Need advice on Motivation and Conditioning

Hi, all.

I, like I assume a few newer members may have, recently watched a show that has reignited a long lost spark of passion for this wonderful and beautiful sport. I would love to begin putting my all towards making up for years of wasted/lost time, but am unfortunately limited by lack of funds. I am working hard to get a job, as I have been, but I am apparently an undesireable or something. IN ANY CASE.

I need advice on how I can start preparing myself for lessons, mostly Off Ice conditioning and things I can do without a coach, since I lack the funds for consistent Ice time, my own skates, and again, a coach. I also need advice on how to KEEP this motivation, passion, and level of excitement between now and when I am able to begin working on the Ice in ernest.

I realize that some of my goals may be unrealistic, at the very least without at least a decades worth of practice, but I'd really like to put in the work and effort necessary to show that starting late DOESN'T have to mean that you'll never achieve some of the more difficult jumps/tricks. My goals, for those whom are curious, go as follows. At the VERY LEAST, even if it takes a number of years, I'd like to get most, if not all of the Double Jumps learned. I feel that, even if difficult, that's at least a /somewhat/ realistic goal(please correct me if I'm wrong.). From there I have three "unrealistic" goals that I'm willing to work hard for. The First of which is to simply win some kind of competition. It doesn't have to be big, but winning a competition of any sort would certainly help me feel like I actually acomplished something with my effort. Above that, and keep in mind here that I realize that these goals are in the "unrealistic" range, or at the very least will take about a decade of practice or more, I'd like to learn at least two triple jumps. And the final goal I have is one that I understand might as well be labled "impossible", but I'd really, really LOVE to one day have at least One Quad jump learned to the point where I can land it consistently. I have already browsed forums and pages and am aware that even kids who've been skating since they were 5 may never land a Quad, so I understand that I may never do so. But that doesn't mean that I can't or shouldn't even work towards such a thing, right?

Anyway, thanks for those who take the time to read through this massive dump of words, I appreciate it as I will any replies that I receive.

This question should probably go in The Lutz Corner. Read the So you want to be a figure skater thread there.

Coebalt said:

I need advice on how I can start preparing myself for lessons, mostly Off Ice conditioning and things I can do without a coach, since I lack the funds for consistent Ice time, my own skates, and again, a coach.

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Lack of funds for ice time and lessons will be your biggest obstacle.

If you live near an ice rink, then you should spend some time on the ice, even if it's just shuffling around on a public session, clinging to the boards or keeping both feet on the ice at all times. (But make sure you know how to fall and get up safely.)

If possible, take some group lessons.

If you live in a cold climate, go skating on frozen ponds or canals, which wouldn't cost you anything once you own some used or recreational-level skates.

If you need to work on your fitness, then any kind of off-ice exercise program could help. Especially something that helps develop good body awareness and balance -- yoga, dance classes, etc.

But balance points are different on blades than on bare feet or shoes, so any time you can spend on the ice just getting the feel of it would be helpful. Just don't try to attempt any advanced skills without learning the basics first with qualified instruction.

My goals, for those whom are curious, go as follows. At the VERY LEAST, even if it takes a number of years, I'd like to get most, if not all of the Double Jumps learned. I feel that, even if difficult, that's at least a /somewhat/ realistic goal(please correct me if I'm wrong.).

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It is possible for someone who starts skating in their teens or 20s, with good fitness/athletic talent, preferably small, and preferably with some previous relevant experience -- and who puts in years of skating several days a week with weekly or more frequent lessons from qualified coaches -- to learn some double jumps, maybe even up to double lutz. It will also be easier if you're male. So if you have the necessary physical attributes and the time and money to skate almost every day, this could be an aspirational long-term goal to set for yourself. There's no guarantee you would achieve it, but it might be within the realm of possibility.

If you're older, out of shape, female and curvy, naturally very tall or big boned, or unable to get on the ice often to practice and take lessons, then double jumps are a much less realistic goal.

From there I have three "unrealistic" goals that I'm willing to work hard for. The First of which is to simply win some kind of competition. It doesn't have to be big, but winning a competition of any sort would certainly help me feel like I actually acomplished something with my effort.

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Winning some sort of competition is actually a much more realistic goal than mastering advanced jumps. Depending where you live, there may be competition opportunities at all skill levels. Start skating, start lessons, maybe pass some tests, and find appropriate competitions to enter for your skill level. A coach should be able to advise you on what's available and what you're ready for. The first time you might go in not knowing what to expect, but as you attend competitions you'll get a sense of what skaters at each level are doing and what you should work on to place better next time. If you keep training and entering competitions at your correct skill level, you will probably win sometimes.

