Looking down while skating

[Armadillo]

Originally Posted by Derrick

+1
Yes exactly.

Then when your good at that lean edge-to-edge on that foot. Your balance will improve immensely.

+1
Yeah, I forgot to mention getting some body leaning & carving going above the single down skate, with the body tipping & oscillating left-right, in sync with the carves, and then gradually learning to let it fall lower with each alternating oscillation, before you catch the fall (as the carve comes back under), reversing body lean motion back over to the other side.


-Armadillo

[htcruiser]

Do you mean balance on one foot flamingo style and lean left and right or just typical gliding?

I have Moxi boardwalk high tops.

I trip on all sorts of stuff at the rink. Luckily just bobbles here and there. The other day it was a zipper pull.

I'm a lot more conscious of looking up and focusing on stuff on the walls. Sort of like driving I look ahead at the road and try to notice the other cars around me obviously. Compared to that it makes sense.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by htcruiser

Do you mean balance on one foot flamingo style and lean left and right or just typical gliding?

Bringing your free foot up so high as to be flamingo style would just be showing off. That's the way I do it.

[Derrick]

In sessions over the last 47 years I have all sorts of bad habits. Looking down was one I thought I had licked. And when going forward I don't look down anymore. But I noticed my neck was really sore after skating these days. Finally, tuesday I noticed I still look back and down when traveling backwards. Another habit I have to kill. I think I look that way because I can see kids in what would be my blind side if I wasn't turning my neck so far.

[Bunny_Hop]

Originally Posted by Derrick

In sessions over the last 47 years I have all sorts of bad habits. Looking down was one I thought I had licked. And when going forward I don't look down anymore. But I noticed my neck was really sore after skating these days. Finally, tuesday I noticed I still look back and down when traveling backwards. Another habit I have to kill. I think I look that way because I can see kids in what would be my blind side if I wasn't turning my neck so far.

+1
Probably doesn't help that the majority of people (like, everyone except parents and a couple of coaches) in my rink are under the age of 10.

[htcruiser]

I thought I had licked this habit finally until my skate caught on something and I tumbled forward again! Back to square one

[ursle]

When skating, after the self survival part (don't look down), rule number one is don't touch your wheels (skates) together, ever, you did.

[chuckboucher]

I don't look down, unless I'm doing intricate footwork (which is limited in my case). Otherwise, skating is second nature to me, so my feet know what to do.

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by htcruiser

Did anyone have to break the habit of looking down while skating? I've been told I need to hold my head up and look around more. It's hard for me. I have great peripheral vision and I am looking ahead and around with my eyes but my head is a bit lowered. I try to put my head up and it is awkward. Plus I think I just skate in my own world. I'm curious is anyone did this while starting out.

I was trained when skating to skate with a "snub nose" which means hold your head up. Your lucky, you said you have great peripheral vision! I had to develop mine by looking up---- by skating this way you keep your back straight, your weight on your heels and always bent knees!! Trust me it really works---

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by Derrick

Bringing your free foot up so high as to be flamingo style would just be showing off. That's the way I do it.

When am doing a dance in competition you can't lean, must stay straight and narrow. So how do you turn when on one foot. If your going to turn to the left, drop your left shoulder (not the arm), and raise the right hip (not the leg). that way your body WILL stay nice and straight (up&down) and the judges will see no arm go up or down and no boy lean. It takes practice-- but what doesn't in skating.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by Sir Dutch

When am doing a dance in competition you can't lean, must stay straight and narrow. So how do you turn when on one foot. If your going to turn to the left, drop your left shoulder (not the arm), and raise the right hip (not the leg). that way your body WILL stay nice and straight (up&down) and the judges will see no arm go up or down and no boy lean. It takes practice-- but what doesn't in skating.

Interesting.... Can you get deep lobes that way?

I like to be all shwooshy and stuff.

[Miss Behaved]

There is some interesting answers here. I like it!

