New Skater, living my dream!

[sk8mommy]

I am so glad to have found this board.
I am a long-time figure skating fan who has always wanted to skate, but always let other things keep me from doing so. I've watched figure skating since I can remember, and always dreamed of gliding across the ice.

I'm a 39 year old full time working mom of 2 young kids (ages 1 and almost 4), so needless to say my time is limited and I'd pretty much hung up the idea of learning to skate until my kids were a bit older.

Let me first say that I love my husband to pieces and he is the greatest. However, he and I are worlds apart when it comes to choosing gifts. I, being the typical perfectionist always try to find the perfect gift for everyone. He on the other hand figures that just the fact that he went to the trouble of getting someone a gift should be evidence of his feelings. Well, this year my husband and I were discussing Christmas gifts for each other and I explained to him what a heartfelt gift was to me (doesn't necessarily mean spending any money).

Unbeknownst to me, he really took our conversation "to heart" and my Christmas gift was a pair of Jackson figure skates and a bunch of warm clothes for the rink. We are in Florida, so finding the stuff was a challenge enough, but now he also is rearranging the family's schedule so that I can skate at least one day on the weekend (our closest rink doesn't have many public skating sessions, and the next closest might be a bit to far to travel with my current schedule).

I went for my first public skate this weekend and actually did pretty good, I thought. I started out very wobbly, but by the end of the session (less than 2 hours) I was actually staying pretty steady and picking up some speed to the point that I needed to move away from the edge of the rink to the less populated areas. I did take one spill, trying to navigate around some little ones, but figured one bruise on the hand was minor considering.

I am going to start group lessons tonight at the closer rink. I'd really prefer the other (further) rink because they have adult group classes and a nicer environment, but it's just not in the cards right now. The nearer rink is not in the greatest section of town, which concerns me a bit, as it will be dark when lessons end. We'll see how things go tonight. I figure I can always change to the other rink if it's not working out here. It will just be more of a juggle time-wise.

I was very surprised and pleased to find a board where I can hopefully chat with other late bloomers such as me.

Wish me luck!
Kathy

[Joan]

Good luck with the lessons and all. I was 41 when I started skating, so it is never too late.

[skaternum]

Hooray! Hope you love your lessons and new skates. Three things to remember:

Practice, practice, practice.
Be patient with yourself.
Bend your knees. And once you've bent your knees, bend them even more.
:)

[Isk8NYC]

What a lovely gift your husband gave you. If you check out www.arenamaps.com (http://www.arenamaps.com/), you'll be able to find other ice rinks in your area. There are a lot in Florida, surprisingly enough. (In Texas, many are in the shopping malls!)

Make sure to get those skate blades sharpened by a good pro shop. Ask around for recommendations! You may only have temporary mounting, so have the pro shop check the alignment after you've skated in them a few times. If everything's okay, they can put in the permanent mounting screws!

This is our high season and public sessions are packed. Many rinks don't offer public sessions that fit an adult or working parent's schedule.

In addition to the public sessions, there are some "unpublished sessions" you can look into once you start skating more strongly. Freestyle sessions are figure skating free-for-alls with no cones. Dance sessions are for ice dancing, and often take up the whole ice surface, but you may be interested. They're always more expensive, and you often have to buy them in advance, but they can't be beat when you're working on fancy skating.

The other "below the radar" skating is done through skating clubs. These are organizations that rent the ice from the rink and run their own programs, clinics and dance/freestyle sessions, using membership fees. It's a nice way to make friends, but it gets expensive. However, many allow GUESTS to skate. So, when the urge hits, you can get in a bit of skating for a price.

Welcome to the board!

[pevelg]

What a lovely gift your husband gave you. If you check out www.arenamaps.com (http://www.arenamaps.com), you'll be able to find other ice rinks in your area. There are a lot in Florida, surprisingly enough. (In Texas, many are in the shopping malls!)

Make sure to get those skate blades sharpened by a good pro shop. Ask around for recommendations! You may only have temporary mounting, so have the pro shop check the alignment after you've skated in them a few times. If everything's okay, they can put in the permanent mounting screws!

Welcome to the board!

Isk8NYC,

Is that prehaps the problem with my boots, that they did not have permanent mounting screws? My thread is here: http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=19300

[sunshinepointe]

Hey - I'm another florida skater and yes there ARE a ton of rinks where I am...are you in south Florida by any chance? PM if you feel this info is too private :)

[sk8mommy]

Thanks all for the welcomes and info!

