Has anyone worked with a harness?

[TaBalie]

I never have before... But lately I have been "chicken" about giving jumps 100%, though I am completely rotating, etc (I abort midway, put my foot down on the landing, never lift my free leg up...). I am wondering if I try with harness, and get a few nicely landed, it will make me feel more secure.

Anyone had any experience with a harness?

[flo]

yup - I think it helps! There are a few threads on this that you could search for and see quite a few different opinions. I do like the harness for getting the feel of a jump. I've also used it for overhead lifts and split double twists. It's really imporant that the person on the other end knows what they're doing!
Enjoy.

[coskater64]

The harness can help but it can also become a crutch...it's one thing to fully rotate it's another to fully rotate and cross your foot, the harness will allow you to experiement with getting foot cross but you do need to have someone who knows how to use it well. My coach does not give me any more height on my jump she just guides me further across the ice so I get more length on the jump, she doesn't stop me from falling.

Always remember it works differently for different people depending on a large number of factors..what might work for me, might not work for you. :lol:

[Raye]

When I was in Ottawa last year, Jan put me in the harness to assist me in learning the Loop Jump. After a few false starts, I finally did a really nice loop, landed on only one foot... she then took the harness off saying - "you're fine, now keep doing it" and I have had a reasonable loop jump ever since. Now I am thinking about using it for my flip...

The harness did not become a crutch, it just allowed me to believe that I could do the jump.

[Isk8NYC]

I can't imagine a coach willing to use the harness often enough with an adult to make it a crutch. (The coach would be using CRUTCHES after a while! LOL) I could see it with little kids, though. Still, it doesn't take the place of good coaching, body control, and muscle memory. It does help build the control and memory by slowing down the descent.

If you search these forums, Tabalie, there are a few good threads on using the harness. I only used it as a skater when I was working on axels and a double loop. Since I was an adult, there weren't that many "operators" strong/willing to hold the other end of the cable...

[TaBalie]

Thanks so much for the replies. I apologize -- I should have searched first! I just found some great older threads on this topic :oops:

I spoke with my coach about it this morning, and she said we could give it a go-- at best it could help, at worst it would be a very humurous lesson! :P

[doubletoe]

Ask your coach to pull on the harness if you start to fall, but not to pull on it otherwise. If your coach "helps" you, then you'll never learn how long you have in the air when you're jumping unassisted. That's why I stopped using the harness for my double loop practice. I'd get off the harness, then turn into a wet noodle and not even be able to land a single loop! I felt like an astronaut coming back to earth after being weightless for too long!

[Skate@Delaware]

Ask your coach to pull on the harness if you start to fall, but not to pull on it otherwise. If your coach "helps" you, then you'll never learn how long you have in the air when you're jumping unassisted. That's why I stopped using the harness for my double loop practice. I'd get off the harness, then turn into a wet noodle and not even be able to land a single loop! I felt like an astronaut coming back to earth after being weightless for too long!
This is so true! My first coach would pull too hard and I'd do fly like Peter Pan...I didn't like it and I worried more about getting yanked than actually doing the jump. I don't use it with my current coach (she doesn't use it, doesn't like to). No problem.

[TimDavidSkate]

I hate it, the harness for me feels like Im in slow motion in the air. It totally messed up my axel at one point. My timing was all off 8O

[beachbabe]

it helps me, but like everyone else has said...you coach has to have experience with it and know when to pull it and when to leave it. If they pull too much I assume jumping would feel really strange.


I learned all my singles including axel without the help of a harness. Its not a requirement, but once you start doubles it is very helpful just to get over that initial fear and get a feel for the jump so when you try it out without the harness you'll just go for it and not be scared, aswell as having felt the jump you'll know when you've done everything right.

[Chico]

Yes, I like the harness as I feel much braver in it. I hold back more without it. I find it to be a great learning tool. I've tried axels, 2 salchows and 2 loops in it. Give it a try. Having a coach who knows how to use the harness is a must.

Chico

[Skate@Delaware]

If I were to try it again, I would go somewhere else, like to a jump seminar where they offer it. Just for fun.

But I'm not to where I need it yet.....only working on my singles and haven't worked on the lutz yet...