HELP!loner?

Question

When you go skating alone/take lessons alone,will people think that you are a loner?cos,its like you are just skating,and when you are trying out new things,people might just stare at you. its abit embarassing though.

because i have lesson for 30mins and 1h30mins or more to just do my own stuff. so i will just skate round the rink alone.

Do you feel that way?

Answer 1

its good to practice alone because then you can do what you want to practice with no one bothering you.. your not a loner..

Answer 2

no, I love to skate alone. I enjoy going skating with friends but since they can't keep up it is more fun for me to go and play around by myself.

Answer 3

I'd rather skate alone!!!  :)  I don't feel like a loner.  People do stare and it can be a little irritating, but just ignore them.  Usually they stare because they can't do what you're doing.  I mostly skate on public sessions at my rink where quite often I just about have the whole rink to myself (I'm spoiled!). :)  But on days when kids are off of school and come skating, I get a little irritated because they're all over the place and I can't get as much practice in.  They stare or want to know how to do things -- it's flattering, but I'd really rather practice in my own little world (there I'm a much better skater than I am in reality...hahaha).  If I skate alone, I can put on my iPod and go at my own pace.  If I fall, there's nobody there to see me.  It's nice when other skater friends are at the rink too, but I'd rather have the ice to myself to try new things and if I look like a clown, who cares.  When I have my lessons, they're usually on freestyles that are like rush hour traffic.  Between the ice dancers, skaters doing their moves patterns, skaters doing their programs and other skaters doing jumps and spins, it gets pretty hard to find a hole to have your lesson in.  And at that rink, they can be kind of snooty, so I end up missing my nice quiet public sessions.  :)

Answer 4

No i often go to the rink alone to practice because if my mates were there i would just mess about,i like skating on my own because i can concentrate better

Answer 5

I know what you're saying, but this is how I see it - assuming you are skating on a public session.

If there are other practicing figure skaters on the ice (not just public skaters) - they probably see you as another figure skater is all.  They can see you taking lessons and practicing . . . anyone who "skates" can totally relate.  What we do we have to do it "alone" - we are in control of what we do in our own skates.  On the flip side, if you were skating but

chatting and goofing off with a bunch of friends, they may not take you as serious skater, you know what I mean?  So if anything, other skaters may see you as being "focused" - not necessarily a "loner".  And that's good!  

If public skaters seem to "stare", it's probably because they are amazed by what you are doing!  Public skaters are wowed by what we figure skaters think is "easy" (and uh, I guess take for granted!).  They may be wowed even by the fact that you have your own skates . . . and if they see you taking lessons, they may be in awe that you train with a real coach.  Be flattered you have an "audience" for the moment who are probably looking to see what other tricks you can do!!  Yah, it can feel embarrasing at times, but milk it for all it's worth (hee hee) - showing off can be fun - wink!  

Public skaters go to the ice mainly as a thing to do with their family and friends.  They are probably too occupied just trying not to fall and thinking about what they're doing on the ice . . . so they probably don't care too much about what others are doing anyway.  

Skating is sort of an "alone" sport - and actually that's one of the things that appealed to me when I started.  It's not an activity that requires another person . . . I make or break my own skating - it's all up to me.  Honestly, many times when I've skated crowded public sessions, I'd rather that people thought I was a loner so they would leave me alone - hee hee.  It's hard to get practice time in when they stop you to ask questions or make comments.  I had the opposite problem where people thought I was so "open" but that has its disadvantages too.    

Bottom line, as long as it brings no harm to anyone else, it shouldn't matter what others think of you.  Go on the ice and do your business - if anything, people will have respect that you skate!

Answer 6

no, i do that all the time. i think its alot easier to learn things alone without other people interfering. if you ever go to a freestyle session everyone there skates alone unless they have a coach with them. if you just skate in circles around the rink then i see why you feel that way. but im a competitive skater and im usually jumping, spinning or working on my spirals.

Answer 7

No, not at all. I have a private lesson with my coach. After that I practice everything by myself. People do stare at me but then they come up to me and ask me to show them something or say that I am really good. At first I didn't like people starring at me but I got use to it and now I love it.

Answer 8

No, just because you practice alone does not mean you are a loner.  Most elite skaters practice alone so that they can concentrate better.  If you feel so self concious, then take a friend with you or ask one of your parents to come and watch.

Answer 9

Definitly not...it's your chance to practice and you just have to take that chance, who cares what other people think...I am a figure skater and I've learned that doing private lessons instead of group lessons I learned more and I get more done...plus, you can be more of an individual instead of just doing what everyone else is doing...if you enjoy ice skating, keep it up...don't worry about what others think...you're your own person...HAVE FUN!!!!