Need help with skating withdrawals

Need help with skating withdrawals

I started skating 7 years ago, and really loved it at first. I wanted to do nothing more than skate. Eventually, I started wanting the jumps, and it took me over 2 years to get the axel and then the doubles. I eventually began landing all the doubles, but last year (01/02 season) was pretty tough. I had a terrible coach, I was losing confidence and my whole happiness was dictated by how well I did at practice. I had to take a break from it for awhile, and when I came back, I got a new coach and re-discovered the joy in skating. I passed a very important test, and then this past fall I began skating at a new club with new coaches (because my family moved). I skated for 2 months, and then I just got tired of it. I was tired of doing the doubles over and over again. I wasn't shooting for triples, so there wasn't anything more to try and learn jump-wise. I was happy for awhile, but eventually I just didn't want to do it anymore. I was completely satisfied with everything I accomplished. So I stopped skating. I felt really relieved and happy for the first month or so after. I definitely don't want to go back to training like I used to, but I miss having the feeling of skating, and that creativity. I miss having a passion like skating. Plus, I've gained a little over 20 lbs since I quit. I'm looking for anyone who's been through the same thing, like withdrawals, or anything I've experienced.

Does anyone have any ideas to contribute back to this? Thanks for any help.

Re: Need help with skating withdrawals

Hi Bella-

What you said about your skating is pretty much what I went through with my dancing. After dancing for about 9yrs I got tired of it and quit. I was not happy with my teacher and it was about when I turned 12. I wanted to do something else and didn't feel like I was learning anything new. Then a couple of years later I started dancing again and found out how much I missed it. Then I stopped dancing until I got to college. It has sort of been like that on again off again. At my age now I just enjoy it for the exercise. Anyway my point is that we all can get bored of something that we like to do.

Have you tried other forms of ice skating instead of singles? Or maybe just skate for the fun of it. Or try something new like tennis or swimming.

Re:

Hi,
Thanks for your help! The university I want to go to in the fall does have a skating program, so I'm thinking about taking it up again then. So that's kind of something to look forward to! Thanks again.
Bella

Re: Need help with skating withdrawals

Bella,
I have been in your skates...while I was not doing double, I was living at the rink. And I work full time. All of my spare time was either skating, or volunteer peer coaching. I decided to build a house about an hour from the rink and then went to nights at work. Oh, did I mention that I gained 50 pounds? Then I got depressed. No skating, extra weight, no physical outlet. So, I stepped back on the ice this past spring. It was hard. I had weight in areas that I had not had it previously and it took me 3 weeks to get my jumps back. After that I worked hard, got some jumps that I had never been able to land, and then I started competing. It really helped with my confidence with skating. Now I am back to my regular level of obsession. It feels great!

You say that you don't want to do any new jumps. Okay. How about focusing on artistry, choreography, or maybe dance? You could skate just for the love of it. Not to do new jumps, but maybe improve everything that you have. What ever part of skating makes you passionate, do that part. The key is having fun. It can be heartbreaking to want to skate and not be able to, or to lose your passion for it. I have found that the passion comes back.

Good luck to you, and I hope this helps. If not, how about hockey

Re: Need help with skating withdrawals

Bella,

I've gone through the same thing. I got sick of skating and took a couple of years off, and then I really started missing it. I tried to go back, but the extra weight and lower fitness level were slowing me down and I just didn't have the drive that I used to, to do all those jumps.

I found an Ice Theatre group in my city and thought I'd give that a try. It was the best thing I ever did! We did a lot of interpretive skating and it gave me a chance to explore and express myself artistically on the ice. It focused on expression and edges and footwork rather than jumps. It was a fantastic experience and my overall skating has improved dramatically from working with the group. Plus we get to perform in a show, so all the hard work can be shared with others.

I don't know where you are, but I'm sure you can find something in your area that is similar. I'm in Vancouver and the group is called "Canada Ice Dance Theatre"

~Cassie

http://www.canadaicedancetheatre.com/