Figure Skating from a Man's Perspective

[jjane45]

Like I said, there were no male Coaches in the state I was at.  I'm working on Axel and Doubles.  I'm not working on any of that without a decent Pole Harness Coach, and those women simply weren't strong enough to hold me up in a Harness.  I mind as well just do them without the harness, so that was a Berlin Wall I could not get across.

OK, so on the technical level, ability to coach jumps with pole harness is one issue. Fair enough.

Around here I've seen female coaches using the ceiling-installed harnesses on adults with no issues. There is really just one male coach using pole harness (on a mid sized teenage girl), never really seen anyone else, much less on adult male skaters.

[sarahspins]

The one coach at my rink with a pole harness doesn't tend to put adults on it - I really think that there's a weight/height consideration, because it doesn't share the mechanical advantage of a traditional harness.

That said, my own coach weighs probably 70lbs less than I do (she is tiny, and yeah, I'm bigger than I could be).. and she has no problem supporting me on the harness, but because of the pulley it would only take half of my weight to pick me up completely.. that isn't the case with a pole harness.  I learned my axel and first doubles as a teenager without using a harness (our rink didn't have one), so I don't necessarily see having one as a requirement to learning jumps.  There is a young adult male at our rink who landed his axel in less than two weeks of working on it, and has learned 4 doubles in just the past 6 weeks or so... and I've never seen him on the harness.

I see the use of a pole harness or even a traditional harness as a preference, not a requirement.  True I wouldn't even be working on my axel or doubles without it currently, but only because I don't want to injure myself.  I plan on working more off the harness once I pass silver moves.

[hopskipjump]

We are ceiling harness rinks over here too.  But our coach didn't use it at all for axels.  Even for doubles it's just used to work on position, - they don't want the skater to depend on it.  And if she falls, she falls, they don't use it to catch either.  My skater has a tendency to bend at the waist when landing the harness helps her remember to be upright. 

[Nate]

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[twokidsskatemom]

Having a boy is not the same as being an adult and dealing with this, children generally only care if they have what they need to get on the ice and do what they need/have to do.  Children get this done by their parents, for the most part.  The boy doesn't bear the cost.  He doesn't miss days of work getting this done, he doesn't have other bills to pay.  His only priorities is the activity - for which you provide everything.  His only responsibility is training and competing competently.  The other stuff doesn't matter, but will when he is old enough and has to bear all that responsibility himself.  Yes, empathy does exist, but it's still not a substitute for first hand experience.  doesn't matter, but will when he is old enough and has to bear all that responsibility himself.  Yes, empathy does exist, but it's still not a substitute for first hand experience.  This isn't the first sport I've been involved in, and, while I can see in hindsight my parents had to deal with much of these same issues; I simply didn't care back then and in most cases didn't even notice when I was younger.  The only thing that mattered is that I had what I needed when it was time to train.

Again, unclear on how you know how the boy doesn't bear the costs of his skating. He works as a free LTS helper, he just spent the past 4 days working   the concession stand for no pay , he gives up things so he can skate. He doesn't miss days of work but he has worked the past 4 weeks at the stand so he can skate . He will work every weekend from now till the end of March so our club can stay afloat.

If you aren't trying to argue, then why are you saying things like you have it worse than anyone else. you are making this be all because you are male. I  am telling you as a parent of two kids one boy one girl, they both equally have it the same. She has never walked in and tried on skates, dresses and so on.pretty much every skate has been bought online.

I know we aren't alone and unless you live in a big city girls don't have it much better.

[Nate]

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[karne]

To be fair mate, you come across as though you're really, really bitter towards female coaches.

Someone already mentioned Kori Ade and Jason Brown. I'd also like to add: Does the name "Christy Krall" mean anything to you? She's got top male skaters lining up out the door to take from her.

I just wonder if sometimes a lot of the problem is not with the coach but the skater. And that's true for both genders.

[Nate]

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[twokidsskatemom]

Even though several other posters have said the same thing, you really don't seem to get it
YES my 12  year old worked thur fri sat and sunday being a barista, making hot dogs and nachos ,cleaning up, making change and so on. He will work the same schedule next week too .You don't think that counts, he works on a 15,000 machine making lattes and mochas. 
You act like you know it all, every time anyone says anything and you just generalize. All I pointed out was welcome to the real world. When he is 18 things will still be the same in our neck of the world, just like they are in many small places. for ANY skater,,, Adult or child, male or female.

[hopskipjump]

"Bending at the waist (ie dropping the core) is most likely a core strength issue that a harness won't fix no matter how many reminders are given. I don't use a harness for that stuff. I go to the gym."

Um no...it's just a bad habit. 

[twokidsskatemom]

"Bending at the waist (ie dropping the core) is most likely a core strength issue that a harness won't fix no matter how many reminders are given. I don't use a harness for that stuff. I go to the gym."

Um no...it's just a bad habit.

Agree, my DD who had a good set of abs and  does core class twice a week still bends at the waist from time to time and that is a habit.

[hopskipjump]

Looking at videos from when she was much younger, she did it then and it wasn't corrected.  Now she has a coach that doesn't let her get away with it.  Even some national skaters have that issue.  There is always something to improve!  I'd say the only thing her female coach can't do that her male coach can do is become a human harness.  He will have her jump and catch her as she comes down to get her body in the correct positions when the harness is in use (she is a kinesthetic learner). 

[hopskipjump]

"you need to shut up and think things through a little"

wow.

[sarahspins]

The real world where I had to move cross country to have a better environment for skating?

You really need to drop the high and mighty act.  You did not HAVE to move for skating, and I hope you do realize that it was a CHOICE that you made based on your own desires and preferences.  You're not an elite level skater, you will never be an elite level skater, and moving across the country to "train" for someone at your age and level seems like maybe you think higher of yourself than you should, honestly.  It sounds (from what you have been posting) that you have prioritized skating over all else, and quite honestly I don't think that's healthy or normal for an ADULT skater.

MOST adults have family and other obligations (like a career) that prevent them from even considering making a move just for a hobby - but here you are telling other people that they need to grow up when they are offering honest advice?  Do you realize how immature you are beginning to seem in all of this?

[twokidsskatemom]

"you need to shut up and think things through a little"

wow.

I know, real grown up right lol
My only point was that  I don't understand why its a whole cause Im male I cant do this, this and this. This isn't a perfect world, and the adults where I live have the same issues as kids do. If you wish to whine about how you cant walk in and try on skates,grow up as a lot of SKATERS cant. I realize as bad as we have it, others have it just as bad or worse.
You want to sit on your high horse and say Males have it bad, whatever. Ask the adult  ladies how they feel.
Rude and whiny is rude and whiny.

[Nate]

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Cleaning the thread.

[twokidsskatemom]

She didn't offer me any advice.

how many posters have told you how you are acting is high and mighty... a few. I guess they are all wrong. The advice I gave you was stop whinning about how hard it is to be a male skater. Its just as hard to be an adult female skater or you know what, a child skater in a small town.

[RinkGuard]

I'm locking this topic so everyone can cool down.