4 Basic Ice Skating Tips For Your Illinois Winter Dates, From A Figure Skater

From a figure skater, here's the crash course.

With Bettendorf's new ice rink opening and Davenport's The River's Edge rink offering public skate sessions, it's a cozy time of the year for ice skating dates.

I've been skating for a few years now and if you think you're too clumsy to ice skate, rest assured you're not. I ate it 6 times in my first 30-minute skating lesson. It can be intimidating to try to ice skate and pay attention on a date but it can definitely be done.

There are 4 basic things to remember (besides socks):

Lace Your Skates Tight

You need that support on your foot and especially your ankle. They lace up like hiking boots and snow boots do. If you don't have them laced tight enough, you'll definitely fall.

Waddle. Think Penguin.

Put your feet in a 'v' and take tiny steps in place. It may look stupid on land but it carries you when you get on the ice.

If You Do Fall, Put One Leg Totally Under You And Stand Up

Skating is all about keeping your center of gravity. Get on your hands and knees, put one leg under you and push yourself up, bringing the other leg back up to standing.

To Stop, Dig Your Blade Into The Ice Sideways

Push down on one skate and push it sideways to stop. This is called a snowplow stop. But just know, when you do that, you'll hard stop so be ready for it.

Part of what makes ice skating a romantic date option is that one: if you fall, both of you go down and two: you need to keep your center of gravity so your arms should stay out (and around your partner ideally). Good luck this winter!