(ETA: I see you're in Illinois. You should be able to find plenty of opportunities within reasonable driving distance.)

Above that, and keep in mind here that I realize that these goals are in the "unrealistic" range, or at the very least will take about a decade of practice or more, I'd like to learn at least two triple jumps. And the final goal I have is one that I understand might as well be labled "impossible", but I'd really, really LOVE to one day have at least One Quad jump learned to the point where I can land it consistently. I have already browsed forums and pages and am aware that even kids who've been skating since they were 5 may never land a Quad, so I understand that I may never do so. But that doesn't mean that I can't or shouldn't even work towards such a thing, right?

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These are completely unrealistic goals. Dream about them in your fantasies if you like, but don't count on ever achieving them in real life.

Most kids who have been skating since they were 5 will never land a double axel, let alone any triples or quads. Neither will you.

If there is a rink with a skating club near you, go check it out. Watch some practice sessions. See if they hold a local competition sometime during the year and volunteer to help out. Find out if there are adults who skate with that club or at that rink and get to know them. That will give you a sense of the wide range of skill levels in between beginner and elite, and how far up the ladder you might be able to climb.

Hardly anyone gets to the top, but you can find fun and accomplishments to be proud of at appropriate lower and maybe middle levels.

Thanks for your input! I was wondering if I had posted in the wrong section, so thank you!

I am currently 20(unfortunately lol) and(even more unfortunately lol) turning 21 in April. To put a little more information about myself out there I will first have to admit that i'm not an athletic person. Unfortunately, as a child I never had the opportunities to participate in sports since I never felt comfortable around others who did so, and especially never had any real interest in them. However, aside from low stamina, I'm not particularly out of Shape. I'm about 5'10" or so, and 125lbs~. I know I need to shave off probably 10lbs, or at the very least, turn it to muscle(got a little itty bitty bit of stomach flab that needs get wrecked). I plan to start doing 20-30 minutes of jogging once the termperatures are closer to 25-30 degrees Fahrenheit in the mornings(it's still being like, 10 or lower where i'm at), as well as running treadmill/steppers at my college's gym. Possibly doing some reps on leg machines. Need to do push ups and crunches too.

However, back on the topic of finances, once I acquire a job and my own skates, I plan to put in at least two days a week of lessons, and, with any luck, at least 2 hours of ice time three times a week(at minimum, more if I can manage.). I first skated when I was a really little kid(can't remember exact age, probably younger than 10) and remember loving it. I wanted to take lessons at the point, but the struggles of being poor are real. Since then, my first time back on ice was last Saturday. I did better than I expected, after I got functioning skates(rent skates are horrid, the first pair they gave me were practically unusable with how much I was wobbling. once I switched pairs, the difference was immediately discernible.) but definitely need to work on single foot balance more, and proper skate technique. I've been used to roller blades where you just kinda throw your weight onto the foot and let the wheels do the rest. After watching a few videos, I see that is NOT the way to move on ice lol. I am heading back to the rink this saturday as well, and with any luck, i may be able to do so at least for a few more weekends.

And though I realize that triples may never be a thing I can do, I'd still rather not think of them as only a fantasy. That kind of thinking, for me at least, tends to make me lose my motivation. I'd rather let the sky be the limit, while keeping in mind that it may never happen, and let my progress speak for itself on what i may or may not be able to accomplish. I've seen an article or two on skaers who started late and made it to triples, so it would seem, at the very least, it's not IMPOSSIBLE. Just very, very, very, very, very unlikely. Probably depends on my dedication and talent possibly the quality of the coach as well( I wouldn't know, still learning about this stuff.). And I don't say this to be stubborn and ignore the advice of more experienced skaters, I say it simply because I think it's better for me mentally.

I should also probably mention that while I'm not particularly athletic, I do have fairly decent balance(off ice at the least, on ice isn't bad, but could be much better) and flexibility. Keeping my legs limber is one of the few things I do keep up on.

With limited funds, I would:

Buy a public skate pass at the rink nearest to your house. In my community (Chicago area) that costs about $65 per year for residents and lets you attend weekend public skate sessions, and the noon skate (M-F during school year).

