Okay, here's the scoop. I've always skated pretty much by FEEL. I hope you understand this. I've been learning to THINK when I skate lately and it's weird. =-0 I like understanding but it does make you feel pretty stupid in the moment. Has anyone else experienced this? I have farted with much with FEELING... It's not like I haven't learned anything BUT I can't really say I was THINKING. I'd think but not THINK. Clear?! =-) Please say I'm not alone!

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

A coach, I knew, used to say that a talented child can get up to Silver standard (all the doubles except Axel) by natural ability, but if you want to get any higher, it takes intelligence .... Perhaps you've just hit that point in your training?

my old coach used to get frustrated with me because I thought too much about an element and the performance lost its flavor.

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

Wang chung!

my coaches get frustrated every now and again because I overthink. But on some things I underthink and then that frustrates them..hehe

at the Adult Edge Clinic at Aston PA, Uschi (can't remember her last name) said the only bad thing about adult skaters is they think too much and don't feel enough! She says "Just do it!"

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Let me add another one to the ""parade of adult figure skaters who think too much".

My coach is always telling me, stop thinking and just do it.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

I used to dance quite a bit, and skating is sometimes like tap dancing. You can break a tap step/combo down to basics and count and do it slow and say the words with the steps but in the end you have to feel the step and timing with the music. If you think too much in tap, you'll never get it. You must think at first, but then you have to feel. Funny, I was teaching my baby sis the correct way to do wings this past weekend! She was thinking a little too much and how she'd never get them, so I told her the think part then told her how to feel it. Okay, we were having a few beers at the time (it was holiday people), but after a while she 'got' it -- by feel. So you need both! Feel, then think, then feel again. Then think again if you need. Then feel....well, you get it. And you're not crazy. So you're in a think phase now. And practice wings first using the barre or a counter top. Now if I could just apply that to my back inside threes and quit THINKING.

I really think that having a good balance is key to being a good figure skater... I don't know if anyone can relate, but have you ever gotten to a competition or a test and you forget what you are suppose to do or the steps to something that you've practiced a million time? It's happened to me and it's always because I over think things (sometimes cause I under think things too though)...I just can't help it!!!
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Sweet16*

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Figure skating should never be a sacrifice, when that's what it becomes, you know that it's time to hang up your skates...
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Sweet16*

That's been the topic of my past few skating weeks. I'm not allowed to bring my brain into the rink. I have to just do it. Be loose. Let the jump happen. But I'm thinking all the time, of nothing. Aaah, it's hard to explain.

You totally aren't alone. I'm having problems now because I went by the feel of things, more than thinking them through. For a reason I still can't figure out, the feel of some things went out the window during my time off the ice. Now I have to think, and it's foreign. I just want the feel back. To make matters worse, my coach is constantly asking me questions now, and I feel like an idiot when I have no clue whatsoever. I too Think but not THINK.

Holy cow, so I'm NOT the only adult skater to be told daily by my coach "You overanalyze. Just do it!" LOL

Seems to be a very common problem among us adults, huh?

Suz

doobedooo, I think you might be right. I think I'm at the point in my skating that I need to know. I fart with doubles and am thinking about testing. I also have a coach who is asking more of me. She wants things right and is working hard with me to obtain my goals. New coach for me.

Michiganskater, I knew you'd understand. =-)

Everyone, I think my feeling problem is that I rely too much on it. I've learned a few, many, bad habits doing what feels right to me. Usually it has. Sometimes I need to THINK more. It's just THINKING more is an adjustment. I'm sure I'll get over it. Well...hope so!

Thanks a load,
Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

LOL, you are not alone. My coach and I have the “thinking” discussion virtually every session. For me, this involves understanding how to break a skill down into steps rather than thinking about it as a “unit” so that the necessary corrections can be made. Very tough to do when you’re naturally a holistic learner. Doing ice dance has really helped me develop this ability because it forces you to think step by step. If you’re not currently doing dance, it might be worthwhile to give it a shot and see if it helps.

It's not just us... in one of Scott Hamilton's books he writes about getting ready to go on the ice at some major competition and telling himself to "just go out there and 'Skate Stupid'" He clarifies that to mean not to think about anything -- he wasn't calling himself names.

shutterbug, Dance looks fun. I like footwork, at least lately. Dancing with a coach or partner doesn't work for me though. I'm much better than I used to be but I like my space. Breaking things up helps me too.

Thin-Ice, Skate-Stupid =-) I knew I liked Scott!

Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."