When I first stepped onto the ice at 21-years-old, I had no prior experience but all the enthusiasm in the world. Little did I know that was only the beginning of an amazing journey!
Hi there!
My name is Imone and I’m a 23-year-old figure skater living in Melbourne, Australia.
I began figure skating at a time in my life where I felt passionless, stagnant and unfit. I was in my second year of university (I’m studying for my Bachelor of Applied Science and Masters in Physiotherapy), and as I began learning about strengthening and injury management I found myself feeling very out of my depth… And I’m supposed to be giving people rehabilitation and exercise programs when I graduate!
So, I began to search for something to keep myself fit and engaged, something I could call my own. At the same time, I got into sports anime which directed me to something called ‘Yuri! On Ice’. After watching this and relating so deeply to the characters and their desire to improve and better themselves, I looked into figure skating despite thinking I was too old to progress very far. I found a nearby rink and organised a day to skate and try it out, little did I know that it would spark something in me and start a crazy but beautiful journey.
I decided to document my progress on YouTube and Instagram, I’ve attached some links at the end of this post! Before I knew it, so many adult skaters reached out to me and I realised that I was not alone! I found a supportive, growing community that teaches me so many new things each day.
Figure skating challenges me physically and emotionally. I push my boundaries where necessary with the encouragement of my supportive coaches and family, but I’m also learning when I need to relax and feel my blades run through the ice.
I’ve learned a great many things about myself and my abilities in the last year or so. For starters, I’m a perfectionist and I set crazy unachievable standards for myself, and can be super harsh on myself when I don’t achieve them…can anyone else relate? When I step onto that ice after a stressful week, everything changes the moment my blades touch the ice. My previously foggy and stressed out thoughts are replaced by focus and clarity. I can’t think about my personal issues on the ice, if I lose focus, I will fall or stumble. The ice demands my attention at all times and it commands my worries to disappear somewhere far away.
Another thing I’ve learned is that skill will take you so far, after that, you need strength, grit and resilience. My body needed to become stronger and more flexible, my mind needed to become calm and confident. The ice rewards those who work hard and the struggle it takes to nail an element isn’t so bad when you experience the high of satisfaction and happiness it can bring.
I look forward to writing more posts about my experiences, injury management and prevention advice, skating tips and other fun skating-related content. If you’re beginning this journey or in the middle of it, I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing your stories and experiences.
Happy skating!
Imone xx
My YouTube ‘Imone!OnIce’
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMSWoPmuB4RpX6vJ06uVMMg?view_as=subscriber
My Instagram ‘@physiofigureskater’
https://www.instagram.com/physiofigureskater/