If you only skate once a week it's probably cheapest to start by renting skates - usually about $6-7 per session. If you want to go more often, buy a pair of decent used skates (if you're near Chicago, Ron's skate shop in Northbrook and Geppettos in Downers Grove sell them).

When you have the money, sign up for group learn to skate classes at your rink. It's the most economical way to learn the basics.

By the way, if you're 5'10" and weigh 125 pounds I wouldn't focus on losing weight. You need a strong core and good balance to skate, as well as good flexibility, so I'd suggest trying to get stronger and more flexible rather than thinner.

Yup! By lose weight I mostly mean shave off what fat I may have and actually define my muscles. Crunches will definitely help with strengthening my core, as will push ups, and in sure ice time won't hurt either. I want to start jogging to help build up my stamina and endurance.

I am closer to Rockford than Chicago, but when it comes time to buy skates, I may /have/ to go up to Chicago lol. At least if I want to get properly sized and stuff. I heard skates were supposed to be tight, but 9 was down right painfully constricting. Length wise it was fine, but it put so much pressure on my feet(particularly my left one) that it was unbearable. I assume that may be one of the weaknesses of rent skates though. A 10 was more comfortable, but I'm worried that there was too much room.

Luckily, however, my local rinks only charge 5$ for open skate and 2$ for rentals! So 2hours of skating is only 7$, which works great for me since I'm on such a tight budget. It'll let me get ice time while I work on getting a job.

Skate when you can, check your community rec department for cheap classes. Running is free but take care of your knees. You might look at the STAR program for USFS for exercises for skating. http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/STARS exercise guide 2013.pdf

Getting all the doubles up to double lutz starting at your age is physically possible, but I wouldn't say its realistic as a 'bare minimum' goal at all. I think that less than 1/10000 people who start in adult learn to skate ever get even the axel. Since like 75% of adults who decide to take learn to skate never get past backward crossovers, if we can restrict our pool of skaters to adult starters who can land all the singles up to lutz with good speed, flow, and height, it's probably something like 1/1000 to get all the doubles up to lutz.. Of course, these low numbers aren't because they can't physically do it - it's because the sport requires so much time, money, and repetitive practise to get to that level. Once you reach the level where you have good singles, decent skating skills and good basic spins, you may realize that you have to skate 2-3x a week just to keep the skills you have. People have jobs and responsibilities that get in the way.

If you want consistent doubles, by the time are ready to start them, you'd probably be needing to skate 5-6x a week, with multiple private lessons and consistent off ice training. From what I've seen, from both adults and kids working on doubles, you are way more likely to get them working 6x a week and get them all within a year (once they have your axel), while people who skate 2x a week for 10+ years, who don't take a lot of private lessons, never get them.

If you spend some time going to adult competitions, which selects for the most dedicated adult skaters, you will see many, many beautiful skaters who have been skating a long time whose highest jump is single axel or lower. I have only known one person to do a double axel starting as an adult, and that person was a professional male ballet dancer, who was used to doing all the turns in the air already.

Thanks for the info! I know it' going to take a lot of practice. Right now I'm planning on doing at least three days a week of personal practice, as well as two days of lessons. If funds allow, I may do more, depending on how my lessons go. I know it'll probably be a good three years or so till I start those though. Though I suppose it could be less, depending on my aptitude for the sport. I'm not counting on starting them for a few years though. In any case, I'm not even solid on ALL my doubles. If I could at least get three of them, I think I could be happy. Hell, I'm sure I'd be ecstatic to get even one down. I get giddy just thinking about what it could be like the first time I land a jump. Any jump lol.

I really want to learn, but I want to make sure I learn safely and retain the current level of enthusiasm I have for starting this. So I appreciate all of your comments and hope to receive more! Any and all opinions are welcome, and of course, feel free to ask me anything if you'd like to know something!!

Coebalt said:

I'm about 5'10" or so, and 125lbs~. I know I need to shave off probably 10lbs, or at the very least, turn it to muscle(got a little itty bitty bit of stomach flab that needs get wrecked).

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Um, what? You are already underweight regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. You do not need to get further underweight. If anything, you could probably do with popping a few pounds ON in muscle - but that takes a long time.

Lol, I guess I didn't realize I was still underweight. I've been that way since I was a kid though, I used to be soo tiny. Make me regret that I didn't start earlier even more lol. Does that mean that I /don't/ have to cut out pizza from my daily intake of mass quantities? lol

Hello!

