To be gutted that I've forgotten how to ice skate?

[JellyDiamonds]

The other night, for the first time in years and years I went ice skating. I used to go every Friday night as a child, had my own white skates and everything. Never had lessons, but used to be able to wizz around the rink like a bat out of hell.

Well the other night I got on the ice and I almost shit myself, I was terrified and could barely manage to let go of the side! I clung to it like a lynchpin for the whole time was there and the one time I did let to I fell on my arse! I rarely ever used to fall.

I'm gutted. What happened? I was so looking forward to it but my confidence evaporated as soon as I stepped onto the ice. Is it an age thing? I presumed I'd never forget?

I think it was a combination of a fear of falling AND the crappy hire skates. I didn't fear falling as a child, but you don't hurt yourself as much when you fall over as a kid anyway, do you? Of course I did used to fall from time to time all those years , but I just dusted myself off and carried on. It took me about five minutes to actually get up from the ice this time!

The hire skates were utterly appalling, and I think part of the problem was that I couldn't get the blades to get a grip of the ice, meaning I couldn't push myself forewards properly. I looked around at others in hire skates and they were just shuffling along, not gliding as you are supposed to do.

I am really surprised how people who were hood skaters now can't skate. Surely it's down to fear of falling? I have never been a paticularly good skater but I can still skate the same as when I was 10. However I am getting more and more scared when skiing - I can still ski but I am terrified of hurting myself

Not really - I can ski as well as ever and I'm not particularly scared of hurting myself. But my skating has totally gone to shit.

I actually thought I had had a mild stroke.

I used to go to teh skate disco weekly. I could speed skate and I did figure skating lessons. I could do jumps and all sorts
Then I took the kids.

I couldn't push off my left leg at all. It was awful. It was a few years ago and I haven't been back.

You have given me confidence I don't have a neurological condition at least...

Ice skating is also one of those really annoying sports where if you grow a few inches or put on weight it throws your balance and you basically have to remaster a skill. Which makes it really tough if you take a significant break if you have changed physically a lot in that time. Hire skates are known as death wellies in some rinks mostly cos of the feckers wearing them that can't skate and hurtle round at great speed with an absolute lack of control. If you are slipping all over the place do the nail test and see if there is any sharpness. You can try to ask for sharper skates but most will say sorry, and there is little facility to sharpen skates at the temporary rinks. No one can skate in blunt skates

If you have taken a significant time off but used to skate a lot, then stick with it and after a couple of sessions you will be back to finding the balance and stuff (medical reasons - including lack of sleep - permitting)

That sounds like a good explanation. I'm approx only half a stone heavier (maybe slightly more), than I was a couple of decades ago, but my leg muscles are almost as strong as they were etc etc which I think helps with control.

yes but to a skater half a stone is a Huge amount. I know it threw me before I stopped skating knocks your balance point specifically in spins. Very easy for the damn things to decide to take off and travel a mile making you uber dizzy rather than sitting nicely on the spot making a neat tidy spin pattern on the ice. It is also muscle specific, most people don't use muscles in the same way as to when they are skating. Mind you I am sure hockey skaters have their own explanations but they are a weird bunch

Yes, a sudden half stone might be a huge amount to a skater. Not so huge to somebody of my age gradually gained over a 20 year period.

I only attempt those most basic, slow, easy kind of spins, usually involving two feet. And besides, 'that' sort of skating is discouraged at the general family skate sessions

I can only skate on skates with the picks at the front, went to Somerset House a few years ago and they have the other type. I only managed to lamely thrust myself round the rink by holding on...

I can skate just fine with the other type of skates!