Here's my question.

How long did it take you to get back to speed after a "long" ice break?

I missed almost 6 weeks due to family "things" and illness. I'm horrified by my present skills. How can I go from working on a double to skating on my fanny?! Give me a realistic picture of this. I honestly want to hear it all. I'm in tears at the moment wanting my old skills and trying to be paitent with my current mess. Paitence is NOT my virtue. I also have found that the skills I have are weird. Some of the harder things I CAN do and the easy stuff is gone.

Chico

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

It really depends on you. I missed about 2 months a few years ago and it took me a few months to get back. But then again, I know people who can get everything back in only a few days.

i was off the ice for around 2 1/2 months last year, and i was so anxious to get back that it didn't take me too long to get the hang of everything again. granted, i only had a waltz jump and a salchow at that point, but the other elements came back ok.

i would bet that if you've been through a rough time, you are just out of shape and your body has to adjust again. when i was off the ice, i was still playing a sport (school sport, took all my time and i couldn't skate) so i was in even better shape than before. it will take time, but you should be able to get back to where you were.

Dustin and lisabelle,

Did you have the WEIRD skills thing too?

2 1/2 months?! Noooooooooo


lisabelle,

I have had the summer from heck. No, I wasn't exercising during this time.

Thanks for sharing. I need the scoop for my expectations. I will share when I'm okay again.

Thanks,
Chico

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

Last fall, it took me about a week or two to get back to where I was before summer schedule reduced my practice time. However, I ice skated more last summer than i did this summer. This summer (since 7/1) I have only ice skated 2x. However, I have been exercising, picskating and distance skating so I have not gained weight or gotten out of shape. If I had not done that, I am not sure how long it would take b/c I would have to get back into physical condition before I could expect much.

Since you had other priorities that kept you from skating and probably working out in general, you should not be upset about it. That is part of adult skating. We have other priorities sometimes. Skating is supposed to be fun and not a source of stress. Be happy that now you can get back on the ice and enjoy whatever works for you. Build back gradually. Get into your off-ice routine too. That will help your conditioning.

Look at it this way: you have probably forgotten all of your bad habits. They are partying w/ mine somewhere.

Kay

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Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that comes tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles.
--Helen Keller

i think i was just plain weird when i got back...my balance was totally shot, and i lost what bits of spins i may have had before i was off the ice. but i could still do my sal even though it was just barely consistent at that point. so yeah, i guess it was kinda similar to your situation.

anyway, i'm glad you are back on the ice and i hope things are settled down for you. take it slow and things will all come back to normal.

That's EXACTLY what I am hoping for

I've already got my 'get back to skating' plan worked out - forward stroking around the rink and then ATTEMPT A BACK OUTSIDE 3!! If I don't I'll probably never do one ever again, since I broke my wrist the ONE thing that I want to get on and do is a BO3 (which is strange because I never wanted to do them before ).

Good luck with getting back into it I've got at least another seven weeks before I'm in your position .....

L x

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The best whisper is a click

I'd recommend a spotter for the first couple of attempts.

Thanks for all the info. and kind thoughts. Believe me, my spirit needs it. I had a lesson for the first time in weeks. To say it was depressing is an understatement. My coach claims I'm still sick and shouldn't be skating. Probably right, okay know it, but I just have to try. My coach saved my butt more than a few times today. I was working on the easy stuff I might add. His words, "You can and will do it again." gary, your Helen K. quote is totally right. Just because this is true doesn't mean I'll enjoy the experience. I skate for "fun", but I'm totally driven to do this thing. I work hard, have accomplished "great" things, and I hate having to struggle AGAIN. Skating makes my spirit happy, my special thing, and right now my happy thing is killing me.

I wish you the best on your return to skating Kay and Lynne! Lynne, I've always struggled with doing backspins. This last week, even sick, I've had it. Maybe this will hold true for your 3 turns. =-)

Chico

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

Isn't it amazing how frustrating and physically taxing our "fun" thing can be.

I fought karate for a couple of years, but have had more pain and injury in the last year from skating than in all of those years getting beat up.

Skating makes my spirit happy, too. I love the way you stated that.

I know of a "girl" (30ish) who has just returned to the ice after 12 years and a baby. She's breaking in new skates (something about being pregnant and her shoe size changed). On her first ice trial, she got as far as a waltz jump. Wobbly, but still there somewhere. She's progressing, but would well understand how you feel. She's determined.

You'll make it and your happy thing will bring you joy again and again.

gary,

Your right. You sound like my coach........ It will be my special thing as long as I can skate. Since I plan on doing this forever, that's a long time! Frusteration is never pleasent. I also tend to be pretty tough on myself.....need to lighten up.

