Say, we know that very young Pairs don't do the big lifts and all,etc. But does anyone know at what age, or at about what age you actually START learning the big lifts,throws,and all?

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FSWer

I guess it depends on what you mean by 'BIG'.
Overhead lifts?
For kids, that would be somewhere around Intermediate level depending on what age the boy hits that juncture.
For adults pairs, it's whenever they get trained and practiced in the technique.

Throws, it depends on how strong the girls are in there 'singles' skills. If their single or double jump is secure alone, they will be pretty secure in a throw. I they have 'issues' with it alone, the extra power of a throw will distort it.

To get an idea of where a pair skater should be, entering a level, take a look at the test level requirements on the USFS website or on the rule book.

I guess you could say they start from the very beginning. The skills build on each other, so learning a "small" lift is already the beginning of learning a "big" lift, because you're building the strength and skill necessary for doing the harder skill. Same with the throws - a throw waltz is already the beginning of learning a throw axel.

Here in the UK you aren't allowed to do any lifts at the lowest pairs levels; I am not sure at what point they become part of the test structure.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
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Ok,what exactly is ment by the boy hiting that juncture? BTW. in response to Mrs. Redboots. Does anyone know if that is the ONLY thing different about Pairs in the UK? Also does anyone know if the trainning in any of the other Discicplines is different too? Synchro. included. Thanks.

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FSWer

He means that the safety of lifts is very much dependent on the size and strength of the boy. He thinks that an Intermediate level skater would have the skating skills necessary to attempt overhead lifts, but if the boy reaches the Intermediate level while he's still quite young and small, it will still be too dangerous and he needs to wait until he's bigger and stronger.

I don't think the training is any different - basic skills are, after all, basic skills - but our test structure is very different. Every country has its own test structure, and they're all different! But you do learn more or less the same thing at the same stage, whatever country you're in.

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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!