How-To: Figure Skating

How To: Deal With A Long Commute

2012-01-21T06:59:00.000-08:00

Thousands of skaters (for the majority, read: skating parents) across the globe have committed to regular treks in order to access their nearest, or preferred, ice rink. There are many reasons for having to resign to a long commute, such as:

- Lack of closer venue
- Better coaching
- Better facilities
- Better club
- More ice time

The list goes on...

Many (some startlingly young) skaters and their families make the decision for the skater to move away from home in order to dedicate themselves to their skating and live closer to the rink, allowing them more free time and less fatigue. This was never an option for me or my family, as I just wasn't one of those kids who would have coped with an away-from-home environment, but of course I knew my fair share growing up, and are far as I know none of them made it to the Olympics. Such a massive sacrifice and life change can't be taken lightly, and one does have to wonder if there are some prices which are just too high to pay. But hey, I'm getting off topic (perhaps a good subject for a subsequent post?).

So perhaps as a parent you are already balancing home life, skating, your own life and dreams, maybe other children's activities, the list goes on. You don't hear it often enough, but yes, you are freakin' superwoman. Pat yourself on the back! Are you noticing that you are spending more and more time in the car, as practice sessions just seem to keep multiplying as your little one gets further ahead? Perhaps you even, as my mother did during my young skating years, car your child 5/6 days per week to the rink. If this sounds like you, or soon could do, then some tips are in order to make the trips less tedious.

To Cut The Boredom
The monotony of the open (or jam-packed, take your pick) road can be boring and tedious, especially when it's the same road and same traffic jam every day. Conversation is a great way to take your mind of the passing time, and it's a nice way to stay in touch with your child's feelings too. If the chat fizzles out, your skater is a silent teenager, or taking a nap, use the time to listen to some of your favourite tunes. I often find popping on some classical music (preferably Chopin, but that's just me) helps soothe the nerves and take the mind off the traffic. Obviously, you need to avoid anything that is going to divert your attention from road safety, and activities involving hands off the wheel are a no-no. When I was a teenager and training all week, I used to love spending the weekends going out in the car to the shops with my mother, only, the shops were quite a way away. We used this time to play a language learning CD (Mandarin, in this case. I'm still trying to learn it by the way... Think I may need to move to China in order to succeed!). It became something we greatly looked forward to, and a light challenge without being too mentally taxing. If your kid is learning a language at school right now, why not join in and you'll both get something out of it!

To Cut The Fatigue
The early morning runs in the middle of winter are glum. It's still pitch-black outside, and the car took 20mins to defrost and de-mist. Your skater may benefit from catching some ZZZzz's during this time, and if this is something s/he seems open to then provide a blanket to snuggle into. In this case, make sure the little one wakes up at least 15mins before hitting the rink, to avoid feeling sluggish and causing potential self injury.

For the parents who've driven, make sure you re-fuel once arrived. When you know your skater is safely in lesson, delve into a pre-packed breakfast you made the night before, with such things as dairy produce, muesli/oats, and fresh fruit. Avoid high-sugar foods which will give you a rapid boost but leave you sluggish (riding a blood glucose crash) just hours later. Make sure you're getting the rest you need at some point in the day. If you can't take time off in the afternoon, make it an early night. If you can't sleep early, there are other ways to repose your body, such as reading cuddled up, or taking a long bath alone.

The Cut The Costs
So all this backing-and-forthing is really catching up with you financially huh? You're not alone. With petrol prices forever rising, taking the car out is becoming more and more of a luxury. Consider car-sharing. If other skaters live in your area, arrange pick ups and alternate between parents. This will not only save $$$ but also rest your mind and body from the driving. If you really don't want your child traveling alone, just make sure there's room for one more in the car pool, and go with.

If no other skaters live around your way, you could still offer lifts to someone who resides in your area and who is going to someplace along your rink-route. Several websites exist to help you find like-destined people to share your ride with, such as erideshare.com. (NB: obviously it is of utmost importance that you make an informed decision before letting someone you don't know in your car. Apply common sense). In this way, you can share the fuel costs.

Be economic with your trips. If you know you need to go to the other side of town today anyway, make arrangements to do it on the way home from the rink. By planning your week ahead like this, you'll avoid getting the wheels out for little things, saving you money and time in the long run.

How do you manage to rink-commute? What tips do you have for other readers on how to handle petrol monies, car pooling, tiredness, etc.? Please share with us in the comments section!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How To: Suss-Out New Rinks

2012-01-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you've recently got into figure skating, and are looking for more information about what's on offer in your local area. Or perhaps, like the situation I was in some 2 and a bit years ago, you've just moved to a new area and are looking to suss-out the local skating scene.

Whatever your situation, breaking into a new rink can be difficult. Psychologically, and literally! Here we're going to look at how to find a (new) coach.

Finding A Coach
So you're looking to hire a coach, but have no idea what's on offer or who to contact. When I was a kid starting out, my local rink (if you can call it that, at 25miles one way!) had a board in the lobby with pictures of all the current coaches and their qualifications. This was a great help. I've noticed over the years of traipsing around rinks that they don't all offer this easy port-of-skating-coach-call, especially the less luxurious of facilities. So what to do?

1) Call the rink. Ask for any information possible on private lessons, coaches names etc. If you're unlucky like me, chances are you'll not get much out of a conversation like this. Time for step 2.
2) Visit the rink. Find out via the internet or by calling the box office when the practice sessions take place, or even the learn-to-skate programs, which most coaches in a given rink teach on. This will inform you as to the best time to visit the rink in order to have pick of the coach crop and present yourself face-to-face.
3) If your trip turned out a disappointment, don't despair. Just by turning up and being in contact with other skaters/skating parents, you may be able to find out more information in general. Don't expect miracles though, and most definitely don't mention what your/your kid's skating level is. I guarantee you someone will have a kid, or be, skating at that or a similar level, and have no desire to help incoming competition. Sad as it is, intra-rink advice can be about as useful as a chocolate fire guard.
4) Websites are becoming more and more useful in terms of finding out about possible coaches in your area. The amount of clubs online is forever growing, and many of these websites offer information on coaches, and sometimes even their contact information. Do beware of the pitfall of contacting coaches by email however, as many don't often read their emails (in any case that has been my personal experience, but perhaps Stateside coaches are more "plugged-in" in terms of technology!) or may simply prefer a more real contact with a potential new client.

So you've managed to pin-point a coach you're interested in working with. Great! What now?

DO:
- Ask their prices straight up. This will save you disappointment if you fall in love with the coach (figuratively...) but simply cannot afford their time.
- Ask what times they coach at.
- Ask whether they favour one testing track or another (recreational vs. competitive, etc.)
- Ask to watch a lesson they give from the stands, in order to get a feel for their style.
- Buy the coach his/her coffee. The coach is giving you time out of a busy schedule, and you may not even hire him/her. It is common courtesy.
- If you are hiring a coach for your kid, make sure your child is with you at the meeting! You may thing the coach is great, but if the basic rapport between coach and pupil is not one of trust and confidence, you are putting your little skater at a disadvantage competitively, and in an emotionally awkward situation.
- Arrange for your first lesson to take place on a quieter session. If you are hoping to skate in-lesson for 15 mins, book 2 x 15 mins in order to be able to chat at the beginning and end of the lesson, and get to know each other.

DON'T:
- Take hours of the coach's time up (prepare for your meeting in advance and know what you have to say, and ask).
- Say you are hiring a coach and then interview others. You will appear in-consistent and untrustworthy.
- Hire the coach for 10 hours/week before knowing whether your learning dynamic will work.
- Listen to petty gossip from perfect strangers about one coach or another. Make your own decisions.

Once you've hired a pro and start attending the rink regularly for lessons, people will start to notice you (this is not necessarily synonymous with talking to you, unfortunately). The next step of your new-rink journey is to feel comfortable in your new surroundings and make friends (or at least know who to steer clear of, dare I say...). This subject will no doubt form the body of another blog post in the near future.

In the meantime, good luck finding your new skating home, and please don't hesitate to leave comments, opinions, or advice for other readers!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hi there, skating-person. I use this term rather than skater, because despite what those sitting on the couch watching US nationals this month might think, figure skating (and ice dancing, obviously) is about so much more than just a skater.

I haven't been posting half as much as I would have liked to, or as much as I had envisaged I would when I first started this blog. That is largely down to a large change in my life: I stopped skating. A permanent back injury, and ever-growing university schedule have meant that, for the time being, I don't have a place for skating in my life at the moment (that is not synonymous with "it doesn't have a place in my heart" however). Perhaps you, reading this, know what I'm talking about. If you've been here then you'll know that skating will come back into the frame someday, and that meanwhile, a quick look on the ISU site now and again, an occasional glance at some YouTube footage is enough to keep the embers burning.

Perhaps you're a parent, getting ready to face the cold winter nights having whizzed through the glittering festive season, way-too-fast a holiday. Perhaps you are a skater, wishing only for one thing as January rolls on in: to pass a test, to land a triple, to gain a medal. Or are you the coach? The one who knows everything your skater can become this year, and wishing for a strong work ethic and maturing nature.

Whoever you are in skating, I'm wishing you a great and happy new year 2012. Success and glory are coveted, but cannot be won without first happiness and good health. Therefore those are the values I wish for you this coming year.

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!
Photo by bupowski.

How To: Keep That Budget LOW!

2011-02-16T06:34:00.000-08:00

As mentioned previously (in this post), there are many many elements which make up a figure skating budget. However, I'm sure you were already aware of that!

Keeping budgets as low as they can go will give you more freedom, and let's face it, who doesn't enjoy not constantly being border-line over-budget? The worrying, the making ends meet, the innocent expectation in your child's face, not the mention the arguments. If you can have one less thing to worry about, then all the better.

That's what this post is about. We're going to look at each facet of skating, and learn how to number crunch to keep things cheap! O.k, well maybe not cheap, but manageable at least.

1) Coaching.

Be realistic about your child's needs. If they are beginning, they don't need an ex-international-performer of a coach. Keep the hours of lessons reasonable too, and don't underestimate the importance of solo practice. If you can instil the idea of hard work and discipline in your child now, you (and your child) will reap the rewards later, both financially and ethically.

Top-notch coach: approx. $100/hr

Regular coach: approx. $40/hr

In 1 week, with one hour of coaching per day, you save a total of: 60 x 5 = $300!

2) Choreography.

Low-level skaters most likely don't need a separate choreographer. Most coaches know the rulebook well and are more than capable of designing a great little program for your skating star. Choreographers have a huge role to play in serious skating, but until your kid is off to regionals, or more, this is probably an excessive spend.

Approx. hourly rate of a choreographer (level and area dependent): upto $100/hr.

Let's say for good measure you need 4 hours of choreography to complete a program.

You save a total of: $400!

3) Music editing.

This is an important element, and obviously the more complicated the cut, the harder it's going to be to make it work seamlessly. There are entire businesses dedicated to this line of work within our industry, but you might not have to go as far as hiring a professional.

Most rinks have someone who does the majority of this type of work. Ask around, ask your pro, ask other parents, chances are you'll come across someone who does it for a small remuneration, more out of the love of our sport and the will to help people.

The other possibility is to ask a computer-savvy family member or friend. I have used OpenSource (thus free) software Audacity for years, with great success.

Some companies, for one music cut, charge in excess of: $110.

DIY and you save: $110+!

Hire your rink's resident music-cutter and you save: approx. $60!

4) Costumes.

This is the big 'un. For one season you're probably looking at anywhere between 2 to 4 new outfits (short and long, gala performance, plus one for that extra special event). Many options are at your disposal, and you may have already used some if not all of them. Custom made dresses can range from under 100 bucks to several thousands, depending on who is designing and constructing the outfit. Like music cutting, most rinks have a go-to person who designs many of the outfits at your club. They are generally more reasonably priced than buying from the large pre-made costume companies such as Sharene! or Jerrys, but watch out as if you have your outfit custom made you need to factor in the cost of materials and labour.

The obvious choice for rock-bottom priced outfits is to make them yourself. You'd be surprised how easy this can be if you have the slightest interest in sewing, and it is oh-so rewarding! You can buy a basic skating outfit pattern for around $10, and purchase cheap good quality fabrics from online retailers (who don't have the overheads a shop does). For more information about sewing your outfits from scratch, see my post on costume making.

If that seems a little too daunting for you, try and embellish the outfit yourself. This will save on many hours of labour costs as this is often the most time consuming part of skating dress construction! There are endless possibilities regarding embellishment (from plastic to crystal, sequins to rhinestones, pearls and lace, to mention just a few). Check back soon for an entire post dedicated to buying and using costume adornment. Buy your notions online and in large quantities to save big bucks, and opt for the lesser rhinestone if you're making a testing outfit rather than a nationals outfit.

Shop bought outfits will set you back between: $150 - $1000

Designer outfits will cost you approx.: $1000+

Custom-made by local dressmaker could see you spent: $80-200

DIY from top to bottom will save you: $40 - $1000's!

DIY your embellishment could save you: $10 - $100's!

5) Training outfits.

Buy online or at outlet stores, to avoid paying department store price-tags for clothing that will be used and abused in cold temperatures and dirty ice rinks. Whether your kid is obsessed with the latest NIKE design or not will tell you to what extent you'll have difficulty dressing them in last-season gear, but the prices will be incomparable, so explain to them plainly what the difference in money will mean. Sign up for eBay Daily Deals atleast once a week I receive some sort of sportswear deal through my inbox.

Designer tracksuit: approx. $100

Outlet designer tracksuit: approx. $30

You save: $70!

6) Hair accessories.

I buy all my crystal pins, donuts, kirbys, and slides on eBay, from Hong Kong or China. I have some stunning Swarovski crystal-headed bobby pins which look stunning on a bun or in a french roll, that I bought for just $6 for a pack of 6! Check out the My-Jewels store, Neoglory Jewelry or Venus Jewelry for inspiration.

Shop-bought crystal barrette: approx. $45

Online retail-bought crystal barrette: $10

You save $35!!

If you have any great ideas on how to save money in skating, please share with us all via the comments section below!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How To: Budget Your Skating (and make it work!)

2011-02-13T04:02:00.001-08:00

O.k here comes a mammoth post. I was thinking a lot today about budgeting for figure skating. As a parent, how do you manage to do this, especially if you have a family consisting of more than one child?

Between ice patches, coaching, costumes, boots and blades, music cutting, travel expenses and petrol money, it can get crazy expensive real fast. You really need a hold of your money, and a good sense of when enough is enough.

This last point is where most skating families go wrong, as the more invested physically, financially and emotionally, the more will be invested in the hope that just that little bit more will cause a breakthrough in the skaters' career. Lucidity is the key, and not something you find in abundance in ice rinks at 5.30am, as you huddle under multiple blankets, cradling a hot cup of instant coffee (bleugh).

Budgeting isn't just about having enough money to go around each month. It's so much more than that. It's ensuring your child (or children) have enough money to set them up in life. Pay those tuition fees. Pay for that business set-up, or the room to rent they need in order to go to that great school they got accepted to. The choices you make now as a parent will resound throughout your child's young adult life. So how do you get it right?

Of course the fundamental factor is going to be the amount of income your household generates. Often-times families with larger incomes will already have certain measures in place, such as college funds. Families on tighter budgets may not, and money seems to run away that much easier when you don't have much of it.

Decide how much needs to be put away to ensure a lump-sum for your child when he or she will need it most (see above). O.k, if your kid is 10 years old you don't know whether they'll be going to Harvard, but chances are they'll need money for something to help set them up in life. As a parent, you don't want to see them struggle, or worse still resent the fact you didn't plan better for them.

