Poll: What move gives you fits?

[TaBalie]

What move drives you nuts trying to master? I am thinking more along the lines of a move that "holds" you back as far as the testing levels, even though you may easily do more advanced moves.

Mine is outside alternating three-turns. ARG!!!!!! My coach thinks I should stop worring about it since all my three-turns on their own (and entering jumps) are very strong, but it drives me crazy that I just can't get this. I can do three-turns in the field (pre-juv/adult silver), forward double three-turns (juvenile/adult gold), etc but not alternating outside threes! :evil:

Anyone else here have a move that gives them fits? :)

[Debbie S]

The back perimeter crossover stroking move from Pre-Juv/Adult Bronze. Grrrr. :frus:

TaBalie, I agree with you - alt 3's are :twisted:

[NoVa Sk8r]

Clockwise forward crossovers. :oops: Heck, counterclockwise crossovers, too! :oops: :oops:
Kinda makes those power circles in gold moves next to impossible. :giveup:

[The Ice Demon]

It doesn't hold me back from testing but I really struggle to do toe loops at any thing like near the speed I do all my other jumps including axel. The jump really freaks me out at anything other than a very slow speed, so naturally I hardly ever practice it!

[phoenix]

Brackets with any speed, Killian choctaw up to speed, twizzles w/ speed, hmmmm, seems to be a recurring theme here! I like to skate s*l*o*w.... :oops:

[blisspix]

It doesn't hold me back from testing but I really struggle to do toe loops at any thing like near the speed I do all my other jumps including axel. The jump really freaks me out at anything other than a very slow speed, so naturally I hardly ever practice it!

Me too! My toe loop is a tiny little thing. It's really strange. And I have a bad habit of not picking and taking off on the flat. eek. It just feels awkward to me.

[jazzpants]

I'm gonna be a pain and say that ALL of the Adult Bronze Moves gives me the fits!!! :x :frus: :evil: :P :lol:

But if you want a specific move... probably now it's an even toss up between: 1) forward power 3's on prelim/Bronze Moves test, 2) 5 step mohawks on the pre-Juv/Bronze Moves test and 3) alt. spirals on the prelim moves test. (It's the one move my back and I agree on HATING a lot!!! Never mind that I have a horrible turnout so it's incredibly hard for me to have a nice line on my free leg. (Foot is facing DOWN... I really have to twist my free leg and ankle JUST to turn the foot to the side...)

Clockwise forward crossovers. :oops: Heck, counterclockwise crossovers, too! :oops: :oops:
Kinda makes those power circles in gold moves next to impossible. :giveup:
Hey, NoVa: I dare 'ya to take a moves lesson with the Moves Nazi to work on your forward crossovers come December!!! :twisted: I'm already taking the dare of taking a lesson with him myself... and I know my basics are CRAP! (*PLUS* I'm a BIG CHICKEN to boot...boc boc boc!!!) http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/tiere/c010.gif

[TashaKat]

Back 3's ... I HATE back 3's! Mind you, it's the move that I broke my wrist on but even before then I hated them :(

[samba]

Loops, I do them perfectly at home, but put me in a competition and they just disappear.

[Thin-Ice]

BI 3-turns! :roll: Especially on the left foot.... :giveup: I MUST have been able to do them at one point.. I passed Pre-Juvenile Moves. I even passed the LFO-RBI and RFO->LBI element by all three judges. But I have no idea how.. or if they were good enough to pass, where those BI-3s have gone. :roll:

[sceptique]

LFI 3 turn! The more I practice, the more drastic is the gap between my right and left legs. Right ones are smooth and confident and left - I simply can't do it at all, except with a very short entry edge, where I push off and turn almost at the same time. It's a mystery!

[Scarlett]

RFI 3-turn at any kind of speed. Drives my coach nuts. You can only imagine how my toe loop and loop are coming along.

[jenlyon60]

Intro-3s ... see my sig.

Nasty things they are....

