Actually, I've done a lot of taping of my dancing competitions and a lot of taping of my skating (monthly at least) and for my studies (law school) we've been taped a *LOT* doing presentations (to mind the body language especially) and what's in my mind is coming closer and closer to what's in reality. Which I'm thinking is a good thing. At some point your mind "learns" what it looks like when it feels a certain way. Like you know how it always seems you take up more space than you really do, with arm and leg movements? At some point your mind learns that and automatically makes the adjustment in what it "feels" like.

Nonskaters are impressed w fast skating and crossovers. They like to see backward skating. They know what that is and know how hard it is b/c they have been to public sessions and can't do it. It's hard for them to place the other skills in context b/c they have no personal exp. They have only seen champions on TV doing jumps and spins. Spins will impress them though. Once when I was a new adult skater (15+ yrs ago) I did some 2-foot spins in the center of a rink. Granted they were pretty decent 2foots spins. A whole grp of kids was amazed. Now my students see me doing MITF before the group lessons and say things like: "Hey you are pretty good." That strikes me as funny coming from basic 3 kids who cannot stroke w/o toe pushing.

Kay

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When I get comments like this or similar ones....

I just say "no, I've had to be careful of those jumps-the knees, you know "

and they are like, "oh ok"

not knowing that I don't even do a double anything except a double-latte!!!!

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

I am not to much of an expert. But as a Learn to Skate Skater, I would think that unless a coach told on-lookers or people you know to not watch you during pratice or competition. Or unless YOU yourself expressed you'ld be nerous etc. That it would be an honor to have an audiance. It shows your becoming or are quite a talented skater.

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FSWer

I think there are two different groups of "non-skating" people who react in different ways when they see what adult skaters do. There's the group who tends to be disappointed or at least unimpressed because we don't look like the top skaters in shows or on television. And then there's the group that is very impressed because you can do things they can't, even if they're fairly easy things. I wish all skating parents could take at least one session of learn-to-skate classes, so they could find out how difficult even the simplest looking things can be and could have a better understanding of what their kids are trying to do out there.

As far as triples go, I just claim I keep popping mine into singles!

I have to admit that I too am cautious about who I tell that I skate and some that I do tell assume that I mean I go to the rink with friends and hobble about in hire boots. I guess I am reluctant to tell people as you just tend to get blank looks from them or you can see that they have a pre conceived notion of whichever famous skater they have heard of and will compare them to you subconsciously. I usually wait until I know people better before I mention it to them and do get the occasional 'wow' in surprise or like I said blank looks but there is always the inevitable "can you do those spinny things n stuff?" and more recently the dancing on ice comparisons.
I think the best buzz though is when you get a kid on the ice who comes up to you and asks if you are a professional? That really is an ego boost

I got that the other day - 'I learnt my first proper jump the other day!' [meaning a salchow];

'Wow! Can you do triple axels?'




LOL

I usually tell people " You have to come get on the ice with me, if you want to see me skate, and do those 'tricks'."

Most people are wussies. They won't even bother making a trip to the rink with you. Next time they talk about their golf swing, ask them if they can putt a Hole in One or if they're going to do their next tournament with Tiger Woods. I'll bet they can't, but it's all about one-upping and ego trips in the office.

IF they even dare to get on the ice with me, they usually can't manage even a forward crossover or two, and I'm skating circles around them 30 times. It's enough to keep them quiet

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Keep Evolving. "From this moment forward, every voice that told you - You Can't - , has been silenced." - Freedom Writers

I was at a large family gathering yesterday, and my mother-in-law was gushing about my skating (she is my biggest fan and supporter). Everyone wanted to see my video from Easterns, but I wouldn't show it, for all of the reasons given above. My husband's aunt asked me if I could do a triple salchow, so I knew that I would get those disappointed looks if anyone saw it. I showed my mother-in-law the video, because she was actually there at Easterns, and she has seen me skate for a few years now, but nobody else is allowed to watch me.

Still my favorite response to the triple axel question:

"You drive a car, right? Have you won a NASCAR race yet?"

