Boy is freestyle a lot more fun and different than the basic levels. Here is what I learned (we had a general overview of every element) and how I feel about it:

Waltz Jump - I like it, I can do it great from a standstill, but when I do back crossovers into it and actually have speed, I get scared! I think it will be fine with practice.

Half Flip - They said mine looked pretty good. Seems too easy for some reason... how far off the ice are you actually supposed to get with a half flip?

Pivot - This move seems kind of pointless - is it important for other elements? I guess mine is ok.

Spiral - Love doing these, it seems fine. My leg was pretty high up so I was happy!

Two Foot Spin - WHOA spinning is SO WEIRD at first! I got so dizzy. It is a new feeling - does it become easier???

Back outside/inside edges - These were horible today. I think once I get the arm/leg movements coordinated, I will be ok. But they were so awkward, I kept using the wrong foot.

I am so excited to be learning all of these fun elements. Much more fun than 3-turns!

So, any thoughts or can anyone give spin advice? Thanks

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Sasha Fan
Supporter of Alissa and Amber Czisny

I adore two foot spins, with a bit of practice you'll get the hang of it. When I practice spins I do like 2 or 3, then I do crossovers in the opposite direction, then a spin some more. This way I never get dizzy. Spinning is so much fun.

Good for you for starting FS 1! Welcome to freestyle!!! May you fall in love with it!

A few things - jumps are always scary when you go at them fast - until you get used to the speed. I love doing really fast flip jumps, and can cover about 6 feet of ice on them. That's the feeling of flying! (Which is why I love to jump).

For the half-flip, don't look to get too far off the ice. That will come later when you learn the bigger jumps.

Pivots can be a really cool thing to put into a program. For example, I have an axel-toe combo into a back pivot (it's a "stop time" in my program) that looks really cool (assuming I land the axel-toe ). Plus, that's how I got through my Bronze freestyle test - it called for a backspin - and I got into the backspin from a pivot!

Spirals are fun, and if you can do a good one at the beginner level, people get really impressed!

Spinning can be tough, especially at first. I still have time of the year when I cannot spin at all, due to allergies/sinus. After a while, though, you get used to it and the dizziness stops. It's all about being centered in one place instead of travelling (ie, your spin tracings are on top of each other instead of moving across the ice).

As far as edges go, get used to working on them. You will be working on them for the rest of your skating life - later on they'll put turns and twists into them! Good edges are the best thing you can possibly learn, though, because if your edges are strong you will be a stronger, prettier, and more fluid skater.

Have fun and good luck!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

It isn't pointless if you're a guy doing Pairs! Have you seen a death spiral? That's what he's doing while the girl is doing the *fancy* bit



Free IS great fun but then so is Dance once you get through the *baby* dances

I like jumping more than anything else, never did fall in love with spins but it IS a good feeling when you hit that *sweet spot* and feel like you could just keep on going and going and going ......

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The best whisper is a click

Congrats!
You're well on your way. More fun is awaiting for you in Freestyle 2, 3 and so on! Have fun!

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** Skate 'til You Drop **

Thanks everyone for your comments. I guess there's no such thing as a pointless move in skating, huh?

I hope I get the spinning thing down, because when I started skating that was my goal, to learn a spin.

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Sasha Fan
Supporter of Alissa and Amber Czisny

They didnt teach any of that in basic?Here some of the kids do moves out of order I guess, they dont wait till fs 1 to start to teach them.
Glad you had a good lesson !!