Fear of Falling

[liya_skatergirl]

It's so annoying.

Lately, I've been taking classes with my coach, and he says that technique wise, there is nothing wrong with what I have been doing. The thing that holds me back is my fear of falling.

How do I get over this?

[Sonic]

Fear of falling is quite normal, especially if you're an adults. There's no way I can fling myself around like some of the kids.

It depends on your personality. Some people have an inbuilt 'dare' gene, others - like me - have more of an inbuilt 'chicken' gene lol!

One thing that might help is wearing padding and/or wrist guards. Wearing knee pads has helped me psychologically; touch wood, I have not fallen on my knees, but just knowing they'll be allright should I have a splat makes me jump higher/take more risks.

Taking your first 'splat' will also help. You'll probably get up thinking 'Actually, that was nowhere near as bad as I'd feared...'

S xxx

[Sessy]

Sponges down your pants and elbows and knees, and wrist guards

no really. works like a charm.

[southernsk8er]

i agree with everyone who says padding! i didn't start with pads until axel/double toe, but i'm fearless with my knee pads on. i know other adults who use knee pads and wrist guards all the time. you'll fall a couple of times and not get hurt (knock on wood) except for a couple bruises, and then you won't be nearly as scared. good luck!

[peanutskates]

why don't you practice falling? just skate at a normal (not too fast) pace, and then let yourself fall? I think it helps.

or, the hockey coach at our rink makes his hockey boys go really fast and then slide through his legs. but that's not really the same... is it?

[Petlover]

I agree with Peanutskates, and also with the padding. I wear gel knee pads and roller blade wrist guards. When I first started skating, my coaches taught me how to fall. Then I practiced falling. Most of the time when you fall on ice, you slide, so the impact is not as great as if you, say, tripped on a wet floor and fell in your kitchen (which I have done more than I care to admit to).

Good luck!

[Rusty Blades]

It was fear of falling on my (not very well padded) butt that held back my backward skating until I made a butt pad out of some high density foam. You can't even tell I am wearing it under slacks and even under a skating dress it isn't very noticeable. It's like landing on a pillow.

Now I just need a flack jacket so I don't crack another rib - LOL! (I had my foot taken out from under me on a spiral, managed to roll to land on my side but with my arm under me, it cracked a rib.)

[Sessy]

Also, the trick of falling without hurting yourself is not fighting the fall, relaxing your muscles. Tense the muscles and the stress from the impact has nowhere to go.

A taxi driver I know once hit a guy on the highway. The guy was just walking there, and he was doing over 60 miles an hour in his cab. He thought - that's it, I killed a man. Nothing of the kind. Turned out the guy had like 2 promille in his blood in terms of alcohol, so he was all loosened up, he was out of hospital in 4 weeks. According to the docs, a sober person wouldn't have survived, but drunks are all loosened up. Same with any sort of impact really. Loosen up.

[jazzpants]

It was fear of falling on my (not very well padded) butt that held back my backward skating until I made a butt pad out of some high density foam. You can't even tell I am wearing it under slacks and even under a skating dress it isn't very noticeable. It's like landing on a pillow.Hey! I want one of those!!! You have a picture of this new high density foam that you can show us? You might make some $$$ off of this, you know... :D

[Rusty Blades]

Hey! I want one of those!!! You have a picture of this new high density foam that you can show us? You might make some $$$ off of this, you know... :D

Can't be bothered - got more money than I know what to do with 8O 8O 8O (Yea, right!)

I'm not greedy - here's all there is to it:

Go to your favorite camping or outdoors store and look for the foam they sell for sleeping on the ground. The stuff I got was sort of dull gray/green and about 1/4" thick and cost about $10 for a 30" by 6' piece.

Spread it out on your sewing table (or kitchen table) and lay a pair of panties over it (your own would be a good idea ;) ) and trace around the contours of the back of the panties - add little "wings" at the side seams if you want to cover your hip bones (which I did) and cut along the line.

I was just slipping the foam inside my tights for the longest time and it works fine but the foam doesn't "breathe" so I recently took some light cotton and sewed a cotton envelope for the foam complete with an elastic "belt" and Velcro closure to hold it in place.

It is amazing how much protection you can get from a measly 1/4" piece of foam! About 6 months ago, I went straight down and landed on my butt - it shook the ice! - and I just laughed and said to my coach "It works!" 8-)

[peanutskates]

According to the docs, a sober person wouldn't have survived, but drunks are all loosened up. Same with any sort of impact really. Loosen up.

and we all learn a lesson from this... before going out onto the ice, get drunk!!