As an adult who has just recently gotten back into the sport. (As in the last few weeks and have only taken a single lesson so far!) I can offer what I think is some sound advice. First off, lack of funds can be an issue but it is also one that can be easily navigated as I've learned. If your local club offers public skating at all, check with them and see if there are any free public skates coming up. Many rinks and community centers offer free public skates on holidays and other times to draw in skaters and such for the facility. If there are none of these available, look into some of the public skates. What I've discovered where I am is that most public skates are fairly cheap and quite frequent. For example, my local club offers public skates/adult skates and Parent-Tot skates ranging from 2.00$ CAD to 5.00$ CAD. These can be a relatively inexpensive way to get back on the ice.

As for off-ice training. I'm afraid I can't give much advice there. Yoga is an excellent way to stretch out your muscles and prep them for the necessary development on the ice and working out at a local gym (Although this usually costs money.) is also a good way to start getting in shape.

However. When it comes to passion and keeping the motivation. That I think I can help with. You should find a way to channel your passion. Feed those emotions and let them excite you. For me, before I got to start on the ice I turned to writing a blog. This provided me both a way to express my feelings and to share, build and enjoy the positive emotions. If you like to write, why not try blogging or even writing a journal? Write about what excites you, why you're getting back into it amongst other things. If you've got family you'd share the information with, talk with them and get a conversation flowing. If you don't like to write, then it's a matter of finding ways to keep yourself engaged with the sport. Go watch some local skating lessons, most of them allow viewers. Or even pop onto youtube and watch some of the most inspiring figure skaters take to the ice. If you're patient, we've got the Winter Olympics coming up, wait for those to kick off and enjoy them!

As a friend once told me. 'Trying' at something always leads to failure and lack of motivation. If you're truly passionate, don't 'try' and 'hope' for a day when you'll be able to pull off triples. 'Do' them. Find that job, Get into those skates and kick off those lessons with all the passion you hold. If it's truly special to you, put your heart into it and your failures will feel minor to the literal leaps and bounds you make. Do your best and work hard at it!

If you ever simply want to chat about skating and share your passions, I'm only a short PM away and always willing to chat it out!

Have fun with it!

Coebalt said:

Lol, I guess I didn't realize I was still underweight. I've been that way since I was a kid though, I used to be soo tiny. Make me regret that I didn't start earlier even more lol. Does that mean that I /don't/ have to cut out pizza from my daily intake of mass quantities? lol

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The occasional pizza won't kill anybody! But, if you're trying to build muscle, you need to make sure to have sufficient protein intake. Unless you're working with a nutritionist, I won't recommend making drastic changes to your diet, but rather adjust according to what your body tells you.

Daydream said:

However. When it comes to passion and keeping the motivation. That I think I can help with. You should find a way to channel your passion. Feed those emotions and let them excite you. For me, before I got to start on the ice I turned to writing a blog. This provided me both a way to express my feelings and to share, build and enjoy the positive emotions. If you like to write, why not try blogging or even writing a journal? Write about what excites you, why you're getting back into it amongst other things. If you've got family you'd share the information with, talk with them and get a conversation flowing. If you don't like to write, then it's a matter of finding ways to keep yourself engaged with the sport. Go watch some local skating lessons, most of them allow viewers. Or even pop onto youtube and watch some of the most inspiring figure skaters take to the ice. If you're patient, we've got the Winter Olympics coming up, wait for those to kick off and enjoy them!

As a friend once told me. 'Trying' at something always leads to failure and lack of motivation. If you're truly passionate, don't 'try' and 'hope' for a day when you'll be able to pull off triples. 'Do' them. Find that job, Get into those skates and kick off those lessons with all the passion you hold. If it's truly special to you, put your heart into it and your failures will feel minor to the literal leaps and bounds you make. Do your best and work hard at it!

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Bless you for this comment. Like seriously. I appreciate everyone's comments, but you're the only one who mentioned anything about how to keep my motivation and passion alive. Thank you so very much!!! I especially like the bit about the 'don't "try", but "do"', it's exactly the reason why I don't want to take the "You'll never hit triples unless you started as a kid" at face value. I realize it's going to be hard, I realize i'm going to fall, possibly break something, get bruises and get sore. I realize it might be over a decade before I hit a point where I can even start THINKING seriously about triples, but if I tell myself "nope, never going to happen" it's just going to turn into "why bother with any of it".

