So it’s been a while since I have posted on the blog, but I just felt a need to write about this subject. Every day that I am on the ice during Public Skate, I see beginner skaters showing up in shorts or dresses and a short sleeve shirt. Not only that. When they put on skates, they tend to be way too large and the skates are either not laced up at all or very loose. Now that is a recipe for disaster! Here are some tips for first time and beginner skaters: Wear warm pants like jeans or…
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Do you ever wonder what the best thing is to wear in your skates? Wonder no more! Wear very thin tights or knee-highs. Do NOT wear tennis socks, as they constrict your feet inside your skates and cause blisters to no end. Some of you like to skate barefoot, and that is alright if you don’t get blisters from it and don’t mind stinky skates. If you end up with stinky skates, you can always get one of the expensive deodorizing sprays from athletic stores. A cheaper option would be Lysol or perhaps you may even want to replace your…
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Some of you may have heard of or even used training logs. Now the big question is: Are you using a log right now? If your answer is ‘no’ you might want to consider changing your ways. Keeping a meticulous log of practice sessions can help you adjust your training and give you an overview of your progress. It can also help you identify some trouble spots much quicker. Not keeping a training log can sometimes lead to unintentional overtraining which usually leads to injury. When keeping a training log, it is usually a good idea to keep track of…
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‘Peak Performance for Figure Skaters’ with Helena Nyman, Uschi Keszler and Celyne Stoudmann-Shull Includes article ‘On becoming a Champion’ by Uschi Keszler and FREE Session with Peak Performance Coach Helena Nyman Gain Laser Focus Boost your Mental Toughness and Improve your Performance Workbook * Training Journal * Peak Performance Guide 264 pages, includes Worksheets – Price: 34.95 (& Shipping and Handling) To order your book, visit: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/peak-performance-for-figure-skaters/18631984?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2 $10.00/book will go to Charity! ($5.00 for Uschi Keszler’s Breast Cancer Research www.PenniesinAction.org / $5.00 for Celyne Stoudmann-Shull’s Fight against Obesity through Ice Sports www.AeonIce.org) This Work Book and Journal is for every…
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Skating music is a very important part of skating. It can actually make or break a routine! When you pick your music for programs, it is important that you look at the skaters’ personality, skating style, age and level of skating. For example it is not a good idea to take a Tango and match it up with a 6 year old beginner skater. So make sure you take a good look at the whole picture before you pick your favorite music, and make sure it is a good match. Once you have the right music picked, it is important…
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I want to wish all my american friends and their families a very Happy Thanksgiving!
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Aaah. You’ve got blisters again? Welcome to our beautiful sport of skating where blisters are an everyday problem. There are a lot of products out there for blisters, but not many work in skates. So I decided to list some of my favorite products to help you find some of the products that actually work. Most of you are probably familiar with Bunga Pads which are my favorite to prevent and help heal blisters & lace bite on your ankles. http://bungapads.com/ For my European friends – Compeed. This used to be my favorite product when I was living in…
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As a coach there is nothing that annoys me more then when a skater has her hair all in her face, trying to get it pulled back by redoing her hair over and over again throughout the entire duration of a lesson. It absolutely drives me NUTS!!! Hair in a skater’s face not only looks sloppy, it can be distracting, obstruct the athlete’s view, and even cause injury. Extremely long hair can also throw the skater off balance if not styled correctly, something you don’t want when you work on difficult elements. Here a few a few options: There are…
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“I don’t need to warm up before skating. I can do it on the ice!” Does that sound familiar? I thought so. I estimate that up to 80% of young skaters don’t warm up before they step onto the ice. That is very worrisome because not doing so could have catastrophic consequences. It can lead to injuries that haunt an athlete for years to come. Is that little shortcut really worth an injury that you may feel for years to come? I don’t think so. Unfortunately, during my skating career I didn’t warm up every single time before stepping out…
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I think many of you will get a good laugh out of this one. I found it online.