Competitive vs Recreational

New Friend!!

Midori,
Hi!! Oh, I'm so happy you are on the board!! (Not many of us rec skaters here.) :no: ....
Yes, public sessions that are "free for alls" are good in that they'll allow you to do your figure skating moves, but they also have to be "fair" and let the hockey gals and guys do theirs....So it's kind of like being a squirrel on a multi lane highway at rush hour..... ...
That is the main reason why I skate the freestyle sessions. (And put up with the occasional snarky comment. :sheesh

On another skating board they are currently discussing the "benefits" of joining a club/the USFS vs not. It's interesting. Basically, if you don't want to compete or take tests or lessons, and you can "get away with" practicing during sesssions or are willing to pay "walk on" (if they allow it) for freestyle, then you are probably fine without the club....However, the club does offer "social opportunities" (meeting other skaters, dinners, etc.) and most clubs have ice times (so you have more options to schedule your skating).....But they will also try to talk you into taking lessons, competiting etc. (But you HAVE to take lessons. You will get HURT. ) Pleeeeeezeeee :sheesh:

Speaking of which... Don't know what is wrong with the ice skaters. When I skated roller all the freestyle skaters used pads on elbows/knees because when you fell the floor (wood or concrete) would rip your skin off. (We called it "wood burn.") Ice skaters use very little/no padding. Must like pain. But since you are working on freestyle, may want to use bubblewrap. (Yes, seriously). It has kept me injury free despite my "bad technique" .....
Use the small bubble kind. Cut squares that cover your knees. Tape with medical take (wide kind works best), the tape they use to hold dressings in place. (White and very sticky. They sell it at all drug stores in the isles.) Tape to leg or stocking. I usually put three (top, bottom, middle). Don't wind it around, just a small piece of tape to hold pad to knee. Then take a pair of women's knee high stockings and cut off toe and put a slit in the top elastic for circulation. Pull that on as a sleeve to hold pad in place. (Make sure it is not too tight. Tight is good. Too tight is bad.) You now have a GREAT knee pad that is lightweight and will bend with you. (And is VERY strong. Those bubbles are like steel.) NICE!!:agree:
Elbows are a bit different. I used a sweatshirt and sewed two pieces of bubblewrap into a square the size of my elbow, then used the same nylon "sleeve" (or a microfiber sock), just make sure it is not too tight. To keep it in place. If you use the bubblewrap by itself on the elbows it tends to fall off. Need the sweatshirt material "pocket."

No problem teaching yourself as long as you are careful about it. Don't try for the triples just yet. Of course, be extremely careful of head. Unfortunately, no bubblewrap for head. ...The only caution I would give you is to make sure you don't want to compete if you do decide to teach yourself because you will pick up "bad habbits." (That is, you will do items that work but do not meet the ISU standards of "correctness." And if you did compete with them, you would be marked down.) For example, my flip uses an outside edge takeoff (lip) and sometimes my right leg flying spins (camel, deathdrop) have "salchow" takeoffs. This is not a big deal to me or to anyone watching me, but if I tried to test/compete I would be "called" on it.....One coach said I had "Mastered bad technique." Well, ok as long as I mastered it.
Again, so glad you are on the board!! Will be watching for your posts!

I don't see myself pulling off even double jumps, let alone double axels or lutzes...backwards takeoffs just scare me Maybe single axels if I can at least manage waltz jump/axels, Eventually I'll land 'em, haven't fallen yet! So far I've only gotten two-footed scratch spins and not even forward crossovers yet...I can sort of do backwards cross-overs since I seem to use that particular edge (backwards-right inside, is that correct?) a lot, perhaps TOO much since I'm focusing on the scratch spins....might want to work on those. I do occasionally practice just holding the "right outside" landing position to get comfortable with balancing that way if you know what I mean ^^ Unfortunately the freestyle sessons at my rink are only for those who have completed certain levels of testing, like "Basic 8" or above :/ So I guess I am stuck with public sessions since I don't think I'm anywhere near that high. Saturday mornings have "Basic 4 and up" however. Wonder what level I am when I can't even do a proper jump yet? LOL. People half my age are no doubt way more advanced than I am so I'd also feel a bit, well, old? Tomorrow I am going to see if it's ok for me to bring my camera and prop it on the edge of the rink somewhere, or put it somewhere where it won't get knocked down, and zoom it on one corner of the ice, and somehow get footage of myself so I can actually observe my technique and what it looks like, find ways to improve, etc etc. My dad may actually come with me and take videos especially if there's an issue. I see lots of people on YouTube who've obviously planted a camera in a stationary position, during a public session so I'm not sure if people even care that much. Not quite sure how to ask that kind of question at the front desk, though. "hey is it ok if I record myself??" =D If I do manage to get clips I may post 'em somewhere for critiques ^^
And thank you for the warm welcome! I will let everyone know how Sunday goes

i love to skate said:

Just a question - how is it that you are able to skate during a club's freestyle sessions without being a member of the club or the US Association? I would think this situation causes all lot of liability issues, or am I mistaken? I know here in Canada this would bring up a lot of liability issues. Just curious!

