What helped you most this year?

[aussieskater]

Following on from the 2005 achievements thread (I have to say reading that thread, haven't we all done well??), I thought I'd ask what people found helped them most this last year. I'm not talking so much about getting more practice time (that's a given, I'd guess!); I was thinking more along the lines of trying new skills, disciplines, different off-ice, new equipment etc. Your experiences of the "new thing" might be the impetus someone else could use.

I'll start - for the turning-challenged among us (or am I the only one?), I started beginner dance, and found it helped me so much - as much as anything, because I *had* to turn when the music said (no chickening out), and I *had* to turn without slowing to a complete crawl before I did the turn. The other advantage to dance was that I had someone to hold onto, and I promise I didn't hang on for dear life. (DH - who for his sins has also volunteered to be my partner - disagrees. Recent conversation between us: me - "I don't hang on! I hold on! There is a difference." DH - "Then why is my shoulder being pulled out of its socket??" *blush*) Thanks to dance, I can now do the turns by myself (but not yet at dance speed).

From an equipment point of view, my coach suggested I put heel lifts inside my skates and that improved knee bend and quietness no end. (Didn't do much for the spirals though - you should *see* the bruise on my knee from a few days ago, where I caught my toepick leaning forward too far...)

[techskater]

Things that really helped me this year:

reading and believing in the book Inner Champion helped me focus on competing more like I practice. I've still a ways to go, but I am making progress...

joining and gym and doing Pilates and Power pump off ice classes

[Skate@Delaware]

I will second on the Pilates. I've been balance-challenged since a child and Pilates has helped.

Focusing more-also bought the Inner Champion book-and getting a private coach.

Keeping a list of goals: short, medium, and long term.

Prioritizing my life!

[Casey]

Well I got into a nasty slump about ice skating over the summer and came close to giving up on it altogether. But I perservered, even if it meant only skating a couple times a week, and eventually got over it. One thing that I've found has really helped is that I save videos of myself. I'll get into the mindset that I haven't made any progress in several months, and start getting down about it. But then I'll look at my older videos and realize that yes, I really am still progressing. Progress isn't always in the form of accumulating new tricks, but also getting better at the ones you think you already know. :) Even though the quality of video taken by my phone is shoddy, it's a lot easier for me to discreetly video myself with than my digital camera, and it's provided me with something to look back on and see marked improvement. And then I'm re-inspired to keep on keepin' on! :D

Oh and my rink these days has a gym and ballet room that's included in the membership, I'm sure that helps too, though I don't use them nearly often enough. :P

[luna_skater]

Passing my gold skills gave me a lot of confidence, and a big kick in the rear! Now when I'm working on footwork and want to chicken out on a step, I tell myself, "You're a double-gold medalist...suck it up and DO IT!" :lol:

Other than that....NEW SKATES!!! The last time I got new boots was 1997. They broke down about 3 years later, and I had them rebuilt. Hindsight is 20-20 of course, and I realize now that when I got them rebuilt, they ended up way too stiff and never really broke down to a good place again. I kind of wish I had gotten new skates sooner, because I think I would have done a lot better with my dances (still passed them all, but I'm a perfectionist!). Got new Gams this summer, and I LOVE them. They are the perfect stiffness, so comfortable...I have ANKLE bend, which I never had in my old skates. I feel like I have a lot more control over my blade now.

[Mrs Redboots]

New boots and blades.

Losing weight.

Beginning to be aware of what mistakes we were making, and working on just specific things.

[TimDavidSkate]

Watching Campbells International and Skate America Live. I learned a lot more on how to compete :halo:

[Joan]

I'll start - for the turning-challenged among us (or am I the only one?), I started beginner dance, and found it helped me so much - as much as anything, because I *had* to turn when the music said (no chickening out), and I *had* to turn without slowing to a complete crawl before I did the turn.

