adult beginner

[DancinDiva]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. Well, I've been lurking for a while, but I've never posted here before...Anyway, I'm 22 and have never taken skating lessons before, and just signed up for an adult beginner class. Are there any of you that started that late? Is it too late for me? I was so excited when I sighed up, but as the first lesson gets closer and closer, the more terrified I get! I'm afraid that I'm going to make a fool of myself! Plkease, if there are any other late starters out there, could you give me a little encouragement? Is there still hope for me?....Oh, yeah, I've had 18 years of ballet training. Is there anyone out there with dance experience, that felt it helped them at all with skating? Will this be any advantage to me? Well, I guess I've rambled long enough! I'd love to hear your story!

[Spinner]

Never fear, you have found your skating home on the Internet. :) This forum is chock-full of those with AOSS--Adult Onset Skating Syndrome ;). I started late in life (age 19), got into private lessons and by the time I was 22 I had my Axel jump and 3 doubles!

Be prepared now for a flurry of encouraging posts from all the great people like you! :D

Have fun and good luck!

[skaternum]

Hi, DancinDiva!

I'm pleased to inform you that the "how common are adult beginners?" thread is an extremely common thread here. Isn't that encouraging?! There are LOTS of skaters who started as adults. Personally, I started group Learn to Skate classes at age 30. Been skating for 7.5 years now, and have all single jumps up to axel. (Keep starting and stopping my work on that one! Someday...)

I, too, have lots of ballet experience (anywhere from 12-15 years, depending on whether I count that terrible training I had early on). That much ballet training and turnout are wonderful for spirals, spread eagles, and Ina Bauers; the musicality and ease of movement are excellent for helping with ease of movement on the ice. But be forewarned: the muscle memory from prior serious ballet training can actually impede certain skating skills. The turnout can be deadly for jump landing positions (hip too open, leg crossed over too far in back); pirouettes are terrible for spinning (no spotting in skating); and the ballet posture with your weight more forward over the balls of the feet does NOT go well with a toepick! I don't mean to scare you, but I'm just trying to be honest. Ballet dancers can make beautiful skaters, but don't expect it to feel like dancing. First you have to unlearn some things, then learn some new muscle memories. I actually love skating now more than I ever loved ballet! There are several other skaters here who have lots of ballet training too. Maybe some of them will chime in.

Anyway, sorry this has gotten so long. Welcome to the wonderful world of adult skating!

skaternum

[jameybrbr]

Hi. I started group lessons at age 35. I am 39 now and don't skate as much as I'd like due to a very demanding day job. I can now do singles up to flip (I've landed a few-getting there) and am perfecting scratch spins, sit spins and camels. I have passed Pre-Bronze Freestyle and Pre-Preliminary moves. Would love to do more, but no time. I also teach group lessons at 2 or 3 rinks in the afternoons and weekends. FUN! You meet great people. I have made many friends-adult skaters and parents. There are 5 or 6 adult skaters almost all of us pushing 40.

Don't be afraid to fall. It's not so bad to fall on ice as it is on solid ground. Keep your knees slightly bent, your chin up and your arms in front and you will do great!

Jamey

[DancinDiva]

Skaternum, you have just comfirmed my worst fears! I am VERY turned out (I can go beyond 180 degrees in first position without really trying), and I am CONSTANTLY trying to make myself stand in a parallel position when not in the dance studio, but it is SO hard! Also, I think that I will have trouble balancing in a spiral. because I am so used to doing arabasque with the foot turned out. I can, however, get close to 180 degree extension arabasque penche, so it will look nice if I can get the turnout corrected! The no spotting thing is okay, because my teacher usually yells at me for not spotting in ballet. Oh, well, I'm still excited (and nervous), and I guess we'll just have to wait and see how I do! In the meantime, keep your stories coming!

[dbny]

Originally posted by DancinDiva
Skaternum, you have just comfirmed my worst fears! I am VERY turned out (I can go beyond 180 degrees in first position without really trying), and I am CONSTANTLY trying to make myself stand in a parallel position when not in the dance studio, but it is SO hard!

:lol: Well, I have turn-in, and I can't tell you how often I wish I had turn out. I can stand literally toe to toe and I'm sure I will never be able to do a spread eagle.

On the subject of "too late to start", I started two years ago at 53. I don't jump due to hip and knee problems, but I'm doing moves through Juvenile, and have recently been told that I'm very graceful on the ice, which has been one of my main goals. I often wish I had started at your age, DancinDiva, so you are definitley not too old :lol: :lol: :lol:

[DRENDAVN]

I had never skated in my life and started at age 41. Your future is bright. I can't address the dance thing except to say that I know two adults who began with extensive dance backgrounds and both rocketed through training as if they were supercharged. Despite the drawbacks you have great strength, balance and awareness of where your body is in space. These qualities will help you a great deal. Have fun!