Sunshinepointe, I'm in the Ft Myers/Cape Coral area. The 2 rinks near me are the Ft Myers Skatium and the Germain Arena. Germain is quite a hike for me, though, so it's the Skatium for now.

Isk8nyc, my hubby asked around before giving me the skates and found out where to get the blades sharpened locally, so we did that before I went out on Saturday. I'm itching to get out again....I'm at work right now and my mind keeps wandering to the rink (swoosh.....did you hear that?..it's the new sound my mind makes when it wanders) ;O)

[doubletoe]

Wow, big pat on the back for Hubby! :D
Do the skates fit? They need to be snug and have zero extra room, while also not hurting. Tie them tight in the toes, less tight through the instep, and tight in the ankles (but you may want to leave the top hook undone until they have broken in and you need the extra support).

Bending the knees is the best advice, and I see someone already mentioned it. But for many of us, "bending the knees" means leaning forward, too, and that's a bad thing. So instead of bending your knees, think of getting your butt lower to the ice, just like you're starting to sit down in a chair. Keep your chin up, and your chest over your knees over your toes.

Welcome to the ice, and have fun! Oh, and BTW, your husband will get a major payoff in the form of the great skater tush you're going to have by this time next year. ;)

[Raye]

Welcome to the OBSESSION.... :halo:

[mikawendy]

...also known as AOSS (adult-onset skating syndrome) :D :D

[sk8mommy]

Would you believe my hubby took a pair of my insoles from some of my more well-worn shoes to the place that he bought the shoes. He said that he took them because you could see the imprint of my foot clearly in them (ewww I thought!) It must have worked because when I went back in this weekend with my skates to get the blades sharpened, they checked my fit and it's good. They seem to fit as everyone says they should...no wiggle room in toes but a just a small bit up around the top of the boot. I'm experimenting with the way I tie them to see what works best. I haven't laced the top eyelet so far, as they are pretty stiff on their own.

Well, it looks like I'm going to make the trip to the farther rink for lessons. I went to the close one tonight and I was literally the only adult student (not even any teenagers). I just felt more than a little weird with NO other adult students. The other rink at least has 2 adult learn to skate programs. This one doesn't seem to separate the adults. Hubby thinks maybe I should try to get private lessons, but I don't know if that's the route to go just yet. What have the rest of you done? Did you start with group lessons?
I just thought that would be better to start, to just kind of blend in while getting my comfort level on the ice built up, KWIM?

Kathy

[Joan]

Hubby thinks maybe I should try to get private lessons, but I don't know if that's the route to go just yet. What have the rest of you done? Did you start with group lessons?
I just thought that would be better to start, to just kind of blend in while getting my comfort level on the ice built up, KWIM?

Kathy

Group lessons with adults are a lot of fun, so I'd definitely do that. By being in group lessons awhile, you will learn which coaches you think you'd like to work with later on. No need to rush into the expense of private coaching just yet.

[Debbie S]

I started out in group lessons and stayed in them from Basic 1 (USFSA sequence) through Freestyle 5, and then I went into private lessons b/c I realized that I needed more individualized instruction to master certain skills. I'd also decided that I wanted to try testing and competing, and I obviously needed a coach to teach me the required moves in the field and improve my overall skating, jumping, and spinning, and of course, help me get a program to use in competitions.

I'd say that group lessons are fine for the basic skills. I know some people (adults and kids) do start out in private lessons, but I feel that in the beginning, you will learn the same skills just as easily in group lessons as you would with a private coach. Plus, group lessons are cheaper. When you start getting into freestyle, if you decide to continue in that direction, then it's a good idea to get a coach. A lot of people choose to work with a coach and take group freestyle lessons at the same time, so the coach can give them extra attention on elements and make sure they don't pick up bad habits, and work on additional moves/skills that aren't covered in group lessons. And some just work with a private coach exclusively. It depends on your preferences and how you feel you learn best.

When I started in group lessons, I was the only adult. Occasionally, there would be another adult or 2 in my classes as I moved through the levels. The instructors I had were very willing to answer my questions or give feedback, but I found that as an adult, I had to take the initiative and ask more so than the kids. Generally, I learned the skills faster than the kids (in the Basic Skills levels) so the kids would get a lot of attention b/c they were the ones struggling. It didn't really bother me, although I could see how it would bother some people, and all I had to do was ask and the instructor would answer a question or look at what I was doing, etc, and they were usually good about talking to me like an adult and not like I was an 8-year-old.

