Advice to male skaters: underarm sweat...

[Warwick360]

But his FS costume is just as horrible :roll9:

I for one really like Chen's FS attire. Love the intricacies going into it, and it also doesn't look like a carbon copy of something we've seen in the past.

 

[Warwick360]

Lol guys might feel a bit weird about that but there are underarm pads specifically made to absorb heavy sweating. Panty liners are the cheaper opinion and just as effective though.

Read something similar about what you suggested. That was when there was a buzz overkill over everything about Royal wedding of Williams and how he prevented sweat stain being one of them. The things our journalism goes through.

 

[TGee]

I don't see this as a tempest.... but rather that some of us would like to raise something that we'd like to encourage male skaters to deal with. We should be able to make the point if we feel it's a distraction.

Yes, it's a sport, but it's also one that scores on performance. We've heard that dance has solutions, why shouldn't ice skaters, male or female avail themselves of them?

That comparison makes no sense. Costume failures need to be penalized because something falling off a costume and onto the ice could be dangerous for the next skater. And a costume violation is something that would happen because of a costume people chose to wear, knowing about the rules on this. I doubt people chose to sweat.

My point is that the rules to speak to norms of appearance. Not necessarily defending them as they are, but saying that that is accepted ground. And I don't think that the reason we don't see sweat on female skaters isn't that it doesn't happen, but rather their costumes are designed to deal with it.

Female skaters are, by the rules required to wear skirts even when pants are considered equally work wear for women in very many countries. And the requirements insist on flesh coloured tights when they are not even available in a range of colours that are appropriate for all racial groups...

And female skaters, although it's not written in the code, are obliged to shave their legs because the rules require them to wear skirts and flesh coloured stockings. Hair is natural, but not on in this sport.

Granted costume failures are usually safety oriented, but they also can relate to propriety when a female skater's dress appears to meet the code but a body part falls out or a zipper fails and there is exposure....

And men generally don't spend a lot of money on their costumes? I'd think a lot would beg to differ (and not everything that looks simple and cheap actually was cheap either). It's also a bit sad how this comment is kinda sexist, in apparently an attempt to call out others for being exactly that.

Unfortunately, it's the bling that female skaters seemed obliged to wear in vast quantity that seems to ratchet up the costs, unless your family members take on the task of sewing them on rather than the atelier. But yes, there are some male skates that go for that detailing also, but less pressure to do that to be competitive.

Actually, I recognize that male skaters do have most of their skating clothes specially made even for training.....until at least the recent availability of compression tights for training athletics. Nothing like checking out a figure skating shop or on line catalogue and realizing that there are only two styles for men and boys available in either pants or jackets.

But am also very aware that from the lowest levels, families with male skaters face much less pressure to spend large sums on costuming. They are quite frank that they pay much, much less for made to measure competition outfits, and usually reuse the same custom made black pants for everything. And there is a resale market in pants at least among the families with boys skating.... So, not being sexist, but reflecting the facts I see around me.

On the word gross... well it's been in use since at least Shakespeare in both the disgusting sense and the sense of being large.... I meant a bit of both. See the pun didn't go over well...

 

[karne]

Female skaters are, by the rules required to wear skirts even when pants are considered equally work wear for women in very many countries.

What? No, they're not. In singles and pairs, and specially in the SD this season in dance, female skaters are permitted to wear pants. The rule allowing is this is freaking ancient; at least twenty years old if not more.

And female skaters, although it's not written in the code, are obliged to shave their legs because the rules require them to wear skirts and flesh coloured stockings. Hair is natural, but not on in this sport.

I take it you've never had to feel leg hair inside skating tights. It's really freaking annoying. And itchy. I shave my legs because I like to not be itchy.

I don't have a problem with the pit stains on guys. They're athletes and they're obviously working hard. Who cares.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

I don't see this as a tempest.... but rather that some of us would like to raise something that we'd like to encourage male skaters to deal with. We should be able to make the point if we feel it's a distraction.

