I'm in the same boat as well, never tested before... I have been skating on and off since I was 12, so about 10 years.... I wonder how I was able to slip by that lol.

Oh no! (((kiwiskater))) Look after yourself and that wrist.

Last I knew ISI LTS pre-alpha/alpha USFSA Snowplow Sam and Basic 1 syllabuses required falling instruction in the first lessons, and falling was part of the requirements to pass those levels.

But teaching and testing at those levels is within the coach's discretion. And I can't speak to other programs.

My personal approach to injury prevention has included a lot of fall practice.

__________________
Mitch Grunes ModifyingBoots FallingGently HomePage

I'm so sorry. Get well soon.

__________________

OUCH. Sorry to hear that - take care of yourself!

In Canada we have CanSkate (this is our learn to skate). In level 1 (red) CanSkate and in PreCanSkate (learn to skate for those ages 2 and half to 5 in a more playful setting) the first thing we do is start the skaters off by having them sit on the ice and learn to get up. It is there where they fall the most. Then we teach them to fall from standing. Once we have them moving at least forward, we teach them to fall while moving. One thing that I think that could be added is how to fall while moving backwards.

Anyway, the best thing to do when falling is to pull in your arms to your chest and the get your chin to touch your chest and try to get your weight over one of your hips. If you land on your hips your slid a little and possibly be able to get back up quickly almost in one movement.

Look at some video of elite level skaters falling and slow down the video to see their falling and getting up technique.

__________________
"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Good suggestion - I'll have to pad up and try it. I worry about the "pull your arms in" though - wouldn't that increase the risk of breaking your elbows?

For backwards falls, I've learned that if you turn your head to the side, it lessens the whiplash and protects your head from hitting the ice as hard. Of course, helmets work better.

I can't say I know of anyone who fell while wearing wristguards and was injured. I know plenty of people who've broken wrists and arms without them though.

I think the worst falls to take are belly-whoppers and head-bangers. The former knocks the wind out of you and makes you feel sick, the latter is a serious fall.

__________________

Falling on your belly out of a spiral, or even just tripping on forward crossovers, is something that should be taught. But how to teach that safely, is the question.. is there such a thing as belly flopping pads

How not to fall on your head.. BREAK AT THE WAIST! I have never fallen on my head.. just by folding in on myself when falling, so nothing more than my butt touches the ice. When I smack into the ice with such momentum that my back and shoulders are whipped back, I use core muscles to hold my head and neck rigidly up away from the ice. It's a good way to make your neck sore, but better than a concussion.

__________________
Right Brain: In the distant future, I will land all of the doubles.
Left Brain: HAHAHAHAHA
Left Brain: You can't even do a backspin.
Right Brain: ...

figurekb on YouTube.

Thx guys for all the well wishes. Was disappointed 2 stand on the sidelines & not b out practising last night BUT I did buy my skates, so no excuses not to 'get back on the horse' - can't let the investment go to waste!

I did find out an interesting titbit - there is a resident doc on the ice that looks after the hockey guys and the coach suggested I hunt him down & talk 2 him about what I can do to protect myself in getting back on the ice e.g. wrist guards.....

I teach silly falls. Once we've covered simple falls (sliding falls) and the kids are more comfortable with falling, we then try silly falls. We think of something stupid, like falling backwards and then we get on our knees and try the fall. Falling is easier the closer to the ice it is. We have some kids, and most adults, who are so stiff that they fall like a load of bricks.

I've been practicing my falling, and my 13 year old friend was teasing me about it (I'm 22). But it helps a lot to just make yourself fall a few times before you start anything on the ice... I warm up and then I go to the end of the ice with a little speed and lower myself until my feet give out under me.

I'm also trying to get a shoot the duck in the process. Currently it's a spear the duck.

...spear a duck... You should be in the UK - Mrs. Redboots has a lovely tutorial for the bunny hop that involves killing the wabbit...heh heh heh heh

If you're going down, just relax to let it happen, try to land on the fleshy parts and slide as much as possible. Tensing your muscles will make the fall worse. Tensing the core muscles and breaking at the waist aren't a panacea for backwards falls.

I've seen it happen and I've done it myself. Stepping on your own blade or rocking off the heel unexpectedly while moving backwards fast can result in this kind of a fall. Your butt won't hit the ice first, your back/ribcage will. Tensing up and bending forward will flip your legs over your head, putting you at risk of breaking your neck during the backroll.

You can't reposition in the air, but you can protect your head by turning it to the side, which is more effective than tensing up and causing muscle strains. This also shifts your shoulders, allowing you to slide sideways and protect your tailbone and hip.

__________________

LOL!! The visual - I get it!