This Friday, I will be taking my Bronze freestyle test for the first time in 5 years for the fifth time (before the adult moves were required).
I passed Bronze moves in December and was all set to take the free earlier this year, but work commitments and a strained ligament on my right ankle kept me from testing up till now.
Runthroughs have been fine, other than re- twisting my ankle on Thursday on a loop landing, again, I've been skating 90-95% clean programs. I will be wearing a Ace brace while skating to give my ankle more stability.
Any pre test words of wisdom out there?

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

*breathe*

and good luck!

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Okay, time to get the girls to cheer on 'ya!



(I'll let you figure out which one is me, Janet or Debbie! )

As for words of wisdom:

• REST YOUR ANKLE THIS WEEKEND!!! And keep your lesson on Monday easy!!! You want a CALM lesson this week!!!
• Go for auto-pilot.
• And at the test... three words that my coworker gave me when I had to go into my boss' office for a performance review and ask for a raise: LET IT GO!!! You did the best that you can do under the circumstance. You've trained hard! And you got good coaches to help you out. Now it's time to LET IT GO and let your muscle memory and training do its job!!!
• Have a VERY GOOD TIME when you're on the ice doing your test! Smile and say to yourself that I'm gonna celebrate NOT having to take this test again!!! Let that positive energy flow thru you as you go thru your elements during the test.
• And after the test... pick out a favorite place you want to go to and order exactly what you want! (Hey, you wanna celebrate, right? )

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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!!!

Good test vibes comin' your way, Terri C.

I was useless at work the day of my last tests - I kept thinking about the test that evening. (I hadn't tested in ~~ 18 years!)
If you have to work before the test, take a half day/full day vacation day.

Start each practice this week with an off-ice warmup and a first-thing formal run-through as if you were testing. Pretend the judges are in the box and watch for their cues.

Best of all, know that you worked hard to prepare for this test, so you deserve to pass. Don't leave it on the warmup.

I hope you pass with flying colors!

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No advice other than to relax and GOOD LUCK!!!! I'm sending positive skate vibes your way.

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Happily defying the laws of physics when I skate...and not in a good way

If I could meet ole Axel Paulsen, I would kick him in the teeth

President and Founding member of the I hate Toe-Loops Club

Still a member, but trying to get out of the Pre-bronze peanut gallery.

Visit my skating journal

Good luck! Remember that the judges have the option to let you reskate 2 elements. So don't stress out if something in the program is not perfect during the test!

Good luck and remember - ATTITUDE - Go out there like you OWN the ice...because you do!

j

Go Terri, Go!!

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"Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good luck! If you can pass the MIF, you can pass the FS test!!!

Good luck !!

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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!

GOOD LUCK, TERRI!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

You can do it!


Good Luck!

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Bend your knees and breathe! Remember the judges are on your side and want you to pass. If you make a mistake try to forget about it and keep focusing on the next part. Go for it and good luck!

You can do this, Terri. Good luck.

My advice? Don't skate on Thursday. You aren't going to improve any between Wednesday and your test on Friday, and if you don't skate on Thursday you (and your ankle) will be more rested for the test.

Best of 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

Go For It! You Can Do It!

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Terri, I totally believe in you and have 100% confidence that you will be competing in Bronze next year.

Now, for what it's worth, here are techniques that have gotten me through the tests I was freaked out about:

1. Come up with technique cue words and use them to stay focused on technique every time you do every element this week, especially while skating your program. Since you are clearly able to do all of these elements, the only challenge will be the distraction of pressure and self-doubt. If you have something more productive that you're focusing on, they won't affect you.

2. It does not matter AT ALL if you pass the test this Friday or not! You have until at least November before you need to worry about the Sectionals deadline, so there is NO PRESSURE AT ALL. So what if you don't pass this particular time? You have at least 5 more chances before it matters! So have confidence, don't make it a big deal, and on Friday, just tell yourself, "This is just what I'm doing today. At _:00 I'm practicing, then at __:00 I'm skating my program for the judges and then at __:00 I'm going to pick up the dry cleaning."

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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

Good Luck Terri!! You can do it!

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

Good luck! Relax and know you can do it!!!

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The skating may not sparkle, but my dress sure does!

Just passed: Pre-Bronze MIF & Freeskate. Next goal: Bronze tests in July.

Yeah, Terri. My words of wisdom are "you know you can do this". You are well-prepared and ready, despite any ankle problems. I tested with a swollen ankle once. You can do it too, plus you've got the brace to provide a bit of support.

GREAT JOB on managing work, injuries, and everything else to get here. I'm rooting for you!

GO TERRI! Have a great test skate on Friday.

I agree with what skater1964 and doubletoe said. Sometimes less (practice) is more. Don't put too much pressure on yourself!

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Whatever!

And that advice was repeated to me by Secondary Coach today as I was having everything from out of body experiences to cows and kittens on my forward scratch and sit spin. That was also accompainied by a butt busting fall on step four of the eight step mohawk ( I do this and go into a scratch spin after that). She ended my lesson four minutes early and I was fine with that.
Yes I did cut my skating back to one hour instead of the normal hour and a half that I normally do. I usually do that the week of a competition anyway.

Good news from today's practice and lesson is that the ankle is fine, nerves ( and butt!)are starting to be another story!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Good luck Terri--

You CAN do everything for this test. You KNOW it, your coaches know it.. now just show the judges you know it. Exude confidence. Make them think how lucky they are to have the privilege of judging YOUR test. And you might want to focus on all the nervous feelings you're having now... that way your body is going to be so tired of dealing with that feeling, it will just "oh geesh, nerves? We've been doing that ALL WEEK. There's nothing to be nervous about!"

And as previous posters said just go out and let your body do what it can do. You don't have to worry if something doesn't go exactly the way it does in practice .. you do get two elements to reskate.. but you won't need that -- unless you decide you just want to skate for the judges a little bit longer.

I've noticed something some of our local kids do: they skate out , take their opening position, make eye contact with the audience (your coach, a friend, the judges) -- maybe wink or take a deep breath, and then feel the music from the first note to the last.

And from a judge's perspective, I like seeing someone who knows they are going to perform a great program... even if we all know it's ACTING... so go out there and ENJOY having the ice ALL TO YOURSELF!!!

GOOD LUCK GIRL!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

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