How you feel vs how you skate

[kander]

I've been skating it seems like forever and, aside from the consistency inconsistency, it drives me crazy that there doesn't seem to be a connection between the way I feel and the way I skate. Last thursday was a good example. I felt totally dead and like I couldn't move, but went out and did some really nice jumps. Other days I feel great like I could do a triple axel and I can't do squat. I have always found this very strange an unexplainable.

[jazzpants]

Maybe you have the connection between how you feel and how you're gonna skate in reverse??? Or maybe there's a full moon out the night before? :twisted: :P :lol:

(Just kidding. I have no clue either. I know for me if I didn't warm up enough or if the weather is really cold and my lower back is hurting that I'm guaranteed a bad skating day. :frus: )

[xofivebyfive]

For me, if I feel like crap, I skate well. If I feel okay, I suck. LOL. It's odd.

[doubletoe]

I'm with you. I haven't found much of a connection either! But I suppose that's what makes me get my @$$ up out of bed and on the ice in the mornings. Regardless of how I feel, I know that today might be the day I land that elusive jump or actually skate a clean program, LOL!

[littlerain]

I think it'd be very interesting to know if anyone has real consistency in how they feel off and on the ice on the same day. Interesting topic

[littlerain]

perhaps you inadvertently put less pressure on yourself on bad days?

I know for me, its always when I think I can't do something or don't care if i do that it seems to work out better. (Lol like 2 strokes for a succession of minigolf holes or consecutive spares in a game of bowling.) Tended to be the case for tests in topics I was not as good at in high school as well lol

For me, if I think something is going well or I'm good at it, i have all this pressure to continue doing it well and be even better. When it comes to any kind of sport, I suddenly can't do it well at all if I feel like I have something to prove. And oftentimes, I can't even see that I'm doing it wrong. lol

Did that make any sense whatsoever? :giveup:

[doubletoe]

Yes, that made a lot of sense. And it seems to be the case for me half the time. . . The other half of the time, I manage to complete an element if I have confidence going into it. So. . . ??

[Rusty Blades]

The only thing that carries over to the rink for me is if I am physically tired - then my skating is weak. Of course, if I am "space cadet" from a cold or something I shouldn't even be on the ice!

When I arrive at the rink, everything that was happening before disappears. Even having a crappy day gets left behind. I don't have any idea how the skating will go until I get on the ice. Even then a 2-hour session might start like gang-busters and then fizzle or start weak and end up strong.

[Scarlett]

There is almost no correlation between how I feel and my performance on the ice. There are days where I have literally tripped over the dog on my way out the front door yet I have the best skating day ever and days were I go to the rink bursting with confidence yet am totally off. The only thing I have noticed is that if I go to the rink sick, I'm off.

[liz_on_ice]

Usually if I don't feel well I don't skate well. My best skating is when I'm feeling soft and flexible so I sink into the ice instead of thinking "bend, bend, bend."

I can't seem to spin for my life on an empty stomach, it makes me dizzy.

When I saw the thread subject though, I thought it was more about how you *feel* you skated like a champion. Then you see the video and how pathetic you really were!

[SynchroSk8r114]

With me, the more motivated or excited I feel to get on the ice and really tackle my program, for instance, the better I skate. It's the days that I know I should go practice, don't want to, but force myself to go anyway that are the yucky days. I think it's more or less a mental thing...

[jcookie1982]

I don't think theres any relation to the way I feel and the way I skate. Sometimes I skate like crap, and sometimes I have a great day, no matter how I feel.

