How to Fall Safely and Get Back Up on Ice
Master the most important skill in figure skating: falling without injury
🧠 The Right Mindset About Falling
Falling is not failure—it's part of learning. Every skater, from beginners to Olympians, falls regularly. The difference is that experienced skaters know how to fall safely and get up quickly. Learning proper falling technique is one of the most valuable skills you'll develop as a skater. It builds confidence, prevents injuries, and allows you to push your limits without fear.
How to Fall Safely
The moment you feel yourself losing balance, accept that you're going down. Fighting a fall causes you to tense up and land awkwardly, increasing injury risk.
- Relax your body as much as possible
- Don't try to catch yourself with stiff arms
- Let the fall happen—your body knows what to do
As you start to fall, bend your knees deeply to lower your center of gravity. The closer you are to the ice when you fall, the less impact you'll experience.
- Squat down as low as you can
- This reduces the distance you fall
- Makes the impact much gentler
Aim to land on your hip or side—these areas have more padding and are safer than your tailbone, knees, or wrists.
- Side falls: Safest option, land on hip/thigh
- Avoid forward falls: Risk of hitting face, wrists, knees
- Avoid backward falls: Risk of hitting tailbone or head
Always tuck your chin to your chest as you fall. This prevents your head from snapping back and hitting the ice.
- Look at your knees or chest
- Keep your head forward and down
- Never let your head hit the ice
Make fists or keep hands flat as you fall. Never try to catch yourself with outstretched fingers.
- Curl fingers into loose fists
- Or keep palms flat against the ice
- Prevents broken or jammed fingers
- Protects wrists from sprains
- Always wear protective gloves when skating
If you're moving when you fall, let your body roll slightly to dissipate the energy rather than absorbing all the impact in one spot.
- Don't try to stop the motion abruptly
- Allow a gentle roll onto your side
- Spreads impact across larger area
How to Get Back Up
Don't rush to get up. Take 2-3 seconds to make sure you're not injured and to catch your breath.
- Check that nothing hurts
- Take a breath and relax
- Look around to make sure you're safe from other skaters
Get onto all fours in a crawling position. This is the most stable position for standing back up.
- Roll onto your stomach
- Push up to hands and knees
- Keep your weight centered
Place one skate flat on the ice in front of you, with your knee bent at 90 degrees. This creates a stable base.
- Choose your stronger leg to start
- Plant the blade flat on the ice
- Keep your knee directly over your ankle
Use your hands on the ice to push yourself up while bringing your other foot forward.
- Press down firmly with both hands
- Push your body weight over your front foot
- Bring your back foot up to meet the front
Rise to standing position with knees slightly bent. Take a moment to stabilize before skating again.
- Keep knees bent for stability
- Arms out for balance
- Take a few breaths before continuing
Practice getting up and down off the ice at home (on carpet or a mat) until it becomes second nature. The muscle memory will help you get up quickly and confidently when you fall on the ice. Check out our First Lesson Checklist for more preparation tips.
Do's and Don'ts
✓ DO:
- Relax and accept the fall
- Bend your knees to get low
- Fall to your side/hip
- Tuck your chin to protect your head
- Make fists or keep hands flat
- Take your time getting up
- Laugh it off and keep going
- Wear gloves to protect your hands
- Consider protective padding when learning
✗ DON'T:
- Fight the fall or tense up
- Try to catch yourself with stiff arms
- Fall straight back on your tailbone
- Let your head hit the ice
- Put your hands out with fingers spread
- Rush to get up before checking for injury
- Feel embarrassed—everyone falls!
