How can an adult skater progress over a Beginner level and Figure Skating Levels

My previous post was about the progress of a beginner skater, more exactly, from a low-beginner beginner to an high-beginner. Then, I was thinking how could an high-beginner, which I feel I am, progress to an Intermediate level.

Firstly, I'll tell you what I think the figure skating levels are. I read in different places slightly different views on levels... I have written before about the testing process. MITF and Freestyle go hand in hand as passing  MITF is a prerequisite to testing the same level in Freestyle. Freestyle also includes pair skating. USFSA (United States Figure Skating Association) has 8 standard levels for testing and I'll add the scores required to pass. This is what kids test. Then, I'll add the adult  equivalent, and the ISI (Ice Skating Institute) levels.  Then  I'll add what I think of each level in terms of beginner- intermediate- advanced- expert...

0. Intro to Skating (no test) Basic Skills and ISI Alpha trough Gamma...
1. Pre-Preliminary (pass/fail) equivalent with Adult Pre-Bronze, ISI FS1 and 2 is an Low-Beginner
2. Preliminary (2.5 out of 6max) equivalent with Adult Bronze and ISI FS3 is a  Beginner
3. Pre-Juvenile (2.7 out of 6) equivalent with Adult Silver and ISI 4 is an High-Beginer
4. Juvenile (3 out of 6)  equivalent with Adult Gold and ISI FS4 is a Beginner-Intermediate
5. Intermediate (3.2 out of 6)  is an Intermediate
6. Novice (3.5 out of 6) is a Intermediate-Advanced
7. Junior (4 out of 6) is an Advanced Skater
8. Senior (4.5 out of 6) is an Expert Skater
What we see on TV on competitions I would say are 2 or 3 levels up, their skills marks would be 4.8 to 5.9 out of 6 as nobody is perfect :)

Each test concentrates on 5, 6 skills but a skater at that specific level knows many more skills. The test judges in fact the quality of how the skills are performed. For example you have to do an outside forward 3-turn in different combinations in each of the first 5 MITF tests. But you have to do it better and better...

I'm working on the Pre-Juvenile MITF so Level 3.  In Freestyle I'm all over the place. I know the elements but I don't think I do them well enough.

So to get to an Intermediate level as an adult is a quite big accomplishment, so big that USFSA calls is worthy of the "gold medal". I think Gold level in MITF is within reach. In Freestyle this level includes the axel... I don't know about that. The risk of hurting may be too big to even try to learn it.

Ice Dancing traditionally is done in pairs and has testing on the pattern dances and I'll match them with the free dances done in competition at the same level. I'll start the counting from 2 because that's what I thing would be the equivalent with the MITF and Freestyle levels. It can be done solo too, on the same levels.

1. Basic Ice dancing Skills: Forward Progressives, Chasses and Swing Rolls - Low-Beginner
2. Preliminary pattern dances (Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango, Rhythm Blues) (pass/fail) - Beginner
3. Pre-Bronze pattern dances (Swing Dance, Cha Cha, Fiesta Tango) (2.5 out of 6) - High-Beginner
4. Bronze pattern dances (Hickory Hoedown, Willow Waltz, Ten fox) (2.7 out of 6) and Juvenile free dance - Beginner-Intermediate
5. Pre-Silver pattern dances (Fourteen Step, European Waltz, Foxtrot) (3 out of 6) and Intermediate free dance - Intermediate
6. Silver pattern dances (Silver Tango, Rocker Foxtrot, American Waltz) (3.5 out of 6) and Novice free dance - Intermediate Advanced
7. Pre-Gold pattern dances (Starlight Waltz, Passo Double, Killian, Blues) (4 out of 6) and Junior free dance - Advanced
8. Gold pattern dances (4.5 out of 6) and Senior free dance - Expert
On TV we see International pattern dances (4.8 out of 6)

In Ice Dancing I'm working on Bronze or 4th level, so over my abilities from MITF. I do feel that I struggled in Ice Dancing because not only I had to acquire the skating skills but them present them in a pretty and very exact package while holding the beat of the music and getting into the character of the music. The kids and teens at my rink seam to learn the other way around: Freestyle first, MITF then to match their Freestyle level and be able to test and Ice Dancing later, as a refinement of their skills that they already have. I think this is a more natural path... Dare I say that Freestyle is more exciting? So it sounds to me that I'm thinking I should concentrate more on Freestyle.

The problem is that I don't think I skate enough to be able to push for progress all Freestyle, MITF and Ice Dancing. So the obvious answer is to increase the skating time AND the number of lessons... Now I'm skating 3 times a week and i take one lesson and everything goes mostly towards Ice Dancing. And that's because I was injured... I would have to go back to skating 4 sessions plus 2 lessons... My coach recommends 2 hours of practice for each half hour lesson.
I found this Canadian skating club guidelines to training time. It seams that for my level they recommend even more lessons then that, sounds like 4 half hour lessons and 2 hours of practice. AND they recommend lots of off ice training... And here is another guideline to how much time you need to practice to pass different levels.

Yeap, skating takes lots of time and money and I feel discouraged now.

How can an adult skater progress over a Beginner level and Warm up for beginners

There are many different categories of adult skaters. Each journey is somehow unique. Still, I would put in a special category the adults that skated as kids. They have a big advantage over skaters that started as adults in their comfort on ice and their ability lo learn skills...They do have their own specific challenges, like not being able to do everything they did as kids, and I'm sure many more that I'm not aware of. Then, there are the very young adults skaters. International competitions for adult skaters accept skaters over 28 years old. In USA the age is 21. These skaters that start in their 20s have a quick progress.

I want to talk more about skaters that start when they are older then 30 because that's me and that's what I know about. I started casually at 35 and approached it more seriously after 40. I heard when I started skating that adults stop progressing at the forward one foot spin or Freestyle 2 level. I almost did...

Beginner adults usually start with adult group lessons. And almost each time on ice we learn something new and we are amazed. We pass the basic skills in one, two years. And then is Freestyle, where everything slows down. We get bored, frustrated, unmotivated and we look at ourselves and we think that we don't look like much of a skater. Plus we see kids at our level that look better and we lose hope that we, as adults, can get there. I occasionally made up a missed group lesson in a kids group lesson, and they were different. In the adult class we were doing everything from standing still. In the kids class they were moving around. I also saw the same difference in private lessons. At least at my rink adults are treated like they could break and they are not asked to move. Adults are not allowed in the group MITF group class, but i was allowed in once as it wasn't full. It was an eye opener... there it was were kids learned to move around. Kids also run after each other, playing, adults don't really play... This difference in speed was also visible in competitions. Same level kids were way faster, even if they had worse posture, lesser extension and toe pointing. So adults were actually looking better, though the kids were making up for it by owning an enjoying the performance.

The point I'm trying to make is that, to transition from a beginner level one needs to start moving. In time, the speed you are comfortable skating with will increase, and that speed will help in making the edges more stable so it will give more control to everything. This increasing in speed will give a skater more power. The second thing that would help this transition is the awareness on how to keep your weight over your hips and feet, when your are skating edges on one foot. If you look at older posts, there are lots about edges. That's because I think skating it's all about edges. So you need to put some speed and depth into those basic edges.  I would say that you are not a beginner-beginner anymore if you are able to do the forward circle eight well. Use what I described as edge presses to transition from a beginner to an intermediate skater. And I would say you are not an advanced-beginner anymore (as I think I am) if you can do the backward circle eight well. That's something I'm thinking and I use as milestones to motivate myself :) And just for the record I can do the backward circle eight reasonable well! The edge that's holding me back is the LBI (left backward inside). I can do it well enough at low speed, but I hesitate when I go faster because I need a little longer to find the balance on that edge. And that affects all the skating skills that include that edge as for example the LBI 3turn...

 So really is not the forward one foot spin... Working on the spin for 5- 15 minutes each time you are on ice it's gonna make it happen, but it takes a long time. I was working at it for an hour each time I was on ice, and I don't think it made it come sooner. I just wanted to pass the level and that was the only element that wasn't passing... But I could have used that time better.

I have some suggestions on how to start moving. Firstly, each time when you step on ice do few lines of warm up. I see that all the advanced skaters do this. The meaning is to both warm up the muscles but also ease into feeling the ice and using the edges. Advanced skaters do for example forward and backward power crossovers, edge rolls, edge crosses, and all kinds of fast turns on the length of the ice. Read about my warm up here. For a beginner warm up I would suggest to do:
- forward/backward swizzles where you should concentrate to find where the weight should fall on your blade (back of your foot arch for forward skating, and front of your arch for backward skating). Also you can work on looking up, posture and balance, maybe hand movements.
- forward stroking, read about it here
- edges, trying to make them both more stable and faster. Do them forward and only if comfortable backward. But do work on the backward edges later maybe at the end of the rink... you need them stable and fast for the 3 turns and Mohawks.
- forward slalom where you should try to get into the ice.

The second thing I would suggest is to consider working consistently on MITF maybe with the goal of testing them. That will give your training structure and motivation. The first test asks for stroking, edges, spirals, crossovers and outside 3 turn, all at basic, beginner level. If you plan to compete in USFSA competitions you need these MITF tests and Freestyle tests anyway. MITF covers moves in both directions, covers lots of turns (3-turns, mohowks) and asks for power and speed.

The third suggestion is to put together a program and run it often. I don't have one yet but I think it would make me move with a different rhythm and maybe in a more personal way.

Having a program goes hand in hand with hiring a private coach lessons if you didn't already, because they do the choreography. A private coach I think would suggest what I just did before and would also push you to get it done. On the other hand a private coach will ask about your goals and customize the instructions towards reaching that goal. I feel that as a beginner I didn't really understand the possibilities.

The only other thing I would add is that skating twice a week is enough for when you are a  beginner-beginner. Over that level, I heard many skaters saying that skating twice a week maintains what skills you have. But if you want to learn new skills and to progress, you need more time on ice. To push from a beginner to an intermediate level I think you should skate 3 to 6 sessions per week. The more you skate, the more you'll progress!

Skating technique: Forward Chasses and Slide Chasses

I went on and on about edges because along with stroking they are the foundation of everything in skating, freestyle, MITF and even more in Ice Dancing.

Ice Dancing first steps are Forward stroking that I already covered, chasses, progressives and swing rolls, all forward. As with all forward skating you should feel the weight on the blade on the back of your foot arch. Also watch your posture, extension meaning both higher lift and straight leg, bend into the ankle for a strong push, leg should be  turn out from the hip, toes pointed, look up, all that described on forward stroking.

Forward Chasses on a circle:
1. stroke on an forward outside edge with the free leg extended 45 degrees back
2. while rising on the skating leg bring the free foot to the ankle of the skating foot and transfer the weigh on the former free foot that will bend at knee, while lifting the former free foot of the ice 2 inches and holding it at the ankle of the other foot, with the blade parallel with ice.
So in Ice Dancing language, this would be abbreviated like this LFO, RFI-Ch and repeat for CCW skating and RFO, LFI-Ch and repeat for CW skating. (Updated Sep 25, 2018)

The circle should be bigger then the hockey circle. When I first learned these I focused on remembering the motion, and it took few sessions. Then the correction I remember I got a lot was to keep the blade parallel (not as here) with the ice when I lift that free foot, and to lift higher, as I was barely lifting. Here is an example of lifting the blade parallel with the ice. He is an Olympic medalist in Ice Dancing, just saying... It didn't come easy to me, as I was used to point the toe not flex it and I felt I needed to awake some muscle.

After that, I was asked to pay attention to all the points I've mentioned for forward stroking. So, I would go twice around the circle focusing on something, then twice around focusing on something else and so on. Here is a video that covers many of this points. The next correction I remember getting a lot was to extend more laterally not back. Being on a circle, when the leg is tangent on the circle it means it is actually back, even if it felt laterally. Having the leg extended more laterally (45 degrees) helps holding the outside edge.

The correction that I work on the most now (after 2 years from when I first learned the chasse) is the body lean towards the inside of the circle. For that, my coach asks me to keep my upper body and arms perpendicular, or square to the circle as in the first two videos, not twisted towards inside as in the third video.

