Skating Dreams (Or Rather Nightmares!) [Archive]

SynchroSk8r114

09-30-2007, 07:48 PM

Warning: This may seem like a total strange topic, but it's something I'm genuinely curious about, so bear with me here...:lol:

Ever since I began skating, I've always had skating dreams, or should I say nightmares! When I'm having my skating nightmares most of the time I'm dreaming that I'm on lesson, but for some reason I am sinking into the ice. I mean, the ice is almost like slush four feet deep and I'm trying to skate (or rather push) though it. I'm almost swimming! Funny thing is, no one else around me seems to notice. All the other skaters are doing just fine. They're skating on regular ice just gliding around while I'm struggling to keep my head out of this thick slush. When I do try to jump or spin, I can barely get my shoulders out of the slush ice and end up going under.

On the other hand, I sometimes have wonderful skating dreams where I am the best skater out there. I mean, I'm really good. When I jump, I find that I jump almost to the ceiling of the rink and can rotate a good eight or fifteen times in the air! 8O (Odd, I know. Like I said, definitely a dream...) And when I'm rotating in-air, it's always very, very slowly and I can feel the exact moment I'm about to land, which means that I have enough time to uncross my feet and land perfectly every time.

I've talked to my younger sister who also skates and she's reported having the same type of dreams or at least very similar ones. What I'm wondering is if either of these are a common dream theme among skaters or if it's just between my sister and me?

I'm sure there's some long Freudian explanation for these dreams and nightmares, but if you've had any strange skating dreams like this, I'd love to hear 'em, if you're up for sharing. I'm sure this could turn out to be quite entertaining! :lol:

jskater49

09-30-2007, 07:53 PM

I often dream I can do things on ice I really can't do. Sometimes it's jumps are somethings it's things like an Ina Bauer. I can feel myself doing it and I can remember what it felt like when I wake up. It's always very disappointing as I wake up and the realization dawns on me "Oh. I guess I can't do that"

j

tidesong

09-30-2007, 09:59 PM

Lol I dunno i have never dreamt about skating in slush but thats probably because I don't experience slush here.... no winter yeah... anyways I have dreamt of perfect triples (only T_T) before and yeah its nice slow and everysingle thing feels perfect and i'm perfectly in control and sometimes after that i wake thinking surely it isn't hard to do just a double... then i go to the rink and realize its quite different :P

I usually dream about skating in really tiny ice surfaces smaller than me because of my constant gripe about how the rink is too small here lol...

doubletoe

09-30-2007, 10:28 PM

I used to have slow-motion axel dreams back when I was first trying to learn it. Apparently, the slow motion jump dream is pretty common, and my theory is that it is our subconscious minds trying to figure out the mechanics of how to do it. I haven't had any skating dreams for a long time, though. . . maybe because it's all I think about all day and my brain needs a break at night, LOL!

chowskates

10-01-2007, 12:17 AM

I've had skating dreams of all kinds... Not sure if there's any explanation, though, but here goes...

The good: I have landed double flips in my dreams. They would be huge, have lots of air time for rotation, and have a solid landing! I think I should aim for the double Axel next, huh?

The bad: I would be so sluggish no matter how hard I push I won't be able to move much! This does really feel like a nightmare...

The *real*: Recently I dreamt that I was practising for to a competition and kept two-footing the double toe in my program. It was just as frustrating as in real life, belive me!

The wierd: Sometime last year, I dreamt that I was supposed to take some dance test - last minute! When the music came on, I started the intro steps, a chasse, a cross roll, then realised I didn't remember the steps! So I was frantically trying to ask someone who might know the dance or who might have the pattern - eventually I figured out the next few steps... It was only after I woke up and tried to remember the dream & the steps that I realised that I was doing the dance clockwise in my dreams! No, I still don't know what dance it is, or if it even exists.

Cheers,
Chow

jazzpants

10-01-2007, 12:34 AM

I remember one day I dreamt that I landed a bunch of clean axels way back when I was still working on passing Bronze Moves. Can't believe that I live to see the day that one of my coaches wanted me to try for an axel during a lesson even if it's just for kicks. :P (But I'm trying for waltz-loops as an axel prep now, so that should count for something, I guess.)

The weird part about the axel dream is that it felt EXACTLY like today's attempt for the loop -- when I concentrate on the timing, it's smooth and easy.

Sessy

10-01-2007, 04:09 AM

Practical:
First I dreamt about landing a toeloop and then did, then I dreamt about landing a flip and then did, then I dreamt I landed an axel just enough rotated to squeeze out a landing, and then I did (except that a second or so after the landing I went down anyway and I didn't in the dream)...
Oh yeah and once I dreamt of doing a bielman spin, and then my camel spin just fixed itself...
I think it's a way for my body to process information or something. To put it in the right parts of the brain, out of the conscious part of the brain of knowing the theory into the coordinating part of the brain to actually DO it.

Deprived:
And then when I had that broken ankle and was in a cast I just dreamt about all the jumps out of deprivation, lol!
But recently I dreamt about landing an axel again, so I'm really hoping it's a clue that my ankle will soon be fine!

Funny:
I also dreamt once that I landed a double axel in some really show-like environment with christmas decorations all over the sides of the ice, and somebody asked, how long have you been skating? and I said something ridiculous like 12 years (I've been skating for 1,5). I dunno it was a funny dream.

Spooky:
When I was dancing, I once dreamt that I was wearing a dark red dress, excessively decorated, dancing ALONE on a white floor. I thought that was a weird dream, because I was doing ballroom at the time and always danced in a pair, on wooden floors.
Very soon afterwards, I quit dancing, and a few months later - after watching the 2006 olympics - I decided to try taking skating lessons.

Nightmare:
Before testing I dreamt I forgot to bring my skates.

Morgail

10-01-2007, 11:09 AM

I have skating dreams all the time. I had one last night where I went the rink, put my skates on, and was about to go out on the ice when I realized that I wasn't supposed to be skating yet because of my ankle. But then I decided to do it anyway because my ankle felt normal. I woke up feeling guilty!

I've had the multi-rev jump dreams too:)

I've had lots of dreams where I go to a competition, I'm standing on the ice getting ready to skate, and I've completely forgotten my program.

I've also had dreams where I'm still skating with the precision team I was on as a kid - except they're all still kids, and I'm grown up. But no one seems to notice or care. I'm skating the program with them, and I'm hoping that no one notices that I haven't been at practice in a long time (like 13 years!).

I've had lots of dreams about babies lately too...not sure what that means!

Sessy

10-01-2007, 11:18 AM

in Russia they say that if you dream you get a baby son, that means you have lots of suffering coming, if you dream of a baby girl, lots of joy.

doubletoe

10-01-2007, 12:32 PM

Mrs Redboots

10-01-2007, 01:16 PM

I have the "melted ice so we have to swim instead" dream fairly regularly!

desabelle

10-01-2007, 02:50 PM

I've definitely had the slow motion picture perfect axel/double axel dream way too many times to count! The funny thing is usually right after I have that dream I land it.

Once, before a major competition I had a dream where half of my rink was converted into a swimming pool, so right after the red line/ middle of the rink the ice would drop off into 6 feet of salt water and I had to try and cram my entire program into half of the rink, and make it look good. This was right around the time I was working on fixing my layback spin, and it just so happened to be positioned RIGHT along side the pool. I wasn't afraid to lay back farther then normal because I knew if I fell it would be into the water and I wouldn't get hurt.

I've had a few of the multi rotational jump dreams as well, where I'll go to do something like a double loop but I'll get too much power and do six or seven revolutions much to the shock of my coach and the spectators!

I love skating dreams... :D

Morgail

10-01-2007, 02:54 PM

in Russia they say that if you dream you get a baby son, that means you have lots of suffering coming, if you dream of a baby girl, lots of joy.

Heehee! (in the last one, the baby was a boy...)