[Sk8pdx]

Welcome to skating Sk8mommy! I started holding on to the railings thinking I would never even land a waltz jump. After 2 years I am now learning single rotation jumps (Salchow, loop, and toe loop).

I started with Adult classes. Our rink teaches ISI and USFSA so after about 3 times in the Adult group class, I made the choice myself and decided to skate in the Beta, then Gamma/Delta levels etc...right in there with the little ones. That really did not bother me as I had my eyes set on learning jumps and spins instead of caring what other people may have thought. I am now in the Freestyle 3 level (but not for long 8-) ) and hope to pass the USFSA Pre-Bronze MIF and Freeskate in April.

I agree with Joan. Don't rush into the private coach thing until you can get familiar with some of the skating coaches and staff so that way you can make an informed decision.

Oh! and a terrible side effect to this addiction/obsession is lack of patience. Please be kind to yourself when this happens. Just remember, in time, even grass becomes milk.

[sk8mommy]

Thanks so much!
You all are so helpful. I will most likely check out the lessons at the rink that offers adult learn to skate lessons and then see what happens from there. Maybe after I get some of the basics down, then I will feel more comfortable in a group of mixed ages. They have adult learn to skate on Friday mornings and on Saturdays. I'm thinking I might try to arrange my lunch hour to be 2 hours on Friday to accomodate the lessons for 8 weeks. My work is closer to that rink than my home is, so it would be less travel time if I can work out Friday classes. I'm trying to avoid lessons on Saturday, because both rinks have public skates only on weekends and I'd like to be able to spread out my practice more, if that makes any sense. I understand why hubby is saying I should look into private lessons, mostly due to my time constraints. But I think I'll talk to my boss first about the lunch hour deal.

[Isk8NYC]

Did the pro shop do that [heat mold the skates ] for you when you had the blades sharpened? Jackson Freestyles are supposed to be heat molded, but if they fit fine now, you don't need it.
If you take your skates to work, don't leave them in the car. The floridian summer heat can screw up the heat-molding and break down the leather very quickly. In our northern winters, cold skates are a misery - the chill seeps right down to your foot bones!

[Mrs Redboots]

Welcome to the most wonderful sport in the world! I was 41 when I started, and I know others who were even older than me. But be warned - it's totally addictive, and progress, for us adults, is slow. It can be very frustrating at times, when your body simply won't do what you tell it to!

You'll probably find group lessons (and, ideally, another practice session during the week, if you can) enough for now; once you have mastered the basics and decided whether you want to go out for ice dance, free skating, or a little of each (the ideal), you may decide to take private lessons. Or you can start out with them - but oddly, you may make faster progress in group lessons to start with. Coaches can be a tad over-protective of beginner adults! Once you're moving confidently, though, you may well want more individual attention.

[Mel On Ice]

a supportive spouse/partner is so important for an adult skater, esp. when you get involved in clubs, competitions, etc. Congratulations on that big hurdle!

I don't know where you are in FL, but the ladies of TBSA Countryside are a warm, inclusive group that will help you through any hurdles you have.

Congrats!

[Skate@Delaware]

Welcome to skating, Sk8mommy!

I took adult group lessons for 2 years before I took private lessons. I still take the group classes because I enjoy the people in my class-it's about the only time I get to skate with other adults!

I have found the private lessons more than make up for things I don't get in the group classes, everything balances out as we work on different things. It's like the group classes are the lecture and the private is the lab!

I also juggle work and skating, but only work 32 hours a week so I can flex my hours a bit more. I work 3 hours on Thursdays so I can hit the daytime session (it's barely attended).

I am a member of a skate club and bought ice time once a week. With membership and ice, it cost me about $250 from Sep-April. It's cheaper than buying drop-in time, so sometimes clubs are cheaper than going solo. Club time is also less crowded than public ice, although our drop-in freestyle times are not crowded very often.

Good luck, and don't forget to bend those knees!!! (and don't keep looking down!)

[sk8mommy]

Maybe someone can help explain some of the ice-time arrangements for me. I know about Public Skating sessions, but then it all becomes a bit more mysterious to me.

What is the difference between Drop In and Freestyle Open Ice? What are requirements/typical costs? If you join a club, does that entitle you to purchase ice time or make available times that wouldn't be available for purchase by the general public? I'm trying to determine the best way to get practice in. Ideally, it would be before or after work during the week, and right now all I am aware of is the public skate times which are only on weekends. I looked at one rink's schedule and see "OPEN ICE", "FREESTYLE" and "DROP IN" all indicated at various times, but that's it....I'm not sure what it means.

Thanks!
Kathy

[phoenix]

I'm not sure about the names, at my rink "drop in" means hockey. At yours it might mean something different. So again, for my rink/area I think "freestyle" would mean practice ice for figure skaters who are working on freeskating elements--jumping/spinning & programs, it *might* preclude moves & dance. "Open" means you can do freeskating, moves, or dance, whatever you want.

HOWEVER, at this point, you don't really belong on any of those! People might disagree with me, but I feel strongly about beginners being out on practice sessions with high level skaters--it's dangerous for everyone. There are exceptions to this: a quiet session with very few people, such as early morning. If there is a designated "low" session where they only allow low level skaters on the ice; or if you're out there on a lesson with a coach who can watch out for you. Or an adult only session where they are friendly to those who are just learning.

For now, you're just as well off on the less expensive public sessions where you can go along with the flow of traffic or stay in one corner to work on things (on a freestyle session you'd be blocking people's jumps if you stayed in a corner). As you improve in speed/maneuverability/ability to watch out for people & yourself, you'll be ready to be on the figure skaters' ice.

Hope I haven't offended everyone, it's a pet peeve of mine.

[sk8mommy]

Speaking for myself, no offense taken here. I'd rather learn these things from those more experienced and avoid learning the "hard way" if at all possible.

Besides, I'll have more than enough "hard way" learning that I won't be able to avoid in this new adventure. ;) ....I'm just happy to have someone to ask.
Thanks,
Kathy

[Isk8NYC]

What is the difference between Drop In and Freestyle Open Ice? What are requirements/typical costs? If you join a club, does that entitle you to purchase ice time or make available times that wouldn't be available for purchase by the general public? I looked at one rink's schedule and see "OPEN ICE", "FREESTYLE" and "DROP IN" all indicated at various times, but that's it....I'm not sure what it means.

Thanks!
Kathy

All terms can and will vary from rink to rink. Here's the translation of terms from my neck of the woods:

Freestyle sessions are often divided by skill level. It'll read "Freestyle - High" or "Freestyle Juvenile and above" or something along those lines. This refers to test levels. It's to keep everyone on the ice at the same basic skill level so no one dominates. I've seen "Freestyle OPEN" used to indicate any level of freestyle.

I agree with Phoenix: If you're just starting out, you'll be in the way on a freestyle. Wait, as I said, until you've developed some more advanced skills.

When you're ready, check out the freestyle before you pay, to make sure you're not going to be run over by power skaters. I remember skipping freestyles if a certain skater and his coach were on the session; he was a Senior skater on a tiny little rink with a bunch of low-level skaters. Dominate and intimidate - must have made him feel important to bully others out of the way and terrorize the Juvies. I've skated at daytime sessions where I was the only one on the ice for an hour-and-a-half. Obviously, a beginner wouldn't be in the way on an empty rink.

"Drop In" often refers to hockey sessions, however, I have seen it used for pay as you go freestyles, instead of getting a discount for pre-paying for a specific number of sessions in advance. If you know you'll use all 10 sessions, buy it in advance. Saves you time and trouble later. (Wait - someone will tell you about losing money because of cancelled sessions. I'll leave it for now.) Our freestyles cost $13/hour if you drop in, but if you buy a ten-punch card, it nets out at $10/hour. Fees vary from rink to rink.

Most Clubs have a basic membership fee. Some bundle it with the ice fee, others let you select and pay for the sessions you want. Some have payment schedules, others ask for money up front. It really depends on the rink, so you have to chat up the other adult skaters and/or stop by during a Club session to ask the questions.

BTW, stay away from the edge at General sessions. The ice gets really choppy and dangerous.

[techskater]

One other thing in addition to what the others have added here:
A skating club may have different/more ice time available that is only offered to club members. For example, our skating club here in Chicago has ice at 2 different rinks and you need to be at least an associate member to skate on it after two non-club member walk ons. A local skating club is also who runs test sessions for US Figureskating when the time comes (PreBronze/Pre-pre and up). When that time comes, you will either have to join as a indivisual member or through a skating club. The advantange beyond club ice time is that if the test session is very crowded, non-home club members often get locked out of the test session (which happens a lot around here for MIF and dance).

Welcome to the "coolest" lifestyle on earth! :)

[Mrs Redboots]

What I would do, is, when you start classes, ask about sensible practice times that fit in with your schedule and where you won't get in the way. You may find that some public sessions are much quieter than others, or some teaching sessions have a lot of beginners on so you'd fit in.... ask the person who teaches your class, as they will probably know.

[jazzpants]

Sk8mommy: Welcome to AOSS!!! :twisted: If you keep up the good work in skating, that swooshing sound of your mind wondering will someday be the same sound as you going around the rink faster!!! :mrgreen:

Enjoy your new skates!!!!

[flippet]

HOWEVER, at this point, you don't really belong on any of those! People might disagree with me, but I feel strongly about beginners being out on practice sessions with high level skaters--it's dangerous for everyone. There are exceptions to this: a quiet session with very few people, such as early morning. If there is a designated "low" session where they only allow low level skaters on the ice; or if you're out there on a lesson with a coach who can watch out for you. Or an adult only session where they are friendly to those who are just learning.

For now, you're just as well off on the less expensive public sessions where you can go along with the flow of traffic or stay in one corner to work on things (on a freestyle session you'd be blocking people's jumps if you stayed in a corner). As you improve in speed/maneuverability/ability to watch out for people & yourself, you'll be ready to be on the figure skaters' ice.

Hope I haven't offended everyone, it's a pet peeve of mine.


It's a peeve of mine, too, but the real peeve is that it seems no one (coaches, etc) bothers to tell newbies (of any age) the 'rules' of a freestyle session. You see beginners out there just trying their best to stay upright and out of the way, not realizing that what normally passes for 'out of the way' in a public session is quite often smack-dab IN the way for a freestyle session.

Depending on how busy your rink is (both public sessions and freestyles), it may be more profitable for you to practice on low/open freestyles, if you have the option. Busy public sessions are rotten for learning the basics on, but busy freestyles are dangerous. Watch a couple of freestyle sessions before you skate on one, to get a bit of an idea how the flow of traffic goes. You should learn to anticipate (for example) that if a skater moves this way around the corner, they'll likely move that way down the center. Skating is done on curves, so even if you're directly in a straight path in front of a skater, you may not really be in the way--but if you move, you'll find yourself at risk of being mowed over.

Basic rules: Stay OUT of the corners (unless the session is VERY empty, or VERY low). Lutz jumps are done in the corners, and you'll get evil glares from anyone trying to practice them. Don't linger in the center--that's usually reserved for spins. Emphasis on linger--newbies are often given a break here, and they're also often working on edges on the center line or circle. Skaters doing their program are given the right-of-way...if someone's skating to their music, watch to get a feel for where their program puts its elements, and stay OUT of the way if at all possible. (Many clubs give the program skater an identifying mark, like an orange vest or sash to wear.) Lessons are given second priority for right-of-way. It's best to keep moving if at all possible--standing in one spot for a while is frowned upon. This is really the trick with brand-new beginners--you often really aren't moving all that much, and what you're working on tends not to go much of anywhere. That's what makes it a poor fit for freestyles, unless they're rather empty, or most of the skaters aren't very advanced. But it can be so hard to practice on public ice without getting constantly cut off by bratty kids and hockey skaters, that as long as you're paying attention and trying to be polite, most freestyle skaters will cut you a break--they were once there too. Oh--but don't defer too much...you also need to stand your ground a little bit. Some freestyle kids look down on adults, and will try to intimidate them. If you can make friends with the kids, though, you've got it made. :)

Welcome to the addiction - er - sport! And congrats on having such a wonderful hubby. (Now, the secret plan commences to turn him into a skater as well...da dum da dum da dum.... :twisted: )

[rlichtefeld]

I developed a one-page (front and back) sheet for newbies and the parents of newbies to cover the progression of skating. You can find it at:

http://www.gafsc.org/forms/new-to-skating.pdf

It covers the group lesson, private lesson, freestyle/private ice, testing etc.

Rob

[sk8mommy]

Wow! What a wealth of information I'm getting here....thanks!

I have my first group lesson (adult learn to skate) at another rink tomorrow morning, 8:15 bright and early. It's about an hour away from my house, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get some practice in at the closer rink in between lessons.
Wish me luck. I can't wait to get back on the ice.

Kathy

[sk8mommy]

I forgot to add...

Hubby is going to be a tough sell...I don't see him on the ice ever! He is worse than me about being afraid of getting hurt, and I am pretty bad.

Now, my kids are another story. My son is already interested, but he is just now turning 4 (next week). I thought I'd check both rinks out first and see which might be better suited to him for lessons. My daughter is only one, but she loves to balance on things already, so who knows, maybe she's a natural...she scares me, though, she has no fear....turned my back for two seconds the other day and found her on the 4th rung of a ladder. Yikes!

[sue123]

I forgot to add...

Hubby is going to be a tough sell...I don't see him on the ice ever! He is worse than me about being afraid of getting hurt, and I am pretty bad.

Now, my kids are another story. My son is already interested, but he is just now turning 4 (next week). I thought I'd check both rinks out first and see which might be better suited to him for lessons. My daughter is only one, but she loves to balance on things already, so who knows, maybe she's a natural...she scares me, though, she has no fear....turned my back for two seconds the other day and found her on the 4th rung of a ladder. Yikes!

I know at one of the rinks I skate at, they have different classes going on at the same time, each class gets a section of the ice. So the kids could be on the ice at the same time as adults, so that way you can avoid making two trips and the two of you can practice together.

For me personally, some of my favorite memories involve me and my dad skating together. Although he did accidently dislocate my shoulder once, but he sees his baby falling backwards, got scared, and pulled too hard on my arm. But still, it's a lot of fun for a kid to skate with a parent.

[sk8mommy]

Ok...I've officially survived my first lesson.
It was basically me and 2 other skaters wth one coach and about 8-10 other skaters who are a synchro team and practice during the adult learn to skate.
I started with double and single swizzles, stopping snowplow style, short one foot glides and a little bit of skating backwards.

Gotta build that leg strength up! Also I need to find some off ice exercise that will help me with my flexibility (where did it go?....don't answer that...I think I know)

Overall, I'm happy with what I was able to accomplish, considering it's only my 2nd time on the ice ever. The swizzles took a while to get momentum, but by the end of the lesson, I was doing pretty good with them and didn't have to rely on other strokes to keep me at a fair speed.

Stopping is tricky for me. I can't get my darn right foot to work...I'm not sure if I'm just not bending inward enough or if it' s the "push", but it just kind of stays there and lets my left foot do all the work...hmm.

Again, short glides are better on my left than my right. I'm trying to remember if the ankle I sprained years ago was the left or right. I'm thinking right, but really can't remember.

The coach asked me how my backward skating was, and I was like "what backward skating?" So she showed me how to start. This one is going to take a while. Again, toes don't like to turn in enough, or I lose the side to side weight shifting. I'll get there, it's definitely a different feeling altogether than frontward.

Even though it was hard, and I was really challenged by some of the stuff, I had so much fun...I was not ready to get off the ice! Going back to the closer rink for public skate in a couple hours. Wish there was something during the week, but I guess I'll just have to deal with weekends until I get better and can reap the benefits of the freestyle ice time.

Kathy

[Cactus Bill]

...Gotta build that leg strength up! Also I need to find some off ice exercise that will help me with my flexibility (where did it go?....don't answer that...I think I know)

Know all about the flexibility thing that I USED to have. There's a kid at our rink who can do Beillmann spins like crazy...he just lifts his leg until it's sticking straight up. Disgusting!!! 8O

Stopping is tricky for me. I can't get my darn right foot to work...I'm not sure if I'm just not bending inward enough or if it' s the "push", but it just kind of stays there and lets my left foot do all the work...hmm.

The trick to a good snowplow stop is to STRAIGHTEN the blade (relative to the ice) as you slide it out, then dig it into the ice. If you still have some problems. you might check with your shaprener to find out how deep (or shallow...at this point in your skating career you want the hollow on your blades to be somewhat shallow. See the stickey at the top of the list for more information!) I had my skates originally sharpened to a 3/8" radius...fairly agressive...and I wasn't anywhere that agressive a skater, but the sharpener never asked me as to my abilities, he just sharpened them. This has been since corrected...

And you might want to try stopping with your left foot next time...

Again, short glides are better on my left than my right. I'm trying to remember if the ankle I sprained years ago was the left or right. I'm thinking right, but really can't remember.

This exact thing happened to me...about 20 or so years ago I severly sprained my right ankle (and spent a couple of months in a cast!). Then in the early 90's I broke the 5th metatarsal in my right foot...and AGAIN spent a month or so on crutches and in a cast. And yes, I'm better on my left foot than on my right (and I'm right handed)...but on further thought, I've always been a bit clumsy when it came to learning movement...so I might have always been a little "mixed up" that way and the sprained ankle/broken foot may well have had nothing to do with that. The upshot is that some moves will take a little more work to master...but so what else is new?

The coach asked me how my backward skating was, and I was like "what backward skating?" So she showed me how to start. This one is going to take a while. Again, toes don't like to turn in enough, or I lose the side to side weight shifting. I'll get there, it's definitely a different feeling altogether than frontward.

