When I changed my program slightly I could do the flip!!!

[Aussie Willy]

I recently resurrected a program I did about 3-4 years ago just because I loved doing it so much (to the Cure "Love Cats") for an adult comp yesterday. However when I first did it years I had so much trouble doing the flip in the program and again when I started running through it again. Anyway a week before the comp my coach suggested I swap the flip and loop in the program and low and behold I could do the flip without any problem.

What is this? Why is it for so long it does not work and then all of a sudden it just happens after I put it in a different place? The flip is an easy jump for me so I don't understand that in a particular program in a particular place I just could not do it. Of course I got it when I competed yesterday (in fact everything went really well and I was really pleased).

So anyone else have the same experience? Here is your chance for therapy.

[Mrs Redboots]

Well done - but you didn't say where you came in your competition. Or is that simply not an issue?

I think we get mental blocks about things, quite easily, when it comes to skating. You couldn't do your flip when it was there, or rather, you perhaps missed it a time or two, and got a block. So move it to another part of the programme, perhaps on a different place in the rink, and your body stops saying "Uh-Oh!" when it comes to it.... success!

[melanieuk]

You said you loved the programme and the music. So you'd be naturally buzzing with the whole thing.
You probably weren't thinking about the flip too much when you did it, and that's the key! :)

Sometimes, if the loop-loop is not behaving, I do it where it is (or was :() in my programme and almost always get it that way.

[Aussie Willy]

Funny you ask about the placement - I came second. But you know something - yep it was irrelevant. I was so happy to skate well and do a clean program and have fun while I was doing it. I think the thing that annoyed me doing this program was then I made little glitches on footwork but again who cares. I really enjoyed myself and the nice thing was people watching also say that I look like I am having a blast!

[Mrs Redboots]

Well done! Maddening about the footwork, of course, but the important thing is that you had fun! That, after all, is why we skate....

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by Aussie Willy
Funny you ask about the placement - I came second. But you know something - yep it was irrelevant. I was so happy to skate well and do a clean program and have fun while I was doing it.

Congrats on your great skate! It's best when you have fun too!

As far as switching elements, in my last test program I had an axel a little bit after a combo spin. Well, I was so dizzy out of that spin, I had all sorts of problems with the axel. When we switched the axel and the loop from later in the program (I can do a loop dizzy!), I was able to get both. Funny how that works.

[Aussie Willy]

sk8er1964 - you know something - you might have hit the nail on the head. I think one of the problems with my flip was it was after my sit spin and I always felt a bit giddy coming out of the sit spin and that may have affected the flip. So maybe that is why I could do the loop there but not the flip.

[Lili]

I've had the same problem in my program with the axel. First we had it in the middle of the ice and I kept falling on it. Then, we put it in the left corner, that didnt work either. Finally we put it in the lutz corner and I could land it. However...I've been off the ice now because I screwed up my knee and doubt I will be jumping anytime soon. Ahh.. well I can have my memories for a while of the axel! :lol: