Useful Posts

So these are posts I've written based on my experience as an adult learner skater.  Your mileage may vary since different rinks, coaches, and skating associations have different rules. Also, your coach will have different approaches and techniques.

You know you're here to find out about full custom costumes:
Del Arbour

First off, this is the most important post to read about figure skating. Oh yeah, you need to bend your knees, bend them so deep that you feel like you're about to sit down, then bend them some more--that's only a slight exaggeration.

What's with the ISI vs USFSA learn to skate programs?

New Boots
First "Real" Skating Boots
KatzStraps for securing the top hooks when skates are new
Taking Care of your boots and Blades
     Blade Rags
     PINGI Bags!
     Gummi Stones for rusted blades
     Hard Guards!
     Soakers!
Superfitting your boots: (you can do these tricks in combination. You're an adult, experiment with it)
A collection of every trick I've ever learned of getting my boots to fit
When Boots are too large.
When the heel of your boot is too wide
When boots are too narrow
When boots are too short or you can't get deep in the heel
If you gave boot fitting issues, here are some alternative boot tying tips to try (the one for the heel works!)

Warming up is a good idea! (Especially if you're 'mature'!)

Public skate Skating Etiquette, and General Skating Etiquette,

Professionally made coaching tip videos: Iskatecoach.com vs Myskatecoach.com

Skating Protection
Head
Hips
Knees
Wrist (One of my most popular posts!)
Elbows 

Oddball things I've found useful
Don't Forget Your Boots!

If you're a male skater, here's some links to posts about dance belts. 

First time on Freestyle?
So you're in LTS and you want to skate a Freestyle

When you have a coach
    The etiquette of missing a lesson
     Leaving a coach (OMG is this hard to do)
    Coaching is a business. Things I speak up about if they happen.
 

Testing. I'm not testing now, but here's a popular post for people who do test.
Judges

Skating Forum for Adults--a forum for adult skaters and parents of kid skaters. My post about the forum.

Manley Woman Skatecast--a fun podcast with interviews of famous skaters, coaches, and officials

2 comments:

  1. May I suggest neoprene? I've found that by using mousepads layered on the inside of boots, I can virtually customize my boots. You take a thin mousepad, and cut a shape that matches the inside wall of the boot, both inside and outside of the foot, so that you don't push the foot off-center. I use shoe goo to lightly take this lining in place at the base of the boot. Take out the insole first to get the edge tucked away, then replace the insole. You can make this lining go either straight down halfway, or extend it further down into the toe of the boot. Let the glue set. Then you can trim the lining as needed, place neoprene shapes inside this lining to snug up the heel or fill in other gaps as needed. In this way you can take the boot on and off and never have the shapes dislodge or curl up. Once I have these shapes in place I lightly tack them in place with a drop of shoe goop. It's good for narrowing up a wide boot, or narrowing a target area such as heel or toe space. Layers of neoprene can also be used to build up the insole to support your foot in proper position (the bottom of your foot is not perfectly flat like the bottom of your skate).

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