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I show my exhibition-style/artistic programs to the non-skaters and my technical/free programs to the skaters... it usually works fine that way hehehehe

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~
Tidesong

Loopoever,

I'd have her get go with you to the rink where you train during a ticket ice session or public session and rent some figure skates and ask her to do what you did in your program. Once she gets out there, she'll find that it's not so easy. And she'll change her tune and who knows maybe she'll get hooked into skating too.

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"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

My response is usually, "Why yes, I do triple axels. How did you like it?"

My answer to the 3axel Q was:
"If I could do a 3axel, I wouldn't be working here."

Kay

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It's true! That would require me spending more time with her than necessary though :-P

My mother sent my video to my entire extended family - yikes! Oh well, that doesn't bother me as much and they will at least humor my fragile skater ego...

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Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

ROFLOL !!

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I guess I am very lucky- everyone I know, even coworkers, have been nothing but supportive and respectful of my skating.

Yesterday was the first time I had a friend/family member my age see me skate- he came to public session with me, along with one of his daughters. And even though I am not even pre-bronze yet... (damn those inside 3 turns!) he was very impressed with the quality of my skating.

However, the funny thing my mom said he told her that I did "2 crossovers and a mohawk" (I did forward power crossovers, backward power crossovers, and 5 step mohawk sequences around the rink... plus my lame attempts at 8 step mohawk... among other things like outside 3 turns, forward edges, and my attempt at a 2 foot spin)

Haven't had any videos made of my skating, but I doubt I look worse than I picture myself since I tend to be my harshest critic.

None of my co-workers or family can stand up on skates so they think everything I do is Olympic Caliber.

Or at least that's what they tell me.

The KCI rink in Arlington, VA is bassically a part of a mall. Sometimes there are shoppers(teens) who stare and make rude gestures to freestyle skaters. Fortunately I skate there mostly at 6am so no one is around.

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Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

At work, my boss used to request that I bring in videos of myself skating to show the group at our monthly group meetings. She felt that it was good every once in a while to dedicate a little bit of time to non-business matters sort of as an ice-breaker/stress-reliever. Everyone got a turn to share a hobby or something about their personal lives with the group. All in all everyone's been pretty supportive when they've seen footage of my skating. When I've mentioned that I skate to a couple of colleagues, they've gone out and enrolled their kids in their local Learn To Skate programs. Their kids skate at seasonal rinks and so they're done with skating until next winter but my colleagues tell me that their experience was enjoyable. That's always nice to hear.

I've seen videos of my skating, and it's very... educational. But then I (try to) remind myself that I started skating after I turned 30, so I need to cut myself a bloody break.

My husband, however, had seen me skate back a few years ago, when I was doing freestyle. He then saw me skate again four years later, after I'd started doing dance. He was well impressed with my skating improvement. And I could see by the look on his face that he meant it. I was seriously egoboosted by that. Doesn't matter if I skate as well as others, through his eyes, I've made vast improvements, and that's cool.

Count yourself lucky that your ability on the ice is a close match to your love for the sport

I'm a limited skater in what I can do thus far but I'm sooo in love with skating and talk about it so much if people did come to see me skate I'd struggle to reconcile my ability with my passion

I actually do not have any recent videos of me skating, but have succumbed to the pressure of some of my colleagues and showed the a video of when I was about 14...I had specifically shown one of our Associate Directors because her daughter is starting to skate, and then there are some others who I felt would appreciate seeing it. I don't show many people...

But, I am now getting harassed (not so much by people at work, because they will closer to next years date, but by the folks at the rink...including Coach!) because I wasn't able to do our show this year and I pinky swore to one of the girls at our rink that I would do the show next year if I didn't have anything for work (which, already looks like our national conference is going to be that same weekend again...oops!)...and of course, if I do the show, I'm going to have to invite the folks from work

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Yeah like that happens overnight.

Heh...it's not even close - the way I obsess about skating I should be able to not just do triples, but be an olympian at the age of 40...

I think my video is pretty cringeworthy, especially presentation-wise. But, my family is in NJ and I'm in NC, so I always get the video so my mom can see it. Plus I learn a lot from them.

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Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)