I would really love advice please - are my goals realistic?

[soups]

Hi! I passed the learn to skate program when I was 12-ish, but had to quit due to moving to somewhere without an rink, and I’m 27 now. My old skates still fit, I got them sharpened, and I absolutely loved being back on the ice. I’m going to go to an adult learn to skate class and run through it again I think!

I don’t want to ever compete, but I do have a bucket list that I would absolutely love to be able to achieve one day. I would be approaching coaches after the adult learn to skate. I don’t know what adults can achieve, though, and how difficult many elements are, so I would be so grateful if anybody could weigh in on how realistic my bucket list is, please?

My ultimate bucket list of things I would love to be able to do are:
-An upright spin
-A camel spin
-An arabesque
-A butterfly
-Spread eagle
-A single toe loop (hopefully maybe a double toe loop?? but I’m not sure how out of reach that is! especially if I don’t work on any other jumps?)

Thankyou for your time in reading!

 

[thisismynewsport]

These goals are extremely realistic. I started skating at 32 now 33 and I’m able to do all of the things you mentioned except for butterfly. I even passed my first test with honours! First test consisted of freestyle elements: waltz, toe loop, salchow, upright spin, backspin and skills: inside and outside forward edges, forward 3 turns, c step sequence, spiral circles, and field move choice (I chose Ina Bauer).

Right now I’m working on backwards 3 turns, loop, flip and lutz. I’ve started figure skating more seriously this February. Last year was kind of a wash due to rink closures so I really didn’t have any lessons.

You can do this

 

[soups]

These goals are extremely realistic. I started skating at 32 now 33 and I’m able to do all of the things you mentioned except for butterfly. I even passed my first test with honours! First test consisted of freestyle elements: waltz, toe loop, salchow, upright spin, backspin and skills: inside and outside forward edges, forward 3 turns, c step sequence, spiral circles, and field move choice (I chose Ina Bauer).

Right now I’m working on backwards 3 turns, loop, flip and lutz. I’ve started figure skating more seriously this February. Last year was kind of a wash due to rink closures so I really didn’t have any lessons.

You can do this

Oh my goodness, that’s so incredibly exciting!! Also amazing you’ve managed to achieve this in a year, you sound like a really hard worker, congrats on passing with honours! Good luck with your skating!

 

[Elija]

I’m just confused why you only want to work on toeloops and no other jumps other that that, yes it’s achievable. Definitely recommend working on other jumps though.

 

[soups]

I’m just confused why you only want to work on toeloops and no other jumps other that that, yes it’s achievable. Definitely recommend working on other jumps though.

They look the prettiest to me! Will I be pressured into working on other jumps, if it is confusing to other people...? (Would it would be best to give up on the idea of doing jumps at all if I'm mostly interested in the one I find prettiest?)

 

[emilinkaa]

They look the prettiest to me! Will I be pressured into working on other jumps, if it is confusing to other people...? (Would it would be best to give up on the idea of doing jumps at all if I'm mostly interested in the one I find prettiest?)

I think a lot of coaches will want you to learn other jumps, not jus because of jump progression as you work through skills, but because of movement and the strain on your body. You will probably want to learn at least a waltz jump before you do a toe loop, so that you’re learning the basics of rotating first. I personally love doing toe loops, and find them quite easy, but a lot of people find them quite difficult, I guess? At least at my rink.

I do think all your goals are reasonable, but I also think you won’t be as strong a skater nor as good to your body, if you focus too much on single skills.

 

[mskater93]

Jumps: you'll need to understand a waltz jump for doing toe loops. For double toes, you would need the full progression of single jumps as there are specific skills learned from salchow, loop, flip, Lutz, and Axel which are applied to some extent to a double toe loop.

Spread Eagle: will depend on your body construction. If you don't have natural turn out, that may be a no just from a pure potential injury standpoint. Won't stop you from at least learning a basic Bauer if your body isn't constructed to do these.

Butterfly: you'll need a solid camel, back spin, back camel and flying camel based on the technique required for this element.

In general, there will be things you'll need to learn in order to get to the things you want to learn just for the building blocks to do those things. Think of it as eating your veggies to get to dessert.

Good luck

 

[Vladik]

I’m just confused why you only want to work on toeloops and no other jumps other that that, yes it’s achievable. Definitely recommend working on other jumps though.

That’s what I was thinking! Definitely achievable though. I dread working on toeloops, my least favourite jump so far! I envy anybody who actually enjoys them.

 

[thisismynewsport]

They look the prettiest to me! Will I be pressured into working on other jumps, if it is confusing to other people...? (Would it would be best to give up on the idea of doing jumps at all if I'm mostly interested in the one I find prettiest?)

There is a progression you should follow and your coach will advise the same. Camel spin for example is actually a really hard spin and you would benefit from learning upright, scratch and sit spin first because in camel you using your arms to get the rotations. If you want to learn double toe loop then you definitely need to learn backspins since the air position is the same. Trust me there are going to be aspects of skating you won’t “like” but are necessary to move on.

