Author Topic: Practice alone?  (Read 1668 times)

Squeeze

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Practice alone?
« on: February 07, 2018, 08:17:28 pm »
Hi,
So after wanting to learn for years I've took the plunge and am currently working on level three skate uk.
My nearest rink has weekday sessions but I'm really apprehensive about going on my own!
Will I stick out like a sore thumb?!
Does anyone else go alone to practice?
Thankyou in advance :)

Snufkin

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2018, 08:53:43 pm »
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on taking up this amazing sport :)

You'll be absolutely fine going on your own. I started all of my sessions alone but now I'm lucky to get enough time to practice without getting caught up chatting to people because of how friendly everyone is at the rink ;D

Ultimately skating can be a pretty solitary sport and while you might have short spells of exchanging techniques with other skaters, when you're doing any serious practice it is likely to be on your own most of the time. You certainly won't be the only one. In my experience, at least.
Started skating August 2017

Squeeze

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2018, 09:33:04 pm »
Thankyou for your reply and welcome :)
I've decided I'm going tomorrow!! I really need the practice and to dull my new skates a bit!! I couldn't snowplough last lessons!! 😂

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2018, 09:49:43 pm »
Snufkin is absolutely right in every respect.  Most people go on their own and end up making new friends and practice buddies.  Enjoy!
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

The Sacred Voice

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 05:01:58 am »
I've found my rink, in particular the group lessons, to be crazy friendly overall - almost everyone starts taking it up basically alone. Everyone seems pretty happy to chat and keep in touch if you make even the slightest effort just to great them every week in the lesson. I've made a lot of friends through skating!
I'm blogging about my skating journey, please read along at dontexcelaxel.blogspot.com

Leif

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2018, 06:17:11 am »
I go alone to public sessions, but with time I’ve made friends with the regulars. They are all ages, from 13 to 50+. Sometimes I spend time chatting rather than practicing, but I learn from the others, and breaks are good. I also sometimes meet other hockey players too.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2018, 12:27:25 pm »
i would think skating alone is the norm, at least for adults.  I'll occasionally arrange to meet up with friends or family to skate, but generally it's not really practical to try and align everyone's timetable.  There will always be regulars and you'll end up talking to them - as others have said sometimes that gets in the way of doing any actual work!  I suppose a lot of my skating would be considered practice, but I try not to think of it like that.  I do whatever comes into my head and what I feel like doing, and try to do it well, and to enjoy it.

Squeeze

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2018, 12:55:43 pm »
Thanks everyone... I did it!
It was great actually although I fell 😂 Pesky toe picks!!!
I concentrated on backwards lemons, two foot turns and one foot glides ( which I only seem to able to do one side!!)
And relaxing my feet, hopefully next class won't hurt so much!!

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2018, 09:38:27 am »
When I first read this thread, I was reminded of my friend's teenage daughter, who had said that she wanted to go to the nearest permanent rink (I've been teaching her at a seasonal one which closes at the end of next week) but that she needed to go with me for the first time as she was too apprehensive to go alone.  I've been trying to work out the best way of getting her there for lessons.  A message came through last night saying, "I went to the rink on my own today and skated from 11.40 to 3.30!  I'm proud of myself.  I made 4 friends!"  Some figure skaters helped her with her edges and some hockey boys were "just flirting with [her] for like an hour".  ::) Apparently she's going every day  next week as it's half term and the hockey boys said it would be fun...  :o   ;D

Skating is a lovely sport.   8)
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

AndyinSwindon

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2018, 11:05:29 am »
I love skating on my own, as much as I enjoy skating with the friends I have made over the last year.  I find that sometimes, as someone else mentioned, I spend more time stood chatting than I do skating, but I also have some good friends that have helped me improve and encouraged me greatly.  My forwards and backwards crossovers developed more through the help of friends than they did through lessons.
However, I also enjoy it when I manage to get to the rink for a lunchtime skate and there may only be a handful of us on the ice.  I get on and do my own thing and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Having said that, I had the rink at Milton Keynes to myself for an hour last year.  Just me, in my hockey gear (I was alone on the ice and so the manager allowed me to put on my full body armour), and I was so excited at having it all to myself I wasted the whole session tooling around and going as fast as I could, rather than focusing on things I should have.
Started skating 07.01.17
Currently working through NISA LTS Levels.
Currently wobbling through hockey LTP sessions.

Gerbil

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Re: Practice alone?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2018, 10:36:44 pm »
I love skating on my own. Recently a few people have asked me for some hints which is lovely. I also feel over the moon when a really good skater gives me a little advice. I have made many friends though skating. More like rink buddies as someone mentioned. None of my own friends are interested in skating.



 

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