Air

When you're learning jumps, you get air between the ice and your blades. Some people have great air, and other people have 'credit card air.'  In other words, they clear just about the height of a flat credit card. Sadly, sometimes a lot of effort doesn't get much reward, but you have to start somewhere.

Credit Card Air

I don't think I even have credit card air.

Right now,  I have 

yappy little dog overdosed on espresso air.

And I swear, I am this adorable

Checking Three Turns...Still

You know when you have some 'little problem' with your skating and your coach keeps coming back to it again and again. Meanwhile, you're just toddling along happy enough to be doing that skill 'good enough' until your coach decides to have a 'fixie' lesson.

Yeah, checking FO3 is back. Again. Because I can't check my 3's. Still.

Basically, not enough ice time to fix everything that's
wrong with my skating.

I've developed this turn technique where I jerk my leading shoulder to make the 3 happen.  My coach looks at it, and asks, "Can you not do that?"

"I can try."

Anyway,  so I visualize volley balls in my shoulder joints. I know, you're thinking, where the heck did that come from? Man who knows; Back during '70's  there was all this hippy visualization shit I picked up from somewhere, and to be frank, Volleyballs in my shoulders just popped into my head.

Does it work? Yeah, pretty much. It's a trick to get me to hold my arms and shoulders in the right position, but it's not like a miracle occurs.

Then since I'm holding my upper body differently, I have to fix my push off, upper body, freeleg position, and head position.

Start out 'fixing' one thing, end up fixing 5 things. That's figure skating for you!

Christmas Gifts for Every Skater

It's that time of year again for the annual Ice Doesn't Care Blog Christmas gift list. A couple of repeats here of things that are really worth while

1.  Conductive fiber.  
This thread can be sewn into the fingertips of gloves so a skater who has a beloved pair of gloves can continue to wear them, and still use them on touch-screens.  I know there's gloves with touch screen compatibility built in, but they're crap. This thread gives you more conductivity.

2, No Slip gloves   These are the stretchy gloves with little rubber/plastic nubbins on the palms to keep  expensive electronics from slipping onto the ice. If you can't find them that are touchscreen compatible, you can always sew in some conductive fiber. Mission done!

3. Freestyle or public ice tickets. Everyone loves gift ice!

4. Pay for a skating seminar or lessons with a ballet teacher, physical trainer, or even some sessions with the Alexander Technique (for adults).

5.  Volunteer to help stone a costume. True friends will do this.

6. Skating protection for the skater with jumping falls. I like SkatingSafe, but there's other companies out there.


For Coaches.

1. Cash. Back when I gave cash as a gift to my coaches, I usually made it for 2 lessons (but never less than $50). Some people don't like to give money, but you and your coach are in a business relationship, it's not necessary to give something personal unless you are friends. And by friends I mean go to each others house, or see each other socially to the point where you know tastes in music, hobbies, sports teams and decoration. If you're reading this blog you probably don't have a high level coach who's taken skaters to national or international events. If you do, discreetly ask  another adult skater  how that coach feels about Christmas 'bonuses'.  That level of coach lives in a different world than I skate in, so no clue.

2. Booze. I do not kid you, the sweetest little ol' coaches that you ever did see will ask for liquor. Some will be very specific on brand.

3. Booze wrapped in money.

Probably a little over the top, but hey! it's Christmas!