Years ago, I lived in the sticks and the only rink was a tiny wood floor. Driving up and parking it looked like a shed small. It was super fun though. I broke my look down habit because I had to work hard and pay attention to go fast. I love the wind in my hair. Look down, get rewarded with splinters in the face from pancaking a wall. Skating fast backwards, I had to guide from the inside line to not scrub the walls. Very cool rink for what it was.

So what's my point? Relax, skate faster, enjoy the wind as you clear your mind to a zen state. Then think about all the skill building given here with a routine of one skill one lap. Keep your zen state and forget the earth below.

Repeat after me, um, um, um... Giggle. Miss Bee

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by Sir Dutch

When am doing a dance in competition you can't lean, must stay straight and narrow. So how do you turn when on one foot. If your going to turn to the left, drop your left shoulder (not the arm), and raise the right hip (not the leg). that way your body WILL stay nice and straight (up&down) and the judges will see no arm go up or down and no boy lean. It takes practice-- but what doesn't in skating.

I wonder if practicing this method would help my three-turns. I do lean quite a bit on my outside three-turns. Hmm.

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by Derrick

I wonder if practicing this method would help my three-turns. I do lean quite a bit on my outside three-turns. Hmm.

straigtht
It would! The whole idea when skating is to keep your back straight to keep your body weight on the rear wheels. When I was taught how to do the 3 turn
I was taught swing my leg forward,back straight and "kinda snap your shoulder and hip at the same time. Example: take a box of cereal-- the top of the box is your shoulder, the bottom is your hip ----snap the box around!! That's it. It takes practice. Like a dummy like me it must have taken centuries for me to learn how to "snap" the shoulder and hip at the same time!!

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by Derrick

Interesting.... Can you get deep lobes that way?

I like to be all shwooshy and stuff.

Yes! I had a problem with a set of hard expensive wheels that when doing an extreme edge the wheels would start to skid! Talked with my vendor who I have dealt with for years about the problem! They called me back, said they had wheels to help my problem, they were more expensive, however. I bought them. I'm telling you I do some very deep edges, but have never had any problems.

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by htcruiser

I know it seems counter intuitive, but my balance is off while my head it up. My head naturally lowered (a little) with my eyes looking ahead (and they look far ahead not just at my feet) allows me to skate. It's very uncomfortable but I am working on it.

There is more than one problem present! Putting on skates and WALKING on a rug, snub nose look, eyes straight ahead, back straight, knees bent, and lightly lets the heels touch the floor first------most find their balance point very quickly. Then you can get onto the skating surface (hold onto some think)either foot you are at ease with---roll ahead to the count of two. Then roll the other foot to the count of two,etc. It really works!!!

[Sir Dutch]

Originally Posted by chuckboucher

I don't look down, unless I'm doing intricate footwork (which is limited in my case). Otherwise, skating is second nature to me, so my feet know what to do.

i would be in a lot of trouble if I looked down any time while i'm skating. It would though my balance off. Plus the judges would deduct point

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by Sir Dutch

i would be in a lot of trouble if I looked down any time while i'm skating. It would though my balance off. Plus the judges would deduct point

Yea, this is an old thread, I don't look down anymore.

In fact, for a while I looked slightly up. Being asession skater.....When I'm doing it just right I end up transitioning and staring someone right in the face...... and I'm all like, "no, no, I'm just looking past you at a point on the wall, really I am". So, I tendend to look up, but I want to spin and jump ( as small as my spins and jumps are, they are still fun). Spins and jumps are not so good with your head down (or up). So they'll just have to get over it.

[fierocious1]

while walking, you shouldn't look down while skating.

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by fierocious1

while walking, you shouldn't look down while skating.

unfortunately, I do look down while walking. Walk-thinking (and smahing into things (like trucks with big mirrors that park close to a sidewalk)), I got it from my father. And yes, I try to kill this habit as well, and avoid big trucks.