New Technical book

[skateflo]

I am very impressed with Nancy Kerrigan's new book "Artistry On Ice!" I expected floucy stuff but it is chock full of technical information for the intermediate to advanced skater. But even at my level (single half jumps) her advice about the basics for jumps, spins, combinations and variations, etc. is easy to read and understand. The detail is amazing! Many color photographs are used to highlight the major points and are very clear!

She writes as if she were talking to you personally - not stiff or academic - frequently interspersed with how she was made to learn something even if she didn't like the method, and includes comments from other skaters about certain moves.

Others may disagree, but I think this new book is the best that has been written since Petrevich did his in 1984! While not the depth of the physics he gives, this book will definitely help a lot of skaters (and some coaches!)

I suggest you make the effort to look for this book in your local mega bookstore.

1. Preparing to Skate: essential skills, sprials, spread eagles & ina bauers, lunges
2. Mastering spins: scratch, sit, camel, spin variations
3. Nailing Jumps: salchows, toe loops, loops, flips, lutzes, axels, jump combinations & variations
4. Skating with a Parner: ice dancing, pairs skating, basic lifts, synchronized skating.
5. Training off the Ice: off-ice training concepts, warming up and cooling down, land & water exercies
5. Preparing for Competition: music, choreography, costumes, the Total Package.

Let me know what you think!

[icenut84]

Sounds great! I got a book similar to this a little while ago, called 2The Complete Book of Figure Skating", written by Carole Shulman. It's very much like the Nancy one, in that it covers so much info and is detailed and technical. It covers basics, things like stops and turns and stroking, spins, jumps, moves like spirals and spread eagles and lunges, jumps, pairs skating, ice dancing, conditioning and exercises, equipment, costumes and music and choreography, etc. It also has lots of stuff for coaches.

Is the Nancy book expensive? The one I got cost about £15 IIRC, although I saw it for a bit less.

[skateflo]

I have Carol Shulman's book also and believe me there is no comparison. Nancy's is far superior, more detailed. I was very disappointed in Carol's book - I expected much much more for all the hype. Nancy has a better focus on many realities related to skating.

Nancy's book retails for $24.95 USD but I got it for $18.-- via Barnes & Noble on line. I looked on Amazon UK (they have it) but I couldn't figure out how to send it to someone in the UK, and it seemed too expensive that way. I may just buy it here and mail it over.

You would know better how to comparison shop on UK book line stores. I really think you will get a lot more out of Nancy's book.

[melanieuk]

Skateflo, you are a wealth of information about books.
Maybe there should be a book thread.

I've had a look for this book here in the UK, but it might take sometime for it to filter through.

I Emailed Eugene Turner - or the Email address provided on the website - and I got a reply from "Gene".
Would this be Eugene himself?
I asked if the book was available in the UK, and he said "I hope to one day have the book available worldwide".
I couldn't find it on Amazon.

[skateflo]

Mel,

I just received my copies of The Skaters by Eugene (Gene) Turner and am reading it now. So far, so good. It appears to be privately published.