why should I take my bronze free skate test?

[VAsk8r]

One of my goals for this year is to pass my bronze moves and free skate tests. But I already compete at bronze level, because every competition I've ever entered allowed adults to skate one level up. Once I pass bronze FS, I could compete at silver, but I think that is easily two years away.

So, it would feel great to pass my bronze free skate. But besides that, where's the benefit of passing a free skate test at your current level? Why not wait until you're ready to go up a level?

[platyhiker]

You may want to test sooner rather than later so that you test when you feel fully prepared and healthy.  If you wait until you really NEED the test to be passed, there's a risk that something could go wrong - illness, injury, really bad nerves, etc.

However, there are plenty of valid reasons to wait.  For myself, if I decide to do USFS testing, I would want to be prepared for both pre-bronze and bronze before starting the testing, so that I could save on the USFS membership fees.

[hopskipjump]

1. to accomplish your goal - often that is motivation to set a new goal.
2. Because you can.  After having a skater injured and watching her work back to try to get to the same place, if you can pass now, it's a good time to test.
3. Testing is fun.  Sure it's stressful, but it is also exciting.

[davincisop]

Also, even though you haven't tested your bronze free, you can test as many moves in the field tests as you want. You do not have to wait to pass bronze free to test them and move up. I plan on testing my moves up regardless of what free skate tests I've passed.


If I could test my bronze free right now I would. I tested just before they changed the requirements which has now eliminated my best spin. Unfortunately I didn't know a loop was a required jump in the test because it is not specified so I did not pass my test. Test now so you don't have any surprises later on should they change the requirements again.

[techskater]

Davinci, I believe it's a loop, flip, or Lutz is required, but you could do any of three...

[jjane45]

If you are competing bronze, most likely the program is ready for testing. There is nothing to lose to take the test now, and I'd take it if I were in your shoes (skates). Too many things can change in the future.

Also if you decide to compete at USFS adult nationals last minute, you'll have the testing requirements.

1. to accomplish your goal - often that is motivation to set a new goal.
2. Because you can.  After having a skater injured and watching her work back to try to get to the same place, if you can pass now, it's a good time to test.
3. Testing is fun.  Sure it's stressful, but it is also exciting.

ITA.

[davincisop]

Davinci, I believe it's a loop, flip, or Lutz is required, but you could do any of three...

The book we worked from did not specify either as a jump requirement. Doesn't matter anyways because it was an oversight and I got a retry.

[techskater]

The rulebook states:
Jumps:
1. At least three different single jumps of which one must be a Salchow and one must be a toe loop (each performed as a solo jump, not in combination or sequence)

So, if you have a better Lutz or flip than loop, go ahead (next time, I mean)

[sarahspins]

I would do it just for personal accomplishment.  I don't truly plan on competing in a competitive sense (I have a goal to enter at least one competition this year, but that is to overcome my nerves more than anything else) but I still want to try to test as high up as I can.. for me that includes bronze FS and then silver moves and silver FS, and then hopefully gold moves (if those darn brackets start cooperating more) and possibly gold FS as well... my coach sees no reason I couldn't do it, beyond the obvious (not having an axel or double).

[VAsk8r]

Also if you decide to compete at USFS adult nationals last minute, you'll have a testing requirements.

Ah, I forgot about Adult Nationals requirements. That's a great point.

The people who posted about getting it done now in case I get injured or the test changes are right, too. I would hate to put it off for no good reason and then get injured and never be able to say I passed my bronze test.

I still have bronze moves to get through first, and passing that will really mean a lot to me.

[sarahspins]

I would hate to put it off for no good reason and then get injured and never be able to say I passed my bronze test.

My biggest regret as a teenager is not testing up higher than I did - I was injured (seriously) less than one month after testing pre-pre moves and free, I was getting ready to test both prelim and pre-juv (ultimately with the goal of competing in open juvenile - this was before test track), and I didn't continue when I got back on the ice after because I knew I didn't really want to compete any more.  I didn't realize then the value that those tests would hold for me NOW... I basically had to start over in the test structure, and while in some ways that's a good thing, it's also somewhat frustrating, for example I spent a lot of time last summer working on relatively low level elements getting them test ready when I would have preferred to be working on other things.  I still feel like I have a significant amount of "catching up" to do in terms of testing.

[alejeather]

Very interesting discussion. I'm not ready to test bronze FS yet, but I've been thinking ahead and wondering when I'd want to test it based on hypothetically when I'd be ready and there's some good input on this thread. Thanks for starting it, VASk8r!

