You are viewing as a Guest.

Welcome to skatingforums - over 10 years of figure skating discussions for skaters, coaches, judges and parents!

Please register to be able to access all features of this message board.

Author Topic: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice  (Read 4533 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline FigureSpins

  • CER-A, CER-C
  • Asynchronous Skating Team Leader
  • ********
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: Center Ice: Bullseye of the Deranged
  • Posts: 6,370
  • Total GOE: 188
Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« on: February 09, 2018, 11:31:56 AM »
Saw this promoted on FB this morning:  https://www.thedancesocks.com/

Q: What would happen if I just tied a strip of lycra around my sneaker at the ball of the foot?  Could I spin on my smooth kitchen floor?
A: YES!  It works fine - I could do forward and backward spins.

Because it has more friction than a spin trainer, the turns are slower, which lets the skater stay in control.  The skater has to balance more, which is always a good thing.  It allows you to put the weight ont he actual ball of your foot, not in the center the way that dance turn boards.

It's a step up from spinning in your socks because the sneakers provide support.  Definitely a cheap way to do off-ice spin practice.

You could probably cut the toe off a pair of socks and get the same result.

In fairness, the product they're selling is more refined than my ratty, uneven strip of lycra from my scrap bag.  It's also a sock-like material.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!
"If you still look good after skating practice, you didn't work hard enough."

Year-Round Skating Discussions for Figure Skaters - www.skatingforums.com

Online Bill_S

  • Over the Edge
  • *******
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: Athens, OH
  • Posts: 3,196
  • Total GOE: 369
  • Gender: Male
  • Whack! Bam! Ouch!
    • Bill's skating pages
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2018, 11:50:41 AM »
All I need is a larger kitchen floor.

(Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds very easy to try.)
Bill Schneider

Offline Loops

  • Alex, I'd like to buy an axel…
  • *****
  • Joined: Oct 2013
  • Location: Pre-silver purgatory
  • Posts: 1,563
  • Total GOE: 112
  • Gender: Female
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2018, 02:36:08 PM »
Saw this promoted on FB this morning:  https://www.thedancesocks.com/

Q: What would happen if I just tied a strip of lycra around my sneaker at the ball of the foot?  Could I spin on my smooth kitchen floor?
A: YES!  It works fine - I could do forward and backward spins.

Because it has more friction than a spin trainer, the turns are slower, which lets the skater stay in control.  The skater has to balance more, which is always a good thing.  It allows you to put the weight ont he actual ball of your foot, not in the center the way that dance turn boards.

It's a step up from spinning in your socks because the sneakers provide support.  Definitely a cheap way to do off-ice spin practice.

You could probably cut the toe off a pair of socks and get the same result.

In fairness, the product they're selling is more refined than my ratty, uneven strip of lycra from my scrap bag.  It's also a sock-like material.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Awesome.  +GOE for the alternative-product testing.  Who of us DOESN"T have scraps of lycra lying around?!  What an awesome use for them.

Offline lutefisk

  • Wearing Evelyn Kramer's Coat
  • ***
  • Joined: Feb 2012
  • Location: Maryland
  • Posts: 701
  • Total GOE: 153
  • Gender: Male
    • On Thin Ice
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2018, 09:39:46 PM »
No scraps of lycra kicking around.  Some old sail maker dacron scraps but probably not the same.

Offline Loops

  • Alex, I'd like to buy an axel…
  • *****
  • Joined: Oct 2013
  • Location: Pre-silver purgatory
  • Posts: 1,563
  • Total GOE: 112
  • Gender: Female
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2018, 01:26:01 AM »
No scraps of lycra kicking around.  Some old sail maker dacron scraps but probably not the same.

I can send you some of mine.  No worries.

Offline lutefisk

  • Wearing Evelyn Kramer's Coat
  • ***
  • Joined: Feb 2012
  • Location: Maryland
  • Posts: 701
  • Total GOE: 153
  • Gender: Male
    • On Thin Ice
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2018, 10:05:55 PM »
Where's the "like" button on this forum?!

Offline AgnesNitt

  • Asynchronous Skating Team Leader
  • ********
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: East o' the sun; and west o' the moon
  • Posts: 5,384
  • Total GOE: 516
  • Gender: Female
    • The ice doesn't care
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2018, 12:00:44 PM »
You can buy cheap lycra bands at 5 and Below. Get the heavy duty ones.
Yes I'm in with the 90's. I have a skating blog. http://icedoesntcare.blogspot.com/

Offline FigureSpins

  • CER-A, CER-C
  • Asynchronous Skating Team Leader
  • ********
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: Center Ice: Bullseye of the Deranged
  • Posts: 6,370
  • Total GOE: 188
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2018, 02:49:21 PM »
Where's the "like" button on this forum?!

If you like a post, give the poster some love by clicking the [+GOE] link below their name.  [Sorry, there's no [-GOE] option.)
"If you still look good after skating practice, you didn't work hard enough."

Year-Round Skating Discussions for Figure Skaters - www.skatingforums.com

Offline FigureSpins

  • CER-A, CER-C
  • Asynchronous Skating Team Leader
  • ********
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: Center Ice: Bullseye of the Deranged
  • Posts: 6,370
  • Total GOE: 188
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2018, 02:51:52 PM »
You can buy cheap lycra bands at 5 and Below. Get the heavy duty ones.

Lycra bands at FiveBelow?  Which section - headbands?  I was just in there on Friday and didn't see anything like that in the sports section - only the latex bands.

(I ♥ @FiveBelow for figure skating off-ice workout tools.)
"If you still look good after skating practice, you didn't work hard enough."

Year-Round Skating Discussions for Figure Skaters - www.skatingforums.com

Offline lutefisk

  • Wearing Evelyn Kramer's Coat
  • ***
  • Joined: Feb 2012
  • Location: Maryland
  • Posts: 701
  • Total GOE: 153
  • Gender: Male
    • On Thin Ice
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2018, 09:37:42 AM »
If you like a post, give the poster some love by clicking the [+GOE] link below their name.  [Sorry, there's no [-GOE] option.)

Thanks!  Done!

Offline FigureSpins

  • CER-A, CER-C
  • Asynchronous Skating Team Leader
  • ********
  • Joined: Aug 2010
  • Location: Center Ice: Bullseye of the Deranged
  • Posts: 6,370
  • Total GOE: 188
Re: Dance Socks for Off-Ice Spin Practice
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2018, 12:57:02 PM »
I ordered a pair of the "carpet" socks and a four-pack of the "smooth floor" socks.  I can try out the extra smooth ones with a student or two or three.

There are some competing products on Amazon, but they were more expensive, so I figured I'd try these out.  BTW, if you order more than 24 or more pairs, there's a 15% discount - you have to contact the company for that information.

I'll post a review of TheDanceSocks after we give them a spin!
"If you still look good after skating practice, you didn't work hard enough."

Year-Round Skating Discussions for Figure Skaters - www.skatingforums.com