So I've been fooling around on ice skates for about a year and just started private lessons. I'm really enjoying myself, even if I'm just doing edges on a line.

But I'm 25, and while I realize I probably won't be able to do anything 'cool' due to starting so late, I have no idea what kind of progress is typical or can be expected from someone who never skated as a child. Most of the figure skaters in my club, even the ones close to my age, started skating as small children.

Many of you seem to have started skating later in life: how fast did you progress? What did you find really tricky?

Just curious.

Ah, to be 25 again!

A lot of adult skaters started late in life and have made wonderful progress--and many have neat tricks, amazing flexibility, and awesome spins, etc. And you are still very young to be starting out. Don't get in the habit of ever comparing yourself to the kiddie skaters; it's a different ballgame.

Just get out there and enjoy ... and maybe we'll see you in the competitive ring, soon?

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Hi

Everyone is different, it's impossible to say how fast you will progress. It depends how much time you can get on the ice, your balance, your determination, LOTS of stuff

HOWEVER ... don't think that you won't be able to do anything 'cool' (though it depends what you mean by cool).

I started when I was 32. My aim was to skate backwards competently. I struggled with going backwards to start with but once I'd cracked it I preferred (and stil prefer) skating backwards to skating forwards.

Anyway .... once I could skate backwards I wanted to do a 3-jump and so it went.

Unfortunately due to circumstances I've not really skated for a few years now though I still don't say that I've given up!

When I stopped skating I was working for my UK Inter-Silver Compulsories (no mean feat) and was working on axel and double jumps (I've tried all doubles except 2axel). Spins weren't my best element but I could do a fairly good upright and scratch, backspin came and went, sit spin was ok but could have done with sitting more and the camel often had the hump I had a go at a 'headless' spin and was also learning the layback. I had also been taught the butterfly which I loved. I also had a go at pairs but that wasn't for very long unfortunately.

If you want to see some of the things that you can do you can check out my very out-of-date website:

http://www.geocities.com/lynne_99_uk

I was lucky in that I had fantastic coaches who didn't treat me as an adult skater, they treated me exactly the same way that they treated their kid skaters.

I skated before work between 5-7 days a week and really enjoyed it. I would dearly love to get back into it but finances, my horse, my job, my time and a stupid ice rink (unfortunately I had to move house so am no-where near my old rink) that isn't particularly adult friendly have put paid to that for now

You only limit yourself in your mind. I never set myself a limit, I don't care if I'm older than the kids, there is no reason for me not to learn. I used to skate on patch with the kids (a lot of them competitive) and they were fantastic, they would help me and were very supportive. I remember my Prelim Free and my Bronze Dance tests. They all lined up at the barrier and as I was waiting for the music to start they all did a great big cheer. That made me laugh and really relaxed me and I skated the best two tests that I've ever skated, apparently I grinned throughout. When I came off the ice having passed they all came up to me, hugged and kissed me, they were as pleased for me as they would have been for each other.

The world is your oyster

Good luck and enjoy

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The best whisper is a click

Well, those of us who started in our 30s think you should be grateful that you got to start in your 20s!

The answer to your question is, of course, it depends. It depends on how much time you skate per week, how much natural talent you have, what your body shape is like, what your general fitness level is, etc. All these variables get tossed into the equation.

I agree with NoVa that you should never compare yourself to the kids. They'll generally progress faster than you, just as you'll generally progress faster than I did. (It's just a general observation, not set in stone, that the younger you are, the faster you progress. But don't forget the other variables.) If you simply must compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to other adult onset skaters. We're different from the "returning" skaters who skated as kids. Better still, don't compare yourself to anyone! Just enjoy the process of skating and learning!

ETA: my first reaction, when seeing your question was "glacial!"

Crayonskater,hi welcome to the world of adult skating, I never skating as a child and I began this year at the age of 24 to skate with lessons. Sure you can and will be doing "cool" things on the ice. Give yourself small goals (ie: for me thats a simple 2 foot spin, backward crossovers, turns, spread eagles etc.)to attain and you can also set your eyes on even bigger goals (ie: for me thats a waltz jump, salchow and hopefully a toe jump). Try not to compare yourself to those skaters who've been skating for years, I'm sure though that at this point you are a far better skater than the average recreational skater who glides on by during public sessions---look around and you'll see how fantastic you are doing. Of course whats "cool" for your may not be for someone else. I think it's cool just to do crossovers, of course I'd love to one day do some jumps. The main thing is to enjoy it now---the lessons, the practice etc. Take one day at a time, and of course the more you invest in practicing the faster progress will come!

happy skating! p.s you may want to also check into group adult lessons as well, not only will it give you more practice but your group is your own support/cheerleading squad as well!!

how did I progress? I started with learn to skate at 28, with stroking, crossovers, stopping and all. I thought I was awesome learning a spiral after 5 weeks.

