skatingforums

It. Is. Time.

Time to start anew...
Time to make time for skating...
Time to make your resolutions for the New Year!

I might be a bit too ambitious, but I'm excited for the new year! Let's see how this goes!

1. Begin testing MIF at Pre-Preliminary and get through Juvenile.
2. Get axel landed cleanly and consistently.
3. Land doubles: salchow, toe loop, loop, possibly flip and lutz. Get them consistent as well.
4. Improve spins in general, especially camels, back spins, and flying spins.
5. Stretch every day.
6. Gain more speed on the ice and cleaner footwork.
7. Compete as much as possible and place in top 4 at least once.
8. Go to EGL Regionals as non-qualifying.

Since I spent most of 2015 looking for employment and NOT skating, my skating goals for 2016 are really simple...

1. To skate at least 3 times a week.
2. To practice without judgement.
3. EVERYTHING!!!!

Happy holidays everyone!  Happy New Year!  Happy skating! :love:

In rough order of likelihood:

1. Test Bronze MIF in February.  Hopefully pass.
2. Land loop cleanly.
3. Get 3+ revolutions on a back scratch spin.
4. Get into an actual camel position on forward camel spins, not just an arabesque with aspirations.
5. Get back to the @#$%! line on the back edge of forward rockers.
6. Maybe compete Pre-Bronze at Peach Classic in September, which would be my first competition.  Might depend on whether friends are going.
7. Assuming resolutions 1-3 go well, start working on a program for the Bronze freestyle test.
8. Land a flip.

Jumps
1. Land consistent Loop
2. Land consistent Flip
3. Land Lutz
5. Land consistent Split & Stag Jump
4. Start working on the Axel

Spins
1. Consistent Basic sit spin (at least 6 revolutions)
2. Consistent basic camel spin ( at least 6 revolutions)
3. Consistent back spin (will settle for 3 revolutions with full correct entrance)
4. Start working on Lay back spin

Foot work
1. All brackets consistent
2. Outside spread eagle
3. Get awesome low hydro plane

Test
1. Pass Adult Bronze MITF test
2. Past Pre Bronze Free test
3. Past Bronze Test

Overall Skating
1. Work on speed, specially is footwork
2. Work on overcoming fear of falling
3. Compete
4. in competition get level one or above on a spin
5. Achieve a plus in GOE on a jump

Off ice
1. Get full front splits
2. work on core strength
3. Start on middle splits

Ok I have a lot of work to do next year.

Only one: Find the joy in skating again.

I'm always going to suck, for a variety of reasons, so I may as well at least enjoy myself.

Cute little elements
My first quarter goals:
Every one of the 4 pivots on each foot. There's one my coach doesn't even think exists!
At the end of the quarter I'll restate my goals for 'cute little elements'

Year Goal.
1. Some kind of one foot spin (go low and reach your goal)
2. BO3
3. some more 'cute little elements'
4. Something that possibly may resemble a choctaw
5. Back 8s

Quote from: AgnesNitt on December 27, 2015, 07:27:12 PM
There's one my coach doesn't even think exists!

Yes, I think FO pivot is quite hard. 

1. Consistent backspin (I would like more than 3 revolutions...I think once I get the hang of it, adding revolutions shouldn't be a problem.)
2. Compete in my first competition. No goals as far as placement....I just want to be on the ice.
3. Do a solo in the spring show.
4. Land my flip.
5. FLOW FLOW FLOW. I need edge exercises.
6. Check my 3's, get better height/flow/landings on my salchow and toeloop.
7. Start working on my camel.
8. Get my sit spin from a "recognizable, acceptable" position, to a low, low, low position.
9. Pass Freestyle 2.

And I'm sure I'll come up with more. But this is what I want right now  ;D

Lots of things for me to work on this year.  :)

General Skating:
1) Improve flow and speed
2) Improve footwork
3) Improve posture

Jumps:
1) Get all of them consistent with good form
3) Get more height in all of them
2) Start on-ice axle prep

Spins:
1) Centering all of them
2) 4+ revolutions on sit spin and backspin in the proper positions
3) Work on layback so I'm not as awkward as I feel and know I look
4) Start working on the camel
5) Stop scraping my toepick on the crossover entry

Off-Ice:
1) A consistent work-out schedule that I'll have trouble pushing aside no matter how busy my life gets
2) Stretching
3) Take some kind of dance class if I can find one that works with my schedule and doesn't cost a lot
4) Learning a good, healthy way to manage my anxiety so I don't become a vibrating ball of nerves before testing or competition

1. Improve PCS to about 17 points (better flow, speed, power, posture)
2. Land a correct double salchow and make it consistent (3 out of 4 correct)
3. Work on and land double loop and double toe
4. Add one more leveled spin to my program

I resolve to eat more and exercise less. 

Quote from: lutefisk on December 29, 2015, 08:36:34 AM
I resolve to eat more and exercise less.

(http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/257423i450CA8BFA1A9D844/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1)

Quote from: AgnesNitt on December 29, 2015, 04:08:12 PM
(http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/257423i450CA8BFA1A9D844/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1)

I can't help myself Agnes--I've always had a contrarian streak.

My main resolutions are skating-supportive: lose weight (work in progress), get new skates, rehab my wonky knee that's still bugging me from November.  I will give up my outside spreadeagle stretching since that's probably how I injured the knee.

Might revisit this after a visit to the Sports Medicine place.

If all goes well, I resolve to get back all my singles. 

