5. Stop: the two-foot snowplow.
6. Build skills: swizzles, one-foot glides, turns and backward wiggles.
7. Take a class: group lessons teach each skill in order.

Last updated: November 2, 2026 · By the Skates.com Editorial Team

What do you need to start ice skating?

You need skates that fit, a helmet, gloves and warm layers. Riedell’s Ready, Set, Skate! guide calls skates the only specialized equipment a beginner needs and says helmets are highly recommended. Most rinks rent skates, or you can buy your own.

Compare styles in Best Ice Skates for Beginners and the figure skates buying guide. For children, see the Kids’ Ice Skates Guide.

Still deciding? Figure skates vs hockey skates compares the blades, boots, sharpening and sizing side by side.

How should ice skates fit?

Snugly: heel pushed far back, foot held still, and just enough room to wiggle your toes without pinching. Learn to Skate USA’s First Day of Skating guide puts it simply: the closer the fit, the more control. It also warns that shoe size doesn’t necessarily match skate size.

• Insole check, from USA Hockey’s Learn to Skate curriculum: stand on the skate’s insole with your heel lined up. Your big toe should almost reach the front, with no more than 1/4 inch of insole showing.
• Finger check, also from USA Hockey: loosen the laces and push your toes forward. No more than one finger should fit behind your heel.
• Wear one pair of thin socks or tights. Thick socks limit support and create bumps, says Learn to Skate USA.

Find your size with the Hockey Skate Size Chart or the brand’s own chart.

How do you lace ice skates?

Lace tight across the foot and ankle and a little looser at the top. Learn to Skate USA’s steps:

1. Tap your heel all the way back into the boot.
2. Pull the tongue up straight and tuck it beside your foot.
3. Pull the second or third sets of laces from the bottom tight to close the boot over your foot.
4. Keep the laces snug through the ankle and bottom two sets of hooks; leave the top two hooks looser so your ankle can bend.
5. Cross extra lace neatly over the hooks. Loose, flying bows often cause accidents.
6. Test it: one finger should slide between the back of the boot and your leg. If it hurts, relace.

Figure skates have their own tricks; see How to Lace Figure Skates.

How do you get on the ice and stand up?

Hold the wall, step onto the ice one foot at a time, and find your balance before you let go. Learn to Skate USA suggests practicing walking in your skates before you enter the rink. Riedell says to wear skate guards on hard floors, because sand and flooring quickly dull blades, so take them off just before you step on.

Stand the way USA Hockey teaches: skates parallel and shoulder-width apart, toes angled slightly out, knees bent, and chest and head up. Gently rock from toes to heels to find the middle of the blade, and stay near the wall until you feel steady.

How do you take your first steps on ice?

March first, then glide. U.S. Figure Skating’s beginner guide says to step forward in a marching action with your toes slightly turned out, take little steps, and after three or four steps glide on two feet for three counts.

1. Start in your stance with your knees and ankles slightly bent.
2. March forward in small steps, toes turned slightly out, swinging your arms as USA Hockey coaches teach.
3. After three or four steps, bring your feet under you and glide on both skates, toes pointing forward.
4. Keep your arms slightly in front of you, parallel to the ice, and your weight even on both feet.
5. Repeat, pushing a little harder each time.

Marching across the ice is the first skill Learn to Skate USA teaches, and baby steps are fine.

How do you glide on ice skates?

Push off one blade and ride both skates forward with your knees bent and weight centered. Once the two-foot glide is steady, build balance in this order:

Two-foot glide and dip

While gliding, bend your knees into a low “dip,” then stand back up. Learn to Skate USA’s curriculum teaches both in Basic 1.

Forward swizzles

Start with heels together and toes out in a “V.” Bend your knees and press on your inside edges so your feet slide apart to about a foot, then straighten your knees and draw your toes together. U.S. Figure Skating suggests six to eight in a row, chest up and arms out.

One-foot glide

From a two-foot glide, lift one foot and hold it close to your skating leg, with shoulders square and arms parallel to the ice. U.S. Figure Skating calls it a strong glide when you hold it for at least three counts or the distance of your height. Practice on both feet.

How do you fall safely and get back up?

Bend your knees, fall to one side onto your hip, and tuck your chin. U.S. Figure Skating says not to fall forward or back onto your tailbone, and not to use your hands to break the fall. Practice a few falls off the ice first.

1. Roll onto your hands and knees.
2. Put one foot on the ice between your hands.
3. Put the other foot between your hands.
4. Push slowly up to standing, knees slightly bent.

Everyone falls, and Learn to Skate USA instructors practice falling and getting up on day one. Gloves protect your hands while you learn.

How do you stop on ice skates as a beginner?

Use the snowplow stop: glide on two feet, bend your knees, push your heels out and press on your inside edges until the blades shave snow and you stop. U.S. Figure Skating’s cue is “glide, bend, slide.” Practice the scrape at the wall first. Don’t stop with a figure skate’s toe pick; KC Foot Specialists warn it can pitch you forward. For the T-stop and hockey stop, see How to Stop on Ice Skates.