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I am from Canada too and yes, we do have drop in sessions here as well ( least is BC). One does not have to be a club member. However, it is up to the recreational or drop in skater to observe good manners while on the ice and stay out of the "serious" skaters way. I used to find a corner and practice on my own.

It would be great if you can post something on the web. You shouldn't have any trouble with the rink if your dad takes the camera. I always see people taking pictures/video at the public sessions so they must usually allow it. Not sure about setting up a camera though....I did it at the roller rink (for this video), but they were not as strict as ice and it was a practice session. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KENo51j6Byc
Sorry, only have inline stuff up now. Got to get some ice footage.

For backwards crossovers... Yes, you are correct. For back clockwise crossovers it is right inside edge over left back outside edge. But crossovers go in both directions. So for back counter-clockwise crossovers it would be reversed (left back inside edge over right back outside edge).

Keep practicing your landing edge. Good balance is a must. Interesting that you like forward takeoffs. (Most people are scared of them since you can "slip" off the edge more easily than on the back takeoffs.)

I know how you feel about being "old." I just turned 40 and I feel really old. In a sport where a 25 year-old is considered a "grandmother," I am now beyond old. I think I may officially be a ..... vampyre.

Anyways, it is great to have you on the board. And remember to use the bubblewrap!!:yes:

Dad has a cold so I decided not to go skating today. Going to try next week when my friend can go. hwell:

Update: Looks like my friend and I are going to go Friiday night. Should have some video then ^^

Ladskater said:

I am from Canada too and yes, we do have drop in sessions here as well ( least is BC). One does not have to be a club member. However, it is up to the recreational or drop in skater to observe good manners while on the ice and stay out of the "serious" skaters way. I used to find a corner and practice on my own.

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Yes of course they don't need to be a member of the club. However, they need to have a Skate Canada number in order to skate on any Skate Canada Club run ice.

Is that because of insurance in case they get hurt? Strange.:scratch: Don't need a card to skate sessions (rec). Can get hurt there too.....Doesn't "skate at own risk" cover it legally?? (Maybe it's different in Canada.)

bondgirl said:

Is that because of insurance in case they get hurt? Strange.:scratch: Don't need a card to skate sessions (rec). Can get hurt there too.....Doesn't "skate at own risk" cover it legally?? (Maybe it's different in Canada.)

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It's so you don't get hurt and sue Skate Canada. It's basic liability insurance. The clubs purchase insurance for the club as a whole as well as for each indivdual skater. The cost is included in your membership fee. There is also insurance for coaches, directors, and officials. If you are skating at a rec session you are not receiving lessons and therefore if you hurt yourself it is probably your fault and have no one else to blame (unless you collided with someone or something like that).

Here's a couple vids from tonight. The ice was terrible since they didn't even smooth it over prior to the session. Boo. I would have done more stuff if it wasn't so crowded...I had several near-misses with speeders on hockey skates. Then they kicked everyone off mid-session for the zamboni. It was a rush job and not even complete when people rushed right back onto a very wet rink. Everyone had trouble skating from that point. Meh. Hopefully we can try again next week at a different time when it's not so bad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UojKSUZAb1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07oLRz8uuDg

Nice spin!

Wet rink. Yuch! :disapp: (I've skated on those before. Nasty!) But your spin looked pretty good.

Back to insurance thing. Thanks for the info (love to skate).
I know they are afraid of getting sued. Of course, I don't take lessons. I'm my own coach. Can't sue myself. But the club does rent out the ice for that time period, so they may in some way be legally responsible for the people using it somehow....

Thank you! Maybe next time it won't be so crowded and I won't have to be so cautious, I can go faster, etc etc. Morning sessions seem to be more ideal since (most) kids are at school during that time. ^^

bondgirl said:

Back to insurance thing. Thanks for the info (love to skate).
I know they are afraid of getting sued. Of course, I don't take lessons. I'm my own coach. Can't sue myself. But the club does rent out the ice for that time period, so they may in some way be legally responsible for the people using it somehow....

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You're welcome I thought the ice you used was rented out by the rink? If it indeed rented out by the club I would be extremely surprised if there wasn't a waiver or insurance policy involved. Considering the States has much more lenient laws in respect to suing somebody. You might want to look into it - maybe ask one of the coaches or somebody involved in the club.

