What did you achieve this week

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Still fiddling around and trying to notice what's wrong, what feels good and what doesn't, making small adjustments.


Not been back on ice, not really missing it.

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Fell out with the management at yet another rink.  Rink managers seem to know very little about skating.


Survived a stupidly busy public session on ice, full of twits not paying attention.

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Managed to skate at a few different rinks without getting told off, including a decentish temporary rink (Braintree shopping village - good size and covered so ice is good for a temp rink).


Managed some approximation of an Ina Bauer in my old age.  I think what has helped is strength training, to hold myself in position.


Also managed a "little man" position sitting right back in my heels, inspired by the kids messing around under a limbo bar, without falling on my backside.  I'll be doing teapots next

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Still haven't been barred from any more rinks - on a roll!


I am starting to properly realise that skating should be a pleasurable sensory experience.


Feeling my way towards overcoming resistance such as understanding exactly how far I can lean backwards without falling backwards.


I really do recommend forwards and backwards 2-foot slalom as a way to understand lean and having knees and ankles, working the hips, without feeling too uncomfortable.  It has been something of a revelation.

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Squeeze your glutes!  Especially the one on your free leg side.  Control, stability, better posture.

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Noticed that a weakness I thought I had equalized between one side and the other is very much not fixed - still not evenly bad.  I don't know what you'd call this element but it's a forwards to backwards transition using a sort of straight line barrel roll.  Trying to work out what I am doing differently.  My skate feels less under me on one side - maybe need to lean back more and trust I am not going to fall.

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In recent weeks have achieved skating lots and enjoying it.  I think focusing on the enjoyment has probably helped me make more progress with the skills I am working on.

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Skated on a public session(!) this week. It wasn't too bad; busy, but not super crazy.
A few skaters randomly crossing centre ice, and suddenly veering.

Hopefully the UK's ice rinks have done alright this winter, revenue wise.
With Dancing on Ice finishing last week, it can drop out of people interest.

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Busy public sessions bother me less than they used to.  One of the benefits of becoming more comfortable on skates.  It can be an interesting challenge to look out for people doing the wrong thing.  That said, I am probably only able to enjoy that because I also access very quiet spaces on skates.


The ice rinks I have been to recently (weekday daytime) seem to be doing OK - good sprinkling of people.

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I managed to enjoy a session despite the presence of an idiot family of inconsiderate, entitled people.


I got some good tips from my daughter, who is an excellent skater but not a coach, about where my weight should be (more heel than ball) and how to achieve that (flex the foot, toes should be pointing up not scrunched down) - should lead to more secure edges (for me at least).  Struck me that the required patience and relationship to get to this point (me asking her to show me stuff, me fiddling around with stuff, her watching me, me asking lots of questions) may not always be present in a normal pupil-coach relationship, at least not for floppy, hopeless adults like me.  The knowledge is there, but is the willingness?

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This week I achieved my first outdoor skate of the year, will be doing a few more as I'm not near an indoor facility for the moment.  Makes a nice change, and a good challenge to deal with conditions like debris, a slight slope, wind and an imperfect surface.  Soft knees.