The Essential Figure Skater [Paperback]

Bernie Schallehn (Author), Patti Tashman (Author), Nikki Schallehn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000 | Series: Essential

Here is a complete, fully illustrated guide to figure skating for all ages.

Two former competitive-skaters-turned-teachers team up with one mental training coach to provide friendly, klutz-proof instruction for the beginner and beyond, including:

* Sections on how to stop and how to fall * Basic maneuver * Beginning freestyle * Clothing and equipment * Finding a coach * Competition and testing * Ice dance * Precision team skating * Compulsory figures * Mental preparation (for all levels) * And much more!

Also included is a chapter dedicated to figure skating as a spectator sport. The Essential Figure Skater is an indispensable handbook that will have even first-time skaters up on their feet and circling the ice in no time.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book was written by a trio consisting of an experienced coach, a competitor, and a mental training coach. Figure skating at its advanced level is a sport demanding nerves of steel, so mental training is regarded as a necessary ingredient for competitors. This book, however, is largely directed at beginners. There are wonderful pieces of advice, ranging from how to clean your skates to the complications of dealing with an outdoor pond, but the inclusion of a mental training component seems unnecessary and even confusing at this early stage. The how-to portion, with instructions for the various basic skills of skating, is quite good: edges, turns, stroking, spins, and fundamental jumps are all outlined with precision, though the illustrations are somewhat unattractive and not terribly helpful. There is a chapter for spectators, explaining how to distinguish between the various jumps, spins, and other moves in a typical program. Perhaps most useful of all is the thorough glossary. Recommended for all public libraries."Bonnie Collier, Yale Law Lib.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

In this complete and fully illustrated guide former competitive skaters-turned-teachers Patti Tashman and Nikki Schallehn team up with mental training coach Bernie Schallehn to provide reliable, friendly instruction for the beginner skater and beyond. The Essential Figure Skater covers every aspect of figure skating, including: basic maneuvers; freestyle maneuvers and jumps; clothing and equipment; classes and coaches; mental preparation for all levels; ice dance and other forms of figure skating; competition and testing; a complete chapter on how to watch and judge the pros; and much more. (5 3/4 X 9, 208 pages, diagrams, charts)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558219935
• ISBN-13: 978-1558219939
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,551,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #94 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Winter Sports > Ice Skating & Figure Skating

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EXCELLENT COMPILATION OF SKATING KNOWLEDGE!!, October 10, 2000

By 

Joseph A. Ruhl (Columbia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Figure Skater (Paperback)

"The Essential Figure Skater" is the perfect book for the novice or more advanced skater. Covering everything from equipment, to choosing a learn to skate program, to competitions. As a parent of a Free Style Skater,I can recomend this book to anyone considering becoming involved with figure skating. I wish I had this book when my daughter begain skating, it would have saved me alot of frustration!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overall skating book!!!, January 2, 2003

By 

Saraswati "Saraswati" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Figure Skater (Paperback)

This is such a good book!! I have read it countless times and I still get information out of it. It goes over jumps, turns, spins, competing, mental preparation, physical preperation, choosing a coach, buying equipment, and more! No, I wasn't hired by Patti Tashman (the author) to promote her book, I just like it a lot.