Once you've decided on how much you want your child to have, calculate how much needs to be put away, over how many months or years, in order to assure you reach your goal. For example, if you want your child to have $25,000 in ten years time, you need to put away $209 each month for a total of 120 months (10 years). This will give you a total of $25,080. Place this on an account with a good interest rate and you could really boost your earnings too. Some accounts allow you to put money in but not take any out, which is the foolproof way of locking that special money away without the threat of having to use it for that emergency. Use websites such as moneysupermarket.com (this is a British website but use Google to find the equivalent service in your country).

Now you know how much you have left every month for current activities. You'll know what your monthly spending is for all the essentials such as food, savings accounts, pension schemes, hobbies, etc., so now you can see more clearly how much money you really have left over to invest in your child's skating career. Write down a figure, don't worry if it's low, you're not the only one in this situation and many skating families make it work on a shoestring budget. You just need to be in the right frame of mind.

Buy yourself an accounts book if you're a traditional sort of person, or download a great spreadsheet or accounting program for your computer, to keep track of everything you spend that's related to skating. I recommend these wonderful OpenSource (and thus free) programs: OpenOffice (an entire suite much like Microsoft Office, it includes word processing, spreadsheets and presentation programs, all absolutely free), and GnuCash (a great accounting program which requires a little investment in time and effort to learn, but will transform your finances forever!).

Figure out your one-time-per-season expenses. These will include (but are not limited to): costumes, music cutting, choreography lessons, boots, blades, new sportswear for training, tights, etc.. Some of these will need to be purchased at the beginning of the season (costumes, music and choreography), whereas others make more sense to buy at the seasons end (boots and blades - easier to break them in during the off-season than before a spate of competitions). Deduct these expenses from the figure you wrote down a few steps earlier.

Figure out where the majority of your skating budget goes in any given month. Chances are, it'll be in ice patches, coaching fees, and gas money to get to and from the rink. Those should be quite constant sums of money and thus can be budgeted over long periods of time fairly consistently (perhaps bar the gas money as prices do fluctuate). This will now give you an idea of how much is left over each month.

Look at your skating calendar. You may have to make choices as to which events you attend, and although this should be discussed with the coach, don't allow yourself to be persuaded to attend events which go over your budget. If qualifying events are in your area, then don't cross 5 states to get to one. Be practical and plan ahead to avoid disappointment and over-spending. Now that you know which events you will be attending this season, calculate the cost of these trips and define how much money you will need for each. Factor in travel expenses, eating out, coaching fees and coach travel expenses. For example, if you will be attending an event in 3months time that will cost $300, start putting money aside. If you can't afford $100/month savings, try putting $25/week aside. Of course you can see this amounts to the same money, but parting with smaller sums more often, is more manageable than larger ones, as often we spend those $25 on things we didn't really need (that $7 Starbucks anyone? That L'oreal nail varnish at $10 when we could have bought shop-brand for $3?).

Keep filling in that accounts book. It will help you see where you're haemorrhaging money. Maybe you need to stop buying your coach coffee each morning, for a total of $15/week. Or perhaps quality needs to replace quantity in the form of less ice time (instead of 2 hours, 1 of which is spent chatting to friends instead of actually training, buy 1 hour of ice time and tell your skater it's time to work).

As long as you keep detailed accounts of what goes where, you simply can't go wrong. You will need to be realistic and lucid though. Not all skaters are going to the World Championships, and as such, budget and schedule should fit their potential. Evidently every parent believes their child is golden, and deserves the very best. But we don't always live in ideal situations and it's your responsibility to make sure your family live a happy life within its means. Good luck, and keep on budgeting!!

Come back soon for a post of how to keep the cost of things as low as possible!

How do you manage to juggle skating and the rest of family life? How do you organise your finances? Please share your tips and tricks with everyone using the comments section below!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How To: Beat The Mid-Season Blues

2011-02-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

We're well and truly in the thick of it now. With the season starting in some areas as early as the end of August, and with no end in sight yet, many skaters (and parents alike) will be starting to feel the strain.

I always got a little overwhelmed come the New Year, especially after the joyous holiday period, and the return to the bleak white nothingness that is the month of January!

Evidently if you are honestly happy skating, and want to be there of your own accord then your efforts will always feel worth it in the long run. But even die-hard athletes get tired of the routine, and something needs to give if you want to round off your season on a (or several!) high note(s).

When I was in the thick of my busiest training months (approx. 5 hours on ice per day, followed by 1 hour off ice per day, 6 days per week), I needed to do something to feel normal again. Here's how I dealt with it:

Take time off. I know this may seem madness to many, but I always performed much better after a break. You're not going to forget your program, and you're not going to forget how to jump double axel, if you take a week off from your training regime. The skating knowledge you've acquired is tacit (like riding a bike). You'll get back on the ice, and go! Taking time off doesn't necessarily mean going on holiday. It can mean staying at home, seeing friends, just plain chilling out.

Eat something you don't normally allow yourself. You'll feel treated, and this will help overcome the sense of monotony you're experiencing.

And speaking of treats... Do something awesome. Like a spa day. Get your nails done. Take the day for you. Start with a breakfast of fresh orange juice and a yoga class. Progress to a beauty treatment and lunch with the girls. Tuck yourself in for an early night after an aromatherapy bubble bath, with soft music and/or a good book. Chopin works for me every time. Now here's the catch: do this mid-week. No this isn't a Sunday. This is a Wednesday. It's about breaking your routine and reminding yourself you are special.

Tone down on the practice hours. If I was preparing for something important and felt tired, but couldn't bring myself to take a day (or more) off, I'd simply go to practice, do one of everything, and leave. This will give you a sense of achievement without the worry of "can I get it back together just before the big day". You also may not want to lose your cardio level if you're running up to an event, so running your program once through will keep you on edge.

In any case, most athletes end up finding the right way to wind down. I think I read somewhere Sasha Cohen likes shopping with friends. You get the idea.

Ps. This all works for worn-out skating mothers too ;)

How do you take the pressure off? Does your child have a special thing they like to do to help feel re-energised mid-season? Please let us all know in the comments section below!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Be Fair To Your Non-Skaters

2011-02-12T06:25:00.001-08:00

You're probably not superbly rich, but you probably do have more than one child. That's the sort of household I grew up in, and I'm guessing I'm not the only skater from a working class family whose parents juggled skating with the whole other realm that is family life.

Yes, it would be lovely indeed, to call Jeeves to collect Skating-Sister from school, cook her dinner, help with homework, make that crafts project, and keep a watchful eye on the friends she has over. But I didn't live in fantasy-dream-land, and chances you don't either!

Skating is demanding, we've all figured that out by now. What's-more, it is exponentially so. The further down the line you are, the more effort it takes to get just 5% more ready for that competition. Skating is a black hole of emotional and financial investment, sucking the very life from you at times. But you're not the only one, what about the toll it's taking on other family members?

If you have non-skating children, sooner or later you'll here the "it's not fair I never see you/don't get as much argument". I didn't realise at the time, but with hindsight I feel pretty guilty about my sister and how many hours she spent alone at home. Granted, she was old enough to be loving the independence, but was it really fair?

Make sure your non-skater is catered for. I've got to hand it to my parents, my sister played instruments, participated in school activities, and later went on to be a core member of the schools lighting team, working on every theatre-based production going (always was good with electrics, my sis!). Making sure your non-skater is fulfilling his or her dreams is just as important as your skater getting in that extra ice time, and their needs must be treated with the same importance and urgency as any other family member.

You can't buy love. It's not just about being financially fair. Don't get me wrong, this is important to simply make sure you're meeting the demands of each of your children, but it's not always enough alone to satisfy the needs of a child. If your kid needs times with you, make sure they get it. I'm not saying drop commitments and run, but make sure that while you are scheduling in the next 2 weeks activities there is some "us time" in there somewhere.

Make them important in the skating environment. My sister came to all my competitions, and was chief score-taker. Ahhh, the golden olden-days of open 6.0 marking!! She would take it all down, and calculate placings before they were even announced. This might have really bored her to the core, but it never looked that way to me, and I felt super supported having her there. Every one can play a role in the skating lifestyle, given the chance.

Although this may seem like simple parenting-101, it can be all too easy to lose sight of things mid-season, when tensions are running high and you just have to get to that extra practice session. Make sure both parents are pulling their weight and giving to each and every child. No one need feel left out, nor be pushed into something that would be detrimental to them and the things they care about (try not to insist Non-Skater comes along to a 3 hour practice if s/he has an academic exam the next day!).

Be fair, be open, be attentive, and listen to their needs. Be the great parent you know you are, and for heavens sake, don't let skating get in the way!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How To: Treat your skater this Christmas

2010-12-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

The festive season is upon us! Hurrah! I'm having the time of my year, despite the severe weather disrupting all my Xmas shopping arriving from all over the world (eBay addict, me? Noo....). Now the big day is almost upon us, have you sorted out a perfect gift for your skater?

Here's my short list of super duper gifts for the tired but dedicated sports-person in your life. Separated into 3 price brackets I aim to inspire you with some cute and some utterly fabulous gift ideas. So lets go!

Price range 1: "I'm on a budget (duh, I'm from a skating household)"

1. Wheat bag. If your skater does not already own one of these amazing pieces of equipment, then s/he won't know what hit them when they try it out. A rectangle of material filled with wheat grain, pop it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes and apply to any aching muscles or cramping back for instant relief!

My 2 cents: I use mine almost every day. I bought it for $5. You can even make your own if money is tight, there are many tutorials on the web such as this one. Trust me, you'll be stealing this from your skater! Slipper-wheatbags exist too. Pop in microwave, pop onto feet, melt into the sheer pleasure of warm tootsies!

2. Some skating culture. How about reviewing classic and key performances that shaped figure skating as a sport? Hunt down great priced DVDs like this one on either Amazon or eBay.

My 2 cents: I love watching old performances and drawing inspiration from skaters many younger generations have never heard of. Get that competitive edge, all while chilling out on the sofa, gingerbread cookie in-hand! Your skater will appreciate.

3. Skating art. Commission a student artist from a local art school (or connect via the internet), or use such sites as Etsy.com to find someone with talent and flare. For as little as $10 you could offer a unique piece of art to your skater, maybe featuring themselves, or their favourite skater?

My 2 cents: I love personalised things made just for me. Who on earth doesn't? This is a cost-effective way of showing your skater what they mean to you, and by using a photo of them from a recent competition it creates a great memento they can keep all their life.

Price Range 2: "I'm getting my skater something special this Christmas"

1. A Starbucks (or equivalent) travel mug. This is the perfect way to make it to those early-morning sessions with a hot frothy latte in hand. They cost anywhere between $5-30.

My 2 cents: I'm not sure about the U.S, but in the U.K if you buy your drink at Starbucks and ask for it to be filled into your travel mug, you get a discount. Result!

2. Repetto trousers. A little bit of classical ballet luxury in your skaters' everyday life.

My 2 cents: These are the softest most beautiful training trousers I have ever worn. With a pair of tights underneath they did me for many a show rehearsal, and are so versatile due to the drawstring bottom which means you can make them into shorts, 3/4-length, etc. Damn whoever stole those trousers from me!

3. Foot spa. These babies melt away all those cramps and cleanse grimy, sweaty skate-feet. Keeps nails super clean, and relaxes ligaments and muscles that could only get this much love if you had a private personal masseuse. From as low as $29 on Amazon.

My 2 cents: Don't use more than once a week or else skaters foot skin will soften and can cause pain while skating (all that hard skin your skater has worked hard to build up will be slain by the massaging bubbles of the foot spa). So no more than once a week. That only applies to skaters though, not mothers. Wink wink.

Price Range 3: "I simply don't know how I'll find the time to feed our ponies with all the shopping I'm doing!" (ok so you have to imagine that in a hoity-toity voice)

1. Cashmere gloves. This is just the warmest material you're going to find, and it's oh so luxurious. It'll fit in perfectly with that snug and spicy festive season ambiance.

My 2 cents: Unfortunately I cannot report good things of skating-famed Eric Bompard Cashmere items. My mother-in-law gave me a pair of beautiful elbow-length gloves last Christmas and just one month later my nails were peeping out the finger ends. Shop around, you'll find these gorgeous pieces of sheer luxury at many outlets this winter season.

2. An mp3 player. Perfect for warming up off ice and blocking out the competitive surroundings, an mp3 player into which not only skating program music can go, but also your skaters' favourite motivational tunes is a real gem, especially mid-season with many more competitions to come. Top off this gift with a pair of padded earphones for ultimate rink-side comfort.

My 2 cents: don't buy an iPod. They are expensive, lock you into one system, they will not work easily unless you have iTunes on your computer, you can not get music back out of the iPod (which sucks if you have your computer stolen and all your music with it. You know all your music is right there, in your iPod, but Apple have decided you shouldn't be allowed to get to it. Total nonsense in my opinion, in light of the hefty price tag, I believe the customer should always be right!), the battery doesn't last long, and cannot be changed... need I go on. I recently bought a Sansa Clip+ for $35, and it is sheer brilliance!

3. Luscious skin cream(s). The sensation of a hot shower followed by the application of rich, thick, face and hand creams once home from a long practice session is one of total decadence. You can go from reasonable to amazingly pricey (Creme de la Mer starts at around $140 for a pot!). The choice is up to you.

My 2 cents: My guilty pleasure is the amazingly cheap $10 Crabtree & Evelyn rosewater hand cream.

Whatever you give this holiday season, as long as it's with love, I'm pretty sure it'll be met with enthusiasm and gratefulness. If all else fails, administer a large hug with a mug of hot chocolate, a family-friendly feel-good movie, and copious amounts of home made goodies. Happy Christmas!

What are you doing for Xmas? What will go be giving to your skater? We'd love to hear your ideas so please just leave a comment for others to get inspired!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Remember the spirit of Christmas

2010-12-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

So the holiday season is upon us. Where did that come from? In any case, I don't know about you guys, but it's my favorite time of the year. The snow, the lights, the music, the mulled wine, the warm buzz inside. If figure skating ever fit into any atmosphere, this is it. So why not make the most of it, and let a little holiday love into your daily skating routine? Here are some ideas to spice up your festive skating.

Wear something fun. I'm known as a bit of a hat nut at my rink, and I won't be missing out on the occasion to look perfectly ridiculous wearing a pair of reindeer antlers. If you don't think you can be quite as bold how about a pair of festive earrings, or a Santa hat?

Bring something along. If you are (or your mother is) a domestic goddess then you will already know how to bake the perfect gingerbread cookie. I'm still working on my recipe, I can never seem to get them quite gingery enough! Even if you're no culinary queen, the store-bought stuff still gets the sentiment across. I don't think I'd ever spoken to at least 3 people at my rink until the day I took in a box of mince pies last year. Bring that little bit of love into someone's life, you could really brighten a day.

Do a favor. Yes this extends to the rink too. Lord knows rinks can be hostile places, so Xmas gives the perfect excuse to open your heart and reach out. Maybe someone needs something you can give them, whether it be a pair of gloves, a piece of music cutting, or even just a cut of coffee. Go on, you'll feel great for the rest of the day (y'all can go back to being bitchy in January, promise!).

Play some Xmas tunes. Are you as fed up with the rather terrible music selection played during training sessions as I am? I'm pretty bored listening to Dodgy-RnB-Remix-4000 on repeat. How about getting a Christmas music selection CD for all of 5 dollars off Amazon and imposing a little festive cheer on all ears? Sounds like audio salvation to me.

