I would. Besides, doesn't hurt to ask, and you'll find out whether it's a local requirement or just one screwy coach.
What to wear to first LTS class
- Thread starter moonvine
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- Mar 14, 2007
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Honestly even if I could get up off carpet with no hands would that translate to ice? I have no clue how to balance on blades. I was in sock feet I mean, if worst came to worst and I fell and absolutely could not get up couldn't I take my skates off and WALK off the ice? I taught myself to roller skate in the late 70's. No helmet, knee pads, wrist guards, just put on skates and hugged the barrier and fell and fell and fell and fell and fell some more and hauled myself up with my hands on the barrier over and over and over again until I finally figured it out. That's how we learned to skate back then. I never did anything with it but go to the rink every Friday night in case some cute person of the opposite sex should ask me to skate couples, but I don't think I could EVER get up without hands. Oh well, that's how we rolled.
I don't see the point of a no-hands rule though. What's intrinsically wrong with using one hand or two hands to help yourself up? Personally, I don't like to crouch on all fours, but I do put one hand down on the ice to help stabilize my body as I reposition my feet.
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- Mar 14, 2007
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Even if it were important....why THREE ways Surely one is enough
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- Oct 31, 2006
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You should talk to the skating school director - unless that was the coach that refunded your money. And yes, check with the other rinks too.
In my classes, the first thing I teach is to march around on the rubber mat in the skates to get used to the balance on one blade. Then while still off-ice we learn to fall and get up, and NOT the in the manner that coach was teaching.
After that, my class takes to the ice.
In my classes, the first thing I teach is to march around on the rubber mat in the skates to get used to the balance on one blade. Then while still off-ice we learn to fall and get up, and NOT the in the manner that coach was teaching.
After that, my class takes to the ice.
- Joined
- May 19, 2018
Lol, no. I get up off the ground with no hands OR knees on a regular basis just because it's faster for me, but I always use my hands getting up off the ice as far as I can remember.
Well, if you couldn't get up at all, I think you'd be in worse trouble than breaking a non-existent LTS rule. There's a middle ground between not using your hands and sitting there and removing your skates... which is using your hands.
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- Jan 1, 2013
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I'm with Ic3Rabbit. Call the skating director. This is utter horse manure. Even the elites use their hands to get up!
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- Mar 14, 2007
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She is the skating school director. I just looked at her card.
Good Grief, Charlie Brown! Get thee to another rink.
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- Jan 9, 2017
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Well that's scary. Find another rink and LTS class ASAP!
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- Mar 14, 2007
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I have my choice. All are about an 80 mile round trip except #5 #1 I like because it includes free skate rentals and public sessions for the duration of the time you are taking lessons. However, their last LTS session started March 12 and they haven't even announced when their next session will begin.
#2 Starts its next session 4/29. I like them because they have an over 50 club that has a session every Friday. But I would not need to be enrolled in LTS classes there to attend it. Also this is the official rink of the St Louis Skating club if that's worth anything.
#3 Starts March 30th. If I get my money back from the last one this is a possibility, otherwise my paycheck will not be here by then.
#4 Starts 4/22.
#5 There is a place that just opened near me. They offer LTS classes but not for adults. They are considering offering them for adults as there has been a lot of interest. They offered coaching, but do not rent skates. In case I absolutely cannot learn to skate and no one is willing to teach me, buying skates would be a waste of money.
So, what to do. I went to the physical therapist today and she said many adults cannot get up without hands. We started working on it, but it will take a long time.
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- Jan 9, 2017
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Okay, first of all, you need to stop thinking you need to get up without your hands. There are elites and pros I know that cannot, I as a pro usually cannot.
I'm confused where in your description of your 3rd option you said if you get your money back from the last one. Erm..you said in your one post here that the coach refunded you the other night, or am I missing something?
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- Mar 14, 2007
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She did not refund it in cash. She stated she was going to put it back on my debit card. That can take 5-7 days. If it doesn't get here by the 7th day I am calling the bank. I will try to stop thinking about getting up without hands.
