S
SmallFairy
Guest
Sending good vibes to you @misskarne !! I can't imagine not being able to skate for weeks
Sorry to hear about the forced time off the ice, @treesprite and @misskarne.
This is my first practice report because today I had my first lesson since around 1989.
I'd still skated recreationally into my thirties until around 1999 and at that point was skating 1-3 times a week and could still do simple double/double combinations (toe/salchow etc.). But I took the intervening years off completely and hadn't stepped on the ice again until a couple years ago. Some things came back really quickly (proper back crosscuts at speed) and some things took a full year (simple hockey stops without faceplanting-no really, a single salchow/toe loop, forward crossovers on my weak side etc.).
As of a couple months ago more things have come back- loop/loop combinations, flip jumps, change sitspins, (very tentative) change camels, and forward scratch spins. Many things still have not- for example waltz jumps scare the bejeezus out of me because I "waxel" on them. I fall backwards on back upright spins and when I don't fall I get about three revolutions in on the wrong edge. I can only do back right outside three turns. Etc. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the things that seem unattainable, many of them are very basic. I also go like 80 mph into all of my jumps because otherwise my old muscle memory timing is off, but that means I'm dangerously out of control half the time (see: my issues stopping).
(last month's practice video is here for reference if you are curious): https://vimeo.com/270875722
So I am getting Fridays off during the summer now so even though I only can skate one or two days a week due to the position, I finally have some $ to pay someone to help me. Anyway, by chance a coach was at a Friday freestyle I showed up to last week at a rink I don't usually skate at and I approached her about starting privates. I recognized her as someone who was a national competitor way back in the day when I was skating, and I'd heard really good things about her coaching/personality. Anyway, she was *great* and within the first 10 minutes got my waltz jump a lot less scary, fixed my timing on my flip jump, and got me trying half lutzes for the first time since around 1992 (when I was skating in the 90s even though I was still doing axels and doubles it was during public sessions so I stopped doing lutzes completely). The timing still needs work so I'm not getting enough height yet for a full single but I take every little new breakthrough I can get. Also at the end of the lesson we worked on back upright spins and she fixed my entry enough that although they aren't true scratch spins, I'm getting at least 7-8 rotations and checking out on one foot. Yay! Also she assured me my current technique and height for single salchow and single toe loop is solid enough to turn into doubles so I plan on working on those again, probably after my waltz jump take-off is solid enough to start back relearning axels.
It feels really good to be making this kind of progress and the confidence I have right now from having someone whose opinion I respect tell me that getting back doubles at my age (51 eek) isn't an insane pipe dream feels amazing. I stayed for two more sessions and skated hard for 3 hours of freestyle (even with a lingering respiratory illness) because I was so fired up.
Sorry to hear about the forced time off the ice, @treesprite and @misskarne.
This is my first practice report because today I had my first lesson since around 1989.
I'd still skated recreationally into my thirties until around 1999 and at that point was skating 1-3 times a week and could still do simple double/double combinations (toe/salchow etc.). But I took the intervening years off completely and hadn't stepped on the ice again until a couple years ago. Some things came back really quickly (proper back crosscuts at speed) and some things took a full year (simple hockey stops without faceplanting-no really, a single salchow/toe loop, forward crossovers on my weak side etc.).
As of a couple months ago more things have come back- loop/loop combinations, flip jumps, change sitspins, (very tentative) change camels, and forward scratch spins. Many things still have not- for example waltz jumps scare the bejeezus out of me because I "waxel" on them. I fall backwards on back upright spins and when I don't fall I get about three revolutions in on the wrong edge. I can only do back right outside three turns. Etc. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the things that seem unattainable, many of them are very basic. I also go like 80 mph into all of my jumps because otherwise my old muscle memory timing is off, but that means I'm dangerously out of control half the time (see: my issues stopping).