In general: Lose weight and get stronger. Already down 15 from this year, got about 30 to go before I'm in the "healthy" range for my height. I'll get there. :)

Competitions:
• Compete ISI Winter Classic in February
• Compete ISI Monster Mash in October
(would love to compete Florida Open, especially because they're hosting Solo Dance this year, but I'll be away at a conference that weekend)

Testing (going back and testing standard track alongside testing adult track):
• Silver moves (hoping for march)
• Pre-Pre moves (march)
• Prelim Moves (march)
• Pre-Juv moves (may)
• Juv Moves (may)
• Gold Moves (august or november)
• Preliminary Dance Tests (should be able to do this in March)

Goal to start and maybe test depending on timing:
• Pre-Bronze Dances (maybe by august?)
• Intermediate Moves

And then work on spins and spin combos. It'd be nice if my backspin would finally cooperate this year.

No jump goals this year. Thanks, arthritis.

Ahh nothing like a new year, so much hope.

1) Find a new coach that inspires me and works well with adults.
2) 3-turns in all directions, and not just from a standstill
3) Mohawks
4) nice high waltz jump
5) fast 2-foot spin with graceful exit
5) one-foot spin
6) Improve spirals
7) Form, maintain good form and posture
8) Maybe start testing, this really depends on reaching my first goal

Off-ice:
1) Stretch consistently, do more yoga
2) work on core

1. Pass my junior bronze free skate elements test.  I've left this sitting on the back burner for 2 years now.

2. Axel.  There's times it's close or even okay but it always regresses probably because I leave it on the backburner.  Right now axel = awful :(  As in it's not even an axel anymore.

3. Finish up my junior silver dances.  I have one left and it's been holding me back for close to a year now.  I've got the next level almost ready but I can't test until I pass that one last junior silver dance.

4. Improve my overall fitness with some sort of cross training.  I do yoga but that obviously isn't building cardio.  I've thought about biking.  I'm up for suggestions if anyone's got some!

1a. Scratch/back scratch/sit spins and
1b. Loop jump in order to:
2.  Pass bronze freestyle.
3.  Work up to a 5k. Hubby and I are walking a mile every other day (started about a month ago). We'll go as far as my lungs will allow. We alternate with core workouts.
4.  Compete. Some options are Dogwood, State Games and Central Carolina. I'd like to do Peach, but that is going to require some major miracle working at my job.

My coach gave me mine - The Axel.

My resolutions
1.  Improve my spirals to higher leg height.
2.  Layback spin.
3.  Improve lutz consistency.
4.  Ok, the Axel, and not a waxel.

and . . .

NO injuries!

Fleshing out my "Bring Joy To My Skating" resolution somewhat:

- All moves to be judged solely on the joy it brings me to *try* do it. 
- Even if it doesn't work. 
- Even if it's two footed. 
- Even if it looks like ass. 
- Even if it would rate a big fat zero on any objective judging scale.
- Any knee/ankle/hip pain whatsoever is unacceptable.
- "Improvement" is only to be measured on a "that feels good" scale.

Clearly this is incompatible with being coached.  So I've fired my coach.   

Well I'm back on the forum after a frustrating couple of years of coach and rink changes... but I think I am back on track as of December so how better to celebrate than with resolutions for the year :) The last (only) time I set resolutions, for 2013, I set the bar too high and I think that was the start of my frustrations, so this year I'm aiming to be more realistic.

Definitely feasible:
1. Test the gold skills. I've been working on them for a few months, and while they're difficult, I am on the right track so I think taking the test by December is a fair goal. If I pass the test by then, all the better, but if I can at least reach a point where I'm ready to try it, I will try to be satisfied, given my limited ice time.
2. Finish the junior silver dances. Then I will re-evaluate if I want to stick with dance or go back to freestyle.

Shooting for the stars:
1. Pass the gold skills. That is my ultimate goal at the moment, everything else comes second.
2. Pass one senior silver dance OR get my freestyle skills back up to where they were before I stopped 4 years ago. Either is acceptable at this point, but neither is likely to happen until the skills are done  :sweat

Here's to a year of happiness in skating!

Finally getting around to formalizing this...

Reasonable (SMART!) goals:
1.  Skate more in 2016 than I did in 2015 (104 hrs, 2 hrs/week).  Aim for average of 3 hrs/week.
2.  Do backward skills (one foot glides, stepover crossovers, proper crossovers and perimeters, etc.) comfortably on my own, without support of coach or wall.  This is a brain problem, not a skill problem, and the current bottleneck in my progress.
3.  Off ice training- daily stretching and 7 min workout or XBX, plus ~2 other longer activities (karate, yoga, whatever) per week.  Aim for minimum of 2 hrs/week.

Stretch goals:
4.  If I manage #2 (and some other skills tied to them, like 3 turns and mohawks), pass USFS Adult 3/4 or ISI Beta/Gamma.
5.  Clean waltz jump away from wall
6.  Basic one-foot spin (3 revolutions?)
7.  Basic Skills competition (Adult 3, probably)

Ok, I think I have mine down.  For 2016 I want to:

Pass senior MITF
Pass last Silver Dance and at least one Pre Gold
Get a level 3 spin at sectionals
Get my double toe loop back

... I'd better get practicing!

Keeping mine simple for now.  Will maybe add on once I achieve #1:

1.  Get back on ice post-surgery.
2.  New Dramatic program in second half of year.
3.  Aim for 6 competitions, which will be hard given #1. 
4.  Participate in an adult group number in a show.

2016 Skating Resolutions

1. land 2sal
2. clean axel in competition/IJS credit
3. compete in Championship Gold Ladies at EAS
4. credit for combo spin in IJS
5. test at least two Pre-Gold Dances. Bonus if I pass
6. Junior MIF...stop avoiding it and test it.
7. improve my IJS score
8. successfully skate my new dramatic program
9. keep improving on and off ice stamina and strength
10. lower sitspins, better back spins in positions other then upright

Took me a while, but I have one resolution:

- Get the Fourteen Step back up to the proper speed so I can do it to the correct music again

1. Get gold at competitions
2. improve flexibility and leg strength
3. start working on double jumps
4. get a cleaner scratch spin

Mine was to find a new skating partner.  It was surprisingly easy.  I guess the next goal is  to retain said skating partner.

Quote from: davincisop on December 31, 2015, 02:34:40 PM
In general: Lose weight and get stronger. Already down 15 from this year, got about 30 to go before I'm in the "healthy" range for my height. I'll get there. :)

Competitions:
• Compete ISI Winter Classic in February (Took first in all three events)
• Compete ISI Monster Mash in October
(would love to compete Florida Open, especially because they're hosting Solo Dance this year, but I'll be away at a conference that weekend)

Testing (going back and testing standard track alongside testing adult track):
• Silver moves (hoping for march May)
• Pre-Pre moves (march)
• Prelim Moves (march)
• Pre-Juv moves (may)
• Juv Moves (may)
• Gold Moves (august or november)
• Preliminary Dance Tests (should be able to do this in Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango March, Rhythm Blues May)

Goal to start and maybe test depending on timing:
• Pre-Bronze Dances (maybe by august?)
• Intermediate Moves

And then work on spins and spin combos. It'd be nice if my backspin would finally cooperate this year.

No jump goals this year. Thanks, arthritis.

Woo! I can already cross off a few of these! :D

Another update to this! :D

In general: Lose weight and get stronger. Already down 15 from this year, got about 30 to go before I'm in the "healthy" range for my height. I'll get there. :) **Edit: I'm down 30 now**

Competitions:
• Compete ISI Winter Classic in February (Took first in all three events)
• Compete ISI Monster Mash in October
(would love to compete Florida Open, especially because they're hosting Solo Dance this year, but I'll be away at a conference that weekend)

Testing (going back and testing standard track alongside testing adult track):
• Silver moves (hoping for march May) **Decided I am going to, for the time being, hold off on testing adult track and focus on standard. I can pop back and test silver and gold when I've confidently passed more of standard track**
• Pre-Pre moves (march) **Pass**
• Prelim Moves (march) **Pass**
• Pre-Juv moves (may)
• Juv Moves (may)
• Gold Moves (august or november)
• Preliminary Dance Tests (should be able to do this in Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango March, Rhythm Blues May)  **DW and CT passed**

Goal to start and maybe test depending on timing:
• Pre-Bronze Dances (maybe by august?)
• Intermediate Moves

And then work on spins and spin combos. It'd be nice if my backspin would finally cooperate this year.

No jump goals this year. Thanks, arthritis.

Hello, skatingforums!!!  Long time no chat!!!  ;D




• Pass Pre-Bronze and maybe Bronze Dances
• Get back my jumps up to and including lutz.
• Start doing <single jump>-loop combinations
• Get camel spin (Oh, Gawd!!!  I should just give up.  This has been a goal for over 15 years now...  88)  :blush: )
• Get a program together and do it at a local competition!!!  I miss competing terribly and I think I need to get back into it.  Doing local competitions would allow me to slowly get back to it without breaking the bank.
  
• Lose 30 lbs!!!  Yup!!!  It's embarrassing!!!   :o :-[  Going thru hoops now just to have my health insurance pay for a dietitian.

I am super late on this but given I've been back on the nice now for approximately a month here are the goals for 2016!

General:
1a. Listen to my body and stay healthy, Do NOT let any major pains go un-seen by a medical professional
1b. Warm-up before and Stretch after every session on and off ice.
2. Loose the last 5 kg
3. Be more attentive to my shoulders

Competition Goals:
1. Land a clean 2S in Comp
2. Land a clean 2lo in comp
3. Have level two spins and footwork count as such
4. Level to Novice B/Advance Novice
5. Positive GOE on Jumps and Spins

Element Specific:
1. Develop 2F and make consistent
2. Develop a Double-Double
3. Develop  2T

Well, since I just started in November, my  'resolutions' ( or perhaps better put, 'goals') are certainly different from everyone's here. I'm 63 years old, so my intent in terms of taking up skating was based on working on my balance and strengthening my legs so that I might hold off a broken hip in twenty years. So, when I started in Adult 1 in November, basically, my goals were:
1) learn how to stay vertical.
2) learn how to move forward.
3) learn how to lace up my skates in such a way that I don't have pain (63 year old feet have a lot of badly fitting high heels on them, so this was key for me because I figured that if my feet hurt, there was no way I'd stick with skating).
4) skate well enough that I enjoyed myself and did not fall.
We just finished the Learn to Skate Program this week; I'm in Adult 3 and I'm going to go back in the fall still being in Adult 3. I did not pass out, which is OK.

