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!
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!
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