Author Topic: Still wobbly after all these years.  (Read 3912 times)

23inmyhead

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 492
Still wobbly after all these years.
« on: April 14, 2013, 03:20:27 pm »
As of last Thursday I have been skating exactly 3 years. I put in 5 - 7 hours ice time every week and have two lessons. Despite this, every time I step onto the ice at the beginning of a session I feel wobbly, unsteady and feel like a beginner skater, the harder the ice surface is the wobblier I feel. I have friends who skate less than me who are able to step onto the ice and immediately start skating backwards, do turns, spins etc but I can't even do a forwards crossover until I've had a least a couple of circuits of the rink to 'find my feet'. If I have any time off from skating, it is even worse. Last Thursday was my first time on ice for 10 days after being grounded by the doctor and the ice was very hard, it totally freaked me and I had to wobble my way round the rink for about 10 minutes or more before I could even face doing a crossover let alone anything clever. Once I've got my first few crossovers out of the way then I'm generally happy and can carry on with the moves that actually reflect my true ability level. I'd have thought after 3 years I would have got over the initial wobbles.  I'm an older skater, in my 50s and not very confident but have my level 8 signed off and the only reason I haven't completed Skate UK (1-10) is because of my inability to do one rather important move (backwards edges). I've also been working in my group lesson on higher level moves from Passport so it's not like I'm a useless skater but if anyone saw me step onto the ice they would think I was a beginner level skater.
Anyone else get this or is it just me?

Noorah101

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1179
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2013, 04:25:02 pm »
I've also been skating 3 years, and am a 50+ skater.  It took me a LONG time to be able to step on the ice and just "go".  Even now, I still need to hold on to something while stepping onto the ice...either the frame at the entrance, the wall at that entrance, whatever.  I cannot just step onto the ice free-handed and start zooming off.  So, what I do (maybe to make myself feel better, lol) is that I enter the ice from the barrier entrance.  I immediately stay right by the barrier and do some warm-ups.  I "test" the ice right there for a while, even if it's only a few minutes.  Then I do slow, steady strokes around the whole rink 2 or 3 times.  By that time I feel ready to tackle the stuff at the level I'm working on.  I wouldn't say I feel "wobbly" at first, I'm not shaking or have unstead feet, but just not ready to go zooming off right away.

So, long story short, you are not alone!

Rene
"When you truly want something, all the universe conspires to make it happen". ~ The Alchemist
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/MySkatingJournal

katepilarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1589
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2013, 04:55:40 pm »
sorry to hear you have troubles. i suppose i am the opposite, i step onto the ice, take my guards off and zoom around for at least two laps to find my feet. have to say i am twenty odd years younger so that might be why.
skating in Prague and Elgin, Scotland
working on L1 and L2 field moves, upright spin& backspin, single jumps upto loop
www.youtube.com/user/catepilarr

Noorah101

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1179
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2013, 05:45:40 pm »
sorry to hear you have troubles. i suppose i am the opposite, i step onto the ice, take my guards off and zoom around for at least two laps to find my feet. have to say i am twenty odd years younger so that might be why.

Don't you take your guards off first, before stepping onto the ice?  ;)   :P

Rene
"When you truly want something, all the universe conspires to make it happen". ~ The Alchemist
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/MySkatingJournal

katepilarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1589
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2013, 06:40:28 pm »
Don't you take your guards off first, before stepping onto the ice?  ;)   :P
ok :D so  to be precise, i take one off, step onto the ice, turn around, grab the barrier and take the other one off and place them on the barrier.


23inmyhead, how much warming up do you do? if not much or any, proper warm up might help. i never step onto the ice without having done at least a couple of stretches/ circling head/arms/feet / a bit of running/ squats/hopping/

« Last Edit: April 14, 2013, 06:44:40 pm by katepilarr »
skating in Prague and Elgin, Scotland
working on L1 and L2 field moves, upright spin& backspin, single jumps upto loop
www.youtube.com/user/catepilarr

Carrie

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 456
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2013, 07:13:51 pm »
23inmyhead
 
It isn’t just you!  I know exactly what you mean and I agree that hard ice makes it more difficult!  I am an older skater but have been skating over four times as long as you!  I don’t feel wobbly, just not relaxed and it takes me ages to feel comfortable.  Before skating I try to do some knee bending exercises off ice – quite often my tap dancing warm up!  At the start of each session, I begin with forward two-foot slaloms, starting from standstill and I try to go around the whole rink without stopping.  It certainly gets my knees bending and I vary the speed, say two slow three fast ones and skate in time to the music if dance music is playing.  I gradually start doing more moves, forward stroking and various edges, swing rolls, chasses, then on to 3-turns.  I would say it takes me a good 20 minutes or more to feel at home on the ice.  Must admit, continuous forward and backward crossovers around the circles don’t feature early on in my practise!!  Doing moves on two feet first, helps me to feel comfortable on the ice. 

iSk8

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1182
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2013, 11:53:53 pm »
No, it's not just you.  I find I always need to adjust to being on ice again.  Knee bends are my answer - skate round with an exagerated knee bend and stretch.  It all feels afterwards like I'm back home again :) .

Florence

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 978
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2013, 08:25:30 am »
I like these these threads, they make me feel just a little less rubbish knowing it isn't just me  :)


I too have to do a fair few laps and slaloms before even attempting to do more than forward skating. I get what you are saying about harder ice too. I love Telford rink, but find it takes me longer to get used to the ice before trying anything because to me the ice feels harder less grippy??


I thought it was just me , because I am not a over confident person in general. I still think is an attitude thing with me also though. I am happy to just get straight on the ice and skate off forward ..... just that though.  :)





Ice Dragon

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 430
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2013, 09:00:47 am »

I too have to do a fair few laps and slaloms before even attempting to do more than forward skating. I get what you are saying about harder ice too. I love Telford rink, but find it takes me longer to get used to the ice before trying anything because to me the ice feels harder less grippy??


I know what you mean about Telford. Awesome rink with a fabulous atmosphere, but the ice is very very hard.

I'm working on NISA tests at the moment (although haven't gotten around to booking any yet) and I'm working on loop and flip jumps. You might think that by now I would be a reasonably confident skater, yet when I first get on the ice I can barely do anything! I feel really stiff and I can manage forwards and backwards but it does take me a good half hour to warm up and get into things.

I'm a young skater (twenties) so I have no excuse really.

23inmyhead

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 492
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2013, 09:33:52 am »
Thank you everyone for your comments. They make me feel a lot better. I'm just heading off for a skate now so I've done a bit of stretching and I'll try the deep knee bend stuff when I get on the ice and see if it makes any difference.




sanctuaryRed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 372
Re: Still wobbly after all these years.
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2013, 10:01:19 am »
I'm the same! It's really getting used to bing in the skates on the ice, my feet need to relax lol
Passed Skate UK level 7 - 14/05/13
Passed Skate UK level 8 - 24/06/13
Passed Skate UK level 9+10 - 16/09/13
Passed bronze free - 17/02/14



 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy