Hiya,

I started skating this year through the LTS program in GB, got past level ten in three courses, then got a bit stuck. I wanted to move on to the next levels, but there was no group in which to do it, so I've been attending an adult group that does skills from the levels but no testing.

The problem is there are 20 skaters and one coach for that group, and that naturally those who are really struggling get the coaches attention. I have been lucky enough not to struggle yet, but really am not getting any coaching at all. I go once more per week just on my own and teach myself what i can.

I have learned all the moves for the Gold Silver bronze levels, and am moving on to more, but am worried that through teaching myself I am not getting the technique spot on.

So after that long winded intro what I was wondering was this. I can't really afford to take the half hour private lesson I'd want at the moment, but the coaches at the rink will do 15 minutes which I can afford. Do you think a 15 min per week lesson is worth it if I then stay on and practice what I've been learning, plus going one other time a week to practice again?

Will I get more out of it than the group lesson?

Oh, I think it's worth it. My private lesson is only 20 minutes, and we get a LOT done during that time. They can definitely tweak your technique and give you things to work on by yourself.

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I often find that I get more out of a 15-minute lesson than a longer one - (well, my brain starts to shut down after 25 minutes, LOL) - and it's better than not having any lessons at all.

It might be a good idea to go to the lesson with a list of things you would like to work on or maybe questions about a technique. That way you can optimize that 15 minutes of time.

Good luck and have fun with your skating! (and 20 is too many for a group lesson with one coach - of course you're not getting any help!).

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Definitely worth it. A good coach can cover a lot of ground with you in 15 minutes, and will make corrections that are specific to you, instead of saying something general that applies to most of the group. They can give you guidance on the most effective use of your practice time as well.

A half hour class with 20 students means that you get, at best, 1.5 minutes of individual attention. Think how much more progress you will make with ten times that amount!

Fiona

Definitely worth it. If you can write down specifics to work on in a skating notebook upon completion of your lesson, you can make oodles of progress

Yes, it's absolutely worth it! I find that as long as I come to my lesson with a list of 3 things I want to work on and hand them to my coach at the start of the lesson, I can almost always get enough to work on for the next week on all three elements in 15 minutes. And as Techskater suggested, writing down everything your coach says right after your lesson makes a huge diffrence!

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Having started out on 15mins worth of private lesson, it's definitely worth it. And it's surprising how much you can get done and how exhausting it can be. Group lessons are great, because there is down time between exercises when the coach is worrying about the other 19 skaters in the class. Privates the attention is 100% on you and you can't stop and hide in the corner.
If you can carry on with your group lesson as well, I would, because sometimes having a second coach's opinion on how to do things helps when the primary coach's version of how to do something isn't working for you.

That is so true. When I started in privates I'd be pretty wiped by the end of the lesson. Now that I'm stronger I don't (usually) cringe when I get 'let's see that jump again' for the sixth time.

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I know I have some of the same problem and we only have about a dozen people... What you could do by the way is go to your coach after the lesson maybe and ask about verbal tips for things? Our coach is usually happy to oblige and even show as much as can be shown off-ice, the only problem is that we only have very little time (the coach one of the elite skaters' moms so she's there waiting for her two daughters to get dressed and stop playing with the showers anyway). So maybe if you have a similar situation you could get more "coaching" that way.
Well and private lessons are obviously very good too! Just make sure you're warmed up and focused for maximum efficiency. But it's better if you have both I think. Look at the group lessons as "guided training" or something.

Count me in the chorus of "Definitely worth it"s! You'll get far more out of it now than you would with the groups, and you will get through your Passports and on to Level 1 in your chosen discipline - or disciplines, if you do both dance and free - in a way you can't in group lessons.

Where do you skate, by the way?

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Last year I took the last ten minutes of my daughter's lesson because she had to leave for schoool. It was amazing how much I learned and improved.

j

Ah thanks everyone, I'm convinced it's definitely worth going for it after all the good advice. Now onto the tricky choice of coach!

I've taken lessons in 15, 30 and 60 min increments. Depends on what you want and can afford. IMO, the 15 min lessons were definitely worth it. You can get some pointers and work on all of them on your own or you can really drill one skill w the coach.

As a grp instructor myself, I sympathize w the coach who has 20 students of varied abilities in one class. 20 students at the same level is a lot in one class. I have to teach a class of kids now w only 6 kids but their abilities, ages, sizes are widely varied. Of course, the parents want all of my attn on their kid. It is so difficult to please everyone under circumstances that are basically due to the rink keeping coaching costs down.

Can you get your $ back for grp classes not completed? That might be worthwhile since it sounds like you are getting nothing out of the class.

Kay

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I do feel for our poor coach too to be honest, the group has just grown and grown, and is set to get even bigger!

It's a pay as you go group, and it's not too much as it's split between all of us that attend so money wise it's not a problem and I wouldn't ask for any back, as I do attend, but the poor woman just doesn't have the time to help us all properly!

What about talking to another 3-5 people from your group about "branching out" and arranging a small group private lesson with the coach?

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20 people in a class to one instructor does sound a bit excessive. I think group lessons work well if there is a good team feel, and you gain from working alongside like minded students ... however, if you feel isolated, then perhaps it is not so good ... Hpwever, my view of a group lesson, is a small group who privately hire the coach, and can then steer the professional to provide the group's requirements. I think this works out cheaper than a 'rink' rate for a group activity.

My approach, since group instruction is not currently available where I skate ...
I have one half hour lesson approximately every two weeks. I am sufficiently focussed to gather the feedback, and work around this towards my next lesson. This suits me, because I come onto the ice relatively cool, so spend the first few minutes warming my body up, which would take a disproportionate amount of a 15 minute lesson. Please take note, I am not advocating this method, merely stating how I have dealt with issues relevant to myself.

Your progress to date sounds impressive, as long as you are aware that the 'standard' for the passport elements is considered higher than you may have encountered on the LTS programme. Having spent 4 months working on achieving the Bronze Passport, I hope I speak with a small degree of experience, although different coaches may have different acceptance criteria.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck !

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Absolutely! I only had one 15 minute lesson per week for some years before increasing my lesson time. You will benefit from this one-to-one attention. Which rink do you skate at by the way?

Nicki

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Wow, 20 people is really quite a lot for a group lesson, especially if it's mostly adults, who are going to completely run the gamut in terms of basic ability, and psychological attitude!

I loved my group lessons, and felt I learned quite a lot in them, but at most, there were only 5 people in the group on any given night. So I was probably getting a good 10 or even 15 minutes of quality attention in each lesson.

I'd say definitely go to privates, even if only 15 minutes. As the rest said, 15 minutes of focused attention is so much more than you're getting now, that you're bound to improve, and I'd think rather rapidly, too!

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If you can videotape your private lesson, then it is worth the 15 minutes and even more! Video speaks volumes to correct what we as students cannot see with our own eyes!

I agree.....with a video, it is a great way to gage progress.

You were all so right thank you!

I had my very first private lesson today and learned so much. Having the one on one tuition made such a difference. We basically spent the time pulling apart my skating and putting it back together again which was great. I finished the lesson with a perfectly centred spin that left a tracing of just one small circle over and over again ontop of it's self so I was very happy!

Yay, that's great news! You'll soon be putting a programme together and we'll be seeing you on the adult circuit, hopefully next year!

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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!

YAY!!

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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