I don't think I've ever met an adult skater who didn't suffer from serious shock and depression the first time she ever saw herself on video. I remember the first time I ever saw myself on video I crawled under the covers and didn't come out for 3 days.

Now I am somewhat desensitized, since I get a professional video about 4 times a year and ocassionally get my husband to videotape me as well. But I always watch each video for the first time with a pen and notepad in hand, to immediately write down my first impressions, i.e., what moments made me cringe. Then I go back and watch it a few more times to take a closer look at the cringe moments and define exactly what I was doing that made it look bad (by which time I invariably decide that I didn't look that awful after all). But that list of first-impression-cringe-moments is always my To Do list for my next lesson. I have improved so much, so fast by doing this!! Also, after one of my coaches told me my mediocre placement at a competition 2 years ago was because I was skating too slow, I promised myself I would never skate slowly again (I felt like Scarlett O'Hara saying, "I will never go hungry again!"). My speed is now one of my best strengths.

One final comforting thought: It will NEVER feel this bad again, and you always find it a lot less awful when you watch it again after a day or two.

You guys are so right.

First of all, my coach did call me tonight - he's a new father and all so I knew he was busy - and although I didn't get a chance to speak to him directly (my cell phone wasn't on me at the time) I'll be happy to return to him provided we can work out a nice schedule.

Secondly, I watched the video again and I was less appalled than I was the first few times watching it. Instead of looking at the big picture I looked at smaller elements and broke it down into stuff I KNOW I can correct - extending that free leg higher on the waltz jump with a nice pointed toe will give be a beautiful waltz jump that I can be proud of. A lot of my issues lie within speed, power and control, all things that I can work on.

I have a laundry list of stuff I'd like to correct, but I'm REALLY going to focus on maybe 2 or 3 small things for now. I'll continue to work on other stuff too, mindful of what I learned from the video, but I won't drill it to death quite yet.

Sigh...big lesson/practice session tomorrow - 3 hours Hopefully I can start to make a dent in my quest to be a better skater.

By the way I'll be focusing on - in case anyone cares -

The waltz jump extension/pointed toe
Getting more power, push etc. in back crossovers
Getting better extension and height in spirals - something I love to do, and isn't bad to begin with but I know can be better - easily attainable too lol.

yes =-) My coach is kind enough to see many good things in my skating, but I tend to see everything that needs help. Use the video as a comparison tool. (I'm sure this is what a coach does when they watch us.) Compare your next video to this one to see your improvement as a skater. Look for positive change. Yep, the process is painful. Enjoy your skating, have fun and focus on improving. It's about the process not being perfect. Don't let some video make skatinig not fun anymore. Work on improving the things that you don't like. Talk to your coach, they can put things in perspective for you. It's okay. most skaters, me included, experience the video shock experience.

Chico

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

Also, there's another huge benefit to keeping videos around...when in 6 months you're feeling like you haven't really progressed that much, you can watch the old videos, and see the improvement.

That's really very rewarding, surprisingly.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

He was being mean! He was pissy about my routine music being loud (I'm hard-of-hearing) and while I was skating my routine, he came up to me and made a smarta** comment about the loud music that was drowning out his cassette (he had earphones on), "Could you possibly turn it up any louder, as I can't hear my own music?" He laughed and skated away.

At that time, I thought he was being "funny" but when he said that mean comment-he was just being nasty. There are other girls (much younger) that have told me he has been saying really mean stuff to them. Pre-exhibition jitters, maybe?? I told some of my other adult skating friends (women) and thay died laughing AT him-they will be there on Sunday to cheer me on-they say I'm brave as I will be the oldest woman skating! Yikes!

I'm getting someone to video and I will post it-don't expect much, but at least I can jump and spin (unlike some wisea** persons). Hmph!

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

That is very true-sort of like a video progress report!

When I first got my private coach, she asked me if I ever saw myself on video skating-because she said I had some "nice qualities" to my skating. We watched a video and she pointed out some-made it less depressing that way-maybe you guys could do that with your coach?

