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Live Blogs Getting Your Edge Back: A Skating Liveblog
TheGirlWithPointyEars2010-12-10 14:41:57

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NOTE: I am transferring my posts from the old Liveblog system. I will put the day I posted as the heading on subsequent entries. My first post is reproduced below.

—-

After my posting today in the IJAM Ice Skating thread, I thought I'd start a skating live blog about my progress. Me: I'm a mid-20's, 4'4" figure skater, who hasn't taken lessons in maybe 10-15 years. However, my local rink has public skating nearly every day and it's usually nearly empty, and I am intent on taking full advantage of it. I'm usually a horribly terrible athlete, but I love skating, and have slimmed down a lot this year by running so I'm a lot healthier and stronger and have a lot more endurance. Here are some back-posts from my IJAM thread (and yes, I was a little... overenthusiastic in the first post. Bare with me, I was excited): Sept 13: My local public ice rink had their first public skating today. Not only that, the sessions are free. I haven't had lessons in maybe 15 years, but I love skating, and I'm giddy as a schoolgirl. This topic may be, but does not have to, be combined with the topic on hot chocolate. I. LOVE. ICE. SKATING. Oct 8: Well, alright! I guess I'm not the only one here. That is interesting. I checked out some skating books to figure out some new stuff and brush up on technique, and they definitely do seem to help. As I said, I haven't taken actual lessons in maybe 15 years, so I could use it! I'm trying forwards-backwards one-foot turns (what it calls three-turns), and I was interested to realize that (as the book said) you really are more stable on an edge rather than a flat in that sort of situation. Nice! I agree ice skating is much funner than roller skating. Inline skating is nice, but I've never gotten the trick of, well, stopping quickly when you're going fast. I can't seem to do any kind of hockey stop on rollerblades (maybe I need to practice more?), the brake pad is only on one foot, and it's hard to use anyway. Plus pavement is much rougher than ice. Oh, and Longfellow, trust me I sympathize. From the, ah, other direction. There are some things you just can't get in kids sizes. Oct 9: I took figure skating lessons for years when I was a kid and I hadn't learned this, and it still isn't the easiest thing to do (I still can't quite seem to get some of the variations - backwards to forwards, particularly). It does feel pretty cool to get it right, though. Oct 18: ...and not quite so cool when you don't make it and fall down like an idiot. I think I'm going to have a pretty awful bruise or two after today's session. Ouch. But I still stand by the first post, and I am getting better. Next up: Maybe trying a spin? I've already looked up how to do a certain kind, theoretically. Although I predict more bruises while attempting this. A lot more bruises. Today: Back from the rink. I was able to do the spin I was trying for... ah, sort of. Rather awkwardly and not for very many rotations. And the speed was Not Impressive. But at least I didn't go splat on the ice. More than once. And I am getting better. Practice, right? There was also this apparent preteen who came in later in the session and completely showed me up. She was GOOD. Heh. ... Ah, Maybe I should make this a liveblog? —- And so I did. Will continue posting my progress. And whether I've broken a bone, cut myself with my skate, or become sore and black and blue from bruises. Do stay tuned, hilarity will surely ensue.

Comments

DrRockopolis Since: Dec, 1969
Dec 15th 2010 at 8:01:42 PM
Your spins don't involve leaving the ice, right? I'm trying to picture how that kinda thing works, it just doesn't seem quite...'real', if that's the right word. Maybe 'possible'?
TheGirlWithPointyEars Since: Dec, 1969
Dec 16th 2010 at 5:45:43 AM
No, no leaving the ice! It's basically starting off to do very tiny circles on one foot and amplifying the angular momentum by pulling all your other limbs (which start out fairly far away from the body) in tight.

... Not that I've quite got the trick of doing it all that fast, as I've said. :p
DrRockopolis Since: Dec, 1969
Dec 16th 2010 at 7:55:21 AM
Okay, I still remember angular momentum being drilled into my head from physics, but...you pull to a stop and spin? You go up onto your toe(s)?
  • It just seems trying to balance linear velocity and angular velocity at the same time would be difficult.
    • I know it was certainly hard to do in class. XD
TheGirlWithPointyEars Since: Dec, 1969
Dec 16th 2010 at 8:51:42 AM
You don't go up on your toes (if you caught your toepick on the ice, it would kill your momentum), but your weight is centered farther up the skate, yes :) And the skate on the ice is slightly on its inside edge, as well, which always makes you tend towards a curve. And you twist your body slightly, giving it even more angular mometum. You don't stop (which would be counterproductive), but you basically channel your forward momentum into angular momentum so instead of going forward, you spin.

I hope that helps describe it better - I'm not entirely sure I understand all the physics behind it myself!
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