The bronze level dances - with drop 3-turns - are forcing me to finally correct the way my hip behaves during 3-turns. I always let my hip close during the turn - it helps torque the turn around but it can't be checked :cry: . With the drop 3's, I'm finally learning to keep my hip open and unmoving throughout the turn. Also, it definitely helps to have a coach or partner prevent the "lack of check" from happening. ;)

[blisspix]

New boots and blades of course. First new set since 1994 (save the Cor Aces, which I only used 3 times so they don't really count ;) Finally had the money to spend $700 on skates for myself (my parents bought the old ones way back when, on the proviso that I sell my clarinet to fund them). Thank goodness the Phantoms were second hand!

New job with more regular schedule and closer location to rink meaning the ability to skate regularly for the first time since I was at university, and first time on ice since 2000.

I'm cycling a lot more than I used to now (I try and ride 10km once a week to the airport and back via the cycleway) which is helping with general off-ice fitness.

[Hannahclear]

Discipline.

Now that I've gotten to a financial place where I can afford to skate consistently and take lessons, I am totally reforming my practice technique. For a couple of years, I skated sporadically, but now I am skating three days per week. Three hours per week isn't a ton of practice time, but my coaching expenses ($66 per week) are great motivators. I get right to work every time I step on the ice. I do a program run through twice per week, for good or for ill.

The progress is really amazing. I used to get so depressed about moves in general back when I skated in high school. But I didn't want to do any work to improve my bad habits. Now I'm close to be ready to test bronze. I know it's not that high level, but I honestly never thought I'd get to anything that is labeled "pre juvenile" and I'm really happy. And forcing myself to practice my program has given me more endurance and skill than I thought I could even accomplish. I've never felt this comfortable skating to music. Never.

So discipline for me. That's been the key this year.

[jenlyon60]

Focusing on lots of Drills.

[phoenix]

Focusing on lots of Drills.

woo hoo---Blood sister! Same here. ;)

[Chico]

A positive coaching attitude. Even on my off days I don't feel like crap, I know that next time I will be better. Feeling good about myself has made the biggest change in my skating this last year. Skating peers have noticed so it's not just in my head. I also know what I need to do better than before. And, I feel confident that I can even if I don't always. Can is a good thing. A positive attitude form my coach that I carry with me when I skate.

Chico

[jazzpants]

New boots and blades. (Well, not new blades as far as the brand... it's still MK Pros, but they are brand new MK Pros and are a different size to accomodate the new custom skates.)
Doing smaller basics drills 'til the COWS come home! :twisted:
Not worrying about my placements at competitions or my test results (at test sessions) and just work on concentrating on what I need to do to finish the task at hand. I didn't pass my Bronze MITF, but I'm NOT dwelling over it. I've learned from the experience and have been back at working on making it a "no question about it, it's a passing test" scenario. I did the same at Skate SF (thinking I'll probably get my @$$ kicked... only to end up winning!!!) 8O
Last but definitely not least -- realizing that not risking a fall when trying something scary and having my coaches frustrated with me enough to make me do scary things WITH them skating with me is WORSE than the fall itself!!! :twisted: :lol: Let's see, there's the coach grabbing my hand and making me keep up to speed to keep up with my hand. There's "ice dancing" with my primary coach. There's primary coach "accidentally" (he claims, but I don't believe him) tripping me with his skates when I curve in too much on the 3rd step of the 5 step mohawk. He was supposed to JUST block me, NOT trip me too!!! :evil: (Apparently they're doing a good job at preparing me for the Moves Guru, FrankR!!! :roll: :twisted: :lol: )

[jenlyon60]

I want to add... working on Figures (planning to test Preliminary Figures later this winter/early spring).

I've discovered a lot of minor issues with my basics just from tracing my FO8s and FI8s and that (*&@# waltz 8 figure.

[sceptique]

1. Skating websites and forums, like this one. The camaraderie, the info and tips, the humour, the encouragement - everything!

2. ISU 5-CD set on jumps and spins

3. Books: "Complete Book of Figure Skating"; Petkevich's "Championship Techniques" Poe's "Off-ice Conditioning for Figure Skating.

