| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Conditioning | 8/18/2008 |
Q: I have all of my doubles except the axel and I need to do some off-ice training. I was wondering if ...
A: Sounds like you are on the right track with your skating. There are a lot of exercises you could do ...
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| Back sit spin | 8/11/2008 |
Q: I'm having problems on my back sit spin as I cannot seem to get it spinning on the back outside ...
A: Its all about the center of gravity. Your center of gravity needs to be inside the circle on either ...
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| Popping jumps | 8/9/2008 |
Q: i'm 13 years old, competing at pre-novice level(well i have passed my novice test already), and ...
A: The way I understand the popping problem is that it occurs in your mind. In other words you make a ...
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| padding | 8/7/2008 |
Q: I am 11 years old and im just starting figure skating. Do you think it is too late to think about ...
A: I would recommend enjoying the sport as much as possible and seeing where it takes you at this ...
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| Can I start Skating? | 8/4/2008 |
Q: i'm nearly 14 and after goin ice skating with my friends i quite like the idea of figure skating. is ...
A: You are not too late to start. Figure skating is a wonderful sport you can enjoy for many years. I ...
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| alternative training methods | 8/2/2008 |
Q: I've been skating about two and a half years, can land a double flip, lutz and a learning a double ...
A: Sounds like a real problem with getting ice time. I can understand your situation. I had the same ...
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| Starting Up Again | 8/2/2008 |
Q: I was a very competitive, and very good skater, when I was younger. I had to quit when I was 14 ...
A: I understand your situation. I have made a few "comebacks" in my life after some time off. At age 20 ...
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| Figure Skating Age | 7/30/2008 |
Q: This is Angela. Thank you so much for answering my question.So at 13 now, do you think I have a ...
A: It would be nearly impossible to answer your question without seeing you skate... Unfortunately, ...
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| Figure Skating Age | 7/29/2008 |
Q: and maybe even in the Olympics. I have been skating since I was 7 ( I moved when I was 9 and only ...
A: Yes, competing at a national level and going to the olympics is a great goal and age is a factor ...
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| Knee pain, + PicSkates.... | 7/27/2008 |
Q: Im a counterclockwise skater, who`s practiced jumps off ice since my rink closed for the summer ...
A: You have a lot of good questions here and I will try to give you some help. First of all regarding ...
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| how to do a biellmann off ice | 7/16/2008 |
Q: i can do a split and i wanted to know how i can do a biellmann off ice like what exercises can i do ...
A: The Biellmann position always makes me cringe when I think of the biomechanics as a healthcare ...
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| help! | 7/1/2008 |
Q: Dr. Bruce, I have been working on my axel for 5-6 months now and after a lot of pain one day I ...
A: You need to hang in there. Learning, much like healing, is non-linear and can fluctuate as you move ...
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| axel landing | 7/1/2008 |
Q: Her coach complains she is landing on the inside edge of her blade, causing the free leg to step ...
A: Assuming she is rotating the axel completely (if under-rotated the skater will land on a fwd inside ...
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| Shin muscle cramping up: beginner | 6/26/2008 |
Q: I'm a beginner at ice skating, male, aged 32 yrs. Have been on the ice exactly 2 times now, over the ...
A: It sounds like you are suffering from fatigue of the shin muscles. This actually happens quite a bit ...
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| Ankle Sore with a Bump | 6/26/2008 |
Q: About 2 weeks ago my daughter who is 21 and a avid figure skater woke up with a swollen ankle on her ...
A: Great question Susan. In order to accurately diagnose this problem I would need to see it but I ...
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| knee | 6/24/2008 |
Q: hi i have been to the hospital and was told to carry that i had suffered soft tissue damage and a ...
A: It sounds as though you may have damaged one of the menisci in the knee. This is also commonly ...
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| Achilles tendon problems | 6/18/2008 |
Q: Bruce, I recently seem to have developed a problem with my achilles, likely tendonitis...I'm working ...
A: Tendonitis can be a stubborn problem and how to treat it depends on many factors. Although I can't ...
