London and Eastbourne Skaters ask a lot of questions, here's answers to the most common, welcome to the Sk8School FAQ
Knowledge is power, get your share - do the theory lesson and make educated buying decisions
Sk8school's instructors are among the most experienced and qualifed in the country, let alone Eastbourne - benefit from that experience - read the FAQ and if you don't see the question you need to ask, contact us and we'll meet the challenge!
Sk8school Class's FAQ
Q. Where do you teach?
A. Anywhere you like, however in the summer we usually use the cage and run regular outdoor lessons here. In the winter we move indoors and use a variety of indoor skating venues. If we need to travel a distance to get to you we usually charge travel. In London we usually use the stretch by Albert Memorial. In Brighton we usually use the area by the Hove Lawns, 300m West of the Peace Statue.
Q. When do you teach?
A. Anytime you like, for private lessons. For groups we run regular courses and classes for groups right thoughout the year. See the Sk8school home page for skating this month.
Q. How much does learning to skate cost?
A. Our prices start at FREE and go up from there. Private lessons usually cost more than group lessons. Higher qualified instructors cost more. For a break down of all skate lesson charges, starting at FREE see our lesson page.
Q. Do I need the pads and Helmet to do a Sk8school lesson?
A. Of course not! go ahead and hurt yourself! Our lessons start with how to fall over, we demo - you follow. On tarmac this is considerably more fun with knee pads on. Go figure!
General Skating FAQ
Q. I have damaged knee's will I be able to skate?
A. Not only will you most likely be able to skate, but it will almost certainly make them stronger! Roller basketball was invented by a pro basketball player, who had to quit standard basket ball due to knee injury. He found he could skate though and transfered the sport to wheels!
Q. What's the difference between running and skating as an excercise?
A. None, either aerobically or anaerobically - both are as good as each other - however you will take 50% less punishment on the knees by skating and go a heck of a lot further in the same time!
Q. My little ones want to skate - can I get them started on £20 skates?
A. NO NO NO NO! Cheap skates, don't fit, don't roll and don't give you anything back! Buy kids adjustables skates, you're kids have a much higher chance of liking it and being able to skate! Then you won't be thinking "thank goodness I only spent £20". Buy the right thing - the right size and don't forget the Pads and helmet. If they still don't like skating - there will be some resale value, where as £20 skates are just bin liners.
Q. Shall I buy skates 1 or more sizes too big?
A. No - get exactly the right size, especially kids ones. Luckily you can get adjustable skates that fit 3 or 4 sizes in one skate! These are the ideal. Wrong size means too much "play in the system" and increased risk of injury and less control.
Q. Will a cycle helmet do?
A. Yes, but a skate helmet is better because it covers more of the lower, back of the head and is designed for lots of little bumps rather than one hard knock.
Q. There's other ways to learn skating for FREE, like tips in roller discos or open skates, why would I be better off with Sk8school?
A. Tips are not a lesson! Why settle for free tips, from someone not concentrating on your needs? A Sk8school lesson is a proper structured progressive lesson, geared for you. It takes only one lesson to get you skating properly, it often takes longer to fix bad and dangerous habits evolved through chance and tips.
Q. There's other ways to learn skating for FREE, like from the National Skate Patrol, why would I be better off with Sk8school?
A. The NSP are not instructors, they are volunteers who "know a bit". You are slightly better off with the NSP than with your friend Jack that skates alot! Sk8school has an ICP examiner and a NSP trainer in its ranks. The National Skate Patrol or NSP can show you the basics, but do you want to be taught by a teacher or the pupil of the teacher? Additionally no one fails the NSP exam! It is easy to pass, you just need to be able to skate and to remember the steps by "rote" you don't need to understand it. There's no expectation, or capability to monitor or adjust. Respond to different learning requirements or generally find other ways of getting results. After an NSP skater showing you what to do, you might be able to get from A to B on skates and sort of stop, but they won't be able to fix dragging your left foot or wobbling during scissor moves. A Sk8school lesson identifies the problems and fixes them, leaving the entire NSP capability behind after 30 minutes and doing a more thorough job! So after 30 minutes with Sk8school you've gone beyond anything the NSP can ever teach you or were ever shown how to show you.
Q. How good do I have to be to do the Mastering courses?
A. Provided you are fairly confident of the base skills taught in our begginer group Sunday morning lessons - you are ready to take a "mastering class". These take you from a beginners skill level to at least intermediate and (depending on your learning speed) straight into expert - in an afternoon!
Q. How good do I have to be to learn to skate dance?
A. Provided you have managed the first half hour of the beginners group Sunday morning class (IE. you can stand up) you'll get something from the Skate Dance Lesson. We'd obviously recommend higher skill levels - like being able to go and stop! But you could do it!
Q. Is Skate Dance really a work out?
A. Yes - the moves are essentially precision, timed moves. Some require a bit of strength and balance to perform - and you have to do it all to music - which doesn't stop! So you are constantly pushed! It's real exercise - come and try it!
Q. TradeMark and CopyRight?
A. Sk8school has worked hard to bring new formats to Eastbourne. While we are happy to work with others to spread the word, we reserve the right to the formats, and names of certain courses, classes and activities. Eastbourne Skate Dance, Skate Dancercise, Breakfast skate for example. Others may use these terms, with prior arrangement and agreement with Sk8school.
Q. Does Skating wreck sports hall floors?
A. Not if the skates are well maintained. Exposed bolts or
other metal parts will chip, or gouge floors in the event of a fall, or
really "deep" edge. However those should not be in use in the first
place! The Wheels of any kind of skate (and stoppers/brake) are clearly
softer than the floor and can do no damage. All are now made from non
marking plastics and rubbers (in most skates - except really cheap ones
- but you wouldnt have those anyway would you - see above!)
Sk8school has worked with all of the sports centres in Eastbourne and
is proud of the relationships we've developed with all of them, if you
are having difficulties with your local sports hall or community centre
- let us know - we can provide references.!
Q. Will Sk8school run kids skate birthday parties anywhere?
A. Pretty much yes - but we do need to do a site survey if its somewhere we have not used before to check it, for health and safety reasons.
Q. Got any question not mentioned here?
A. Send it to us through the contacts page and we'll answer it!