[FrankR]

Hey all,

I wouldn't say it's holding me back exactly, but I find the back double three turns (Adult Gold/Intermediate) to be terrifying. It's not so much the move itself as much as trying to practice it with other people on the ice. I can't tell you how many near-collisions and collision-collisions I've had with this move. I'm trying to turn my head on the turns to look out for people but half the time I'm still unable to stop in time when I see people. :oops:

I haven't learned this pattern yet but I think that the back perimeter stroking to power three turns around the ends (Intermediate) is going to kick my butt. (What can I say? I'm a pessimist. :P )

Hey, NoVa: I dare 'ya to take a moves lesson with the Moves Nazi to work on your forward crossovers come December!!! :twisted: I'm already taking the dare of taking a lesson with him myself... and I know my basics are CRAP! (*PLUS* I'm a BIG CHICKEN to boot...boc boc boc!!!) http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/tiere/c010.gif

You know, I'll say this, if the Moves Nazi...ummm...Moves Guru (I promised I wouldn't call him a Nazi. :lol: ) could get me through Gold moves, then he can do anything. I'm a total moves-klutz. NoVa, if you feel okay with getting a different perspective on moves, it can't hurt to have him take a look at your crossovers. We'll all be there to protect you if he decides to swoop down on you and lay down the verbal smackdown. ;) :lol: I've been on the receiving end of those verbal smackdowns on several occasions. You've just gotta remember to bob and weave. BOB AND WEAVE! :D

Take care,

Frank

[Terri C]

:frus: The five step mohawk, as much as I love that move, drives me crazy!
Or better yet, just trying to get my Bronze moves test scheduled !!!

[Joan]

I have not mastered mohawks -- Never mind brackets, choctaws, rockers or counters, which I cannot even begin to do! My mohawks are very scraped and not quiet. I managed to get past Bronze moves finally, but in silver moves, the 8-step mohawk sequence is probably going to hold me back from testing for awhile.

[sue123]

Can't for the life of me get swing rolls properly. But I don't test, so it's more for myself. But the alternating back crossovers are really good (according to my coach). But htose damn swing rolls, forget it. Even when I go really slowly, I still get all mixed up.

[flying~camel]

Even though I haven't really started working on the Silver moves, I can predict that the RBI and LBO 3s on the 3-turns in the field will be my nemesis ;)

[Summerkid710]

I worked on the Intermediate back perimeter stroking with back power 3's (back three turn - mohawk on the ends) move for an entire year and barely worked on the other patterns in the test. I finally passed. Now the Novice forward perimeter crossover stroking to back quick rockers thingie is going to kick my butt. I can do them at a medium pace but nowhere near the "quickness" expected in the test.

[Mrs Redboots]

I still can't turn at speed without a partner - I don't even need him to touch me, just to be there. I did think it was a confidence issue, but recent experience on the ice suggests that actually, my body position on the ice is better if I have someone to focus on.... don't know if that makes sense or not.

Right now, I won't pass Level 3 Bronze Dance Moves until I can improve my back cross-cuts (see my .sig), and I won't pass Level 4 Silver Compulsory Dances until my Fiesta Tango improves.

[AnnM]

At this moment, I'd have to say the forward crossrolls on the silver test. Either I'm pushing with my toes, or placing my foot down on the wrong edge, or not getting enough lean, or not getting a good rip on the edge, or getting too 'bouncy' in my upper body --- take your pick on what I'm doing wrong during any given session.

[TashaKat]

I wouldn't say it's holding me back exactly, but I find the back double three turns (Adult Gold/Intermediate) to be terrifying.

Now that's where I'm weird ... hate back 3's but LOVE double back 3's! 8O

[Mel On Ice]

I think after working on the ISI 4 dance step, I'll be okay on the 3 turns in the silver test. What I just can't get the hang of is power pulls.

[PattyP]

The Lutz. I've had this jump for over 7 years, but it seems to give me fits at the worst possible moments, like when I'm at AN. I know that it's all mental as the flip jump is one of my favorites. How can a change of edge make that much difference??? :roll: There are pre-bronze skaters that have better lutzs than mine.

Of course any double jump is on my list too....

