I am amazed at how much there is to learn!

[jumpingbeansmom]

As I have watched my daughter progress, I am stunned with how there is always more and more and more to learn.   Right now, at just turned 10, she is starting her juvenile program, learning some level 3 footwork, practicing for her intermediate moves test, trying to get all her doubles looking more smooth, higher and with harder entrances, working on double axel and double double combinations as well as level 3 and 4 spins....yikes!!  She has no trouble filling up her 2 hours after school of ice time, that is for sure.  What a hard sport!

[fsk8r]

It's quite depressing at times how much there is to learn. Just when you think you're getting good (as in finishing LTS) you discover how much more there is to learn. And then the goal posts just continually shift, first it's the axel, then the doubles, then the triples (if that's attainable). It's like climbing a mountain where you can't see the peak.

[jumpingbeansmom]

It's quite depressing at times how much there is to learn. Just when you think you're getting good (as in finishing LTS) you discover how much more there is to learn. And then the goal posts just continually shift, first it's the axel, then the doubles, then the triples (if that's attainable). It's like climbing a mountain where you can't see the peak.

It is!  My daughter is starting to really understand (and accept) that is the way it is...I think you have to right?? If it aggravates you, you will always be aggravated.

[sk8Joyful]

It's quite depressing at times how much there is to learn.

Just when you think you're getting good (as in finishing LTS) you discover how much more there is to learn.
And then the goal posts just continually shift, first it's the axel, then the doubles, then the triples (if that's attainable). It's like climbing a mountain where you can't see the peak.

We, each of us, is born to learn, & better yet, we learn ALL of our life...hopefully at least 10 new/Fun things every single day  

and in skating, we get to choose......,
or we should, what all we want to learn, Skating was meant to be fun...
When it's not that, we should find something else, that for us IS Fun, non-stop FUN

[dak_rbb]

My daughter learned at age 5, right after starting with her coach, that as soon as she could do something, coach would add something, up the standard, or make it more difficult somehow.  We've joked about it ever since.  And it's obvious when looking at the top juvenile skaters in our region--my daughter is doing the same jumps and spins, but is nowhere near that level yet.  There's always plenty to work on!

As for practice time, I noticed that as soon as she started on the double jumps the practice time jumped as well.  She can do an abbreviated practice to save time or when she's tired, but she needs 2 hours to fit everything in.

[drskater]

Agh! So true! The more I learn the more time I need to practice. I already skate 5 sessions a week and that's not nearly enough for me to get to everything (I work on: Figures, Freestyle, Moves, and some dance).

[Sk8Dreams]

My first coach said that skating is like peeling an onion, there's always another layer   I've repeated that to quite a few students.  Something I've noticed about the difference between kids and adults, is that kids don't have the perspective yet to see just how far away the peak of the mountain is, so they are happy to just keep climbing.  The climb itself is enjoyable.  We adults tend to focus on the goal and the process too easily becomes a chore.

[jumpingbeansmom]

My daughter learned at age 5, right after starting with her coach, that as soon as she could do something, coach would add something, up the standard, or make it more difficult somehow.  We've joked about it ever since.  And it's obvious when looking at the top juvenile skaters in our region--my daughter is doing the same jumps and spins, but is nowhere near that level yet.  There's always plenty to work on!

As for practice time, I noticed that as soon as she started on the double jumps the practice time jumped as well.  She can do an abbreviated practice to save time or when she's tired, but she needs 2 hours to fit everything in.

Very true, my dd was pleased when we watched some of the Grand Prix to see the skaters using the same steps and entrances for their triples that she is learning on her doubles.   

[Sierra]

 And it's obvious when looking at the top juvenile skaters in our region--my daughter is doing the same jumps and spins, but is nowhere near that level yet.  There's always plenty to work on!

I do the same thing! Two girls at the same level that have been skating for twice as long as I (and also have three times the practice) are working on the same jumps as me! Double flip, double loop, double toe.. and one of them actually didn't begin on flip until a few weeks before me.
I think my coach teaches me new jumps all the time because she knows I'm willing to go for them. Right now I'm working on axel, double loop, double salchow, double flip, and started double toe yesterday. But it's difficult to get all of them in one practice- and I only skate twice a week.

[Sk8tmum]

It also comes as a shock to skaters who are very narrowly focussed on, say, jumps and/or spins to realize that skating is an entire package, and that skating skills are equally important as landing a jump; and that having excellent technique is just as important in landing that jump as "ticking" it off of a list and being able to say "I landed X jump!".  I think that skating under (we call it CPC in Canada) has helped emphasize that.