[jazzpants]

and we all learn a lesson from this... before going out onto the ice, get drunk!!
I'll drink to that!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: *hic* (Scuse me... :oops: ) :P :lol:

(Thank you for the tip, Rusty Blades. I'll try to get to a camping or sporting good store and find that foam! :) )

[peanutskates]

and find that foam

same here...

[Isk8NYC]

Go to your favorite camping or outdoors store and look for the foam they sell for sleeping on the ground. You're brilliant, you know. I never knew there was foam for sleeping on the ground. Now you've solved a sleepover problem. Thanks.


We've discussed this in the past, but I love my snowpants when I fall while skating. (Which happens more than it should, on simpler things than it should. :giveup: ) The fiberfill is a decent cushion to soften the blow. In addition to keeping my body parts loose and warm, my tush doesn't get wet from melting the ice, and the slippery nylon lets me control the fall instead of whumping onto the ice. Not enough to lose control, but enough to lessen the impact.

Easiest way to do a fake-fall is to do a lunge and use the knee/shin to spin down onto the ice. (Skating show experience does count for something.)

A good belt of schnaps could help too, as others pointed out. Just don't have too much - no SUI arrests, please.

[Sessy]

When I just started skating, like 3-turns and stuff I was in skiing pants as well. Then I started jumping, and I started going dizzy from overheating.

[SkatingOnClouds]

I watch so many adults struggle with fear of falling. For me, if I am doing a jump or a harder spin, I know there is the risk of falling and I tend to go down in a pretty controlled way, nice and relaxed, so I rarely hurt myself. It is the unexpected falls from a back 3 or footwork that tend to hurt.

The worst falls happen when you are standing still, because you don't slide, and you sure aren't expecting them. Ouch!

[Rusty Blades]

The worst falls happen when you are standing still, because you don't slide, and you sure aren't expecting them. Ouch!

AMEN! And those are the falls that bite the high level skaters the worst!

Isk8NYC & peanutskates: Your welcome. enjoy your foam ;)

I have been seriously tempted to "spike" the contents of my water bottle. I don't think it would improve my skating but I wouldn't care - LOL!

[TimDavidSkate]

I do, thats why I dont do axels - I had a bad waxel 8O

[southernsk8er]

and we all learn a lesson from this... before going out onto the ice, get drunk!!

LOL! Bring on the margaritas!! Definitely going to need some foam...

[Rusty Blades]

LOL! Bring on the margaritas!! Definitely going to need some foam...

Hummmmm . . . we could add a whole new dimension to "adult skating"! Knowing how crazy many adult skaters are sober, we could have onehellofa rink party with a little "lubrication" 8O 8O 8O

[southernsk8er]

Hummmmm . . . we could add a whole new dimension to "adult skating"! Knowing how crazy many adult skaters are sober, we could have onehellofa rink party with a little "lubrication" 8O 8O 8O

Oh, that would be so much fun. Sweet, I have a new moneymaking idea for our rink - Adults Only Party Skate! It has to be better than their current idea of letting people sing karaoke during the public sessions.

And, imagine a competition - I know I would fall apart giggling halfway through the program!

[Rusty Blades]

And, imagine a competition - I know I would fall apart giggling halfway through the program!

A competition of inebriated adult skaters is just WAY TOO FUNNY to even imagine!

[Sonic]

A competition of inebriated adult skaters is just WAY TOO FUNNY to even imagine!

Lol! I'd probably win...I seem to do a lot of things better when inebriated, and ya never know, skating might be one of them!

Or is it just 'coz I'm inebriated I just think I do everything better? Guess the only way to find out is to experiment...now, where did I put me vodka...:lol:

S xxx

[NCSkater02]

The worst falls happen when you are standing still, because you don't slide, and you sure aren't expecting them. Ouch!

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. It's how I got my first concussion skating. :roll:

[SkatingOnClouds]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. It's how I got my first concussion skating. :roll:


I got my first (and only, touch wood) from doing footwork. I did a turn, then thought "hey, what was that, I don't know that step" and it was one of those glorious everything up in the air and all my weight landing on the back of my head sort of falls. Yeah, I suffered for a day, but no lasting consequences.

I guess though, getting back to the topic of overcoming the fear of falling, you have to ask yourself; "what is the worst thing that can happen here", and then compare that to "what can I get out of doing this".

Weigh up the two. Ask yourself what you are willing to risk to be the skater you want to be. Chances are, the worst scenario will never happen.