[Raye]

The inside three after the swing mohawk in the Harris Tango.... scrape scrape scrape.... aaaaaak :giveup:

[Skate@Delaware]

3-turns at speed; left mohawks (although my right ones aren't much better); CW front crossovers; back crossovers (my behind sticks out); toe-loops (hate that jump :twisted: ) :giveup:

[Mrs Redboots]

The inside three after the swing mohawk in the Harris Tango.... scrape scrape scrape.... aaaaaak :giveup:That's one of those moves I can definitely only do with a partner. And the "aaaak" sound you mention is caused by me sticking my bum in the breeze & getting most uncomfortable.

However, I am determined to master it this year, not so I can dance the Tango (although that, too, eventually), but so we can put it in our free dance!

[Raye]

However, I am determined to master it this year, not so I can dance the Tango (although that, too, eventually), but so we can put it in our free dance!

Good for you Annabel. I am determined to learn it too. Denis and I would like to skate together for Oberstdorf if I can learn that Tango in time. I already know the European so I am half way there. See you in Villard...

[doubletoe]

At this moment, I'd have to say the forward crossrolls on the silver test. Either I'm pushing with my toes, or placing my foot down on the wrong edge, or not getting enough lean, or not getting a good rip on the edge, or getting too 'bouncy' in my upper body --- take your pick on what I'm doing wrong during any given session.

Ann, this might sound silly, but I found the forward cross-rolls to be easy as long as I remembered to lead with my hips. Try walking pigeon-toed with your knees together, using your hips to move you, and that's sort of the concept (but on ice, and less exaggerated and silly-looking!). If the hip of the crossing-over foot moves forward before the crossover, it puts your weight over the other hip so that by the time your blade comes down, it will come down onto the correct edge.

[jazzpants]

You know, I'll say this, if the Moves Nazi...ummm...Moves Guru (I promised I wouldn't call him a Nazi. :lol: ) could get me through Gold moves, then he can do anything. I'm a total moves-klutz. NoVa, if you feel okay with getting a different perspective on moves, it can't hurt to have him take a look at your crossovers. We'll all be there to protect you if he decides to swoop down on you and lay down the verbal smackdown. ;) :lol: I've been on the receiving end of those verbal smackdowns on several occasions. You've just gotta remember to bob and weave. BOB AND WEAVE! :D Frank, I think I'm gonna need that advice more than NoVa after today's back crossover lesson (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?p=249790#post249790)!!! :twisted: :lol: And if you passed Gold Moves, you're definitely NOT a moves klutz!!! I'm probably gonna be your moves (pauses as she almost says "Nazi") guru's worst nightmare yet... :P

[mikawendy]

I vote for the forward alternating 3s! It took me one retry to pass them, then they showed up again in my freestyle program and they're sometims still cruddy now!

My second vote is for the dreaded BACKSPIN! (not you, backspin ;) ) Some days I can eke out a few, but I can never get consistent with them, which is going to freak me out for the Bronze FS test.

[Thin-Ice]

I found the forward cross-rolls to be easy as long as I remembered to lead with my hips. Try walking pigeon-toed with your knees together, using your hips to move you, and that's sort of the concept (but on ice, and less exaggerated and silly-looking!). If the hip of the crossing-over foot moves forward before the crossover, it puts your weight over the other hip so that by the time your blade comes down, it will come down onto the correct edge.

Doubletoe-- this is GREAT advice for the forward cross-rolls. It's almost exactly what my secondary/moves coach told me.. and they are working fairly well. I even have reasonable speed on them. Now, do you have any more words of wisdom -- this time for the BACK cross-rolls (my least favorite part of the Silver Moves)?

Thanks!

Thin-Ice

[vesperholly]

FI rockers. I ALWAYS put my foot down. :giveup:

[vesperholly]

Doubletoe-- this is GREAT advice for the forward cross-rolls. It's almost exactly what my secondary/moves coach told me.. and they are working fairly well. I even have reasonable speed on them. Now, do you have any more words of wisdom -- this time for the BACK cross-rolls (my least favorite part of the Silver Moves)?
I'm not doubletoe, but my dance coach always harped on me not to use my shoulders to turn back cross rolls. Keep them square to the short end of the boards and bend bend bend. He always wanted me to "slice" off the back of my skating foot with the other foot so I didn't wide step.