You need to proceed carefully here. Without the proper equipment, frustration and failure are the likely outcomes. That's a major problem with figure skating: it's an expensive sport to get into. Although some posters have written that their rinks offer decent rental equipment, that's not been my experience at many rinks over the years (looking at rental skates that friends and random skaters wear and inspecting rental skates stacked on storage racks sometimes). The boots are often broken down, and the blades often have no edges. For a beginner adult, unfortunately, there usually is not a good selection of used skates available. And the new skates sold at department and sporting goods stores (selling for about $100 or less) typically have blades mounted with rivets; stay away from those. So, then even a minimally decent pair of skates properly fitted at a pro shop will run you about $200; I usually recommend something closer to about $300.
Talk to skating directors at other rinks. Explain your situation, and what your goals are. See if you can get a recommendation for equipment and a fitter. One rink I go to offers a couple of private intro lessons for beginners at a reduced rate for them to test the <frozen> waters, before they commit to LTS or other lessons. Check out whether this option is offerred at your rinks.
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- Jul 26, 2016
I also agree - often I need a bit of help to get up do to age/weight/less than perfect knees. This has not stopped me from taking lessons. While I agree you need to learn how to fall and how to get up, doing it w/out hand does not sound reasonable to me. I would not be able to do that, yet there are many things I CAN do in skating. Find yourself another coach/rink if you can.
Also, FWIW, I generally find it hard to get up from the floor (let alone the ice) but I practiced a lot at home (especially after my accident as I was recovering and in physio) as generally one should be able to get up from the floor on their own. Work on it "off ice" and it will get better with time. Good luck!
All I can think of as the explanation for the "no use of hands" policy is that perhaps they have had issues with people getting their hands run over on the ice and they are trying to avoid some sort of liability associated with that.
- Joined
- May 19, 2018
Yeah, don't waste time in PT trying to learn to get up without your hands unless she thinks you actually need to for safety reasons.
Can you get a private lesson at a rink that rents regular recreational skates (i.e. not plastic), then go to #5 if you do well enough and like it enough to buy proper skates? I've seen adults try to learn in rental skates. It's... often not pretty. As for the plastic kind that some countries refer to as "death wellies", I've heard stories of Olympic skaters trying them on just for laughs and not being able to skate above beginner level. Granted, that might be made up internet gossip, but I still wouldn't recommend them for anyone who wants a good idea of whether or not they'll be able to do more than skate in circles at a public skate.
And about rink 5 not having adult classes, I don't think many rinks disallow adults from the regular LTS classes.
Just to add to this, I coach LTS at a rink that doesn't have an adult class, but when we have adults we pull a coach to teach the adult in their own class (which is usually me because I love teaching adults). So talk to the LTS directors at each rink and see how they'd handle it. They might not have an 'adult' LTS night, but if you're in a class with only adults it should be okay.
I am definitely with T-Stop, coaching adults in rentals is often frightening and/or frustrating. They are okay for teaching basic stroking and swizzles, but you'll definitely progress better with adequate support and fit. Since you're near St. Louis, which is a major city, you might have some luck with gently used skates. If you go to rink 2's over 50 club, I'm sure someone can help direct you to a good fitter.
It's not a question of whether adults are allowed in a regular LTS class; it's a question of whether the instruction method for the majority of the class (if the majority are kids) is suitable for the stray adult (or at most a few adults) in the class. For very little kids, the instructor sometimes strews toys on the ice, and the kids play pick-up and other games. For older kids, it's often a matter of copying the coach's moves. Adults, however, often want detailed explanations.
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- Oct 31, 2006
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Ohhhh - is that perchance a "Coffee Club" session??
Some rinks offer Adult Coffee Club sessions. At my former rink, admission included 1/2 hour of group instruction. We had 4 levels, going down to skaters that had never skated before. Everyone had a lot of fun and beginners even got tips and encouragement from the regulars.
You really should check that out!