As I said to a teenaged skater the other week who commented that I was working myself pretty hard, as I stood panting and sweating at the barrier taking a break; "well if I have a heart attack and die, my only regret will be not having got better at this first".

[liya_skatergirl]

skatingonclouds, i think you helped a lot. I'm still trying to look for the foam that the others mentioned though. But I hope your tip about asking the questions can work me through while I cant find the foam :lol:

[FSWer]

I would just like to add that as someone who took a Learn to Skate Program. Even though I found that I can balance on single runner. What I found helped me out was just remembering what I read in a library book (what Breezy the Demo-skater showed in "Skate n' Play). In which case I already knew that if I feel,to fall backwards. I hope this helps.

[peanutskates]

NO!!!! don't fall backwards!!!! if you fall back, you can hit (and hurt) your tailbone (OWWW) /spine/butt/hips.... you may try to break the fall with your arms and break your arms (true life story...) or you won't break the fall at all...

try and fall forwards. that way , you can break the fall with your arms, and you're much less likely to break something.

DO NOT TRY TO FALL BACKWARDS

[Isk8NYC]

The proper way to fall, as taught by ISI and USFSA instructors, is to let yourself "bump down" onto one cheek butt. Not straight back, as it can injure your tailbone and/or let your head snap back onto the ice. Not onto your hip, because you could break it and damage tendons. Not forwards, as it can damage wrists, hands, and knees. Not to mention the face-plant that can result in facial injuries, as some of our members have unfortunately found out.

Tushes usually have enough "padding" to handle a fall. I've been teaching ice skating for over 10 years and am a PSA-rated coach who has never had to use her liability insurance. FSWer, please trust me on this one. Fall on one butt cheek, keep your head up, and try to slide it out to lessen the impact.

[doubletoe]

That's true. I find that the best way to fall without hurting myself is to crumple (bend my knees and relax into it instead of stiffening up) and rotate my body 1/4 turn as I fall so that I land on the outside of one butt cheek or the other. Rotating a little to land on one cheek also helps me roll a little once I'm on the ice, which not only absorbs a lot of the impact but also helps me roll right back up so that I can resume my program more quickly, LOL!

[jazzpants]

Interesting fall stories:

About a year ago this time of year, I had a very nasty fall where I trip over a skater that had fallen RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME and I ended up getting one of my knees cut on her blade. Had to be carried off the ice.

Fast forward to this past winter where I was dodging yet another "speed bump." Yup! Exactly same scenario. But...for some reason, this particular fall went thru slower... slow enough, in fact, that I was able to do the knee bend and aimed towards one of the butt cheeks! It didn't hurt (much) and I was able to get back up and went back to finish up my skate. :D

As for fear of falling...I'm probably one of the biggest chicken on this board (boc boc boc)... but the good part is that the falls I took helped made me less afraid to fall.

[Derek]

This thread is truly fascinating, for it appears that falling is a genuine problem for so many people.

Falling is treated very seriously in the martial arts, where it is an essential part of many techniques, and is given its own discipline, called ukemi in japanese. The principles DO translate to skating, but adjustment is necessary due to the environment. Essentially though, one should be able to land from a fall in any direction, forwards, backwards or sideways. Needless to say, this is easier said than done, but practice does help !

I found that wearing two pairs of thick cotton underwear were helpful during my early tentative stages, and I always wear kneepads, being of an age where a bruised knee lasts for weeks if not months. I must look for elbow protection too, someone mentioned gel pads from Boots Chemist I think.

[Sk8Dreamer]

I wear "crash pads," that have padding for the butt and the hips, but I haven't found that I skate any differently with them than without them. I tried knee pads for a while, hoping they'd make me feel more secure, but I didn't like the way they seemed to get in the way when I did crossovers, and I also didn't like the pressure they put on my knees when bending them (which is mostly all the time, right? <g>). So I stopped using them. I think I'm more afraid of the falling than the landing, if that makes any sense. I've fallen and I know it's not the end of the world. But I still can't figure out how to relax when I skate--and in the end that tension does the same thing the original poster related to fear of falling: it's holding me back. Not sure how to learn how to relax and let go more while skating. Any suggestions would be welcome!

p.s. I think learning to relax can combat fear of falling, as well. We might still have the fear, but we won't respond to it with as much tension.

[Helen88]

This is probably irrelevant to you as I'm only on SkateUK level 6, but when I feel like I'm not skating well because I feel like I'm scared of falling, I sit on the ice. I just get on my knees, sit on the ice, get slightly damp, and normally when I get up, I'm fine! Odd possibly, but it works...