[Mel On Ice]

confidence in myself

rediscovering the joy of skating

support from fellow adult skaters

dropping synchro

[sunshinepointe]

Helped -

1. Getting back on the ice in March after taking a two year break
2. Taking private lessons from a truly qualified coach that I meshed perfectly with
3. Finding all the the figure skating boards
4. Really pushing myself to develop as a full skater, not just someone working on jumps and spins.
5. Gaining confidence in myself, which translates into my skating
6. Taking group lessons with a bunch of supportive adults and with an instructor who finds ways to push and challenge us as a class even though we're all at different levels.
7. Getting new boots and blades, although there was an adjustment period at first

Hurt -

1. Having my rink destroyed in the most recent hurricane
2. Not having money to take more lessons
3. Not losing the weight I had originally intended

So, the positive definitely outweigh the negatives - but man, I need to get back on the ice, STAT

[tidesong]

This is mostly for the second half of the year after graduating from uni:
Helped:
Skating regularly again.

Helped for a while, but then hurt:
Had a good month or two skating on good, uncrowded ice (unfortunately this disappeared once the skating season started for ice hockey)

[Kelli]

Starting to work once a week with a second coach, who notices things my primary coach might miss but basically spends the time saying exactly the same things as my main coach in different words.

Spending more time at the gym getting into better shape.

Realizing that mental attitude on a minute-by-minute basis is so important. If I go into a move thinking 'light and fluffy,' the move is more likely to work out well. If I go into it discouraged and thinking I can't do it, I won't be able to. And yes, I stood there at the end of the rink on my recent test session and said 'light and fluffy' to myself before every single move. And it worked!

Getting new blades (same model).

[jazzpants]

Adding this to my list:

Hubby finally working at a good decent job after a LOOOONG unemployment helped a LOT!!! :twisted: :mrgreen: :P

(I'm so not kidding!!! Over 3 years!?!?! And with me being laid off not once but twice during that time too!!! What a BIG relief!!! Really helps the confidence factor too!!!)

[skatingatty]

Switching coaches has definitely made a big difference for me so far! I'm working on new things and getting new advice from my current coach. It also helps that he's not going to be dragging in crazy outfits to sell/guilt-trip me over. :) I now have my lessons on an almost empty freestyle session as opposed to crowded public sessions w/bad ice and lots of kids and group lessons going on. Also, I'm so glad to have quit being the test chair earlier this year. It gives me more time to focus on skating and enjoying my time at the rink. Hope you are all having a happy holiday season!

[sue123]

Skating when I can't feel my legs has really improved my skating. Lately, it's been freezing at my rink, and I haven't been able to feel my legs, but my skating has apparently never been better. Go figure that one out.

[AnnM]

Getting back into a fairly consistent lesson schedule.

Keeping a detailed journal of every lesson.

New boots and blades.

Developing an appreciation for the physics of the sport.

Realizing & accepting the fact that I'm having a harder time on ice lately because the skills I'm trying to master now are generally harder than anything I've ever had to learn before either as an adult or as a kid. Realizing this has helped me overcome a huge "frustration" roadblock, which in turn has made me less stressed out at lessons/practices.

[miraclegro]

THings that have helped me improve this year:

*NOT giving up

*In spite of lack of a consistent coach (schedule issues) and my old coach re-locating, being persistent enough to beg, borrow, and drive 2 1/4 hours at times to get a lesson!

*Remember what my old coach taught me about the importance of my shoulders in my skating, and "oppositeness" of where they belong in contrast to my lower body at times - guess you'd have to be there to understand!

*PERSISTANCE!

[doubletoe]

Dogged determination and REALLY HARD WORK! LOL!
Couldn't have passed my Gold MIF in time otherwise! :p

[kayskate]

Running, running, running!

Started running in spring. I started very small, just running down the street to someone's mailbox. Then I walked to the next mailbox before running again. I was running a mile in a month or so. Over the summer, I was running 3+ miles.

Running builds stamina. It takes off weight. It builds muscle. It improves cardiovascular conditioning. It feels great. It builds confidence. When I realized I could run a mile, it felt like an axel. A successful running goal met is like an axel or a double to me.

If your body can take it, start running. I have never been stronger. I'm 39 yrs old and have better stamina than most kids. I skate faster and stronger than ever, even though I only skate an hour or 2 per week.

Kay