So, how has this worked out?
Well, except for the falling part, I achieved all of my goals. My legs are a lot stronger and my balance is better, overall. I still need to work on strengthening my legs (especially whatever muscles those are on the inside of the thigh that you use for pushing off with the inside of your skate). I'm able to go around the big circle on my inside and outside edges and make it half-way around on one foot. Yay, me. I do have one problem that I have to work on - it's really the one thing that is holding me back in terms of passing out of 3 and going into 4 and that is this combination of fear of falling and skating backwards. I do know where it comes from - I had a couple of nasty falls when we were practicing turns (one where I hit the back of my head - thank goodness for the helmet) and I also fell a couple of times when I was practicing backwards swizzles (I'll take my full share of the blame on this since I ran into a kid who was taking private lessons. I thought I was safely out of the lesson area but obviously hugging the wall is not enough). Part of this is that I'm deaf, so I don't have a good feel for where sound is coming from, but this has combined into a situation where the whole 'skate backwards while looking over one shoulder and extending the arm' thing is not going well. On the plus side, however, I have lost 10 pounds (which at my age is a huge victory).

So, my resolutions between now and October when the local rink opens up again:
1)Ride my bike at least 3 times a week.
2) Do other off-ice strengthening and conditioning (thigh-master, anyone?). My left-side is basically about half as strong as my right.
3) Register for the Adult Weekend in June at Lake Placid, NY

Resolutions for this fall/winter season:
1) Work on the left side more to bring the two halves into more close alignment. This will help with getting a better push.
2) Improve my look - part of it is maintaining an erect upper half, but also part of it is working toward a more elegant look (not sure how to do that, but it is a goal).
3) My  instructor has given me the diagram for the Dutch Waltz (I think it's the only dance in the book where I'd always be going forward - a real confidence builder for me); this is going to be a major project for us this fall.
4) Conquer the fear of what is behind me.

Lots to do!!

Update for the first quarter of the year:  I was on track with #1 until my field season hit; I'm running a bit short of my 3 hrs/week now.  Looking forward to making up for it starting in May.  #2 is still a work in progress, but slowly improving.  #3 was good for a while but fell apart when the field season hit; again hoping to get back on track in May. 

Quote from: skategeek on January 12, 2016, 10:25:09 PM
Finally getting around to formalizing this...

Reasonable (SMART!) goals:
1.  Skate more in 2016 than I did in 2015 (104 hrs, 2 hrs/week).  Aim for average of 3 hrs/week.
2.  Do backward skills (one foot glides, stepover crossovers, proper crossovers and perimeters, etc.) comfortably on my own, without support of coach or wall.  This is a brain problem, not a skill problem, and the current bottleneck in my progress.
3.  Off ice training- daily stretching and 7 min workout or XBX, plus ~2 other longer activities (karate, yoga, whatever) per week.  Aim for minimum of 2 hrs/week.

Stretch goals:
4.  If I manage #2 (and some other skills tied to them, like 3 turns and mohawks), pass USFS Adult 3/4 or ISI Beta/Gamma.
5.  Clean waltz jump away from wall
6.  Basic one-foot spin (3 revolutions?)
7.  Basic Skills competition (Adult 3, probably)

1) Lutz and Axel
2) Camel for more than 4 revolutions
3) Back sit and back camel
4) Full biellmann position with both hands holding skate
5) Learn a few dances
6) Strong positioning for all spins!
7) Super fast back scratch that I dig myself a hole!
8) Beast mode?

Another update to this! :D

In general: Lose weight and get stronger. Already down 15 from this year, got about 30 to go before I'm in the "healthy" range for my height. I'll get there. :) **Edit: I'm down 30 35 now**

Competitions:
• Compete ISI Winter Classic in February (Took first in all three events)
• Compete ISI Monster Mash in October
(would love to compete Florida Open, especially because they're hosting Solo Dance this year, but I'll be away at a conference that weekend)

Testing (going back and testing standard track alongside testing adult track):
• Silver moves (hoping for march May) **Decided I am going to, for the time being, hold off on testing adult track and focus on standard. I can pop back and test silver and gold when I've confidently passed more of standard track**
• Pre-Pre moves (march) **Pass**
• Prelim Moves (march) **Pass**
• Pre-Juv moves (may) (August)
• Juv Moves (may) (August)
• Gold Moves (august or november)
• Preliminary Dance Tests (should be able to do this in Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango March, Rhythm Blues May)  **DW and CT passed** Passed!

Goal to start and maybe test depending on timing:
• Pre-Bronze Dances (maybe by august?) Passed Swing, March 2016
• Intermediate Moves

And then work on spins and spin combos. It'd be nice if my backspin would finally cooperate this year.

No jump goals this year. Thanks, arthritis.

Mid-year update!  Spring field work is done so I've had more time.

1.  Averaging 3.4 hrs/week so far this year, so I'm on track there.  Summer skating hours may put a hitch in that, though.
2.  Making progress; focus right now is on getting comfortable with shifting weight all the way to one foot or the other while going backwards.
3.  Back on track; stretches and XBX daily.  No yoga or karate, but I've started horseback riding lessons once a week so my legs are definitely getting a workout.

Stretch goals are still out of reach.

Quote from: skategeek on April 06, 2016, 07:45:28 PM
Update for the first quarter of the year:  I was on track with #1 until my field season hit; I'm running a bit short of my 3 hrs/week now.  Looking forward to making up for it starting in May.  #2 is still a work in progress, but slowly improving.  #3 was good for a while but fell apart when the field season hit; again hoping to get back on track in May.

Quote from: skategeek on January 12, 2016, 10:25:09 PM
Finally getting around to formalizing this...

