I've hit a plateau?

[ouijaouija]

I dont' know what to focus on.

I want to learn one foot spin but I can't seem to learn it, and my backward skating isn't getting much better. I can do a very basic one clockwise but on my right foot, but I want to learn it on the left foot, but I can't do it!


I can't seem to get back crosses to a decent standard, and my feet are always nearly touching when they cross over. Are they meant to be tiring, because it might be my bad form but I can't do them for very long... I am not sure what to focus on, it seems the past few weeks I've not done much.

HELP!

[Mrs Redboots]

It really would be worth your while to take lessons, or at least group lessons (perhaps you could find a friend to share a lesson with, if you can't get into the groups), as you don't want to make bad habits at this stage.

[southernsk8er]

Yes, if you're not in lessons, it would definitely help to start. If you continue to skate, you'll continue to hit plateaus once in awhile. It took me at least 9 months to learn a scratch spin, and I swore I would never get it. The only thing to do is keep trying and not give up. You can always work on other things if you're stuck in one spot. Then all of a sudden something will click, and you'll be so proud, and you'll want to keep going :)

[doubletoe]

I agree; lessons are a must, even if they are just group lessons.
And yes, crossovers are a little tiring if you keep doing them, but good form makes them less tiring. Here are two key things for you to pay attention to:

1. Make sure your butt is low and knees are deeply bent, even as you execute the actual crossover. This will give you more power and also keep your feet farther apart so you don't have the "clink of death." Also, remember to reach into the circle with your inside foot and pull. Half of the power on your crossover is that under-stroke from the inside foot, not just the crossover stroke from the outside foot.

2. When you do crossovers on a circle (which you always do, even if the circle is imaginary and very large), make sure your chest is facing the inside of the circle. So, for example, if you are doing right-over-left crossovers (either forward or backward), your right arm and shoulder should be forward and your left arm and shoulder should be pulled back, twisting your upper body so that your chest faces inside the circle and you are sort of embracing the circle. If you are doing left-over-right crossovers, the left arm/shoulder is in front and right is pulled back so your chest faces inside the circle.

[jskater49]

I have to echo the lessons. A few years ago I had to give up lessons because there wasn't enough money and I ended up quitting skating until I could have lessons again. I found it impossible to progress and was even going backwards. It was very frustrating and I did not enjoy skating.

j

[ouijaouija]

Hi

At the very start I took one to one lessons which were good, but too expensive and not at a time that was convenient for me. My instructor thought I could probably do a salchow but I kinda couldnt and I haven't even tried doing them ever since. I'm not that much into jumps, more into spinnins and footwork, but these things are hard to learn unless you know someone who can tell you how!

Gorup lessons is something to consider I geuss, because they are just about starting