Are you an ice skater who would like some skating tips from the Pros? Or maybe someone who would like to know the secrets about how the skating pros do what they do best?
The cast members of Smucker's Stars on Ice will be answering many skating questions and giving advice and tips throughout the tour on many common-asked questions and problems that amateur skaters encounter and that the pros themselves have experienced. So check back regularly for some interesting, and sometimes surprising skating tips and advice!
Skating Tip #1 - Learn to Skate
Skating Tip #2 - How to Spin
Skating Tip #3 - Selecting Your Music
Skating Tip #4 - Forgetting a Move
Skating Tip #5 - Choosing a Coach
Skating Tip #6 - When to Start Skating
Skating Tip #7 - How Long to Learn a Jump
Skating Tip #8 - Learning New Moves
SKATING TIP #9:
Where do you learn all of your new and tricky moves and how long do you practice them before you perform them in a show?
XUE & HONGBO: It takes us several months. The new moves are learned by accumulation from daily practice.
SASHA: I get ideas from all over the place. Some I can do right away, others take weeks to learn.
MARIE-FRANCE & PATRICE: It takes a lot of imagination and then a lot of patience to figure out how to do it and lots of practice.
KYOKO & JOHN: Some moves we make up - some we borrow. We take learning these very slowly and usually practice everything we do off of the ice first before we thry them on the ice.
TODD: It depends on the move, but anywhere between one month and a year.
SKATING TIP #8:
How do you keep from getting nervous before a competition or a show?
JAMIE & DAVID: There's no such thing as not getting nervous. It's totally normal and part of performing or competing. We've learned to use our nerves as a positive
SASHA: Don't think about it and prepare well.
TODD: I still get nervous but the more experience you get, the better you are able to deal with it.
YUKA: I always get nervous and it is a good sign when I am nervous.
XUE & HONGBO: Trust yourself and be confident - that is the best way to stay relaxed.
MARIE-FRANCE & PATRICE: Nerves are adrenaline; use it as fuel to perfrom.
JOHN: Train, train, train!
MICHAEL: I always get nervous before a show. It means that it's important to me to perform well. Every time I go out on the ice, I want to do my best.
JENNIFER: Sometimes you can't, so just accept that you are a little bit nervous and work on using that energy.
SKATING TIP #7:
What is the longest time it took you to learn a jump?
TODD: It took me 2 years to learn my double axel.
SASHA: Don't get frustrated ... It took me over a year to learn an axel.
JOHN: I can't begin to tell you how long it took me to land a double axel. I started kind of landing it when I was about 17 - but it was cheated! It stayed cheated for awhile until I simply got stronger physically and perfected my technique. I look back now and watch tapes of Worlds and Olympics and see me land that jump and laugh thinking how I used to do that jump. Try not to get discouraged - it's a tough jump but it is possible!
JEN: An axel is the one that takes a while - for me, it was a year and a half to do it. There is hope. There is no age limit to when you can do it.
JAMIE & DAVID: Two years ... just stay positive and work hard!
MICHAEL: My triple loop was the most difficult for me to learn. It took me a couple of years to get it clean. Believe it or not, but ... I landed a triple axel before I ever landed my triple loop! Perserverance is an important quality to have in skating and in life. Keep working hard, and it will come.
SKATING TIP #6:
How old were you when you started skating? How many times a week did you take lessons?
JENNIFER: I was 2 years old when I started skating, but I didn't start lessons until I was 8. I took lessons twice a week.
TODD: I started when I was 5 1/2 and for the first couple of years, I skated 3 days a week.
JOHN: I as maybe 3 1/2 or 4 years old - I took lessons twice a week.
SASHA: I began skating when I was 7 years old and started with once a week.
JAMIE & DAVID: We were both 2 or 2 1/2 years old, but we didn't start taking lessons until we
were 7.
MARIE-FRANCE: I started skating once a week when I was 5 years old.
PATRICE: I played hockey until I was 9 years old and then changed to figure skating.
XUE & HONGBO: We began to skate at 6 years old and skated six days a week.
MICHAEL: I started skating when I was 9. I used to be a regional champion in Diving. I followed my sister to the rink one day, tried on a pair of skates and have been on ever since. When I was young, we had to compete in both figures and freestyle. So, I was practicing 2 1/2 hours of figures and 2 1/2 hours of freestyle skating each day...six days a week. When figures were eliminated, that extra time was devoted to off ice training for my jumps, spins and artistry. When training for the Olympics, I would train 3 hours on ice, 3 hours off ice - six days a week.
