Skating skills kids like versus adults....

[mamabear]

I was wondering if you skated as a kid and now as an adult are there skills that you loved that no longer seem quite so exciting?  Or if you started as an adult are there skills you see the kids doing that you just think-"why?"

This came to mind yesterday after starting work on a program-I've been pretty focused test patterns for MITF and haven't practiced lunges in a while.  I can do them but they aren't my favorite and I always feel a bit creaky.  The kids skating thought this was hilarious since they love working on them-especially going forward to backward.  Partner spins are the same way. 

While my edges on a line are far from perfect I actually like doing those a lot.  My daughter on the other hand-finds them boring. 

I do know that the differences may be far more individual to individual than age based but was interested in other people's experiences.

[Neverdull44]

Shoot the duck, all the way down     I think that's a good way for a grown woman with wider hips than a kid to blow out her knee.

Catch foot camel spin    This may be just my own problem.  The doctors have told me I have a big hernia from having children.   When I try this move (or plow position in yoga), I get a very burning sensation where my hernia is, down my center line.  The burning is intense at the very bottom of my sternum and first part of the stomach.   Spins put extra forces, and the stretching that this position takes is too much for my post-baby body.   (I need to get that tummy tuck to also fix this and the loose skin, but that means 8 weeks away from skating . . . ).

[Loops]

Hmm.  This is an interesting question.  I don't get much time to practice anything other than dance patterns, so there are many things I haven't tried.   And most of my experience is things I used to be able to do, but now can't.  But with no time to practice them, I obviously can't improve.

Spread eagles and bowers, could do them as a kid, can't now.  Ticks me off.  I also have crappy turnout, and "faked" them as a kid- i.e turning out more with the knees to compensate for the hips' inability.  So I am a bit worried about blowing out a knee or two doing these, but that's never really stopped me before.  I do stretch them every session though, hoping to improve that turnout.

Back spins.  Same as above.  Ticks me off, too.

Ooh- this will fit your bill- various front catch-foot positions (in French these are called Y- where you hold the foot out to the side with the same-side hand and F, where you hold a foot in front of you with the opposite hand, there's probably a name for holding the foot out in front with the same-side hand, too but I missed it).  My 15 year old body would have been OK with these, but my 41 year old body had something to say after our coach had us doing these on a pre-gala "play" session.

Lifts and partner spins.  Loved partner spins as a kid.  When we have the "play" sessions to start igniting inspiration for end-of-year Gala routines, the coaches last year had us doing these.  I can not do partnered spins anymore, although we didn't actually try the one we used to do most when I was young.  Lifts....I am not a couples skater.  That is all.

While I liked patch as a kid, I would have found doing lots of edgework on freestyle slow and boring.  Now I do like that, and could and sometimes do, spend an entire session on various edge exercises.

And finally- physical training.  I would have loathed and detested any off-ice training (other than jump practice) when I was young.  Weights?  Blech,  Running/intervals?  No thanks. Planks/wall chairs?  Run away.  Now, I like it almost as much as I like actually skating.

[techskater]

Figures.  Hated them as a kid, find value in them for learning turns for MIF and transtions.

[Bunny Hop]

As a teenager (I didn't skate as a child as such) I didn't really think about three turns and mohawks. I just did them. Now I find even these simple things intimidating.

Like others have said, however, I'm much more patient with doing edges as an adult, and much better understand their value to the rest of my skating.