Skating technique: Twizzles

Twizzles! I've tried them twice in the group class environment few year ago and... they seemed quite impossible. I mentioned to my coach that I wanted to learn them, and he seemed to brush off the idea. It kind of gave me the vibe that he thought they are over my ability at that point, being that I'm working on Pre-Juvenile moves and they are required on Intermediate moves.

But I needed  twizzles for my solo free dance program. The requirement is a minimum one revolution twizzle...That is very different from the 2.5 revolution required in the Intermediate moves test... It should be achievable.

The definition of the twizzle in the USFSA Rulebook is: "A traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations, which is quickly rotated with a continuous uninterrupted) action. The weight remains on the skating foot with the free foot in any position during the turn, and then placed beside the skating foot to skate the next step. 
A series of checked three-turns is not acceptable, as this does not constitute a continuous action. If the traveling action stops during the execution, the twizzle becomes a solo spin (pirouette). The four different types of entry edges for twizzles are: (1) forward inside (FI); (2) forward outside (FO); (3)
backward inside (BI); (4) backward outside (BO)"

I first try twizzles in group classes, then I've got instruction from my regular coach, not much, just to start me, then, after a week both him and the new choreographer/coach kept adding. Here it goes for a Right Inside Forward Twizzle, for left side it's all reversed:

- In the group classes we haven't really got much instruction, it was monkey see monkey does approach. I was doing something on my right foot (CCW rotation that is my comfortable skating direction) and I was getting stuck on the left, on CW rotation. So I remember being told to not check the 3-turn but to allow/ more force... the left shoulder to stay forward)
- I also remember hearing the "biggest tip about twizzles at the skating seminar about moves" and that was to practice the 2 foot spin from early on not only CCW andbut also CW, so the upper body gets used to keep going and not check out of the rotation, for CW...

- Here is my regular coach instruction: intro step, to get some speed in and set the next edge is an Left Inside Forward Edge. I keep the right ankle near the left ankle for stability. At the end of this edge the upper body faces slightly towards the right side, and the left hand is in front. My regular coach said that he likes his students to start more square, so the upper body won't destabilize the entry. All other coaches actually instructed to use this left hand forward twist...
- Right Inside Forward Edge on a bent knee, allowing the upper body right side to go towards the left, to square the upper body over the hips and help the rotation
- Just before the turn (that is like a Right Inside Forward 3-turn), you rise on your knee and you don't rebend... as for the 3-turns. The twizzles can be done on a straight leg or a slightly bent one, but they shouldn't bounce up and down as the 3-turns

(This was all the instruction I was given on the first lesson about twizzles. I had troubles at first to feel the entry edge with a bent knee and get high on the knee and not rebent after the turn, so I needed few days of practice just to get some body awareness and memory of that). This twizzles are usually practice using the length of the rink alternatively on right foot and left, finishing forward and using the upper body twist from the exit from the previous twizzle to start the next. I haven't really got the hang of that, so I practiced on foot, then the other. I did turn forward but I was feeling that I'm falling off the edge.)

- The next instruction came from the choreographer/coach and it was to fell after starting the twizzle that I've stacked myself/ lift over/ align over the right side hip.
- Also, they are not done on a straight line, but on a curve... and she asked me to try them on a small circle. I immediately felt few that haven't fall to the inside when I finished.

(I was so excited at this point, only to see that in choreography she was exiting the twizzle bacward, so she did 1.5 rotations. I asked if one rotation isn't enough for the test, she said that as per rules yes, but sh thinks I can do the 1.5 one. I thought thanks for the vote of confidence, but that's not gonna happen any time soon... I mean is the same exit as for the backward spin, and I haven't progressed on that at all, I'm just hopping, I'm not pulling out of it.)
So I practiced staidly on the next two weeks worth of sessions without really seeing any more improvement, though definitely getting more comfortable and fast with the entrance and all the motion. looked at how other skaters trained twizzles, on the long axis and they seamed to do 2 rotations and still finishing forward. So, even if I put my foot down, I allowed/ forced myself to continue turning...
I usually ask my coach for new correction when I feel stuck on something, or I feel i incorporated the previews corrections/ instructions he's given me. I haven"t asked now, I think because it felt hopeless not stuck. But he did ask to see them... and gave me new instruction...)

- While the first forward to backward turn is on the ball of the foot, when you are on the back edge you settle on the middle of the blade, and you stay there, for all next rotations. You do not rock back and forth on the blade as for 3-turns...
- After the first inside edge, you don't bring the free foot in from lateral, but from the back. I don't understand this one exactly. I feel it has to do with the foot throwing the alignment off balance.
- Also, for the RFI twizzle, push the right shoulder forward to continue the rotation, not stop it like for checking out of the 3-turns, but also push the right hip forward.