How do you turn and do crossovers on ice skates?

Start with two-foot glide turns. USA Hockey’s drill: knees bent, skates shoulder-width apart, lean your head and shoulders into the turn, lead with the inside skate, and point your toes, belly button and head where you want to go. Practice both directions.

Crossovers come after one-foot glides. U.S. Figure Skating’s method, counterclockwise:

1. Keep your upper body strong over the curve, shoulders turned into the circle.
2. Glide on your left skate’s outside edge, knee bent.
3. Cross your right foot over and step it down inside the circle on its inside edge.
4. Let your left foot push out from under you, then bring it back beside the right.

Learn to Skate USA teaches forward crossovers in Basic 4, after edges on a circle, so don’t rush them.

How do you skate backwards on ice skates?

Start with backward wiggles: feet parallel, knees bent, weight on the balls of your feet, shifting from foot to foot as you push outward. If you’re wiggling without moving, U.S. Figure Skating suggests walking backward slowly with your toes turned in to feel the momentum.

Then try backward swizzles: toes together, knees bent, press your heels out until your skates are about a foot apart, then rise up and draw your heels back together. Look over your shoulder often.

What should you wear ice skating?

Warm layers you can move in, gloves, thin socks and a helmet. Learn to Skate USA says all beginners should wear a helmet certified to ASTM F1447 or Snell B-90A, B-95 or N-94. It notes arenas are often kept around 50°F and that sweatpants or warm-up pants beat bulky snow pants. See What to Wear When Ice Skating.

Do new ice skates need to be sharpened?

Usually, yes. Riedell says new skates typically need sharpening before use and recommends resharpening after every 15 hours of ice time. Dry your blades after every skate to prevent rust. Learn more in How Often Should You Sharpen Your Ice Skates? and the Skate Sharpening Chart.

Should beginners skate at a rink or on outdoor ice?

Learn at a rink, where the ice is maintained and there’s a wall to hold. The Minnesota DNR says ice is never 100% safe. Its ice thickness guidelines say to stay off new, clear ice under 4 inches thick, treat 4 inches as the minimum for activities on foot, and double that for white ice, which is about half as strong.

• Thickness varies: the DNR says ice can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away.
• Tell someone where you’re going, wear buoyant gear and carry ice picks, as the DNR’s ice travel guide advises.
• At any rink, keep a safe distance and a safe speed, as Learn to Skate USA asks of its students.

Should you take ice skating lessons?

Yes, if you can. Group classes teach skills in order and catch bad habits early. Learn to Skate USA has nearly 1,000 locations; find a program near you. Snowplow Sam classes are for children six and younger, Basic 1–6 covers forward and backward skating, stops, edges, crossovers and turns, and there are hockey and adult classes. It also says repeating a class is not unusual, and to practice at least once after each lesson.

Which ice skates are best for learning?

Any well-fitting pair with sharp blades. Shop recreational ice skates or browse all ice skates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you ice skate for the first time?

Lace your skates snugly, hold the wall as you step on, and stand with your knees bent and chest up. March in small steps with your toes turned slightly out, then glide on two feet. Practice falling to one side and getting up, and learn the snowplow stop before you go faster.

Is ice skating hard to learn?

The basics come quickly for most people. Learn to Skate USA says that after the first class, beginners should be able to skate reasonably well on their own, get up from a fall and try stopping at slow speed. Crossovers and backward skating take longer.

How do you glide on ice skates?

Take three or four small marching steps, then bring your feet under you and let both skates glide with your knees slightly bent and arms out in front. Once that feels steady, practice forward swizzles and then one-foot glides.

How do you skate backwards on ice skates?

Start with backward wiggles: feet parallel, knees bent, weight on the balls of your feet, shifting from foot to foot as you push outward. Then try backward swizzles, pressing your heels out and drawing them back together. Look over your shoulder often to see where you are going.

How do you fall safely when ice skating?

Bend your knees, fall to one side onto your hip and tuck your chin. Avoid falling forward or back onto your tailbone, and do not use your hands to break the fall. To get up, roll onto your hands and knees, put one foot and then the other between your hands, and push up.

How tight should ice skates be?

Snug. Your heel should sit far back without lifting, and your toes should have just enough room to wiggle without pinching. Lace tightly over the foot and ankle, leave the top two hooks a little looser, and check that one finger fits between the back of the boot and your leg.

Should beginners use figure skates or hockey skates?

Most beginners should start on figure skates: the longer blade feels more stable for first-timers, and many learn-to-skate programs use them. Never stop with the toe pick. Hockey skates, with a shorter, more curved blade built for quick stops and turns, are a good choice if you want to play hockey.

How thick does ice need to be to skate on?

The Minnesota DNR says to stay off new, clear ice that is less than 4 inches thick and to treat 4 inches as the minimum for activities on foot. White ice is about half as strong, so double that. Thickness varies across a pond or lake, so beginners are safer learning at a rink.