Sometimes a baby represents the birth of a new phase of your life or a new creative project. Does that seem like it could be relevant?

That makes sense - I'm in the middle of a job search & awaiting those bar results.

Muskoka Skater

10-01-2007, 03:29 PM

I have strange dreams about skating and other things also.

Skating Dreams

-I dreamt of me landing my double flip, next night landed it, it was the first time in 2months!!

-Dreamt my coach was going to make us do stroking and she did that, it was the first time in a while

-Dreamt of going to the 2014 Olympics and having the skate of my life!! There is still a chance of that hapenning!! If I do I'll post that it was me representing Canada!!

Other Dreams

-Dreamt who was getting kicked off Americain Idol (It was somebody I thought was gonna win) the next time it was on that person got kicked off.

Strange Feelings

-I wanted to get a new hair brush for some reason, so I got a new hair brush and later that day I used my old one and it broke!!

-I had a feeling I should start voting for my favourite on Canadian Idol because he kept ending up in the bottom two, so I voted and for the rest of the show he was never in the bottom two again and he won!!

Sessy

10-01-2007, 03:53 PM

I have the "melted ice so we have to swim instead" dream fairly regularly!

Teehee! Speaking of which, I had one where everybody started practicing toepicking jumps and I just see the ice crack up, cracks running alongside the ice, and I jump into the hockey booth just as the ice collapses and everybody falls into the water underneath.

doubletoe

10-01-2007, 06:52 PM

Teehee! Speaking of which, I had one where everybody started practicing toepicking jumps and I just see the ice crack up, cracks running alongside the ice, and I jump into the hockey booth just as the ice collapses and everybody falls into the water underneath.

You mean. . .like THIS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7xaKf6Ijo

ibreakhearts66

10-01-2007, 08:19 PM

i also have the perfect double axel/triple/quad/even more rotation dreams. for me, its always like i jump up to do a single axel, then when i finish the rotation for the single, i'm still way up in the air so i just pull in for the double. one thing that tends to happen in my dreams is that i don't check out until i've landed for a good second or so. i land with my feet crossed, then i always struggle to get them uncrossed.

its also a recurring motif that i land one of these double axels or whatever and my coach isn't watching and never is.

sue123

10-01-2007, 10:18 PM

I am such an amazing skater in my dreams. I have no problem jumping, spinning, perfect Bielman's (even though I don't think I can spell them), I always win the gold at the Olympics too. In my dreams, it's always Olympic season. Sometimes I dream I'm a part of a pair team, and my partner usually ahs no problems lifting me up, except for the occasional dreams where he drops me, and I wind up in the ER and the doctor makes me diagnose myself. I've never actually skated pairs before though, so I'm not sure where those dreams come from.

I've also dreamt before where a bunch of skaters went and took back the ice rink from the hockey team that was trying to take it over. We all stormed onto the ice and flipped and lutzed all over the hockey guys, and in the end, they crawled back to the locker rooms and there they stayed. I think I have some strange dreams.

Sessy

10-02-2007, 01:01 AM

SkatingOnClouds

10-02-2007, 04:11 AM

I am not alone in weird skating dreams! Good to know.

I have done an axel in my dreams (only place I'm likely to do it), but it wasn't slow motion or anything like that. It was rough as guts (as we say here in Oz), exactly as I would probably do it on ice. But rotated and landed.

Also did a double loop - from a standing start at the barrier. What I remember most about this one was that although the teenagers acted happy for me, they were actually jealous as all heck. Also did a fabulous double loop from a backspin another night.

My weirdest recurring skating dream is that there is this huge hole in the ice. We all skate around it, as if it isn't there, but it is, I know I am going to fall through it, and below it is another ice rink. Multi-storey ice rinks? Weird.

And all sorts of dreams about peculiar little rinks with weird ice conditions. But then, if you saw where I skate :roll: maybe not so weird.

