Sample Skating Schedule??

[sk8chis]

Oh my god, I feel like once I started posting here now I just can’t stop lol. Mainly i’m just killing time while I wait for my new skates, so unfortunately i’ll be off ice for a few weeks *sigh* I keep side-eyeing my old boots wondering if I should risk a few more practice sessions on them even though I could host a funeral and after service for those blades.

Anyways, Like Polina Edmunds, i’m a college student who wants to compete eventually (as stated in my previous posts) so i’m trying to figure out a good skating schedule that would effectively allow me to progress quickly but not such a tedious schedule where i’ll be rocking designer eye bags under my eyes in my barely early 20s.

Ultimately my plan is to skate 2-3 times a week? I live in between 3-4 skating rinks, depending how far i’m willing to travel so accessibility is no problem. The closest is 5 minutes and the farthest is 30 minutes — I got lucky!

Since I am just getting back into skating after quitting for a few years, I kind of want to self-teach *cue groans* and practice on my own a few times before going the lessons route. Which i am also still debating on.

Of course I want to regain all my jumps and spins I fell off during my years away and I hear/read a private coach is best for that but I also feel like when I was younger I just progressed due to me getting jumps and spins, but skipped over perfecting all the basic moves.

I have scourged these forums and I have seen people say that long hours of practice can do more harm than good. I don’t mind skating multiple days a week as my class schedule until mid-June is Tues/Thurs 5-7 pm, W 11-2:30 pm & 6:45-9:45 pm then I’m off for 3 months for summer break before I transfer to a university (wahoo!!)

How many hours should I be skating each practice? How often do you guys skate? For those juggling school, work, social, and/or family life, what’s your schedule? How do you make it work? How many hours do you do?

Should I start off with group lessons only + extra practice? Group lessons + a private once a week + extra practice sessions? Go straight for private lessons + extra practice sessions?

Let me know what you all think!
Also this forum is amazing, I can finally talk about skating to my hearts desire lol i can tell my friends and fam are slightly annoyed of my incessant rambling

 

[sk8chis]

Also what off ice training should I do?
I got lucky with a fast metabolism but i have not seen a sit up in years [emoji23] i like ballet and ive been interested in pilates. which is better?

 

[Mussique]

I know the feeling about skate rambling

If you can afford private coaching that's going to be the best option. You'll relearn everything way quicker than before.

Selfteaching is never a good option because you can create bad habit. In fact, you will create bad habits. Trust me, I've been there, done that...

Group lessons is an option, but since you already had some single jumps, and you're an adult, you'll be probably in-between groups and it can be awkward (that's my current situation). You also don't have the full coach attention. Private coaching is so much better because it's tailored to you specifically. You'll be able to fix your holes in technique and work in your favorite things.

For class "less is usually better" aka. lessons of 1 hours or 1hour and a half will likely get the best of your concentration. Then practice time, which mostly depends on each person. Since I love going in public sessions with my friends I have a lot of ice time, but I'm not practicing during all of it. Then again, my main goal is having fun.
I'd probably go for 1hour coaching 1-2 times a week+ X practice time where you just go and see what works for you, and then you can get more classes or practice time if you can handle it

Edit: both ballet and pilates are really good, as is general cardio and flexibility training.

 

[sk8chis]

I know the feeling about skate rambling

If you can afford private coaching that's going to be the best option. You'll relearn everything way quicker than before.

Selfteaching is never a good option because you can create bad habit. In fact, you will create bad habits. Trust me, I've been there, done that...

Group lessons is an option, but since you already had some single jumps, and you're an adult, you'll be probably in-between groups and it can be awkward (that's my current situation). You also don't have the full coach attention. Private coaching is so much better because it's tailored to you specifically. You'll be able to fix your holes in technique and work in your favorite things.

For class "less is usually better" aka. lessons of 1 hours or 1hour and a half will likely get the best of your concentration. Then practice time, which mostly depends on each person. Since I love going in public sessions with my friends I have a lot of ice time, but I'm not practicing during all of it. Then again, my main goal is having fun.
I'd probably go for 1hour coaching 1-2 times a week+ X practice time where you just go and see what works for you, and then you can get more classes or practice time if you can handle it

Edit: both ballet and pilates are really good, as is general cardio and flexibility training.

I agree with the group lessons being awkward! One of the skating rinks near me has adult classes but there are only 3 levels and they grouped jumps, spins, and footwork all into one advanced level and i’m like ?? is this basically an 8 week private lesson in the form of group lessons lol? One of the figure skating coaches at the rink who also teaches one of the lower adult classes said the class ranges like there are some who are beginners learning hops and waltz but there are some learning/practicing axels. Honestly it sounds like chaos lol

I’ll see about the 1 hour lessons weekly though, from coaches I’ve already inquired about their private lessons range from $30 to $60 for just 30 minutes.

