I really love figure skating but I know that I'm not that flexible enough. I always find professional skaters doing similar things like the gymnasts do. I want to be a great figure skater but I'm not that flexible. Should I take gymnastics first?
2007-03-25 17:13:59 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Winter Sports ➔ Ice Skating
No, you shouldn't. You don't need to be flexible to skate, but it helps (I used to have a pretty good biellmann spin!) Gymnastics is ridiculously hard on your body, and the mechanics behind what they do are completely different.
Take your time and work your flexibility off ice. Pilates can help, and stretch a LOT. For hamstring flexibility, you can stretch (touching your toes, or beyond) in a warm/hot bath, that always helped. Stretch slow, hold it, and be safe, whether in or out of the bath. Warm up first by doing some jogging or whatever, it helps prevent injury.
I tried gymnastics before skating, and couldn't even do the splits back then. With a little time and a bit of work, I was eventually doing biellmanns and Surya Bonaly's upright splits spin. Just be careful and don't give up!
2007-03-26 02:15:49 · answer #1 · answered by euro_4ever 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think you need gymnastics first. You don't need to be flexible to skate either. Flexibility does help, but you can get by without it, and a lot of flexibility comes in with just learning how to skate. Gymnastics is a really hard on your body, and many figure skaters find that ballet, and off ice training are more beneficial to their skating than gymnastics. I also do think that skating is a lot different than gymnastics. I can't do a cartwheel or a back flip, but I can spin, jump, and skate very well. You are probably more flexible than you realize. I didn't think I was flexible at all until I realized that after I started to skate and do off ice training that my flexibility took hold and now I can practically bend my body in half. I think you can just start learning how to skate, and forget the whole gymnastics idea first.
2007-03-26 10:03:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't need to do gymnastics first, or at all. I only know a couple of skaters (myself and one of my friends) who did gymnastics before skating. The rest all started as skaters, and took dance classes to build their flexibility and their musicality. Ballet is probably the best dance class to take, in terms of building the things you'd need for skating. It would be nice if you could take ballet at the same time as you took skating. But even if you don't take ballet, you'll build flexibility simply by working on your skating.
Don't wait to skate until you are flexible. Go ahead and start skating now - the flexibility will come with time.
2007-03-26 10:06:50 · answer #3 · answered by RoaringMice 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no.
if you r just starting to skate, gymnastics will not make a difference or it could even mess up ur skating. skating actually makes u more flexible (dont ask me how) and the truth is most skaters dont do gymnastics.
this kind of bothers me but im not gonna start an argument.
2007-03-26 11:33:23 · answer #4 · answered by 2_much_rock_4_1_hand_baby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gymnastics also requires a lot of flexibility. I think it would really help though if you took a rec class first. It would make your flexibility better, mabye enough for skating. Also I would work on my flexibility at home if you really want to be flexible.
Hope this helps.
2007-03-26 04:16:56 · answer #5 · answered by Gymnast101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many skaters who do gymnastics end up giving it up because it effects their skating. Not only does it take up time, but it can also effect jumps and such. I think you should just do streching and off ice training.
2007-03-26 04:19:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
pretty much any class like gymnastics would help, but i actually recommend ballet instead. gymnasts do many things totally unrelated to ice skating such as the bars, or beams, but ballet will help u to be more graceful, help your poise and jumps, and flexibility.
2007-03-26 13:54:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try taking ballet instead. There are alot of ballet studios that teach the basics. This will help with your flexibility and your grace on the ice.
2007-03-26 11:40:46 · answer #8 · answered by Emily M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i dont think gymnastics would help.you dont need to be flexable to do figure scateineag.try dance/ballet.gymnastics helps more on diving.
2007-03-26 11:43:55 · answer #9 · answered by whoaaaahhh!!! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should lower your expectations and get a job flipping burgers.
2007-03-25 17:21:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 7⤋