is bearing axial & radial play increasing your drag? (ice & roller skating)

adjusting your position, clothing and equipment, to reduce your drag, so that you get the most out of the power you're putting in - is this the idea? yes it is.

here, at this stage, we will only refer to:
- ice & roller skates (equipment),
- used (more or less) bearings - with a play (a &/or r), out of the manufacturer imposed limits.
the analogy (unusual) between ice s. & roller s., will be made on grounds of this play (a &/or r).

bearings are assembled with a slight amount of looseness between the balls and the raceways.
for further research related to bearings' axial & radial play, please take your time & visit:
JESA, Swiss bearings manufacturer.

schematic analogy r.s. - i.s.:
r.s.: a &/or r play (if any), of the rollers' bearings -
i.s.: a & or r play (if any), of  the grinding wheel shaft's bearings - when sharpening the skates -
could increase your drag & alter your intended trajectories, when (r. respectively i.) skating?
unfortunately yes.

suggestions welcomed...

we:
- would like to thank all those that gave a thought & visited this blog.
- also, take this opportunity and let you know, that we will offer free advice and support -
   couching one would be skater in Vienna, Austria, aged 10 - 14 - (humble beginnings -
   nonetheless gifted). please just let us know. (austrian residents - please do not insist
   otherwise).

our thanks also, to those companies, that brought (in all confidence) adverts to this blog.

suggestions welcomed...

... "sharp" enough with your skate sharpener (s.s.)? (ice skating)

the following text will give you some generic insight into how one should interact with his / her s.s.,

a. the ability to analyze what your s.s. says, helps you gain insight into his attitudes.
b. interact more with your s.s.., ex:
    - ask questions.
    - explain him what are you after (speed, crowd skating, competition, etc.).
c. try to "monitor" his craft:
    1.  visually check your newly sharpened skates (hollow, etc.), after each sharpening.  
    2.  mentally compare with past sharpenings, in terms of gliding, breaking capabilities, etc...
         (very relevant , if done repeteadly on the same ice surface)
    3.  interpret your "feet feedback".

optimal correlation: c1 visual check - c2 mental comparison - c3 feet feedback - ice surface,
will make you break through present limitations, in ice skating.

(analogy for roller skating, comin' up,... :) )  

you might be surprised to find out also, that among the best s.s. , in your area, some (the very best), take the initiative first & ask you a lot of questions, about your skates & skating style, etc. even before starting to sharpen them. (the s.s. tries to be consistent in what he does for you, so we think, his attitude should oblige).

we will introduce later, other concepts, related to the geometry of the skates' blades (but not only), slightly different from what you already may know.
this knowledge, never before published, which might fill in some engineering gaps, surely would enhance your skating capabilities & experience.
   

does your study buddy skate? (ice & roller skating)

does your study buddy skate?

is skates' choosing difficult for you?
can't decide yet? ask your study buddy what he would choose...
you might be very surprised to find out his opinion. why?

suppose, for example, your intention might be to do some crowd skating 
(this being also a reason, for you to choose a certain pair of skates..)
you also certainly would like to find out more about his / her skates, but quickly you
take notice that very little he /she says. why?

at a certain point, everything about skating becomes "second nature"?
we think so. (perfect skater wanted - "on earth" or on ice? :) )

but, could "second nature" also lead you, to better skating performances?
we think so, :)...

if you fall, try to land on your bottom??? (ice & roller skating)

"try to land on your bottom, if you fall", was/is an "advice" that left/leave us speechless, each time we heard/hear it.
therefore we decided to publish the text below ("a warned he/she counts for two."):

definitely not!
surely, landing on your bottom, could be the worst fall you could ever experience, particularly if you will land on it, upright.

attentive should be those:
- suffering from scoliosis, lordosis, ...,
- who suffer from overweight,
- with a clinical history of discopathy (risk of further intervertebral disk/disks damage) and/or
   osteoporosis (risk of vertebral fractures).

please take into account that we are referring only to traumatology statistics.
under no circumstances, could our opinion replace that of your general practitioner or specialist,
please seek their advice, at all times.