Being a beginner and all, I have a lot of questions that I think can be answered if I provide specific details with my experience. I've been reading a lot of threads with the same questions as me, but each individual skater has different factors so I can't really get a certain answer that applies to me.
Here are the details about me that might help you answer my questions:
- 14 years old, 58kg, 164 cm in height.
- When I say I'm a beginner, I'm not like a single-jumps beginner. I'm a true, real beginner. 2 months ago I was clinging to the barrier lol. I can skate forwards at a pretty fast pace but on the risk of looking like a hockey player, forwards/backwards swizzles, one foot glides (except me relying on inside edges makes me turn in a curve), can do backwards c pushes, snowplow stop on right foot.
- Did kickboxing prior for 2 years, so I have pretty strong legs. NOT flexible at all however.
- I own Edea Overtures.
- I live in New Zealand so the learn to skate program, I think, is pretty different from other countries.
- I used to skate around 3 - 4 hours a week. Now its school holidays, Im skating 10 hours a week which I know doesn't sound like much (but I've only a 2 week holiday, so that's 20 hours total for the holidays). Planning to bump it up when next school term starts, so I'll be skating at least 5 - 7 hours. That is, if I am successful in not procrastinating my school work ahahah.
Okay, time for the questions that you're probably tired of hearing:
- What's a realistic goal for me? Still not certain if I want to compete or become a confident recreational figure skater, but would double jumps be a good possibility for me? For someone who starts at 14, could they later on achieve triples? (I would say I have some drive, but this could be because I haven't been fully exposed to the difficult elements of figure skating yet).
- What is talent in figure skating? What is considered raw, natural potential in a skater? What makes you go 'Hey, this person might go far.'
- Am I skating enough for my level? Will I progress at this rate with the hours I've been spending on ice?
- Are my feet supposed to hurt for the first 15 - 30 mins of being in my skates? I've owned my Overtures for a month now. For the first parts of when I skate I feel like I'm getting Kerriganned in the foot arch. I need to hop of the ice or hold the barrier or do high knees to ease the arch pain.
- When will I need to get new skates? The lady where I got them from said her Overtures lasted her for 5 years.
- Tips for one foot glides? I'm totally stumped. Skating backwards came pretty easily but skating on one leg was just horrendous.
- I've realised after 2 hours of attempting one foot glides, my blades/ankles are bent in, I'm always on my inside edge. When I skate, I skate pretty fast to the point I'm almost sprinting like a hockey player, but I realise I burn up so much energy doing this. I'm ALWAYS on my inside edge. Will this go away when I progress further and learn how to balance on my flat edge? This question, I'm concerned about because I don't want to spend hours and my parent's money for ice time only to worsen my technique. My ankles are always bending inwards.
Anyways... that's all of my questions (for now. whoops). I genuinely appreciate it if you've read through all this and have taken the time to answer. Thanks! Also, I live in NZ which sometimes have different terms for basic moves (we still call salchows, salchows, dont worry) so if there's a bit of confusion, blame that.
Here are the details about me that might help you answer my questions:
- 14 years old, 58kg, 164 cm in height.
- When I say I'm a beginner, I'm not like a single-jumps beginner. I'm a true, real beginner. 2 months ago I was clinging to the barrier lol. I can skate forwards at a pretty fast pace but on the risk of looking like a hockey player, forwards/backwards swizzles, one foot glides (except me relying on inside edges makes me turn in a curve), can do backwards c pushes, snowplow stop on right foot.
- Did kickboxing prior for 2 years, so I have pretty strong legs. NOT flexible at all however.
- I own Edea Overtures.
- I live in New Zealand so the learn to skate program, I think, is pretty different from other countries.
- I used to skate around 3 - 4 hours a week. Now its school holidays, Im skating 10 hours a week which I know doesn't sound like much (but I've only a 2 week holiday, so that's 20 hours total for the holidays). Planning to bump it up when next school term starts, so I'll be skating at least 5 - 7 hours. That is, if I am successful in not procrastinating my school work ahahah.
Okay, time for the questions that you're probably tired of hearing:
- What's a realistic goal for me? Still not certain if I want to compete or become a confident recreational figure skater, but would double jumps be a good possibility for me? For someone who starts at 14, could they later on achieve triples? (I would say I have some drive, but this could be because I haven't been fully exposed to the difficult elements of figure skating yet).
- What is talent in figure skating? What is considered raw, natural potential in a skater? What makes you go 'Hey, this person might go far.'
- Am I skating enough for my level? Will I progress at this rate with the hours I've been spending on ice?
- Are my feet supposed to hurt for the first 15 - 30 mins of being in my skates? I've owned my Overtures for a month now. For the first parts of when I skate I feel like I'm getting Kerriganned in the foot arch. I need to hop of the ice or hold the barrier or do high knees to ease the arch pain.
- When will I need to get new skates? The lady where I got them from said her Overtures lasted her for 5 years.
- Tips for one foot glides? I'm totally stumped. Skating backwards came pretty easily but skating on one leg was just horrendous.
- I've realised after 2 hours of attempting one foot glides, my blades/ankles are bent in, I'm always on my inside edge. When I skate, I skate pretty fast to the point I'm almost sprinting like a hockey player, but I realise I burn up so much energy doing this. I'm ALWAYS on my inside edge. Will this go away when I progress further and learn how to balance on my flat edge? This question, I'm concerned about because I don't want to spend hours and my parent's money for ice time only to worsen my technique. My ankles are always bending inwards.
Anyways... that's all of my questions (for now. whoops). I genuinely appreciate it if you've read through all this and have taken the time to answer. Thanks! Also, I live in NZ which sometimes have different terms for basic moves (we still call salchows, salchows, dont worry) so if there's a bit of confusion, blame that.