Author Topic: Learning and innate ability  (Read 2797 times)

Leif

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Learning and innate ability
« on: June 19, 2018, 01:22:29 pm »
I recently met someone who had been learning to skate for four months, and I still find it hard to believe she hadn't been learning for several years. She did what looked to my eye to be perfect forward crossovers, right and left, and my memory is not great but I think her backwards ones were excellent too. She did an excellent spread eagle, and excellent Mohawks. This person had skied and skateboarded before for a fair few years which definitely helps balance. And yet she could not do a snow plough stop! Eh?

But still, I'm green with envy. I work very hard, 5-6 hours skating a week, and gradually plod along and improve. There does seem to be a wide variance in learning.

There's a slightly annoying little fat kid who comes up to me during public sessions. He asked me to teach him a hockey stop, so I taught him a one sided snow plough. After a few weeks, he'd learnt it. I asked him to show me it on both sides. He did. I asked him to show me a full snow plough. He did one. I was impressed, he'd learnt far faster than another little kid who's been trying for months. I've encouraged him to practice his edges, and tried to correct his crossovers. Anyone any suggestions what to teach him next that will help him? He wears hockey skates, and his feet do bend a bit at the ankles. It's odd, I'd not have though that the annoying fat kid would learn quickly!

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2018, 11:47:01 pm »
Regarding what to teach the annoying kid, can he now do a full hockey stop?  Apart from that, skating backwards maybe?


In my many years of skating I have seen two people, both self taught, both teenagers, one a hockey skater on ice, the other a rollerblader, who learned at what seemed like a ridiculously fast pace and in a few months had easily mastered skills that take most people many years.  They are fearless and full of energy and skate many hours a week.  So yes there is certainly innate ability and it can make a big difference, but I think it's overrated and a red herring for most of us.  Of course everyone learns at their own pace, but most of us are way slower than these two outlying kids and we just need to work hard, try to work smart, get good input but above all remember to enjoy the process.  One of these kids has since given up to my knowledge.  I am still skating and enjoying it and savouring those breakthrough moments when something I have been worrying away at falls into place.

Leif

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2018, 08:14:35 am »
Indeed, I celebrate my small achievements. Then again I've had a lifetime to hone that philosophy.  :) Seriously though, I was good at maths, and was always bored to tears during school maths lessons as they were far too easy. So I guess we all have areas where we do better than the average. Skating is presumably partly intellectual, but partly motor control and coordination, which are I assume attributes of the brain. I'm sure we can teach ourselves to improve motor control etc.  :)

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2018, 09:33:17 am »
I'm sure it can all be improved, and we're living proof.  It's interesting learning how one learns, and learning how to learn.

Leif

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2018, 10:11:47 am »
Yes it is. Our coach posted a good maxim today: "No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying". I'm definitely trying ....

Snufkin

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2018, 12:52:44 pm »
Skating seems to have a stronger innate gradient of aptitude than most other skills I've attempted in my life. We have one gentleman at our rink who started (I would guess) maybe 4 months ago, and he already is a fairly competent figure skater and has most of his single jumps. He does spend quite a lot of time at the rink but I think he also is lucky enough to just pick up everything readily. While there are some people I see in the beginners' group class (which I would guess is equal to about Skate UK 1-5), who have been there long before I started, go diligently every week, and yet are still at that beginner level. I suppose that's one of the great things about skating - it's amazing fun from the minute you step on the ice, you don't need a lot of talent to get a lot out of it.
Started skating August 2017

Leif

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2018, 08:12:55 am »
Quite right, it’s improving oneself and having fun, or just having fun, that matters, not competing against others. I wonder if one can learn how to learn new moves?

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2018, 09:41:11 pm »
I think you can notice how you learn best (visual, verbal, physical, relaxed, concentrated, under pressure, not under pressure, competitive, comparing to others, setting goals, not setting goals) and use that knowledge to make the most of your time on the ice.


I find lots of inputs useful but I need to feel things, in my own time.  I need to remain calm when things are not working.  Above all I do it for me, for my own pleasure.

black

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2018, 07:08:16 pm »
What about mohawks, barrel rolls, grapevine, lunges, practicing "not looking down", conditioning exercises like speed drills & stamina training.

Or for some inspiration; THIS is Freestyle Ice Skating - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwfa0xEZ0Hw

With ice skating; Balance Is Crucial - practice balancing/proprioception, and skating will become easier.

Peaceful Warrior - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438315/quotes
The journey is what brings us happiness not the destination

Mary Schmich - https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mary_Schmich
Don't waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Eddie the Eagle - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1083452/quotes
Winning, losing, all that stuff is for the little people. Men like us, we jump to free our souls.

Miracle - http://www.moviequotes.com/repository.cgi?pg=3&tt=303761
Win, lose, or tie, you're gonna play like a champion
The greatest trick figure skaters ever pulled, was convincing the world it was easy.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2018, 09:02:16 pm »
What fantastic quotes, and excellent suggestions.


Of everything I have tried to do on skates, grapevines have given me the most satisfaction.  I struggled with them for ages (normal for me) but (unusually for me) now find I am not too bad at them.  I also find them quite addictive.


I tried to find some good grapevine tutorials on ice but they all looked a bit ropey to me.  Sorry these two are on wheels but the move is the same on ice, especially on hockey skates where you can heel & toe:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-swBB3LRKs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBfMkUDIj5I


She does them SO much better than anyone else I have seen - so smooth and effortless, symmetrical - and explains it well too.

MonkeyBeaver

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Re: Learning and innate ability
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2018, 05:06:21 pm »
The grapevine is something I’m starting to try. Not sure my core skating skills are up to it yet though. Started to look at some online videos for inspiration too, came across that one of Naomi Grigg, she seems to be a bit of a legend in the freestyle inline world. She has a book called the art of falling, it’s a very interesting read. She talks a lot about weight transfer & not forcing the trick and her whole philosophy on skating is style over technical difficulty, though she is obviously capable of some extremely difficult moves too.
That video also got me on to a French in-line skater called Tiago, his videos are very good too, though he doesn’t do a lot of tutorials.
Thinking of trying some freestyle (cones) skating on my inlines & also trying the same moves back on the ice.



 

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