What is more encouraging to watch?

[Adultsk8r509]

Since returning to skating this year I have been watching a lot of video of other adult skaters.  Frankly if I hadn't seen them I would not have even known about adult skating.
Sometimes I watch them to get inspired.  Sometimes I watch to get ideas of things I want to try.  Sometimes I watch to remind myself that I should have such high expectation of myself (at my age). 

I rarely watch the elite skaters, but wonder if this is a mistake.  Isn't always better to (try to) emulate the very best?

Your thoughts?

[Skittl1321]

I need a both option.  Neither is better.

I feel that watching other adults is more encouraging about my own skating.  I see what I need to work on, but also see similarities in my skating.

I find that watching elites is more motivating.  It really makes me want to go out there and do something amazing.

[hopskipjump]

My daughter likes watching videos of skaters a level above her and at her level.  It pushes her to look at different aspects of skating and performing.  From there she likes watching recordings of Stars on Ice and exhibition skating because it's entertaining and that for her is inspiring.

[irenar5]

I like to watch both as well.  I TiVo competitions and then play back frame by frame and analyze elements.  Sure, I will never do a triple, but the entrance and landing is exactly the same as for a single. 

[sarahspins]

Elite skaters are inspiring, adult skaters are encouraging... I enjoy watching both.

[karne]

I watch the elite skaters far more often than adult skaters.

It motivates me massively. Then of course I get attached to my favourites, haha. 

A lot of people ask me if having favourites that are five or six years younger than I am doing triples and quads is demoralizing. I'm just like... "Why would it be?"

[VAsk8r]

Hard to choose, because it's both. But I think I find the adult skaters inspiring more often.

I love watching elite skaters; they're beautiful. But I don't often find them particularly inspiring, because I don't see it likely that I will ever be anywhere near where they are. I am 28 years old and it's taken me five years of skating, and three years of private lessons, to get to the point where I can even test my bronze moves. So I'm not really interested in comparing myself or pretending that I could ever get to the point where I'll look anything like a 16-year-old who's passed senior moves and freeskate and is doing triples. I don't find it demoralizing, I love it, but it's not inspiring. It's like I'm watching something so far removed from the sport I participate in that I can't even relate to it.

On the other hand, if I see an elite skater doing a program, particularly an artistic one, that really resonates with me, I might start thinking about my next program and what I want to put in it to make it really beautiful for my level.

When I see a 50-year-old who has struggled with the same things I've struggled with, and more, and is skating gold free skate or even passing senior moves, I realize I could too get to that point. That's when I'm inspired.

[accordion]

  I used to fall a lot. I liked to watch YouTube videos of people falling down. Sound macabre but reassures me that EVERYONE falls.

I haven't tumbled for a little while (thinking devotional thoughts, just in case, don't want to upset the tumbling fairy). So I haven't needed to watch elite skaters falling. Now I watch YouTube clips of people doing mohawks...

Cheers all!

[Icicle]

I like to watch both too. Now that I skate, I feel I can understand what elite skaters are going through, which makes watching them much more exciting. But when I need motivation or tips, I watch adult skaters. But once I actually copied Stefan Lambiel's lunge. Not his quad though.

[karne]

I used to fall a lot. I liked to watch YouTube videos of people falling down. Sound macabre but reassures me that EVERYONE falls.

You mean you looked up Patrick Chan? 

After watching Plushenko skate at Russian Nationals I was doing loop jumps around my bedroom at two in the morning. 

[jjane45]

Or poor Alissa Csizny at 2012 Worlds, it was heart breaking. Every time I hear the song Fly, I interpret it in a skating sense, lol

I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly
...
Win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher
More fire

[techskater]

I look to the elites for inspiration for "beautiful or interesting" programs (specifically Jeremy Abbott, Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold, Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, et al) and for ideas for choreographic steps and spin positions that MIGHT be possible.  I look to other adults (especially my performance coach) for what is possible.

[icedancer]

I love watching elite skating just for the beauty of it... not really for inspiration.

For inspiration I watch the skaters at my rink and at competitions...