Bring a smile to peoples faces, with your skating. If your rink is having a gala, see it as a chance to not take yourself (and your skating) so seriously, but rather bring a little laughter into the hearts of those in your community. Do something funny. Show a side of you people didn't know. They'll love you for it, and you'll feel exhilarated for reaching outside your comfort zone.

Whatever you do, make sure you have fun. The very idea of popping into the rink to hand out Christmas cards and cookies make me smile inside. After all, these people are like family. But you already knew that.

What do you do at Xmas at the rink? Do you have a special ritual? Share it with us!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits (all downloaded from sxc.hu):

Xmas bauble by steved_np3

Gingerbread cookie by lumix2004

How to: Avoid paying big bucks for skating images

2010-09-03T09:05:00.002-07:00

This is a subject close to my heart. The last 3 events in which I participated have had professional (to what extent I'm really not sure - could I have done the same job with a tripod and a £2000 camera?) photographers taking staggering amounts of images of each skater. They usually have a stand set up at the event and take orders for prints from the family and friends. Expensive orders. I'm talking the equivalent of $18 for one image.

I don't know about you guys, but that's a lot of money to me, especially when there are 5 or 6 images I like overall (once I've trawled through the compulsory, original and free dances!). I can't be the only one flabbergasted by this problem. I've still not bought any pictures from 2009 nationals because I resent the price so much.

So why do they charge so much? If you put yourself in the photographers shoes, I kind of get it. They want to make a decent amount of money for spending 5 days straight (or more) in a freezing ice rink half bent over a tripod, eating crap rink food. Factor in their travel expenses, accommodation and meals out, and they need to sell a fair few photos just to break even.

They know that parents/grand-parents/family friends/skaters are attracted by the idea of having that perfect action shot to display at home (and of course on Facebook, and the rest). So out come the hefty price tags. I don't even want to think what an A4 print costs!

So what's a gal to do? Often times photographers don't push the fact that they can provide all the jpeg images (skater specific, not event specific) on a CD for a much lower price. Insist and you will usually find they do provide this service, mainly via their website on which you can also pay.

Once you've received all the images, the possibilities are endless. Print
your own photos at home using your printer, or use one of the multiple online choices. I use Photobox.Com and am always astounded by not only the image quality but also the speed of printing and delivery. These options are so flexible, as you only have to print up images as and when you want them. The perfect idea for a grand-parent birthday gift when presented in a beautiful frame.

If you have original files as opposed to printed photos you can have fun making art from them too. A very high standard and completely free open source image editor named GIMP, can be used to make pop-art style renditions, change colours, make b&w, add things in, assemble collages, the possibilities are endless!

To wrap this up, I'm not trying to rain on photographers parades. Really I'm not. I get it, it's a hard job and the majority of their work doesn't lie in the rink, but in the weeks of post-processing necessary to filter out all the dross and deliver those perfect 15 images to a skater. But in today's economical climate we're all making changes, and if I only enlightened a few folks with this post then it'll be a job well done!

How do you manage to grab a great pic and not break the bank? Tell us all about it in the comments section!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits (all downloaded at sxc.hu):

Camera by ilco

Photographer by ahmed76

How to: Procure a partner with perfect pictures!

2010-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you or your kid are looking for a skating partner, I don't need to tell you how hard it is to get one. It's not enough that the person needs to live close enough and have compatible training times. Oh no, then come the physiological constraints. Height, weight, mass, ability, and yes, financial capacity (shock horror!).

So we all know how hard is it to find that perfect match, whether you be in pairs or dance. You're probably either aware of, or actively using, the website IcePartnerSearch.Com. Or another partner search resource such as the one over at Ice-Dance.Com. So how are you going to stand out from the masses? That's what we're going to look at today.

The obvious answer to the above question is "well, I'm a great skater! Who wouldn't want to partner me?!". That's all fine and well, but those prospective folks from out of town don't necessarily know how great you are, certainly not just by reading an autobiography of 3 paragraphs. And anyway, why should they believe you? After all, you're trying to sell yourself.

This is where the title of this post comes into play. Pictures. Photos of you, looking your best. Skating and non-skating alike. If you sift through the majority of profiles on aforementioned sites, you're going to find a lot of webcam images, or worse, self-held-camera-arm-in-view shots. So you're serious about finding a partner, just not serious enough to ask someone else to take a decent image of you? That's not gonna work.

On Ice
Use some nice skating pictures from recent competitions (recent to define your silhouette, and current skating abilities. No use using a picture from 3 seasons ago). Avoid podium photos. They feel showy and show nothing of your skating ability. Positions in full extension are best and will show off your lines better than a starting or finishing pose. Think spirals, think attitudes, ina bauers, laybacks. No images of you mid-cross-over. Who's that gonna impress?

If you decide to take some shots during training, wear make-up (if age appropriate obviously), wear a pretty dress or an all-black outfit to show your body off. A partner needs to know what he's looking at. No point in lying about your weight, he'll soon find out when he lifts you. Don't take pictures at the end of the session when you're tired and your hair is falling out. Fresh faced and ready for action is the message you're trying to send.

Off-Ice
Use at least one good headshot. If you're a natural stunner, then lucky you, this'll help. Sad, but true. If you don't know anyone available to take some really good images of yourself, use a pro or semi-pro photographer. You can use networking websites such as ModelMayhem.Com to get in touch with people in your area willing to shoot "TF". This stands for "time for", and is usually completed with P (for prints), or CD (for a cd of the images from the shoot). You'll not pay the photographer for his/her time, and you won't get any money back as their model. They can use the images they have taken of you in their portfolios. Such is the exchange.

If you go down this route, exercise caution as you would when meeting anyone from the internet. Go accompanied, and meet in a public place. You can usually browse their portfolios and see who else the photographer has worked with, and contact said people to get references. You discuss with the photographer what style you are going for in advance, and decide on a location (relaxed park shots or more formal studio images?).

Having (semi) pro shots is going to help your profile stand out. Simple as. It's a dog eat dog world out there, you might as well suit up and get ready for a fight!

Any advice on going about finding a partner? Did I miss something out?

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Know when to stop

2010-08-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

Stopping skating is a hard decision. Whether you are the skater, or the parent, the years of dedication (up at 5am when you really didn't want to anyone?), commitment (towards yourself, coach, and the whole entourage) and sacrifice (financial and emotional not to mention the fact you really could have used that money for a family holiday) are a lot to leave behind. It's a bitter pill to swallow. I've been through it. Sort of.

I'm in that gray area. You know, when you know that competitively it's not going to go anywhere further (the lack of men in my area is staggering) but you love skating to the core and know it'll always be with you. Still, the realization that you're not going to the Olympics is a hard one to come to terms with.

Has your child decided it's really just a lot more fun hanging out with friends, or, heaven forbid, a boyfriend! *Dramatic music*. Seemingly passing fashions in your child's life are suddenly threatening something you've worked hard (and paid hard)
towards for many years. My experience is, if your kid's heart's no longer in it, the boyfriend or the mall excursions in lieu of saturday morning patch ice is just a manifestation of the deeper sentiment; "I just don't want to skate anymore". So how do you know when to let go?

Communication is the key. You'd be surprised how many skating families simply do not communicate. I've come to find that this is sometimes simply because the parent(s) doesn't want to hear what could be a negative thought from the skater. Find out what your skater is feeling, and try and find compromises. You'll very quickly find out whether skating is something they really do enjoy or not. This is the base note for a life in this sport and if the pleasure isn't there (let alone the desire to succeed, the will to work hard, and the understanding and maturity to know it's not all going to happen in a day) then something's gotta give.

So we spoke about compromise. If your skater feels that s/he doesn't have enough "me" time (the complaints about not going out enough with friends or not having enough boy/girl friend time are the classics) try and compromise. But make sure they realize that it's a 2-way system and that you are not at their beck-and-call. Once a change to the schedule has been made, you have a life, work commitments, and possibly commitments to other family members. Learning to make your bed and lie in it is a valuable life lesson, and one that's not lost on skating situations.

Recycle your skating life. I've always been a realistic person, even as a kid. I started late in skating but like all kids had big hopes and dreams. I climbed the ranks fast. But there comes a point when you know it's not going to go any further. I knew I wasn't going anywhere in ladies singles skating at around about age 14/15. If you're not jumping at least almost a full set of triples by that time, you're not going to be able to compete with the biggest names in figure skating. I was jumping 2A, triple salchow and flip, but still had off days with the double toe (aka the jump from hell!). Then I broke my ankle.

So what can you do to stay in the sport? I went into ice dance. It's the best choice I ever made and I curse the day, when my mother said to me in front of a World Championship "why don't you do ice dance?", that I replied with a shudder and a sarcastic figure-skating-rocks-ice-dance-stinks remark. Teenagers really can be stupid. I'm no exception. Just for the record, I'm not saying ice dance is a reconversion sport. It's not. The best dancers in the world have always been just that, dancers. But it's another path to explore, more pleasure to discover, and ultimately more success to be had. There is also the synchronized route, you'll know about it if your rink has a team.

The point is, stopping skating doesn't have to mean giving up skating. It can be the beginning of a whole new chapter. The sooner you come to terms with reality the quicker you can take another path. I'm now in full time education and skating is taking a back seat. I deeply want to secure my future and see science as a way of doing that. That's not stopping me from sitting my coaching diploma and being actively involved on the testing circuit (my goal being to eventually travel to the USA to sit the high-level dance and moves tests).

Bottom line though, it's painful. Of course I've shed a few tears over it. Parents do too. It's not about the money (even if that does come splurting out of your mouth during a heated conversation with your skater). It's about the belief. The hours spent driving, the hours spent sitting in cold rinks, the cans of glitter spray emptied onto your little darling's head at countless competitions, and all the warm buzzes experienced when a test was passed. Try not to be too nostalgic in front of your skater. Whatever you're feeling as a parent I guarantee you your skater is feeling too. Remember that while you were driving and spraying and waiting, they were skating and feeling and hoping, dreaming. It's a 2-way street, after all.

How have you dealt with letting go of skating? Tell us all about it in the comments section!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits:

All photos from sxc.hu

Flowers by bertvthul

Swing by dtiriba

How to: Congratulate your skater!

2010-08-27T11:19:00.001-07:00

This post has been inspired by Ice Mom who recently showed up in my Twitter feed exclaiming her daughter Ice Girl had passed her Intermediate moves test. Congrats! This got me thinking. I remember that lightheaded buzz a skater gets from passing a test. All that preparation, all that concentration, and then the validation we seek in order to keep moving forward, always higher, stronger, harder, in that search for perfection.

I experienced said buzz myself less than a year ago (yes, test sessions are few and far between where I come from!). I can't even remember what I did that day though. I probably went out for lunch (why is it test sessions always seem to start at 6am?!). Maybe I ate a piece of cake I wouldn't normally allow myself. What did you guys do?

As a parent you probably feel it's important to reward your skater after all their effort and hard work pays off. This is a natural and healthy thing to do (in my opinion), and here I'm simply going to list the things my parents did for me over the years, things that stick out in my mind as little treats for doing good.

This post is more of an interactive one than anything, I'm counting on you guys to leave comments so readers of this post can draw even more inspiration from a large network of skaters and skating parents. So get your type on!

For my first ever test pass I got a little diamanté necklace and earring set. I must have been about 9 or 10 years old (oh yes I'm a late starter). I wish I could say I still have it but it's gotten misplaced throughout the various house moves and jewelry box changes of my life. It stays a very fond memory though!

Mainly though, I received home made gifts and heart felt sentiments. My mother is still the best cook I know and would lovingly prepare me my favorite childhood cake - Victoria Sponge with Raspberry jam! Hmm! I'd get to have my favorite food, salmon mousse. Oh yes, I was a child with taste!

I'm sure I acquired many others little trinkets over the years but nothing sticks out like the warm baths and sweet home made cakes. I think there was a Wallace & Gromit bath plug in there somewhere, and my aunt always used to send me a card with a gift voucher or a small amount of money.

Ideas

So what if you're stuck for ideas for rewarding your child? Well, anything they like doing and don't get much of a chance to seems like a valid idea. Maybe they love McDonalds but you don't take them often (which in my opinion makes perfect sense! Can't stand the place! But I loved it when I was a kid!). There's a treat right there. Or how about rolling up to your town's ice cream parlour and buying a great big sundae?

Jewelry can be a nice gift for a girl especially if she's a girly girl as I am myself. Hopefully she'll be able to treasure it for years to come and will cherish it as her test pass necklace (ring/bracelet/etc).

Whatever you decide just make sure it's a true treat for your kid, they put in the hard work they deserve a true reward!

What do you guys do for your kids test passes/competition successes? I (along with other readers!) would love to hear all about it! Post a comment!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits:

All photos downloaded from sxc.hu.

Cake by nosheep

Necklace by liqfx

Ice-Weddings!

2010-08-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

This isn't so much a how to, or an informative post, as much as a rambling of thoughts on the subject! Bear with me!

With Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao's on-ice wedding ceremony this month (even though they have been officially married for some years), it got me thinking about tying the knot on the ice. I've recently gotten engaged myself and am revelling in the bridal magazines and hundreds if not thousands of beautiful candy-toned blogs dedicated to the big day. So how could I avoid writing a skating-wedding post?! I could not! *Runs valiantly to keyboard*!

Xue and Hongbo aren't the first to come up with the idea either, albeit they are combining their ceremony with a star studded performance line-up in a bid to start up a 'Stars on Ice' style show that will tour in China. They are hoping to promote our sport nationally (in China) and create interest, thereby breeding the next generation of super skaters. I have no doubt they will succeed!

Getting married on the ice is an extravagant step, even for hard core skaters. I couldn't see myself doing it, and the logistics just seem so damn complicated! Instead of 'black tie' on the invitations, does one write 'snow suit'? I'd be far too scared of running over the delicate train of my tulle dress. Or should that be the bottom on my fleece blanket?

There are 3 international skaters that spring the mind when I think on-ice wedding; above-mentioned Xue and Hongbo, Sarah Abitbol, and Philippe Candeloro. Abitbol married her husband on the ice, with their little dog Cookie. How cute. I wonder if it wore paw-skates? Ok just kidding, but seriously, when's someone going to invent pet-skates? (I'm having visions of Paris Hilton on the Rockefeller Centre with her dogs & ferrets, there's a lot of money to be made!).

Finding a celebrant/priest/minister/etc to marry in an ice rink can't be an easy task. I wish I could offer mounds of advice on how to go about setting up your own ice-wedding, but unfortunately I wouldn't know where to start. The usual logistics of a wedding can only be complicated by a cold venue, just some of these include;

- Dress (for the bride and the rest of the bridal party!)
- Decoration (how do you decorate an ice rink?!)
- Reception (do you go popping the champagne on the ice? Won't everyone freeze if they stand on the ice in Choo's for long periods of time?)
- Wedding breakfast (should this be fries and hot chocolate in the rink café? Or shall we go more upscale?)
- Venue rental (Lord knows patch ice costs a fortune at the best of times, you're probably looking at about 200$ per hour for ice rental)

In any case, it's an extravagant affair. One that guests are going to remember for a long time to come. I'm too chicken though, or maybe it's just I have too much of a life outside the rink, heaven forbid ;)

Do you know someone who is planning to or who has married at the rink? Have any information about how to go about setting up an ice-wedding? Let us know about it below!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits:

All photos from sxc.hu

Skates by sundstrom

Wedding hands by lcumings

How to: Not die of boredom at the rink!

2010-08-25T05:05:00.002-07:00

Seasoned skating parents have got it down to a fine art, and how best to spend time during your child's practice session is going to be different for each individual. What's common to all of us though is the fairly obvious; cold and humid conditions for hours on end, and a million and one things that need doing at home and/or at work! Hell, I often feel like this and I'm not even a parent. So how can new comers to our sport find a way to make this 'dead time' work for them?

If you're of fragile health, stash yourself away
somewhere more body-friendly. If the cafeteria is open great. If not, maybe there are changing rooms available to you to keep you out of that humid rink fog atmosphere. I know if I sit in the stands for 30mins I get seriously chesty.

Make sure you wrap up warm! See this post on staying warm at the rink for tips and tricks!

Take work with you. If you are lucky enough to do something quite transportable, and/or do
something that doesn't require you being at the office then make the most of this time without the noise of the kids and the dog barking it's head off and hubby wanting dinner! You can transform your rink time into work time and finish that niggling project, which means more time for yourself when you get home. Phew!

Make useful notes for the day ahead, or plan your weeks programme/school runs/shopping lists. Prioritise your life so later on when you don't have dead time on your hands, you know where you're up to. I tend to have a bit of a passion for list-making as it just makes me feel far more in control of my life.

Shopping lists, chore lists, to do lists, timetables, notes for other family members to not forget certain important events, financial planning, birthday/xmas present ideas lists. The possibilities are endless.

Y
o
u time. Well you run 'round ragged all day, between your job, the family, the house and skating, and who knows what other activities. So it's no surprise you don't get to the beauty salon every week like the ladies of luxury we'd become if we suddenly won the lottery (hey, a girl can dream right?!). So make that time for yourself. Ok so the rink might not be the most appropriate place to slap on a green clay mask and cucumber slices. But what about a manicure? All you need is a small washbag with nail file, hand cream, buffer, rosewood stick (or any other cuticle pusher), cuticle cutter, and optional polish. 30mins of pure self indulgent bliss, and you'll have feminine looking hands for the rest of the week too! Result! Other 'you time' ideas could include slathering your feet in a rich body butter and then placing them into pure cotton socks (this helps the skin soak up all the moisture and your feet will feel sooo soft afterwards), or maybe bringing a base oil (grapeseed and sweet almond are the most popular) and massaging your neck and shoulders yourself in the privacy of the bathrooms to relieve some of that tension. Add essential aromatherapy oils for added bonuses. Learn which ones do what here.

Crafts. If you're the crafty type then there is no better time to get out your projects and concentrate on them without the distractions of daily life. This is the perfect time to knit that sweater, or finish that cross-stitch.

Crafts make such wonderful birthday and Xmas gifts, and with only 18 weeks left 'til Xmas now (yes really, sorry guys!) you could be doing some of the gifts while you sit.

Genius!

The point is, the rink doesn't have to be a chore for onlookers. Of course there's always the chance you might like to watch the skaters some time too, if you can fit it into your busy schedule ;)

If you have any favourite tips, tricks or past times to share please do so by telling us all about how you manage rink-time in a comment!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

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Photo credits (all downloaded from sxc.hu):

Snow bench by Bertvhul

Notebook by Typofi

To Do by Mattox

Manicure by Laura-S

Yarn by Ukapala

Going to see the big guns!

2010-07-31T02:45:00.002-07:00

Now I'm back in the seat (or should that be office chair) after a small spell of ill health, I bring to you my first post in a little while - attending high profile skating events! I've been to see a few European championships in my time but never a world event, and certainly not the Olympics. Far too expensive.

Grand Prix series can be a great way to see a smaller selection of the crème de la crème, and seeing as there is usually at least one per continent, you can really find a way of getting to see you fave international skaters.

But how do I go about it? How can I try and take my Skate Kid to see the stars without it breaking the bank? Read on, my pretties!

Book your tickets through national federations, not through 'skating tour operators'. For the 1999 European Championships in Prague I managed to buy all-event tickets for the equivalent of £20. Yes, all event. Don't get excited, that was pretty exceptional, but the point is that one of the UK's skating tour operators at that time were quoting me almost £300! Do you homework. With email these days it's even easier to communicate with federations (I bought those all-event tickets via the then Czech Republic Figure Skating Association), no need for awkward telephone conversations and misinterpretation.

Book your accommodation early. Use low-cost budget hotels for the rock bottom deals, but expect to be further out of town. This can be a problem if you're traveling to a country with a different culture to your home, never mind the language barriers. For a good quality hotel with a more central location use all the usual websites such as booking.com to get upto 70% off your bill.

Use points schemes. Do you have an AMEX card? Maybe you have 'miles' on an airline loyalty card? Now's the time to enjoy!! Chances are these points expire at some point, and you may never give yourself the time to enjoy the benefits they could give you if it weren't for skating (ahh what skating makes one do!) so why not just go ahead and use the damn things?! They could get you free hotel nights or even your transport.

When you're at your destination, be savvy about eating out and the general cost of arena food, beverages, etc. If you scope out the local supermarkets and bring along a handy sized backpack, you're going to save alot of money on food and drink. Not that you won't need a nice hot coffee after the 4th group of the men's free programme sat on a stone bench in a Korean ice rink!

For a list of national federations, click here.
For the ISU events calendar, click here.

What tips and tricks do you guys have while traveling for skating? How do you get to see your favourite skaters without breaking your bank? Leave a comment and let us all know about it!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Get into figure skating as an adult

2010-07-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

You might feel that as you are no longer a 7 year old, figure skating is not an adventure you're allowed to embark upon. You couldn't be more wrong. Adult skating has grown so much since it's beginnings, and now the Adult World Championships exist, among many other amazing events across the world. Whether that's where you want to be, or you're happy to dance a foxtrot or two on a sunday morning, skating is something open to everyone.

Start at the same place kids do. Skate schools which generally run on weekends are the perfect way to pay a fixed fee and receive a certain amount of tuition, learning the basics you'll need to feel confident enough to skate onto patch ice. You can read more about these set-courses in my entry "How to: Start figure skating" and more besides.

As an adult you can feel different and often ostracized among younger experienced skaters. A good way to get around this feeling is to work out which patch ice will permit you to skate on a quiet session (for example during school hours), and feel more self-confident in the knowledge that their are less high-end skaters on the patch. The other option is deciding that you rock for starting skating and that you have just as much business their as anyone else (unless you're on a dedicated high-level session, which you wouldn't be, if it was...). It's just a state of mind!

You can choose to go into free skating (jumps), ice dance (dances) or even synchronized skating (in a team). The discipline you decide upon depends, of course, on your own personal preference but will also depend on what's available at the rinks you're willing to travel to.

A number of fantabulous adult skaters train at my rink on the same patch ice and me and they compete in national and international events. They make their skating fun by not only planning on a skating competition in France or Germany, but planning a week long holiday in a French villa, with a bit of skating on the side! There is a great sense of community and the general atmosphere is much more relaxed than in elite figure skating competition. "My" adults have huge fun working on their costumes, programmes, dances and ultimately skate because they love to be active and have a true passion for the ice.

So why not give it a go? Just visit the local ice rink and ask for information. It is no longer taboo in any way to ask what is available for adult skaters, and/or adult beginners! Check out Sk8stuff.com's "Adult Focus" page if you are based in the US for info specifically directed at adult skaters.

What has your experience been as an adult beginner figure skater? Are you an experienced adult skater, or do you have active adult skaters at your rink? Please tell us your story!!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Breaking in figure skating boots; blisters, ovens and more besides!

2010-07-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Breaking in skates is one of the most painful, and annoying, things a skater has to go through. Although many skaters go through a pair of skates a year (or season...) I know a lot who keep theirs a great deal longer.

I got scared out of doing this some years ago when I broke my ankle on a triple flip take off due to boots that had broken down without me realising it. The importance of foot and ankle support is so paramount I don't even know how to express it with words!

That's what boots are all about. Yes ok they let you skate, they act as the intermediary between you and the ice, they are your tool. But they are also your support, your strength, and your confidence needs to be well over 100% in them or else you're not going to feel right, and sooner or later something is going to happen (or else maybe I'm just insanely pessimistic due to my unfortunate accident? How long do you guys keep your skates?).

Choosing the boots that will accompany you through tests, hundreds if not thousands of hours of training, and those precious competitions (let's not forget the fun galas too!! Gotta have some of those or it all becomes so dull after a while!) is a really though choice. You might have a preference, you might not. I've been with Graf for about 7 years now and I'm not going anywhere. The transition from free skate to dance boot was effortless and it still only takes me 3 days to break them in (I promise). I changed boots 3 weeks before the biggest event of my season last year. God bless Graf Dance!

So how do I manage to break skates in in just 3 days? Well, I guess a lot of Lady Luck is involved. Some people just have it easier than others. There are many methods to help things along though (some which I do find rather dubious including this post's title word "oven"...). Let's have a look at what advice has been floating about since I've been wearing booties, and I'll let you know what's worked for me. If any one with experiences to share and/or fab tips is reading this I'm sure all of our beginner readers could really use a hand getting to grips with this painful experience, so please do leave a comment.

1) The Oven!! Yes, crazy. In my opinion. The idea is to place the skates in the kitchen oven for a little while on a low heat to "soften" the leather. Then wear the skates. They are supposed to "meld" to the shape of your foot easier. I don't know about you guys but when I spend around £480 on boots, I ain't putting them anywhere near a baking tray!

2) Wear them around the house. This I do. The general advice is to actually walk around the house in them but I usually stick them on infront of a DVD, feet up on the sofa. The feet of my feet alone is softening the leather and helping them form to my feet. They start to hurt a bit after around 30 mins so I take them off for the night.

3) Punching. Getting your skates "punched out" at the point that hurts the most is a practice many skaters use, including myself. It's usually my foot arch (although that's quite hard to punch) and my malleolus which hurt most and therefore I get my skates punched out at those points. This consists of getting your skate guy (generally the person who looks after your skates, sharpens your blades, etc) to put your skate on a machine which applies large amounts of pressure to the leather in order to deform it outwards. This gives your foot/bone more space in the boot relieving pressure and therefore pain.

4) And beeeeend!! Getting onto the ice and just bending down in the those knees, ankles, and therefore, skates. You're not going to get into a full sit spin on day one, but you should be able to by day 3. Lots of stroking, lemons, and ski-slalom movements to get you down in those skates and bending that leather.

5) Relieve the pain and you're half way there. The worst part of breaking in skates is the pain that it causes to your feet, not the fact that you feel like you just lost 5 years of skill! My skin usually comes right off my ankles in one thin strip. I pain new skin on and use silicon pads to take all the friction out of these raw patches. You can get them for a fortune at skate shops, or you can buy those Scholl "Party Feet" pads that are meant for ladies wearing high heels all night. I buy thrift store versions (for the UK folks reading this Primark do a pack of 2 for £1!!!). I wouldn't recommend using blister plasters on raw skin or blisters as the friction and rubbing caused by skates is far too great in relation to what those plasters are designed for (running shoes at the most!).

6) Padding. Get down to your cheapest store and buy a couple of car sponges. I cut mine in half to make them a little thinner then cut into a manageable size. Now cut out a hole (round, square, doesn't matter as long as its the size of your ouchie), this is going to be placed over your little injury. Every time you put your boot on strap this into place (even just stuffed down a sock if you wear them, will do) and the sponge which is not in contact with your pain point will take all the pressure, leaving your raw skin a little less irritated.

What are your tips for breaking in skates and how do you manage the pain factor? Please leave your comments and ideas for beginner skaters to learn from!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Figure skating and ballet class

2010-07-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

I recently read a post on a forum by a beginner skater, asking if it was a given that to start skating it was necessary to start ballet.

There is no easy answer for this. Obviously a person who takes ballet class is going to have some preconceptions about how to hold and carry oneself, but this doesn't by any means make it a prerequisite for figure skating.

What level of skating are you hoping to achieve, what age are you, how invested in skating are you, and also (sadly enough) how much money have you got to spend on this sport? These are all questions you'll need to ask yourself when considering taking extra dance classes to improve your skating.

Artistry is becoming and more and more important and is very much recognised under the IJS system. But ballet training is not a necessity and each skater should assess her (his) own situation to suit. If you are looking to attain a regional level and started later on in life, skating recreationally, by all means take ballet class and this will probably improve your port de bras greatly along with many other elements of your skating. If you started skating early, and are highly invested in skating to an elite standard, chances are you already take ballet and won't be reading this post (!).

At the end of the day do whatever you enjoy doing. I took a few classes when I was around 11 years old, that lasted maybe 4months. I was tired from the hours I was putting into skating as it was, and coupled with the fact that I found the french names impossible to remember (plié, jetté, rond de jambe, anyone?), it didn't last very long. I don't think that was detrimental to my skating, as my facility has always lain with artistry and I always struggled with the jumps.

Many elite skaters do take ballet classes, but this doesn't mean it's right for you. They also weight train, off-ice jumping (for the figure skaters in any case, less so for the dancers) and most probably do core strengthening. There's no point copying Kim Yu Na's routine down to a T. It's been personalised to her body, her needs, her goals, and her personal situation.

So find out for works for you. Take class if you feel you want to, and stop if it doesn't suit. As with many things in life you don't know if you don't try, and keeping an open mind if often the best way to discover new experiences and passions.

Do you take extra dance classes to help your on-ice artistry? Do you take drama to help with your expression? Please share your experiences with us by leaving a comment!

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Photo credits (all downloaded from Flickr under the Creative Commons licence);
Ballet photo by George Eastman House

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

A guide to staying warm at the rink (for non-skaters). This one's for you parents!

2010-07-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

We've all been there. Sat in the stands or upright rinkside, the cold rising through our shoes and slowly turning our muscles to stone (or atleast that's what it feels like). As a skater (a childless one at that) I'm not in the best position to talk about my skater-parent experiences, but I have spent a lot of years hanging around giant freezers and I'm currently undergoing long hours of mentoring for my coaching diploma. I feel qualified enough to share a few of my packing tips (that's heat packing, not firearms in gangsta speak!). Let's go!

The shoes you wear are possibly the most important part of your outfit. Two words; thick, soles. I have trusty Timberland boots with a very thick rubber sole and they do the trick nicely. Couple those with wool socks or something along those lines - go shopping at a hiking store for inspiration. Imagine you are going to be climbing Everest. Coaches who stand on the ice for long hours who are not wearing their skates often wear Moon Boots. I totally get why;
even with skates on that bitter air just seems to seep through any amount of leather!

Layer, layer, layer!! When I'm going to be at the rink for long periods of time (and I'm also thinking of several mothers I s
ee regularly at my rink and how they dress), I'm going to be wearing atleast one pair of tights (thick, atleast 50 denier), a pair of leggings and then either jeans, or thick sports trousers. One local parent even wears proper ski trousers. They're waterproof too which can come in handy. On the top I'm usually wearing undies, vest (thermal or a regular vest top to serve as an extra layer), top, 1st jumper, then either a 2 jumper, a fleece pullover/jacket, and/or a sleeveless gilet.

You're going to want to top that lot off with a really great jacket. I think you've probably realised by now that style and fashion long since went out the window. If you are a fashion-skating-parent then my hat comes off to you because I have a hard time being fashionable in my regular life during winter, never mind at the rink! I have 2 skate jackets that I alternate for fake-coaching sessions (i.e being mentored); a puffer jacket which is warmer, and a hiking jacket with is longer in the body (I have to have a warm lower back or else my whole body is frozen!) and also waterproof. It's less fluffy and warm though.

The other option is a great big ski jacket as seen opposite.

Optional accessories such as gloves hats and scarfs are really up to you. I know I couldn't skate without them.

My not-so-secret tips for extra warmth (besides clothing itself) are;

- A chemically activated heatpack. They have a disc inside them which you snap, this causes an exothermic chemical reaction (a reaction which releases heat energy) and heats up the gel inside the pack, giving you warmth. The heat doesn't stay in them very long though and once you've done the disc trick once the only way to get use from the pack again is to either place in a pan of hot water or put it in the microwave.

- Bring tea, soup, coffee, or even a hot meal. You can get huge food flasks for cheaps and I've never found anything quite like hot pasta or minced beef stew with potatoes to warm me up before going back rinkside.

- Cashmere. I know that sounds not only obvious, but also pretentious, but it's the best fabric I have ever worn for heat retention. If xmas or a birthday is coming up ask for a pair of gloves or a hat (or both if you're lucky/cheeky) and I promise you, you'll reap the benefits.

- Avoid anything synthetic that will make you sweat. Make sure all your undergarments are cotton or that sweat will be freezing the arms off you in 10 minutes flat.

- Bring a change of top and socks in case of sweat attack. If you can get to the bathroom, wipe down with deo and change into a crisp dry garment you'll feel like a new (non-frozen) person.

If you're sitting in the stands then bring something to put between your butt and the (cold) seat. A woolen blanket does just the trick! You can pick up a deal on eBay I'm pretty sure, click here to see a search for "wool blanket".

How do you deal with extreme cold while waiting on your SkateKid? Why not leave your tips and tricks in the comments area so other parents can make the most of your intelligence too!

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Photo credits (all downloaded from Flickr under the Creative Commons licence);

Moon boots by Yuan2003
Thermal underwear by Coutorture
Ski jacket by Ktpupp

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Figure skating costume ideas list

2010-07-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is going to be a short post. It's more like a list of things to consider during costume conception. It's intended as an aid to designing your costume (whether you'll be making it or not), in the form of a list of styles per element. Ok that sounds a bit whack, just read on.

Necklines (for when there are straps)
Round
Deep round
V
Deep V
Sweetheart
High neck
Polo-neck (also known as turtle-neck)
Halter neck

Bust lines (for where there are no sleeves)
Princess
Deep princess
Straight line
M-shaped

Sleeves
Short (hem sits between deltoid and tricep as seen here)
Cap (hem sits just past shoulder bone, upon deltoid as seen here)
Half-length (hem sits just above elbow joint)
Short 3/4 length (hem sits just below elbow joint)
Long 3/4 length (hem sits mid way on the forearm
Full length (hem sits at wrist joint)
Full length with point (triangular point extends over the hand with elastic look to secure the point over the middle finger)

Backlines
Bare back
Round
Deep round
V
Deep V
Flat across
Keyhole
Straps
Spaghetti
Inch wide
Wide

Strap variations in back of dress
Crossed over
Multiple straps
Spider back
Laced-up (think boudoir corset style)
Upside down V
Sunshine rays

Skirt waist seams
Straight
V
Deep V
Asymmetric V
Rounded V

Skirt hem lines
Homogolous (at any length you want)
Homogolous with raised sides to show off the leg
Shorter at the front with back tail (ideal for dance although Michelle Kwan used to sport this)
Longer length (perfect for dance)
Very long (perfect for waltzes and foxtrots)
Asymmetrical (perfect for latin music)

I suggest having a good look at the leotards section of DanceDirect.Com to get inspiration on bodice styles! Click here to go to that page.

I endeavour to sketch some of these styles up and post them in this entry so come back to check them out!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Drawing for figure skating costumes

2010-07-01T02:43:00.000-07:00

As discussed in my previous post on colour for costumes, I love drawing my outfit ideas. The lovely IceMom is also a professed sketcher and carries a notebook with her at all times, as she mentions in her great sewing post that you can read here.

Do you have a love for art, and wish you had more time or simply more ideas to doodle skating outfits? Here we're going to have a look at a few ways to get you off to a flying start. Once you're imagination is flowing you'll be unstoppable!!

1) Get inspired. Watch recordings of events or take i
n everything you see at a local event you attend. When you see a special colour or interes
ting cut make a note of it (but be careful, this is for inspirational purposes, don't go copying someone else's style).

2) A notebook or sketchpad (click here to see a selection being sold on eBay by PowerSellers - you can bid with confidence). You'll need some basic pencils too. 2 is enough. One hard (I use a 3H) and one soft (I use a 3B). Hard is for basic lines, soft is for shading.

3) Start by sketching a basic human form. You don't need to be Da Vinci. It can be boxes. In fact, it should be boxes to start off with. A rectangular box for the torso with a smaller box for the hips, and 4 cylinders for the arms and legs is all you need to make a basic human figure. Now soften off those lines (round off the shoulders, give the hips a womanly bulge, insert some boobies and you're off!). Of course failing that go freestyle!

4) Now, go forth and more importantly, go nuts! This is the fun part. Add the general silhouette of the style you have in mind. Pencil in the shoulder line (Spaghetti straps? Off the shoulder? Princess bust line?). Draw the skirt length and the waist seam (do you want a deep V or a straight line seam? The deeper the V the slimmer the skater will look as this elongates the body).

5) Colour it in! This step isn't obligatory. It's just fun and if you're showing the design to your SkateKid or coach, it will probably help them get a better idea of what the final product is going to look like. Use coloured pencils, paints, pastels, whatever floats your boat. I use watercolour penci
ls because on their own they are just coloured pencils, but if I want that nice "colour wash" feel I just add a touch of water with a brush and shazam!

6) (Optional and nothing to do with the actual drawing anymore): Go to your local fabric merchant and try to get some fabric swatches. Stick them with PVA glue to your sketch. Do the same with any crystals or beads you have lying around the house. This will really transform your sketch from a simple idea into a veritable mood board for your next outfit!

Some sketches of mine below;

How do you do it? What do you think I could do to improve my sketches? Talk to me people!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Colour inspiration for figure skating costumes

2010-06-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking alot lately about costumes as I find them a constant source of amusement and creativity in skating. I make my own outfits and love all the thought processes that go into that final garment. The most interesting step, for me, is the design stage, and this happens on paper with pencils (and when I'm feeling really crazy, watercolour pencils which turn into a wash of colour upon a stroke of wet brush tip).

So what about colours? Every year we see new styles and even trends happening, much as they do on a catwalk in Paris or Milan. I recently read on another skating blog a very well written article discussing the idea that the ladies are becoming more and more subdued and sophisticated, whereas the men are going whackier. If you wrote that article let me know as I'd love to cite it.

But whatever other skaters are doing or creating, your programmes and costumes are unique to you. You should feel confident and happy in them. That's why I draw mine and create them by myself.

Financially I cut corners. I buy cheaper fabrics and bog standard threads. I buy my sewing materials off eBay (apart from my machine, which came from La Redoute catalogue for about 150 €), I buy my beads, sequins, and crystals from eBay too.

But let's get to the point of this entire post. How do you choose the right colours for your cozzies? Well there are no rules as such. Just common sense, and personal taste. I love soft pastel colours and find them well suited to soft classical music and waltzes. For me, bold neon colours should be reserved for latin music. I don't know why, that's just me. But then a few years ago we saw couples dancing a waltz in lime green and hot orange. So who am I to tell you what to go for.

If you're going to be using more than one colour in your outfit, which does happen quite often, you might have your own ideas about what looks good together, but the complementary colour rule helps greatly and if nothing else will give you inspiration.

Complementary colours are 2 colours that are "opposites" in the spectrum. Many websites are available now to calculate exact complementary colours and this is a tool many web-designers use to make those unexpected but oh-so-cool looking web layouts. To learn a little about this, take a read of the Wikipedia page by clicking here.

Some useful sites for choosing complementary colours are;

The Opposite Colour Tool
You'll need to know what colour to put in though, so for inspiration take a look at this page. Use the "hex code" for a colour you like and pump it into the above website to find its opposite.

ColorSchemer
This gives you a general palette of compatible colours. You'll need a more trained eye to decide on what looks good among this lot. You can make the palette lighter or darker by clicking on the buttons on the left.

Colours on the Web
This is a good little article on complementary colours and covers not only opposite colours but "split colours" and "triad colours" (if you take 3 mins to read it you'll understand what these terms mean really quickly)

I also just came across this site called Colour Lovers, I don't know what it's all about yet but it looks great even just to browse for inspiration!

Of course you also have the staple of "black with any colour". This is a classic combination and still works well, as in red and black for latin music. I'm not a fan of white on the ice as I find it really "dies".

The very last thing you need to think about is embellishment. You can play alot with the colour of your adornment and this can really change the whole look. An outfit can literally be made out of the embellishment! My favourite example of this is Sasha Cohen's dresses. I leave you with this video to show you what I mean;

What was your all time favourite skating outfit, either your own or a famous skater's? Mine have been this very one of Sasha's, her Romeo and Juliet exhibition outfit from the 2003 season, and my own beautiful sky blue waltz dress!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Participate in a gala event

2010-06-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Galas are often held at the end of a season and open to family, friends, and the local population. It's a sort of showcase of the local talent and gives skaters a great opportunity to perform for fun and let family members see them in action in a less stressful setting than a comp.

You'll usually be approached by the organisers if they want you to partake in the event. Whether you want to or not is entirely up to you and you should feel no pressure to do so. However, it's a nice way to make your club look good and get to know other members too.

Some skaters skate their regular routines at a gala event, but the general consensus is that a skater should spend a little time and effort concocting a more "exhibition-y" piece. The music can be more over the top (vocals are allowed, something that figure skaters don't have the luxury of in competition) and the costume can be something more theatrical that you wouldn't get away with in competition.

The choreography can be less technical and more dramatic. People come to gala skating events to be entertained, so go for it!! If you're a budding actress and have a passion for 1920's music, you should probably get your Charleston on!

You don't have to engage your coach or choreographer to do this piece for you if you don't want (or are trying to save some pennies). As long as you love the music you have chosen and have a passion for skating, you'll be able to make something fun up. Use your free time at the rink to fiddle about with moves and steps, and when you're ready stick on the music and potter about to it. You'll soon be flying!

Your theme can really be anything, and skaters usually go for something they love. There have been some whacky exhibition numbers at Europeans and Worlds, as I'm sure you know if you watch these events.

But what could I do, you ask? A few ideas for gala music;

- Broadway musical (Chicago, West Side Story, Chorus Line)
- Comical pieces of music (think Josée Chouinard's "The Sweater" programme - look it up on YouTube!)
- Floaty beautiful classical pieces (think Sasha Cohen's interpretation of Romeo & Juliet)
- Passionate latin numbers (Shae-Lynn Bourne's amazing "La Cumparsita" is well worth a look at)
- Something NOW (yes I'm thinking about Johnny Weir's GaGa programme!)

The list goes on. It really depends on personal preference, so just go for it!!

What's your recent gala piece, what are you planning on, what music are you just dying to skate to? Let us all know by leaving a comment!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Tips for cheaper figure skating travel

2010-06-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

Travelling for skating is expensive. You most likely already travel to go to practice sessions, unless you have the luxury of living within walking distance of an ice rink (I've had this experience once a few years ago and it was sheer bliss when it came to early morning patches!). At some point (if you're not already) you're going to be travelling for test sessions. Travelling for competitions. Money, money, money!! My wallet bleeds by the end of a season.

You've got petrol costs or train fares (sometimes even both). Maybe even air fares. There's the hotels, the car parking, and the meals out. If you're travelling for an event, you're going to have to fit your coaches bill too (or atleast a portion of it depending on how many pupils are present at the event - you can split the costs between the families).

Tip number one, and I speak from experience; Book up EARLY! Like now. Seriously. That hotel can cost upto 60% less when booked a month or two in advance. Go online for special web-deals that are not available via their central reservation lines. Same goes for means of transport. Browse booking.com for good deals. I've booked a few times now via their site and always got 60-70% reduction on the price I would have paid if I had called the hotel directly.

Tip number two; Buy a railcard. Obviously this only applies if you're going to be journeying by train. A card can save you upto 50% per journey. They are usually really resonably priced. I paid around £25 for my year long pass, and recently saved over £50 going to one competition. Kerr-ching!

Tip number three; Don't take the car. Using the previous 2 tips, you can get to your destination for a better price than filling your car with several tanks of petrol.

Tip number four; Don't eat out. Ok so this isn't reasonable for the night before your event. You (or your skater) need a good meal with lots of nice slow releasing sugar to boost you during your event the next day. I never eat anything but pasta the night before. But how about your other meals? Get to a store which sells quality take out food and stock up. There is no need to over-spend on ice rink toast and vending machine candy bars, when you can have a stock of healthy (and much tastier) alternatives in your bag. Pasta salads, yoghurts and fruit salad boxes are great and much more sustaining than rink burger and coca-cola.

That's pretty much how I get out and about for cheaps. How do you do it? Do you have any secret tips you feel like sharing with the skating blogosphere? Please leave a comment!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Getting over dissapointment

2010-06-28T03:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes competitions don't go the way you wish they did. Sometimes, and this is far worse than having a bad skate, the comp goes well, and you still get bombed by the judges.

Politics and favouritism in skating isn't news, and I don't have to tell any of you hardened skaters/parents what it feels like to have truly done your best and get put at the bottom of the barrel. Why does this happen? I've been skating 14 years and I still don't know. It still crushes me when it does (and it happened recently, which is probably where I got the idea for this post).

A few of my favourite hypotheses;

Regional/Club Pettiness
Where you come from matters. Period.

Internal politics
That other skater has been doing this circuit longer and we really should put her up there at some point. Besides, you've only been here 5 years, gonna have to keep at it I'm afraid!

Fuddy-duddy-ness
The old timer judges don't take particularly well to too-original a programme.

I could be completely wrong on one or all of those points, and it really doesn't matter. Skaters and parents need to concentrate on how to get back up from a punch in the chest. It's going to happen at somepoint, if it hasn't already, that's skating.

My first reaction is anger, and then thorough dissapointment. Followed by a peppering of despondent. So what fixes me? A good moan to coach, (and my mother too if I'm honest), a few days off (to relax, and concentrate on something else like organic chemistry! Yes life goes on outside the rink), and then that first glorious session back. I love that session. It's a sort of reward, for all the hard work.

I tell myself it's going to be an easy-going session. I get on the ice, and melt into it. My blades feel like they're merging into the ice and my legs become heavy, eyes closed, faced turned into the flow of the wind. I feel tired and my arms are filled with lead. That lasts about 10 minutes. It's enough to remind me why I skate; I love the ice. I love the feeling it gives me, the cold wind, and all the other corny nonsense. So I start to move again, and stick a compulsory dance or 3 on the audio system. I'm away again, working hard. I can't help myself!

How do you deal with a skating dissapointment? I'd really like to hear your quirks and ideas on this subject!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Hair dress for figure skating competitions

2010-06-27T03:07:00.001-07:00

Ok I'm gonna start by saying this post is not going to be of interest for guys. I'm sure you all know how to gel your hair, or whatever it is you do on a daily basis. This here post is for the ladies, and skate mothers needing inspiration and guidance as to what is "done" and what's seen as "acceptable" (although at the end of the day, what do I know? These are just guidelines after all...). So, let's get crackin'!

Girls with short hair aren't going to have to think about hair dressing very much, much as they probably don't in their da-to-day lives. Longer haired gals need to think about how they will dress the hair itself, before thinking about adornment. First of all, we'll take a look at ways to add bling and/or colour to the head, which is applicable to both long and short hair, and later on we'll think about the hair itself and how to turn it into something beautiful and secure!

Bling-Bling!

If you want to add pizzazz to your hair, there are plenty ways of doing so!Hairbands can be a great accent, but are only
really going to work for compulsory dance even
ts, seeing as the moment you jump or spin it's probably going to fall off.

That said, for a few years now embellished elasticated headbands
have come back into fashion and seem to be everywhere! These
can be pinned into the hair more easily (by using kirby grips round the back of the head, so as to stay as discreet as possible) and will stay in place better. Just be sure to try your accessories out in practice before C-day!

You can buy them with coloured flowers, feathers (although beware they don't fall out as this is
a sure fire way to be penalised for endangering other competitors), crystals, beads, sequins, the list is endless. Make sure the elastic is tight
enough for your head size but not so tight you're uncomfortable.

Fascinators are very popular these days, particularly for weddings and high society events, but why not wear one for your competition? The number of models are endless and they come in a range of different attachment designs; combs can be inserted into a sturdy hairdo (such as the pleat of a french roll), but the majority of fascinators come on headbands, which poses the same problems less extravagant headbands do, in terms of attachability!

Embellished hair pins can look beautiful and are more subtle than the above options. They are used to add a little bit of discreet sparkle to a pretty hairdo and aren't very suitable for short hair. They come in diamanté, pearl, with flower shapes, stars, hearts, etc. I buy mine in packs of 4 or 6 off eBay, the best suppliers tend to be Hong Kong based. No I'm not kidding, go ahead and look for yourself!! The prices are fantastic and I've never been dissapointed with the quality. I wear mine to almost competition in the pleat of my french roll or around a bun (and also when going out for dinner!).

Glitter hair gels and sprays are also a classic option and can be had for cheaps from almost any good store. Claire's Accessories stick glitter spray cans in a multitude of colours but be prepared to pay more, I usually try and shop around for mine but when time is running out know that Claire's has what I need if I really don't find a cheaper option.

Hairstyles

Well all those accessories are very well but what about the actual hair?! Fret not! Depending on your hair length you can go for several different looks. Some skaters (mainly dancers) wear their hair down, free and flowing. I've never gone in for that personally as it would just annoy me. That said my hair is very long. I think you have to have started wearing your hair out at a young age to have gotten used to it. Anyway, that's besides the point. If you want to wear your hair completely down, maybe you can pin the front sides back to ensure you don't get all your hair in your eyes (even though the ends are inevitably wispy and will fly over your face at some point). Curling the lengths can look sweet, especially for a classical piece of music or a waltz.

The next step up from "down" hair is the ponytail. I personally can't stand this look on skaters. I think it looks pretty thoughtless. Once it's in an elastic band, would it kill you to twist the hair into a bun and attach with coloured ribbon, scrunchie (ooohh 90's throw-back!) or even just kirbys?! Ponytails also have the hair-in-your-face aspect. If this really is your fave style please put a pretty co-ordinating accessory into it!

Judges generally want something practical and elegant on a female skater. They don't want to see a coiffure creation. Keep to one of the timeless hair do's and you can't go wrong. It needs to feel secure to your head so you don't have to think one second and "is my hair coming undone?", or anything else that's going to keep you from the job at hand. Lord knows comps are stressful enough without adding un-necessary problems. Use good quality elastic bands and kirby grips to secure your look. If you need flat combs to secure french rolls go for it, and match the comb to your natural hair colour. Don't panic too much if your elastic band is peeking through your bun, once you're on the ice no one will be any the wiser!

A bun is the most classic look and goes well with every style. Go high on a young child for a very cute look, keep it sober and back if you're older. Add ribbon, flowers, glitter, crystals, netting, etc for more "flair". Take it right down low to the nape of the neck for adult sophistication. Take it off to one side and add a huge red flower or flamenco comb for a spanish theme. This is the mother of all skating do's. Here's a YouTube video on how to do a great bun;

You can also use a bun donut to get that danish pastry sort of look! I think of it as an air-hostess bun. I didn't manage to find a decent video on YouTube to embed here that didn't include obscene rap music (seriously though, why?) so I'll let you guys go looking for yourselves!

The "French Pleat" is another huge classic, and many variations on a theme are possible. This is quite a hard style to master and you're probably going to be doing this on your Skate Kid rather than on yourself as I believe it's quite hard to do on oneself (I've never managed anyhow). Here's a good video on how to do one;

I could go on all day about hair style variations but chances are you have a few ideas of your own and you/your kid knows what feels right and looks good. Just play around with ideas to get your hair looking not only professional and neat but a little bit personalised to whatever your skating programme might be.

I'll leave you with one last video I found randomly on YouTube, it's an integration of coloured ribbon into a regular bun;

Happy hair-styling!!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Make-up for a figure skating competition

2010-06-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine make up for skating competitions needs to be age appropriate. A bright red lip may look seductive and provocative on a 17 year old, but just plain wrong on an 8 year old. Just use your common sense and go with something both parent and skater are happy with. If you're reading this for yourself, then what you wear for competition will probably depend on how at ease you are with make-up, and what your daily habits are. What's so fun about competitive make-up is that you can go with something you would never otherwise wear, so I always try to have fun with it!

Wacky eye colours, bold lips, and lots of eyelash extensions are great fun and can look just superb on the ice. Be careful not to turn your free programme into a gala piece though, as many old-fashioned judges won't appreciate a mardi-gras approach to competitive appearance.

Your make-up should reflect who you are, but also who you are trying to portray. If you are skating (and therefore acting!) to Bizet's Carmen music, then you should probably go with something as passionate and dramatic as the music itself (and hopefully, your skating!). If you are skating to swan lake, red lips, pink eyeshadow, and lashings of blusher aren't going to look right. This combo sounds about right for an exhibition piece to "Barbie Girl" though! Think it out and have fun with it!

Go online for help! Youtube has some amazing and very dedicated users who show you how to create stunning looks (albeit they don't have figure skating competitions in mind, they are often "going out" looks). Michelle Phan has become a well known YouTube "artist" and I have embedded a few of her videos below to whet your appetite!

The last point I want to make today is that the expense of the make up you use is unimportant. Obviously with more expensive products you're going to get better quality and long life out of your pots and potions, and what you use in your every day life will most likely have a huge influence on what you decide to purchase for your skating life. I for one feel the financial effects of skating and I'm sure I'm not alone, and therefore I do go for cheaper products when buying colours I know I'm not likely to wear on a day-to-day basis. So just buy whatever you feel comfortable with, your creation is going to be seen from afar anyway, so go for hi-impact! Bold colours strong shading and pretty lips are more important than the difference between a high quality shimmer and a lesser quality matt shade. Have fun!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Get through your first figure skating competition

2010-06-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

You have your confirmation letter, the timetable, your bags are packed and the hotel is booked. Your speeding to your competitive destination, and your adrenaline is pumping! Oh, the thrill of competitive figure skating. Whether this experience is for yourself or your child, certain rules and etiquette apply, and here we are going to look at some do's and don't's to get you through your big day.

How will the day pan-out you ask? Generally speaking, you'll know your skate time having received it via the post or email from the host club. You should have a timetable for the day (but don't worry if you don't because they will have plenty on the welcome desk at the rink) and this will help you to plan your day. The rule of thumb is to be skate-ready 30 minutes before your scheduled events time. You need to liaise with the organisers while at your event and ask every now and again if they are running early or late and calculate how this could affect your skate time.

Upon arrival at the ice rink, go for the registration (or check-in) desk. They are normally quite obvious and set up in the main lobby of the rink (although I once totally missed the desk at a major competition and almost got banned from skating because I didn't check-in! So really, really, find that desk! So important!). You'll give your name which will be ticked off a list, and give over your music CD. You may or may not receive a welcome pack with important information about the event and/or venue, and a badge to wear.

Find yourself somewhere to set down. This is easier if you are not alone. If you are accompanying your child you can sit here during the whole competition and watch them skate, so make sure you're in a comfortable spot. If your child's coach is present then they can look after your little skater during off and on ice warm-up while you guard the bags. The most common place to sit is in the stands. IceMom has a very good post on competition from a mother's point of view and there is an interesting and quite disconcerting point in her post about parents talking badly about other children! Click here to read it.

You'll need somewhere to get changed, and more often than not the club/venue does not provide spacious changing rooms to do so. Let's face it, for all the rhinestones and glitter, behind-the-scenes skating is far from glamourous!! So, the toilets it is then! Another option if you are staying (or live) near by is the arrive at the rink in your skating attire. The pros of this option being you don't have to worry about changing at the rink, and the fact that you're ready to rock'n'roll if your event is running early. The cons are mainly discomfort if you have a journey to the rink, and the possibility of creasing the skirt while sitting on it (in the car for instance). There is also the peeing issue if you're wearing a dress (what a fankle!!).

If you can, bring some home made food. Most ice rink food is just horrifying! Dirty oil, see-thru fries (yes they're that saturated!), burgers and fizzy drinks are about as good as it gets. If you're lucky you'll get a sophisticated café serving slices of toast and a latté. Woo. I suggest bringing home-made or store-bought food and drink where possible. Don't forget to provide for your coach too.

Bring cash. You'll probably want to get your little star a gift, and there are usually a decent amount of stands at open events. A flower to throw on is a nice touch, and a teddy bear to bring home is even nicer. There may also be industry merchants at the larger events selling such items as figure-skating-related jewellry items, rhinestones, apparel, boots, and blades. This may be a good time to stock up on tights if you otherwise have to go afar to purchase them at any other time during the year.

I really do suggest getting hair and make-up ready before coming to the rink. The environment will be a more relaxed one, whether you're at home or in a hotel room. I'll be posting new entries really soon on how to do hair and make-up for figure skating comps, so keep coming back!

As IceMom points out in the aforementioned blog post, do something nice for your coach. S/he has seen to your kid all day and gone through a stressful time just like yourself and your child. Why not show your appreciation by offering him/her a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine, or a box of chocolates? You can generally get these items at reasonable prices at your local store and it won't go un-noticed, I guarantee you. Even a thank-you card the next time you are in for training can really touch the person who spent alot of time and effort to help you (or your mini skater).

I hope that de-mystifies the on-goings of a competition for you, please don't hesitate to ask me additional questions either via my FormSpring page or in the comments section of this post!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Choreograph a figure skating programme

2010-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I got the idea for this post while reading through Tony Wheelers blog "Flutzing Around" (situated at http://tony-wheeler.blogspot.com/). Tony talked about US figure skater Johnny Weir, and how he would fare as a choreographer on the international figure skating scene. The general consensus is that Johnny would make a great show choreographer but is too artistic to manage the restricting aspects of international competition. Have a look at Tony's article and have your say by clicking here.

Every skater has to face the ordeal of making up new programmes - whether it be your very first, or your short programme for your 15th season. There are the hours spent listening to music (95% of which you find boring and tedious), but whats next? Making up the programme is undoubtedly the most important part of the process and can take anywhere between 1 hour and several months! With the IJS judging system coaches and choreographers' job just got alot harder. Now instead of just implementing required elements, they also have to think about the level at which they want their skater to execute said elements, and how to go about making them up (don't get me started on step sequences).

Many skaters choose to employ a professional choreographer, and most major rinks have one. Smaller local rinks may not, however you can usually find budding choreographers among the higher ranking skaters at your rink. Ask around. If you're going to be competing in IJS judged events you really need to make sure your guy knows what he's talking about though, as a beautiful programme isn't much use if you are executing level 1 elements when you have the technical expertise to execute them at a level 3 or 4!! What a waste of points!

Unlike for coaching, there is no choreography certificate or diploma. Skaters pick the skill up by being mentored, and often sheerly through passion for movement and skating.

Of course, you don't need a choreographer. Many coaches are proficient in the art of programme building, and this is even more applicable to skaters who are just starting out, as they probably don't have the skill yet to express complicated moves and sophisticated gestures. If you're child needs a first programme, his/her coach is probably going to do a really great job. The up side of your coach making the programme is that s/he knows you, and your capabilities. This makes a programme more adapted to your skill set, and will lead to a better over-all programme. Don't get me wrong, a choreographer won't ask a 9 year old to jump a triple axel, and of course they will indeed get to know the skater they are working with. But all that takes time. Time takes money. Money probably worth investing to go to the World Championships, but not necessarily for a local event.

Some skaters make up their own programmes. Today this still rings true for gala and exhibition pieces, but less so for competitive programmes. Again, a sound knowledge of the code of points system is needed to understand what elements will get you the most points. Coaches attend IJS seminars to get a better grip on these regulations, and more often than not are going to do a better job than a skater alone. Some skaters have sheer natural talent for it, and can have great fun creating routines. Russia's Maria Butyrskaia choreographed most of her international competitive programmes to great success (and many medals!). I've embedded a YouTube link to one of her programmes below:

Remember to use music that suits you, and that is going to show off your skill set to it's maximum! If you want to read more about how to choose music for a programme, please see this post.

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Motivate your child to practice "Moves in the Field"

2010-06-24T01:24:00.000-07:00

Moves in the field, or field moves, are a hugely important part of skating and can make all the difference to a skater. Learning to enjoy and take something away from your moves practice, and being able to apply the principles of good strong clean edges is something all skaters should be at ease with, and is important no matter what discipline you participate in.

As you are probably aware, there is a test structure dedicated entirely to moves, and these tests require skaters to demonstrate the art of edges; a certain set of edge work patterns which must be executed to a satisfactory standard for the level the skater is trying to pass. These sets of patterns (usually between 4 and 6 patterns per test, depending on the country and level) take up alot of practice time, and most skaters see them as a chore. They are not skated to music, are repetitive, and can be very difficult. Motivation and dedication is needed to practice moves to a high level.

So how do you motivate your child to practice moves, when everyone else on the ice is jumping, spinning and generally bee-bopping? It's not easy, but someone has to do it...

Explain to your skater the importance of this area of the sport. Kids ain't stupid, they can take the straight talk. He or she needs to know that skating isn't just about music and outfits, and that if they really want to get anything serious out of their skating this part of the parcel just has to be dealt with.

Sort out your timetable to allow your child to practice moves on fairly empty patches, or calmer sessions. Trying to stick to your set pattern while 5 other skaters run programmes and practice jumps in nigh impossible. Trust me. Your kid will end up getting in peoples way (making him/her feel awkward and thus detract from the attention being paid to the work at hand) and re-starting the pattern ten times over due to the fact that other people have cut him/her off in the middle of a pattern. Frustration!!! If your kid does a before-school early-morning session, and an after-school afternoon session, use the quieter of the two for moves. This way your child can view that session as the time consecrated to moves.

Make it fun and rewarding. If they have practiced their moves hard, maybe a little slack wouldn't go a miss. Or an ice cream. I know this sounds corny but often the idea of a nice treat is enough to motivate. Hell, the idea of treating myself to a hot chocolate and a magazine curled up in a Starbucks has kept me on many a boring session!! And I'm not a kid!!

Make sure your coach is putting in for the tests as and when your child is ready. There is nothing more boring and demotivating that practicing the same old thing, that you can do perfectly well and easily, just because you don't have anything to practice. If test sessions are few and far between in your area then talk to your coach about your child learning the next level up too. Why not go in for 2 tests at the one session, if your child has the skills and motivation.

Want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Sign up for competition

2010-06-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

So you're going in for your first comp? Awesome! Well done. This is always a really exciting time for a skater and there are lots of great times to be had. You've got the joys of choosing music, choreographing the programme, choosing a costume (or making your own, see my post on making your own competition outfit), but maybe the biggest choice of all is which competition to participate in.

Your coach probably knows what event he or she wants you to enter if s/he has told you that you're ready for competition. Events exist on many different levels starting from local rink events held on 1/2 your home town ice pad, right through to the Olympics. In between the two there are "open competitions" which are usually on a regional or national scale into which anyone can apply as long as they hold the correct test passes for the event they wish to compete in. Your coach will know what category to put you into depending on your test passes and/or your ability (don't worry if you've not passed any tests yet though, there are many "no-test" categories within bigger events).