A correction I've got from my coach two weeks ago was that my right leg extension is not straight. It was straight two years ago, where did it go, am I regressing now that badly?  I honestly had a little nervous breakdown... inside my mind, because I know I can do this! So I asked my coach why I don't do the things I ca do. He said that when I work on correcting something specific, I let go on everything that is not muscle memory. But not to worry, after a while (is that 1,000 repetitions or 10,000 ) everything becomes muscle memory. I think that's actually good news, even if it doesn't feel like it... at all.

Forward Slide Chasse: is a variation of the Chase. It's coded like this: LFO, RFI-SlCh (CCW) and RFO, LFI-SlCh (CW)
1. stroke on an forward outside edge with the free leg extended 45 degrees back
2. while straightening and rising on the skating leg, bring the free foot to the ankle of the skating foot and continue the movement by letting it go forward (leg turned out from the hip and toe pointed, while transferring the weigh on the former free foot and bending it at the knee.You can see it in the video of the olympian skater where it is the third step in the combination he shows. I think the important thing here is to press into the ice during the second step and to keep a good posture.
3. repeat by straightening and rising on the skating leg and bringing the free foot from forward to the ankle to be ready for a new stroke. (Updated Sept20, 2018)

Chasses on alternating lobes:
are done on each side of  an imaginary axis and are another way of training the chasses. There are 3  steps/ edges per lobe  an outside edge, inside edge to the top of the lobe and a longer outside edge to the axis. Then the same on the other side of the axis on on the other foot. The transition between lobes is the one I described in Advanced Deep Forward Edges. I'm working very hard at these transitions so I would have lots more to say, but I think this is enough for a beginner. Two lobes look like this: LFO, RFI-Ch, LFO and RFO, LFI-Ch, RFO... Here are mine taken 6 months ago, so after I was working on them for around a year and a half, and I think they have a good beginner quality, maybe advanced beginner...

When I've first learnt them, I thought a Chasse is a combination of 3 edges, like in the lobes. Then, I thought  is 2 edges, like done on a circle. Actually the Chasse is just one edge, the inside one. (Updated Sept 25, 2018)

One thing that I would add, is the rhythm. A lobe could be done on 4 counts for foxtrot, blues tango or in a 6 beats for waltz. A 4 beats chasse is 1 beat outside edge, 1 beat inside edge to the top of the lobe and 2 beats outside edge for the second part of the edge. A 6 beats chasse is 2 beats outside edge (first 2/3rds of the first half of the lobe), 1 beat inside edge (the rest 1/3rd of the first half of the lobe) to the top of the lobe and 3 beats the second half of the lobe.

Skating technique: edges - Forward Edge Presses and my Warm up

Edges - part 5.

I plan to use the section "skating technique" as a journal. I'll start with what I know, but I will keep updating as I learn more. Disclaimer: this is my understanding of the technique, it may be or not the correct technique.

Edge presses is an exercise I do every single time I'm on ice, part of my warm up.
My warm up:
-As soon as I step on ice I do forward slalom, trying to get into ice and to get awareness of edges. Then, I do backward slalom. Here I look for finding the right posture when going backwards. I don't find it instantly, as going forward, so I have to work for it. I also pay attention where my weight falls on the blade (should be on the front side of the arch of your foot).
-Then I do stroking, usually just forward, but thinking of it, I should add backward.
-Then, forward and backward alternating crossovers with an inside edge on the alternating lobe. That's part of the Pre-Juvenile MITF test i'm working on. But i do them as warm up, I don't "work" on them. When I work on them I think of "attack", more knee bend, more lean, I count the crossover push 1, with special attention to hold the under push 2, and hold the inside edge for 3,4.
- Lately I do the power pulls from the same test in the warm up, and I work again on them later.
- And then I do the edge presses.

Edge presses (I consider them and advanced-beginner skills) are a prep exercise for the more advanced  Deep Edges. In fact, the inside deep edge the ice dancers do in the video linked in that post, is the edge press I do. Here is my Forward Outside Edge Press.

