Is it too late to get back into competitive skating?

[Merix]

I recently graduated college, but during college I took a 6 year hiatus from skating.

I'm now 23, but am interested in getting back into it and doing pairs. I am a male skater who always wanted to do pairs, but could never find a partner. Before I quit I had all but 2 doubles and was starting work on triples and my career culminated competing in the 2005 Jr. Nationals, but since then I have gained 60 lbs. and doubt I could even attempt a double anymore. Is it feasible that I would be able to get back into the sport and compete in any serious way as a pairs skater?

[Sylvia]

This site looks worth checking out: http://www.adultpairskating.com/

Also USFS' Adult Skating news/info page: http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=112

[ioana]

I don't think it's ever too late to get back to skating. Only thing I would add to Sylvia's post is that depending on how far you got into the testing structure, you might need to compete in Gold or Masters pairs, so it could take a while to get back to a level that would allow you to do that. It's definitely doable, though. I was off the ice for over a year after destroying my knee in a skiing accident, and I'm finally starting to get back to a halfway decent level. I figure if someone who only skated as an adult can do this, someone who has the advantage of starting earlier should be able to get back into it, as well .

[sk8er1964]

I recently graduated college, but during college I took a 6 year hiatus from skating.

I'm now 23, but am interested in getting back into it and doing pairs. I am a male skater who always wanted to do pairs, but could never find a partner. Before I quit I had all but 2 doubles and was starting work on triples and my career culminated competing in the 2005 Jr. Nationals, but since then I have gained 60 lbs. and doubt I could even attempt a double anymore. Is it feasible that I would be able to get back into the sport and compete in any serious way as a pairs skater?

Come back! Come back!

I quit when I was fourteen. Started again at 38, and - well - lets say quite a few pounds heavier. I was able to get my jumps back though the axel, but have struggled with the doubles. The closer I get to 50 (and it's staring me in the face ), the more I am coming to accept that I won't get them back. That said, I skate at Gold and in my age group, very few ladies have doubles anyway. Plus I'm dancing more now, which I find I enjoy.

I did pairs one year with a friend, just for the fun of it. The adult pairs community is supportive. There's a pairs clinic each year in Chicago that I know if very popular, but unfortunately I've never been so I can't tell you any more than that. However, as a man, you will have no problem finding a partner. If you pm me where you are located, I may be able to get you in touch with someone who know a lot more about pairs than I do.

[Merix]

Come back! Come back!

I quit when I was fourteen. Started again at 38, and - well - lets say quite a few pounds heavier. I was able to get my jumps back though the axel, but have struggled with the doubles. The closer I get to 50 (and it's staring me in the face ), the more I am coming to accept that I won't get them back. That said, I skate at Gold and in my age group, very few ladies have doubles anyway. Plus I'm dancing more now, which I find I enjoy.

I did pairs one year with a friend, just for the fun of it. The adult pairs community is supportive. There's a pairs clinic each year in Chicago that I know if very popular, but unfortunately I've never been so I can't tell you any more than that. However, as a man, you will have no problem finding a partner. If you pm me where you are located, I may be able to get you in touch with someone who know a lot more about pairs than I do.

This is whats worrying me. My personal goal has always been and still is to land a triple, and never getting back to doubles would really discourage me.

As far as location its in the air right now. I'm currently job searching all over the country and I don't know where I am going to end up, though its looking more and more like around the Houstin area in Texas.

[sk8er1964]

You're 15 years younger than I was when I came back, and believe me there's a hugh difference between early-20s and late 30's. It really shouldn't be a problem with you - mine is that I don't have the physical strength to lift my extra weight high enough to get the rotation. There's nothing wrong with my actual technique.

What level did you skate at as a kid?

[Merix]

You're 15 years younger than I was when I came back, and believe me there's a hugh difference between early-20s and late 30's. It really shouldn't be a problem with you - mine is that I don't have the physical strength to lift my extra weight high enough to get the rotation. There's nothing wrong with my actual technique.

What level did you skate at as a kid?

I am tested up to novice.

[sk8er1964]

OK. You'd have to skate, at a minimum in singles, at Masters Intermediate-Novice. Competitvely, they are capped at a double loop. (Allowed sal, toe, loop.) You would, I believe, also be eligible to skate Masters Junior-Senior with no further tests - but don't quote me on that. At the highest level (championship), the winners at Adult Nationals are doing all the doubles and a very rare triple toe. Here's a couple of videos of the winners at those levels: I think this is the winner of the Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice from the 2012 Adult Nationals. Larry Holliday is a multiple-year winner at at Championship Junior-Senior. He's the first person to do a triple at AN.

As for pairs, it looks like you would have to skate masters (which doesn't seem right, but that's what it looked like from the rule book.) Championship masters generally don't do any doubles (or at least not high quality ones), but will have the pairs tricks like lifts and throws and pairs spins. Not what you see on tv, but the winners from the last few years do do some very nice ones. I can't seem to find any you tube videos, though.

[aliceanne]

Six years doesn't seem long to me. Maybe when you start skating regularly the weight will start to come off. You will probably want to take 6 months to a year of skating regularly to get back in physical shape. After that you could start out doing artistic/interpretive competitions where there are no specific technical requirements to get your competitive nerve and confidence back.

I would just take it one step at a time. If you enjoy it you will continue, if not you'll find something else to do with your time. You may surprise yourself or find another skating discipline that you enjoy.