(last month's practice video is here for reference if you are curious): https://vimeo.com/270875722
So I am getting Fridays off during the summer now so even though I only can skate one or two days a week due to the position, I finally have some $ to pay someone to help me. Anyway, by chance a coach was at a Friday freestyle I showed up to last week at a rink I don't usually skate at and I approached her about starting privates. I recognized her as someone who was a national competitor way back in the day when I was skating, and I'd heard really good things about her coaching/personality. Anyway, she was *great* and within the first 10 minutes got my waltz jump a lot less scary, fixed my timing on my flip jump, and got me trying half lutzes for the first time since around 1992 (when I was skating in the 90s even though I was still doing axels and doubles it was during public sessions so I stopped doing lutzes completely). The timing still needs work so I'm not getting enough height yet for a full single but I take every little new breakthrough I can get. Also at the end of the lesson we worked on back upright spins and she fixed my entry enough that although they aren't true scratch spins, I'm getting at least 7-8 rotations and checking out on one foot. Yay! Also she assured me my current technique and height for single salchow and single toe loop is solid enough to turn into doubles so I plan on working on those again, probably after my waltz jump take-off is solid enough to start back relearning axels.
It feels really good to be making this kind of progress and the confidence I have right now from having someone whose opinion I respect tell me that getting back doubles at my age (51 eek) isn't an insane pipe dream feels amazing. I stayed for two more sessions and skated hard for 3 hours of freestyle (even with a lingering respiratory illness) because I was so fired up.
Well, at least 1.5 hours of that is spent blowing my nose at the barrier if I am honest.51? You are in insanely good shape, girl! If I skate 3 hours my body is telling me "what the hell are you doing" with all kinds of aches. Very inspiring story.
Sorry to hear about the forced time off the ice, @treesprite and @misskarne.
This is my first practice report because today I had my first lesson since around 1989.
I'd still skated recreationally into my thirties until around 1999 and at that point was skating 1-3 times a week and could still do simple double/double combinations (toe/salchow etc.). But I took the intervening years off completely and hadn't stepped on the ice again until a couple years ago. Some things came back really quickly (proper back crosscuts at speed) and some things took a full year (simple hockey stops without faceplanting-no really, a single salchow/toe loop, forward crossovers on my weak side etc.).
As of a couple months ago more things have come back- loop/loop combinations, flip jumps, change sitspins, (very tentative) change camels, and forward scratch spins. Many things still have not- for example waltz jumps scare the bejeezus out of me because I "waxel" on them. I fall backwards on back upright spins and when I don't fall I get about three revolutions in on the wrong edge. I can only do back right outside three turns. Etc. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the things that seem unattainable, many of them are very basic. I also go like 80 mph into all of my jumps because otherwise my old muscle memory timing is off, but that means I'm dangerously out of control half the time (see: my issues stopping).
(last month's practice video is here for reference if you are curious): https://vimeo.com/270875722
So I am getting Fridays off during the summer now so even though I only can skate one or two days a week due to the position, I finally have some $ to pay someone to help me. Anyway, by chance a coach was at a Friday freestyle I showed up to last week at a rink I don't usually skate at and I approached her about starting privates. I recognized her as someone who was a national competitor way back in the day when I was skating, and I'd heard really good things about her coaching/personality. Anyway, she was *great* and within the first 10 minutes got my waltz jump a lot less scary, fixed my timing on my flip jump, and got me trying half lutzes for the first time since around 1992 (when I was skating in the 90s even though I was still doing axels and doubles it was during public sessions so I stopped doing lutzes completely). The timing still needs work so I'm not getting enough height yet for a full single but I take every little new breakthrough I can get. Also at the end of the lesson we worked on back upright spins and she fixed my entry enough that although they aren't true scratch spins, I'm getting at least 7-8 rotations and checking out on one foot. Yay! Also she assured me my current technique and height for single salchow and single toe loop is solid enough to turn into doubles so I plan on working on those again, probably after my waltz jump take-off is solid enough to start back relearning axels.
It feels really good to be making this kind of progress and the confidence I have right now from having someone whose opinion I respect tell me that getting back doubles at my age (51 eek) isn't an insane pipe dream feels amazing. I stayed for two more sessions and skated hard for 3 hours of freestyle (even with a lingering respiratory illness) because I was so fired up.
Still dealing with boot problems. I was told by Jackson I can have them relasted, if I send them from the pro shop I bought them from, so we're doing that in early August when I am down near Disneyland. I hope it works.
Do you have backup skates? It is probabaly going to be at least a month before you see the new ones again, after you leave them at the shop.
I know they're not for everyone but my experience with Riedells both this time and last time has been fantastic . I know they're not fully broken in yet but after 5 hours in my silverstars everything feels good, if not better than in the old skates.