(I hit some that he liked, but I personally wasn't too enthused. I usually ask questions, now I had nothing... I think i was so sure in my mind that it's gonna take a long long time, that I unconscionably didn't bother to think on what I need to improve... I did mentioned that that exit backward after 1.5 rotations seems impossible to me (backward spin exit), and I think I'll get 2 turns and exit forward before I'll be able to do that 1.5 and exit backward and that I try to get the 2 rotations even if I put the free foot down. He said that the backward exit is not the pulled backward spin exit but feels more like a jump exit, and that the 2 rotation with the free foot down is a good idea... that gave me hope... but not much honestly. I also didn't want to obsess with the twizzle and the free dance, all related with the free dance is something to give me joy and be a reward and a distraction for when I feel frustrated and unmotivated by working to hard on moves and pattern dances

But... just before the free dance choreography lesson I've had some extra time. I've already finished working on everything else I planned to and I've already also worked on twizzles, like just go trough them few times on the length of the rink. So I started to work at them again, this time one at a time and on a circle. I also tried to feel my body alignment. And I've realized that after the first turn, so when I've got backwards I was leaning outside the circle, so, of course, turning forward I was not stable. I thought I'll do few quick and tight double 3-turns so I can feel my upper body lean into the circle. After few of those, for RFI twizzle I've tried to push the the right shoulder and hip forward, then tried to pull the left shoulder back... to keep the rotation going...

And you know what? Yes, it worked! I've got few 1.5 RFI twizzles! Then I gave them a break, then I've tried again. They worked again, well not every single one, but enough to get the feeling of them. I was even able to show them to my choreographer!

What I would add, is that they felt slower then when I first tried to do them, making me think that at first I was "spinning" them, probably also forcing the entrance. Also, they happened when I put them on a circle, never on a straight line. Now, I have to get the left side... )

I've got the Twizzle on last Friday, and I couldn't wait to try them again and see if I still have them. And I do! I was even able to include them in the program,  from almost a stop but still....

Test: Adult Pre-Bronze Freestyle program (video)

I passed my Pre-Bronza Freestyle test!

Firstly, let me tell you how the last week of preparation went. Not terrible but not well either. I skated Monday, Wednesday and Friday and each session was crowded. I did what my coach advised me (and I wrote about in in the previous post) and that was to warm up 5 minutes and do the program. On Monday I didn't jump the Salchow and the program felt shy. So I worked a lot on the elements and did few more run throughs... Wednesday the elements were all in but the Salchow was cautious and the program still shy. So I allowed myself to go a little bit bigger. On Friday the run through felt nice. The Salchow felt stable enough so I decided to work on it to make it better. When I'm not confident in an element I rather don't mess with it before a test. I let it be... The two foot spin ( from the inside 3-turn entrance) didn't center the whole session, but the regular one did. And I've got the back pivot working consistently. So I felt pretty good for the test.

I was scheduled to test at 12 on Saturday. My morning was quiet. Maybe I should have skipped the second coffee, but I usually have 2 each morning... I went to the rink at 11, fully dressed. At 11.15 my coach said to warm up my muscles, I did some light running and some stretches. Went to the restroom. At 11.45 I put on my skates and at 12 I had my warm up on ice. Everything went well. I even centered the two foot spin. I was the last one skating but it went very quickly. I was on ice before I know it. And here is the video.

I felt happy afterwards. Here is how it went:
- on the first move, the arms opening, I felt stretched out and in control.
- I didn't get in a big pivot, I finished it a little earlier then usually, so I felt I had to wait a little for the music and I kind of dropped into the next step, I didn't push from underneath me
- so the inside edges were wimpier the usually
- I don't remember the inside spread eagle, I suspect I was telling myself to get it together. In the test's video it seems again, smaller then in practice
- the toe pick turns and the stop were ok
- on the moment I pointed to the judges I gave them a big smile and eye contact.
- the steps towards the Salchow I don't remember
- I did remember to think "wait" before the Salchow. And I felt I've got a good landing.
- from the video I'm surprised I hold that power edge  after the Salchow so little.
- the next steps were slower then usually because I realized I'm ahead of the music. I think that relaxed me as I've been afraid I'll be behind...
- I remember I wasn't totally happy with the Waltz Jump but looks good enough in the video.
- the two foot spin felt ok, but in the video you can see it travels
- I think I relaxed, in the sense of getting mentally tired, here, on the steps towards the spiral
- the spiral I could do better, but as the coach said, I'll do it in the performance just as I practice. And again, I fell I was thinking that the end is close, so I was slowly giving up my concentration...
- I don't remember the Half Flip...
- I gathered all my energy to tell myself to wait and center the spin. And I did :)
- and then I totally gave up on the inside pivot. The funny thing that I didn't even realized it until I saw the video. I finished early too, don't be fulled by the video, I edited it and faded the music at the end...  Honestly this is my only disappointment in this performance.
- and then, I felt exhausted...

