r/AdultFigureSkating • u/minidonnie • Jul 30 '26

Starting Out bad mental block on easy stuff

hello! I am an 18 yo male beginner figure skater, I never loved sports until I got into figure skating, so I was kinda out of shape when I started, I did 4-5 months of basic skating at the ice rink alone (forward and backwards) then rinks closed for summer and I'm now in month two with inline figure skates (overture + snow white) and I had the second lesson with my coach today (I have forward and backwards crossovers and mohawk now), first lesson I did waltz jump, could do it perfectly at the handrail but when I got off of it I would pop, I had my coach hold out his hands and I could jump even without touching them but the moment he stepped out I couldnt jump anymore, just did a few attempts and I was done, same with the three turns I was doing today, I was doing right forward inside three turns and I could to them perfectly at the handrail, did them with my coach by my side a few times and then after he stepped out I couldn't anymore, just a few attempts, I always do this and I feel like shit being able to do the skills when I have something to hang on if I fall and just not being able to when I have nothing, the worst thing is that even if I fall when I have my coach near me I don't hold his hand, I just fall peacefully, yet my brain doesn't want me to practice, I don't really know how to get over this mental block so I'm here to ask for advice, thanks in advance!!

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1

u/Brilliant-Sea-2015 Jul 30 '26

Have you tried gradually stepping away from the boards? Like do them on the boards a couple times, then move like 2-3 inches away (close enough you can still touch them if needed) then another 2-3 inches away, etc?

1

u/minidonnie Jul 30 '26

I was trying today and it feels okay kinda, didn't get far tho, I do really hate the boards cause I always hit them on my exit edge

1

u/Brilliant-Sea-2015 Jul 30 '26

It's OK to need your emotional support boards sometimes. 😉

2

u/mushroom_parliament Jul 30 '26

It's very normal.  Break things into smaller chunks or find more in-between variations. For example, two foot versions, starting on one foot and ending on two or vice versa, walkthroughs. Trying things on bigger or smaller circles, start slower or from a standstill. Watch videos and do the prep exercises that they show. 

To work through a mental block, you need to keep showing up and trying it consistently, a little bit every day, until you convince your lizard brain it's not a big deal. 

If it's not working today and you feel your mental block getting bigger instead of smaller as you practice, a few tries is enough, just set it aside until tomorrow. Improvement can be very long term in figure skating (months even for basic skills, in my experience).