The motto just above Alex Bellehumeur’s email contact information says:
Anybody who thinks a few years of delay is going to discourage this accomplished inventor is wrong. The About the Inventor page on his new web site clarifies further, “…he has a passion for solving product-related challenges, currently holding 12 patents, with 3 more pending.”
Some experts believe it takes ten thousand hours of practice to achieve mastery in any particular area. That means if you average ten hours of skating a week (assuming other time commitments to family and a job), achieving world-class skills would take about 20 years. The studies showed it wasn’t innate talent that brought success to the now-famous people, it was lots and lots of hours doing something they were passionate about.
Whether or not you’re aiming to become a world-class skater, it is smart to tailor your hours of practice to achieve improvements sooner rather than later. Below I share tips that have helped my students over the years, and that continue to help me when I’m learning something new (always).
Based on the article “Plumb Perfect,” written for the May/June 2004 edition of Yoga Journal by Roger Cole, PhD, a certified yoga instructor and research scientist.
I like to encourage skaters at all levels to practice one-foot balance poses to improve agility, coordination and confidence. Such practice also delivers better control over a constantly shifting center of gravity during the motions of skating so we can become more efficient with each stroke. This article discusses how alignment, strength and attention affect your balance practice.
“Frankly,” he confided, “I’ve been doing this sport for so long, I can’t really empathize with her learning issues.” The truth comes out.
Beginners want to be on a real trail ASAP
What a difference the teacher’s level of empathy makes to the beginner who is at the bottom of the skills ladder, where each stance, each movement must be learned from scratch in the proper sequence to build one skill at a time …to just feel safe skating on a local trail …to dance through slalom cones.
One fine day while skating in farm country, I found myself flying over a freshly plowed field of dirt clods at high speed. The cow grate across the trail had been a big surprise as I raced to catch up with another skater! That was my most memorable test of hitting the rough in a Scissors Coast. Fortunately, my helmet and an instinctive tuck and roll made this a non-event–except for the embarrassment!
Me: “You know how I react under the influence of endorphins, right?”
Him: “Yeah, phew, every morning after your workout!”
Me: “Yesterday I had another shower epiphany after spin class. I was like ‘Wow, I love how I feel so self righteous! I’m such a wonderful person! I’m all set for a great day! Exercise is so great for a person’s self esteem.”
Him: “Mmm hmm.”
Me: “And then I was sharing this thought with another lady in the locker room (poor thing), saying, ‘Man, if only I could bottle this stuff! It would be so great if I could share my overabundance of feeling good with somebody else who really needs it!'”
As long as I’m not riding in the real world, I feel pretty comfortable on my road bike! I don’t even think about wearing elbow pads.
A week ago I borrowed a trainer on which I can mount the rear wheel of my bicycle to get a workout in my garage. I don’t need the exercise so much as I need the muscle memory of bicycling basics. The way I see it, I am getting my body used to the bike fit and posture and I can practice moving my hands without fear of losing control of the steering. Some day I’ll have to pull out my water bottle for a drink or signal a turn. I also get to practice looking over my shoulder in preparation for turning when I’m near traffic.
There are slopes I’d feel safer descending on my inline skates than on my fancy new road bike. My fears of falling are greater when biking than skating!
That’s why, every week I am devising new ways to live up to my expectations to become competent enough to get over my beginner fears and enjoy myself. The learning process is constantly reminding me of my own advice to beginning inline skaters: in the past 20 years we identified and drilled away dozens of issues related to posture and fear.
When I first started inline skating, I was uncoordinated and erratic on those eight little wheels for a long time. But I was motivated enough to be patient. I remember it took about 20 hours of skating 2-3 times a week before I felt like I didn’t look like a geek, but only as long as I was just moving forward and making wide turns. Learning to stop? That was another 9 months later.
So this bike thing? I’m a lot like a novice inline skater who decided to start out on speed skates instead of entry-level recreational skates.
The gift I received on my 61st Christmas was no surprise.
Trek Domane 4.5 (ladies) under my Christmas tree
Indeed, I’d agonized over the decision to add road biking to my already long list of recreational interests. But after weeks of weighing the pros and cons, I decided that once I get used to biking in the real world (as opposed to in Spin classes), the fitness animal Liz will obliterate the timid analytical Liz.