Passed Intermediate moves today! After I got off the ice, I was almost certain I'd failed. My back power 3s were shaky again because my legs got so tired, then I put a foot down randomly on a bracket because, again, my legs were tired. When they didn't ask for a reskate, I figured that was it, got off the ice and said, "Well, maybe FOURTH time will be the charm."

Big thanks to Kim To The Max for sending me the metronome for the power circles. It made a HUGE difference.

I passed with a 19.2 and two 19.4s. One of the judges was also a judge on my first Int test, and when I took it then, he failed me with either an 18.8 or and 18.7. So I got better by either .6 or .7 by his scores!

Comments (have to wonder if the third judge was even watching the test lol).

Forward Power Circles
3.3 CCW ok, CW weaker side, less power
3.4 CCW good acceleration, CW nice acceleration and control of position and edge
3.2, check mark lol

Backward Power Circles
3.4 CCW good, CW good, stronger
3.4 CCW- good use of edge, good power. CW-nicely done
3.2 check mark

Back power 3s (definitely flubbed this one)
3.1 -Power on back perimeter crossovers (assuming they meant I was lacking in power), Balance on B 3 both ways
3.0 CCW power on stroke lacking/3s ok. CW, weak transitions from foot to foot on stroked 3s
3.2 check mark for CCW, 2nd half weak

Backward double 3-turns (at this point I thought I was going to throw up)
3.3 BO-FI ok, BI-FO ok
3.3 something I can't read, nicely done-could have better extension throughout the body, not just leg
3.2 good edges!

Brackets
3.1 RFO LBI-nice LFO RBI-good (ironically, it is the forward outsides that normally give me the most trouble) RFI LBO ok, LFI (T--for touchdown of the free foot, I assume) and then something I absolutely cannot read
3.1 FO BI, good control of LF, weak edge exit, FI BO nicely skated with good positions. LFI-jumped and weak exit (I think that was referring to the first turn, the second bracket felt good to me)
3.2 FO BI good brackets! LFI weak

So annoyed about that one LFI bracket. It's actually my favorite and normally my best, I was just tired and put a stinkin' foot down

Slide chasse pattern
3.2 Ok balance and control
3.2 Edges good. Extension OK, work on getting through extension completely
3.2 check mark

Also got a "Good Test!" from one of the judges

Apparently, half way through my test (as I was getting tired, naturally), my coach went, "OH MY GOD! She's bending her knees! She's bending her knees!" and people asked her if she was crying

This marks the 7th test I've passed since July 30th, 2008. I COULD have gone for an 8th today, Intermediate free, but decided against it so that I still have the opportunity to compete open-juv if I'm unable to pass my Novice moves next month.

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OH YAY!!! CONGRATS! This is great to hear, and those are a great improvement on your scores.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

Congratulations!

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Congrats! Whooooot!

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It's all about the dress!

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Congrats!

It apparently won't let me type a message that short.

See....it did happen!!!

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Thanks everyone!

It did it did it did! I was seriously starting to doubt that I'd ever pass that darn test. And thanks again for the metronome, the 3.3s and 3.4s are definitely part yours!

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Youtube Videos

Congratulations!!!! Whooo Hooo!!!

Nope...it was all you....that metronome is just a tool to get the timing down YOU still have to skate it!!

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Congratulations!!!

KIM: Would love to know how to use the metronome in power circles. I have a little electronic one that'd be very easy to have with me on the ice when I get to that move. . . .

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"Go wash an elephant if you wanna do something big." -Baby Gramps

I have an MP3 track that progressively gets quicker and has a little "ta-da" at the end the signal the exit. For each "click" it is a stroke....if you PM me your e-mail address, I can send it to you...

Sorry to hijack this very happy thread!! Congrats again!!

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Welcome to the club!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Wow, Intermediate! Congratulations!!!!

Big CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Wahooooooo! Congrats!

I am so so so so proud of you!!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Thanks again everyone! Like I just said on facebook, I cannot believe I'm actually done with this test. I keep having mini panic attacks because my brain is still saying, "You have to test Intermediate! You have to do power circles! Your brackets are dipping!" Hopefully it will sink in when I realize how much work I have to do on Novice...

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Congratulations! You certainly are a determined, hardworking skater!

One thing though - from what my daughter has told me, and what others have said, novice moves is one of the hardest moves tests to pass, especially if you have stamina issues. It's an extremely loooooong test! So please don't be disappointed if it takes even longer to pass than intermediate moves - it's the big hurdle for most skaters, as novice skaters compete at Nationals, so the judges are uber-picky about this level as well. I just don't want you to get discouraged! You can do it - but it's really hard!

ETA: I followed your link to your videos - you have very nice height with your free leg in your spirals - that's very important in novice moves! I think the judges will be very impressed!

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

Oh, I'm DEFINITELY not expecting Novice to be an easy test for me. I'm not saying I won't get frustrated, but I realize what a difficult test it is. Luckily, I actually enjoy all of the moves on the test, even if I can't do them well (well, all except for the bracket-3-bracket, I agree with most posters on here that it's SCARY!). They feel more like "real" skating to me, whereas some of the other moves feel somewhat robotic to me.

ETA to respond to Schmek's ETA I LOVE the Novice spiral sequence. It's my favorite/best spirals, FI and BO. And thanks for the compliment!

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So you've already started working on novice moves? That's great!

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blades, gary, Lucy, Emily, take care of Aiden and Sami. Sami is my sweetest heart, and always will be, forever. RIP Cubby Boy, my hero dog.

Yeah, I stared working on them along with Int about a month ago. Love the counters, love the spirals, enjoy the slow rocker choctaws even though I have some issues with them, the quick rocker choctaws and rolling 3s are growing on me and I hate hate HATE bracket-3-bracket

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YEAH!!!

That's awesome!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Best congratulations - that must be a relief. On to Novice...