Mental Game Skills for Skating Success
Due to the Coronavirus many athletes are uncertain of the future. The rinks are closed, people are staying home. What are you supposed to do?
Here’s a question that one reader asked. I bet many of you also have similar concerns. Continue reading “The Rink Is Closed. What Do I Do?”
I hope you are thriving, or taking baby steps in that direction in this time of the unknown.
I’ve been checking in with my students all over the world. Most of their rinks are closed. The rest report their rinks will close soon. Just like you.
Before I give you a tip about tackling the unknown, I’d like to tell you a real story about a gift I received from this adversity. Continue reading “How to Get Back on Track When the Rinks Are Closed”
It’s time for Skatergirl to work on her jumps again, another chance to make her jump consistent. This time, she is working on her double axel. She does a backspin, then a few single axels to warm-up. Alright, she feels ready to go.
She gears up for the double axel. It is executed very well, almost axel-lent, one might say. The takeoff is smooth, the landing is solid. Skatergirl feels great.
Coach, wants her to do three double axels before her lesson.
“One down, two more to go,” she thinks to herself.
She takes a deep breath and starts the approach for the next jump. She feels a little nervous, “will the next axel be as good as the first?” She certainly hopes so.
Continue reading “For Consistent Jumps, Just Do the Jump”They say that self-confidence is the best outfit you can wear, but Skatergirl feels like hers doesn’t fit anymore.
Her thoughts are no longer in the present. She used to be a good skater.
She thinks of her accomplishments. She won regionals as a Juvenile and went on to qualify for Sectionals as a Novice. One year, she made it all the way to nationals. But then things started falling apart.
The high mountain she was excited to climb seems to be plateauing. Did she already reach her peak?
Continue reading “If I Have Doubts About Skating, Can I Still Be Great?”Another season was over. It ended just like the two seasons before.
Each of the seasons started off well. Skatergirl was fresh after a break and felt motivated. She knew her goals for the season and was dead set on reaching them.
Her goals were simple:
However, by the time the end of the season rolled around, she still wasn’t consistent landing her triples and was no closer to qualifying.
She didn’t understand it – what could be missing?
Continue reading “Three Sides to Skating Success: Technical, Physical and Mental”Skatergirl gets on the ice and starts warming up.
Maybe the ice is extra chilly because today, because it seems like it takes forever to warm up. She has to do repetition after repetition before even she lands a jump.
First she tries doing double Axel…fall. She thinks, “This is bad, I should do it again.” But instead, pops it and gets frustrated.
Okay, no problem. Move on to triple Sal.
Continue reading “How to Deal With Bad Jump Days”