- Skate without gloves
Practice Drills
Drill 1: Controlled Falling Practice
On the ice, with a coach or experienced skater nearby:
- Start from a standing position
- Slowly bend your knees and lower yourself to the ice
- Practice landing on your side/hip
- Practice getting back up using proper technique
- Repeat 5-10 times until it feels natural
Drill 2: Off-Ice Practice
At home on a soft surface (carpet, yoga mat, grass):
- Practice the falling motion in slow motion
- Focus on tucking chin and protecting hands
- Practice rolling to hands and knees
- Practice the standing-up sequence
- Do this 10 times before each skating session
Drill 3: Mental Rehearsal
Visualization technique:
- Close your eyes and imagine falling safely
- Visualize each step: bend knees, fall to side, tuck chin
- See yourself getting up smoothly and confidently
- This builds muscle memory and reduces fear
Protective Gear for Beginners
While not required, protective gear can boost confidence while you're learning. Learn more about proper equipment fitting to maximize comfort and safety.
- Padded shorts/crash pants: Protect hips and tailbone during falls
- Knee pads: Prevent bruising if you land on your knees
- Wrist guards: Protect against wrist sprains (though proper technique is better)
- Gloves: Essential for protecting hands from cold and ice cuts
- Helmet: Recommended for beginners, especially children
Many adult skaters use padding when learning new skills. There's no shame in protecting yourself! As you gain confidence and master falling technique, you can gradually reduce or eliminate padding. Browse our skating accessories for quality protective gear.
Building Confidence After a Fall
Falling can shake your confidence, but here's how to bounce back:
- Acknowledge it happened: Don't pretend it didn't hurt or wasn't scary
- Celebrate getting back up: That's the real victory
- Analyze what caused it: Learn from it without dwelling on it
- Do something easy next: Rebuild confidence with a skill you know well
- Remember your progress: You're braver than when you started
- Talk to other skaters: Everyone has fall stories—you're not alone
- Give yourself grace: Learning means falling, and that's okay
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about falling safely on ice
Yes, absolutely! Falling is a completely normal and expected part of learning to ice skate. Even experienced skaters fall regularly when learning new skills. The key is learning how to fall safely to minimize injury risk. Most beginners fall multiple times per session, and this decreases as you build balance and confidence.
The safest way to fall is to: 1) Bend your knees to get low, 2) Fall to your side/hip (not forward or backward), 3) Tuck your chin to protect your head, 4) Keep hands in fists or flat (not outstretched), and 5) Relax rather than tensing up. Falling on your hip or side distributes impact better than landing on your tailbone, knees, or wrists.
Protective gear is optional for adults but highly recommended for beginners. Padded shorts (crash pants) protect your hips and tailbone, knee pads prevent bruising, and gloves are essential for hand protection. Many adult skaters use padding when learning new skills and gradually reduce it as confidence builds. There's no shame in protecting yourself! Check out our skating accessories for quality protective gear.
To get up safely: 1) Take a moment to assess if you're injured, 2) Roll to your hands and knees, 3) Bring one foot forward with the blade flat on ice, 4) Push up with your hands while bringing your other foot forward, 5) Stand with knees bent for stability. Don't rush—take your time to ensure you're balanced before skating again.
Falls can range from painless to uncomfortable, depending on how you land and your speed. Ice is hard, so there will be some impact, but proper falling technique significantly reduces pain and injury risk. Most falls result in minor bruising at worst. Wearing appropriate practice clothing with some padding and using proper technique makes falls much more manageable.
Practice at home on a soft surface like carpet, a yoga mat, or grass. Practice the falling motion in slow motion: bend knees, fall to your side, tuck your chin, and keep hands protected. Then practice getting back up from hands and knees. Repeat 10 times before your first lesson to build muscle memory. Mental rehearsal (visualization) is also highly effective. See our First Lesson Checklist for more preparation tips.
Stop skating immediately and seek medical attention. Even if you feel fine, head injuries and concussions require professional evaluation. Symptoms may not appear right away. Never continue skating after hitting your head. If you're prone to backward falls, consider wearing a helmet, especially during your first few lessons.
Most adult beginners notice a significant reduction in falls after 4-6 weeks of regular practice (1-3 times per week). As your balance, muscle memory, and confidence improve, falls become less frequent. However, even advanced skaters fall when learning new skills—it's a natural part of progression. The goal isn't to never fall, but to fall safely and get back up confidently.
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