She also pointed out things I need to pay attention to-dropping a shoulder, spreading my fingers apart when I jump, not pointing toes, etc. It is easier to see on video (you can pause while she talks about it) and she can demo the correct way (and even put that on video).

I'm a big fan of video, good and bad.

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

Watching that video is a scary experience, but it's really worth it.

I've got two videos. One I taped over because it was so bad. But the second one, I could see that I was much more fit and trim and that my program had really improved. I'm saving that video when I compete again for the first time in almost three years. I really want to see what I look like now, with much more stamina, better basics and again, more trim and fit. I'm scared to see it..... but I know that I need to.

I will second that remark!

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

re the music volume comment you got!

Please do post video!

.....and it's good to believe in yourself.....if you don't, who else will, right?

Too bad he's so busy worrying about YOUR skating when he could be thinking about how to improve his OWN skating!


You're not alone in your opinion, Kevin--any skater who thinks they don't need a coach is doing themself a serious disservice....

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You are right-he hasn't taken lessons this session; he has taken for 4 years and hasn't improved in 3. He stopped listened to good advice and is free with bad (sigh).

Well, I'm ready for my exhibition tomorrow. I'm calling it a practice competition, although I will be glad to just be out on the ice and skating. Today was a crappy day-my kids got on my last nerve and I ditched them with their father (so I went shopping alone). After hours shopping and spending money, I decided I'd better head home-especially since it was dark and starting to snow/sleet.

(bought more fabric and looked at tv's and a new computer at Best Buy-luv that store!)

Too tired to be nervous; bag is packed! Got show rehearsal in the am....gotta get the coffee pot CRANKED and the timer set.

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

Perfect! I think a video is always worth at least 3 lessons.

Have a great time at your exhibition tomorrow--remember the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself!

ETA--oops, I guess I mean have a great time today! I was up late to find out the ladies' Olympic team selection.

__________________
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http://www.nmdp.org

Sorta on-topic, whenever I need an ego boost, I skate a public session. Freestyle sessions always draw my attention to how new I am at this and how much I have to improve.

Yet, public sessions (especially here in the south!), I'm normally the best skater on the ice. Which granted, doesn't say much to those of us here, but I'm still pleased. Tonight I had no less than three people approach me at the end of the public session and say stuff like "Wow, you're such an amazing skater" and "Are you going to the olympics?" It took me the first couple of times to realize these people are SERIOUS (for awhole I thought they were just being mean/sarcastic).
Am I going to the olympics? Ignorance in the extreme it may be, but what an ego boost!

The very first time I saw myself on video I felt like giving up, however I'm glad to say that I didnt. I now find it a very good tool because my coach sometimes tells me that I'm doing something wrong till she's blue in the face but its not until I see it that I realise just what it looks like, this makes me work much harder to fix it. She now keeps her cell phone in her pocket and does the odd little take to play back to me and just occasionally I am pleasantly surprised, like when I do a straight legged spiral, or a particularly good jump.

Cheers
Grace

I did a videotape for the first time, and although my spins were slower than I hoped, and my jumps were smaller than I hoped, I have only been skating for 10 months and I was probably expecting too much. But I also saw that my biggest problems were not enough knee bend and a tendency to lean forward (posture) which is a problem many adult skaters have. And so in my mind when I skate I have "posture, knee bend" in my head, and I can feel the improvement already in my moves in the field. And so my advice is, watch and see what your two biggest problems may have been....maybe knee bend will make everything a little better...Then give it a few weeks and tape it again. Look for improvement and keep going. good luck....

Well, we had our exhibition today and I must say, all in all, it went pretty well. I just watched myself and my daughter on the video and we both are pleased (daughter never gets depressed watching herself-she was tickled pink).

Hubby watched with us (he had to work today) and he really liked our performances.

I can see improvement in my skating from last year (and before then) and I can see where I need to improve. I flubbed my salchow (surprising since that's my best jump) but that's ok. My spiral was very, very good. My spin started crappy, but I managed to save it.