[peanutskates]

Helen - don't put yourself down cuz you're level 6! level 6 is v. good. (hey, so i guess you passed 5 ok then? congrats!)
and, I think what you said makes sense. I do something like that if I start to be afraid - but I don't sit on the ice (i'd get in the way of all the ice dancers and figure skaters at patch time) but I do fall on purpose.
Falling is underrated. It can actually be quite fun... :roll:

[FSWer]

NO!!!! don't fall backwards!!!! if you fall back, you can hit (and hurt) your tailbone (OWWW) /spine/butt/hips.... you may try to break the fall with your arms and break your arms (true life story...) or you won't break the fall at all...

try and fall forwards. that way , you can break the fall with your arms, and you're much less likely to break something.

DO NOT TRY TO FALL BACKWARDS


I'm confused. Because I read that your supposed to fall backwards,putting your arms and hands behind you,for you to land on,so you don't hit your tush too hard on the ice.

[Terri C]

I'm confused. Because I read that your supposed to fall backwards,putting your arms and hands behind you,for you to land on,so you don't hit your tush too hard on the ice.

Putting your arms and hands behind you for a backwards fall can result in a broken wrist!

[sue123]

I fell backwards once and hit my head. Had a nasty concussion and still had to take a cell bio exam the next day, even though I had a note from hte ER. Didn't remember taking the exam, got it back and I got a 60. That one grade brought down my entire average in that class, from an A/A- to a B/B+ average. I think I ended up with a B+ grade at the end of the term. Long story short: DO NOT FALL BACKWARDS.

I also wouldn't put my hands behind me when I fall. I can't imagine falling with all my weight onto my wrists behind me! It seems like something that would show up on that new show on MTV, Scarred. (Be warned, this show is not for the weak of stomach. I don't get grossed out easily, but when I see some of those falls and hte way the bones just snap, I get queasy sometimes too). I was always taught to fall on your butt cheek adn kind of slide/roll out of it. If you feel like you're falling backwards, make sure to tuck your chin into your neck to protect your head.

[Rusty Blades]

NEVER try to break your fall with your arms, especially behind you. If you feel yourself going over backwards, curl into a ball and SIT!

[airyfairy76]

I'm confused. Because I read that your supposed to fall backwards,putting your arms and hands behind you,for you to land on,so you don't hit your tush too hard on the ice.

I did this inadvertantly about a month ago doing backwards crossovers. It wasn't done consciously, but my arms went out and I fell on my back with the bottom of the palms of my hands hitting the ice (although I did remember to tuck my chin in!).

I jarred both my wrists simultaneously and still have sore wrists now. Falling on them deliberately is a recipe for broken wrists, for sure.

[liya_skatergirl]

i think i just had about enough falls yesterday during my lesson. haha. i kept tripping on my toepick on my spiral. i think that kinda broke the fear. and yes, we were taught how to fall, except that it's a different story when you trip on your toepicks! haha

[doubletoe]

i think i just had about enough falls yesterday during my lesson. haha. i kept tripping on my toepick on my spiral. i think that kinda broke the fear. and yes, we were taught how to fall, except that it's a different story when you trip on your toepicks! haha

Well, that is one of the worst falls you can have, so if you can laugh after that, then you're going to be fine! Remember to think about your toes while doing spirals: The toes on the ice are lifted up inside your boot while the toes in the air are pointed. Lifting the toes of your skating foot will keep you from getting pitched forward on your toepicks (the pointed toes in the air is just to make you look pretty, though). :)

[Sessy]

Hmmm yeah the falls I've had so far with the axel weren't nearly as bad as tripping over toepicks from catchfoot spirals. At least with the axel you go down on your butt.

[Tiggerwoos]

The falls that are more of a shock are those from back 3s as they're unexpected and wind you more than anything. I've never found ones from jumps and spins too bad, as the majority of the time you can brace yourself as you generally know when something is going a bit wrong.

[looplover]

The falls that are more of a shock are those from back 3s as they're unexpected and wind you more than anything. I've never found ones from jumps and spins too bad, as the majority of the time you can brace yourself as you generally know when something is going a bit wrong.

Oh yeah except I fractured my shoulder on one of those (inside three)

Turning, and then BAM I was on the ice. Not fun. Give me a jump fall over that any day!!

[Helen88]

Helen - don't put yourself down cuz you're level 6! level 6 is v. good. (hey, so i guess you passed 5 ok then? congrats!)
and, I think what you said makes sense. I do something like that if I start to be afraid - but I don't sit on the ice (i'd get in the way of all the ice dancers and figure skaters at patch time) but I do fall on purpose.
Falling is underrated. It can actually be quite fun... :roll:

Yup, I passed level 5 :D. Thanks Peanuts. I went and sat on the ice today as a matter of fact. And it DEFINITELY helped!

