Elements on dull blades

[Al_Chemist]

Dear figure skaters,

Please advice which figure skating elements are less/more sensitive to the
(i) quality of the ice and
(ii) sharpened/dull blades.

I am an amateur adult figure skater dreaming of axel and doubles. I did A and 2Lo more than 5 years ago and now returned back on ice after that long pause. I practice on public sessions in a Saudi ice rink that is not properly maintained: Ice is refurbished once a few days at best and is overfrozen.

For this reason, I am interested which elements will be particularly hard and new for me once I get on a good ice? Which elements are still Okay to practice on terrible quality ice?
Also, soon my blades will get dull (I skate on John Wilson Patten99). Before my vacations traveling, I will have to skate on what I have. For this reason, I am interested which elements are still okay to practice using dull blades?

I was thinking that maybe spins should be more friendly to dull blades but one needs a good edge to enter into the spins, so probably spins are hardly possible on dull blades. Am I correct? :-(

I will be very grateful for any advice and comments. Thank you in advance!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi. I'm sorry to break this news to you, but basically nothing. Not to mention, you ruined your blades on dull ice and risk injury.

 

[Al_Chemist]

Hi. I'm sorry to break this news to you, but basically nothing. Not to mention, you ruined your blades on dull ice and risk injury.

Well, this is simply a wrong statement and you have not seen my blades to say 'you ruined yr blades'.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Well, this is simply a wrong statement and you have not seen my blades to say 'you ruined yr blades'.

You're telling a pro that has more than been around the block with boots/blades and all kinds of conditions and knowing what is good for them and not, but you would rather say they are wrong. Sorry to try and give you proper advice. Good luck.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Dear figure skaters,

Please advice which figure skating elements are less/more sensitive to the
(i) quality of the ice and
(ii) sharpened/dull blades.

I am an amateur adult figure skater dreaming of axel and doubles. I did A and 2Lo more than 5 years ago and now returned back on ice after that long pause. I practice on public sessions in a Saudi ice rink that is not properly maintained: Ice is refurbished once a few days at best and is overfrozen.

For this reason, I am interested which elements will be particularly hard and new for me once I get on a good ice? Which elements are still Okay to practice on terrible quality ice?
Also, soon my blades will get dull (I skate on John Wilson Patten99). Before my vacations traveling, I will have to skate on what I have. For this reason, I am interested which elements are still okay to practice using dull blades?

I was thinking that maybe spins should be more friendly to dull blades but one needs a good edge to enter into the spins, so probably spins are hardly possible on dull blades. Am I correct? :-(

I will be very grateful for any advice and comments. Thank you in advance!

Are you saying you have no chance to have your blades worked on by a good sharpener before, while travelling, you get on ice that is better than at your public "cobblestone-pavement-ice" rink? I've found myself on ice like that a few times at unfamiliar rinks and got right off again before I ruined my blades. I did other floor exercises that simulate skating movements rather than subject my blades to that. I don't think there is any skating element that is easier or safe to attempt on chewed-up blades, sorry, not even basic stroking. Anything you try will be equally unsafe. You'd do better to work on conditioning off the ice (is roller skating possible where you are?), then find a good skate technician when you're in a different city/country and get your blades in good shape first, and *then* get back on the ice again. Otherwise you'll have picked up habits just struggling to keep your footing in bad blades on bad ice that will have to be corrected by going back to beginner level, which will be disheartening for you. A tough situation to be in, sorry. Good luck!

And I really do recommend substituting roller skating if possible, even if temporarily. You can perform so many of the same elements more easily and more safely on the floor or even on pavement if necessary! And an easier transition to good ice when you have your repaired blades running smoothly and are on a well-maintained rink again.

 

[emeraldumbra]

Once every few days? Woof. Even if you could practice anything, you're not going to enjoy it at all! I went to the outdoor winter pop-up rink in my area exactly once. Bumping along over terrible ice isn't fun at all, especially when the entire time you're thinking about how it's ruining your $640 blades.

I second the advice to try roller sports! There's a lot of crossover between roller and ice.

 

[jersey1302]

I’d look at getting the. Sharpened by a figure skating pro if you are travelling. Are your blades just dull but in good shape or are they cut ? If they’re cut it can be very dangerous to skate on them. How dull are they? If you are sliding off edges when you skate i wouldn’t even bother skating on the ice. You are in a very tough situation. If the ice is resurfaced every few days, is there many people skating on the ice in that time? How often is the rink used? If the ice is very poor and cut up and not enjoyable, I’d not bother skating. It’s an injury waiting to happen.