Chico

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

Yes, I'll see how it goes, I 'can' (could) do the damn things, I just don't like them and do stupid things like not bending my knees when I'm on an off day I may use the barrier to start off with, I hate being 'helped' by coach or whoever, I always feel as though I'm going to hit them with an arm/leg or such like! This is ESPECIALLY true when they try and spot you on the camel ....... I can never do it this way because I'm CONVINCED that they're not going to get out of the way fast enough

L x

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The best whisper is a click

A coach at my rink just came back after 9 weeks off the ice, and she doesn't look too far behind, LOL. She was griping about how she couldn't jump or spin, but her spins were still more centered than mine, LOL. (She was learning her axel when she left - she takes lessons from another coach for that) She said she tried doing the flip, which is her favorite jump, but she couldn't do it.

Last year I was off the ice for 3 weeks, and my first time back was quite the experience LOL - skating didn't feel "natural" and that was a really strange feeling. However, I found that my waltz jump was better, LOL. (Not that I had any jumps past the waltz jump then, buuuut.... )

Tell me about it! I was chatting to a woman on Thursday whose new skates have scraped her ankles red raw - I passed on whoever-it-was's tip about fine sandpaper. But, of course, not skating until her ankles had healed up was not an option for her, any more than it would be for any of us!

Husband, this morning: "Do you think we ought to eat baked beans if we are going skating this evening?"

Me: "Oh, sure - at worst, it'll help us skate faster....."

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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 came back after three months off due to a broken wrist (same as TashaKat's), and could not have done it except for the fact that I had relatively new custom boots (think $$$) and my coach dragging me into that first lesson.

It's now a year later and all of my skills are better except for the waltz-8, which I never practice at all. It was a big struggle for me to return, as my wrist is permanently damaged, and I kept thinking I shouldn't be on the ice at all at my age, and having "visions" of wipe-outs.

I focused first on regaining my skills, and then on improving the ones I enjoyed most. I was truly terrified of the BI edge pattern on which I had fallen, until my coach pointed out how it must have happened and told me how to avoid it again. Then I was just garden-variety scared of it. I was rewarded at my last lesson (in early July) with a forward power crossover pattern that my coach said would have easily passed the pre-Juv test...speed, deep edges, flow etc. It was the one and only time that she didn't have any improvements to suggest.

I really do sympathize and understand the problem of having to fight again for what one has already earned. It is not all going to come back at once, but take joy in each element as it returns, and you will begin to see the percentage of pleasure vs pain increase fairly soon.

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The longest time I've gone without skating was about 5 weeks, due to getting married and going on a honeymoon. I made the horrible mistake of deciding to get my blades sharpened right before the long break. I was an absolute basket-case when I stepped back onto that ice surface! On my forward spiral, one of my best moves that I could do in my sleep, my outside edge just dug into the ice and nearly landed on my head. Spinning was no better. I wound up for a forward spin and as I entered it, my blade stuck into the ice while my upper body tried to keep spinning. The end result was a purply-red-black hip and knee for a few weeks due to belly flopping on the ice! My poor husband had to put up with my whining, encouraging me the whole time to just take it easy. That's really the only thing you can do - just take it one step at a time, relax and let your muscles get used to skating again. Because of that incident, I try to never let myself go more than 2 weeks without skating. Good luck and just have fun!

Emily

You guys all are so wonderful! I needed a ton of support and "me too stories", and you guys supported and shared. Today was a little better for me. Like mentioned, I find my left (weaker side) has the most problems. Edge control on an inside edge is scarey! My loop is still wonderful and I actually played with doing an axel in my mind. Decided this was potential for death right now and didn't. My spins are trying. I'm keeping your words of paitence in mind. A broken wrist dbny! Good for you for overcoming your injury!

Chico

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

Chico, it's good to see that you're getting back into it Keep ploughing on, you'll get there

Mmmm .... that's me! Broken wrist, new custom boots ($$$) ..... and coach (who's two comments were "that'll teach you to keep your knees straight" and "bummer") ..... SPOOKY



What I wanted to ask was how you felt MENTALLY about your wrist ... let me explain! I have absolutely no qualms (at the moment) about going back to skating BUT my one (rather illogical fear) is that my wrist will resemble some poor fragile ornament and will snap again the first time I take a fall! I want to go back to acro but will my wrist take the strain! I KNOW that I am over-exaggerating this 'fear' to myself but it stems from an adult skater who broke her wrist, came back, fell over and broke it again May I ask how this aspect of it affected you and how you came to terms with it? Thanks

L x

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The best whisper is a click

I'll have been off the best part of a month by the time I make it back on the ice next week. I'm looking forward to it as now I'm over my holiday I feel I need to get back to it. However, although I know I'll be OK since I made it back after a 3 month break following an ankle fracture, I am somewhat nervous about doing the Bronze field moves which I had just started to work on. I found them pretty scary then when I had been on the ice a lot so I know they are going to frighten me after not skating a while. I guess the best thing for all of us who haven't skated in a while is to start of slowly and build our confidence back up before hitting the tricky stuff!!