Reasonable (SMART!) goals:
1.  Skate more in 2016 than I did in 2015 (104 hrs, 2 hrs/week).  Aim for average of 3 hrs/week.
2.  Do backward skills (one foot glides, stepover crossovers, proper crossovers and perimeters, etc.) comfortably on my own, without support of coach or wall.  This is a brain problem, not a skill problem, and the current bottleneck in my progress.
3.  Off ice training- daily stretching and 7 min workout or XBX, plus ~2 other longer activities (karate, yoga, whatever) per week.  Aim for minimum of 2 hrs/week.

Stretch goals:
4.  If I manage #2 (and some other skills tied to them, like 3 turns and mohawks), pass USFS Adult 3/4 or ISI Beta/Gamma.
5.  Clean waltz jump away from wall
6.  Basic one-foot spin (3 revolutions?)
7.  Basic Skills competition (Adult 3, probably)

1. Consistent backspin (I would like more than 3 revolutions...I think once I get the hang of it, adding revolutions shouldn't be a problem.) Backspin is a fairly consistent 3-4 revolutions.
2. Compete in my first competition. No goals as far as placement....I just want to be on the ice. I got gold  ;D
3. Do a solo in the spring show. It was such a wonderful experience! I can't wait for the next one.
4. Land my flip. Check. Loop? Also check.
5. FLOW FLOW FLOW. I need edge exercises. A visiting coach demonstrated the importance of the soft knee. Also, figure skating camp gave me some great exercises to practice.
6. Check my 3's, get better height/flow/landings on my salchow and toeloop. These two jumps have improved, especially my landings, but they're still not very high.  :-\
7. Start working on my camel. All I wanted was to START working on it. And I did. Ugliest spin ever  :o
8. Get my sit spin from a "recognizable, acceptable" position, to a low, low, low position. I have more than 90 degrees!
9. Pass Freestyle 2. Hello, Freestyle 3!

So, all of my goals are met, and the year is only half over. That's a good feeling!
I guess I need some new goals  ;D So, before the end of 2016, I want to:

1. Get my forward splits. I'm close, but I want it all the way.
2. Improve back flexibility. The move I'm aiming for is that beautiful laid back lunge.

3. Land my lutz. (It's so crazy to me that that's even on my radar!)
4. Start working on my split jump
5. Start axel walk through
6. Get loop/loop combos

7. Center all spins
8. 3 revolution camel
9. 6+ revolution back spin from entrance
10. Start layback

11. Pass Freestyle 3
12. Start testing USFSA

I have my work cut out for me  ;)

Mid-year update. And wow, looking over this I realized just how non-specific some of them are.

General Skating:
1) Improve flow and speed Progressing. And somehow I forgot to include 'power' initially.
2) Improve footwork Getting there slowly - when I take the time and the care, it's okay.
3) Improve posture Hah! They say knowing is half the battle...

Jumps:
1) Get all of them consistent with good form Decent, now doing a lot of work on the small details.
3) Get more height in all of them Getting there, the loop still needs work.
2) Start on-ice axle prep Yup.

Spins:
1) Centering all of them I wish!
2) 4+ revolutions on sit spin and backspin in the proper positions Sit spin - generally a rather consistent 5+. Backspin is a struggle.
3) Work on layback so I'm not as awkward as I feel and know I look Still awkward.
4) Start working on the camel Yup!
5) Stop scraping my toepick on the crossover entry Only do it about a third of the time now. Still prefer the 3-turn entry.

Off-Ice:
1) A consistent work-out schedule that I'll have trouble pushing aside no matter how busy my life gets Crash and burn on this one
2) Stretching Sometimes, usually yoga.
3) Take some kind of dance class if I can find one that works with my schedule and doesn't cost a lot No luck on this.
4) Learning a good, healthy way to manage my anxiety so I don't become a vibrating ball of nerves before testing or competition. Focused meditation helped for a non-skating related thing, so maybe?

Mid-year Update...

1. Begin testing MIF at Pre-Preliminary and get through Juvenile. Did Pre-Pre and Prelim in February. There probably won't be another test session by the end of the year, either.
2. Get axel landed cleanly and consistently. Not yet! So close though... I fall every time but my position is good.
3. Land doubles: salchow, toe loop, loop, possibly flip and lutz. Get them consistent as well. Ha nope.
4. Improve spins in general, especially camels, back spins, and flying spins. Camels are good 80% of the time. Same with back spins. I haven't really touched flying spins because of my ankle.
5. Stretch every day. I started doing a stretch class at the rink once a week. But other than that I haven't stretched any.
6. Gain more speed on the ice and cleaner footwork. I'd say I'm faster. I don't know about cleaner footwork though.
7. Compete as much as possible and place in top 4 at least once. I have competed twice, got last and 5th respectively. I probably won't be competing anymore this year. I'm kind of over competitions in general.
8. Go to EGL Regionals as non-qualifying. This won't be happening. Rink is 8 hours away.

I'm kinda disappointed with myself. I had such high hopes but my ankle was messed up plus I lost my coach. It's been a rough skating year so far, but hopefully it will get better.

