Читать книгу Hippodrome Skating Book. Practical Illustrated Lessons in the Art of Figure Skating онлайн

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My skates are very light, weighing only four ounces. I advocate a light skate, and I think that most of the skates being used are too heavy. As one becomes more expert, lighter skates become more important, for in spins and turns on one foot the weight of the shoe and skate can seriously affect the balance and throw the skater into a false curve.

For about two inches along the blade of my skate, almost directly under the ball of my foot, I have a slightly flattened space which permits the immense curves and spirals I execute. These would be impossible with a sharply curved blade. The blade of my skate is splayed—that is, it is wider at the centre than at the toe and heel.

I have quite a deep groove ground in my skates, and I have the outer edge of the skate slightly lower than the inner edge. The height of the skate above the ice is not very important. Some of the experts favor great height. My skates are built comparatively low.

The flat bladed skate ought not to be used by any one who wishes to learn figure skating. The hockey skate is the right skate for hockey, but the wrong skate for anything else. To learn on that type of skate means that the skater must learn all over again when figure skating is attempted.