[Mrs Redboots]

Good for you Annabel. I am determined to learn it too. Denis and I would like to skate together for Oberstdorf if I can learn that Tango in time. I already know the European so I am half way there. See you in Villard...So are you guys going to do dance camp this year??

[NickiT]

I've got to admit that for me it's the whole set of six NISA Bronze field moves. I've not forced myself to do them since my return to ice, purely because I have taken some awful falls on them. The last thing I want right now is to land on my wrist, so I'm leaving them alone for a while. I particularly find the back inside double threes hard and the mohawk/back three turn step sequence tricky. I know that once I get back to doing them they will get easier, but for now I'm staying away. I don't want to re-injure myself before our ice panto!

Nicki

[TimDavidSkate]

The alternating three-turns in the field. It is reasonably easy, but making sure the turn is not too early or late is a pain in the ###

Before I hated the power pulls. I refused to do it so much so my coach forced me. She placed one of my plastic guard on my other skate and had me do power pull with my left foot for 5 minutes going forward then 5 minutes backward, then the other foot. Crazy, but it worked.

[Thin-Ice]

I'm not doubletoe, but my dance coach always harped on me not to use my shoulders to turn back cross rolls. Keep them square to the short end of the boards and bend bend bend. He always wanted me to "slice" off the back of my skating foot with the other foot so I didn't wide step.

Thanks vesperholly...

I was not going to skate today; now you've inspired me to go put your advice into practice. So 'Thank you' on TWO counts! :) (Sometimes I need that extra push to get to the rink.. which is an hour drive.)

[MQSeries]

Those freaking double three-turns - backward & forward. I hate them. I hate them.

[Sk8pdx]

Me too! My toe loop is a tiny little thing. It's really strange. And I have a bad habit of not picking and taking off on the flat. eek. It just feels awkward to me.

Oh, me too! me too! I had a coach suggest practicing backward outside pivots to help understand the feeling of the weight on the foot that picks in the ice and also the draw or "scoop" of the right free foot. (I am not sure if I am making any sense :oops: )

[e-skater]

The 8-step mohawk sequence (it's the outside mohawk---in any context) and back cross strokes. Then there are the back inside threes, which of this particular evil threesome, I like, but just can't do well.

[Raye]

So are you guys going to do dance camp this year??
Hi Annabel: I plan on attending the workshops after MC this year, I am not sure what Denis' plans are yet. He will be at Oberstdorf for sure, but is reserving judgement on anything else (MC, Tallin, workshops etc). That's ok with me because I can do Solo Dance at MC and Partner Dance with Denis in Oberstdorf... :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

I'm not doubletoe, but my dance coach always harped on me not to use my shoulders to turn back cross rolls. Keep them square to the short end of the boards and bend bend bend. He always wanted me to "slice" off the back of my skating foot with the other foot so I didn't wide step.

Mine tells me to lift my free leg a little higher than I'm comfortable with as it comes off the ice. This is supposed to help me get a better back edge. He also said to practice outside Mohawks, as it's the same sort of foot position. The one helps the other, allegedly.

And a coach at another rink, I overheard telling her pupil to make sure her heels were pointed at the opposite barrier.

Mine are fairly nearly respectable now, but the cross-cuts, which is the other move in Level 3 Bronze Dance Moves, aren't. Alas....

[mikawendy]

Oh, me too! me too! I had a coach suggest practicing backward outside pivots to help understand the feeling of the weight on the foot that picks in the ice and also the draw or "scoop" of the right free foot. (I am not sure if I am making any sense :oops: )


You are making sense! That's exactly how my coach helped fix my toe loop to get the scoop of the foot that's taking off of the back outside edge (and to get it to stay as a true back outside edge, rather than an inside, which makes for a toe waltz).

The exercise I originally had was start from a standstill. Do a FI3 on your nonpicking foot (LFI3 for CW, RFI3 for CCW). Then plant the picking toe behind you and a bit to the inside of the "print" of the BO edge and do a back pivot.

