How ice skating can teach us to do better at School/University

We learn from the moment we are born. Newborns observe the frowns and smiles from people, and come to associate them with emotions (frown = unhappy, smile = happy). This link becomes ingrained with spaced repetition, where each time a person frowns, the baby recalls a previous interaction, and their concept of emotion is strengthened. Interestingly …

Protected: Alex and Karen

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Build your credit rating (UK)

Building credit is important for getting the best possible credit cards, loans, and mortgages. Even if these things seem far away, the sooner you start building your credit, the better. The soonest you will feel the effects is when opening a student account (the higher your credit, the more perks you will have). It'll also …

A-Level Guide

First, read this earlier post for study techniques to make the most efficient use of your time. Now, you're ready to start practicing for your A-levels. This isn't a 'revision guide', rather things you should start doing immediately from the start of Year 12. General Concepts First, regarding textbooks: Read the textbook, make notes (to …

Gas Masks for City Travel

If you travel in a city, you will face air pollutants that damage your body, which can manifest in asthma in earlier life, or cancer later in life. Unless you travel in a vehicle without any windows or vents open (or you use a HEPA/charcoal air conditioner filter), you will be exposed to these dangerous …

Sharpening Figure Blades

When you buy your skating blades for the first time, you should have them sharpened by a professional. Most manufacturers hand sharpen their figure blades, which introduces inconsistencies into the blade profile and design. (The exception when purchasing new blades are Paramount blades, which are machine-laser sharpened). There may be parts of the blade that …

Skating Jumps & Spins

This post is for reference use. Progression (UK Skating) Skate UK 1-8, Bronze, Silver, Gold (Basic Maneuvers, Basic Spins, Salchow, Toe-Loop) YouTube videos which instruct you on beginner and basic moves. Nisa Levels 1-10 (Single Jumps, up to first Triple Jump) This should bring you up to Triple Jumps, and foray into international competitions. Difficult …

Procrastination & Study Techniques

This post is off-topic, but can be important in all walks of life! To help out my friends with something I struggled with in the past, here is a post on understanding and beating procrastination. Although there are also study techniques, you can read the main points as guidance for dealing with any task. First …

Stretching for Figure Skaters

Stretches for skating. Truth is, there is a lot to cover about stretching in general, so here are my notes after reading a lengthy book about stretching: Stretching Guide. You don't have to read it all, but this is my own summary, and is useful for all-around knowledge on stretching for different purposes. Stretching for …

To burn, or not to burn?

No, this is not related to skating. This is for my friends Karen and Alex, and anyone else who wants to learn about the good practice of wearing sunscreen! Introduction In principal: Most of our skin ageing comes from sunlight! We can protect ourselves by wearing sunscreen while outside. To illustrate why: here is a …