New here also--Hello!!!!

New here also--Hello!!!!

People knew me as Yazmeen from another board. I'm very glad to find this one. Some of you I already know. I'm a 45 year old Adult skater, ISI Freestyle 1-2. I also assistant coach adult and child beginners. Just wanted to say "hi!!!"

Re: New here also--Hello!!!!

Hi Yazmeen!

Do you have a preference over coaching adults versus kids? Are any of the adults you coach returning skaters like me, and do you have any words of wisdom for us?

I'm currently testing with USFSA and I overheard a bunch of the judges say that adults are often too tentative and need to work on their power and flexibility. I'm having absolutely no problems with power and speed--in fact, I've got to tone it down in order to gain more control.

Any tidbits you can pass along would be welcome!

Are you in the process of working on your next ISI tests and what elements are you practicing?

Re: New here also--Hello!!!!

Hi Yazmeen! I am not a skater (although I am an adult...LOL) but I just wanted to welcome you to the board. Have fun posting!!

Hello

Hi Yazmeen - yes it's the same person as on the other board

Good to be here!!!

Cinderella: I actually prefer adults simply because logic works with them. I can explain things like where the weight should be on the blade, etc. for a move, and they can understand, whereas that won't work with a child who is too young to understand such concepts.

Teaching adults can be tough, and that comment about tentativeness has merit. Some adults really get into it and want to learn all they can, and they'll take the spills as part of the process. Others are terrified to fall (I used to be, I use hip, knee and tailbone pads now when I practice, and that has lessened the fear factor considerably). Some get frustrated very easily and/or can't seem to believe that they can do something. I have one adult I work with in ISI pre-alpha and she seems to have convinced herself she cannot skate on one foot and do one foot glides. She gets terribly frustrated with herself and it ends up being a vicious cycle. We're not getting anywhere and I'm going to have to get some advice from our experienced coaches. She can't seem to get the hang keeping her weight on the skating foot. I think she was a bit miffed with me on Sunday because I took her back to little strokes (all she can do) and asked her to do her two foot glides with "neat feet" to quote my coach---keeping her feet closer together. She tends to skate with her feet wide apart and I think this is helping to sabotage her efforts with one foot glides.

My husband and I talked about this last night and he brought up the issue of adults and balance. My father-in-law is 82, a former recreational ice and roller skater, and he's taking an exercise class for the elderly where one skill is to balance on one foot. He's the only one in the class that can hold it for 10 seconds or more. Some people simply don't have good balance or find balancing on one foot very difficult. In my Saturday class, I worked with the beginners who could skate some (swizzles, basic glides and stroking) while the senior coach spent half an hour walking a new couple on skates for the first time around the boards. That's it--just walking while holding onto the wall--they couldn't move at all if they let go. The coach told me that last weekend when I was away, she had a newbie who couldn't even stand up on the skates on ice, period, no matter what they tried. So I think balance is an issue.

I had skated only occasionally before starting lessons almost four years ago at age 41. Before I started, my husband took me skating at my present rink a few times just to get the feel of moving on the ice, so I wasn't clinging to the wall at the first lesson. Now I'm doing toeloop, salchow and working on my first footwork program for competition in a month!!! I'm no natural bya longshot, but I've come a long way. What helps me the most is a great coach, good skating buddies and just a passion for the sport that is incredible. I just love it, love it, love it!!!