Figure Skating Journal, Reflections of an Adult Figure Skater

June 2001

Week of June 4, 2001
The Axel Bandwagon

I skate with a woman who recently returned to the ice after a fifteen-year absence. Darlene had skated competitively as a child and left the sport as a high school student while working on the double axel and her first triples. Supposedly this is when many kids drop out, not necessarily because of the insurmountably difficult maneuvers they are attempting, but because the lure of an adolescent social life rearranges their personal priorities. Now she says no high school boyfriend was worth giving up figure skating.

In less than a year, Darlene has regained all of her basic single jumps. Based on my observations, she spins better than probably ninety percent of adult skaters who learned their skills as physically mature people. In spite of this progress, the notorious axel eluded her and she had become disgusted. My friend contemplated giving up the quest after suffering numerous knee-bruising falls. Truthfully, her failed attempts were also better than most of the adult axels I have seen. She approaches the jump with speed and commitment, as though her body remembers how to do it. Reaching forward, she steps up, directly onto the correct rotational axis and achieves a beautiful air position. Landing on her toe pick, but unable to check out, she collapses uncomfortably onto a protective kneepad. Darlene does not crouch in the air, flail her arms, or jump around herself. Her axels look like classic examples whether she falls or not. Her worst axel could beat up my best axel. Although Darlene’s body apparently remembers how to do the jump, her problem involves confidence. Nasty falls have made her cautious and insecure.

After polishing the ice with the seat of her pants, she declared that she would never get her axel back. I understood her frustration, though I never really had a decent axel to begin with. While tightening my laces off-ice, I heard laughter and cheering in the rink. Darlene had landed the first axel of her adult skating career in a lesson. She landed two more before falling again.

Although I cannot compare myself to a woman five years my junior who skated at the novice level as a child, in a world of compulsory school figures, her triumph made me contemplate working on the axel again, though I did not attempt more than waltz-backspins during that particular session. The next day, I took a lesson and worked through all of the jumps and various combinations before my coach asked if I had tried any axels lately. A few weeks ago, I played with the axel and realized I had forgotten how to do it. I dreaded the long journey back to the rather unimpressive pinnacle I had attained months ago, before the falls became overwhelming and I decided to take a break. My coach asked for waltz-loops and waltz-backspins. Before I could change the direction of this lesson, I was skating backward down the middle of the rink setting up for an axel.

I landed two axels during that lesson. They were not big, nor were they technically perfect. But Geoff said they looked like axels. I also successfully completed a couple of double salchows and have been landing a few every day. They are not perfect either, but they represent progress toward consistency. I guess I’m back on the axel bandwagon, for a while anyway.

Week of June 11, 2001
Half Lesson

Usually I take an hour lesson once per week. As the end of the skating season draws near and schools begin to release their pupils for the summer, adult skaters become busy with other concerns. Last week, only two people skated on my regular lesson session. This week, no one showed up but me. Of course, the management cancelled the session and sent me into the other rink with the competitive skaters. I guess I cannot blame them, though I have had the ice entirely to myself recently. They probably vowed never to allow that to happen again. Only one boy was on the ice when I started skating, but I knew others would arrive shortly, they always do. Soon an advanced ice dance team entered the arena. I asked my coach if we could start as soon as possible, so I could get a half-hour before the place became too crowded.

I had a decent warm-up sharing the ice with only one young man. The first fifteen minutes of my lesson were not bad, as I ran through basic jumps with my coach encouraging me to skate faster and experiment with footwork or moves in the field leading into each element. Supposedly, these jumps are strong enough now that I should showcase them with interesting steps before and after. When I finally set up for my Mickey Mouse axel, I could not get out of the ice dancers’ way. While they did not intend to run into me, it was plainly obvious that they expected me to clear out of their path, in spite of lesson priority.

After landing one of the silly things (on the first try!), I asked my coach if we could make up the second half-hour another day. He agreed. Dividing my concentration between my own efforts and trying not to get flattened by more accomplished athletes, results in distraction and nervousness. I skate cautiously and become flustered. Ultimately, a lesson under these conditions is a waste of money. The dancers briefly left the ice allowing me a few more minutes of productive work with Geoff before concluding the half lesson.

Shortly afterward, the rink became a crazy house swarming with young people landing doubles and working on programs. One other adult skater entered the fray, but she usually skates with the kids and participated in the sport during her own childhood. She lands an axel almost as easily as I pop into a single loop or flip. I made the most of the remaining time, dodging when necessary and blowing my nose even if it was not running. I did a few decent split jumps and lutzes before leaving five minutes early. I never leave early unless I am sick or disgusted. After catching my blade in a rut during a layback, I decided enough was enough.

