Author Topic: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?  (Read 626 times)

SkateV

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Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« on: March 19, 2023, 10:45:25 am »
I'm a beginner ice skater and was thinking of taking lesson at Alexandra Palace. Anyone with experience of the National ‘Learn to Skate’ programme, would you recommend? Also, where do you also put your personal belongings like skate bag, guards etc as staff at reception told they don't provide cloakrooms or lockers?

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2023, 02:51:16 pm »
I've no idea who's teaching the Learn to Skate there these days.  There are some great coaches there - different styles to suit your temperament.  I'm not personally a fan of LTS - they tend to rush you through too much IMO.  Old school figures were better but people are impatient.  The adult coffee morning is worth a look - Wednesday mornings, 10.30-11 group lesson on dedicated ice, divided by ability, followed by 2 hour public session (quiet), for £13.  The coaches that do this session are all great, IMO.  They still have no lockers - it's pathetic.  No excuse.  They used to have them, closed them "for covid" then got rid of them as a lot of them were broken, never been replaced.  How hard can it be?  One reason that I don't go there any more, on principle.  People leave their bags in the seats, in general I think this is pretty safe - I have never had a problem or heard of one.  I keep my phone and wallet in my pocket though, but others don't AFAIK.  There's a big car park so you could leave stuff in your car, if you drive.

Badass

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2023, 04:15:09 pm »
I participated in Learn To Skate and absolutely loved it. It took me just over a year to complete, although I was slower than most, not having had any skating experience prior. I got stuck on spins and twizzles for months, making no progress at all, until one day, out of nowhere, I got both my spin and twizzle ticked off in the same lesson and finally passed LTS, moving on to Skate Stars.

If you're participating in group lessons, it's worth finding out how large the groups are. If there are more than 10 people in the class, you're potentially getting less than 3 minutes of coaching per week. Individuals in 1-on-1 coaching progress much faster (and are more exhausted at the end of their sessions), so there's a point where 1-on-1 can be better value.

I enjoyed every lesson and looked forward to it each time, with skating becoming a major positive aspect in my life and leading me towards a healthier lifestyle in various ways. Despite being the only older man in a class of younger women, I found the atmosphere to be fun and welcoming.

I would recommend them, but if I were at Alexandra Palace, I would want coaching from Marika. She's an Olympic ice skater, and her YouTube coaching channel is amazing. I don't know if she does LTS, though; in her YouTube videos, she's usually wearing an iceskating.London logo.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2023, 04:44:13 pm »
Agree that 1-1 lessons are probably going to help you progress quicker.  I've always thought a mixture of group and 1-1 was a good combination.  I know people who have learned with Marika and she comes highly recommended - there's a link to her YT channel on a recent post of mine in a different thread here.  I don't think you can choose with LTS who your coach is - they tend to rotate.  Also imagine Marika will be going back to her home rink at Lee Valley when it reopens soon (website says April).


The coffee morning coaches were John Hamer, Gary Jones, Heather Green and Hannah Dolan Davies and I think they are all good coaches - I've either had them myself or know people who have.


I enjoyed LTS but don't feel it's a good preparation for long term skating success, unless you are a very fast learner.

SimonB

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2023, 02:13:10 am »
I had 1-1 lessons as an adult beginner with Heather Green… she was a great instructor.


I made a lot of progress with her over the course of a year, from taking my first steps on the ice ever to starting to do basic jumps and preparing for tests (as I set that as a personal goal).


I would’ve continued with her, but I moved to Canada.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2023, 07:51:30 am »
That's ironic as Heather used to teach in Canada.  Guess you have plenty of rinks and coaches to choose from there!

SimonB

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2023, 02:12:42 pm »
That's ironic as Heather used to teach in Canada.  Guess you have plenty of rinks and coaches to choose from there!


Yes, there’s so many ice rinks here. In my town of ~185,000 residents, there are 11 rinks in total. Though some are seasonal, and much of the ice time is reserved for hockey. I’m a member at my local ice skating club, which has a dedicated rink for year-round figure/public skating.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Adult skating lessons at Alexandra Palace?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2023, 03:45:43 pm »

Yes, there’s so many ice rinks here. In my town of ~185,000 residents, there are 11 rinks in total. Though some are seasonal, and much of the ice time is reserved for hockey. I’m a member at my local ice skating club, which has a dedicated rink for year-round figure/public skating.


Nice!  A compensation for the long hard winters.  I remember the great Canadian rollerblader Bill Stoppard skating on an outdoor ice rink in the winter on hockey skates and on the same rink on wheels in the summer, and the Bentway I think it's called in Toronto?



 

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