Open competitions comprise many different levels and usually go from beginner through to Senior. They usually span several days (anywhere from 1 to 7 days in the norm depending on the size of the event and it's popularity). When you get higher up the test ladder and start competing at a level which will require a short and long programme (or, if you're a dancer, compulsories, original dance, and free dance, or any combination of the 3) then you may find yourself skating on more than 1 day. Otherwise you will skate once on a given day.

Competitions have entry fees and set rules. The competition organiser issues a document called the "announcement" a few months before the event and you can procure one any number of ways (depending on how "modern" the club hosting the event is). Go on their web site if they have one (use Don Korte's great "find a club" tool if you live in the US, click here to go to his site Sk8Stuff.Com). If they don't have a website (or worse, just don't update it!) try and get an email address for their secretary or even a telephone number. Call at appropriate times, not too late at night! Your coach may also have gotten ahold of some announcements. Your club may also post one on your club information board, so just ask around and you should manage to find one fairly easily. If you live in the UK, the national governing body for figure skating, NISA UK, post all competitions on their websites' calendar. For the US, the same tool is available via the USFSA website, click here to go to the correct page.

Once you've gotten hold of the announcement and know what category you are entering, you'll need to fill out the entry form. This is usually attached to the announcement, at the back. You'll need to fill in questions like name, club that you represent (your home club), coaches name, and your license number (to whichever governing body you belong). The entry fees will be printed on the entry form and often depend on the event you are entering. Larger events usually cost more than home town ones, and these fees cover the cost of the ice rental, judges, and the generally logistics of running an event.

Once you've filled out the forms, show them to your coach if this is your first ever event. S/he can check everything is in order, as oftentimes if your forms aren't correctly filled in you are not accepted into the competition. Cheque is the most common form of payment, but more and more clubs are now accepting payment via credit/debit card. I'm a fan of the good old fashioned cheque mysef, slipped in with the entry form in a crisp enveloppe!

So what happens next? In the olden days (Lord I feel old) clubs used to send out confirmation letters with any useful information the skater might need (such as timetable, date of their particular event, address of the rink, useful local information such as hotels in the area) but clubs are getting weary of the approach due to financial costs of posting huge wads of paper to each competitior, and there is of course the ecological aspect of it. Email is the new medium, and you'll most likely receive your information this way.

That's you, all signed up! Wasn't so horrible after all ay? The next thing you'll need to do is organise travel details if you are traveling outside your local area. Traveling for skating has been one of the best parts of my on ice career and I'm sure you're going to love it, whether you are traveling alone and for yourself, or with your child. It's a great way to spend some very precious moments and if I had one word of wisdom to you I would say take photos!! Good times!! I feel a new post coming on to help you through finding the best and most economical way to attend far away skating events....!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Sew your own soakers!

2010-06-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

Soakers are an essential part of any skaters' sports bag, and a really easy little item to whip up with a little stray fabric and 30mins spare time. Make them as slim or as full as you want, using whatever type of fabric you'd like. Use up odd edds or buy a far-out fabric to make soakers that'll seriously brighten up your bag.

These little jems are really easy to make and double as a very nice xmas gift for your coach and/or skating entourage. You could even go to town and embellish them with stones or beads, stuck on or hand-sewn. Go nuts!

Here's what you will need:

- Towelling fabric (yes, the stuff towels are made of, nice and absorbant. This is for the inside)

- Any fabric you like (this is for the outside so use something you find visually pleasing)

- Elastic (can be 1cm or 5cm wide, just use whatever you have)

- Sewing machine and thread (use matching thread for invisible seams, or mix it up and contrast!)

Method:

1) Measure the length (from toepick to back end) and depth (from the sole of the boot to the part that touches the ice) of your blade. Lay your fabric out for cutting. Double the depth so that you have enough to cover both sides, and add another 2". This allows for a 1" gutter on either side of the blade through which the elastic will be passed. Cut your fabric by multiplying the length by 1.5 times the length of your blade. This will allow for the elastic to pull in the fabric and give a nice ruched finish.

Example: If my blade is 10" long, and 2" deep, I will cut;

One piece of fabric, measuring 15" long, and 6" deep.

2) Once you have cut 2 pieces as discussed above, in both the outer fabric and the towelling fabric, you will need to sew 1 piece of outer to 1 piece of toweling. Go at it with your machine and a nice zig-zag stitch.

3) Now fold over your elastic gutter, toweling fabric towards the inside. Stitch along the length of the fabric. You now have 2 "tunnels" at the edges of your rectangle of fabric into which the elastic will go later on.

4) Now, fold them in half lengthways so that the toweling is on the outside (this way the seams we are going to sew up will be turn inwards upon completion revealing a pretty soaker!). Sew up the ends but leave the "elastic tunnels" open (you will finish these by hand once the elastic have been inserted and sewn up).

5) You should now have a soaker-resembling shape of fabric, albeit a little long for your blade. Aha! Here comes the elastic. Generally you should try and get an elastic which has an appropriate width for your gutter, but anything will do and I appreciate the need for thriftiness! Use a safety pin (which you stick through the end of the elastic) to guide it through the gutters you made earlier. Adjust the elastic until it pulls the soaker into the original blade length (remember we cut the fabric one and a half times the length of the blade? It's now being pulled back to blade length - creating a yummy ruffle and loads of super padding for your precious blades). Sew up the ends of the elastic together with your machine. Use the backstitch option and go back and forwards a few times to ensure security.

6) Turn your soaker right side out!! Pretty!! Now all that's left to do is tuck in your elastic ends and sew up the ends of the gutters. This should take you 5-10 mins by hand.

Now you can have fun personalising your soakers if you fancy. Placing an initial onto the back in head-sewn beads is a beautiful touch and a very thoughtful gift.

Happy skate-sewing!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

Competition Checklist: 10 things you shouldn't compete without!

2010-06-22T10:54:00.001-07:00

Here I have compiled a "checklist" of competitive must-haves to help you on your way to your first (or 100th!) skating competition! These are don't-leave-at-home items which will make all the difference to your big day. Pack your things at latest the evening before C-Day as stress can make you jittery and forgetful - failing to prepare is preparing to fail, after all!

A BAG

Into which you can fit the following items on this list. Whether you opt for a "wheelie" model or a regular shoulder-strap sports bag is entirely up to you. You might even want one of these Zuca "bags", very popular with the Weir, which look more like little dolls houses on wheels if you ask me!

SKATES

Yes, I know. I hang my head in shame. How could you forget the skates you ask. Just get them in the bag!

GUARDS

Whether you have the old school hockey-style guards or the "new" spring-guards, make sure you have something to protect those precious (not to mention expensive blades) while walking around pre and post skate.

SOAKERS

You need these to protect your beautiful blades during transportation, without them sweating in plastic guards. If you've read over the "how to make your own skating outfit" post, and feel confident with your sewing machine then you can whip them up yourself (I feel a new post coming on...).

WIPING CLOTH

You need a piece of absorbant fabric to whip clean and dry your blades after your performance(s). This can be a snazzy purpose-built "skate cloth" or a raggy old hand towel from home. It's up to you.

WATER

Bring a bottle of water to your big day. You need hydration before, during, and after the event. Have your coach keep it handy during off and on ice warm ups and take sips little and often to avoid feeling bloated by guzzling too much at once.

MUSIC

Don't go forgetting your CD! You can't skate in the event if you don't have music to skate to. You will have to forfeit the competition, after all your hard work, efforts, and possibly even travel. Bring along a back-up CD too and have your coach hold on to it at the barrier during your event. You will need to check your music in upon arrival at the venue and you usually do so at the registration desk in the main lobby of the ice rink.

SPARE TIGHTS

Yes I know tights are expensive but you need to think of your back-up tights as an investment. The day will come when you'll be slipping on your tights in the bathroom before slinking into your outfit, and you'll see a great hole at the crotch or the toes! Laddering tights, not a pretty sight!

WARM-UP JACKET

You'll need something smart for the warm-up, and you will most likely wear it during your off ice warm up too. A fitted jacket works well with all garments and if you get one in a universal colour it will always look good no matter what colour your outfit is (I recommend black, have been using the same one for 7 years now!). Something like this is nice:

SOMETHING SWEET

Often skaters eat a little something sweet before going on to skate to give their bodies a quick rush of energy. It's not a good idea to eat sweet sugary foods too far in advance as they provide a fast but short lived hit followed by a return to normal blood sugar levels - which can feel low after a high! So be sensible. It's always a good back-up to have a Mars bar (or anything else) at hand though. Don't pig out on fast-acting sweets after your skate, you need to eat slow releasing sugars to help your body's sugar levels return to normal.

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Make your own figure skating outfit

2010-06-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

I salute you! Making your own skating outfit is a hard task, yes. Especially if you have never done it before. However, it is terribly rewarding when the final garment comes together, and I just cannot describe the sheer pride you will feel when someone compliments your outfit at your competition and woos "ohh, who made that for you?". So let's go my pretties, to the sewing machine!

Here's what you need to know. You can do this free style, and design your own outfit from scratch, or you can use a pattern. I recommend the use of a pattern for anyone who isn't very much at ease with pattern drafting and sewing techniques. I still use patterns and simply adapt small parts of them to get the shape I am looking for (trust me it may seem daunting now, but once you have made your first basic outfit adapting a neckline or skirt length will start to come quite naturally).

So where do I get a pattern, you ask? The amount of sewing pattern manufacturers who supply figure skating dress patterns is pretty weak, but they do exist and they generally are simple silhouettes which make them easy to adapt once you get confident enough. Gents outfits are even rarer and I only know of one company which make male figure skating outfit sewing patterns. That said, a mans pant or legging could be drafted from a pattern of pretty much any style, just make sure that the fabric you are using is stretchy enough. Men's shirts can be chosen right out of any pattern makers catalogue by browsing the "men's shirts" section, and no particular stretch-rule need be applied unless you are going for a tight design.

Jalie is a Canadian company providing an extensive range of skating patterns, you can take a look at the "figure skating" page of their website by clicking here. They also provide patterns for ballet and gymnastics, among others, which as you can imagine can be easily applied to our sport too.

McCalls do a childs fairy dress pattern which sports a skating girl on the packaging, click here to see this pattern if you're stitching for a little one.

Kwik Sew have a large selection of simple styles, ranging from practice wear, hankerchief skirts for little ones (and not so little if that's what you fancy!) to slinky bare-backs and a-line nightie styles. Click here to see the Kwik Sew page at SewingPatterns.Com, just click on the "Figure Skating" tab in the left-hand menu to view all their styles.

Once you've found a style that you like (and that you feel comfortable sewing), you need to choose your fabric. You can either buy this from local suppliers or go online. I have bought fabric on eBay many a time and am yet to be dissapointed! Look for the seal of professionalism - the "Power Seller" badge, and group buy to save you money on shipping costs. There are also many other great online stores but they are quite region/country dependant so the best thing to do is for you to type "fabric store" into Google and give yourself 30mins of "me time" to browse and bookmark as you go. Material is sold by the yard or meter (this is the length), and has a fixed width (the width of the roll on which the material is mounted). So when you ask for 3 meters of a fabric which is 140cm wide, you will get 3(L) x 1.40(W) meters of your desired fabric.

You need to concentrate on the elasticity of the fabric too. As you bend, stretch and shimmy (oo-er!) you need your outfit to fit and flow, not constrict and cut off blood circulation! So go for a 4-way stretch fabric. This is also sometimes called 2-way stretch, and it basically means that the fabric stretches whether you pull it up-and-down or left-to-right. The supplier will usually tell you what amount of elastane is present in the fabric, but don't worry too much about this as long as it is stretchy under-finger. I once used a pattern which stipulated the use of a fabric with minimum 70% elastane, but used a fabric with only 7% as the fabric was a cheap piece I picked up. The dress turned out a hot success and is comfortable for everyday practice wear! Be savvy and trust yourself.

Thread needs to be a good all-purpose thread and more importantly you should stitch with a zig-zag stitch on your machine. This way as the fabric gets stretched out the thread gives, and then goes back to its usual place (imagine pulling your dress on over your hips, the skirt-at-waist seam needs to stretch to get over your hips and then resume its normal size once sat on your waist). Use a "stretch" needle in your machine. This saves the stretchy fabric from "running away" under your machines foot, and will prevent puckering and jumpy seams. You can get "stretch" needles (sometimes called "ballpoint" needles) from any good haberdasher, and again why not go online for a bargain if you are a confident online shopper.

Follow the instructions on the sewing pattern and take plenty time cutting out your fabric. I do realise that a cutting mat and a rotary cutter are investments but if you are serious about crafts in general, and now skating outfits too(!!) then these tools will make your life SO MUCH easier! I regret having waited so long to buy mine, and now couldn't cut fabric without them. I purchased both of them on eBay and would do so again without hesitation. Your rotary cutter blade will need replacing now and again (depending on how much you use it) but your cutting mat will self-heal allowing for long-term usage.

Once you've got a finished garment, you'll probably want to embellish it. This is a really fun part and you can go as mad as you want! I would recommend having a good rest between the moment you finish sewing and the moment you start thinking about adornment - you need a fresh mind and a motivated attitude towards it in order to think up something really special, and in my experience I had neither of those having spent 7 hours at the machine! A hot bath and a glass of wine is a nice way to reward yourself for your efforts, but that's just a little suggestion!

Buy your sequins, crystals, and/or beads from either your local supplier or again, go online. You'll find you can get better prices and bigger quantities online and this can be very helpful for skating costumes as they do need alot of adornment. What size, colour, texture and type of "bead" (I use the word bead loosely to describe any type of adornment) you choose is entirely upto you. Think it out and draw a few sketches to give yourself an idea of what your fantastic garment will look like once you've gone to work making it sparkle-tastic!

Most of all have fun, and enjoy the utter satisfaction that will pump through your body when you step out onto the ice wearing YOUR creation!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Get a competition outfit

2010-06-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

So your coach thinks you're (or your child is) ready to compete! Congratulations, and welcome to the world of competitive figure skating.

Many thoughts are probably currently buzzing around inside your head, such as what about a programme, how do I sign up for a competition, how do I choose music (see post below), and of course, what will I wear!? That's where this post comes in handy! I will be adding a "competition checklist" post very soon to help beginner competitors get to grips with all the essential (and some not so essential) items they need to take along with them on the big day. Here however, we are going to concentrate on getting you looking great!

As you are probably well aware, men usually wear either a looser pant, or quite skinny-fitted pants with an assorted top, and never venture (for good reason!) into skirts! Women virtually always wear dresses although we have seen the odd trouser-suit for ladies, as seen below on Irina Slutskaya of Russia in the 2005 European Championship;

Chances are though, if you are a lady you'll want a beautiful dress, one that will make you feel like a princess and give you that sparkle of confidence which will shine through on C-Day.

There are a number of ways to go about procuring yourself a dress (or pants/shirt combo, if you are a guy). You can buy ready-made outfits, many brands exist (the range of choice is larger if you live in the USA but most companies ship world-wide). Two of the biggest names are Jerry's (www.jerryskate.com) and Sharene! Skatewear (www.shareneskatewear.com).

Prices vary and depend heavily on the amount of adornment on your garment. These embellishments can range from glass beads, to plastic sequins, right through to crystal rhinestones and it goes without saying that these have to be applied by hand (with an exception for the "sequined" types of fabric, click here to see what this means).

