thoughts on skating goals

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
As a 55yo adult who used to be able to do stuff and now can't due to not skating for so long, my main goal is to be able to do with ease certain things I used to be able to do with the ease I felt doing them in the past (even if I don't do them as well because of being an old lady who is out of shape). Basically, I'm talking about non-contortionist spins and simple basic jumps.

Aside from that, just in case I decide a long time from now that I want to take a test, I need to be able to do what is on the test. I passed preliminary freestyle, so my next test would be adult silver moves.

What are people's opinions about me seeing no reason to put off working on the moves in adult silver MIF - which are things I used to be able to do - just because I am not currently able to do things that are on lower tests which I do not have to take? Eventually I want to be able to do all that stuff well, but I would prefer getting started on those test moves so that if I decide a year from now to take the test, I won't have to spend a whole other year working on it. It doesn't mean I won't work on the other things, it just means I'll have more things to work on.

Editing to add that I don't have any plans for competing. A couple times a year a few of the adult skaters will get together and do a very simple group number in the rink shows, and I always say no when they ask me to join them. I think at some point I would like to feel confident enough to say yes and participate in those group things. I don't think I would want to skate solo and get compared to the little kids, or worry that people are focusing less on my skating than they are on the fact of me trying to wear a skating dress when I'm 25 lbs overweight.
 
Last edited:

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
Messages
35,798
For what it's worth, as someone not in the US, it seems to me that the structure of the MITF tests is that the moves build on each other in successive tests. So even if you don't have to take the lower level tests because you don't need them, it might be worth working on the moves at the lower level tests until you are comfortable with them - not to get them to a passing standard, but to the point where you can do them at least with some confidence and control. I know you say there are some things on the lower-level tests that you are currently not able to do - believe me, I know how you feel - but if you at least understand the mechanics of how those moves are supposed to work, that could be very useful.

I think that getting comfortable with the lower-level test moves would actually make the adult silver moves easier for you, because you would have that foundation to work from.

And with regards to the ice shows - trust me, if you did a solo, people would not be going "Ugh, how awful that looks compared to the kids." They would be going, "Wow, good for them for getting out there and being able to do that so well." Audiences are a lot more supportive of adult skaters than you might think ;)
 

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
Since I have been able to do all those things in the past, it's really a matter of making my body cooperate with my brain. For example, my body isn't going to be any more cooperative on inside mohawks than it is on outside mohawks, given that they were equally easy to do when I was still doing them.
 

gkelly

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,442
I'm a similar age to you and at a similar skill level. I've gotten to a point where I can no longer do a number of skills I used to be capable of and in some cases good at, mostly because of body changes/injury/general aging.

I hope that you will find the skills you lost to not skating for a while will all come back to you.

I think it's good to have some short-term goals that you're pretty sure are attainable, and also some more aspirational goals that may or may not be.

If you're eligible to take the adult silver MIF test, and you can at least fake your way through most or all of the moves, then that's a good goal to aim for. In the process of working on those moves, you may find that it will be helpful to practice some exercises that are not on that test -- either from other moves tests, or isolated moves or combinations of moves your coach gives you that will help with the silver patterns. So think of them as steps toward achieving your goal. Even elite skaters sometimes have to go back to basics to refine their technique for more advanced skills.

And if you might like the idea of skating a program, consider entering an adult competition. Then you'll definitely be compared to other adults -- possibly grouped by age if there are enough at your level -- and not to little kids.

Would your schedule allow you to practice or take lessons on sessions that attract other adult skaters? That could be a way to develop a sense of community.
 

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
Thank you for the good advice.

I usually practice during those 12:30 weekday sessions that are practically empty during the school year (I'll have to skate with the summer camp kids for the next couple months, but during the school year, there are days when the rink is completely empty at that session). I guard during the Thursday night adult sessions, which is kind of like an adult freestyle/dance session, except for a few hockey skate wearers... it is folks who go to that session and the Tuesday 8pm session (which I also guard) who do the show numbers together (gkelly, I honestly do not know who you are.... for all I know, you are there when I am. I often wonder if you know who I am, since I'm really easy to identify when I'm working).

The coach I have is excellent at coming up with all sorts of little exercises for her adult students. I would like her to understand that I would rather be reminded how to do everything and then work on refinement and doing things gracefully, than to just work on a couple things until they are perfect before being able to work on other stuff. I get bored too easily to not try to do things that are not new to me.
 

gkelly

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,442
I usually skate on freestyle sessions.

If you want to skate programs to music, or if you want to get serious practice on the moves patterns beyond empty public sessions, you may need to do the same.
 

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
I usually skate on freestyle sessions.

If you want to skate programs to music, or if you want to get serious practice on the moves patterns beyond empty public sessions, you may need to do the same.

If I was doing more spinning and jumping, I would go on freestyle sessions that are half empty. I am actually allowed to go on some FS sessions free because I work at the rink, but during the school year, the daytime public sessions are far better than freestyle because there are fewer skaters. I'm afraid of some kid flying into me on FS sessions.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information