Risport for Adults

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

<<Emphasis added>> When I first read this, I was totally puzzled. Only from 13:15 to 16:30? That's 3 hrs and 15 min! (I had been expecting you to write that your sessions were 1 hr or so.)

Then when I read on, I was totally floored:


<<Emphasis added>> I'm thoroughly envious of your stamina.

When you're a professional and even more when you move from the corps to being a soloist or principal, between different classes (yes, professionals take many classes), specific practice for the role you're dancing, general rehearsals etc ... it's between 8-10 hrs of ballet daily. And you're performing onstage too, besides all that, so comparing this routine I had during my pro ballet years with my current routine of 13:15 (I start off ice warm up 40 minutes prior to that) to 16:30 figure skating practice 5 times a week, it seems like a pretty short daily practice to me
There are other rinks governed by other coaches/clubs that have a bit of longer hours, but they're all far from me. The rink in Chiba prefecture that we competed on the 10th they can usually skate there from 10:00 to 19:00 and many of us were saying how much we'd love our rink had longer hours too, and the place has TWO rinks, which is awesome.
Our rink is on the modest side, unfortunately we have to share it with the hockey guys and they make a mess out of the ice (we're thankful to the zamboni staff!), but it's our home!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Point very much taken!

As long as you enjoy it. Just be aware of these things, that was all I was saying. I am so glad you joined our sport. Good luck!

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

As long as you enjoy it. Just be aware of these things, that was all I was saying. I am so glad you joined our sport. Good luck!

Thank you so much @Ic3Rabbit

I adore everything about it. Adore the ice, the feeling of gliding, spinning, jumping on it, adore the speed and the sense of freedom it makes me feel, adore my coaches and find it incredible sometimes they seem to believe more in me than I believe in myself, even though they're quite strict, they keep me thinking about the future and how hard work will allow me to do more and accomplish more, and keep reminding me how I was this same date say one year ago and how I am now (when I am angry and frustrated), celebrated themselves more than I celebrated myself when I landed my first double just this weekend, through skating I've met very cool people. I thought I was done for life when I had to retire from ballet. Figure skating gave me a whole new purpose and an improved one. What's not to love?

 

[emilinkaa]

<<Emphasis added>> When I first read this, I was totally puzzled. Only from 13:15 to 16:30? That's 3 hrs and 15 min! (I had been expecting you to write that your sessions were 1 hr or so.)

Then when I read on, I was totally floored:


<<Emphasis added>> I'm thoroughly envious of your stamina.

I skate with a former ballerina who trained with a professional dance troupe like that too, and it’s insane to me. Personally, I would drop a couple trainings and do some off ice or cross training rather than just on ice 5-6x a week @LolaSkatesInJapan, but that’s my style of training. This style of lots of ice time and little cross training is super common with the skaters I know too.

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

I skate with a former ballerina who trained with a professional dance troupe like that too, and it’s insane to me. Personally, I would drop a couple trainings and do some off ice or cross training rather than just on ice 5-6x a week @LolaSkatesInJapan, but that’s my style of training. This style of lots of ice time and little cross training is super common with the skaters I know too.

We absolutely lack off ice training/off ice coaches (they have this only for small kids, focused to jumps to get them jumping young, but even that, it's only 2 small studios in Tokyo) but Mao Asada said that her new rink,which will open next year,will have off ice facilities for all (I hope she means for all skaters, not for all small kids).

I would love to put off ice practice before 13:15 when my on ice training starts besides the 35-40 minutes exercise/warm up I do on my own from 12:30 prior to entering the ice, so that would give me a sense of a more complete daily training. Off ice in the morning, on ice in the afternoon (I have to go home after 16:30 to shower, eat, relax and do some work - I work from home-).
I have no intention of cutting any on ice days (The day I don't go, I spend the time watching videos, doing some stretches, thinking what I will practice the next days, things to discuss with the coaches etc, same same I used to do on my day off from ballet, just itching for the day to be over so I can get back