Once that is mastered, do that exercise, but add a little hop on the end, making a pivot, then a baby toe loop tacked on the end.

You'll know you're doing it right if you see a clean BO edge tracing before the takeoff, meaning a true takeoff while facing backward, with no "checkmark" shape on the end of the tracing of the takeoff edge.

This really helped me, but it took months for my body to get it. I used to hate toe loops and now I don't hate them as much!

[doubletoe]

Doubletoe-- Now, do you have any more words of wisdom -- this time for the BACK cross-rolls (my least favorite part of the Silver Moves)?

I'm glad I wasn't leading you totally astray on the forward cross-rolls, LOL!
On the back cross-rolls, the big secret is that you don't really "cross behind" on the "cross behind". You actually bring your foot down at 4:00/8:00 in relation to your other foot. For example, if you are on your right foot and you want to cross behind with your left foot, hold your left foot at 8:00, i.e., behind and to the outside, as though you have just landed a jump. Now point the toes and bring it down onto the ice. You'll see that it slides nicely into place behind the other one as you transfer your weight and push off onto it. Oh yeah, and you hear a lot less scraping! ;)

[doubletoe]

The exercise I originally had was start from a standstill. Do a FI3 on your nonpicking foot (LFI3 for CW, RFI3 for CCW). Then plant the picking toe behind you and a bit to the inside of the "print" of the BO edge and do a back pivot.

Once that is mastered, do that exercise, but add a little hop on the end, making a pivot, then a baby toe loop tacked on the end.

This really helped me, but it took months for my body to get it. I used to hate toe loops and now I don't hate them as much!

Did you find that it got you into the habit of picking to the inside too much when you transferred the technique to the actual toeloop? I'm not sure if that creates a major problem on a single toeloop, but I've found it hard to do a double toeloop if I pick to the inside. I need to pick straight behind the skating foot or a little to the outside or else I feel that I don't have anything under me to take off from (and it also makes it hard to get over the right hip in the air). But I had a really crappy toeloop until I started working on doubles. It took awhile to learn to get my weight onto the toe and actually bend the knee of the picking leg before taking off. As my coach always says, "You can't jump from 'up'; you have to jump from 'down'."

[coskater64]

Choctaws ro to li, the hard side.
Has any tried going from a back camel to a forward camel with a hop/flying? My coach saw a little Juv Jr National competitor do one and thinks I should do it? Weeee! :roll:

[techskater]

The jump over spins are fun. Suggest the back camel to forward sit...

[flying~camel]

Choctaws ro to li, the hard side.
Has any tried going from a back camel to a forward camel with a hop/flying? My coach saw a little Juv Jr National competitor do one and thinks I should do it? Weeee! :roll:

I used to be able to do camel-jump-camel, which is a forward camel with a jump to a back camel.

Now that I have my flying camel fairly consistent, maybe I should try this again ;)

[*IceDancer1419*]

i'm having issues with basically all my juv moves. ok not really, i just havent had time to practice them.
BUT i know i have major issues with:
back power threes. ICK. i can do it... counter-clockwise, but NOT clockwise to save my life.
well, sometime sit works. but not very often. arms just dont... work

and for double 3s, i can't keep the speed up at this point. rarrg.
blehhhh haha

[Thin-Ice]

my dance coach always harped on me not to use my shoulders to turn back cross rolls. Keep them square to the short end of the boards and bend bend bend. He always wanted me to "slice" off the back of my skating foot with the other foot so I didn't wide step.

Thanks again.. the image of "slicing off the back of my skating foot" really helped me get the idea of how much closer my feet should be. NOW if I could just get them there without looking at them! :lol: But this did improve those blasted back cross-rolls.. I think I just need more practice.. maybe 2-3 years worth... but at least I made progress today.

[jenlyon60]

Remember also to NOT put the toe onto the ice first (so that the back cross-rolls look like a series of "toe pick in, roll onto the edge" manuevers down the ice.

at a minimum you won't have any flow... For the adult silver test, the primary focus for this move is "Continuous Flow and Strength" (which probably could be best described as "power light") and on the Juvenile MIF test the primary focus is Power.

