I know typically when you have a program you need to be on a freestyle to practice, but I don't know when it is appropriate to start attending freestyles w/o a program.

I think its my own weird problem, but I am terrifyed of freestyles. Ive only been to two but I always feel as though Im in the way or I am not good enough to skate on them. My skating level is the equiv of ISI 3/4 (I can do all jumps thru the loop and am starting to work on the lutz but my inability to spin well holds me back). So I truely am probably not the worst one there (they have open or low level session that I tried), but I guess I just panic.

I read thru all the freestyle session rules, but I still feel like I'm doing something wrong everytime I am there. Does anyone else feel this way or did you feel this way when you first started on freestyles?

Is it appropriate to be on these sessions at my level or should I wait until I can spin better, etc?

My coach put me on freestyle sessions well before I thought I was ready. She did all her lessons on FS, so if I wanted her to be my coach (and I really did) I had to do it. That was 3 1/2 years ago and some days I still don't feel like I belong there--especially when we get the senior level pair skaters out there.

On the other end, we've had a few tiny girls doing swizzles on FS. Not good. If I'm looking up like I'm supposed to be I don't see them.

Any way, you will feel out of place when you start on FS. I have half lutz and flip, toe and salchow. Spinning sucks. But I'm on it. If you have jumps through loop, you are ahead of me, definately belong on a low level session if it's available.

I started going at FS4 and they completely freaked me out. I felt totally in the way as an adult skater in the first place (and still do sometimes), but I didn't really know the rules and made another adult mad on my first day, and was freaked out by the speed at which everyone was traveling at once!

You get used to it and less freaked out. You should definitely be going to them at your level.

It sounds like you are good enough to be on freestyle sessions. I would recommend going to watch the freestyle session you plan to be on the most often and familiarizing yourself with each skater's program and patterns. Since it's usually the same people on any given session, you'll know where everyone is headed next time and then you won't feel like you're in the way. As far as I'm concerned, there is only one rule to being on a freestyle session: You need to always stay aware of the skaters around you and be able to move out of the way quickly when the skater skating her program is headed your way. And of course don't monopolize a spot on the ice for too long because programs and moves in the field use every part of the ice and people are generally practicing either MIF or sections of their programs. Check out the sticky at the top of the board. It's excellent!

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Yeah, I think it's the whole being an adult skater among twenty 8 year olds doing double flips that causes the stress. I know that once I get to know the kids and coaches who frequently show up at freestyles, for me it becomes a lot less stressful. I've been going to freestyles at the San Francisco rink for about three years and I'm pretty comfortable, but I just started going to a rink closer to my house in Belmont, and the freestyles there freak me out a little. It's not as much of an adult rink, and the kids are much more intense there. But skill wise you're definitely an appropriate freestyle skater.

I will say though, that depending on your rink and the times of day you skate... sometimes the public sessions are actually less crowded than the freestyles. I do early afternoon publics sometimes that have maybe 5 or 10 people on them.

Anyway, good luck. I think it just takes some time to get used to

You've been skating less than a year---and while you say you're at level 3/4, I've gotta ask.....how is your basic skating? Good, solid, fast basic skating is what saves your tush out there on a busy freestyle. It doesn't matter one little whit if you can eke out a loop 1/2 an inch off the ice. Can you stop on a dime? Can you change directions instantly? Quite simply, can you move? And also, are you able to do these things without actively thinking about them--instinctively? You need to be able to pay attention to what's going on around you, while still working on your own stuff. That means your attention will be somewhat divided. You need to have basic skating that's good enough so that you can do it without thinking, so that you can hand over that little bit of attention to the rink at large.

This is the problem with letting little, little kids onto a freestyle, no matter if they're throwing doubles, in my opinion. They usually haven't yet developed the ability to divide their attention this way.

I don't mean to say that you cannot skate a freestyle until you're an excellent skater. Freestyle is honestly where you develop a lot of these skills, purely out of necessity. But you need to know that you're good enough to acquire these skills quickly once you are out there, and forced to.

Know the rules of your rink's freestyles--the order of right-of-way. Usually it's program-with-music, then lesson, then program-without-music, then everything else. But it's good to ask. And sitting back for a bit and watching when someone's in a program will help you know A) where they're putting their elements, and B) who's skating to what music, so you know who to watch out for.

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My son (age 7) was exactly this way - his lesson was on what we call a patch session and I was always scared stiff he was going to land up under one of the big, fast kids (there was often a lad on there working double axels) - not in the lesson, but practicing before or after it, which his coach expected him to do. He certainly skated as well as some of the other kids/adults on there, and he's pretty fast, but just didn't have the same awareness as the older ones. I was at least partly relieved when he and his coach decided to part company and now he only skates on family sessions.

I'm scared stiff on our patch sessions, because I've never got over jumping a mile when someone whizzes past me - even if it's only the kids I trust absolutely to be looking out for me on the ice. Definitely my problem and not theirs. (Having skating kids is a great incentive for the other skating kids not wanting to run you over but I can't exactly demand a ten foot margin at all times...)

I lust started passed the basic 8 and I go to the freestlye seesions twice a week and I feel the exact same way. A always stay on the same part of the ice and try not to get in other peoples way but they are all over the place doing all kinds of fast jumps and spins. I constantly have to dodge out of their way, especially this one girl, and if i do get in their way i just "sorry" and they give me a look like i'm the biggest idiot in the world. I finally just got sick of it so now I dont even make an effort to get out of their way. They dont have any right to get mad at me for not getting out of their way if they wont get out of mine too. Just send them a message that your trying to learn to and its not their ice rink. You paid for the session too!

That may not be correct; yes, you've all paid to be on the ice. But there are rules of the road, and being out there, you are responsible for understanding how to work around everyone.

You said you stay in one place on the ice--that's actually not a good idea, you're more apt to be in someone's way (often the same person) over & over again, instead of just once. That may be why they're looking frustrated with you.

You really need to keep moving around the ice, move with a purpose, and NEVER stand still out on the ice; it's very dangerous.

so too kinda of randomly ask this, but what is a freestyle session?

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Thank you all for the information! I am hoping to get over this fear soon haha. One question - if you cant "stand still" where is the best spot on the ice to practice spins? I usually practice them over and over for about 10 times or so - should I keep going to different spots to practice them?

A teaching session; most skaters on the session will either be having a lesson, or practising before or after. The general public are not admitted; this is for serious skaters only. Different rinks have different rules as to who may or may not be allowed on such sessions - some, for instance, require you to have reached a certain level of skating, others may allow you on as long as you are taking private lessons (not necessarily on that particular session). Other rinks have a mixture - some sessions with technical requirements, others just needing you to have your own skates!

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Generally, in the middle of the ice (between the blue lines, and out of the paths going up and down each long side of the rink) but not *right* on the center line.

Yes, especially if someone else seems to be wanting to use the same spot you're using over and over.