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| Doubles off ice.. | 6/17/2008 |
Q: Im working on axel on ice, and practice axel, dbl toeloop, dbl flip and dbl loop off the ice (for ...
A: I don't think I can answer all of your questions in a lot of detail but I think I can give you some ...
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| double toe | 6/14/2008 |
Q: I have been learning my double jumps for around a year now and I can land up to double lutz, but for ...
A: There are 2 basic reasons that I have seen for 2-footing landings. One is that the upper body weight ...
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| Cheating jumps | 6/8/2008 |
Q: I asked you a question a few days ago and found it helpful, so I'm going to ask you another one. I ...
A: Fear is a difficult thing to deal with. Generally, I recommend using additional padding or a ...
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| Double toe help | 6/5/2008 |
Q: I am testing my novice freestyle in roughly a week. I need to be able to land a clean double toe in ...
A: Some of your questions are difficult to answer without seeing you perform the dbl toe loop but I ...
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| Muscle strain due to blades | 6/5/2008 |
Q: I had muscle strains for months and i solved it changing skates (with shorter blades) without ...
A: Your name sounds familiar for some reason. Have you asked a question before? Anyway, I'm glad you ...
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| 6 year old ice skater with pronating issues | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I have a 6 year old girl who has been taking figure skating lessons the last 4 months. She's having ...
A: Yes, pronation can be a problem. I have found 3 solutions that help skaters with pronation. One is ...
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| Ankle weights | 6/3/2008 |
Q: What are you views on young figure skaters wearing ankle weights during on ice training?
A: The basic idea behind using ankle weights (usually about 2.5 lbs) is to provide some resistance in ...
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| Skating and summer vacation.. | 6/2/2008 |
Q: Im a recreational figure skater (24 year old girl), who started learning spins/jumps 1 1/2 year ...
A: Yes, I completely understand your situation. A number of years ago I moved to a state that had very ...
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| Loops | 3/6/2008 |
Q: I am still skating figures if you can beleive it or not? How do you, or how did you, teach the 3rd ...
A: Yes, I grew up in skating when figures were done in the early morning hours on what were called ...
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| Getting back to skating and close to 50 yrs | 3/6/2008 |
Q: Dr. Forciea, It's been 12 years since I laced up a pair of skates, and I'll be 49 in May. As a ...
A: It's great to hear that you are getting back into skating. To answer your question as to whether I ...
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| beillman | 3/1/2008 |
Q: Sorry I have asked you so many questions lately, but I really love this website! I am doing a ...
A: Great question. I'll tell you that in my opinion I really don't like hyperextension moves. From a ...
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| hockey skates verses figure skates | 2/28/2008 |
Q: Is it better for a tot who plans on playing hockey when he learns to skate to start out immediately ...
A: I have seen many tots learn to skate with either hockey or figure skates. Generally if he wants to ...
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| Science Fair | 2/26/2008 |
Q: I am doing a science fair in school and I can do anything I want, and I am going to do something ...
A: That's a great question! There are a lot of things you could do, especially with biomechanics. Here ...
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| beginner figure skater | 2/26/2008 |
Q: I'm 15 years old and I'm a beginner figure skater and I would really like to be in competitions do ...
A: There are a number of ways to compete in skating--not all paths lead to the olympics. You could ...
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| New Boots | 2/26/2008 |
Q: I just got new boots for my birthday but what if i want to break them in faster? How can I do that? ...
A: Yes, breaking in boots can be a real project! I always dreaded doing getting new boots as I was ...
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| backwards cross rolls | 2/25/2008 |
Q: Could you please tell me how to do backward s cross rolls? Thank You! ANSWER: Hi Jenny: For ...
A: I thought this was a repeat question about dbl 3s but I see your last question was about fwd outside ...
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| Power Skating Class Ideas? | 2/24/2008 |
Q: I've been skating for as long as I can remember and have recently (3yrs ago) transferred into ...
A: Yes, I understand your situation. It was a challenge for me to come up with interesting exercises ...