I mentioned few times during the posts describing the preparation of the program that I was purposely holding back on the frills (edges, speed and expression) to be sure I give the best chance for the jumps and spins to happen, as they are the elements judged for this test. I have proof now, that there is enough time to hold my extensions and posses in few places, so I should remember and try on my next showing of this program and the next programs. It seems it's a known fact that the adrenaline is making you move quicker. So I'll concentrate now in getting the underlined elements bigger and better. And the plan is to show this at my local rink competition in June. It's gonna be under the "artistic program" ISI requirements as I want to improve my expression, extensions and musicality on ice.

My progress and tests I passed

The first five years of skating, my progress was very slow. I was talking  Freestyle group lesson and the first 2 years I didn't practice at all, later I started practicing  one hour per week. I realized, if I wanted more, I needed more practice time and a better, way better, technique. Just to be proven right about lacking technique, I hurt my left ankle. I stopped doing jumps and spins and as I didn't know MITF (Moves In The Field) exercises at that point, I was  just skating around. An older skater offered to teach me Ice Dancing pattern dances. Unfortunately she was teaching me mostly the steps in the pattern, not the skating basics technique (edges and turns), that is the foundation of ice dancing.

At this point I started some private lessons with a 17 years young lady that I knew from my Freestyle group classes asking her to teach me flow on ice.  She started me on MITF exercises. It was also the first time I went on practice ice, very crowded and intimidating, but eye opening about how young skaters train. Shortly, they take multiple group lessons (Freestyle, MITF and Ice Dancing) and at least one private lesson weekly,  and they practice every day. They are also in the syncro team  for their level, and they meet twice a week for that.

My young coach was a very accomplished ice dancer and she started teaching me a little of the basics. I also got into a Ice Dancing group lesson summer session, that was full during the rest of the year as it's a mandatory class for the syncro teams. The Ice Dancing class instructor was a national  medalist, amazing skater and very thoughtful teacher. Actually my young coach was her student. I did a couple of ice dancing private lessons with the Ice Dance instructor too. Then some private lessons with a young man that was her student, in order to skate the dances with a partner. It was an exciting time, I was discovering so much! It was also a humbling time, as I started to realize I basically didn't know anything about skating :( Then, in the fall both my young coach and young dance partner moved away.

A little over a year ago, in January 2017, I started lessons with my current coach. He is an experienced coach specialized in ice dancing and he also partners his students for ice dance tests.  I approached him asking to help me test the first 3 pattern dances. But I liked his very methodical approach and the fact that he also teaches MITF and Free Style, so I choose to have him as my only coach and to commit to a lesson per week. He first asked me about my goals. I said I wanted to skate better, of course... I wanted to look like the strong skaters I saw at the rink not in terms of jumps but I wanted their flow and confidence on ice. My coach said that that is called "power" and it's very difficult for an adult skater to get. We developed a lesson and training plan following the standard track testing for ice dance and MITF. The focus is in acquiring the knowledge for that level not to pass the tests. I've started to take 2 private lessons and skate 5 days a week. We tried to include FS but I wasn't able to find the time to train it methodically.

So here is were I stand:

Ice Dancing: 
Preliminary pattern dances ( Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango, Rhythm Blues) standard, I passed in January 2017
Pre Bronze pattern dances (Cha Cha, Swing, Fiesta Tango), standard, I passed in March 2017
Bronze pattern dance Hickory Hoedown - passed in January 2018. I'm close in testing the remaining 2 dances at this level, when the injury will allow.
Bronze pattern dance Willow Waltz, standard, I passed in  December 2018 (update)
Ice dance is harder than it looks and than I expected. The thinks I'm working on continuously are edges and steps based on edges (chasses, progressives, swing rolls forward and backward), posture, speed and power, dance 3- turns and inside and outside mohawks.

MITF:
Pre-Preliminary, standard, I passed  in March 2017
Preliminary, standard - in November 2017.
I think I'm close in testing the third level, Pre-Juvenile, all the coach is asking is more power.
What this covers is stroking, edges, forward and backward crossovers in different presentations, forward and backward circle 8 edges,  all kinds of 3 turns, each test level asking for a better execution (forward outside and inside 3 turns, power forward outside 3 turns, backward outside and inside 3 turns), forward spirals on outside and inside edge, inside mohawks, power pulls.

Freestyle:
From my group lessons I'm confident in the forward pivot, shoot the duck, lunge... that's it.
With my private coach we covered a little  bunny hops, waltz jump, Salchow, half flip, forward one foot spin, forward scratch spin and we started the backspin.
Adult Pre-Bronze Freestyle test, I passedin March 2019 (update)