You start with few strokes to get some speed.
For the Forward Outside Edge Press you start with the chest towards the inside of the circle, so opposite arm and leg like the deep edges, not like the basic edges. For the Forward Inside Edge Press you start with the back at the inside of the circle, so opposite arm and leg, like the deep edges and like basic edges. During the lobe, the upper body is square and perpendicular with the circle line. I heard it described as the hip bones are a car headlights that travels on a curve. At the end of the lobe, the upper body will be align again as as the beginning of the lobe, but on the other side.This opposition of arms and legs gives the body a controlled twist, that helps changing from a lobe to next lobe that goes in the opposite direction. I described more of this transition in the Deep Edges post.  This is used  a lot in Ice Dancing as you change the directions with every single step.
After the initial push, you bring the free foot at the ankle, and keep both legs bent. This gives a stable position, where you can concentrate in achieving a good posture, good ankle press into the ice, and you can practice to lean towards the inside of the circle. Then, as you feel more stable, you'll go faster. Bigger speed will allow you to lean more so you'll get deeper edges and lobes.

Ice Dancing: how to work on a specific skill and on a part of a pattern

After my private lesson on Monday, my coach said excitedly that I've hit few milestones that day! That was about edges, posture, lean, lobes transitions on backward chasses, progressives,  coordination on backward swing rolls and extension on forward chasses. Plus ankle press on everything... I knew I was close.

There is a point in my learning process when i understand exactly what I have to do, I just cannot do it. So I keep "working" on it. That means I tweak it... change different things that I remember from my lessons. Where the weight falls on the blade, posture, look up, bend the knees more, bend the ankles too, press into the ice, lean, look up (again, because I already don't do it), keep the core engaged, hold the extension, point the toes, timing... the list feels infinite. The skills I'm referring to are simple stroking, dance steps (progressives, chasses, swing rolls), turns (3 turns, mohowks), spins, jumps, every single thing you do on ice.

One thing my coach said is that  a skill is gonna happen (a jump or just stroking) when 80% of it components are happening at the same time. There are moments when I hit the skill accidentally. I feel it, but I cannot repeat it immediately. I'm trying to be aware when those accidents start happening of what exactly made the difference, and to work on that.

Another thing my coach said, when I asked frustrated why I do "that" mistake again because I corrected it and I'm aware of it, and I can do it!, is that it didn't become body memory. So while I'm "working" on other things, "that" mistake will resurface. But worry not, being aware of it makes it easily fixable. The lesson here is repetition, repetition, repetition... But it has to be the correct form of the skill.

I've got into the habit of asking one question per lesson, and allow the coach the rest of the time to get me to work on what he thinks I need. This week I was asking about the upper body placement on the end pattern of the Ten fox. He mentioned something a week before that I didn't register. The answer was that the hips are square to the direction of travel but the upper body is hold laterally. Very logical, because when dancing with a partner that end pattern is done in fox hold.

But that gave him the opportunity to try to teach me (again) how to work at a section of the pattern. Because, I was comfortable doing the dance for the beginning, and couldn't pick it up from a particular spot in the pattern (like many other beginners he says). And that is a problem because most of the time I don't get to finish the dance (because I make a mistake and stop, or somebody crosses my way and I stop), so I don't work so much at the end pattern.

He wanted me to start from the 3 turn. I knew from the previous attempts that  he means to start with one step before that, and that is a RO edge for 4 beats, with a knee bent on the 3rd beat. That was flimsy, gave me no speed into the 3 turn, so everything was flimsy. He said to do just a stroke or two before the 3 turn, from an oblique direction, to give me the best opportunity to work on the 3 turn on the pattern. That would be not to drop on the back inside edge after the turn. And not to lean forward when I start the back progressive and then struggle to reposition... Because on the 3 step of progressive I have to turn forward. The lesson here is to take a simple, comfortable, strong stroke, or two, into the pattern... Surely he told me that before, and thinking of it is logical, we start the pattern dances and MITF with intro steps... Just another reminder that learning skating is a process, a long, long process.

Monthly skating review: progress and goals adjustment

I had my Freestyle group class in the morning and I've got the Flip (that I didn't do in 2 years) back!!! A good way to start the month!

I was writing before, that the summer ice schedule is so all over the place and I cannot get a rhythm, and that is all still true. And after my fall in the second week of last month I felt that I was somehow both physically and mentally fighting to skate. I'm still thinking about training and progress when it wasn't possible. And I wasn't enjoying skating either.