I think it took a year to progress from basics like stroking and crossovers to working on jumps and spins. I landed a waltz jump at 29, probably 9 months after I started learn-to-skate. I think I learned toe loops right away, but it took an entire summer of doing 3 turns in the corner of open skate before I learned a salchow. I graduated out of CCMs into Reidells.

At 30, I tested and passed adult pre-bronze 2 years after starting learn-to-skate. I got an inconsistent loop and flip, with poor technique. I also land the one lutz I have ever done, by accident.

At 31, I worked on my first program, and participated in my first competition 3 years after learn to skate. I came in 8 out of 9. I also graduated from stock Reidells to customs SP Teris. This corrected my technique, and I lose the loop and flip.

At 32, I started working on ISI with a new coach in a new city. I continue work on technique, and get all the half jumps, for save the stag and split falling leaf. I work on spins. I pass pre-alpha through freestyle 1. I join a synchro team. I win my first gold medals ever, first with the team, then individually at a local club event. Then I start travelling for major synchro competitons.

At 33, I passed freestyle 2, and compete at my first national event as an individual. Brian Biotano sings happy birthday to me. I get the loop and flip back. I experience my first major side-lining injury. I lose loop and flip. I go through rehab, and brave competing with my ankle taped practically to my knee. I come in last. I also fail my first attempt at bronze moves.

At 34, I experience a breakthrough, passing freestyle 3, bronze moves. I get the loop back. I experience fatigue as I shift from competing USFSA synchro to ISI synchro, ISI free to USFSA free. But I still win my first USFSA gold in compulsories and artistic.

At 35, I celebrate birthday competing at ISI Adult Champs. I win the freestyle at my age group and do my first loop in competition and my first attitude spin. I pass bronze free. I still don't get the flip back, for save a few nice ones in August. I start working on the lutz from a standstill. I work on experimenting with music. My sit spin takes a vacation, but my backspin improves dramatically. Next up on the horizon is my first trip to USFSA Adult Nationals, and moving back to Michigan and working with my old coach.

-----------------------

I guess I'm trying to illustrate that while my progress was slow, I had lots of small victories along the way, and really think working at both ISI and USFSA as well as synchro helped broaden my experiences as a skater, although I didn't get elements as quickly as I would like. I'm frustrated as hell that I'm still plugging away at the stupid flip and lutz nearly 7 years after I starting skating. I'm not about to give up though, I'm having too much fun and have met too many people that make this process worthwhile.

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

I think it's kind of hard to start late, but you can still learn and do lots of things; just look at all the skaters in this forum some do amazing spins, jumps, or have beautiful skating basics, all of those things are really cool and hard.
I'm a male, I started skating in november 2003, i was 22 , now I'm 23 and I'm working on single jumps up to the lutz and sometimes combined with the loop and spins like sit sipn, camel, and backspins, of course the quality of them is not good at all and I'm not very consistent I guess you need a lot of time to improve, a lot of patience and to know that there are good and bad days. But when you are able to land a jump or do a spin for the first time or watch your improvement in terms of what you were doing 1 year ago it can be very rewarding.
It's nice to know someone who started around my age good luck!!!

I know I'm a bit younger than you, but I started skating shortly before my 20th birthday. I'm almost at my 21st birthday now (skating for about 2 years) and I am working on all of my doubles except the lutz. I've also passed many of my dances.

It really just depends on how much time you have to practice, and how much you want to. I know quite a few of the adults at my club who have all of their single jumps, and a couple who started skating later than you did who have a couple of doubles.

It will be completely up to you how far you take it. Everyone progresses at different paces. Many of the adult posters here have done great things at Adult Nationals, and it's a lot of fun to go watch them. I'd say stick with it and you'll get to the "cool" stuff when you get there...
And you WILL get there!

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"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass

Welcome to the world of Adult Figure Skating!!! And no, I won't give you my story of just how jealous I am that I wished I started when I was 25. The point is that I have started skating and I'm happy to be part of the sport now!!!

As for your original question, I agree with skaternum... It really depends!!! Oh, of course, add in financial constraints and "chicken factor" too!!!

The point I'm trying to make though is to not worry about how fast your progress you should be making. The important point is to enjoy the journey! And of course, I say this as I'm griping about my "glacial" progress on my Bronze moves! I have a HUGE "chicken factor!" Boc boc boc...(jazzpants flapping her arms around...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Thanks everyone who posted. I started with a learn-to-skate about a year ago, and I was skating twice a week then. Now I'm up to two hours a day, four times a week, with a lesson per week. And now BI edges are currently kicking my little butt all over the rink.

I really think all I want to achieve is enough of a comfort level to go forwards and backwards and changes gracefully. And a good scratch spin or something, solely for showing-off purposes. I guess if I ever get that I'll worry about what comes next then.

I started adult skating on hockey skates at the age of 46. That was the winter of 2000/2001. I became addicted to skating, both ice & inline.

December of 2004 I switched to figure skates and started lessons last month (January).

I now have a hugely different stance. I don't trip on my toe pick any more & I actually find I can use it instead of just avoiding it. I have several 1/2 rotation jumps (Waltz, Falling Leaf, 1/2 Flip, Mazurka, Ballet). I feel confident by this time next year I'll have some singles. Maybe sooner. I'm hoping for more, but one step at a time.

My edge work was well developed from the hockey skates, so I just needed to adjust. I had FO 3-turns before the transition. Now I have my FI 3's and BO 3-turns. I had FL power pulls. Now I also have the FR working and can do a BR almost the full length of the rink. The BL still stinks.

I finally learned to do a Mowhawk correctly.

Anyway, I'm not trying to write a laundry list of what I've accomplished. The point is that I will be turning 50 on March 26th, and I feel I have a lot I can learn before my physical/age limitation stops me.

Yes, I'm addicted to skating. I feel like I have to learn as much as possible since I have that much less time to work with!

Enjoy the journey! Put up with the disapointments and dwell on your successes.

Jon

well its never too late to start.. i started a year ago and went from.... pre-alpha now im in freestyle 2. just make sure you never give up or you will regret it later. dont compare yourself to others! just enjoy ice skating for the fun of it! you are already cool. you started ice skating! just make small goals and celebrate when you get them. good luck and remeber never give up!

Hee hee. That's exactly how the addiciton starts. *All* I wanted was to be able to do a 1 foot spin. Then *all* I wanted was to do a few jumps. Then *all* I wanted was a sit spin. Now *all* I want is an axel. Lordy, what's next? What will I sell my soul for next?? It's an insidious thing, this skating addiction!

Me too! At first, I started off just "skating around the rink on a Sat. night" and maybe showing off one or two 1-foot spins on rental skates. Now, two coaches, custom skating boots, three USFSA tests (two passed) and a few local competitions later...darn AOSS!!!

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

How very true.
And then when I stopped making any real progress in singles ... I was tricked into skating pairs. I guess there's always dance when Loops finds a real partner.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Nova you seem like a very accomplished skater how old were you when you started figure skating?

Wow, that is very kind of you to say. (But I am very ambitious and very perfectionistic, so I'm very hard on myself and at times consider myself a complete failure. Poor Loops has to skate with me AND this attitude.)

I started skating when I was 22 (7 years AND 20 lbs ago!). I took group lessons for about 9 months, then quit, as I had reached ISI level 4/5 and higher classes weren't offered. It was weird because I started in beginner adult, moved to gamma level, jumped to freestyle 3, then moved to freestyle 4/5. I skipped a few things along the way and am STILL paying for it now (crossovers, anyone? ). I wish I could have taken private lessons, but since I was living barely above the poverty line in grad school, that really wasn't an option.

I thought I wouldn't skate that much becasue I was in grad school--stuck in a research lab and teaching. But once I got hooked, I designed my experiements around skating session times and arranged my teaching schedule accordingly. I also met lots of nice and talented North Carolina skaters (and I miss them dearly ), and some helped coach me along the way.

3 years ago, I started taking private lessons, and a year ago began pairs lessons. It's been mostly fun, sometimes frustrating, occasionally painful, rarely aggravating, and never boring!

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

All I wanted to do was skate laps to get some cool exercise--I'd played softball for 10+ years and was tired of sweating. Losing weight would be a plus. After about a year of lessons (I was in Adult 3) laps were boring, so I backed up and started re-learning some of the skills I'd just kind of skimmed over. Did a Christmas show. Heard coaches talking about Adult competitions--thought I'd never do them.

Picked up a private coach at about a year and a half. It made a huge difference in my progress. I have 2 coaches--one for privates, and one for group. Since I've been the only adult (and the only one in FS 1/2/3) I've essentially had privates at group rates.

So, 3 years, 35+ pounds, and 3 competitions later, I'm terribly addicted. Now, if I could just let my orthopod agree to let me back on the ice some time soon.

