new Blades/boots!

[shariskate]

Ok, so today was day #1 and I skated 2 hours in my new boots and blades.  The boots were fine...feeling pretty good, only laced them up to 2 hooks.  But the blades??  Oh my!  What an adjustment!  They are supposed to be pretty much the same as my old blades (I had MK Vantage, these are MK Vision), but they really really feel different, especially in the area of the rocker....I feel like my center of balance even just stroking is completely different.....which might confirm that I though my rocker was pretty screwed up on my old blades....we'll see.  I hope it's not a long adjustment period!

[Elsa]

I hope it gets easier soon - always such a fun adjustment.   You stayed in similar boots, right? At least that might help a bit.


Hopefully I'll be right there with you by next week.  I'm anxiously awaiting the call that mine are ready. 

[shariskate]

Yes, same boots only a half size larger.  Don't think that should matter too much....

[jjane45]

I'm currently in the same boat. blades felt the biggest blow at first, totally unstable and rocking. but two hours later it's the boots giving me all the grief, sigh.

tripping a lot on toe picks too because of the change in ankle bend (falling forward on a shoot the duck for the first time!! eeeeeek)

best of luck to you

[jjane45]

How are you faring with the new boots / blades combo, shariskate?

My new boots so far had 6 hours total. Today I laced up to the 3rd hook (top hooks undone) and managed to do all the dances / moves I am working on with no problem. Ankle bends lacked a bit but not a huge issue. As soon as I laced my normal way - tighter and all the hooks - I felt like an ice tourist again (shoutout to AgnesNitt) crippling with minimal knee bend. Patience patience patience...

[shariskate]

Great!  I'm at about 16.5 hours and my last session (Friday) I finally skated the whole session laced to the top hook.  I know what you mean, just when they were starting to feel really good and I was doing all my jumps again, I laced that top hook and felt like a beginning again!  But I knew I had to get through it, so just spent a whole day bending, bending, bending.  My coach has me doing a lOT of back slaloms.  That really helps get into the bend.

The biggest adjustment for me, was actually a surprise.  It was the new BLADE, not the boot!  Apparently, the rocker on my old blades was so bad, or worn down, or something that I had gotten used to it that way.  When I first stepped on the ice with the new blade, I felt like I was on hockey skates!  My whole center of balance was suddenly different!  But I will say, that after struggling for the past 9 months, my spins are starting to come back again!

So overall, it's going very well!  Thanks for asking!

Keep on bending those knees!