SKATING TIP #5:
What qualities should I look for in a skating coach? A choregrapher?
JENNIFER: A coach should be tough, smart, motivating and have chemistry, while a choreographer should be tough, smart, motivating, have chemistry and be fun!
TODD: Look for someon who has other successful students and someone who you think you will work well with.
KYOKO: Always look for someone you respect and like.
MICHAEL: A good coach is someone who has an understanding of how you learn. Some people learn by demonstration, some by hearing the correction, and some actually doing it themselves. Good coaches will adjust their coaching style to get the best results out of you. It also has to be someone you look up to and respect. If you do not respect what the coach is saying, you are not going to work as hard for them. You also have to like the person. You will be spending many, many hours with your coach. You have to like their demeanor and personality to maximize your potential.
SASHA: Choose someone with experience.
JOHN: Someone who wants to do the for YOU. A coach cares and plans for you. A coach who creates a strategy for your development. Someone who encourages you but also pushes you hard.
MARIE-FRANCE & PATRICE: Besides skating knowledge, a great capacity to transmit the information and the passion of skating. Don't be afraid of getting help in the areas you feel the "weakest."
XUE & HONGBO: A coach should have a sense of responsibility and a choreographer should have an imagination.
SKATING TIP #4:
What do you do if you forget a move during your performance?
JAMIE & DAVID: You just have to learn to improvise on the spot - and keep smiling!
MICHAEL: Chances are, my coach and I are the only people in the arena who know that I forgot a step. So, I move on and skate it with confidence and make sure I practice it the next day before the next show.
JENNIFER: Get creative and make something up :)
TODD: Try to pick up on the next move and catch up to your routine.
JOHN: In pair skating, you watch your partner! In singles, you make up something and think real hard what element you haven't done. Remember, the people who are watching you don't know if you forgot or not.
SASHA: SMILE and make it up!
SKATING TIP #3:
How do you decide on which music to use in your programs?
MARIE-FRANCE & PATRICE: It's a long process with our coach and choreographer, depending on the emotion we want to carry.
JAMIE & DAVID: We're listening for music all year long and it depends on the show that we are preparing for.
YUKA: My own idea or recommended by choreographers, directors, etc.
TODD: I try to skate to music that is appealing to me as well as the audience.
SASHA: Whatever inspires me.
XUE & HONGBO: The best music is the one that suits you the best.
SKATING TIP #2:
How do you spin and not get dizzy?
SASHA COHEN: Stay centered. If you travel, then you get dizzy!
TODD ELDREDGE: I still get dizzy, but just not as bad as I used to.
JENNIFER ROBINSON: After 23 years of skating, you just get used to it. Also, don't focus your eyes on one spot in a spin.
YUKA SATO: Practice, Practice, Practice!
MICHAEL WEISS: Not getting dizzy when you spin is an example of the more you do something, your body gets used to it. If you did something 50 times a day for 25 years, you would probably get used to it, too. Sometimes, if I have been off of the ice for awhile, it takes me a couple of days to get used to the spinning again.
JOHN ZIMMERMAN: You will always be a little dizzy. You just have to get used to it. Repetition - after 100 spins, your body will start to adjust. Also, find something after the spin to spot to regain your balance.
SKATING TIP #1:
What tips can you give beginning skaters to help them learn to ice skate?
SASHA COHEN: Get good skates… develop your strength… and PRACTICE.
TODD ELDREDGE: Bend your knees, keep your arms out in front of you and wear a helmet.
XUE SHEN & HONGBO ZHAO: Protect yourself from injury. Enjoy the fan that skating brings you.
YUKA SATO: Try to find your balance so you can get comfortable.
MARIE-FRANCE DUBREUIL & PATRICE LAUZON: Never look at your feet, work on having good posture, strong core and active knees and ankles.
JOHN ZIMMERMAN: Keep your shoulders in front of the hips, knees slightly bent, arms 10-2. Also small steps.
JENNIFER ROBINSON: Arms out for balance, bend your knees, and use a friend, chair, or coach to help!
Check back soon for more Skating Tips!