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| Skates | 2/18/2008 |
Q: How do you tell when you need new skates? I've only had my skates for 1/2 year and my coach says ...
A: There are 3 basic reasons for getting new skates. Either you have outgrown them, they are broken ...
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| determination of figure skating | 2/16/2008 |
Q: about a year ago i had a dream of figure skating and the i watched ice princess and that made me ...
A: Sounds like you are really inspired about skating. It is not my place to make a judgement about your ...
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| science fair- axels | 2/16/2008 |
Q: I am doing a science fair project on arm position in axels. For some reason the jumps actually went ...
A: I think the answer to your question relies on one of ole Newton's laws of physics: F = ma or force ...
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| weight | 2/16/2008 |
Q: I went for a skate with my wife today.She is interested in joining an adult synchro skating club ...
A: I can understand your situation as a lot of us tend to gain a few pounds as we get older. I would ...
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| Figure Skating | 2/9/2008 |
Q: Site where I can find figure skating trainers for my granddaughter?
A: Check your local rink for coaches. Most rinks have group lesson programs that are an excellent way ...
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| R ankle | 2/8/2008 |
Q: Doctors have told me it is brusitus. I have been off the ice for 3 weeks and it is no better. What ...
A: Yes I have treated a number of ankles like yours in the past. Bursitis can be a chronic problem. I ...
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| Increasing speed into jumps | 1/29/2008 |
Q: My daughter is just not going fast enough into her jumps. One coach has tried chasing her and ...
A: I hear you when it comes to helping your own kids. I tried working with my daughter at age 4 to ...
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| Double blade ice skates | 1/29/2008 |
Q: I am a 60 year old Grandma. I want to take my 5 year old grandaughter skating at a nearby rink. I ...
A: I'm glad to hear that a 60 years old "Grandma" is skating. You are right in that the skates are very ...
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| Increasing speed into jumps | 1/28/2008 |
Q: My daughter is just not going fast enough into her jumps. One coach has tried chasing her and ...
A: Sounds like the injuries may be the problem. She may need to work through the fear of falling on ...
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| Increasing speed into jumps | 1/28/2008 |
Q: My daughter is just not going fast enough into her jumps. One coach has tried chasing her and ...
A: Yes that helps a bit more. Although it is hard to answer this question without seeing your daughter ...
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| Increasing speed into jumps | 1/24/2008 |
Q: My daughter is just not going fast enough into her jumps. One coach has tried chasing her and ...
A: Usually skaters with this problem need to go back to some of the basics. In other words if a skater ...
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| one-foot spin | 1/23/2008 |
Q: I just start doing one foot-spin a few weeks ago and I am finding myself having a GREAT trouble ...
A: Sometimes going back to the basics can help a problem like this. You might want to try entering your ...
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| my flip | 1/20/2008 |
Q: I seem to have problem with my flip. I started learning it about 3 months ago and don't seem to do ...
A: It sounds like you are not transferring your weight to your landing leg in the air. Landing on 2 ...
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| rotator cuff | 1/11/2008 |
Q: I might have torn my rotator cuff, but I have not yet had an MRI. Is surgery a must if I ever want ...
A: Your recovery depends on the extent of the tear. There are 3 grades of muscle tears. If your tear is ...
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| arms on jump take offs | 1/9/2008 |
Q: I have a question about the arm action on the take offs for the toeloop , loop , flip and lutz. When ...
A: Yes you are right in that all jumps require pre-rotation in order to rotate. It is a law of physics ...
|
| Double Flip | 1/3/2008 |
Q: I'm Alexus. I just landed my double loop jump today. After I landed that I was working on double ...
A: Getting the double loop is a major step toward landing the dbl flip and lutz since all 3 have the ...
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| Warming Up | 1/2/2008 |
Q: I think I need to start warming up and stretching more before I go onto the ice (haven't done much ...
A: Yes Allie you are right in wanting to stretch before getting on the ice. Here are a list of muscles ...