Not bad but not great for a bit past mid-year:

1. Test Bronze MIF in February.  Hopefully pass. Done!
2. Land loop cleanly. I'm still pretty much where I was on this jump in January.  Maybe a tiny, tiny bit closer.
3. Get 3+ revolutions on a back scratch spin. Ha, nope.  Although at least as of this week I'm now getting one full revolution after the three turn before I go up too far on the toe pick.
4. Get into an actual camel position on forward camel spins, not just an arabesque with aspirations. Done.  It's not the most attractive position, but it's passable.
5. Get back to the @#$%! line on the back edge of forward rockers. Hasn't happened, but I put one in my program and go into a crossover immediately after so it still looks nice.
6. Maybe compete Pre-Bronze at Peach Classic in September, which would be my first competition.  Might depend on whether friends are going. My club is holding a competition two weeks, so I decided to do that instead.
7. Assuming resolutions 1-3 go well, start working on a program for the Bronze freestyle test. Nope.
8. Land a flip. This needs to just come off the resolution list altogether.  I can do it on the wall, but I don't see it happening for real by the end of the year without a miracle.

So because I also celebrate the jewish new year (next Monday), I decided to revisit my goals from last year and see how we're doing, halfway through 2016.

My goals were:

1) Find a new coach that inspires me and works well with adults. - YES and YES and YES, my coach is phenomenal and fulfills every criteria I had.
2) 3-turns in all directions, and not just from a standstill - Half way there, I've got FWI and FWO, but FWI is still from a standstill
3) Mohawks - Yup! But working on getting them at speed.
4) nice high waltz jump - Wow I was aiming high here, I didn't even have a tiny hop when I wrote these, having said that I do have a waltz jump under my belt, now I'm working on height and technique.
5) fast 2-foot spin with graceful exit - I have probably a 3-rev 2 foot spin which is improving consistently.
5) one-foot spin - Starting to incorporate these slowly, currently I can just lift one foot after starting from a 2-foot and hold it for maybe 1 full rev.
6) Improve spirals - enhhh nope...I need to do this
7) Form, maintain good form and posture - I think my posture's improved, but sometimes when I see a video I'm saddened by my curved shoulders, or weird arm positions :(
8) Maybe start testing, this really depends on reaching my first goal - That's in the cards for some point this year, hopefully!

Off-ice:
1) Stretch consistently, do more yoga - haha.
2) work on core - hmm I think my core is pretty strong, not sure that it ever really needed that much work, I do a lot of cross training, always have.

Quote from: JSM on January 13, 2016, 07:41:22 AM
Ok, I think I have mine down.  For 2016 I want to:

Pass senior MITF
Pass last Silver Dance and at least one Pre Gold
Get a level 3 spin at sectionals
Get my double toe loop back

... I'd better get practicing!

Well, Senior MITF is still a long way off.  Surgery led to back issues and I'm not able to do the spiral sequence on the right foot even close to passing standard.  The other patterns need work too, for sure, but I haven't been motivated to work on them, because it seems like a huge obstacle right now.

I did pass Silver Dance!  Soloing the American Waltz is an experience I'm glad I don't have to repeat!

The double toe loop is coming back slowly.  I can land a few, but consistency is about 50%. It's getting there!

I did not get a level 3 spin at sectionals, but AN this year was the best competition of my life, so I'm happy about my skating goals.

One month to go... here's my current status:

Quote from: skategeek on January 12, 2016, 10:25:09 PM
Finally getting around to formalizing this...

Reasonable (SMART!) goals:
1.  Skate more in 2016 than I did in 2015 (104 hrs, 2 hrs/week).  Aim for average of 3 hrs/week. Done!  Even if I didn't skate at all between now and the end of the year I've met this goal.
2.  Do backward skills (one foot glides, stepover crossovers, proper crossovers and perimeters, etc.) comfortably on my own, without support of coach or wall.  This is a brain problem, not a skill problem, and the current bottleneck in my progress. OK, still a work in progress.  But at least there's progress.
3.  Off ice training- daily stretching and 7 min workout or XBX, plus ~2 other longer activities (karate, yoga, whatever) per week.  Aim for minimum of 2 hrs/week.  Hit or miss with this.  Did a good job over the summer but not once the school year got into swing.  Trying to get back to it now.  I'm doing horseback riding once a week, but really need to do more stretching.

Stretch goals:
4.  If I manage #2 (and some other skills tied to them, like 3 turns and mohawks), pass USFS Adult 3/4 or ISI Beta/Gamma.  Passed Adult 3 and Basic Skills 3 (new curriculum; no 3 turns or mohawks yet); might get 4 done before the end of the year. 
5.  Clean waltz jump away from wall Hah.
6.  Basic one-foot spin (3 revolutions?)  Did my first one foot spins yesterday.  Not sure it was even a full revolution, but it's a start.
7.  Basic Skills competition (Adult 3, probably)  No, but I'm skating in the rink's holiday show next month.

Drafting my 2017 goals now!

My coach gave me mine - The Axel.

My resolutions
1.  Improve my spirals to higher leg height.   Sort of - But, all of my spirals improved through Silver moves in Field passed
2.  Layback spin.     Yes, and no.  About 3 or 4 revolutions, but it's not that pretty layback
3.  Improve lutz consistency.    Yes!   Landed lutz loops in competition too!
4.  Ok, the Axel, and not a waxel.    Nope.   Close, but nope.

and . . .

NO injuries!    Sadly, boots broke down leaving me with a bout of tendonitis that's quickly derailing my end of year skating . . .