[ChristyRN]

Test to challenge yourself.  It's one of the reasons I skate.  Also why I'm testing (last time was 2007) and competing (2004) again this year.

[Doubletoe]

Two reasons immediately come to mind for me:  (1) Passing your Bronze MIF and FS test would make you eligible to compete at your Adult Sectionals and/or Adult Nationals competitions if you want to, and (2) The skating skills you will have developed in order to pass the Bronze MIF will make you a visibly better skater and that will be reflected in your competition placements.

[TreSk8sAZ]

Two reasons immediately come to mind for me:  (1) Passing your Bronze MIF and FS test would make you eligible to compete at your Adult Sectionals ...

Actually, this is somewhat untrue. Most Adult Sectional events, because there are non-qualifying events, have Pre-Bronze. I know at least PCAS has for the past few years as I know someone who is Pre-bronze and competed at PCAS for the past 3 or more years in a row. For Adult Nationals, you are right, you would absolutely need to be Bronze.

[FigureSpins]

Adding to the dilemma: to be competitive at a Bronze level in Sectionals, the skater needs to perform Silver-test spins and jumps.  I saw several skaters in (local) Bronze events that performed skills from Silver or even higher. (Within the published restrictions, of course.)

So instead of a Bronze-level test element such as a Waltz-Toe Loop, the skaters that finished higher were doing Flip-Loop or Salchow-Toe Loop. 

[PinkLaces]

Adding to the dilemma: to be competitive at a Bronze level in Sectionals, the skater needs to perform Silver-test spins and jumps.  I saw several skaters in (local) Bronze events that performed skills from Silver or even higher. (Within the published restrictions, of course.)

So instead of a Bronze-level test element such as a Waltz-Toe Loop, the skaters that finished higher were doing Flip-Loop or Salchow-Toe Loop.

Yes.  Even at my local competitions two years ago,  USFS Adult Bronze skaters were doing lutz-loop-toe loop and at least one combo spin: camel-sit spin or camel-backspin.

[Doubletoe]

Yes, I meant if the O.P. wanted to compete in Bronze at Sectionals (no guarantee they will allow a skate-up from Pre-Bronze).

Regardless of which jumps and spins are executed, I've observed that the #1 factor in Adult Bronze competition placement is skating skills.  Good speed, flow and edge quality will beat a lutz-loop-loop any day.  M first experience with this was when I was that Bronze skater with the lutz-loop-loop who couldn't figure out why I lost to someone who did easier jumps.  My coach told me the other skater had better speed and flow over the ice and I've noticed that judging trend in Bronze (and higher) competitions ever since.

[VAsk8r]

My coach told me the other skater had better speed and flow over the ice and I've noticed that judging trend in Bronze (and higher) competitions ever since.

I'm that skater too, and that's why I've struggled to pass my bronze moves. I told my coach last night, as we started a miserable lesson full of turns and edges, "Good jumps will get you second place. I want first."

[Skittl1321]

Yes.  Even at my local competitions two years ago,  USFS Adult Bronze skaters were doing lutz-loop-toe loop and at least one combo spin: camel-sit spin or camel-backspin.

Wow. Locally, most bronze skaters skate close to test. Many are pb skating up Without a loop, because pb is often no test skaters.

[Doubletoe]

Wow. Locally, most bronze skaters skate close to test. Many are pb skating up Without a loop, because pb is often no test skaters.

For the most part, that is true.  However, the Bronze skaters who win their age classes at Adult Nationals are generally doing lutz combinations and combination spins.  Basically, everything short of axels and flying spins (which are not allowed until Silver).

[Skittl1321]

Yes, I believe it nationally, I was responding to someone who said it about local comps. I guess the nat skaters have to be local somewhere, though I'm surprised they don't skate up to have the benefit of longer program with more elements.

[Doubletoe]

Yes, I believe it nationally, I was responding to someone who said it about local comps. I guess the nat skaters have to be local somewhere, though I'm surprised they don't skate up to have the benefit of longer program with more elements.

I would argue that there's no major incentive to move up to Silver unless you have an axel, since everything else is pretty much allowed at Bronze.  And the extra time in Silver is more than used up by additional elements, so it just requires more stamina; you don't have more time to breathe or express your music.

[sarahspins]

You don't really get a lot of extra program time until gold... silver is only 10 seconds longer.

[PinkLaces]

Yes, I believe it nationally, I was responding to someone who said it about local comps. I guess the nat skaters have to be local somewhere, though I'm surprised they don't skate up to have the benefit of longer program with more elements.

That was me.  Skaters in my area have a hard time passing Silver Moves and don't skate up.