I will put the video up as soon as I can. And I'm burning a dvd for my coach, who did come and watch me and her other student skate, but left just before the end. She was please with me, as well. I'm sure she will have stuff to say next week at lessons....

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

Hey, S@D... maybe 2010?

Congrats on your exhibition! How did the bozo that was saying all those mean things about your skating did on his part? (I'll bet he SUCKED!!!)

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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!!!

2010? Let me put that in my Dayplanner

I had a great time-if you want to see the videos, they are up! I posted mine, my daughter's (she is really good for having only skated 1.5 years and never practicing) and that guy, Jim (who did his own choreography for this).

http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/video/

Except for having to adjust my glasses, bailing on my mohawk, 2-footing my salchow (surprise?) and wonking through the toe-loop, my coach and I felt I did well. Lots of work to do now, though!

ENJOY!
Terry

ps-I cut out the 2 minutes of prologue dialogue Jim had at the beginning of his routine-he just stood there while this dialogue was going on and it was soooo garbled we couldn't hear it! I don't know what was up with the hood thing. Keep in mind-his is 70 years old and has been taking lessons for over 4 years. And that's all I'm saying about that.

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

Thanks for the video. Your spiral is very nice and you have good posture!

Are you planning on competing in pre bronze?

Thanks! Guess those posture exercises are paying off!! (hate to do them though and I still slouch every so often).

I had planned on testing/competing this year in pre-bronze until reality set in and I realized there was no way I'd be ready. So, the "plan" is to compete no-test this fall at Halloween Classic (with the same routine) then test pre-bronze moves after that.

My poor back edges have really hurt me and held me up from testing so far and I really need that backspin (1/2 revs don't count, I'm told) and a sitspin!

So, look for me on the ISI circuit (Skate Annapolis is a sure thing, as is a thing at Laurel, MD next month).

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

I've seen pre bronze skaters compete at a lower level than you are currently at. Give yourself some credit!

Is the no-test option for ISI or USFSA adult?

PML about your mean old man. I watched his video. If he wasn't kidding, he's not in touch with reality. Your level is quite a bit higher than his.

Thank you for the videos I enjoyed watching all three of you - I thought that you and your daughter did great!! I really like that song that Jim skated to and I see the potential in his choreography. Not bad for a guy of 70 who started skating at age 66. I think he sold himself and all of you short with his mean comment. Especially YOU!!

I have decided to skate in my home ice pop concert, even though I have this fear of skating in front of everyone I know. (Jazz - Annabel; both of you saw me on good days - I still have days in which I SUCK big-time and my main fear is having one of those days on my home ice in front of everyone ) Will post video afterwards - I think it's in Mid February.

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If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.

[QUOTE=Skate@Delaware]2010? Let me put that in my Dayplanner

I had a great time-if you want to see the videos, they are up! QUOTE]

Thank you Terry for sharing! I think you have good posture, and you are getting flow too. I think you were sold short by your "friend".......

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious and self-righteous, just my opinion but I think most adult skaters are constantly working at improving their skating, no matter what their level. Most of the adult skaters I know are aware of many of their weak points, bad habits, etc. Keeping that in mind, don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong with your skating --- even if it's in the "we" form of mean comment you received from your "4 years of lessons" friend. Which it appears he totally was NOT joking.

Glad you had a great time, and thanks again!

The no-test is USFSA and will be at the Halloween Classic this October. I will be skating Artistic (don't know # level yet) for ISI this season. My first competition will be next month in Laurel, MD. I'm excited/scared when I think about it! I've only done shows up to this point. They are lots of fun!

Right after the Halloween Classic, I will be taking my pre-bronze test (moves). I'm hoping by then my toe-loop will be fixed and I can take my pre-bronze freestyle. Then I can work on bronze stuff. That's the plan, anyway. I would like to go to Nationals in '07.

Jim is just plain weird....

My daughter had a ton of fun with her routine and loved skating totally by herself. She said we have created a "solo monster!"

Raye: Good luck with yours and remember-breathe and have fun with it!

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