So, last two weeks I slowed it waaay down. I skated the public skate (adults only) on noon Monday and I had my weekly private lesson immediately after. Tuesday, Wednesday off. Thursday, my two group lessons, one Freestyle, the other power and edges. Friday off. Saturday, lovely empty practice ice where I did dance mostly. Sunday off.

And I'm letting go of my Friday yoga too. That's a long story, but doing yoga just once a week, even with a little practice at home, was let's say, confusing. I hope I'll get to write a whole post about it.

With so little physical activity, I finally felt that my body was rested and responsive, and I wasn't worrying about hurting my hip again.

Anyhow, my progress last month was:
Freestyle: With my private coach I graduated from the back spin in the change foot combination that was consistent (but foot not crossed over), to the scratch back spin from the inside edge entrance! My forward scratch spin is also looking stronger.
In the group class we mostly ran trough things as the class was just 5 week long. My level is Freestyle 4. The loop jump that I had two years ago, was lost  as I didn't practice it, but it made a quick reappearance. Muscle memory is both good and bad. Good that it made me remember the loop, bad because I've kept the mistakes I had (pre rotation, free leg not crossed and flat footed landing). Plus the instructor taught an entrance from a right inside 3 turn that I didn't know before. That I cannot do just yet. Half loop feels as awkward as ever.  I didn't want to work on the sit spin as I'm protecting the left hip. We refresh the back spirals that I needed refreshed and the back 3 turns, that I didn't.  I had the flip two years ago but not as consistent as the loop. And on a quick try last week I couldn't remember the entrance or the feeling of the jump... But it happened today :) They are not good jumps, but it's a start.
MITF: I didn't work much on them, I tried to keep them at the same level until I have more time on ice and I'm confident in using my hip.
Ice Dancing: Well, that goes well. I feel I can improve the pattern dances without putting any strain on my hip. With practicing for MITF, the basic exercises for Ice Dancing and almost everything Freestyle I'm still cautious. Every lesson this last month was dance. The coach mentioned testing the Willow waltz but at another rink, as our rink has a test session just in November. But If I go to the trouble to go to another rink I would like to test the Ten Fox too.

First week lesson:
Ten Fox: the first 2 lobes are still wimpy, because I hook the first edge. Instead of allowing it to go perpendicular away from the axis, I'm rushing to turn parallel to the axis.
Same hooking after the 3 turn...
Mohawk latest correction, allow the upper body to turn from forward, laterally, with back at the circle.
Willow waltz: stroke, don't step (bend the knee) into the 3 turn
After the middle chasse step forward, let the LFO stroke go into the middle of the rink, finish on outside edge so you can stroke strongly into the next RFO
Spins: Keep at them. Press while back spinning
Waltz Jump: Jump at 45 degrees, not long, not high.
Second week lesson: just 15 min, for the first time the coach was late
Ten Fox: the intro 3 turn goes 1/3 on the first lobe.
Corner 3 turn placement ends at half circle. Draw left foot in to be faster, rise/re bend and push
Third week lesson: I cancelled the lesson and I only skated my group lessons all week
Forth week lesson: lots of partnering exercises and polishing the Willow.
Fifth week lesson: We worked on the back swing roll as I need it for Ten Fox. It was the first time I felt in control of the rotation. I was trying the last weeks to push straight away from the axis, and not hook it. on all back lobes.  Now the coach brought up (again) the arms that need to coordinate with the feet. And I finally was able to do it, and the core got engaged on it's own! Now, on Ten Fox he likes the first half, the second half is still wimpy.
And we worked on the backspin.

Goals for next month:
Freestyle: Keep working on the back spin and loop as they don't strain the left hip at all. Add the flip. But! Maintain what I have! Looking back, when I couldn't work to improve a certain skill (for being hurt, or prioritizing something else to work on for a test), I stop doing it altogether... That would be the Salchow and forward scratch spin that I was working on lately, but also bunny hops. Do them even twice a month, few tries.
MITF: whenever is not crowded work on the forward to backward 3 turns on the pattern. I don't remember when I did them on pattern last...  And work specifically on the right back power pulls. These are weaker than the rest of the elements for this test.
Ice Dancing: enjoy! and of course get ready to test them.
Off ice: I've got into the habit to do some here and there stretches and strengthening exercises at home. I cannot really call it yoga, but whatever it is, keep it..