Yes it is...when you skate backwards you always want your weight to be on the ball of the foot. And it's an alien feeling... but again, with some work it'll happen.

Even though it was hard, and I was really challenged by some of the stuff, I had so much fun...I was not ready to get off the ice! Going back to the closer rink for public skate in a couple hours. Wish there was something during the week, but I guess I'll just have to deal with weekends until I get better and can reap the benefits of the freestyle ice time.

Kathy

Addicting, isn't it? And fun as well. Here's to a whole new world that's just opening up to you. Frustrations, falls, and flying...it's all part of the sport.

[Sk8pdx]

...Addicting, isn't it? And fun as well. Here's to a whole new world that's just opening up to you. Frustrations, falls, and flying...it's all part of the sport.

... and not to mention the adrenaline rushes when you learn and succeed at new things... skating is so addicting that one soon might relate to their private coach as a "drug dealer" ... Please! just one more 1/2 hour of lessons! :lol: :lol: :lol: .

[dbny]

A word of caution on the snowplow stop. Be sure to keep your arms low, hands at waist level, and bend your knees! Just last week I was teaching an adult class with another coach who sent the skaters out to do snowplow stops with their arms high and no reminder to bend knees. Of course, one leaned back and fell, hitting her head. I don't mean to scare you, and you sound like you are making a lot of progress very quickly, but just want you to be safe.

[sk8mommy]

I had my 2nd lesson today. Overall, I would say I'm progressing faster than I thought I would. I can see myself fighting practicing those elements that are toughest for me already, though. I have a feeling I'll learn a lot about myself in the process of learning to skate.

We practiced briefly the things we learned last week...double front swizzles, backward skating, short alternating one foot glides and snowplow stop.
Backward skating still needs a LOT more practice, but I had more good moments with it than bad this time. I surprised myself with the double front swizzles today during warm up. I was doing them and I suddenly realized "Hey, I'm DOING them and it actually seems kind of easy"....not like I was forcefully squeeeezzzzingg my legs together or losing control....very cool!

Then our coach had us working on backward swizzles....welllll, at first I couldn't even get my legs to move! I was like, " do I even have muscles there??!!" Finally did it well a couple of times (strokes, not laps!) though and after a while was at least moving along the ice, although painfully slow.

After this we practiced one foot swizzles around a circle and the coach drew little arcs on the ice outside the perimeter of the circle where our "swizzling" blade should be. It did help to have a line to follow. I did pretty good with these. After doing a million of these each way, she had us start doing one foot glides around the circle on our outside edge of the inside foot. That was tricky! I think that I overestimate the foot movement needed to find the edge....let's just say there was a lot of scraping going on! But the few times I did find the edge were awesome...even though short-lived. And I found that I could actually balance on one foot longer while doing this. I'm finding so much of this a mind thing....not that it's not physical....my legs will be screaming tomorrow. It's just amazing how much the mind can affect the simplest things.

Final thing we learned was forward crossovers, which we practiced around the circle. Let me tell you, that circle was well etched by lesson end! Fear is a big one for me here....I need to get over the fear of picking up my foot and the fear that I might trip myself....both of these hold me back on this move. I got about 3-4 ok ones in, but this will take a lot of practice due to the fear factor. I have the move and weight shift figured out, it's my mind that is holding me back.

Kathy

[mskater]

Happy skating:]

[wisniew]

Final thing we learned was forward crossovers, which we practiced around the circle. Let me tell you, that circle was well etched by lesson end! Fear is a big one for me here....I need to get over the fear of picking up my foot and the fear that I might trip myself....both of these hold me back on this move. I got about 3-4 ok ones in, but this will take a lot of practice due to the fear factor. I have the move and weight shift figured out, it's my mind that is holding me back.

Kathy

**********

Kathy,

You are doing great. I just picked up the sport with any level of seriousness a couple of months ago. I am wondering however, about how quickly you are being moved from basic one-foot glides into cross-overs. Maybe it is just that my coach is pretty conservative, but he has hammered me for weeks and weeks just working on posture, knee-bend, appropriate weight-shifting in terms of timing and how it relates to balance, focusing on exact perpendicularity of the blade to the ice for glides, of course as long as we aren't addressing edging.

My point is that without the appropriate amount of ice-time to hone those skills jumping into cross-overs might cause you to plateau there or worse develop bad habits. You haven't mentioned anything about outside-edge work (or I missed it) which really should be a pre-req for crossovers. I am taking group classes and private lessons. The ISI Alpha throws you right into cross-overs without pre-req work on outside edge "comfort".

