Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

A must have for coaches and pupils, 01 Apr 2003
Not only being an ice skating coach but also a qualified circuit training instructor I found this book an excellent guide for on and off ice training. So good in fact I leant it to a collegue who now also agrees how good it is and is going to by her own!!. It covers everything from stretching, plyometrics and off ice conditioning to on ice stamina training, competition preperation, heart rate monitoring and tons tons more. The best ten pound you could spend to further your knowledge.

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

A must have for coaches and pupils, 01 Apr 2003
Not only being an ice skating coach but also a qualified circuit training instructor I found this book an excellent guide for on and off ice training. So good in fact I leant it to a collegue who now also agrees how good it is and is going to by her own!!. It covers everything from stretching, plyometrics and off ice conditioning to on ice stamina training, competition preperation, heart rate monitoring and tons tons more. The best ten pound you could spend to further your knowledge.

From Adey to Zamick, 23 Nov 2008
The biographies are listed alphabetically which means that they run from Paul Adey to Chick Zamick, both of whom, coincidentally, made their names with Nottingham Panthers.

Between these two heroes of hockey are an enormous variety of personalities (98 in all) who have graced the British game over the last 70 years and more. They range from pioneers like Peter Patton and Blaine Sexton to more recent icons, Ian and Stephen Cooper, Alex Dampier and Scott Neil. The members of the selection panel have a broad-minded approach, especially in recent years when Ice Hockey Journalists UK (formerly the British Ice Hockey Writers Association) took over the near impossible task from the original decision-makers, Bob Giddens, and his fellow journalists on the Ice Hockey World newspaper. So you can read about Allan and Annette Petrie, the husband and wife team who founded and run the GB Supporters Club (the only fan club for a national team in ice hockey), and Ken Swinburne, the `Mr Fix-it' of the immortal Durham Wasps.

Mr Harris, the only non-North American to win the prestigious Brian McFarlane Award for outstanding research and writing in respect of his previous book, The Homes of British Ice Hockey (Tempus, 2006), has done the game a tremendous service here by not only expanding biographies previously published, since 1986-87, in editions of The Ice Hockey Annual but also by adding profiles of all the earlier members, many of whom will be quite unknown to today's fans. All this, of course, makes the book essential reading for all true devotees of our sport.

Reviewed in association with Stewart Roberts, editor of The Ice Hockey Annual.

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

A must have for coaches and pupils, 01 Apr 2003
Not only being an ice skating coach but also a qualified circuit training instructor I found this book an excellent guide for on and off ice training. So good in fact I leant it to a collegue who now also agrees how good it is and is going to by her own!!. It covers everything from stretching, plyometrics and off ice conditioning to on ice stamina training, competition preperation, heart rate monitoring and tons tons more. The best ten pound you could spend to further your knowledge.

From Adey to Zamick, 23 Nov 2008
The biographies are listed alphabetically which means that they run from Paul Adey to Chick Zamick, both of whom, coincidentally, made their names with Nottingham Panthers.

Between these two heroes of hockey are an enormous variety of personalities (98 in all) who have graced the British game over the last 70 years and more. They range from pioneers like Peter Patton and Blaine Sexton to more recent icons, Ian and Stephen Cooper, Alex Dampier and Scott Neil. The members of the selection panel have a broad-minded approach, especially in recent years when Ice Hockey Journalists UK (formerly the British Ice Hockey Writers Association) took over the near impossible task from the original decision-makers, Bob Giddens, and his fellow journalists on the Ice Hockey World newspaper. So you can read about Allan and Annette Petrie, the husband and wife team who founded and run the GB Supporters Club (the only fan club for a national team in ice hockey), and Ken Swinburne, the `Mr Fix-it' of the immortal Durham Wasps.

Mr Harris, the only non-North American to win the prestigious Brian McFarlane Award for outstanding research and writing in respect of his previous book, The Homes of British Ice Hockey (Tempus, 2006), has done the game a tremendous service here by not only expanding biographies previously published, since 1986-87, in editions of The Ice Hockey Annual but also by adding profiles of all the earlier members, many of whom will be quite unknown to today's fans. All this, of course, makes the book essential reading for all true devotees of our sport.

Reviewed in association with Stewart Roberts, editor of The Ice Hockey Annual.

Colourful history of an underrated sport, 05 Dec 2005
As the author of the sport's yearbook, The Ice Hockey Annual, I am only too well aware of how difficult it is to obtain information about this colourful but much underrated sport.
So I take my hat off to Martin Harris, the sport's foremost historian.
He has achieved a near-miracle in putting together this book which neatly combines a history of the game, descriptions of the rinks which reveal his architectural training, and lists of all the teams which have played in the UK since the turn of the 20th century (some even earlier).
Martin is an avid collector of ice hockey memorabilia so he has been able to illustrate the book with a wealth of photos, many of which have not seen the light of day for years.
There's a wealth of fascinating anecdotes on almost every page. Only in 'Homes' will you learn that in the Thirties ice hockey was played in London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, and that a Brighton team once practised on a rink in a former car wash on Hove seafront. That Manchester's arena broke the British attendance record in March 1996 when 16,289 fans roared on the Storm, and that the sons of Lord Stanley, who donated Canada's Stanley Cup, used to play regularly in London.
If 'Homes' is a must for ice hockey fans, it will also appeal to all skating lovers. And it would be good to think that some of our architects would study it, too, so that they could avoid the dreadful mistakes of their predecessors.
It is a tribute to the exciting game of ice hockey that it draws crowds despite the wretched sightlines of so many UK rinks.

Wot no ice rinks!, 05 Dec 2005
As a minority sport in the UK it is good to see books like this that throw a positive light on the UK's ice hockey history. 'Homes' serves as both a historic insight into the early rinks and as a reference to the current venues where this great sport is played and watched. The sad demise of some of the original rinks and some of the great venues of British ice hockey captures the struggle the sport has to this day. Still there are rinks closing in favour of shopping centres with few replacements on the cards. At the time of writing this review Cardiff’s rink is closing and the London Racers team has had to fold due to lack of adequate facilities. The only small criticism I have is that Women’s ice hockey has been excluded from the history of teams that played in these rinks. I feel it lacks completeness without out this. For any ice hockey fan this is a good buy that I would recommend.

A unique and long anticipated delight!, 28 Nov 2005
Mr. Harris' in-depth knowledge of the game, and particularly, of where it has been enjoyed in Britain, is both invaluable and entertaining. His love of sport and especially of ice hockey adds a special dimension to the book, and I am so glad to finally have a copy in my hands. The perfect holiday gift for the hockey fan in your life!

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

A must have for coaches and pupils, 01 Apr 2003
Not only being an ice skating coach but also a qualified circuit training instructor I found this book an excellent guide for on and off ice training. So good in fact I leant it to a collegue who now also agrees how good it is and is going to by her own!!. It covers everything from stretching, plyometrics and off ice conditioning to on ice stamina training, competition preperation, heart rate monitoring and tons tons more. The best ten pound you could spend to further your knowledge.

From Adey to Zamick, 23 Nov 2008
The biographies are listed alphabetically which means that they run from Paul Adey to Chick Zamick, both of whom, coincidentally, made their names with Nottingham Panthers.

Between these two heroes of hockey are an enormous variety of personalities (98 in all) who have graced the British game over the last 70 years and more. They range from pioneers like Peter Patton and Blaine Sexton to more recent icons, Ian and Stephen Cooper, Alex Dampier and Scott Neil. The members of the selection panel have a broad-minded approach, especially in recent years when Ice Hockey Journalists UK (formerly the British Ice Hockey Writers Association) took over the near impossible task from the original decision-makers, Bob Giddens, and his fellow journalists on the Ice Hockey World newspaper. So you can read about Allan and Annette Petrie, the husband and wife team who founded and run the GB Supporters Club (the only fan club for a national team in ice hockey), and Ken Swinburne, the `Mr Fix-it' of the immortal Durham Wasps.

Mr Harris, the only non-North American to win the prestigious Brian McFarlane Award for outstanding research and writing in respect of his previous book, The Homes of British Ice Hockey (Tempus, 2006), has done the game a tremendous service here by not only expanding biographies previously published, since 1986-87, in editions of The Ice Hockey Annual but also by adding profiles of all the earlier members, many of whom will be quite unknown to today's fans. All this, of course, makes the book essential reading for all true devotees of our sport.

Reviewed in association with Stewart Roberts, editor of The Ice Hockey Annual.

Colourful history of an underrated sport, 05 Dec 2005
As the author of the sport's yearbook, The Ice Hockey Annual, I am only too well aware of how difficult it is to obtain information about this colourful but much underrated sport.
So I take my hat off to Martin Harris, the sport's foremost historian.
He has achieved a near-miracle in putting together this book which neatly combines a history of the game, descriptions of the rinks which reveal his architectural training, and lists of all the teams which have played in the UK since the turn of the 20th century (some even earlier).
Martin is an avid collector of ice hockey memorabilia so he has been able to illustrate the book with a wealth of photos, many of which have not seen the light of day for years.
There's a wealth of fascinating anecdotes on almost every page. Only in 'Homes' will you learn that in the Thirties ice hockey was played in London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, and that a Brighton team once practised on a rink in a former car wash on Hove seafront. That Manchester's arena broke the British attendance record in March 1996 when 16,289 fans roared on the Storm, and that the sons of Lord Stanley, who donated Canada's Stanley Cup, used to play regularly in London.
If 'Homes' is a must for ice hockey fans, it will also appeal to all skating lovers. And it would be good to think that some of our architects would study it, too, so that they could avoid the dreadful mistakes of their predecessors.
It is a tribute to the exciting game of ice hockey that it draws crowds despite the wretched sightlines of so many UK rinks.

Wot no ice rinks!, 05 Dec 2005
As a minority sport in the UK it is good to see books like this that throw a positive light on the UK's ice hockey history. 'Homes' serves as both a historic insight into the early rinks and as a reference to the current venues where this great sport is played and watched. The sad demise of some of the original rinks and some of the great venues of British ice hockey captures the struggle the sport has to this day. Still there are rinks closing in favour of shopping centres with few replacements on the cards. At the time of writing this review Cardiff’s rink is closing and the London Racers team has had to fold due to lack of adequate facilities. The only small criticism I have is that Women’s ice hockey has been excluded from the history of teams that played in these rinks. I feel it lacks completeness without out this. For any ice hockey fan this is a good buy that I would recommend.

A unique and long anticipated delight!, 28 Nov 2005
Mr. Harris' in-depth knowledge of the game, and particularly, of where it has been enjoyed in Britain, is both invaluable and entertaining. His love of sport and especially of ice hockey adds a special dimension to the book, and I am so glad to finally have a copy in my hands. The perfect holiday gift for the hockey fan in your life!

An excellent book on skating!, 22 Jul 1999
Although I play roller hockey instead of ice hockey, this book is still an excellent resource. Very thorough explanations, illustrated with many clear photographs.

I think it is most appropriate for beginning to intermediate skaters. However, if you are an advanced skater and want to check that your mechanics or sound, or want to squeeze the last bit of performance from your technique, you should consider this book.

I can't recomend this book highly enough. In the first week after getting it, I was able to skate faster than many of the other people in my hockey class who had blown me away the previous week.

just what I needed for practice, 12 Jan 1999
This is a great prep book before starting hockey clinics. She gives you lots of subtle position and balance tips that really change the feel of your feet on ice and help you move faster with more assurance. She's got practice exercises as well.

Get this book!, 30 Dec 1998
I started skating just this year (I'm finishing a delta class now) and got this book in preparation for an upcoming power skating and hockey clinic. It's great -- there are lots of subtleties that I missed in my lessons thus far that Stamm covers very well, things like balance points, where to center your weight for most efficiency, and the most common mistakes that cost you speed.

Considering the cost of private lessons, this book is more than worth it! I've got lots to practice now even before I start the clinics.

Brilliant Read, 11 Dec 2008
This book is exceptional. I actually found this book by accident, but I'd like to put it another way, this book found me. Forget those who criticise it for its American sports examples, look beyond that. Apply it to your entire life. This book is simple. It draws on all those great sayings you've heard at some stage in your life. I reccommend you read a chapter of it every morning. Its a brilliant motivator. The only problem is, this read can't go on forever.....

On the head, son, 16 May 2008
Gary Mack's book on the importance of your thinking processes in sport (and by extension in life) has two problems. Firstly, if you don't know American sports in the Nineties then many of the names in his anecdotes will be unfamiliar. Secondly, for those who do know American sports in the Nineties some of the teams he has advised are not exactly stellar. But this just means you need to read with care, and if you don't share the inordinate interest with golfers (or cannot avoid the thought that this is just sport, what about life?) you can go straight to the summary points at the end of each chapter. These are annoyingly smug and even more annoyingly they do seem to work.

Mack uses many of the processes of NLP with an helpful dollop of commonsense. So please don't be put off by the anecdotes concerning unknown but obviously revered athletes. He packs much the same message as an Anthony Robbins book but in much less space.

Not for me, 05 Jan 2007
I play badminton quite a bit and wanted some tips and techniques to help with the way I think about and think while I play the game - I found nothing useful here. Filled with unnecessary anecdotes and clearly geared towards those aiming to or actually competing at a high level, although I'm not sure if it would even be useful for them. Much of the contents seemed 'obvious' to me.

I hope my competitiors dont read this....., 18 Dec 2006
Once you get past the perhaps unfamiliar American sports, anic dotes etc, the message is simple and clear. It's not a cook book full of formulas, but straight to the point. and it does get results.

Not suitable if you are not familiar with American sports..., 23 Aug 2006
...and generally not very good either. When one reads a book that quotes and refers to our sporting heros, it's hard not to be emotionaly affected by the book - you can transfer the messages in the book to memories that you have of your particular sporting heros. When you have no knowledge of the people that are used, the book's real content becomes exposed - which is a collection of uninspiring anecdotes from athletes that I have never heard of.



Novice skaters only need this book, 26 May 2004
As a novice ice skater I was looking for a book which would show me the basic steps. Most books try to cover everything, which is a mistake as people who are going to try a triple axel or whatever don't need to be told about the disadvantages of hire skates.

"Ice Skating: Steps to Success" covers basic techniques, their execution, common errors and how to correct them. It even includes drills to practice. There are detailed diagrams showing the moves, which is not unusual, but it also gives a step by step description of what is happening at each point, and where you should be putting your weight.

Part of its appeal is that it is co-written by a mature beginning skater, which explains its attention to detail.

If you are a beginner you do not need another book. Ignore the amazon special offers and just buy this one.

Truly like having your own coach!!, 24 Feb 1999
Even though this was published in 1995-I hope they keep this on the printing press hotlist. This book is one of the most worthwhile books of it's genre. It's not just informative,explaining techniques(though it does that,too)It offers a highly structure program that can adjust according to your ability and proficiancy.It focus's on the basics that many skaters sorely need but lack nowdays. Amust have!

"A must have!" says SK8USA Webzine http://www.sk8usa.com, 11 Feb 1997
Whether you're a beginner or intermediate skater, Karin Künzle Watson helps make the most of your time on the ice. Nine-time Swiss National Champion Karin Künzle Watson pairs up with adult skater Dr. Stephen J. DeArmond to give basic skaters a foundation from which to build. Watson, who began skating at age six, went on to become a world professional champion skater and now coaches skaters from around the world. She is one of the few individuals worldwide to have passed Gold-level tests in all disciplines of figure skating: singles, pairs, dance and Published by Human Kinetics as a part of their Steps to Success sports series, the book offers 50 training exercises and over 300 technical illustrations and renderings of some of the best places to skate in the country. Each skating drill includes key points to remember when you're on the ice. Künzle teaches a series of skating principles to control your posture, balance, degree of lean and rotation. These aren't just book techniques, but are the same principles she teaches her skaters. What's more, they work! The authors have even included hints on how to increase the difficulty or make the exercises a little less challenging for less "practiced" skaters. The book celebrates the history of skating, plus offers useful information on sating posture, balance, correct push and glide techniques, forward stops, forward and backward skating, crossovers, two foot turns, mohawks, three turns, swingrolls and even more advanced edge moves. If you're looking to jump and spin, this book is and isn't for you. It doesn't contain specifics on jumps and spins, but face it, if you're three turn or mohawk isn't perfect going into a jump, then you need this book to examine the reasons. Consider likewise, the myriad of young skaters who can do double jumps, but hardly a clean crossover and you'll see why this is a "must have". Tommy Mullins, Publisher SK8USA Webzine