Another option is to have someone design and make an outfit for you. This guarantees your outfit is unique, but can cost more. Most ice rinks (and clubs) have a sort of "resident" dress maker, usually a skating mother and someone who has been in the "business" for years. Ask around at your rink (coaches and other parents) to find out if such a personage exists at your watering hole, and how to get in contact with her (or him). Sometimes costumes can be whipped up in a matter of days, others can take a very long time, especially if several drawing and designing stages are to be done. In addition to your local "skate-dress-maker" there are some very well known bespoke skating costume designers, such as Tania Bass, but these creators are to be thought of as couture designers for skating and generally have much higher prices than your local person may offer.

You can of course also buy second-hand outfits. You may recoil at this idea at first, but if you need to be thrifty this can be a great way to give a costume a whole new leash of life, and nothing is stopping you from sprucing it up with hand applied embellishments of your own, or changing it's style by accessorising (imagine a sleeveless dress originally designed to suit any piece of classical music, add long satin gloves and a pearl necklace and you have the perfect waltz dress). To find second-hand pieces ask at your club, talk to parents and simply ask if they are looking to sell any pieces at this time. You'd be surprised how happy a parent can be at the idea of being able to pay for a few lessons just by letting go of that item at the back of the wardrobe! If your club has a website with a forum don't hesitate to post on it, and more classically, if your club has an information board at the ice rink ask to place a small card with your details on it.

Last but not least there is the option of making your outfit yourself. No, don't panic!! Obviously you need to be of a crafty nature and also own a sewing machine and know how to use it if you are going to churn something out which will be comfortable and elegant enough to be worn in your competition. I will be posting a new entry solely on the topic of making your own skating outfit in a very short while, so check back to find out more about this exciting and thrifty solution!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Dress for Practice Sessions

2010-06-07T03:02:00.000-07:00

Dressing for practice sessions is mostly a question of practicality, although some skaters also take this opportunity to show off their personal sense of style. I have personally always gone with the comfort aspect of dressing for practice, with an emphasis on safety for muscles in the cold environment.

Some ice rinks (usually the older ones) are known to be especially cold, although the newer models can be quite moderate, and even hot! Yes, promise! So this is obviously going to be a key factor in choosing your training clothing. Most skaters buy pieces now and again and build up a training wardrobe, this is a good way to measure what works for you as opposed to going out and buying a ton of gear only to realise that it is not keeping you warm enough, or even vice-versa.

The cold environment in which the largest portion of us train can be dangerous for muscles, and guarding against pulls and rips is key in keeping fit and competition ready. This means keeping muscles (especially legs) well covered at all times, and not stopping for long periods of time to then push off again into a gust of cold wind (this however is a whole other blog post subject - I'll get to it eventually!).

Many female skaters now opt for trousers instead of skirts simply for the cold aspect of our environment. This doesn't however mean wearing your favourite Nike sloppy-joes, as there are many great trouser styles now available to skaters and dancers (don't neglect your local dance shop, or the previously mentioned online-store www.dancedirect.com). Girls opt for leggings 9 times out of 10 and you can buy these inexpensively if you are on a budget. That said, in my experience if you put the money in you get quality out. I am still wearing a pair of leggings I bought in 2001!

Tops wise anything goes really, as long as you are comfortable and confident in what you are wearing. All sports brands offer a wide selection of tops made from special materials which 'wick away' sweat from the skin to keep you dry, and this is a particularly useful option when your training environment isn't an athletics track, but indeed a giant freezer where the least water against yourskin feels like ice! Is it essential to remember the importance of a sports bra for female skaters, you can get them in a variety of qualities, and again this does depend on price. Please don't neglect this part of your body, skating is a strenuous sport (especially if jumps are involved) and you can do yourself long term tissue damage if you do not properly support your assets! You wouldn't run a marathon in frilly underwear, so why skate with it? Think long-term benefits here ladies!

Jackets, sweat-shirts, jumpers and wrap-arounds are obviously vitally important, and the trick is to layer well to be able to find the temperature at which you are comfortable for your training session. If you wear multiple thin layers you can peel them off one at a time and avoid that just-took-my-wooly-jumper-off-and-now-am-freezing-in-my-sleeveless-sports-top moment!

Your coach will probably want you wearing something form fitting, and for good reason. Not only will this help him or her see your lines better and your axis in the air during jumping, but it also makes for safer practice. Accidents happen with bell-bottomed leggings, fact! If you are working on choreography and your arms are encased in an albeit very comfortable but hugely baggy sweatie, your coach won't see much of your interpretation of Beethovens' 5th! Be practical.

All skaters need gloves, and whether you go for an expensive brand name or the regular 'magic-glove' type from your local thrift store is entirely up to you. In my experience, gloves -no matter what the quality- get terribly damaged fairly quickly in a skating environment. From wiping blades, noses (yes, noses drip where there are no tissues available... that's life!) and clinging onto rugged barriers. Holes happen, so don't wear cashmere!

Hats and scarves are optional and depend entirely on the skaters comfort. I never skate without a hat, but it comes off eventually! Hats are not convenient for practising spins, but can be a huge comfort while tracing moves in the field for hours on end. Adapt to your environment, and the golden rule again is... be comfortable!

Try not to wear any excessive jewellry, as this can get in the way and in some cases cause you injury. Large earrings are a definite no-no. These can get caught on your hair, the ice, or your clothing and in some cases cause extensive injury. Rings if small are fine and shouldn't cause you any harm upon falling. Necklaces (chains, etc) should be kept inside your garments to avoid hurting yourself during spinning or jumping.

Many female skaters still enjoy practising in dresses, and that's fine too. It really depends on each persons personal style and preference. Skaters don't usually wear their competition regalia for practice session for fear or damaging it during falls, or losing the rhinestones which are costly to replace. A good option if you do want to wear a skirt is to buy a classical dance practice dress, or a leotard and wrap-around skirt combo.

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Start Figure Skating

2010-06-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

This may sound like a pretty obvious title but some of you may be wondering how to get into the sport of ice skating. Maybe you want your child to partake in a sport, or maybe you yourself fancy hitting that ice for a quick whiz about. Skating can be fun, invigorating and a long-term source of challenge and self-discipline. For many people it is their 'me time' and helps them to escape the daily routine of work, family and other commitments.

So you've seen skating on T.V and fancy having a go for yourself? In that case you'll need to find an ice rink near your hometown. Many skating-oriented websites displays extensive lists of rinks by country and/or region but this method is a little outdated these days as Google Maps can provide instantaneous information simply by visiting their website and typing in the name of your town or region followed by the words 'ice rink'.

Once you've located your nearest rink, visit their website if they have one. Or you could always pop along to the rink to ask information about prices and session times directly at their box office. Ice rinks usually display a board with information on their coaches too which you may want to browse for future reference.

The next step really depends on how secure you feel about going it alone. You could partake in a 'public session' by turning up at the rink before one of these session times starts and hiring rental skates. You simply take to the ice yourself for the alotted time. However, if you are looking to get good basic knowledge of skating, and maybe you're even a little nervous (or scared!) then a learn-to-skate programme may be just the thing for you.

Most to all ice rinks run learn-to-skate programmes, often held on the weekends. They consist of anything between 30mins and several hours of ice time specifically for beginners, and different portions of the ice surface are dedicated to different groups, usually grouped by skating skill level. The classes are given by certified coaches who normally coach privately at your rink, although sometimes there will be apprentice coaches present too who are there to learn from the older coaches in the goal of passing their coaching diplomas.

These schemes normally run for a set time (anywhere between 5 to 12 weeks) and enrollment can be done on-site. The cost varies from rink to rink but is generally quite inexpensive considering this is a very good way to become initiated with the sport of figure skating.

Upon completion of these courses (in which you advance through the groups, collecting 'grades' along the way, usually finishing with 'gold') many skaters (provided they have caught the skating bug!) go on to take private one-to-one lessons with coaches at their rink. Learn-to-skate programmes are a great way to get to know all the professionals at your local rink and can save you time and energy later on if you do decide you would like to start taking private lessons.

In the U.K, the national learn-to-skate programme is called SkateUK, for more information click here.
In the U.S.A, the programme is named Basic Skills, click here for more info.

Your age has no importance as any ages can enroll in beginner programmes. Of course if you are a beginner adult skater you will need to be realistic about the fact that you will probably not make the Olympic team any time soon, but that is no reason to not start skating or have competitive aspirations. Today adult skating is a huge part of your sport, national and international events exist for skaters ages 18 through to 100+! So please do not let your age or other peoples' opinions slow you down if you are an aspiring adult skater.

Whether you decide to go it alone on a public session first, or enroll in a programme from the get-go, remember to have fun, stay safe, and enjoy your skating!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Choose Figure Skating Music

2010-06-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Choosing music is an important (maybe even the most important) part of a skaters' season. Whether the skater is an international athlete or a beginner choosing his or her first piece the choice is critical as not only does the music need to fit the skaters' abilities, but also their personality.

The main ground-rule when choosing music is to pick pieces that are skater-appropriate. That is, the score from the musical "Chicago" which tells the tale of a murderess by means of sultry jazz, would not be all to fitting for a 6 year old skater! This is all the same the most common skating music mistake among younger skaters; whether the music be inappropriate and un-believable (I cannot imagine that an 11 year old would know the first thing about what Juliet was feeling when she discovered her beloved Romeo had "died"?), or simply far too strong for the skaters' abilities. Picture a little chappie trying his hardest to cross-over round the end of that rink and into his three-jump, as the music from "The Man in the Iron Mask" bellows around the rink! It's not that it's rediculous, it's just not showing off the young skaters' skills, drowning him out and making him look insignificant in comparison to his music.

It's all about finding the balance, that complementary piece that is going to highlight every move, a piece that the skater can get into, and really enjoy skating. Because that really does show through.

Many coaches are heavy-handed when it comes to choosing music, but ultimately, it's the skaters' choice. If your coach wants you to skate to a certain piece but said music bores you, you needn't even bother. Not only will your bordem show through, but practicing your programme will also become a drag and something you come to loathe. Skating is hard enough already without the extra stress of running a programme you can muster no feelings for!

Always try and search out pieces of music in the style you are looking for nice and early on. Don't leave it until the last minute before the programme needs to be made up. You may very well end up dissapointed, not to mention stressed, rushed, and ultimately un-happy. When you hear a piece of music you like, write it down. Whether it be on a piece of paper, in your diary or on your telephone, keep notes!! Turn the classic radio station on when running errands in the car. Borrow cd's from your coach and from your local library and get a-listening in your home.

You will know when you hear the right piece. It will make you want to skate and skate, and inspire you with feelings whether it be passion, romance, or floaty dreaminess!

Don't cut your coach out altogether though, take the pieces you have short-listed back to him/her and discuss together what's right for you (or your little skater). Your coach is better qualified to know what will suit the style of skating in question.

Ultimately, once you have decided on what piece you would like to use, you need to get the music cut to the correct length. The length of the programme depends on the level of the skater, and if you are lost on this one your coach can tell you how long the programme needs to be. You can either enlist a professional music editor, someone at your rink (usually every rink has a known "music-cutter"; ask around, coaches and skating mothers will point you in the right direction), or you can even do it yourself. Yes, honestly! It's not as hard as you would think, and even easier still if you have a good ear. I cut all my own music for programmes and galas, and do so using a free open-source software programme named Audacity. You can download it by visiting it's websiteby clicking here.

Ultimately the skater must be happy and feel something (not necessarily joy, but something!) when skating to the music. Take as long as necessary, get it right, and you'll be happy all season!

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

How to: Dress for Figure Skating Tests

2010-06-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Sitting a test, no matter what discipline, often requires a different look than the one you might adopt for competitive participation. Here we will take a look at the main differences between these two situations and talk about what's suitable, and what's not!

Competition usually implies a myriad of clothing rules and we are, for the most part anyway, all pretty excited when it comes to thinking about what coloured rhinestones we could use, and how we could style our hair for the all-important event. To mention but a few important factors in competitive dress; the outfit itself, the tights (glittered, non-glittered, over-the-boot, footed, stirupped, glossy, matte... need I go on?), hairstyles, hair accessories, eye shadow, lipsticks.. the list goes on. But which of these elements cross over into the testing situation, and which most definitely do not?

Generally speaking skaters go for a more sobre outfit for their testing date. Black is seen as an old favourite and shows off the skaters' figure well, without distracting the judges with eye-blazing colours. As a rule of thumb, testing outfits have little to no embellishment, and therefore practice outfits can be worn if the skater possesses such fare.

For girls, hair styling is kept to something simple, on this particular occasion judges are looking for a smart, well-turned-out skater, not a skater who has spent 2 hours curling their locks because it better interprets her Romeo and Juliet music. A bun or french-plait are always nice if the hair is long enough, otherwise simply styled short hair as long as it is clean! (Yes, I have seen skaters turn up to test sessions with greasy hair).

On the make-up end again, simplicity is the key. Some skaters do not wear any at all. I always did however, as it always made me feel more "into it" and less as though I was at a practice session. Bright-red lipstick is optional (and also age-dependant) but a little blusher and some gloss never went a miss and helps the skater acheive a "pulled-together" look.

Tights should be whatever the skater is comfortable in, although flesh coloured is the norm and black is still frowned upon by the more "old-school" judges.

Well all this talk and we haven't even talked about the actual outfit itself. For men, a pair of black trousers (such as competition trousers, or even training leggings if smart) with a nice top is sufficient. I have witnessed men sit tests in practice leggings and a crisp white t-shirt, as well as competition trousers and snazzy shirt. It really is upto you as long as you look as though you have made the effort.

For girls it may be a little trickier. Your outfit should depend somewhat on your testing rink. Why? Temperature!! Don't wear your sleeveless, backless, tiny skirted number if you will be testing in a notoriously cold ice rink. Be sensible, and know what you are comfortable in. If you are testing a programme, dress appropriately as not to feel like you are melting in that long-sleeved velour number half way through your routine.

Trousers are still a 90% no-no. The older style judges do not like to see girls in trousers, although I have gotten away with it in a diabolically cold rink for a moves in the field test. If you are sitting elements or a programme try to wear a dress as it makes your silhouette more feminine. The style depends entirely on your personal taste and comfort. A leotard with wrap-around skirt is more than acceptable and can look very elegant. This option can also save you money in comparison with buying a new shop-bought or custom-made dress, as you can pick up both a leo and a wrap-around from your local dance shop (or even cheaper, online). A fantastic online store for dance fare is: DanceDirect.Com

Finally, don't forget your warmer-upper. Baggy tracksuit jackets and sweat shirts look sloppy on a warm up and detract from your figure and lines on the ice. The judges are looking at you from the get-go and you shouldn't neglect this part of the event - you can only make one good first impression after all!! So opt for a fitting fleece jacket or zipper-upper which hugs your body in a universal colour which you will be able to use time and again for both test and competition situations.

Have any questions, want to know more, don't agree? Please leave me a comment!

A guide to everything in the universe of Figure Skating

2010-06-06T08:04:00.001-07:00

This blog is an attempt to group together a useful and broad set of articles related to the sport of figure skating, in a "how-to" format.

We are all bombarded with blogs, sites, information, articles and peoples opinions of varying expertise, but as of yet there is no one-stop-shop for concise no-frills information regarding fundamental matters we all come across at some point while participating in our glittering sport.

That said, I'm no expert. And who cares what I think, right? Well, I suppose we'll find that out soon enough. I'm simply going to write about things I have experienced during my life in figure skating, in a manner which presents what I have learned in an attempt to pass on my tried-and-tested nuggets of information.

Thank you for reading and... happy skating!