You should be maintaining your rate of movement down the ice, at a minimum.

[Thin-Ice]

Thanks.. I have no great desire to trip over my toe picks.. and to be honest, I have the opposite problem. My coach has taught me to flex my foot enough that the toe pick doesn't touch the ice -- and my great fear is I will catch my HEEL as I'm stepping down. :roll:

[jenlyon60]

Thanks.. I have no great desire to trip over my toe picks.. and to be honest, I have the opposite problem. My coach has taught me to flex my foot enough that the toe pick doesn't touch the ice -- and my great fear is I will catch my HEEL as I'm stepping down. :roll:

GREAT!!! I get tired of seeing toe-picky back cross-rolls. And for that matter cross-STEPs instead of proper cross-strokes.

[vesperholly]

Thanks again.. the image of "slicing off the back of my skating foot" really helped me get the idea of how much closer my feet should be. NOW if I could just get them there without looking at them! :lol: But this did improve those blasted back cross-rolls.. I think I just need more practice.. maybe 2-3 years worth... but at least I made progress today.
That's great to hear! :bow:

[doubletoe]

Thanks.. I have no great desire to trip over my toe picks.. and to be honest, I have the opposite problem. My coach has taught me to flex my foot enough that the toe pick doesn't touch the ice -- and my great fear is I will catch my HEEL as I'm stepping down. :roll:

That's why I find that it works well to point the toes of the foot you're bringing down onto the ice, but to bring it down at 4:00/8:00, i.e., a little to the outside of the other foot. The toe touches first, but then you glide right onto the flat as the foot slides into place and you push off onto the back of the blade. If you don't hear scraping, you'll know you're doing it right.

[mikawendy]

Did you find that it got you into the habit of picking to the inside too much when you transferred the technique to the actual toeloop? I'm not sure if that creates a major problem on a single toeloop, but I've found it hard to do a double toeloop if I pick to the inside. I need to pick straight behind the skating foot or a little to the outside or else I feel that I don't have anything under me to take off from (and it also makes it hard to get over the right hip in the air). But I had a really crappy toeloop until I started working on doubles. It took awhile to learn to get my weight onto the toe and actually bend the knee of the picking leg before taking off. As my coach always says, "You can't jump from 'up'; you have to jump from 'down'."

I don't do doubles, so I'm not sure if my technique will lead to problems later if my body (especially my back and knees!) can take trying to learn doubles. However, it completely got rid of my toe waltzes, so for now for me, it's a good thing. When I pick toward the inside, for me it's at about 7 o'clock (or halfway between 6 and 7) in relation to the print, with 6 meaning directly behind me. (I skate CW, so it would be different for CCW).

Another thing that was hard for me was extending the picking leg just the right amount before picking. When I started, it was very very bent and picking practically under myself, so I had nowhere to go and a really tiny jump. Now I think about a really strong push into the 3 turn, then good check after the 3 turn and reach back (rather than under) for the pick into the jump.

[techskater]

Camel jump camels are fun, too, flying~camel. I don't really like those too much compared to the f/camel because they kinda whig me out a bit. I do like the layback-jump back sit as well, just have a tough time controlling it sometimes since we started working on it about a month ago.

Flipping edges on spins to outers (forward) or inners (back) really has me stumped. I've only managed to do it by accident a few times so far and always when my coach SEES it, so she thinks I can DO it! Argh!

The pivot toe loop method works really well for the double toe and I know that my take off is clean on it when done correctly. The trick is to make sure to rotate the upper body in the same plane (don't scoop or drop the landing side on the way up) and get all the weight over the picking foot when releasing into the air.

[kayskate]

I used to hate BI3s. Now I enjoy doing them as double 3s. I really don't work on the single ones much. If I were to be held back in testing, it would be the axel.

