Well, I did it...

[flippet]

I finally did it.

I went skating for the first time in nearly three years.

Oy. :giveup:



I made so many mistakes. First off, I tied my skates too tightly. Ouch. And then, I just found it difficult to keep good balance. I could barely do crossovers--SO unstable. Back crossovers felt a little better, but they were still royally crappy. I looked and felt like a straight-up beginner out there. :cry:

I attempted a few spins--never my best thing to begin with. I fell right over the toepick on most of the attempts. I had ONE attempt that actually put the first tracing over the hook where it's supposed to go, and the next four or so revs didn't travel more than a couple of feet away. That was it. :( I really couldn't even do a simple 3-turn in isolation.

I finally got up the courage to try a few tiny half-flips. Tiny being the operative word.

Now I'm starting to wonder how much was me, and how much might be that I might need a good sharpening. Because I found that I couldn't even really hold a left outside edge. It didn't feel slippy, it just felt like I couldn't get onto it. Of course, the ice was crappy, it was the fifth hour of a 6-hour open skate. (I don't know if they cut it in the middle or not).

I was there for an hour and half (sitting for probably half of the total time), and my feet felt pretty good until I started getting a blister on my instep, at which point I quit. Today, of course, my feet and ankles and inner thighs are feeling it! Ouch.

It sort of felt good to get back out there, but on the other hand, it felt SO BAD because I can't do *anything* that I remember doing. I almost feel like hanging it up completely until I have some actual time and money for lessons again---and that will probably be years away. It just feels kind of pointless/hopeless to stumble around once or maybe twice a year without any hope of actual practice. Plus, I need new boots. The ones I have are just the slightest bit too narrow across the ball and midfoot. I could stand it before I had kids, but now it just causes an ache. I certainly don't have money for new ones, but I'll miss these all the same, because they're really good boots, otherwise.

Sigh. :(

[Ice Dancer]

You went again thats the main thing :D The hardest bit is always that first step, keep at it and you'll be amazed.

As for skates, how about trying on ebay or a second hand sale? Could you sell your current skates to raise funds?

[Isk8NYC]

You don't need lessons to start back.
Work on building up your strength and basics first.
C'mon, you've read enough threads to come up with your own drills. Try scooter pushes and lean drills to get those strokes and edges back.

Your skates are probably dried out from disuse. Try this trick from Klingbeil's: Dampen a cloth with tepid water. (Not wet.) Put it inside the skate, close it up in a plastic bag and let sit for an hour or two. The leather will absorb the moisture and soften. Make sure you take off the bag and dry the blades/bottoms.

Or, you could just sweat 'em up - that works too!

Either way, try having them stretched width-wise after they soften a bit. Maybe you can get some more use out of them.

We're all very proud and glad you're back on the ice!

[Award]

This is not unusual at all. To stay on top of figure skating skills, the body must be kept in pretty good condition and the mind and the feel for the moves must be constantly refreshed or updated. The whole thing is about body and mind control and keeping a feel for the moves. After a time of not doing skating, it requires time to 'get back into it'....to retune the body and mind and feel. Other kinds of physical activities are the same. The good thing is that if you were pretty good at the activity in the past, you will already know the basics and to get back into things can be fast. It's not like starting out as a beginner again because you already know what you're supposed to do.

[Rusty Blades]

I looked and felt like a straight-up beginner out there. :cry: Sigh. :(

ROFLMAO!!!

'Cuse me! Didn't mean to laugh.

Sweetie, I was away 36 years - I KNOW your pain! :twisted:

[Casey]

The first day back sucks at least after a couple months, I can only imagine a couple years. But keep going. Things will start feeling a lot better after 2-3 days. Stuff starts coming back quicker than you'd think.

[russiet]

There is always at least one good thing that you can take away from every skating session, so congratulate yourself on what you did right, and forget what went wrong.

If your boots are too narrow, you can have your boots stretched out.

You'll be fine. Try some off-ice conditioning to help you out.

Congrats on getting back on ice.

[skaternum]

I feel your pain, flippet. And I'm gonna be in the same boat in about another year. I've been off the ice for just over a year now and just had my cartilage implant surgery. My doc tells me it'll be a year before I can skate again, assuming the cartilage grows right. I dread those first few months back. I know it's going to be really frustrating. My brain will remember what it ought to be able to do, but my body won't cooperate. It's gonna suck. But at least it's temporary. You'll get back in the swing of things in no time. Just try to be patient.

[jazzpants]

YAAAAAY! You're BACK on the ice again!!! WELCOME BACK!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Don't feel bad! It will take time to get back into things. I remembered coming back on the ice after a 17 year absence... and believe me I felt bad that I could not do much! I did managed to skate forward, which was my one reminder that I once did skate as a kid. And things do take time, but it does get better!

Don't mean to go OT on this thread but....Oh, geez, skaternum!!! A year before you skate away??? There goes the AN 2008 goal (but a good stab at AN 2009 though.) 8O How's the elevator? :)

[flippet]

Things will start feeling a lot better after 2-3 days. Stuff starts coming back quicker than you'd think.

That's the sad part....I don't have 2-3 days. I don't have either the time or the money right now to devote to practicing again. If I go skating twice this winter (seasonal rink), it will be a miracle.


Your skates are probably dried out from disuse.

Either way, try having them stretched width-wise after they soften a bit. Maybe you can get some more use out of them.


I think they might be. I took a good look at the soles after I got home, and the bottom of the soles look all right, but the edges and the heel especially look a bit dry. I'm sure the interior is a touch dry too.

I tried to stretch the boots back when I was using them regularly. It's just no-go. The only thing I haven't tried is russiet's (I think?) ski-boot trick, with the custom-made stretching blocks. And I just don't have the time to fool around with that at the moment. Plus, I'm not sure it would work anyway. Where I need stretching is the area on the outer edges of the footbed, right where the boot meets the sole. From just behind the ball to just before the start of the heel. My problem is that the boots are an AA width, all the way. That's perfect for my heel, but not good for the midfoot.


As for skates, how about trying on ebay or a second hand sale? Could you sell your current skates to raise funds?

I could. They're the old-style SPTeri Super Teri (non-heat-moldable). They're in great condition as far as breakdown--that's almost non-existent. They have a few minor scuffs and slices, but nothing bad at all. But I'm not going to do that until I'm ready to get back to skating seriously. The kids are going to have to be in school, and I'm going to have to get a better job. It may be a while. :(

[russiet]

That's the sad part....I don't have 2-3 days. I don't have either the time or the money right now to devote to practicing again. If I go skating twice this winter (seasonal rink), it will be a miracle....

I know what you mean. In the past I was very involved in a couple of other sports to the point at which I strongly identified through these sports. My level of skill, while not world class, was high enough that if I did not practice regularly I couldn't perform to the standard at which I was used to. It can be very dissapointing.

If you find the time to keep your level of fitness up, then the few time you can go skating will be OK. You will have to lower your self expectations, and concentrate on more basic stuff (clean 3-turns, posture, etc.). If you enjoy it, that's what counts. At some point in the future you will get back to skating a lot more and it will be much easier to regain your skills even if you are only getting on the ice a handfull of times a year for now

Yes, it was me with the ski-boot stretch ideas in the past. I use an AA width myself, and have to stretch the ball of the foot out a lot. Use a boot fitter with the right equipment, or if none are available and you feel brave, I can give you some pointers.

Good luck and don't give up.