Winter Burnout

[Black Sheep]

I've been training hard since last year for this year's Adult Sectionals and Nationals. Now that those events are just around the corner, all of my best maneuvers are starting to go. I can't even do a decent layback spin anymore: It just looks sloppy and travels all over the place. I'm pretty sure it's the weather: With the snow on the ground and the chill air, I'd rather stay in bed and hibernate.

Anyone else have this problem? :(

[mikawendy]

Do you have time to go to a session just to skate for you (no deliberate practicing of programs or anything on upcoming tests, just skating for fun, for you)?

Or, is there an edge class in your area? Sometimes when my skating goes all wonky, I do better in a class--I have time to gather myself between elements and I can see others who are better than me doing the assigned steps.

[vesperholly]

Originally posted by Black Sheep
I've been training hard since last year for this year's Adult Sectionals and Nationals. Now that those events are just around the corner, all of my best maneuvers are starting to go. I can't even do a decent layback spin anymore: It just looks sloppy and travels all over the place. I'm pretty sure it's the weather: With the snow on the ground and the chill air, I'd rather stay in bed and hibernate.

Anyone else have this problem? :(

Definitely. My layback spin must have run off to a warmer clime with yours! I'm using the new elliptical trainer that my family got for christmas as motivation to improve other aspects of my skating. Even if my layback goes south, I won't feel like I want to die after a two-minute program!

My advice for AWOL elements - leave it alone for a few days, concentrate on other things, and it will come back.

[singerskates]

Originally posted by vesperholly
Definitely. My layback spin must have run off to a warmer clime with yours! I'm using the new elliptical trainer that my family got for christmas as motivation to improve other aspects of my skating. Even if my layback goes south, I won't feel like I want to die after a two-minute program!

My advice for AWOL elements - leave it alone for a few days, concentrate on other things, and it will come back.

Is your 2 min program a Canadian Adult Prelim program or a US program? I have no idea on the program lengths in the US for anything more than Adult Bronze. I'm competing in the Canadian Adult Prelim and the US Adult Bronze which as a 20 sec. difference. I'm going to have to get everything that I do in the CA Prelim program squashed into the US ADult Bronze program time.

[jp1andOnly]

For adult nationals in Canada your program can be either 2 or 2.5 +/- 10 seconds. This is for the prelim. category. I've decided to use my brothers old senior mens short program as I chose the music for his program in the first place. His short was 2:35 which is perfect for Adult nationals. I jsut saved a fortune in music costs and since I'm a music teacher I probably would have driven my coach nuts. I'm sorry, I hate bad cuts, I hate cheesy music. Because all I do all day is music and thats what my degrees are in I couldn't settle for something I didn't feel 100% in. I don't have time to cut the music myself nor do I have the equipment. So recycling it is :)

[Mrs Redboots]

Black Sheep - we are a few months ahead of you here, in that all our major competitions are over, and we are working on basic skills and/or thinking of new programmes for the coming year. But without a programme to work on, it's often difficult to get motivated - I had one of those skates today when I was on the ice for 2 hours, but doubt I actually skated for more than about ten minutes, if that!:roll:

Is there a dance club in your area that does social dancing? That's always fun and different, and can help remotivate one's love of the sport. Otherwise, take two weeks off and do something else!

[dooobedooo]

Take a short break from skating, and go down to the gym and work on fitness ...?