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| injury ?? | 1/1/2008 |
Q: I was wondering, since I started skating, my knee on my right leg has started to make funny noise ...
A: The clicking in your knee could be from a number of things. Probably at the top of the list is the ...
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| Skate Weights? | 11/2/2007 |
Q: I am 50. I didnt play hockey or roller skate as a kid,but a couple years ago I took up inline ...
A: Glad to hear that you took up skating as an adult and are enjoying it. The skate weights will help ...
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| backsit | 10/28/2007 |
Q: herllo! I have a good sit spin, can get all the way down, but recently my coach started teaching me ...
A: Great question. For sit spins I recommend squatting exercises. You can do these as simply as leaning ...
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| falling | 10/27/2007 |
Q: have fear of falling down. what should i do?
A: For some of my skaters who had a fear of falling I would recommend the use of various protective ...
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| Abrasion on ankles from skating | 10/22/2007 |
Q: I took skating lessons while growing up and had to quit when we moved to an area with no ice. As an ...
A: Sorry to hear about the abrasions. Riedell Silver Stars are a good quality skate and can be very ...
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| crossovers | 10/18/2007 |
Q: im having trouble with my forward crossovers. could you give me tips on it? thanks ANSWER: Hi Joel: ...
A: Most problems with crossovers occur from not maintaining the outside edge during the cross. Sometime ...
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| Sit-spin | 10/14/2007 |
Q: my friend Zoey and I cannot seem to straighten our legs whilst in this spin. Can you explain why?
A: About the only thing I can think of without seeing you perform the spin is that you may be entering ...
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| warm-ups | 10/10/2007 |
Q: !*
A: Great question and being a chiropractor I can understand why you have back pain while doing a ...
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| I can't remember how to jump | 10/7/2007 |
Q: Bruce, I can land my jumps cleanly but I seem to not remember how I do it. My coach reminds me ...
A: I think what I am hearing is that your coach gives you instructions on your jumping and then the ...
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| beginner | 10/6/2007 |
Q: Within the past month, I've grown very interested in skating and I've been at the rink almost every ...
A: Excellent question because I'm sure a lot of people your age would also be interested in skating. If ...
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| Off-Ice | 10/6/2007 |
Q: I am trying to become serious about figure skating. How much off-ice should I do and what should I ...
A: I am such a firm believer in off-ice conditioning that I became a certified strength and ...
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| Triple Toe Loop | 10/3/2007 |
Q: Do you have any tips on helping me with my triple toe loop. Also I have some swing music and I was ...
A: Please let me know what your problems are with the triple toe loop. Are you rotating the full 3 ...
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| cant get axel | 10/3/2007 |
Q: my friend, morgan, is having a hard time landing her axel, shes been working on it fro probably the ...
A: I'm sure your friend Morgan appreciates your help. The axel is a tough jump because of the forward ...
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| Lace Bite - Ankle Pain.. | 10/2/2007 |
Q: Im sooo frustrated!!! I`ve had a 5 month break from skating, cuz the rink has been closed through ...
A: Your problem is just the kind of thing I frequently see in my practice. Although to really give you ...
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| Spinning Problem | 9/30/2007 |
Q: When I do low spins, like sit spins and sometimes other spins, my ankle falls. Well, what i mean is ...
A: You asked a great question about spins. So the way I am understanding your problem is that while you ...
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| salchow jump | 9/28/2007 |
Q: When taking off during my salchow jump i keep bending the leg that im not jumping on while swinging ...
A: You asked a great question. Keep in mind the salchow is much like a waltz jump from a backward ...
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| learning | 9/21/2007 |
Q: do you think i will be at the intermediate level in one year if i use a harness?
A: Sorry, but I don't think I could answer that question without seeing you skate. Harnesses are good ...
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| competing | 9/19/2007 |
Q: can i compete at the intermediate level and novice level in the same year? thank you!
A: Good question and I'm sorry but I don't know the exact answer because it would depend on the type of ...
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| figure skating | 9/13/2007 |
Q: On my double salchow I can take off and can easily get enough rotations, but how do I stop landing ...
