Hearing a Smooth Skate on the Ice

[icedancer2]

My husband heard this clip on NPR this evening -- I thought skatingforums skaters would enjoy it:

Hearing a Smooth Skate on the Ice (http://http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6550604&ft=1&f=2)

[dbny]

You've got a typo in the URL. Here it is edited: Hearing a Smooth Skate on the Ice (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6550604&ft=1&f=2).

Thank you, very nice piece.

[Sk8pdx]

Yes, need I be reminded of how scratchy my power 3's are? :frus: :P

[froggy]

what a neat piece by NPR!
i love the rip sound im beginning to make on my back power pulls!

[LilJen]

How cool! Thanks for sharing that--I luuuuurrrrve NPR.

[cecealias]

That was awesome!! Did anyone get that the last sound bite one was a spin? LOL!! Totally rocked my day. Like the smell of fresh coffee perking it all up!

[Rusty Blades]

A LONG time ago I learned to listen to my skating and pay attention to what the ice was telling me. Last summer I button-holed a mature lady skater and complimented her on her beautifully silent edges - from her grin, she knew what I was talking about.

Even now I get annoyed when the music is so loud that I can't hear my skates! (But then I am strange!)

[Casey]

That spin wasn't that good, you can hear it travel! ;)

I don't skate on quiet ice that much - I have been skating mostly on noisy public sessions and wearing headphones and so on. It's an interesting way to meter progress though, because I used to skate on quiet ice and think "dear god, I need to listen to myself skate more!" and try to correct it that way...but of course then I'd forget and never follow that advice. But every few months when I would skate on quiet ice, it would sound a bit better, and these days, my skating is quiet enough for me to be content with. It's definitely a good aspect of measuring progress. :D

[mikawendy]

That spin wasn't that good, you can hear it travel! ;)


Good ears, Casey! I had noticed the same thing--I could tell because the rhythm of the spin sounded uneven rather than continuous and similar throughout the revolutions.

I like skating on quiet ice sometimes when I'm practicing moves, especially if I've already skated that day and gotten warmed up. I find it a little meditative. Plus, I'm trying to work on reducing the scrapiness, so it's useful to have the silence sometimes. However, when I'm trying to get warmed up and moving faster, I like it when there's music on.

[Ice Dancer]

That was amazing. Next time I go skating, I'm going to listen!

[kateskate]

I currently obsessed with listening to my edges and turns as the noise and occasional slight scratches were one of the reasons for my failed my field moves test.

It is a good measure of progress

[Mrs Redboots]

I just wish I could get off my toes when going backwards!

I agree, one could hear that that spin travelled, isn't it odd?

[Team Arthritis]

I had the good fortune a few years ago to attend the warmup session for Stars On Ice- wow quite an experience and much cooler than any show IMHO (eg. listened to Kristi Yamaguchi helping Steven Cousins with his triple Lutz which he was blowing because he kept breaking at the waist!)

The most impressive moment came about 30 min into it as Scott Hamilton was warming up his double Axels: The whole rink fell silent as he did 7 in a row around the center Hockey circle and they were all silent except for snick up and snick landing. Awe and silent admiration.
Lyle

[Morgail]

That was great! I love NPR.
I think the first time I ever paid attention to the sound of skating was when I tested recently. The rink was silent (as it never is when I go to practice) and I (and the judges!) could hear every single sound my blades made. Which was good when I heard my edges rip on stroking, but not so good when I came up on my toepicks for the back crossovers and the step-forwards on the 3-turn pattern;)

[das_mondlicht]

Very nice! Thanks for the link!

I never hear any sounds from me at public sessions. Until lately, I started skating at freestyle sessions for test preparation. It is amazing when hearing the edge ripping sounds but not too delightful when toe-picking.

[Schmeck]

Hey, I've skated at the rink mentioned in the clip (it's also notoriously known as the rink where the hockey dad beat the coach to death in the lobby area) but it was never quiet enough there to actually hear anyone's edges.

I used to love when I was able to skate strongly enough to get the rip (except we call it the crunch) but that hasn't happened in a long time for me :cry:

Thanks for the link!

Schmeck

[icedancer2]

You've got a typo in the URL. Here it is edited: Hearing a Smooth Skate on the Ice (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6550604&ft=1&f=2).

Thank you, very nice piece.

Thanks for helping me -- I never get this right.

It's true that the spin sounds like it is travelling, but so cool that we could pick that up!!

I love NPR, too -- about ten years ago, their Sunday am Morning Edition host, Liann Hanson, did a piece about adult figure skaters -- she herself is/was an adult figure skater and one day she went down to her rink and interviewed some of the people there. I thought it was awesome and wrote her a little email thanking her for the piece.

Well, the following week she read my letter (more like a brief note) -- on the air!! I was thrilled for my little 15 seconds of fame and walked around all day smiling, like, "Me and Liann -- buds!!". A couple of friends, even one across the country, let me know they had heard my letter and were thrilled because of course they always thought of me when the subject turned to skating...

Anyway, glad you liked it and hope that everyone starts to hear the sounds their blades make -- it can be very beautiful, especially when the ice is just perfect...

(icedancer2 drifts off into the memories of perfect ice....)

[Isk8NYC]

Thanks for helping me -- I never get this right.I've found it's easier to copy-and-paste the URL than it is to retype it first the first (15) times!
I love NPR, too -- about ten years ago, their Sunday am Morning Edition host, Liane Hanson, did a piece about adult figure skaters -- she herself is/was an adult figure skater and one day she went down to her rink and interviewed some of the people there. I thought it was awesome and wrote her a little email thanking her for the piece.What a nice piece. I don't listen to NPR, so thanks for the heads up.

NPR Adult Skating (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1001330)

[icedancer2]

I've found it's easier to copy-and-paste the URL than it is to retype it first the first (15) times!
What a nice piece. I don't listen to NPR, so thanks for the heads up.

NPR Adult Skating (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1001330)

Oh my god, this is awesome!!! What a great piece!

I actually think this might be a different piece than the one I first heard -- I don't remember so much about Adult Nationals, but who knows -- thank you, awesome!!:bow: