Advice for a very out of shape returning skater

[macy]

the title kinda says it all

some background...

i started skating at age 7 and stopped skating daily when i was 17. i came back here and there at 18 and then for a full year when i was 20. i had all double jumps and combos minus double axels. i loved to spin and was great at it. since then, i skated a couple times about 7 years ago and nothing at all since. i've been doing strength training/weights about 2-3x a week the last 5 weeks to help build some strength back up, but i wanted to ask if anyone can recommend some good exercises off and on ice that would benefit me as a returning skater.

my motive with this is to use it as an outlet for exercise and find the joy in it again. i will never compete again, train a program or try difficult jumps. if i do ever jump, i don't plan on it for a very very long time. i have a lot of weight to get off, strength to build and want to be very careful not to injure myself. i plan on just doing stroking for a while, then edgework and spins once i feel comfortable enough. i dug my skates out this last weekend and decided to try wearing them around the house before actually getting on the ice and i felt like a new colt lol. it felt so strange and my feet hurt like HELL. i couldn't even last 15 minutes. i was planning on doing a public session this weekend, but that might have to wait because of how painful it was.

any insight and suggestions are very appreciated!

 

[SmallAminal]

It is very possible that your feet have changed - this is not uncommon as an adult. My feet have "spread" length and widthwise since my teenage years and also my arches fell - this could be what's going on with your skates hurting.

My one piece of advice is to take your skates to a qualified fitter (if you can...COVID makes it challenging, or sometimes impossible) and get their opinion if you just need a little bit of adjustment or if you need new skates altogether. I had to get new skates after my pregnancy and it was soooo much more comfortable after that. You may find that this makes all the difference for you - its no fun skating when your feet are killing you.

Good luck and take it slow - it sounds like you are being sensible and not going out trying to do double-double combos on your own. Even though you don't want to compete, you may want to have some coaching here and there just to check your technique and safety before trying anything too advanced (but you'll likely have a lot of muscle memory from skating as long as you did).

 

[Flying Feijoa]

my motive with this is to use it as an outlet for exercise and find the joy in it again.

Good on you!

Regarding returning to skating, I'm sorry I can't give much advice myself since I started as a young adult. But I did take a six-year break from ballet in my teens so I can kind of relate. It takes a fair bit of courage to go back to something that was easy (or easier) as a kid.

Something that might be relevant - stretching and Pilates? I know you're doing weights and stuff which is definitely good, but Pilates seems to be really good at specifically targeting the muscles in the core, foot and ankles. It might help with the foot pain (although I second SmallAminal's advice to check with a fitter).

 

[sashavis]

Hello!! Great to hear you are back on the ice, and hoping to find the joy in it again! As SmallAnimal mentioned, you might need new skates, and checking in with a skate tech could be highly beneficial for you.

As for getting back in shape, there are numerous YouTube videos online available (including many marketed towards skaters!) that I've found to be incredibly useful for my own training (I am not sure if I am permitted to promote YouTube channels or such on here, otherwise I would recommend a few specific ones.) I usually follow a few stretching videos, ab workouts, and leg/back/arms workouts depending on the day of the week. I also try to walk or bike places if I can (not sure if this is an option for you), and I've found that all of those things help keep me in shape. Hope this helps a bit!

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Lovely to hear of another skater rediscovering the joy! I returned to the ice after 18 years (catastrophic leg injury and subsequent rebuild, which involved learning to walk again and a lot of severed nerves) hoping that I'd be able to just skate forwards again and was obviously completely bitten by the bug. Again... My boots hurt, too. They were worse off the ice than on it, though, as the movements you make are different, so don't give up on them entirely until you've tried them on the ice. Then go to a fitter and see what needs to be done.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

@SmallAminal beat me to it!
Your feet more than likely changed in shape, size and width since you've last skated and if you have put on weight that adds to it as well. Get resized by a pro/fitter and go from there.