A: Most likely the reason you are landing on the wrong foot is because you have not changed your weight ...
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| boot and blade | 8/31/2007 |
Q: I have a new pair of blades that I got from a friend and they are a size 9 1/2''. Currently they are ...
A: That's a great question for a skate technician or pro shop. It will depend on the length of the sole ...
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| Skater who cannot feel her jumps | 8/29/2007 |
Q: My daughter is a competitive figure skater, but she cannot feel her jumps in the air, thus when she ...
A: Sounds like you're on the right track. I understand the situation with off-ice training. The dance ...
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| Skater who cannot feel her jumps | 8/29/2007 |
Q: My daughter is a competitive figure skater, but she cannot feel her jumps in the air, thus when she ...
A: This is a great question. I think what you are asking is whether your daughter can feel specific ...
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| This is...eccentric | 8/29/2007 |
Q: Bruce , How do yot do?Well...I dont't mean to disturb you with my own problem...but there's really ...
A: Sounds like you have a lot going on in your life. I think one thing that may help is to think about ...
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| Can excercice help and what kind? | 8/27/2007 |
Q: My daughter is 10 years old she does freestyle lessons for 3 years. Since she is a baby she had ...
A: You asked a good question. During my years of coaching I had many students who had such problems. ...
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| My axel... | 8/22/2007 |
Q: and i am having some trouble landing my axel. i've done everything! I don't know what to do anymore! ...
A: A difficult question to answer without seeing you perform the axel. I do know that it sometimes ...
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| To improve rotational power | 8/21/2007 |
Q: I'm just learning single jumps (toe-loop, salchow and loop) but looking for doubles, is it good to ...
A: Yes it is difficult to get the rotation when starting to learn doubles. Also, it is difficult to get ...
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| figure skating training | 8/20/2007 |
Q: I work with a trainer 2x week and he does sqauts shoulders balance and also says cardio is okay for ...
A: Good question. I like those training questions. That's great that you work with a trainer. The focus ...
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| Good choice? | 8/11/2007 |
Q: I was wondering if it would be a good idea to start my daughter with figure skating lessons. She ...
A: This is a great question. You are never too old to start learning figure skating. I have coached ...
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| Jump Issues | 8/4/2007 |
Q: I recently asked you about landing a double toe loop and your advice did help. I'm now trying to ...
A: I'm glad that the advice helped with your toe loop. With regard to the dbl flip and lutz the key to ...
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| Outside Edge on a forward sit spin | 8/3/2007 |
Q: I am having trouble w/ my forward sit spin. Everytime I do a forward sit spin, I always spin on my ...
A: That's a good question! Well, there are only 2 possible edges you can spin on when doing a forward ...
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| Axel | 8/1/2007 |
Q: I have been trying to land an axel for over a year now and I just don't understand the jump. I have ...
A: Yes the axel is a difficult jump and a milestone in skating. The feel and timing of the jump is ...
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| Jump trouble | 7/26/2007 |
Q: I used to be able to consistently land my all my double jumps (except double axel). However, in the ...
A: Yes that information helps Kelsey. Here is something that should help. Years ago I was a performer ...
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| Jump trouble | 7/25/2007 |
Q: I used to be able to consistently land my all my double jumps (except double axel). However, in the ...
A: I can understand your problem and there are many reasons for your problems with your jumps. It is a ...
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| double axel take off | 7/15/2007 |
Q: ! My single comes off a "clean" edge. Coach says that the double absolutely needs to "step up" off ...
A: That's great that you can do a single axel with a clean edge. Many skaters can't do that. The double ...
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| Toe-loop | 7/6/2007 |
Q: I have been skating for four-and-a-half years now and can do all of my single jumps (except for ...
A: Yes the toe loop is different from the flip and lutz toe jumps. For the flip and lutz the picking ...
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| Trouble landing double toe loop | 7/4/2007 |
Q: I have been skating for a while now and have been able to accomplish a lot. However, I am trying to ...
A: I am assuming by your question that you are 2-footing the landing. If so it means that you are not ...
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| salchow | 7/1/2007 |
Q: I wasnted to ask about the salchow, I live in England and have been taken classes since I was ...
A: Yes the salchow can be tricky. The backward inside edge takeoff does not allow for a lot of height. ...
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| Flow from jumps | 6/26/2007 |
Q: I have a question about flow on the exit of jumps. For the double toe sal, and axel, the flow out of ...
A: This is a difficult question to answer since I cannot see you perform these jumps. I will try to ...
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| Conditioning | 6/20/2007 |
Q: Bruce, Do you have any tips on achieving a better position for both Donut Camel and Biellmann Spin? ...
A: A couple of years ago I was working with the local ballet company and the principal dancer I had ...
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| Art Therapy&Fear | 6/20/2007 |
Q: Bruce Forciea Good day. If my memory serves me right...I know that some rinks offer physical ...
A: Yes that is a good idea about skating therapy. When I think back of the hundreds of skaters I have ...
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| Jump combinations | 6/19/2007 |
Q: I have a question about the second jump in a combination. I can't seem to do a double toe on the end ...
A: I have had many students with similar problems when first learning combination jumps. The problem ...
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| Jumps - Dbl Axel and Triple | 6/19/2007 |
Q: A couple of months ago, I was trying the double axel and I was getting the full rotation but ...
A: That would ultimately be up to your coach. With some skaters I would let them work on dbl axel, ...
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| Jumps - Dbl Axel and Triple | 6/18/2007 |
Q: A couple of months ago, I was trying the double axel and I was getting the full rotation but ...
A: I am assuming that your fear stems from re-injuring yourself. You did not state what part of your ...
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| Summer break | 6/16/2007 |
Q: I've been skating for a long time and now I'm going on vacation. Do you have any advice on how not ...
A: Yes it is the time of year for vacations. I can relate to your question because when I was a skater ...
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| overcoming paralysis | 6/15/2007 |
Q: Prior to this I was skating 3 times a week, doing most of my doubles and was a very competent ...
A: First of all, I am very sorry to hear about your condition. It sounds like you have come a long way ...
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| training for young athletes | 6/14/2007 |
Q: I am concerned about my son and future problems he may have due to training in figure skating yet I ...
A: This is a great question and one that I would get quite often. I could write a couple of chapters on ...
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| Muscle distraction during ice-skating | 6/13/2007 |
Q: I got a distraction on my left leg; i was said i came to the ice without warming. Could you suggest ...
A: I am assuming what you mean by a muscle distraction is what we call a muscle strain. This is a ...
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| AXEL! | 6/8/2007 |
Q: Everyone says that i have to jump but its not working. I think its becasue im scared how do i over ...
A: I think every skater at some time in their training has experienced fear in learning a new jump or ...
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| Double Axle | 6/3/2007 |
Q: Bruce, I've been working consistently on my double axle for about two years and I've only landed ...
A: Yes the double axel is a difficult jump as it requires a high level of skill and strength to ...
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| off ice training | 4/18/2007 |
Q: i'm trying to do a axel off the ice, but i cant seem to do even one. i watch some videos and it just ...
A: Yes the axel is a difficult jump mainly because it is a forward takeoff jump and is 1.5 revolutions. ...
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| Problem with double flip & loop | 4/18/2007 |
Q: I'm 14 i can land axel double toe and sough good. but whenever i do my double flip or loop i tend to ...
A: If I understand you correctly it sounds like you are able to land axels and double toe loops but ...
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| not able to afford ice skating | 4/15/2007 |
Q: i want to be a figure skater, but i don't have enough money to afford a coach or lessons for just ...
A: Yes skating can be a very expensive sport and there is nothing that can replace an expert coach or ...
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| Double toe/double loop | 4/1/2007 |
Q: What is the difference between the double toe, and a double loop...they look the same to me when I ...
A: Yes, I know Sal; often the jumps do look similar. The key is in the takeoff. In the double toe loop ...
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