Yes, it's a sport, but it's also one that scores on performance. We've heard that dance has solutions, why shouldn't ice skaters, male or female avail themselves of them?

And how do we know that what works for dance would work for skating? I don't mean that in any mean or disrespectful way towards dancing, but all sports are different. No matter how flat these pads are, given how skaters pull their arms in when they go into jumps, what if they feel like that is a distraction to them? Especially the guys with the quads. Even if the pads don't hinder the movement in general, if you perform such a high risk element in an actual competition, nobody would want to take the risk of anything that could even remotely make them feel uncomfortable or distract them. And they really shouldn't. And deodorants or whatever just don't help with sweat stains, at least not at that level, and not for everyone. I'm really flabbergast at the self-content with which some people here assume the guys just wouldn't try to do anything against this - maybe they do, but it just doesn't work for them?

And yeah sure, you can raise every dang point you want. I can also complain about mal skaters being allowed to have long hair, because that's distracting and unmanly - wouldn't change it from being disrespectful, stupid and sexist.

Female skaters are, by the rules required to wear skirts even when pants are considered equally work wear for women in very many countries. And the requirements insist on flesh coloured tights when they are not even available in a range of colours that are appropriate for all racial groups...

What karne said about the pants... and also, didn't Pechalat wear green coloured tights for P/B's Little Prince FD?
Also, I don't see the sense in bringing this up at all. The sport has ridiculous limitations to appearance - so let's bring up some more ridiculous stuff! Huh?

On the word gross... well it's been in use since at least Shakespeare in both the disgusting sense and the sense of being large.... I meant a bit of both. See the pun didn't go over well...

Oh, so only meant to call them disgusting with 50% of that word usage. That is so much better :sarcasm:

 

[TGee]

What? No, they're not. In singles and pairs, and specially in the SD this season in dance, female skaters are permitted to wear pants. The rule allowing is this is freaking ancient; at least twenty years old if not more.

Yup, you're right in principle....thanks for encouraging me to look it up. Turns out that it's been 12 years since the "Debi Thomas" no unitard rule was relaxed in 2004.

I really do appreciate the correction....always at risk for gaps given my 2002-2013 hiatus in being a FS fan (from the Salt Lake City scandal to needing to pay attention to my kids' skating...)

With the negative fan reaction and judges costume cautions some of the unitard wearing women have received this season, I wasn't sure if there was still something on the books, or just resistance in the system.

I take it you've never had to feel leg hair inside skating tights. It's really freaking annoying. And itchy. I shave my legs because I like to not be itchy.

Actually have.....Not only skating tights, but later those horrid spandex stirrup leggings under matching skirts that were the early training accommodation to cold.

Not to mention just tights as regular everyday wear 8 months of the year in a climate where running out to get lunch in -30 C is a reality. [And you wonder why the shift to acceptance of pants in schools and professional environment is a big deal to me.] Nothing like being put into tights before you can walk to increase your tolerance....But like many, learned early that you can get away with a lot if your tights are dark and opaque ...

I don't have a problem with the pit stains on guys. They're athletes and they're obviously working hard. Who cares.

Some of us do. And so we're letting folks know....Male figure skaters are rare and privileged in most of the system, it should be okay to raise the occasional appearance issue...

And we'll have to agree to disagree on this one...

 

[snd]

powdering their faces would also make it less obvious that the gentlemen sweat when skating. the faces would remain all fresh and matte instead of shiny and 'gross'. should that be a requirement? i mean, one viewer's ridiculous and obnoxious understanding of beauty (and 'gross'!) is at stake here, guys.

i am disgusted by this sexist attitude towards men who skate. and would be just as disgusted if this whining regarding being 'grossed out' by a little sweat was equally about the ladies. these people are risking their health, sacrificing their lives for historical achievements that defy our understanding of what humans are capable of (both physically and mentally) and some out-of-touch-with-reality bystanders have the audacity to be so petty as to complain about 'sweat stains'? how petty do you have to be to even notice such things? god help me if i ever have to deal with someone so small-minded.

