Adult figure skating | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Adult figure skating

treblemakerem

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
If you go on YouTube there are lots of videos of adult figure skaters of all shapes and sizes. I encourage everyone to try it because there's nothing like the ice! Definitely recommend wrist guards. I always wear mine because although I don't fall a whole lot I always stick out my hands immediately when I fall and just knew I was going to sprain a wrist.
 

Mussique

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Even if you do wear protective gear is useful to learn the best way to fall. Blocking a fall with a straight arm, for example, can be very dangerous.
Also is useful to fall and get up because it helps to get rid of part of the fear of falling.

Don't worry about your size. There are various plus size shatters at my rink and they're all better than me - and even jump higher. They've been practicing for a long time, true, but it shows, they're really good.
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
Even if you do wear protective gear is useful to learn the best way to fall. Blocking a fall with a straight arm, for example, can be very dangerous.
Also is useful to fall and get up because it helps to get rid of part of the fear of falling.

Don't worry about your size. There are various plus size shatters at my rink and they're all better than me - and even jump higher. They've been practicing for a long time, true, but it shows, they're really good.

Yes, I believe I was blocking my falls with straight arms during my rollerskating one day trial. I had rollerskated extensively as a pre teen and figured it was like riding a bike - it is NOT. As soon as my doctor approves me for skating I will take a lesson. I've always wanted to learn, but where I grew up there were no ice skating rinks. Then I moved to the Gulf Coast. There is one rink for the Gulf Coast and it is in Florida, so one state over, and they only get ice during hockey season. Now I'm lucky enough to live in a place where there are quite a few rinks!
 

jenaj

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Country
United-States
They teach beginners how to fall and get up. My advice would be to try it and stick with it for the first series of lessons. I found it quite scary at first and almost quit but stuck with it and am now at a pre-freestyle level--learning easy jumps and spins (I am not good by any means, but I have progressed). When you feel steady enough on the ice, go to some practice sessions or public skates. Practice is really the key.
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
They teach beginners how to fall and get up. My advice would be to try it and stick with it for the first series of lessons. I found it quite scary at first and almost quit but stuck with it and am now at a pre-freestyle level--learning easy jumps and spins (I am not good by any means, but I have progressed). When you feel steady enough on the ice, go to some practice sessions or public skates. Practice is really the key.

The security guard who gave me a tour described how they teach beginners..he said they stack buckets up until you learn to keep your balance? Has anyone ever heard of this?
My doctor is afraid that if I fall I will be physically unable to get up.
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
In some rinks little kids are given skate aids, which are little mini walkers like what you would see an older adult use. I think an upside down bucket (or, I suppose, a stack of buckets for someone taller) would serve the same purpose. I’ve only ever seen the skate aids used on public skates. I’ve never seen a stack of buckets used in classes for beginning adults, but maybe your rink has a system that works.

As far as falling and getting up: Honestly, I’m not sure it’s very easy for an adult to learn to fall down “properly” because it usually happens very quickly. The worst thing you can do is try to brace your fall with your hands/wrists, especially backward, but it’s a pretty natural reaction. That’s why wrist guards are good.

There are a couple of techniques they teach for getting up, but it can be tough if you don’t have strong core muscles - if you already have that from swimming, it will help. If not, maybe you can start working on that.

Truthfully, most people don’t fall every session. I fell three times in my very first class (ugh!) but it was because my rental skates were too big - they insisted on giving me skates in my shoe size, and I learned the hard way. Hopefully you will have a better experience, but that’s one reason I suggested checking the boots with your instructor. If you roller skated, you may already know about proper fit. Basically, your foot should lie flat in the skate and you should have a little room to wiggle your toes, but they should be very close to the end of the boot (in other words, you don’t want the skate a half inch or more longer than your foot). You also don’t want them so narrow that your toes squish together or so short that your toes curl.
 

jf12

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
The security guard who gave me a tour described how they teach beginners..he said they stack buckets up until you learn to keep your balance? Has anyone ever heard of this?
My doctor is afraid that if I fall I will be physically unable to get up.

A lot of doctors aren’t that familiar with skating. If you learn how to, it’s not more difficult to get up on the ice on skates than it is to get up from sitting on the ground.
 

treblemakerem

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
At my think they have buckets to stack up and you can use them in a designated cones off area of the rink. Usually it's mostly little kids but I see shaky adults use them too once in a while. They aren't used in our group lessons and in a private lesson you could probably just hang on to your coach for the same effect lol
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
A lot of doctors aren’t that familiar with skating. If you learn how to, it’s not more difficult to get up on the ice on skates than it is to get up from sitting on the ground.

I interpreted the doctor's concern as that if OP falls (s)he will injure him/herself too much to be able to get up...?

On the other hand (said with a bit of jest, but also wondering if there's any grain of truth to it), maybe by learning to skate you will develop core strength, balance and stability, and reduce the risk of slipping and falling in the bathroom and be physically unable to get up from that.
 

Girlbird

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 1, 2018
I saw someone suggested putting your keys and things in your pocket while skating. This could be very painful if you fall. I would not recommend it.
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
I saw someone suggested putting your keys and things in your pocket while skating. This could be very painful if you fall. I would not recommend it.

That was me. I’ve never had a problem. But she has a locker so you don’t have to worry.
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
Sorry to keep pestering, but I saw someone mentioning ice dance and interpretive. Do you need a partner for ice dance? And how exactly does interpretive work?
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
To begin with, you would probably take lessons with a coach who can partner you through the dances in practice and most likely in tests if you want to test the partnered dances. This usually works better if the coach is of the opposite sex to you, but it is now legal in the US test system to test with a same-sex coach.

It is also not uncommon for advanced male ice dancers to offer their services partnering tests, for a fee.

There is now also a solo ice dance track that would allow you to test and compete the steps of the pattern dances without a partner, and to do solo free dances after you get beyond beginning levels.

If you're female, finding a male partner of a similar skill level to partner with on a more permanent basis is easier said than done. Most women who might like to compete in couples ice dance will not have an opportunity to do so.

Here are some links about the USFS solo ice dance program and the National Showcase program. Many nonqualifying/club competitions offer events on these tracks that may or may not count toward qualifying for a national event at some levels.

http://usfigureskating.org/programs?id=84172
http://usfigureskating.org/programs?id=84078

If any of these are areas you'd be interested in pursuing, see if there are any coaches near you who could help you prepare for these kinds of events.

But you need to learn some basic skating first.

And here's a link about adult skating in the US:
http://usfigureskating.org/story?id=83955
 

tothepointe

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Hi all,

I have always wanted to learn how to skate. Currently I'm thinking of using it as a reward for weight loss, I'm too heavy to start skating now. I'm curious to see what kind of commitment (and money) are necessary to be competitive *on the adult level* for a person in their early 50s. When I say "competitive" I mean maybe make it to adult nationals. Thanks for any responses. :)

Skating lessons were my reward for losing my first 100lbs so I understand your motivation. The amount of time and money you can spend can be almost infinite.
 
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