Just curious how many of you use the wall or the barrier to learn new moves and how many of you don't. I never do, can't stand the wall, can't stand holding onto and learning jumps or anything, it feels totally awkward to me. However, I've noticed in threads that alot of people do hold onto the wall or the barrier to learn jumps or other moves.

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

When you're first learning spread eagles, it's easier to grab the barrier and position your feet in the position. I also have one arm on the barrier to stretch myself for the camel position. Other than that, I can't think of too many moves that you can learn while hanging on to the barrier.

Ummm... I'm definitely guilty of learning just about EVERYTHING near the wall first. The only exception is the sit spin (b/c I'm so far down I can't hang onto the barrier.) I've learn just about everything at the barrier first and I mean EVERYTHING!!!

Now I'm trying to learn the full lutz rotation near the barrier. I have a funny feeling though that there's no way I'm gonna learn the axel near the barrier. (I'll probably have to double up on my SkatingSafe butt pads then...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Never. I just can't stand learning like that because if I learn it like that I'll never have the confidence to do it on its own. So I do them well away from the wall and if I'm going to fall trying, oh well it happens.

I haven't learned at the barrier since mohawks. I hate it--I can't understand how some folks can stand it. I'd be afraid I'd hit the barrier trying to learn or do something! The way I see it--I can either both fall and hit the wall, or just fall. I'd rather fall and slide out in the open than risk a nasty and painful fall near the boards--- 'cuz in the middle of a fall especially with rotation, it's not like you're going to save yourself by catching the wall!

hardly never. I find the barrier to be too confining--don't like the feeling of grabbing for the barrier, plus I find it throws off my center of gravity (in relationship to the correct edges).

I'd rather cheat and 2-foot something or fall, and work away from the barrier.

I don't like using the walls because i feel like i'm going to hit it! Sometimes I find it helpful... but once i feel like i understand the element, I don't like using it!

I've only used the barrier a couple of times. My coach will only let me use it if she thinks I won't be able to balance enough to get the feel, but as soon as I demonstrate it correctly, I'm off the boards. Of course, I'm one of the talented people who land lutzes and flips a bit too close and smack into them every once in awhile... does that count as using them?

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"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass

I used the barrier when I was more of a beginner, when I was learning things like mohawks and backward crossovers (I'd push away from it, do a semi-circle of crossovers, then arrive at it again). My lessons always took place away from the barrier though (usually centre-ice), so I have no problems practicing elements away from the side (I prefer it, actually). Having said that - if there was no barrier at all, I probably wouldn't be as comfortable! I'd be scared of doing a Midori Ito (jumping/falling out of the rink), lol

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

I'm a barrier-hugger, I'm afraid. Nowadays I don't normally need to touch the thing - but it does make life easier to position one's body in relation to it, for instance. I just wish the ice near the barrier were better - perhaps it's just as well it isn't!

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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!

Very rarely do I go anywhere near the boards The only time I have is in a lesson when coach is trying to explain proper body position to me. However, I do think that it is quite valuable, and have used them to show others things like mohawks and brackets.

I do have a habit of using them to bounce off of in MIF's. So far I have on the Adult Gold (Novice move) 3's on the end, the Intermediate power 3's and numerous times on the lovely and quite my favorite (yuck) CW forward power circles!

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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

Count me as a barrier hater. For most moves, touching the wall throws off your center of balance. Plus, it makes me paranoid that I'm going to crash into it.

I don't use the barrier for anything really. I would never learn a jump near the barrier and I knew how to do the 3's and mohawks my first class ice skating because of my roller experience, so I didn't use the barrier for those.

However, as I am preparing for the Peach, I am really working hard on my speed. I am hoping to really shine with my actual skating. Since we didn't have a test center for dance in time, I am stuck skating Bronze for solo dance at the Peach. I have to admit, that when I am flying around the corner on the hickory hoe-down, there is a simple left forward outside 3 turn that is in the corner. At really high speed knowing that if something goes wrong I am going to splat on the barrier on my way down - lets just say it "concerns" me. ;-)

Hugs!
Danielle

ps) My favorite all time movie is The Princess Bride, so I was thinking of when the kid was afraid of the shrieking eels and he says "I wasn't afraid, I was *concerned*, it's not the same thing. ;-)

I don't like using it. I only use it when my coach wants to show me positions for a spread eagle or layback.

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beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

I don't like the barrier either...save using it to get the feel of the loop jump and like many of you have said, getting the feeling of spreadeagles and laybacks and the like. I have found it very useful for getting over my loop jump fear (which still lingers btw).

My freestyle coach tries to get me to practice flips at the boards, but I find that impossible. If I mess that up, I fear a worse fall than if I tried the jump on its own.

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

Count me as one who likes the barrier. I learned my waltz jump and lutz there. I love being able to critique my reflection in the glass. I also love the corners! (I guess I like boundaries and confinement. ) The corners are a private lab where I can experiment. I don't worry about slamming into the boards. Mind you, I love these things most when the rink is heavily trafficked. I steer more towards the center when the rink is near empty.

Happy Skating,
Raine

I'm mostly a non barrier skater. I tried using it to learn mohawks and the feel was completely different than real mohawks, and it messed me up.

I did use the barrier when I learned waltz jumps, just for a few minutes in the first lesson to get the idea of what it feels like to land on the toepick right before setting down onto the blade.

I tried using them to learn FI 3 turns, without much success. I had a better time practicing them in center ice with a two foot assist at first to get used to the feel.

I DO, however, like to use the Plexiglass to see my reflection to figure out if I'm leaning too far forward.