The way I look at it, it's better to keep skating with the dreams of being the first person to land a quad who started at 20, than to tell myself "it's never going to happen". Because even if it doesn't ever happen, at least I'll still have that to edge me on. Of course my views may change someday, but for now, I think it'd be best for me to continue to think of it as a reachable goal, while still keeping in mind that's going to take a very very very very very very very very very long time before it ever happens.

As for writing and talking, I do enjoy writing, but I'm not very good at consistency. Also, till I start skating consistently, I wouldn't have much material. Though I suppose I could always just write about what I learn through forums and videos. As for family, luckily for myself my mother loves watching Figure Skating on tv, so I can always talk to her about it. And, since you mentioned it, I could always PM you :3

@cl2 I do mean what I said when I said /daily/ pizza. lol. So yes, I probably need to stop eating it almost every day. However, protein is a bit of an issue. The other thing that being poor hurts is proper nutrition. Finding cheap, nutritious foods is difficult. I can spend 10$ on a pound or few of fresh meat, or I can buy 10 packages of stove top pasta dishes. Does anyone perhaps have experience with bargain shopping for nutritious food that can give some suggestions?

Coebalt said:

Bless you for this comment. Like seriously. I appreciate everyone's comments, but you're the only one who mentioned anything about how to keep my motivation and passion alive. Thank you so very much!!! I especially like the bit about the 'don't "try", but "do"', it's exactly the reason why I don't want to take the "You'll never hit triples unless you started as a kid" at face value. I realize it's going to be hard, I realize i'm going to fall, possibly break something, get bruises and get sore. I realize it might be over a decade before I hit a point where I can even start THINKING seriously about triples, but if I tell myself "nope, never going to happen" it's just going to turn into "why bother with any of it".

The way I look at it, it's better to keep skating with the dreams of being the first person to land a quad who started at 20, than to tell myself "it's never going to happen". Because even if it doesn't ever happen, at least I'll still have that to edge me on. Of course my views may change someday, but for now, I think it'd be best for me to continue to think of it as a reachable goal, while still keeping in mind that's going to take a very very very very very very very very very long time before it ever happens.

As for writing and talking, I do enjoy writing, but I'm not very good at consistency. Also, till I start skating consistently, I wouldn't have much material. Though I suppose I could always just write about what I learn through forums and videos. As for family, luckily for myself my mother loves watching Figure Skating on tv, so I can always talk to her about it. And, since you mentioned it, I could always PM you :3

@cl2 I do mean what I said when I said /daily/ pizza. lol. So yes, I probably need to stop eating it almost every day. However, protein is a bit of an issue. The other thing that being poor hurts is proper nutrition. Finding cheap, nutritious foods is difficult. I can spend 10$ on a pound or few of fresh meat, or I can buy 10 packages of stove top pasta dishes. Does anyone perhaps have experience with bargain shopping for nutritious food that can give some suggestions?

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Well, admittedly. It's the one thing I have experience in with this. As someone who deals with anxiety and thoughts of 'will I ever be good enough?', I tend to think on these things and have to look for ways to motivate myself daily to keep at it. Don't even take it at face value. As many times as people might tell you, you have to started as a kid. Don't bother listening. I've known people who have gotten into both skating and gymnastics as adults and are pulling off things that even the kids might not dream of. We as a people, if you go by typical beliefs...only live once. Why can't you dream of some day pulling off that triple and throwing your hands in the air at the world? Sure, it may be down the line. But there is no chance that if you don't work at itm that it'll never happen.

A friend once told me that the only difference between an amateur and a professional is 10,000 hours. While that might be a daunting number. We have plenty of life to live. You just put your heart into it and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. You are very correct in your thoughts. Don't let anyone ever tell you different. So many people think that life is all numbers and missed chances. It's not. It's what we make of it. You'll make it some day and that's all there is too it. To all others be damned if they tell you that you won't. They'll only be more surprised and amazed when you do make it. Don't think about the length of time it will take, think about the amazing journey you'll take to get there.