Time to check these off:

In general: Lose weight and get stronger. Already down 15 from this year, got about 30 to go before I'm in the "healthy" range for my height. I'll get there. :) **Edit: I'm down 30 40 now**

Competitions:
• Compete ISI Winter Classic in February (Took first in all three events)

• Compete ISI Monster Mash in October Did not happen due to finances.
(would love to compete Florida Open, especially because they're hosting Solo Dance this year, but I'll be away at a conference that weekend)

Testing (going back and testing standard track alongside testing adult track):
• Silver moves (hoping for march May) **Decided I am going to, for the time being, hold off on testing adult track and focus on standard. I can pop back and test silver and gold when I've confidently passed more of standard track**
• Pre-Pre moves (march) **Pass**
• Prelim Moves (march) **Pass**
• Pre-Juv moves (may) tested but didn't pass, stupid back 3s. Everything else on that test was passing though.
• Juv Moves (may) Nope. But DID start them for fun.
• Gold Moves (august or november)Nope.
• Preliminary Dance Tests (should be able to do this in Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango March, Rhythm Blues May)  **DW and CT passed**
**PASSED**
Goal to start and maybe test depending on timing:
• Pre-Bronze Dances (maybe by august?)**PASSED**
• Intermediate Moves Nope.

And then work on spins and spin combos. It'd be nice if my backspin would finally cooperate this year.

No jump goals this year. Thanks, arthritis.

**No more jumps ever. Would rather not injure my knee further, and the osteoarthritis is already bad as it is. So I've switched to focus on ice dance and have been at it now for a year. My coach said when I tested my MITF in August, "You can tell you ice dance when you do your moves." **

Quote from: AgnesNitt on December 27, 2015, 07:27:12 PM
Cute little elements
My first quarter goals:
Every one of the 4 pivots on each foot. There's one my coach doesn't even think exists!
At the end of the quarter I'll restate my goals for 'cute little elements'

Year Goal.
1. Some kind of one foot spin (go low and reach your goal)* forward and an occasional 1 rotation back.
2. BO3
3. some more 'cute little elements'*
4. Something that possibly may resemble a choctaw
5. Back 8s

So, two out of five. I think it's the best I can do when I only skate 4 to 5 hours a week, and work full time.

My resolution is to be able to get on the ice and at least scoot around without falling too often whaen I am 80.

Just one resolution:  Make clean program run-throughs the norm and not the exception.

Three out of eight is better than zero out of eight?

1. Test Bronze MIF in February.  Hopefully pass. Done!

2. Land loop cleanly. Ha.  Hahahahahaha.  It's much closer than it was January, I'll give it that, but I'm still two-footing, largely because I don't really get all the way around.

3. Get 3+ revolutions on a back scratch spin. This was not happening so much that I've been taking lessons with another coach specifically on back spins, and I'm still no closer.  But I could write a book on all the possible entrances to a back scratch spin one can use that do not work for me.  I believe I passed ten last week.

4. Get into an actual camel position on forward camel spins, not just an arabesque with aspirations. Done.  Sometimes it even looks rather good.

5. Get back to the @#$%! line on the back edge of forward rockers. I kind of let this one slide.  Never happened.

6. Maybe compete Pre-Bronze at Peach Classic in September, which would be my first competition.  Might depend on whether friends are going. I did my club's competition instead, which was excellent.

7. Assuming resolutions 1-3 go well, start working on a program for the Bronze freestyle test. Maybe this can be 2020's goal.

8. Land a flip. Oh, I was so optimistic 11 months ago.

Let's see how I did....

1. land 2sal - no but it's closer!
2. clean axel in competition/IJS credit - close but not yet. 2017 for sure!
3. compete in Championship Gold Ladies at EAS Done.
4. credit for combo spin in IJS FINALLY. So busy being excited about this, didn't realize I had also medaled!
5. test at least two Pre-Gold Dances. Bonus if I pass Tested and passed the Blues & the Paso. Starlight is almost ready to test!
6. Junior MIF...stop avoiding it and test it. - started working on it but not ready to test...
7. improve my IJS score Personal best by over 2 points.
8. successfully skate my new dramatic program Experience of a lifetime performing it at PSCHS (no boards) for my aunt and cousins. Couldn't have asked for more.
9. keep improving on and off ice stamina and strength Much improved. One a day programs (like a vitamin) help!
10. lower sitspins, better back spins in positions other then upright Level 1 sitspin at my last IJS competition of the season!
[/quote]

7 out of 10...not to bad! Here's to 2017!

1. Begin testing MIF at Pre-Preliminary and get through Juvenile. I passed Pre-Pre and Prelim in February. Haven't been able to test since then but I'm hoping to this February.
2. Get axel landed cleanly and consistently. Landed a few clean-ish axels but I haven't been working on them much this past half of the year. Maybe next year.
3. Land doubles: salchow, toe loop, loop, possibly flip and lutz. Get them consistent as well. Almost landed a few double salchows and loops. Most attempts end in falls. Didn't attempt double flip or lutz.
4. Improve spins in general, especially camels, back spins, and flying spins. My camels and back spins are great most of the time. I kinda gave up on flying spins but I can do flying sits fairly well.
5. Stretch every day. This has not happened at all.
6. Gain more speed on the ice and cleaner footwork. I'm definitely faster, and I feel like my footwork is slightly cleaner. Let's check this one off :)
7. Compete as much as possible and place in top 4 at least once. I competed twice, first time getting last and second time getting 5th. I'm kinda over freestyle competitions at this point.
8. Go to EGL Regionals as non-qualifying. This didn't happen. It was located in Michigan this year, which is farther than I would like to travel to skate.