[skatingdoris]

I went and sat on the ice today as a matter of fact. And it DEFINITELY helped!

This made me laugh, cause I do the same thing occasionaly and I thought I was the only one!
most of the time if i'm feeling like that i'll go and sit in the doorway (not on busy sessions when i'm going to be in the way of people getting on and off the ice).

but every now and again I get the urge to sit on the ice so I'll do a sit spin as low as I can, where I can't get up again and use this as an excuse to have a sit down, though I have been known to just sit down on the ice by the barrier on very empty sessions!

I definatley agree with you Helen always makes me feel better. :D

[CanAmSk8ter]

1) True story: I know an adult who went out to dinner with her husband one night, had a glass of wine, and headed to the rink for her lesson. She did her first three-turn that night. She swears it was the wine.

2) I use mousepads as padding. When I was working on my axel last year I kept landing on (and bruising the heck out of) the outside of my right knee. I cut a six-inch circle of mousepad to stuff into my tights on top of it. Works like a charm (plus, mousepads can be found really cheap now that most people have laptops wth the touchpad mouse).

3) Fall on your hip/butt, and tuck your chin to your chest to keep your head off the ice. NEVER put your arms behind you to stop a fall. If you're a beginner, WEAR A HELMET!

[Helen88]

1) True story: I know an adult who went out to dinner with her husband one night, had a glass of wine, and headed to the rink for her lesson. She did her first three-turn that night. She swears it was the wine.

2) I use mousepads as padding. When I was working on my axel last year I kept landing on (and bruising the heck out of) the outside of my right knee. I cut a six-inch circle of mousepad to stuff into my tights on top of it. Works like a charm (plus, mousepads can be found really cheap now that most people have laptops wth the touchpad mouse).

3) Fall on your hip/butt, and tuck your chin to your chest to keep your head off the ice. NEVER put your arms behind you to stop a fall. If you're a beginner, WEAR A HELMET!

I'd go get a glass of wine now if I was old enough - damn those 3 turns!

[Morgail]

Is there such a thing as skating whiplash? A few days ago I was gliding backwards (setting up a loop) and caught my toepick in a gouge. I knew I was going down on my rear and I remembered to keep my chin tucked so I wouldn't bang my head. (Of course, I ended up with a heck of a bruise on my right elbow because I didn't remember to pull that out of the way:roll:) Anyway, I think I tensed up my neck muscles really hard when I fell, because the next morning (and the day after) the muscles in my neck were painful and I had a hard time turning my head from side to side.

It's mostly gone now, but it felt just like minor whiplash from a car accident. Very weird...in all the years I skated, I've never had that happen. :??

[Terri C]

Is there such a thing as skating whiplash? A few days ago I was gliding backwards (setting up a loop) and caught my toepick in a gouge. I knew I was going down on my rear and I remembered to keep my chin tucked so I wouldn't bang my head. (Of course, I ended up with a heck of a bruise on my right elbow because I didn't remember to pull that out of the way:roll:) Anyway, I think I tensed up my neck muscles really hard when I fell, because the next morning (and the day after) the muscles in my neck were painful and I had a hard time turning my head from side to side.

It's mostly gone now, but it felt just like minor whiplash from a car accident. Very weird...in all the years I skated, I've never had that happen. :??

Unfortunately, yes there is. I had it happen twice in a three week time frame doing the exact same thing- that EVILLE step 4 on the 8 step mohawk sequence. I would step onto the heel of my blade as opposed to the edge and youch!

[doubletoe]

Unfortunately, yes there is. I had it happen twice in a three week time frame doing the exact same thing- that EVILLE step 4 on the 8 step mohawk sequence. I would step onto the heel of my blade as opposed to the edge and youch!

Oh NOOOOO!! Are you reliving my past? That's EXACTLY what I did on that 8 step mohawk a few years ago! That was the worst bruise I ever got (on my hip) and I had to go back just a week or two later and do the exact same thing again, adding a bruise on top of that bruise! I now know that I have to point my toes when bringing the backward foot down on mohawks. . . :roll:

[altamaleskater]

After 2 bad falls on the same hip in less than a week (caught my skate in a rut the first time & fell out of a spin the second) I invested in crash-pad shorts that reach to my thighs & are insulated from the waist down to the thigh. They have saved me from a lot of misery from bad falls, especially as I'm trying harder jumps now.