Morgail

10-02-2007, 09:08 AM

Sometimes I dream I'm a part of a pair team, and my partner usually ahs no problems lifting me up, except for the occasional dreams where he drops me, and I wind up in the ER and the doctor makes me diagnose myself. I've never actually skated pairs before though, so I'm not sure where those dreams come from.
I've also dreamt before where a bunch of skaters went and took back the ice rink from the hockey team that was trying to take it over. We all stormed onto the ice and flipped and lutzed all over the hockey guys, and in the end, they crawled back to the locker rooms and there they stayed. I think I have some strange dreams.

That reminded me of a dream I had a few months ago. I dreamt I was skating pairs with Johnny Weir. He was wearing his black & white chess outfit from last season. But at least he didn't drop me...which is good considering that I probably weigh more than he does:lol:

(Your dream about flipping and lutzing over the hockey guys made me crack up!! I love it!)

Rusty Blades

10-02-2007, 09:32 AM

Geez ..... in my dreams I am still 19 and have a full repertoire of jumps, spins, footwork, and moves ..... then I go skating and it is such a let-down! :cry:

Once I could fly ...... but my wings have been clipped!

looplover

10-02-2007, 11:23 AM

I once had a dream that I did a triple axel but nobody was there to see it, heh. Unfortunately at that time I didn't have any jumps at all so I couldn't go try to land even a single one.

Recently I had a dream that I kept trying to do a lutz during a public session but people were always in the corner...of course, that's pretty much reality as well! (but honestly, the one I managed to land was so tiny it barely counted and nobody was in the corner!)

I almost never dream about skating, which is so weird, since I think about it constantly while awake.

Mrs Redboots

10-02-2007, 03:13 PM

You mean. . .like THIS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7xaKf6Ijo
LOL! :lol:

I also dream that I arrive at the rink and the ice is so badly rutted - think snowdrifts in the street that have frozen - that one can't skate.... I very seldom dream that I am skating!

peanutskates

10-02-2007, 03:26 PM

that video was quite weird... unexpected, to say the least!

SynchroSk8r114

10-02-2007, 05:20 PM

Once when I was very young and just learning a lutz, I actually lutzed myself out of bed and hit my head off the nightstand! I remember dreaming about picking into the ice for the jump and then I had one of those feelings where you feel like you're falling and your whole body jerks, except I wasn't falling - I was lutzing. Hahaha, never will forget that one! :lol:

I also have those falling asleep-jerk movements where I just start to drift off to sleep and begin a skating dream where I feel like I'm falling in a jump or something, and I usually wake myself up trying to keep from falling. Odd, I know... :lol:

LilJen

10-02-2007, 06:09 PM

I have stupid/weird skating dreams all the time. While I was laid up with my broken ankle, the likes of Katia Gordeeva (teaching me!), Sale & Pelletier, and Viktor Petrenko showed up. This morning I woke up having dreamt about Stephane Lambiel (not in THAT way! We were standing around in a kitchen talking about cooking or food or something--can't remember exactly now). I rarely remember having dreams in which I'm trying or successfully accomplishing something delightful on ice.

cecealias

10-02-2007, 07:04 PM

I think sometimes it is Bad day residue.

I had a dream that seemed like an extension of practice where I did 100 axels in a row and coach was grinning from ear to ear and asked for another one?!?! As if it weren't consistent enough already!

Sadist!! :giveup:

chowskates

10-02-2007, 09:51 PM

that video was quite weird... unexpected, to say the least!

Haha, I thought it was hilarious!

Another type of wierd rink dreams I had was that the ice only covered some odd-shaped area, the rest was plain concrete. So I had to be really careful to stay on the *ice* part and not skate onto concrete!

peanutskates

10-03-2007, 01:57 AM

once I dreamt that I was ice skating, but on a wooden roller skating rink. So I was really slow, but my salchow was quite strong. And I was thinking... wtf, why am I slow? Why am I on a wooden surface? whaaatt?

whenever I dream of doing axels or doubles or whatever, they look unrealistic.. like, you know in films, with their computer generated quad jumps? like that.