Take it easy on the ice. Also, off ice start stretching, yoga, pilates, and other similar types of fitness to get ready for trying more on the ice when you are ready, it will help greatly. You may also want to get a roller to roll out after the exercise or skating.

Good luck and welcome back to the ice!

 

[sandraskates]

the title kinda says it all

some background...

i started skating at age 7 and stopped skating daily when i was 17. i came back here and there at 18 and then for a full year when i was 20. i had all double jumps and combos minus double axels. i loved to spin and was great at it. since then, i skated a couple times about 7 years ago and nothing at all since. i've been doing strength training/weights about 2-3x a week the last 5 weeks to help build some strength back up, but i wanted to ask if anyone can recommend some good exercises off and on ice that would benefit me as a returning skater.

my motive with this is to use it as an outlet for exercise and find the joy in it again. i will never compete again, train a program or try difficult jumps. if i do ever jump, i don't plan on it for a very very long time. i have a lot of weight to get off, strength to build and want to be very careful not to injure myself. i plan on just doing stroking for a while, then edgework and spins once i feel comfortable enough. i dug my skates out this last weekend and decided to try wearing them around the house before actually getting on the ice and i felt like a new colt lol. it felt so strange and my feet hurt like HELL. i couldn't even last 15 minutes. i was planning on doing a public session this weekend, but that might have to wait because of how painful it was.

any insight and suggestions are very appreciated!

I took many years off until I couldn't stand being off the ice any longer. I had put on weight and my skates contracted, so like you I couldn't wear them very long.

Go to the public session but just be prepared to take your skates off about every 15 - 20 minutes, to let your feet come back to life.
The more you skate in them, the better and more stretched your boots may begin to feel. And if they don't ever feel comfortable anymore then you'll have to buy a new pair of boots.

And "never say never" about competing again. The adult skating world has many options for competitions and tests!

 

[macy]

thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement

i am also thinking my feet changed shape. i can tell they have gotten wider and my toes are a tad bit smushed. i have also been dealing with some plantar fasciitis in the last year, so that obviously doesn't help. they didn't feel as painful yesterday when i put them on, but i plan on getting refitted for some new boots. mine are 13 years old anyway and don't have any support left in them, i've had them since i competed and they had about 2 full years of skating on them before i took such a long break.

they are klingbeils and i know they aren't being made anymore. i have flat feet and wore harlicks before switching which hurt my arches really badly. i heard the people who made klingbeils are now behind avanta, can anyone give insight on this? or recommend other brands that may be good for low arches?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement

i am also thinking my feet changed shape. i can tell they have gotten wider and my toes are a tad bit smushed. i have also been dealing with some plantar fasciitis in the last year, so that obviously doesn't help. they didn't feel as painful yesterday when i put them on, but i plan on getting refitted for some new boots. mine are 13 years old anyway and don't have any support left in them, i've had them since i competed and they had about 2 full years of skating on them before i took such a long break.

they are klingbeils and i know they aren't being made anymore. i have flat feet and wore harlicks before switching which hurt my arches really badly. i heard the people who made klingbeils are now behind avanta, can anyone give insight on this? or recommend other brands that may be good for low arches?

I used to compete in klingbeils for a stretch. Look at Jackson and Risport (both which I wear now and have for a long time).

 

[macy]

i did a public skate session this past saturday it was SO humbling. omg. i forgot how to even balance. i had to take them off 20 mins in and take a break my feet hurt so bad! by the end i was doing some crossovers and felt more confident over my blades but woooooooooooooooooow. how did i spend hours a day on them for years before??? lol it definitely gave me a new appreciation for how difficult the sport is.

i called up my skate guy and got some info and pricing (oof). he sells jacksons and edeas, so i'm going to have to try both and see what works. the main thing for me is arch support, but not too much since i'm flat footed, and enough support around the ankles to help avoid injury since i'm going to be building strength back up for a while.

funnily enough, the public skate i attended was the very first one in any rink in my area since covid hit and the next evening the governor shut down ice rinks again for at least 3 weeks. ugh.