[IcexXmyXxlife]

I've been skating it seems like forever and, aside from the consistency inconsistency, it drives me crazy that there doesn't seem to be a connection between the way I feel and the way I skate. Last thursday was a good example. I felt totally dead and like I couldn't move, but went out and did some really nice jumps. Other days I feel great like I could do a triple axel and I can't do squat. I have always found this very strange an unexplainable.
ok i can realate i really am sensitive and i do bad things to myuself and i dont eat correctally and my coach always askes y im down should i tell her er what and plus boys how to handle all this stress!? 8O :giveup: ♥

[tidesong]

Curious topic, sometimes there seems to be a relation, sometimes none. Generally when I am less stressed, aka not preparing for competition/test, not putting stress on myself to land a new jump, I tend to skate better in practise. But at the same time, when I have confidence in something it tends to create better results sometimes than when I don't have confidence.

Also, sometimes when my feelings are sharply different it can get me out of a rut and have surprising effects. Like when once I was really angry and I somehow landed a jump I was on a low landing percentage on. But then after that I didn't get it again.

[herniated]

I too usually skate better when I am reeaallly tired. Actually I skate great like that. I think like others have said I put less pressure on myself. Can't expect much if I'm really tired.

When I've had a great nights rest and full of energy... skating reeks. Oh, well. Hope I'm not full of energy at my next event.

[Mrs Redboots]

ok i can realate i really am sensitive and i do bad things to myuself and i dont eat correctally and my coach always askes y im down should i tell her er what and plus boys how to handle all this stress!? 8O :giveup: ♥

If I understand what you are saying (sorry, some of us are old f*rts and don't always understand text speak, which is why we ask people to post using standard English as best they can), yes, do tell your coach.

And hang in there - you're a wonderful and worthwhile human being, so look after yourself. You only get issued with one life and one body!

[desabelle]

For me it's not so much how I am feeling (unless I am extremely sick) but how I think of the elements I'm planning on doing. If that makes any sense...

Like if I think "I'm going to *perform* an axel" then I'll go do a few great axels, but if I think "I'm going to *do* an axel" then I'll have a heck of a time landing it.

Same goes for basically anything on ice, except for my single jumps, the most basic spins, and most basic skating skills and dances.

Now that I think of it, it's kind of weird!!

[Summerkid710]

I had an night in high school where I just couldn't sleep and I was really upset because I had two lessons at 5:45am the next morning (patch and then freestyle). I was basically in tears because I hadn't slept, had to skate and then go to school. My dad actually took pity on me and said go to skating and let's see how you feel afterwards whether or not we call you in sick (mind you, I hardly ever was sick and very rarely missed school).

Of course, I had the best practice in my entire life, went to school and was fine. I hit all my jumps on the first try. I think I actually surprised my coach because I skated so well.

This has never happened since (I'm in my 30's now) but I still remember it well.

[blackmanskating]

I've been skating it seems like forever and, aside from the consistency inconsistency, it drives me crazy that there doesn't seem to be a connection between the way I feel and the way I skate. Last thursday was a good example. I felt totally dead and like I couldn't move, but went out and did some really nice jumps. Other days I feel great like I could do a triple axel and I can't do squat. I have always found this very strange an unexplainable.

I don't know Kevin. :?? My skating always has a direct correlation to the way I feel. That's why my coach doesn't like me judging myself if I miss an element. My performance goes downhill and I miss more elements because I beat myself up. Typically, when I feel great, I perform great which makes me feel even better. When I feel like crap, I skate like crap and my coach steps in and fixes my errors and I feel a little better. I thought it was the same way for every skater. Well, I learned something new today.


BlackManSkating

[teresa]

Well, for me, when I feel bad I skate like hell. However, I was sleep deprived a few weeks ago and my coach claimed I was skating well. I felt like hell this morning, almost called my coach, and I didn't skate worth a beans. I had an upset gut and I Kept thinking about this. Sleep deprived okay, feeling yuckie bad. I usually can tell the good days in the first lap or so around the ice.

teresa

[looplover]

This is why I'm not a great morning skater. I'm kind of dreading the day ahead at work (oh to be independently wealthy). After work, if I'm annoyed about something, I skate really well.

If I'm feeling insecure about something off ice I tend to skate poorly, but I'm trying to get over it.