Kay

[*JennaD*]

Axel axel axel axel axel....it freaks me out so much...and I just can't seem to land it!!!\

Also...backwards 3-turns..., 8O

[Melzorina]

Axel axel axel axel axel....it freaks me out so much...and I just can't seem to land it!!!\

Also...backwards 3-turns..., 8O
Oh my god, I'm absolutley DYING to start working on my axel, but it won't be for ages yet, if ever! I really badly want to start it!

[kayskate]

Flipping edges on spins to outers (forward) or inners (back) really has me stumped.

For forward camel switch from BI to BO, bend the skating knee a bit and rock to the back of the blade. You can even exaggerate to do a "kneeling camel". This will put you on an outer. You cannot help it b/c if you catch the pick, you take a dive. The hard part seems to be getting far enough back on the blade to ride the outside edge cleanly. I have yet to work out how to do the back camel to FI edge. I have done it but not predictably.

Kay

[Justine_R]

Well, believe it or not, Skate Canada Sr. Bronze Excercise A " Forward Brackets" has got me. The right outside brackets are fine but the left outside are just TOO SCARY 8O. People think im crazy for this and I get comments like " Ohh, brackets are easy" etc.. but definetly not for me. I do think my fear is becuase on the very first time I did the excercise, I took a biggggg fall and It seems like I've had a mind block against that bracket ever since. :frus:

[TimDavidSkate]

Axel axel axel axel axel....it freaks me out so much...and I just can't seem to land it!!!\ 8O

8O 8O 8O
I know, me too, I went sideways and splat on my hips and skidded my head on the ice trying that damn jump. I only do it when I feel it is needed (competition).

[Tessie]

Perpetual fits - Back inside edges. Just can't get that initiall push off and rip out of my edges. I get down the axis but the lobes are not even nor anywhere near the radius they are supposed to be.

Recent fits - I lost the consistency in my waltz jump. For the past month I seem to stall perhaps thinking way too much postition etc. and just turn chicken. Toe loop is ok. Any one else with this problem of "unlearning" something.

Suggestions welcome on either or both.

[fmh]

double flip!!!! I hate double flips!!! for me they're sooo inconsistant...one time i'll land one beautifully the next time I'll screw it up :frus: I've also got two injuries from them (one knocked out two weeks of training grrr...):frus: its also stopping me passing my novice test @#*@ double flips

[VegasGirl]

Spin... it's always been the darned spin... first two foot, then one foot and next will come alternating one foot spin. *AAARGH*

[WhisperSung]

About 70% of my Novice moves test. The backward perimeter power stroking with FI 3's and BI 3's (especially clockwise!), the spiral pattern (I have no turnout at my hip whatsoever), and I'm not so fond of the bracket-3-bracket pattern either.

Give me swing rocker choctaws or counters any day of the week over that stuff above.

As for jumping. . .not really any jump per se (although my 2lutz needs a lot of work). Mostly it's the huge wrap I have on my 2loop and 2flip. Need to get rid of that.

[luna_skater]

Well, believe it or not, Skate Canada Sr. Bronze Excercise A " Forward Brackets" has got me. The right outside brackets are fine but the left outside are just TOO SCARY 8O. People think im crazy for this and I get comments like " Ohh, brackets are easy" etc.. but definetly not for me. I do think my fear is becuase on the very first time I did the excercise, I took a biggggg fall and It seems like I've had a mind block against that bracket ever since. :frus:

I feel your pain Justine, I HATE brackets. The easiest ones for me are forward inside, and my absolute worst are back outside. Like you, I took some rough spills on those and it became a mental thing. For me, rockers and counters, both in higher-level skills, are much easier than brackets.

[kiwibabe]

FI 3 turns are my current main enemy, I can do them fine if someone holds my hand but disappears when they dont.

My other main enemy is the two footed spin. I can do a two footed back spin perfectly but I cant do a two footed spin with the other foot.

[Mrs Redboots]

What is giving me serious fits right now this minute is the choreography our coach has given us for our free dance. You want us to do what?????

[fmh]

double flip is now pretty much consistant now:) i actually like them now. now i hate double lutzes...I was going to try my novice free this weekend, but that darn double lutz gets in the way :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus:

[Micky-Fox]

My inside and outside edges annoy the heck out of me. Everytime I do them, my arms always seem to move in the way and throw me off balance and it drives me crazy! :frus:

[Perry]

Flipping edges on spins to outers (forward) or inners (back) really has me stumped.