There really isn't a club. It is just the rink, itself.(Mainly a hockey complex with several rinks.) So there isn't a club involved. Only problem is they are closed to figure skaters on the weekends (hockey, you know :sheesh: Can't really blame them. It's where they make their $). Due to work, I can't skate on Mondays. So I go Sat-Mon with no ice time. Would like to find a "walk on" (at a different rink) for one of these days. Only problem is all of the walk on time is club ice. Don't want to join club/USFSA for one day a week's practice. Can't skate rec sessions. Too many kids for my level of freestyle. Too dangerous. :no:

It might make the most sense for you to just join a club then if you want to be able to practice. I don't know the cost in the States but it's only around $35 here - very reasonable for a year. Might be a good investment.

Sometime in the future I may actually have to end up joining a club, after how the public skate was last night. The rink I go to is the only one in a 50mi radius... and public sessions are pretty much overrun by speeding hockey players and the employees do nothing about it. Only way I can get into Freestyle sessions is if I pass "Basic 4". Any idea of where to look up what skills are at each level? As in, what level I am at and what I need to do to pass this Level 4. I'm guessing that joining a club is the only way to advance through the levels

midori,
Here is a link.http://www.usspeedskating.org/pdf/BasicSkillsProgram.pdf
If you want, I can see if I can throw together a quick video of the skills so you can see them. (But it will take a few weeks.) Also, you will need to pass Basic 1, 2, and 3. Even if you can pass 4, I think you need to start at the beginning. You may need a coach to pass you. (Some kind of test session or something.) Know what you mean about the rec sessions. Might even break down and join a club myeslf.....(as i love to skate suggested)....

Aww you don't have to go to all that trouble Thank you for posting that link!! I'll make note of which skills I need to do for each level, and I may ask the club people about testing somewhere down the road. It's 120 dollars minimum for joining (8 classes) so I'll start saving ^^

Only way I can get into Freestyle sessions is if I pass "Basic 4". Any idea of where to look up what skills are at each level? As in, what level I am at and what I need to do to pass this Level 4. I'm guessing that joining a club is the only way to advance through the levels

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You're probably talking about the US Figure Skating Basic Skills program.

You can click on "Curriculum" to see all the skills that are taught under this program. Many rinks include only the Snowplow Sam for little kids and Basic 1-8 and at least some of the Freestyle 1-6 classes. Next most likely would be hockey and/or adult series, depending on demand.

This is usually a good deal for skaters at those levels. You join USFS as a Basic Skills member, which is generally a lot cheaper than joining a club, and then you pay for a series of group lessons that often include some practice time, probably on public sessions, during the week as well. So for not much more than the cost of that much practice time, you also get instruction.

Talk to the skating director at your rink for exactly how they work things there.

In most cases signing up for group lessons under the Basic Skills program is not the same as joining a skating club.

If the freestyle ice is contracted through the local club, then you may need to join the club to skate on their ice time. If the rink holds its own freestyle sessions that you can pay for directly through the rink, then you shouldn't need to be a member of the local club or might not even need to be a member of USFS to skate on those sessions.

However, for safety reasons they do want to make sure that beginners who don't know what they're doing don't skate on freestyle sessions. So they'll want you to prove that you have a chieved an appropriate skill level and have learned the etiquette of skating on freestyle sessions before allowing you on those sessions. If you can prove that you've passed their minimum test requirements, you would qualify to skate on the rink freestyles. It sounds like your rink requires the USFS Basic 4 skill level.

If you want to sign up for lessons, they may test you to see what skills you already have to decide which class you should start with, if you haven't taken Basic Skills classes before. They might do it during the first day of group lessons, or they might ask you to set up a private evaluation session with an instructor or something like that. They can probably pass you through the lower levels if you've already mastered all the skills at those levels. Of course, if you haven't been taking classes in that program, you may have some skills from higher levels and be missing some skills from lower levels. You'd probably be placed in the lowest class level that includes any skills you can't do yet.

A figure skating club might have a similar or higher minimum standard for skating on club sessions.

Often beginners who skate below that level are allowed on freestyle sessions with an instructor if they're taking private lessons but not allowed to practice on their own until they develop more skills.

If you can test to Basic 4 or higher, then they would let you practice on the freestyle sessions.

But you might find it useful to sign up for a series of lessons at your appropriate level anyway to learn some new skills in a structured way. I did some adult freestyle classes (mixed levels) at times when I was too broke to take private lessons, even though I already had basic skating skills beyond what's taught in group lessons from when I took private lessons as a kid.

I think I'll look into the basic skills program (they have a figure skating academy at the rink), but it might be a good idea for me to get a "good" pair of skates first....the ones I have just plain hurt in the ankles and they're too narrow, and I can't return them to where I got them from. I believe that's what is holding me back since I remember doing much better when I first skated...