Dave D.

[erin_m]

Well, I just started adult lessons this year (I'm 18 and in my first year of university) and I have taken dance for about 11 years or maybe a little more (but only one fairly easy ballet class a week this year! :().

So far I'm still learning the basics (I couldn't even skate at all when I started) but I have already noticed that some of my ballet training is having to be un-learned. The toe-pick has gotten in my way a couple times (most likely because of the weight thing that skaternum brought up) and my habit of "pulling up" when I feel like I might fall instead of bending my knees to steady myself.

I too have a lot of natural turnout and am fairly flexible (but I haven't been as active and stretching as much this year so not as good as usual) so I figure once I get to a level I can actually try things like spread eagles and jumps then it will both help and hinder (but I'm hoping it will be more of a help). I know exactly what you mean about turnout on spirals, it seems so much harder to balance with my feet in parallel because I'm not used to it!

Oh, and don't worry about starting lessons. I know with my group everyone is really friendly...there are quite a few different levels in my lessons but they have us split up well so that we are all comfortable with what we are doing. I was really nervous for my first lesson but when I got there I realized that there are a lot of people at my level and how much fun it is! You're going to have a great time! :)

Oh, and if you want to talk about it anymore with someone who just started feel free to PM me!

[MissIndigo]

Originally posted by skaternum

The turnout can be deadly for jump landing positions (hip too open, leg crossed over too far in back).

I too have a great deal of natural turnout at the hips. I've never had any formal ballet training, but am just naturally flexible in that joint. My question is, when speaking of the turnout, is it more of a hindrance for you when landing jumps on their own or in combination? I can see how opening the hip too much on the jump landing can keep you rotating in the direction of the jump. I've found this to be more of a problem when I try to do a toe loop, and especially a loop jump as the second jump in combination. I really have to think about keeping the hips closed so I can get the feet in the proper position.

[ahmskate]

I know one or two ex-ballet dancers who took up skating as adults. They look wonderful out on the ice! The other thing they say takes a while to adjust to, is (softly) bending the knees, which is essential in skating, but a no-no in ballet.

[icenut84]

Don't fret about starting lessons. If it's an "adults" beginner class, 22 isn't too old! I started at age 17 in an adult class and I felt like a baby, everyone else was much older than me. :) When I went for my first lesson, I had really bad butterflies in my stomach because it was something I'd wanted to do for so long and I was finally doing it, and also because I knew I wouldn't know a single person there! (I wouldn't even have bumped into anyone I knew because the rink is an hour's drive from my home.) Nearly 2 years later and I love it more than ever. You'll be fine, don't worry. Everyone in your class will be in the same boat - a beginning skater who is starting as an adult. All I can say is listen to your coach and don't be embarrased if you fall - I fell over in my first ever lesson IIRC. Oops! lol. And have fun. :)

[skaternum]

Originally posted by ahmskate
The other thing they say takes a while to adjust to, is (softly) bending the knees, which is essential in skating, but a no-no in ballet.

Okay, I don't get this. There's a lot of knee bending in ballet. Any guesses what they're talking about?

[skaternum]

Originally posted by MissIndigo
My question is, when speaking of the turnout, is it more of a hindrance for you when landing jumps on their own or in combination?
Both, but especially on combinations. Like when I tack a loop onto another jump. <sigh> I have to fight to keep those hips from opening up wide. A former coach used to refer to it as my "whore of Babylon" position. :oops: It's getting better, but it's taken a long time.

[erin_m]

Originally posted by skaternum
Okay, I don't get this. There's a lot of knee bending in ballet. Any guesses what they're talking about?

I think they mean that in skating you almost always have your knees bent whereas in ballet there is a lot of "pulling up". Does that make sense?

[batikat]

I took my first lessons at the grand old age of 36 in a regular beginner class with kids and adults. I will admit that I made my then 8 year old daughter come along with me so I could pretend that I was just accompanying her - but in fact I needn't have worried as there were several adults in my group. I was very proud of the fact that I was able to progress through the rink tests (learn to skate) as fast as the kids - though not as fast as my son who joined in late and was able to skip through a couple of levels.
My biggest regret is not having started earlier - though circumstances (money and location ) made that impossible. However I am so glad I did
get to take up skating even at such a late stage. 4 years on I have passed the first 2 dance levels (UK levels) and competed in several competitions and have started learning the jumps and spins for Freestyle (despite bad back and knee problems!) I said when I started that I would never wear a skating dress but when I finally succumbed, it really made me feel like a proper skater.
I'm sure you will find the ballet training an advantage as it gives you such an awareness of your body position and balance and I am so envious of good turnout which is such a help in so many moves. it will also help you to have the flow in presentation which is so difficult for many of us who started as adults to achieve.
Good luck - hope to hear about your progress on the lessons thread.

[DancinDiva]

Thanks, everyone, you're really making me feel much better about taking this class! I'm glad to see that my concerns are not unique, that there's many others in the same boat as I am. I'll be sure to let you all know how I do at my first lesson (which isn't until 1/13/03, anyway). Oh! Can anyone recommend any sort of exercises/stretches that I should do for the next two weeks to prepare myself for skating?

[Andie]

I started proper ice skating lessons at 15 after several years of rollerskating, the first 5 or so lessons I was in a group with kids who were under age 12/13! That was weird. Now I'm 17 almost 18 and this year was taking private lessons (taking a couple weeks off for holidays) hope to resume lessons after the New Year.

My current coach tells me she teaches a couple of folks in their 60's 8O If THEY aren't too old to do it, YOU aren't! :)

[batikat]

Core strength /stability and knee bend are two vital elements in skating fitness so your ballet training should stand you in good stead there. We practice plies to help with the knee bend so you are ahead on that! Any exercises for the deep abdominal muscles are good - our coach likes the Pilates exercises. You could practice your spiral position off ice with your skating foot straight and the free foot turned out (see, you still need turnout in a spiral), though you won't be doing that in your first lesson! A 5 minute warm up which can be as simple as a bit of jogging on the spot followed by a few stretches for hamstring and calf will help the early lessons (though you may be the only one who does any warm up at this stage) and you can make the warm ups more involved as you progress (says she whose warm up usually consists of running from the car park to the boot room as I am always late!!) :D
You really only need to remember two things in skating:
'Bend your knees'! and 'Smile'!
:)

[icenut84]

Another thing I thought of that might reassure you about the age thing. :) A while back, I read an article in a newspaper about an award for diabeticswho had made great achievements (I can't remember the title of it). Anyway, it was presented by Sir Steve Redgrave (British rower, 5-time Olympic champion and a diabetic). The winner was a man who was diagnosed as diabetic at the age of 50. At 64, he took up ice skating, and when the award was given, he was 71 and had won 17 medals! Amazing eh? If he can do it, I don't think you have anything to worry about. :)

[dorvalskater1]

I too started at 19 (am now 27) and my first session was a patch session...imagine doing figures for the first time, (no coach as I only had a lesson in the secong 1/2 hour) and not having a clue how the heck to get around a circle, let alone 2 of them! I was right next to the really good little kids in front of the parents wearing a really short skating skirt. (skirt wasn't really short, but I was not used to them yet!)
I too come from a ballet background and have tons (and I mean tons) of turnout. The spiral was and still is my best element in the field.
I passed my prelim figure and dances and freetsyle that first year of skating (1995). I got my Junior Bronze free in 1998, and now have my Skills class 5 and all Junior Silver dances. I am currently working on re-learning my double toe, double salchow as I had about 2 seasons of no jumping due to various and stupid injuries. And working on my Adult Silver MIF, I have my pre-bronze and Bronze. I compete in the States in the Adult SIlver category and in Canada in Jr Bronze passed (axel +).
The hardest part I found is trusting oneself, having the confidence to know that you can do it. I tend to forget. Always bend your knees (trust me, otherwise you end up with dumb injuries) and smile!:) Have fun!

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by DancinDiva
Are there any of you that started that late? Is it too late for me? Welcome! Much, much later - I was nearly twice your present age when I started skating!

As for too late, it depends - too late for what? It is not too late to learn a totally new and very challenging sport that brings you friends from all over the world (literally), as well as strength, fitness and the most fun you can have wearing clothes! It is not too late to take tests to measure your developing skills against accepted standards, or to compete to measure your skills against those of your peers. The adult skating scene is huge, worldwide, and growing! Welcome to it, and I hope you get as much from it as I have.

[kayskate]

Your dance background will probably give you lovely body position and grace. Your spirals and eagles will be beautiful! You should try ice dance in addition to FS. You will probably be very good at it, and it improves the overall quality of your skating.

I started at about 26. B/c I started relatively young (and you even younger), I think that contributed to the amount of difficult FS skills I was able to master. I have had trouble w/ multi-rev jumps but have great spins including flying spins. The people I know who started b/w 18-22 were able to achieve a lot very quickly. I knew a young woman who landed axels and 2sals w/in a couple of years of starting. She started at about 20.

Best wishes,
Kay

[Yazmeen]

I started at 41--you're never too old!!!

Welcome, and good luck!

Beth