Thorough and easy-to-understand how-to book for beginners., 23 Sep 1996
This book doesn't spend much time in my bookshelf! When I considered learning to skate, I wanted to find a book that focused on the real basics of figure skating. This book is by far the best I have seen of that genre and I refer to it after nearly every lesson or practice. The authors stick to beginner moves and techniques only. You won't find any spins or jumps here! After a brief discussion of the history of ice skating and a good discussion of how to buy and fit boots and blades, each principle and move is introduced both in text and with sketches. The sketches, presumably of the author, include itemized steps to performing the move and lines and arrows to show the foot and body movement. The writing is generally clear and detailed enough so that with the corresponding diagram, a reader would know just what to do. Of course, actually *doing* something like a three turn won't always come right away! Certain fundamentals, like balance, are referred to throughout the book to reinforce their importance. Some good concepts are used, like the "body box" for explaining balance. Each chapter ends with a table of common problems and how to correct each one. The descriptions and diagrams are not perfect, though. I still can't quite see the different between crossovers and advanced crossovers despite reading and re-reading those sections. I'm sure an explanation and demonstration by my instructor will clear it up. As an adult skater, I'm anxious to develop skills quickly. This book describes nearly every item on the ISI Alpha through Delta lists. I'm convinced that this book, together with lessons, will have me working on Freestyle I before long!

Great for beginners, 09 Apr 2007
Last year I started learning to skate with the SkateUK programme. This is definitely the most useful book I bought. Steps to Success is a bit difficult to follow, and hard to dip into at random. Figure Skating (Petkevich) is good, but seems to be aimed at more advanced skaters. This book is ideal for people in their first few years of learning to skate - it's the one I turn to when I can't remember where my feet should go in an open mohawk, or wonder how on earth I'm ever going to get low enough to do a teapot.

An excellent book for a figure skater, 12 Dec 2002
This book is for the skater specifically (rather than a casual fan), because it is very much focused on technique and skills. It goes from the very beginning (simple stroking) right up to triple jumps and flying spins. There are sections on jumps, spins, footwork, and freestyle moves (e.g. spirals), and also pairs and ice dancing (although ice dance doesn't get the same attention). It goes into a lot of detail about moves, how to do them, tips, things to remember, etc. There are also sections on nutrition and fitness, choreography, music, costumes, equipment (e.g. skates), competitions, training, etc etc. It is very comprehensive and very detailed, and a very well written book, put together by the people who really know, top coaches. There is also sections for the coach, tips on how to teach things, etc.
Well worth the money for anyone interested in figure skating, learning more and improving in the sport.

A must have for coaches and pupils, 01 Apr 2003
Not only being an ice skating coach but also a qualified circuit training instructor I found this book an excellent guide for on and off ice training. So good in fact I leant it to a collegue who now also agrees how good it is and is going to by her own!!. It covers everything from stretching, plyometrics and off ice conditioning to on ice stamina training, competition preperation, heart rate monitoring and tons tons more. The best ten pound you could spend to further your knowledge.

From Adey to Zamick, 23 Nov 2008
The biographies are listed alphabetically which means that they run from Paul Adey to Chick Zamick, both of whom, coincidentally, made their names with Nottingham Panthers.

Between these two heroes of hockey are an enormous variety of personalities (98 in all) who have graced the British game over the last 70 years and more. They range from pioneers like Peter Patton and Blaine Sexton to more recent icons, Ian and Stephen Cooper, Alex Dampier and Scott Neil. The members of the selection panel have a broad-minded approach, especially in recent years when Ice Hockey Journalists UK (formerly the British Ice Hockey Writers Association) took over the near impossible task from the original decision-makers, Bob Giddens, and his fellow journalists on the Ice Hockey World newspaper. So you can read about Allan and Annette Petrie, the husband and wife team who founded and run the GB Supporters Club (the only fan club for a national team in ice hockey), and Ken Swinburne, the `Mr Fix-it' of the immortal Durham Wasps.

Mr Harris, the only non-North American to win the prestigious Brian McFarlane Award for outstanding research and writing in respect of his previous book, The Homes of British Ice Hockey (Tempus, 2006), has done the game a tremendous service here by not only expanding biographies previously published, since 1986-87, in editions of The Ice Hockey Annual but also by adding profiles of all the earlier members, many of whom will be quite unknown to today's fans. All this, of course, makes the book essential reading for all true devotees of our sport.

Reviewed in association with Stewart Roberts, editor of The Ice Hockey Annual.