 

[thisismynewsport]

That’s what I was thinking! Definitely achievable though. I dread working on toeloops, my least favourite jump so far! I envy anybody who actually enjoys them.

Same lol. I hate toe loops but I like it in combination with waltz. I still push myself to practice it and do like 3 per session so I don’t loose the jump.

 

[soups]

I think a lot of coaches will want you to learn other jumps, not jus because of jump progression as you work through skills, but because of movement and the strain on your body. You will probably want to learn at least a waltz jump before you do a toe loop, so that you’re learning the basics of rotating first. I personally love doing toe loops, and find them quite easy, but a lot of people find them quite difficult, I guess? At least at my rink.

I do think all your goals are reasonable, but I also think you won’t be as strong a skater nor as good to your body, if you focus too much on single skills.

I'm definitely cool learning all jumps "up to" a toe loop! (Same with the other things I mentioned.) Like if something is necessary as a foundation to get where I want to go I'd totally do it, I just don't have any interest in progressing beyond that point, if that makes sense? Because I don't want to compete or anything I really don't mind not being a strong skater, it's not my goal to become one. This thread has definitely given me something to think about, though - although I absolutely adore being on the ice, I need to consider that figure skating might not be for me, it feels like I probably won't be a good "culture fit". It may be for the best to just stick with my current sports and skate recreationally without learning any skills, although it's been a dream for a while.

 

[emilinkaa]

Same lol. I hate toe loops but I like it in combination with waltz. I still push myself to practice it and do like 3 per session so I don’t loose the jump.

Over here loving toe loop and excited to get my flip back but dreading working on loops again….

 

[Vladik]

Over here loving toe loop and excited to get my flip back but dreading working on loops again….

I envy you! Wish I enjoyed toe loops but just can’t stand them.
And I don’t think anybody likes loops to be honest!

 

[Friday]

I'm definitely cool learning all jumps "up to" a toe loop! (Same with the other things I mentioned.) Like if something is necessary as a foundation to get where I want to go I'd totally do it, I just don't have any interest in progressing beyond that point, if that makes sense? Because I don't want to compete or anything I really don't mind not being a strong skater, it's not my goal to become one. This thread has definitely given me something to think about, though - although I absolutely adore being on the ice, I need to consider that figure skating might not be for me, it feels like I probably won't be a good "culture fit". It may be for the best to just stick with my current sports and skate recreationally without learning any skills, although it's been a dream for a while.

If it's a dream for you to learn specific skill, then go for it!
You will probably have so much fun that you want to learn other things too!

 

[lyssx]

Hi! I passed the learn to skate program when I was 12-ish, but had to quit due to moving to somewhere without an rink, and I’m 27 now. My old skates still fit, I got them sharpened, and I absolutely loved being back on the ice. I’m going to go to an adult learn to skate class and run through it again I think!

I don’t want to ever compete, but I do have a bucket list that I would absolutely love to be able to achieve one day. I would be approaching coaches after the adult learn to skate. I don’t know what adults can achieve, though, and how difficult many elements are, so I would be so grateful if anybody could weigh in on how realistic my bucket list is, please?

My ultimate bucket list of things I would love to be able to do are:
-An upright spin
-A camel spin
-An arabesque
-A butterfly
-Spread eagle
-A single toe loop (hopefully maybe a double toe loop?? but I’m not sure how out of reach that is! especially if I don’t work on any other jumps?)

Thankyou for your time in reading!

I can't do everything you've listed yet, but for reference I started at 26 (now 27), have been skating for ten months, and have learned my toe loop (and waltz jump, half flip, half lutz). My toe loop is not big or pretty yet and I can't do it from a fast entry, but I can do it with proper technique and I rarely fall on it now. My salchow is not as good yet but almost there and I am landing it most of the time now. I've been told my overall progression has been quicker than average adults with no prior ice experience, so if you had prior experience you can definitely do it!! I skate with another adult who skated as a kid, quit around the same age as you, and she came back to it a little after I started and even though we are in the same classes she's much stronger than me and picks things up faster and it shows.

Arabesque (spiral) was quick to learn for me though I'm still working on getting it higher, I can do a small spread eagle (but have been doing for years on roller skates so had the turn out already).

Spins, however, are my kryptonite lol. Just finally able to get a basic one foot spin - camel seems very out of reach at the moment.

And if someday you decide you DO want to compete... there is a thriving adult beginning and intermediate adult community out there.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

All 100% realistic. Its worth noting though, spread Eagle relies a lot on natural level of turnout and body structure. Many top skaters can't do a spread Eagle no matter how hard they try and then many skaters just naturally do one very easily.

 

[emilinkaa]

All 100% realistic. Its worth noting though, spread Eagle relies a lot on natural level of turnout and body structure. Many top skaters can't do a spread Eagle no matter how hard they try and then many skaters just naturally do one very easily.

I have spent so much time trying to spread eagles only to come to the realization that my body just can’t do them.