I pretty much failed at this years resolutions. Now I know to be more realistic  :blush:

Quote1) Find a new coach that inspires me and works well with adults.
2) 3-turns in all directions, and not just from a standstill I have 3 out of 4 3-turns now, but they're not especially clean. Still a huge improvement over where I was a year ago though, I only had fwo and only from a standstill, and I couldn't do the inside 3-turn at all. I still can't do them fast though...
3) Mohawks Messily when at speed...next years resolution will be to clean them up a LOT
4) nice high waltz jump I don't know why I thought I could go from 0 to 100 on this one, I'm just proud I learned the waltz jump, period. Nice high jumps? Maybe in 2026
5) fast 2-foot spin with graceful exit See point about 0 - 100, my 2-foot spin is meh
5) one-foot spin - I guess in theory, yes, but I mess up 90% of the time on the entry, and they're super slow.
6) Improve spirals
7) Form, maintain good form and posture I've come to realize this one of those lifelong goals you have to consciously practice each and every time you're on the ice.
8) Maybe start testing, this really depends on reaching my first goal - Yeah, this won't happen until mid year 2017.

Off-ice:
1) Stretch consistently, do more yoga
2) work on core

HAHA. Ok, I may have been over-reaching a little bit, but in my defense, most resolutions were predicated on finding a new coach, which only happened half way through the year...And then of course I spent a couple of months un-learning things from my first coach. :S

Quote from: DrillingSkills on January 10, 2016, 07:24:33 PM
Definitely feasible:
1. Test the gold skills. I've been working on them for a few months, and while they're difficult, I am on the right track so I think taking the test by December is a fair goal. If I pass the test by then, all the better, but if I can at least reach a point where I'm ready to try it, I will try to be satisfied, given my limited ice time.
2. Finish the junior silver dances. Then I will re-evaluate if I want to stick with dance or go back to freestyle.

Shooting for the stars:
1. Pass the gold skills. That is my ultimate goal at the moment, everything else comes second.
2. Pass one senior silver dance OR get my freestyle skills back up to where they were before I stopped 4 years ago. Either is acceptable at this point, but neither is likely to happen until the skills are done  :sweat

Here's to a year of happiness in skating!

I remember thinking that I was setting the bar low on my "Definitely feasible" goals - but I did achieve them! I tested the gold skills before the summer break, passed none of the three exercises but each of them was on the edge of passing, so that was pretty good. The goal was just to test them - passing was deemed a "Shooting for the stars" goal, so I haven't failed in my eyes. And I passed my last junior silver dance earlier this month, so now that set is complete :-). All in all, not a bad year. I definitely fell in love with the sport all over again, so it's time to set my next goals!

Quote from: cameocooper on December 26, 2015, 03:40:06 PM
Jumps
1. Land consistent Loop (Started working on this, but never landed one)
2. Land consistent Flip (Same as above)
3. Land Lutz (Nope)
5. Land consistent Split & Stag Jump (Nope)
4. Start working on the Axel (Definitely not)

Spins
1. Consistent Basic sit spin (at least 6 revolutions) (Only ca get 3 revs)
2. Consistent basic camel spin ( at least 6 revolutions) (nope)
3. Consistent back spin (will settle for 3 revolutions with full correct entrance) (can do 3 revs but not from the correct entry)
4. Start working on Lay back spin (Nope)

Foot work
1. All brackets consistent (only back inside :( )
2. Outside spread eagle (Nearly there)
3. Get awesome low hydro plane (getting lower, with building strength for the sit spin)

Test
1. Pass Adult Bronze MITF test (ready to test, but missed the deadline)
2. Past Pre Bronze Free test (Definitely ready to test - even if my coach laughs at me doing a two foot spin) 
3. Past Bronze Test (see above - and needs to tidy my toe loop up)

Overall Skating
1. Work on speed, specially is footwork (getting there)
2. Work on overcoming fear of falling (Getting there)
3. Compete (Did, and won my level, but was ready sick that day, so completely sucked)
4. in competition get level one or above on a spin (As above, but did receive a level one on step sequence, so not sure what step sequence the judges were watching, certainly wasn't mine)
5. Achieve a plus in GOE on a jump (As above)

Off ice
1. Get full front splits (nearly got there, but pulled a muscle while warming up at the competition, so had to start again)
2. work on core strength (seeing improvement)
3. Start on middle splits (Nope)

Ok I have a lot of work to do next year.

End of year results:

General Skating:
1) Improve flow and speed Yes. Slowly, really depends on what I'm doing, but yes.
2) Improve footwork Slowly. I'm probably better at it than I think I am, but it's still rough.
3) Improve posture Definite work in progress

Jumps:
1) Get all of them consistent with good form All jumps consistent. Form is being worked on, but steadily improving
3) Get more height in all of them Work in progress
2) Start on-ice axel prep Yup!

Spins:
1) Centering all of them Ha. HAHAHAHA! Yeah, definitely failed this one.
2) 4+ revolutions on sit spin and backspin in the proper positions Yes and yes.
3) Work on layback so I'm not as awkward as I feel and know I look Still awkward, but progressed enough to attempting the catch-foot version
4) Start working on the camel Yup! And back camel.
5) Stop scraping my toepick on the crossover entry Better.

Off-Ice:
1) A consistent work-out schedule that I'll have trouble pushing aside no matter how busy my life gets Utterly failed.
2) Stretching Failed
3) Take some kind of dance class if I can find one that works with my schedule and doesn't cost a lot Found a class after I started the new job, wasn't able to take it due to finances
4) Learning a good, healthy way to manage my anxiety so I don't become a vibrating ball of nerves before testing or competition Working on it! I was not a vibrating ball of nerves before the last competition or the holiday show.Nervous, yes, but not vibrating.