And you may have already worked on all of this above and have it mastered. I am tall (6-3) and posture is a problem for me (tendency to lean forward).

I was really interested in how you were doing with outside-edge work, not only as it relates to cross-overs but also, for example, how it relates to a 3-turn, which is where I am just getting to ... Effective outside edging has been my hardest to develop skill so far.

But, I REALLY do understand the interest and passion that you clearly are experiencing. Keep up the efforts. We're all in this together.

Joe

[tidesong]

This brings back fond memories, I didnt start that late, I was in my late teens but enough so I remember how it was my first few times on the ice. It is an amazing thing you sound like you are doing really great! Keep it up!

[VegasGirl]

Fear is a big one for me here....I need to get over the fear of picking up my foot and the fear that I might trip myself....both of these hold me back on this move. I got about 3-4 ok ones in, but this will take a lot of practice due to the fear factor. I have the move and weight shift figured out, it's my mind that is holding me back.

Kathy

I feel for you!
I was just a year youner than you when I started figure skating about 2 years ago and I have to say fear was one of my biggest enemies in the beginning... fortunately it lost out to ambition and drive, not to mention determination! :)

My first hurdle came right in the beginning with backward cross-overs... having had a bit of skating time on hockey skates I wasn't used to having a toe-pick and got caught more than a couple of times in the beginning, making my heart race like you wouldn't believe. But I was determined not to let those darned little picks get the better of me and one day spend an entire 2 hour session just doing back cross-overs... I finally got it!!! Now I help others figuring out how to do them properly. 8-)

Fear is not really an issue any more though I am still at times a bit on the cautious side, I am no longer afraid to try and try hard!
Now, if I could just get those pesky nerves during competitions under better control....

[sk8mommy]

Final thing we learned was forward crossovers, which we practiced around the circle. Let me tell you, that circle was well etched by lesson end! Fear is a big one for me here....I need to get over the fear of picking up my foot and the fear that I might trip myself....both of these hold me back on this move. I got about 3-4 ok ones in, but this will take a lot of practice due to the fear factor. I have the move and weight shift figured out, it's my mind that is holding me back.

Kathy

**********

Kathy,

You are doing great. I just picked up the sport with any level of seriousness a couple of months ago. I am wondering however, about how quickly you are being moved from basic one-foot glides into cross-overs. Maybe it is just that my coach is pretty conservative, but he has hammered me for weeks and weeks just working on posture, knee-bend, appropriate weight-shifting in terms of timing and how it relates to balance, focusing on exact perpendicularity of the blade to the ice for glides, of course as long as we aren't addressing edging.

My point is that without the appropriate amount of ice-time to hone those skills jumping into cross-overs might cause you to plateau there or worse develop bad habits. You haven't mentioned anything about outside-edge work (or I missed it) which really should be a pre-req for crossovers. I am taking group classes and private lessons. The ISI Alpha throws you right into cross-overs without pre-req work on outside edge "comfort".

And you may have already worked on all of this above and have it mastered. I am tall (6-3) and posture is a problem for me (tendency to lean forward).

I was really interested in how you were doing with outside-edge work, not only as it relates to cross-overs but also, for example, how it relates to a 3-turn, which is where I am just getting to ... Effective outside edging has been my hardest to develop skill so far.

But, I REALLY do understand the interest and passion that you clearly are experiencing. Keep up the efforts. We're all in this together.

Joe

Joe,
I left out some of the details. Leading up to crossovers, we spent time going CW and CCW around a circle, first doing a half swizzle with the outside leg and putting weight on the inside leg, trying to get the outside edge of the inside leg. Then we progressed to short one foot glides on the inside leg, outside edge...focusing on leaning into the circle and putting weight over inside leg. After a many, many circles around in each direction, we moved to crossovers.
I do feel we are moving fast, but really just enough to be challenging. As I learn about how edges and balance and weight distribution all work together, (along with bent knees!), I spend more and more time during my practice just gliding and bending my knees, shifting my weight ever so slightly, repositioning my hips, torso, etc. I'm definitely not in any big hurry...I'm thrilled to be able to do backward swizzles fairly well after this week's practice sessions. I spend a fair amount of each practice time on the first stuff I learned (even stops), and I find that each time I am incrementally improving even those skills, paying more attention to my posture, balance, arm position, knee bend, edges, etc. That is really what I like best about skating. The fact that I can get "lost" in practicing a skill --- and be so focused....it really is almost a form of meditation in a way....and very relaxing for me.
Kathy