Adapting to new blades

[fsk8r]

I've just had my new blades swapped onto my boots. They're the just a new version of the old ones (ISE/Jerry's Sterling), but I was shocked at the change of rocker. Last time I got new blades and boots together and was going from a Club 2000 to the Sterling and didn't even notice an adjustment period, other than the whole new boot wearing in. I had no fear in the new boots and blades. This time, it's a whole new ball game. Admittedly when I last switched I could barely spin and could just about to a waltz jump, and I'm now doing up to Lutzes (on a good day) and struggling with sitspins and backspins.
I know I'm going to really like these blades when I get used to them (my upright spin was really fast and centered), but just doing crossovers I felt rather laboured. I have all my forward 3 turns in them, but am struggling to push (probably because of the crossover issues), didn't try my back 3s. I was freaking out on inside mohawks, but managed the outsides fine (probably more a speed issue, but the blades created the speed issue for the insides).
And my nonexistant back spin didn't even turn. OK that's probably a good thing as apparently I had a series of 3 turns, and if I could have managed to keep it on the forward edge for more than 1 rev i'm sure it would have been called for some high level spin, but it doesn't but that's another story.
So I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for making the adjustment period faster.
I'm figuring I need to sort out the crossover issue out first before worrying about the spins, and presumably lots of upright spins will help getting used to the new sweet spot and so therefore help the sit spin?
And I'm a bit worried that my rudimentary upright spin in the wrong direction which I need for synchro will have gone missing with the change.

[Skittl1321]

I just switched blades. I went from (used) Gold Seals to the low leve Paramount. Both have an 8' rocker, but the gold seals were so flat, they probably didn't have a rocker left (I was the 4th owner).

It took me about 30 minutes to get to regular stroking, once I could do that, my turns were all fine. it took me a bit longer to get smooth mohawks, but those are a trouble step for me, anyway.

It took me 2 sessions until my crossovers were back to normal, I still haven't gotten the progressive down again- that sweep across the ice is giving me trouble with the new blades.

It took me 4 sessions to get my spin back, but when it came back it came back way better than it was on the old blades. I went from barely being able to eek out two revolutions from an in place wind up beginner entry on the new blades, to a standard entry with 12+ revolutions, better than I had before I switched the blades (I think I was getting 8 revolutions). When I got the new blades I was devestated because my spins disappeared- but they came back, it just too a bit of time. My backspin is still giving me trouble, but about the same as before I switched.

Don't worry- it will come back to you!

[fsk8r]

I just switched blades. I went from (used) Gold Seals to the low leve Paramount. Both have an 8' rocker, but the gold seals were so flat, they probably didn't have a rocker left (I was the 4th owner).

It took me about 30 minutes to get to regular stroking, once I could do that, my turns were all fine. it took me a bit longer to get smooth mohawks, but those are a trouble step for me, anyway.

It took me 2 sessions until my crossovers were back to normal, I still haven't gotten the progressive down again- that sweep across the ice is giving me trouble with the new blades.

It took me 4 sessions to get my spin back, but when it came back it came back way better than it was on the old blades. I went from barely being able to eek out two revolutions from an in place wind up beginner entry on the new blades, to a standard entry with 12+ revolutions, better than I had before I switched the blades (I think I was getting 8 revolutions). When I got the new blades I was devestated because my spins disappeared- but they came back, it just too a bit of time. My backspin is still giving me trouble, but about the same as before I switched.

Don't worry- it will come back to you!

Thanks for the reassurance. I think the bit that shocked me was the whole rocker adaptation as I'd not had it before. But my old blades (the ones I've just switched from) were pretty screwed up even though they still have grind left on them. I just hadn't realised the rocker was quite so bad. Thankfully my coach has just been through it (and she had no blade left to sharpen so was in a worse position from me), so she was being quite reassuring, but I really don't think I should have had a lesson on them before I'd had a chance to skate on them a few times. Doesn't help that I've got a dodgy landing knee at the moment, so I'm tentative to start with, and this pushed me over.
I think I'm happy with most of the turns because I'm blaming that on having sharp (grabby) blades (the old ones needed a sharpening anyway) but it was the spins and jumps which really freaked me. I'm just really looking for a way to gain confidence without killing myself spinning and jumping.

[doubletoe]

It could take up to two weeks. That's how long it took me to get my backspin back the last time I got new blades (and they were the same type as my old blades). Also, once you start jumping, you may find that the you'll have to point your toes really hard to make up for the rounder rocker. Otherwise you could slip off your toepick, as Skittl was mentioning in this week's practice thread.

[fsk8r]

It could take up to two weeks. That's how long it took me to get my backspin back the last time I got new blades (and they were the same type as my old blades). Also, once you start jumping, you may find that the you'll have to point your toes really hard to make up for the rounder rocker. Otherwise you could slip off your toepick, as Skittl was mentioning in this week's practice thread.

I'd spotted the rocker on the edge jumps (salchow / loop), but I imagine that it will do me some good to get some more knee bend. I'm hoping that the lack of back spin is a good thing as I'm hoping I can just persuade the coach to go back to basics and start over with it, as it wasn't exactly good to start with.

Having looked at the old blades last night and compared the profile to the new ones, I was shocked at the flatness of the old ones. I knew they had issues (hence the new ones) but everyone who'd advised me on the old ones had kept telling me that there was life left in them so they didn't need replacing. I'd hate to think how flat they'd have been if I'd waited another year. Wonder if this explains why I've been falling off my spins and back 3 turns recently?

Are there any good exercises to get the feel of the blades other than just perservering with everything? I've got two sessions before I'm off the ice for 10days and I'd like if possible to try and really get the feel of them before I go away.

[doubletoe]

Are there any good exercises to get the feel of the blades other than just perservering with everything? I've got two sessions before I'm off the ice for 10days and I'd like if possible to try and really get the feel of them before I go away.
Hmm. . . I think practicing forward and backward double 3's on each foot should be good, since those force you keep finding the ball of the blade as you go from forward to backward and inside to outside edges.

[skaternum]

Spend the first half of each session doing ALL the moves in the field from the very beginning up to whatever level you're currently working on. That stuff will FORCE you to learn where you are on the blade.

[fsk8r]

Hmm. . . I think practicing forward and backward double 3's on each foot should be good, since those force you keep finding the ball of the blade as you go from forward to backward and inside to outside edges.

Spend the first half of each session doing ALL the moves in the field from the very beginning up to whatever level you're currently working on. That stuff will FORCE you to learn where you are on the blade.

Thanks for that. I've so far avoided the back 3's on the new blades (I wasn't feeling particularly comfy on them lately anyway due to a dodgy knee and a nasty fall) but was thinking that they probably ought to be addressed sooner rather than later. I used synchro to get over the mohawk fear I'd had the first time in them (amazing how having someone about to skate into you makes you do stuff) and spent my spare extra 5mins on ice working on crossovers and transitions from backwards to forwards (I was slowing down on those because of the sharp blades as I don't think that was really a rocker issue).
Looks like I'll be on some major 3 turn practice tonight and tomorrow to get this rocker under control. I'm hoping that I'll come out the other side with some wicked turns. (But I'm really liking the spin centering that they're giving. I even managed an upright spin on my wrong foot last night that kept turning and I've been struggling with that for the last few weeks since I was told to learn it for synchro - I'm a CW skater normally).