Do you close your eyes when being lifted?

[FSWer]

Say,along with the other questions about lifting I've asked...I've always wondered about that. Does anyone here as a skater who get's lifted in Pairs or Synchro.,etc. close their eyes when they get lifted?

[Clarice]

Well, I don't do anything where I get lifted, so I guess I don't really know, but I would think that closing your eyes any time you're on the ice would be pretty dangerous.

[ferelu]

I hope nobody closes their eyes when being lifted since your eyes are a source of input to help keep you in balance. I wouldn't not recommend closing your eyes at all.

[coskater64]

No I don't.

[flo]

No, I keep them open. Hopefully my partner does as well!
The lady and the man look ahead. If the man looked up at the lady he could easily become off balance.

[Mrs Redboots]

No, that would not be a good idea! Besides which, you're supposed to be smiling, although "fixed grin" would be a more apt description at times, I fear.

[frbskate63]

Certainly not! While watching the ceiling spin can be scary, not knowing where the ceiling is would be much worse!

[FSWer]

Certainly not! While watching the ceiling spin can be scary, not knowing where the ceiling is would be much worse!

Ok..can somebody please help me to understand this? As I know that when you close your eyes on some things,it DOES INDEED help you too not be nervous. Until you can get used to doing it with your eyes open. If you can't close your eyes...how do skaters get themselves used to keeping their eyes open,so they don't get nervous,shaky,and what-not?

[flo]

Good question. I thnk it's a bit different in a lift. When you are on the ground or ice, you still know where you are and could probably hold your balance even if your eyes are closed. When you are in the air and not on the ground it helps to keep your balance over the man by holding a good strong position. Keeping your eyes open helps this. I also look ahead and not up, as that could also change your center of gravity and thus your balance. Pairs practice the lift over and over so both partners are pretty solid and not nervous. When it's done correctly, it's actually a very smooth ride. We do not do any lifts that we are sure we can not control and do safely.

[ibreakhearts66]

Ok..can somebody please help me to understand this? As I know that when you close your eyes on some things,it DOES INDEED help you too not be nervous. Until you can get used to doing it with your eyes open. If you can't close your eyes...how do skaters get themselves used to keeping their eyes open,so they don't get nervous,shaky,and what-not?

In skating, your eyes should never be closed. Standing on one foot off the ice in sneakers is hard enough if you close both your eyes--trying to skate on skinny little blades with your eyes closed would just be a recipe for disaster. I think the natural progression of elements helps you become less nervous. For example, if you've never spun before, it might be a little scary to watch your surroundings spin while doing an extremely fast spin. However, that isn't anybody's first experience of spinning. The first thing you'll experience is the rink verrrrry slowly spinning as you do your first 1 foot spin. In the same way, while it would be scary to instantly try to rotate 3 times in the air and land, that's not what happens. First you do a waltz jump and only rotate 1/2 a time. Then you do other singles and get used to rotating once. Eventually, you might get to rotating twice or even 3 times for doubles and triples, but by then, you've had time to get used to the feeling.

My moves coach has me take edges and 3 turns with my eyes closed occasionally so I can FEEL where my body is, but that is FAR scarier than doing anything with my eyes open.

[Mrs Redboots]

Certainly not! While watching the ceiling spin can be scary, not knowing where the ceiling is would be much worse!

Especially when it's that very grubby ceiling at - well, a certain rink that hosts adult competitions, but I won't name and shame - I remember we did our free dance there one year and when he lifted me, I was looking straight at the grottiest ceiling you can ever imagine, and nearly did a double-take in shock!

[Bunny Hop]

Especially when it's that very grubby ceiling at - well, a certain rink that hosts adult competitions, but I won't name and shame - I remember we did our free dance there one year and when he lifted me, I was looking straight at the grottiest ceiling you can ever imagine, and nearly did a double-take in shock!
Ah, that will be the ceiling I had to take a photo of when we were there last month, because I didn't think anyone would believe me when I described it!

[Mrs Redboots]

Ah, that will be the ceiling I had to take a photo of when we were there last month, because I didn't think anyone would believe me when I described it!

That would be the one!!! Mind you, rink ceilings are very difficult to keep clean, to be fair - ours wouldn't win any prizes right now.

[Skate@Delaware]

I guess it's like being on a swing...keep your eyes open and you are very aware of where you are as you swing very high. Close your eyes and it suddenly seems that you are swinging higher than you really are. You lose that information from your eyes to your brain so it "guesses" where your body is.

The more you work on a skill (skating in front of people, being lifted, etc) the more you know what it's like and the easier it gets (or you know how to deal with it better).