I started at almost 39. It's one of the best, and at times, most frustrating things I've ever done in my lifetime. Progress comes unpredictable. Jumps come fairly easily, spins don't. I just have to keep plugging along.

hey everyone, I haven't been here for ages!!! This is a really fun thread, thanx for bringing it up crayon.
I myself am an adult skater too. I've started about 2 years ago and have passed freestyle 1 test. Although I'm only freestyle 1 certified skater, I can actually skate up to freestyle 3. I can jump all the singles, except for the axel, of course (desperately trying here ). I have stopped skating for 2 months now as the rink I usually went shut down I'm kind of waiting for the new rink to be open. Anyway, I'll drop by again later. Gotta dash!!
Keep skating!!!

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** Skate 'til You Drop **

Btw, I'm 23 years of age, male skater

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** Skate 'til You Drop **

I never put on a pair of ice skates until I started college, although I did have a pair of strap-on roller skates as a child...

I started in a group class for a PE credit, skated about 10 months (with about 2 months of private lessons towards the end), stopped when I went abroad for a year, started again when I came back for another 8 months, stopped again when I moved out of the country for several years, and started again halfway through grad school about 3 and a half years ago. So, that's about 5 years, give or take a half year, and I am 29 now and I compete at the USFSA Silver I freestyle level. I think I've progressed quickly, but it could be (and probably is) due to my background in competitive gymnastics, diving, and dance.

All I wanted at first was to be able to skate backwards to play intramural hockey. Then, I discovered that I liked figure skating better, and all I wanted was to be able to do a spin, and some kind of jump. By my second semester, I wanted to pass my pre-preliminary tests, and took some private lessons. Then....well, that's how it goes. My most recently accomplished goal was to land a double...the salchow actually arrived today. Now, all I want are my gold moves...
...Somehow, I never got around to playing intramural hockey.

I expect this pattern will continue until my body or bank account breaks.

Yeah another male skater!

I guess you all know I'm 18 and just started this year. I have no ideah what I'll do, but I really want to get into some serious private lessons over the summer.

Unfotunately no cash! But oh well, I think it's more about having fun, and challenging yourself than what level you get to.

And Husband and I didn't start skating until we were in our 40s. We're now in our 50s, and still dreadfully bad, but have enormous fun trying. We do skate competitively against others of our age and ability level - it's totally a triumph of hope over experience, since we very seldom come other than last. It's getting closer and closer, though - we knew we had no hope of coming anything other than 3rd out of 3 at the British Adult Championships, as we knew the other two couples would have a better free dance than we did, and that was 60% or more of the total - but we hoped we would squeak past one of the couples in the compulsories. We have beaten them once, but only once! In fact, we didn't skate the first compulsory all that well, fair enough, but the 2nd - a Canasta Tango - was so close that there was only one point stopping it from being a 3-way tie! This year, we have good compulsories, Riverside Rhumba & Golden Skaters Waltz, so might pip them..... probably not, but it won't be for lack of trying. They'll still beat us in the free dance, though, but again, not for want of trying on our part!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I am in my late 20's (30 is right around the corner...scary!) and have been skating for almost a year. I am in FS 2/3 (Darn that spin!). You can go pretty far as an adult although I think fear and time holds us back sometimes. Welcome to the skating world!

I'm in my early 40's and signed up for adult learn to skate last season. I'd skated before, like all Canadians can do, forward toepick pushing laps in a counterclockwise direction. I had to forget all that and start with bubbles and swizzles. At the end of the class (Oct - March) those of us who wished to try a dance test could do so, we had practiced Dutch Waltz as a class. I took a couple of private lessons beforehand to learn how to skate with a partner and passed the test. Most of the class tested and passed.

This is where it gets crazy and you have to decide what to do. This year, the adult learn to skate is again working on edges, some simple jumps and spins and the Canasta Tango or Baby Blues as a dance. Slow progress, but they all skate just that once-a-week class.

I on the other hand got hooked after passing a test and went into full private lessons with the kid skaters, and skated the extended season (but no summer session). I'm still a crappy spinner, still have problems skating dances with a partner (men can be so annoying) but will finish six dances this year and have a decent attempt at my preliminary skills as well as learning jumps through to the flip. I skate 5 days a week. I'll probably try a competition next year. They kicked me out of adult learn to skate although I go sometimes just to chat.

That's why I called it the crazy part. If you want to skate and put the time and effort into it you can do well. If you just do classes once or twice a week, you will improve but at a much slower rate. Spinning is the worst thing to learn to do well. Getting over the fear of falling is also a tricky thing, you will have to learn how to fall properly, watching out for knees and elbows.