Getting Back On The Ice! Post Lockdown Update!

 Hi Guys,

Once again long time no speak! What a rollercoaster us skaters in the UK have been on in terms of ice rinks reopening but here we are after 5 months we finally got back! Due to local restrictions (at the time) my home rink wasn't open leaving me travel (only slightly) further to another ice rink, the rink my coach is actually based at mainly, I've been so much happier there that I'm staying there now it made sense with my coach already being at this rink more!

The first skate back was wobbly and nerve wracking but after 10 minutes or so I was back attempting jumps landing all 3 jumps ( Waltz, Salchow and Toe Loop) satisfactorily I wouldn't even say good but I was just glad to be able to land jumps again especially on my first session back! My spins well, its taken a further month to get those back! As soon as I got off the ice from that first session I messaged my coach and got straight back into lessons and I am so glad I did!

I've now been back having private lessons for around 4 weeks with my coach, I'm even now going on patch sessions! (I know who knew I was a good enough skater for that) and I'm loving it so much more! I'm used to group lessons and then a private lesson straight after on a busy public skate so this now is so much better and ideal for my progression! Not to mention being at a new (and dare I say it) better ice rink! I have now passed Skate Uk Star GOLD and I am working towards my NISA L1. My coach has me working on a number of things at the moment: Edges, back spins, loop jump and combination jumps ( for example Sal, waltz, waltz all together or toe loop, toe loop) its scary but feels amazing to be landing maybe 3 jumps all together one after another!

I try and aim to do more than 5 hours ice time a week which may not sound like a lot but when you have a full time job at the airport were you work 12 hour shifts this can sometimes be hard but I have reached this goal since being back at skating! This week I have actually been off work and I've managed almost 10 hours worth of ice time!

Being back at ice skating feels so amazing and even now I walk into the ice rink and I am so grateful to be back and I'm so happy to be back with my amazing coach! I am looking forward to what's to come with my skating now!

Chloe Nicole x

MASSIVE UPDATE!

Hi guys!

Long time and no speak!

So I have really proved to fail at this blog! I was going so well. Where to even start? I think the best way to present this blog post is to put it in sub categories as I have a lot to catch you up with!

My Progression

Well I completed my Skate Excellence Levels 1-8 and started my Skate UK Star! I actually even passed my Bronze grade around September- October time and started on my Silver level before taking almost a 3 month break! I would say I needed the break however I didn't and it wasn't intentional life just completely took over and one thing lead to another! I don't regret having the break either as at the time I was very happy in life but I missed skating crazily.  I returned back to lessons in January just after new year and I've now passed my Silver Level and almost passed my Gold level (Thanks to Covid-19 the rink shut a week before I was due to pass). I've really progressed at a fast speed since being back and that's all down to gaining a private coach.

Private Lessons

When I did return to the rink in January I met a lovely coach who I had for group lessons, Penny. The first week I had her I asked if she did private lessons and she did! So I've been very lucky in gaining a private coach as well as having group lessons. Private lessons just give you a little bit more! My progression has been super crazy since January. I didn't even like jumping (even a little waltz lol) but now I'm gaining a lot more confidence to do all kinds of different jumps!

Jumps and Spins

A big part of the Skate UK program is the jumps and spins you have to do to pass the different grades. I'm very confident with all the jumps in the Skate UK program. There is 3 different ones and they are: Waltz/ Three Jump (Bronze), Single Salchow (Silver), and Toe loop (Gold). I'm that confident with them all my coach even started new different harder jumps with me such as loop and flip jumps! They're super scary! Ironically once I get the harder jumps I tend to prefer them! Even at Skate UK I prefer the Toe Loop over the Waltz Jump! The spins are another big part. You have a one foot spin and a back spin. The one foot spin has to have 4 rotations and you have to go into it correctly from backwards crossovers to pass. I was actually the only one to pass this when we got graded! The back spin, well that's hard and I do feel for my coach Penny she must've worked for ages with me on back spins but I can finally do 2 rotations on a back spin and you only need one to pass!

New Ice Skates

Where to start with this one? I had no intentions after my 3 month break to even look at new skates however the more jumps and spins I was learning and the more I was progressing the more I realised my current skates (Edea Overtures) really didn't fit me! They were almost 2 sizes too big! Which is crazy! After this and some influence from one of my very close friends who is also a skater I decided to go back to the skate shop and get new skates! I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted Jackson Debut Skates and John Wilson Coronation Ace! And that's exactly what I got! And I'm so in love with them! They're amazing skates! And most importantly they fit amazing!