 

[Mussique]

You could split an hour in two days too, half an hour each.
Yup, private coaching is very expensive
I'm at group lessons currently and I'm currently switching (meaning I'm half an hour with one group, then the coach sets an exercise just for me, then I go to the other group, then back, ) between the intermediate level (which only practices waltz and salchow, so not very intermediate), and the advanced, which has people working on axel, working on Lutz, working on double sal and double loop,... LOL, it's kind of a mess. But I can't afford anything else so I make do with what I have and then practice a lot

 

[sk8chis]

You could split an hour in two days too, half an hour each.
Yup, private coaching is very expensive
I'm at group lessons currently and I'm currently switching (meaning I'm half an hour with one group, then the coach sets an exercise just for me, then I go to the other group, then back, ) between the intermediate level (which only practices waltz and salchow, so not very intermediate), and the advanced, which has people working on axel, working on Lutz, working on double sal and double loop,... LOL, it's kind of a mess. But I can't afford anything else so I make do with what I have and then practice a lot

I wonder how much I can progress with just one private lesson a week and then either an extra group lesson and/or practicing sessions.
One of the coaches I inquired with does monthly sessions but there’s no incentive, like no discounts for paying for the whole month’s lessons in one go instead of single payments each lessons. Which sucks but it’s 144-180 depending on the month. Which makes me feel like if I go with her, I should just do that since it’s basically the price of groups.

 

[RoaringMice]

You could progress quite nicely if you do one, 30 minutes private lesson per week, plus practice sessions. The more you can practice, the better. For me, with a full time job and a part time job and a family, I do 2-3 practice sessions per week, 45-60 minutes each session. If you can do more (maybe an extra lesson, or more practice sessions), you'll progress more quickly. But you might start out doing one 30 minute lesson per week, and see how it goes.

Here, private lessons are between $35/30 minutes (more junior coach, further out rink) to $50/30 minutes (higher level coach, better located rink). If that's more than you can spend right now, you could do group lessons (if there are any near you, at the right level), or you could ask a coach if they'll do 15 minutes once per week.

 

[sk8chis]

You could progress quite nicely if you do one, 30 minutes private lesson per week, plus practice sessions. The more you can practice, the better. For me, with a full time job and a part time job and a family, I do 2-3 practice sessions per week, 45-60 minutes each session. If you can do more (maybe an extra lesson, or more practice sessions), you'll progress more quickly. But you might start out doing one 30 minute lesson per week, and see how it goes.

Here, private lessons are between $35/30 minutes (more junior coach, further out rink) to $50/30 minutes (higher level coach, better located rink). If that's more than you can spend right now, you could do group lessons (if there are any near you, at the right level), or you could ask a coach if they'll do 15 minutes once per week.

I think $35-50 for only once a week for private lessons is pretty reasonable for me. Especially working and in school.

 

[concorde]

I think $35-50 for only once a week for private lessons is pretty reasonable for me. Especially working and in school.

I would figure out which private lesson coach you want and then sign up for those private lessons (once per week, right but in a month block). I would also ask that same coach which group lessons they are teaching and then sign up for that group lesson as well. While the overall class may be a chaotic, it will still be beneficial to receive some mid-week pointers.

 

[likevelvet]

Also what off ice training should I do?
I got lucky with a fast metabolism but i have not seen a sit up in years [emoji23] i like ballet and ive been interested in pilates. which is better?

Both.

 

[kelliusmaximus]

I wonder how much I can progress with just one private lesson a week and then either an extra group lesson and/or practicing sessions.

That was my schedule for my first year and it worked great for me. I started private lessons a month or so after starting group class, I think once you've got a waltz jump is the normal time to start? You'll always get further with privates but you just have to weigh up the money factor. In my opinion practice time is just as if not more important because you need to solidify what you're learning, this post http://xan-boni.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/dreaded-schedule.html has a cool formula for how much practice you need.

You cant go wrong with either ballet or pilates, I think ballet is way more fun though and helps in more areas (strength, flexibility, grace, learning choreo, specific skills that crossover like spotting, attitude position, turn out, etc).

 

[sk8chis]

That was my schedule for my first year and it worked great for me. I started private lessons a month or so after starting group class, I think once you've got a waltz jump is the normal time to start? You'll always get further with privates but you just have to weigh up the money factor. In my opinion practice time is just as if not more important because you need to solidify what you're learning, this post http://xan-boni.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/dreaded-schedule.html has a cool formula for how much practice you need.

You cant go wrong with either ballet or pilates, I think ballet is way more fun though and helps in more areas (strength, flexibility, grace, learning choreo, specific skills that crossover like spotting, attitude position, turn out, etc).

Hello! Thank you for the link, I found it really helpful and even read everyone’s comment there too. I think ill start with group lessons as the next 8 week session starts April 28 with an extra 2 practice days with maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours per session. and then In the summer I’ll speak with my dad concerning switching one of the extra practice sessions to a private lesson.

Thank you for all the help [emoji4]