Well, I encourage you to look into what will work for you. Consistency can be difficult, of that I can respect. Don't worry so much about material though. I mean, I wrote about how it sucks that there are no unique pants for men in one blog and how I prefer white skates over black. It's just a matter of fueling that passion even through little things. Chat with that mum and as I said, My inbox is always always open. I love to chat ^_^

Also, as a bit of a side note. Nutrition-on-a-budget. That is unfortunately difficult. The best advice I can offer is look at the varying 'cheap dishes' that you're buying and then go for the one with the least amount of negatives. Heavy salt/sugar/fat content per serving are general things to avoid. If you have to choose something bad, choose the best of the worst. Simple as that ^_^ As you find a job and get a bigger budget things will become a bit easier. And don't think that all that 'crap food' is bad for you. Fresh is not necessarily ALWAYS the best option. There are healthier alternatives that come in frozen form, It's just a matter of how much research you are willing to do.

Carpe diem! Seize the day my friend.

I like your dream Coebalt.

Maybe you could set up a gofundme page or some other kick start? I had no money when I started private lessons as an adult, but found 5 people to pitch in to cover coaching fees for a couple lessons a week, it paid for my two month start! Someone will help support you, whether it's donating skates, funds, or lesson time. Keep sharing your dream. It's not bad to list figure skating as an activity on resumes, too. Just saying.

About maintaining motivation to continue skating once you've started... it's easy, you just become addicted.

- It helps to know how to plan your progress. Set short term goals. Instead of having just a (statistically) unattainable dream of landing triple jumps, having a series of milestones is more effective at keeping you motivated and progressing. It should be something concrete and attainable (e.g. pass a test, land the lutz, or try synchro for one season), and something you sincerely want to achieve, and set it up so that you can't chicken out of it (e.g. register for a competition, put that lutz in your program).

- As you progress beyond beginner level, you'll need more and more discipline to master advanced skills. You'll have good practices and bad practices. You'll progress in spurts and then hit a brick wall. You'll have highs and lows. If you have the patience and dedication for all that, then you'll have the motivation to keep on skating through thick and thin.

- Watching competitive skating is a constant motivator for me. What's particularly inspiring is, when my coach teaches me a certain technique, I begin to see and identify when top skaters are executing the same things my coach is teaching me!

- I started skating in high school, stopped in college, took it back up after college, stopped in grad school, took it back up and now here I am. During the times when I didn't skate, I would go to the gym for exercise... treadmill, elliptical, indoor running, outdoor running... I was bored to tears. Like you, I didn't care for other kinds of sports, either. Eventually, I came to the realization that skating was the only thing that could make me want to exercise, to die panting through a program, to push myself physically. Maybe you'll feel the same way.

@cl2 I'd like to set some short term goals! It actually dawned on me when you mentioned that that you are right; I don't have any short term goals!! I think that may be a consequence of my lack of knowledge regarding what is learned when. I suppose the best short term goal I have right now is learning to backward skate. Though honestly, learning proper forwards technique would probably be an even better start lmao. This is probably the one thing I /want/ to be addicted to lol. But I can't be addicted till I have the money to maintain the addiction.

which brings me to

@Posha i've never used gofundme before. I've always been concerned that no one would contribute to a seemingly random fundrasier( "Buy me skates lol" or one i've actually considered before "contribute to my tuition") for a random nobody. But...If you think it might be legitimately worth while, I suppose I could look into it. Could always advertise it on a blog like @Daydream suggested.

I make beans from dried beans, they are as low as a dollar a pound. That and rice are a complete protein. Eggs are also cheap sources of protein. I shop ethnic markets for produce. I can find avocados 3/$1, tomatoes 50cents a pound. The dollar pasta frozen dinner isn't good for anyone. Try a large can of no salt added tomatoes, buy a quarter pound of meat, and some pasta. It's five dollars and will give you the same amount of food for the same price and cut the salt and sugar out. Good luck! My son does a lot of soups. He cooks for two in a big city and he spends $50 a week on them for all their meals. He definitely pays more than me for the same items.

See if you can get some cheap used skates that fit properly.
Secondly, you may want to look into part time or whatever works for you at a local ice rink. I know a lot of skaters that do this and they can work an agreement to get ice time included.
As far as your nutrition etc. Make sure you are doing core and stamina exercises(and not just jogging or running) pilates, yoga etc are helpful to build lean muscle needed for skating. Also,watch your carb intake and make sure you eat enough lean protein. If you need anything, I'm just a PM away. Good luck! I'm including some yt videos on core training and off ice jump strength training.

off-ice core exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgcS47xTdHQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaEo7eRtbjs
various off ice for power, stability, core etc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmPN_Hk76vo
jump training off ice exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q78hUhKxRJ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puo_R-3za8k
Power legs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzuRopS8HEc