Some people get this right away, but it took me a really long time to learn to do it at all. For me, the back sit came first. If you try doing a plain back sit and rotating your upper body (most of the men do it this way -- watch Stephane Lambiel) so that your right arm is in front (assuming you skate CCW) and your back arm is behind all the way with your shoulder opened out, you almost always switch. If you're in the right position, it's really easy to maintain the revolutions without slowing down. In my experience, it's almost impossible to do on a forward sit, so just stick with back sits until you get it really good.

For all the spins, too, it also helps to practice doing it on uprights. For a forward upright, pull your free leg in front (like you would if you were oing the forward edges from PP moves). You can't do this on a camel, obviously, but it helps you feel the change. The hardest part, once you learn to do the 3-turn that's required to change edge, is not deepening the edge too much.

Cmales are definitely the harderst. For back camels, it helps to pull the right arm in front (for CCW skaters) and left arm in front for forward camels, though some people do it with both arms behind their back. Also, back camel changes are significantly easier if you're in almost a layover before you change edge. The other trick is not to dip in your back, since most people (myself included) tend to drop their back when they change. Concentrate on arching (even though you'll probably fall more at first).

Basically, it's a lot of practice if it doesn't come naturally. I've been trying them for about 12-18 months (not doing too many a day though), and I can now do the back sit pretty well (at least 5 revolutions, and at the very end of a very long combination spin) all the time and can usually eek out a camel or back camel every day. The furstrating thing is I can usually do a forward camel or a back camel on any given day, but usually not both, and it doesn't seem one is consistently better than the other -- it switches pretty much every two weeks! I'm finally getting to the point where I'm managing them both, though.

[i<3cats]

i hated the perimeter stroking in pre juv and and novice with the rockers and 3 turns at the end. also the flying camel which i had 2 keep practicing 2 get it for intermediate freeskate:roll:

[beachbabe]

double loop and double axel, can't get up to juvenile untill I get that double loop, I have my double sal (not very stable though, fall most of the time), hve my double lutz and flip (these came very easily for some reason, though flip is a little harder for me than the lutz), I need to improve my speed in all my jumps. plus i am stil on about 5 revolutions for my scratch spin and i'd really rather be at about 8-10 and pass the test securely.

this is sad but my back crossovers clockwise could use alot of help, when i was originally advancing i immideately learned ccw and kept avoiding clockwise so now i sort of have to cheat and step them. This especially gives me the fits when trying to spin, because its so hard to egt speed and real range of motion when i'm going in to the spin, why oh why can't I spin on my right foot? I'm jsut learning the laybackspin and this is killing me too, b/cv I keep putting it off b/c i hate falling on it.

[sue123]

Right now, the move giving me the fits is the alternating 3-turn pattern. Outside and inside, although inside is slightly better than outside. Once I realized you don't need to hold the check as long, i was able to string two of them together. But outside, HA! I can do them individually, but when I try to do two in a row, I end up somehow back where I started from.

[_aurora_]

It's quite pathetic how bad my LFI and RFO three turns are still. I can do them, and if I slow down I can do them well, but the LFI 3 especially just scares me. Like I've tried the FI-BI 3 pattern from novice moves and the hardest part is doing the FI3 to start it.

[doubletoe]

The entry to the reverse sitspin! Once I get into it, it's great, but I seem to mess up that change of foot transition from the forward sit into the reverse sit every time it really counts (i.e., competitions and recitals). I can do a flying camel and a double salchow but this "easy" combination spin kicks my butt. :roll:

[Careygram]

Oh God, those brackets on adult gold moves. I DO NOT like them. They are simply my worst. And for some reason, I'll try almost anything once but I HATE the salchow jump. Single or double, it's a b*tch:frus:

[nigrafeles]

Double flip. I had a clean double axel, triple salchau and triple loop long long long (think 3 years) before my double flip was clean and anywhere near consistent to be "testable", since I need it for the junior free.