What is speed skating really, and how does it differ from short track and regular ice skating? The honest overview for starting your journey.
The honest answer first: speed skating is a race against the clock on a 400-meter oval — not against the skater next to you. Two athletes start at the same time, each in their own lane, switching lanes every lap. Whoever posts the fastest time wins — physical contact is virtually nonexistent.
That surprises many people who only know the sport from TV and confuse it with short track. Short track runs on a tight 111-meter track, four to six skaters at once, direct head-to-head racing with overtaking. Speed skating, by contrast, is pure precision: same distance, same rhythm, every tenth of a second counts.
For context: a 400-meter oval is exactly the length of a standard athletics running track — so you already know the distance, just on blades instead of running shoes. And the speeds reached there aren't random: since the 1990s, a single technical innovation — the clap skate — has scrambled world records everywhere. In the 1997/98 season alone, nine of ten world records fell for both men and women. More on that in the next guide.
What clearly separates speed skating from figure skating and ice dance: no jumps, no spins, no choreography to music. Here only one thing counts — who gets from A to B fastest. That makes the sport incredibly accessible for anyone who loves measurable progress.
Train Smart. Play Hard. — in speed skating that means: build a feel for the oval first, then build speed.
Speed skating means: a time trial against the clock, in pairs, on two lanes, with a lane switch every lap for the classical distances. In mass start and team pursuit races, several athletes skate at once with no fixed lanes — more on that in a dedicated guide.
If your mental image is "corners so tight the hand almost touches the ice" — that's short track, not speed skating. The 111-meter track forces tight, aggressive corners with contact risk. Speed skating, in contrast, runs on wide corner radii where rhythm and efficiency matter more than elbow tactics.
Unlike recreational ice rinks, which exist almost everywhere, real 400-meter ovals are rare — Germany has only a handful. Anyone serious about starting is best off finding a club of the German Speed Skating and Short Track Community (DESG) — entry runs through structured skating schools there.
Before a clap skate even comes into question, you learn basic technique on fixed, shorter blades. That's deliberate: balance, cornering and stance first, then the high-end gear. Exactly the reverse of what many expect.
Because you race the clock, not a person right next to you, the first meaningful progress is: beat your own lap time. That makes getting started surprisingly relaxed — nobody's going to skate into your blades.
Speed skating in beginner training is far lower-risk than the high speeds on TV suggest. Beginners skate slowly, on wide ovals, with no opponent contact — the biggest risk is a simple fall on hard ice.
Wear thick, warm clothing as padding at first, warm up hips and ankles thoroughly, and increase your pace only once your basic stance sits automatically. With existing back or knee issues, get a quick medical check first, since the deep crouch position (more on that in the technique guide) brings unfamiliar loading.
Before your first session, watch a World Cup race — not for the show, but to see the rhythm: even pushes, calm upper body, no hurry. That image alone helps you mentally more than any explanation.
And a secret few mention: because you race the clock, speed skating is often mentally more relaxed than contact sports — the pressure comes only from yourself, not a direct opponent.
No. Speed skating runs on a 400-meter oval in time-trial mode with lane switching, short track on a 111-meter track with direct head-to-head racing among several skaters at once. Both use blades and similar muscles, but technique, tactics and even the skates themselves differ significantly.
Recreational ice skating aims at balance and fun; speed skating aims at pure velocity with a completely different body position: deep crouch, lateral push, specialized blades. The basic movement — "glide on one blade, push with the other" — is similar, but the execution is entirely different.
Yes. DESG clubs offer skating schools for every age group, and beyond coordination and basic fitness you need no special physical requirements. Entry runs through fixed blades and simple basic technique, just like for younger athletes.
World-class sprinters average well over 50 km/h over 500 meters — faster than you're allowed to drive in town. As a beginner, though, it's not about speed yet, it's about clean technique on the oval.
Speed Skating: Your Path to a Club