Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Foray Into Adult Skating: A Skating Lesson



On Monday, I'll be taking my Adult Silver Moves In The Field and Adult Pre-Bronze Freestyle tests.  I was expecting to take them on the 29th due to a little scheduling confusion, so I need to make the best of it and keep from panicking.  I have had nightmares about doing my three turns in the field on the exam with the feeling in the back of my knees during testing, but I am beginning to feel ready.  The day has come.  Every test has been a journey and I've definitely worked extremely hard since taking my Adult Bronze MITF test in February.

There are times like today when you have an off day with a jump (my salchows) and notice that you have a sixty-year-old coach who is annoyingly amazing at everything she does on the ice.  FML.  (And then there is her deserved disgust at my flip entrance for good measure.)



Adult Silves Moves In The Field











Adult Pre Bronze Freestyle













Jumps





8 comments:

  1. thanks for posting this. i was wondering how you were doing. good luck on your test.

    ReplyDelete
  2. so, this is the man behind it all? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. How often do you practice. You are getting better and better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 4-5 hours a week with two lessons per week. I also do yoga, ballet and conditioning off ice.

      Delete
  4. You should have no problem passing the PB FS test! In fact I'm surprised you haven't already done it. Two bits on Silver MITF: One from my secondary coach: think of yourself as a Chinese lady with a long skinny skirt, y'know, so she can take only tiny steps?, in the 8-step. There's some wide stepping there (especially the last step to forward) and the judges really love those "neat feet," sans wide stepping. Two: Your spirals are great but HOLD THEM LONGER!! I see you holding them for only about half or two-thirds of the lobe (if you're thinking clock-face, you're only going for 3-4 hours--and you need to think 5 or 6). I can see that you're running out of space on your tiny rink, so that might be one reason you're doing that. Think Kwan-gorgeous-spiral-held-forever-for-the-glory-of-all-that-is-figure-skating!!! Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your advice. I have actually been thinking about those tiny steps since watching it last night. Sometimes there can be a disconnect in what she is saying, which is why it helps me to watch. I never had issues on the eight step in terms of the wide stepping until more recently when I tried to add power to it. I'm definitely going to think Chinese lady before the test.

      Re: Spirals- Yes, I need to test them out on the big ice for a bit. We decided to hold them for a longer number of seconds each than I was previously. Natasha is quite strict about them being even "feel line in center," but I will definitely work on holding my smiral and hopefully will enjoy doing it, smile, and TURN MY FOOT OUT on the inside spirals.

      Delete
    2. Also, I didn't do PB free earlier because I didn't really start working on my jumps consistently until about February or so and I definitely wasn't spinning well. My coach thought it would be a waste to drive all the way to the test and take up a morning for a silly PB free test, so we decided to wait until it was time to take silver moves.

      Delete
  5. If you get to feeling too FML remember that you've done in 7 months what's taken me 7 years to learn, and I'm pretty good for a true started-as-an-adult skater. It's simultaneously inspiring and discouraging for me to see how much progress you've made. So...FML. :-)

    ReplyDelete