I left the building thinking: “Gee, that really sucked.”

Week of June 18, 2001
The Jackass Who Cried “Wolf!”

I am actually glad that the regular skating season ends this week. I have had a belly full of my home rink canceling sessions. They have been doing this all season. Sometimes there is a legitimate reason to cancel the adult session and send our group to skate with the competitors in training. However, for the last couple of months, the cranky old maintenance man has taken exquisite pleasure in revoking our session just as we step on the ice with nasty comments including: “I won’t run the Zamboni for such a small group” or “It’s not worth turning on the lights”. Another adult skater and I even caught the rink personnel in an elaborate lie to deceive us out of our lesson ice. Recently, I have stopped skating at this rink except for my lesson. So has everyone else, apparently. Last week on my designated lesson day, I was sent into the mayhem of the freestyle rink because no one else showed up for the adult session. On another recent occasion, a small group of adults skated in the dark because the same grouchy old fart refused to turn the lights on for us. After an argument, my coach finally got the lights on. Fiat Lux.

It has become apparent that the rink has no intention of holding our session. The decent thing to do would have been to post a notice at the front desk announcing that the session is cancelled for the rest of the season. Then we would not schedule lessons and either bail on our instructors or waste ten minutes of pricey coaching time trying to avoid advanced skaters. Basically the rink management does not find the adult session profitable; however, it does not want to forfeit our money by being honest. They prefer to seduce us into the rink and pull our ice out from under us after we have laced our skates and stretched our muscles. However, I am not above getting a refund and walking out at this point and have done so several times. I would not be surprised if our session is not offered at all next season.

The fundamental problem, from my perspective, involves blatant lack of respect for adult skaters on the part of rink management. We are a nice extra tidbit of revenue, but we are not worth treating like valued clients. In most cases, adult skaters spend a mere fraction of what the parents of a competitive skater invests in his or her ice time and training, regardless of how talented the child really is. Rink managers know this and prioritize accordingly, undoubtedly kissing the butt cheeks of deep pocketed parents while screwing mature skaters out of a couple of hours of practice time. The maintenance man is a prime example of the hideous disrespect endured by adult skaters. He is outwardly belligerent and rude to us, claiming we are not worth the electricity to illuminate the arena. Even if something is wrong with the rink and this rotten fellow tells us we cannot skate, nobody believes him. We assume he simply is not in the mood to drive the Zamboni. This jackass has cried “wolf!” too many times.

Over the summer; I plan to skate at the mall, work on freestyle inline skating and distance quad roller skating in the park, and maybe try a new ice arena.

June 22, 2001
Season Finale

The end of the skating season is the ideal time to reflect upon one’s progress and accomplishments as well as set tentative goals, if not for the crowded summer sessions, for the coming fall. In spite of difficulties with the axel, I am not dissatisfied with my skating this season. I have learned several new spins and combinations, improved my moves in the field, and am making noticeable progress on the double salchow. Below I have outlined areas of improvement and supplied comments describing each.

Jumps

I land decent double salchows during every session, often on the first try. Actually, the first one is usually the best. This seems to be true for axels as well. The latest advice my coach bestowed involved springing from the ball of the foot into the jump and keeping the shoulders square throughout the three-turn and take-off. These suggestions, coupled with other little tricks he has taught me over months of lessons, have led to increased consistency and fewer horrifying falls.

Although I had to stop practicing axels for a few months due to exasperation and knee pain, I recently returned to them and found some of my bad habits broken. Most importantly, I have begun to step up rather than around to achieve height and rotation.

The split jump is basically a new move for me, though I have played with Russian splits, a skill I do not have the explosive power or nerve yet to achieve. A basic split taken from a mohawk can be done with the legs extended at a ninety-degree angle and still look attractive and pass freestyle tests. I love the versatile split jump. Adding a second split, a flip or toe loop creates an interesting sequence of jumps. This week I actually performed a split leap that felt so big, I could not control the landing. Flying over the ice, I could see my leading leg stretched out in front of me. Adding a flip jump afterward to dissipate momentum results in maximum ice coverage through an impressive series of movements.