Nicki

Then don't, the first day back! Run through all the field moves from Novice upwards, and only do the Bronze ones when you have your skates back under you and are comfortable with the inter-Bronze ones again.

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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!

Yesterday was my first day of the ice in 3 weeks...

Wow, my edges are WEIRD... I found I was thinking through things more than I usually do (no automatic pilot on the dances for me this week) so some things were better than usual (my lovely flat section on Westminister Waltz actually had something that vaguely resembles edges because so much more effort went into getting my shoulders just so and my Rhumba seemed to fly more than usual... hmmm, probably had to do with the fact that I was so *%#&ed at myself for failing it for lack of speed the last time I set foot on the ice) however turns were just ugly (BIG scratches...) and lets not talk about freelegs and knee bend.

I find first day back is the worst. Get through that and you are well on your way.

TashaKat, good luck getting back into things. If the wrist scares you, maybe some extra wrapping or something on it might help for the first few sessions whether you actually need it or not. I like things like that as a security blanket because

1-) It reminds you that you're injured so that you make a concious effort to find another way to catch yourself.

2-) It reminds coaches who can't keep track of which hand it is to helpfully pull you by the other one.

3-) It warns people around you to be a little more cautious around you on the ice. (I find this especially important when helping out on learn to skate with small children who will spontaneously grab you, swing from your arms, climb on you... Most little kids show huge respect for Ace Bandages if you don't mind the million questions of "Is that a booboo?" "How did you get a booboo?" "Can I see you booboo?").

4-) I like the small (though probably insignificant) extra cushioning an ace bandages gives if you do happen to fall on it. Nice security blanket...

lynne,

I started skating after a really bad injury, and I was fearful of getting hurt for a long time. I found that I was most insecure when trying things I perceived as "hard" for my past injury. Over time this passed for the most part. I do have occasional bouts with this. When I'm sick or just feeling extra sensitive on the whole (PMS fit) Really getting hurt proves you can break, and not just some paranoid worry. You know cause you've done it! Be paitent with yourself, your fragile. =-)Your body and spirit will tell you when to be brave and when to be more careful.

Good luck,

Chico

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

rinsk/chico ... everyone - thanks for the advice/encouragement, it is SO true what you say about realising that you can break! I'm pretty 'brave' (? aka stupid) in general and don't ever really compute the magnitude of falls etc ..... faced with the prospect of no pay for 2-3 months gave me a bit of a shock though.

Is an 'ace' bandage a support bandage or have I got that wrong?

I'm thinking of going back to ballet once I get a lighter cast on (I'll speak to my teacher first just to make sure that she's happy with that) so at least I'll be moving my buddha butt I've done a bit of walking but work and the extreme tiredness I've had since I did this means that I'm not THAT diligent (I love ballet so I'll not be so quick to make excuses to slack off ).

On a POSITIVE note (????) this enforced rest has meant that I've had to rest my damaged knee! Maybe it was someone's way of making me STOP!

Hope everyone else is healing/getting back into skating well

L xx

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The best whisper is a click

Lynne, I was very much afraid of another break. My doctor assured me that the risk of another fracture would be no greater, and that helped some. I also went for a bone density scan, which I had been meaning to do anyway, as I'm 55. I found that my spine compared to a woman in her 20's, my hips were average for my age, and my wrists showed some thinning, although the narrow bones are very hard to image and the results are therefor not entirely to be trusted. I've been taking Fosamax for a year now to build up my bone density. Aside from the bone density question, I've just been afraid of another freak accident. I don't skate if I feel too tired, and if I get spooked, which I do, I take a break. My fear isn't that my wrists are fragile, but rather of recreating the circumstances that led to the accident.

I still cannot do the BI edge pattern without thinking about the fall that broke my wrist, so I try to do it at the beginning of every session. After that, my mind seems clearer and I'm less afraid. I also, recently, got an MP3 player so I could have music while skating, as that relaxes me...the fear stiffens me up. It has taken a year, but lately, once I finish the BI edges, I haven't been thinking about broken bones and disasterous falls too much. If I do, I just turn on the music.

Soooo, this is your second broken wrist while skating???? Ouch! I have to admit that really scares me. It's the third time I've broken my right arm, but the first was a fall from a tree as a child, and the second was a crack in the ulna from a fall during a shoot-the-duck war on roller skates as a teenager. How did the first break happen?

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