 

[skatelikewind1966]

Just when you think you have read everything.....I love this thread and even though after every comment I laughed hysterically, I could not turn way, amazingly captivating and funny as heck.

 

[TGee]

powdering their faces would also make it less obvious that the gentlemen sweat when skating. the faces would remain all fresh and matte instead of shiny and 'gross'. should that be a requirement?

Clearly some of us are willing to take this with more humour than others....

Guess you missed Scott Moir's duck and mega glare when Marina Zoueva came at him armed with a powder puff in Sochi.... (same much loved but unfiltered Scott who had us rolling recently with his complaint at Skate Canada that his coaches had him out there looking like a blueberry)

CBC kept repeating the glaring duck the make up clip in their intense competitive montage for the rest of Sochi.

 

[andromache]

In a sport that in part is intended to make really, really hard things look effortless...doesn't a lack of visible sweat make it all look even more effortless?

And if you're going to get all dressed up, might as well make sure that you look as flawless as possible, including a lack of sweat marks.

Sweat marks are, really, just one of those things that those of us in countries where it is possible to prevent sweat marks assume that everyone would want to hide them if given the chance...and most skaters do. Certainly, all the lady skaters do. If all the ladies can hide their sweat marks, so can the men.

Sometimes I perspire more than usual and depending on the shirt I'm wearing, I can feel and see the sweat marks I've made....and it is hugely unpleasant. Even if I'm at the gym! Idk why anyone is so offended that people don't like sweat marks, their own or on others.

 

[dailytg20]

I just want to know who we are shading with this thread. Name names please!

I personally haven't been distracted by armpit sweat, though buttcrack sweat would give me pause. Yet another reason to retire the A-spin.

 

[pETEs (Sasha Fan)]

I just want to know who we are shading with this thread. Name names please!

I personally haven't been distracted by armpit sweat, though buttcrack sweat would give me pause. Yet another reason to retire the A-spin.

From this season, I'm assuming it is all about Chan and Chen's swampy fabric underarm.

 

[Biellmann]

Interesting, skaters like Yuzuru sweat A LOT, but i never saw armpit sweat or at least i don't remember ( and i really can't stand bad hygiene) :think:

 

[mrrice]

I've seen several Men in pairs with sweaty arm pits. During the Free Program at Worlds in 2001. David P., Anton S., Hongbo Zhou, and several other Men in Pairs had sweat stains by the end of their programs. Unlike singles skaters, the pair Men are practicing lifts back stage. The area back there was very hot as it was a full house in the arena. I remember chasing Plushy down the hallway following his Bolero SP and you could feel the temperature change as you entered the backstage area. It was SO hot and Plushy was just dripping with sweat........ He signed several autographs and was very nice. He also spoke Russian, English, German, and I think, Italian, but I'm not sure.

As someone who spent a good part of my life touring, I have a lot of respect for people who take the time to learn a bit of the language and culture of the place in which they travel. I'll be honest and say that in Russia and Canada, I was so distracted by the good looking hockey players, that I barely paid attention. Anyway, I've looked at the video of that program 1000 times and as sweaty as he was, NO Sweat stains. He ends the program with his arm above his head so, if he had stains, the entire figure skating world would have seen them.

Interview in English followed by his Bolero SP :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQo4mLyGsNE

 

[Warwick360]

Interesting, skaters like Yuzuru sweat A LOT, but i never saw armpit sweat or at least i don't remember ( and i really can't stand bad hygiene) :think:

Maybe it's the magic of high class sartorial-ism.

 

[pETEs (Sasha Fan)]

Interesting, skaters like Yuzuru sweat A LOT, but i never saw armpit sweat or at least i don't remember ( and i really can't stand bad hygiene) :think:

It has to do with the clothing lining and the costume fabric underarm.