It's also interesting how coaches differ in the way they coach ... some going for fast acquisition and others going for slow build up of technique ... some teaching X before Y, some Y before X, and some NEVER Z before X and Y ... it makes for a highly individualized sport.

[Sierra]

It's also interesting how coaches differ in the way they coach , some going for fast acquisition and others going for slow build up of technique , some teaching X before Y, some Y before X, and some NEVER Z before X and Y , it makes for a highly individualized sport.

After reading so much about how coaches only teach doubles after axel is consistent, or teach doubles in a strict order, I was surprised to have axel plus four doubles thrown at me in the space of two months. I haven't landed any of them, either. It can't possibly be the 'get the jumps while she's young' thing because I'm well into being a teenager, and am obviously never going to the Olympics.

To the OP, it's great that you know what your daughter is working on specifically. I think it's important for parents to know the things their kid is learning and the learning process that goes with it (Suzy's landed her waltz loop, why can't she start on axel? Well, she needs to rotate flip and have nice high loop combos first, plus a backspin.) Skating is so alien to so many people, they end up with no idea how it works, and they especially don't know the difference between a good axel and a bad axel.

[Clarice]

After reading so much about how coaches only teach doubles after axel is consistent, or teach doubles in a strict order, I was surprised to have axel plus four doubles thrown at me in the space of two months. I haven't landed any of them, either. It can't possibly be the 'get the jumps while she's young' thing because I'm well into being a teenager, and am obviously never going to the Olympics.

My daughter's coach did something like that.  They worked axel and double salchow at the same time, and once she had a solid axel, he pretty much threw all the doubles at her in quick succession.  He always said "two turns is two turns", meaning once she had the technique to do that it really wasn't that big a deal applying it to all her single jumps.  Once you can do them, then it's a matter of consistency and building up to double-double combinations - it's all really pretty much the same technique.  The next bump up comes with trying for the double axel.  He felt that most skaters, if they work hard enough, are capable of landing all the doubles, but that to go beyond that takes a combination of innate ability and the right body type.

[jjane45]

And when the skater reaches the senior level, there is the elusive OGM... (just joking)

It can't possibly be the 'get the jumps while she's young' thing because I'm well into being a teenager, and am obviously never going to the Olympics.

I think this mentality can apply to adults too regardless of one's competitive goals. Get as much freestyle elements in as possible (correctly without causing injuries) while your body is willing to cooperate, then fall back to improve the rest.

[jumpingbeansmom]

After reading so much about how coaches only teach doubles after axel is consistent, or teach doubles in a strict order, I was surprised to have axel plus four doubles thrown at me in the space of two months. I haven't landed any of them, either. It can't possibly be the 'get the jumps while she's young' thing because I'm well into being a teenager, and am obviously never going to the Olympics.

To the OP, it's great that you know what your daughter is working on specifically. I think it's important for parents to know the things their kid is learning and the learning process that goes with it (Suzy's landed her waltz loop, why can't she start on axel? Well, she needs to rotate flip and have nice high loop combos first, plus a backspin.) Skating is so alien to so many people, they end up with no idea how it works, and they especially don't know the difference between a good axel and a bad axel.

My dd's coach threw all the doubles at her pretty quickly too, and she was only 9 at the time, but she does them all pretty well right now-- she has an impressive double sal and double loop especially right now.   I try to be supportive!  I also notice her coaching team doesn't do it the same with all the kids, it seems they individualize that too.

[twokidsskatemom]

It also comes as a shock to skaters who are very narrowly focussed on, say, jumps and/or spins to realize that skating is an entire package, and that skating skills are equally important as landing a jump; and that having excellent technique is just as important in landing that jump as "ticking" it off of a list and being able to say "I landed X jump!".  I think that skating under (we call it CPC in Canada) has helped emphasize that.

It's also interesting how coaches differ in the way they coach , some going for fast acquisition and others going for slow build up of technique , some teaching X before Y, some Y before X, and some NEVER Z before X and Y , it makes for a highly individualized sport.

Amen to that! We watch alot of skaters that say, I have .... but their skating is SLOW, they have poor crossovers,no knee bend and poor spins.The fact your  ... year old has ..... has very little to do with the big picture.
As I have heard eliete skaters say,, slow and steady wins the race!