Spins

I have decided to distinguish these two backward camel variations because each can be performed uniquely. The layover is more common and only requires the skater to twist at the waist turning his torso upward. For the more exaggerated invert, the skater turns completely upside down in a backward swan dive position. I have learned both and count the inverted backward camel as my most magnificent and difficult spin. Among the rarest spinning positions in ice skating, it has garnered praise from other skaters and parents in the last few weeks. The inverted backward camel is the crown jewel of my repertoire.

Spin Combinations

Essentially, I worked on two new types of spin combinations: those involving a layback and those requiring a transition from backward to forward which is opposite the common spin combinations performed by most skaters. Backward to forward spinning is noted for its technical difficulty in competitive programs. The backward to forward camel is the hardest combination I have learned, however I still cannot do it reliably. The most challenging forward combination is the layback - forward sit. Months of work will be required to achieve a fast, well-positioned sit spin. The sit - layback is a relatively simple combination that centers and builds speed readily. Although I only learned it recently, it is probably one of my best combinations.

Moves in the Field

My preliminary moves in the field (MITF) are finally ready to test, though I did not sign up for an examination this spring, as originally planned. My easy Pre-Bronze adult test made me so uncomfortable, that I decided to avoid testing until next season. Except for the notorious backward inside three-turns (BI3), my pre-juvenile moves are also ready for presentation to a judging panel. In recent weeks, the BI3s have improved significantly, though they would not hold up under scrutiny or nervousness. Most of my success with the backward three-turns has been achieved by working on the more advanced juvenile double threes. Performed as pairs, a rhythm develops facilitating the awkward backward three-turn. An excellent skill for a brief rest period between rigorous jump and spin practice, I actually enjoy double threes and make a few rounds of the arena every session.

Considering I started with absolutely nothing, my juvenile backward cross-strokes have improved most dramatically of all the moves. While not fast or textbook perfect, they have a nice lilting action and attractive flow. Overall, the juvenile MITF are my newest set of exercises and are appropriately underdeveloped. I foresee months of devoted practice before they are ready for evaluation.

Summary and Goals
I no longer define absolute goals such as passing a certain test or mastering a specific skill. As a noncompetitive skater, landmark achievements exist only for my own satisfaction. I have also observed that skating is an unpredictable sport. I never expected knee pain or frustration to deter me from my axel goal. Now my goals are more nebulous, focused on improving skills I have learned, and I would certainly like to improve all of the new skills listed above.

With so many tasks already at hand, I find little time to work on the flying sit spin and death drop, two difficult elements that I should be able to master. If I were to set a precise goal for summer and next season, it would be to work on these spins, transforming sloppy embryonic versions into credible additions to my skating repertoire.

Week of June 25, 2001
Jazz Pants

Jazz pants are one of the latest practice apparel fashion rages sweeping the female figure skating community. I sewed five pairs of these funky stretch pants; and, since the rinks are warmer during summertime, I gladly shed the bulk of fleece sweat suits. Jazz pants are made of knit spandex blends, usually cotton or nylon, and can be constructed from novelty fabrics such as stretch velvet. They fit like leggings around the waist, hips and thighs; but flare slightly like bellbottoms at the calf. I pulled on a pair of black jazz pants and donned a brightly colored fitted T-shirt I also made. Checking the outfit in the mirror, I was surprised by how good it looked on me.

In the last couple of years, I have lost thirty pounds, most of which came off during the last year, since my doctor diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid functions less efficiently than normal resulting in lethargy, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight; in spite of diet and exercise. Though no one would classify me as thin, I am certainly no longer overweight. I would like to drop another ten pounds, but am not dissatisfied with my present appearance.

At the rink, I usually bundle up in warm clothing that does nothing for my body line. I felt especially lithe and graceful in those tight jazz pants and flashy top. That little ego boost increased my confidence and I landed a good double salchow on the first try and started working on the death drop and flying sit spin again. Although a slimmer figure supposedly facilitates rotation, I have never had a problem spinning even at my heaviest. However, losing some of the excess cargo may have contributed to the success I am currently experiencing with more advanced jumps and flying spins. Since I will never be as thin and small as a competitive female skater, I cannot determine for certain that weight loss is the sole reason for landing a few doubles here and there. I have also worked and fallen very hard for those stupid jumps. Hopefully, a leaner physique will reduce the pounding to my knees and allow me to continue to skate without impact-related pain or injury for many years to come.

Summer sessions may be crowded and quality ice time may be difficult to find, but I will certainly enjoy showing off my new body in dazzling skating attire. Deciding what to wear to the rink could actually be more fulfilling than trying to skate among the throng.

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