Colourful history of an underrated sport, 05 Dec 2005
As the author of the sport's yearbook, The Ice Hockey Annual, I am only too well aware of how difficult it is to obtain information about this colourful but much underrated sport.
So I take my hat off to Martin Harris, the sport's foremost historian.
He has achieved a near-miracle in putting together this book which neatly combines a history of the game, descriptions of the rinks which reveal his architectural training, and lists of all the teams which have played in the UK since the turn of the 20th century (some even earlier).
Martin is an avid collector of ice hockey memorabilia so he has been able to illustrate the book with a wealth of photos, many of which have not seen the light of day for years.
There's a wealth of fascinating anecdotes on almost every page. Only in 'Homes' will you learn that in the Thirties ice hockey was played in London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, and that a Brighton team once practised on a rink in a former car wash on Hove seafront. That Manchester's arena broke the British attendance record in March 1996 when 16,289 fans roared on the Storm, and that the sons of Lord Stanley, who donated Canada's Stanley Cup, used to play regularly in London.
If 'Homes' is a must for ice hockey fans, it will also appeal to all skating lovers. And it would be good to think that some of our architects would study it, too, so that they could avoid the dreadful mistakes of their predecessors.
It is a tribute to the exciting game of ice hockey that it draws crowds despite the wretched sightlines of so many UK rinks.

Wot no ice rinks!, 05 Dec 2005
As a minority sport in the UK it is good to see books like this that throw a positive light on the UK's ice hockey history. 'Homes' serves as both a historic insight into the early rinks and as a reference to the current venues where this great sport is played and watched. The sad demise of some of the original rinks and some of the great venues of British ice hockey captures the struggle the sport has to this day. Still there are rinks closing in favour of shopping centres with few replacements on the cards. At the time of writing this review Cardiff’s rink is closing and the London Racers team has had to fold due to lack of adequate facilities. The only small criticism I have is that Women’s ice hockey has been excluded from the history of teams that played in these rinks. I feel it lacks completeness without out this. For any ice hockey fan this is a good buy that I would recommend.

A unique and long anticipated delight!, 28 Nov 2005
Mr. Harris' in-depth knowledge of the game, and particularly, of where it has been enjoyed in Britain, is both invaluable and entertaining. His love of sport and especially of ice hockey adds a special dimension to the book, and I am so glad to finally have a copy in my hands. The perfect holiday gift for the hockey fan in your life!

An excellent book on skating!, 22 Jul 1999
Although I play roller hockey instead of ice hockey, this book is still an excellent resource. Very thorough explanations, illustrated with many clear photographs.

I think it is most appropriate for beginning to intermediate skaters. However, if you are an advanced skater and want to check that your mechanics or sound, or want to squeeze the last bit of performance from your technique, you should consider this book.

I can't recomend this book highly enough. In the first week after getting it, I was able to skate faster than many of the other people in my hockey class who had blown me away the previous week.

just what I needed for practice, 12 Jan 1999
This is a great prep book before starting hockey clinics. She gives you lots of subtle position and balance tips that really change the feel of your feet on ice and help you move faster with more assurance. She's got practice exercises as well.

Get this book!, 30 Dec 1998
I started skating just this year (I'm finishing a delta class now) and got this book in preparation for an upcoming power skating and hockey clinic. It's great -- there are lots of subtleties that I missed in my lessons thus far that Stamm covers very well, things like balance points, where to center your weight for most efficiency, and the most common mistakes that cost you speed.

Considering the cost of private lessons, this book is more than worth it! I've got lots to practice now even before I start the clinics.

Good on equipment; not so good on basic techniques, 17 Jul 2000
This book gives a very good account of the equipment used in in-line skating and is useful for that alone, but I was less impressed with the sections on basic technique. In particular I wanted to learn how to skate backwards and the book was unhelpful. There was thereafter too much emphasis (for me) on racing, on aggressive skating and on and roller hockey. But the book does give a useful overview. Three stars may be a bit generous but two would be a bit harsh.

An excellent introduction for those new to the sport..., 02 Sep 1999
This is one of the few books on in-line skating that will appeal to adults interested in taking up the sport. Early chapters deal with what to look for in a good pair of skates and the reasons why safety equipment is so important. These chapters also dicuss the importance of skating responsibly. I found the chapters on basic technique invaluable. They assume no prior knowledge and include checklists so that skill can be developed with confidence. My criticism is that the third section in the book is a bit of a quantum leap from earlier sections. I think that speed skating and hockey should be the subjects of a second volume with the remaining space given over to slightly more advanced techiques that the recreational skater could develop (one crown lost for this!)...Overall, however, this is a great book that will help any adult learn to in-line skat