With the current situation, I will post another post maybe next week detailing my off ice practise as I am lucky enough to have a spinner! I really am missing skating like mad. It keeps me going more than I know. I can't wait for the day I can get back but until then this is the new normal I guess! 

Safe safe everyone,

Chloe Nicole x

Skate Excellence Level 6 : Week 3

Hello,

So I'm now week 3 of Level 6, I'm finding it easy again. My Level 6 lesson was 7-7:30pm however at the end of the lesson my coach told me I was moving up to Level 7 so was staying on the ice to be in my new group and do a 7:30-8pm lesson which was amazing! Beyond thrilled to have moved into Level 7. Once I got into my Level 7 lesson we covered Forwards and Backwards Crossovers and 3 turns (Inside and Outside Edges). At the end of my Level 7 lesson my new coach tells me I can go into the Level 8, I was so shocked to have even been asked and I decided to stay in Level 7. But its crazy to me that once I've completed Level 8 in a few weeks I'll be doing my Skate UK.

Today I went and bought some new ice skates. I decided to go for the Edea Overture and I can't wait to get on the ice with them tomorrow and try them out.

So excited for what's to come.

Chloe Nicole x

Skate Excellence LEVEL 6! UPDATE

Hey guys,

I don't know what's happened but I've become so far behind with my blog!

So I got graded last week and I came out with Grade 5! I was happy however I knew if I was in the higher group I would've passed Level 6. I had a few issues with my last block of lessons I was finding them too easy and in the wrong group (due to being graded incorrectly last time).

However I started my new block lessons yesterday in Grade 6 and the coach said we will be moving onto Level 7 soon! Theres also only 5 of us in the class and its so nice. I had a really good lesson we covered Backwards and Forwards Crossovers.

Heres to hoping I get Grade 7 or 8 after these six weeks!

Chloe Nicole x

Skate Excellence Level 1: Week 6 (Grading Week)

Hello!

Well here's week 6 of my first block of lessons blog post! It come round so quick. So because it was our final week it meant it was grading week. I was so nervous. Beyond nervous. But I knew I had no option but to smash it and I DID!

So I didn't get Level 4 because annoyingly enough I didn't even get assessed on that grade however I passed my Levels 1, 2 and 3! I'm so thrilled.

My lesson itself went so well I was doing everything so confidently and for once I felt amazing in the lesson and didn't make stupid mistakes like I normally do! We covered all of our forwards skating both in a straight line and in a circle! My coach even introduced us to cross rolls (these are were you do normal forwards crossovers but you cross each foot as the other blade hits the ice I hope that makes sense) which I didn't even think I would be able to do but I shot off and was at the other side of the rink in no time! My coach was so impressed with them and now I've continued to practise them and they're getting even better!

So I have booked my next block of lessons (at Level 4 even though the group are hoping we get the chance to get the grade on Monday and start Level 5) and I start my next block next Monday!

I'm so excited and proud of myself of how I did during my grading lesson!

Heres to Level 4/5!

Chloe Nicole x

Skate Excellence Level 1: Weeks 1/3

Welcome!

So I have set up this page to basically track my progress with my ice skating! I started my skate excellence lessons on Monday 14th January 2019 at Planet Ice and I'm really enjoying them. Here is a breakdown of what I did each week for the first 3 weeks.

Week 1: We started with the basics (well for about 15 mins of the 30 min lesson) 

Forwards skating- Including forward lemons and stars

One foot glide- Both Left & Right feet

Forwards skating into a small jump (yes on my first lesson)

Backwards skating- gradually making small v shape steps in order to go backwards

V- Stop

Week 2- We focused on backwards skating/ range of stops

At the start of the lesson we refreshed on everything we did in week 1 and then went into new skills.

Forwards skating whilst touching toes (Which I did well with in Week 1 but fell during it in Week 2)

T-stop

Hockey Stop (which is hard)

Backwards lemons

Backwards 1 foot glide (Both right and left feet)

Week 3- Focusing on skating in a circle

We started by refreshing as normal on last weeks skills and then moved on to new skills.

Forwards lemons into crossovers

Backwards lemons into crossovers

One foot glide in a circle (Both left and right feet)

1/2 Stars (Both left and right feet)

Forwards lemons into crossovers in a circle

I am now halfway through my first block of lessons and I'm thoroughly enjoying them. I stayed after my lesson on Week 1/3 which does the world of good with my practise. Week 3 I stayed I ended up actually progressing and can now do backwards crossovers in a circle when my coach didn't even teach me this during the lesson he only taught me the start of how to do them! I'm very proud of my progress already.

I'll be back next week with Week 4's post,

Chloe Nicole x