 

[gliese]

i have also been dealing with some plantar fasciitis in the last year, so that obviously doesn't help.

Have you gone to PT for this? There's a good chance your feet are weak due to not skating for so long.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Have you gone to PT for this? There's a good chance your feet are weak due to not skating for so long.

Actually, I've skated regularly for many many years, and I have gotten Plantar fasciitis.

 

[gliese]

Actually, I've skated regularly for many many years, and I have gotten Plantar fasciitis.

I have too. Weak feet will make it much worse in my experience.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

My best thing so far for Plantar Fasciitis is rolling my feet on a tennis ball before I even stand up in the morning.

 

[macy]

Have you gone to PT for this? There's a good chance your feet are weak due to not skating for so long.

i have not, and i don't doubt this at all. i could feel a huge difference when i skated a couple weeks ago, but i also think it's due to being overweight. i went to a doctor for it last year and he recommended some insoles in my shoes, but besides that nothing else.

 

[hanca]

My best thing so far for Plantar Fasciitis is rolling my feet on a tennis ball before I even stand up in the morning.

What works for me is wearing orthopaedic insoles, to give my arches more support. Nothing custom made, just normal over the counter insoles do the trick.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

What works for me is wearing orthopaedic insoles, to give my arches more support. Nothing custom made, just normal over the counter insoles do the trick.

Oh yes, definitely. I've just started wearing Vionics footwear and insoles. I can walk! But the tennis ball trick really, really helps first thing in the morning when I have to stand up and walk to the bathroom.

 

[macy]

i *FINALLY* got fitted for new skates and will be picking them up this week (YAY)

they are Edea ice flys and pattern 99 blades. i have skated on pattern 99s before, however i haven't skated on them in close to 15 years- my last blades were a comparable blade from Paramount. i am EXTREMELY nervous to be getting used to new boots and freshly sharpened blades that are basically new to me at this point because i have only skated once in the last 8 years. i also have to learn and get used to falling again. can anyone give me any advice on how to do this without hurting myself? or any advice at all with navigating becoming comfortable on the ice again? my 30 year old body is very afraid lol. i hope there is at least some muscle memory left with falling.

 

[gliese]

i *FINALLY* got fitted for new skates and will be picking them up this week (YAY)

they are Edea ice flys and pattern 99 blades. i have skated on pattern 99s before, however i haven't skated on them in close to 15 years- my last blades were a comparable blade from Paramount. i am EXTREMELY nervous to be getting used to new boots and freshly sharpened blades that are basically new to me at this point because i have only skated once in the last 8 years. i also have to learn and get used to falling again. can anyone give me any advice on how to do this without hurting myself? or any advice at all with navigating becoming comfortable on the ice again? my 30 year old body is very afraid lol. i hope there is at least some muscle memory left with falling.

When you first step on the ice, practice falling and getting up. Wear padding (as much as possible).

 

[macy]

happy update!

i picked my skates up yesterday and was able to do a small test run with them at the rink down the road. little did i know my problem when i went skating back in November was my equipment, not me! my old skates were so broken down and unsupportive i couldn't even do a forward crossover. i had absolutely no problem doing any direction skating, turns, crossovers, i even did a couple small spins and a single jump yesterday like it was nothing. i'm still somewhat confused by how easy so much of it was for me after not skating at all for 8 years. i was so happy i teared up. really shows how the right equipment is vital to your skating.

the only thing i'm a little bit concerned about is my arches began hurting a few minutes in to my session yesterday and i had to take a break. i got custom insoles made, so i'm not sure why they hurt. when i got fitted i wore the skates around with the stock inserts for quite a while and had no pain. i'm hoping this is just because i'm not used to skating anymore and need to get used to it. any insight on this?