Adults class or kids class?

[jjane45]

My rink used to have a really awesome adult freestyle class, 90 minutes long with excellent coach on the big ice and small class size. When the adult class got canceled, I had great experiences taking freestyle group lessons with kids for 2 sessions. I was very motivated and progressed faster in levels since everyone is working on the same spins and jumps, whereas the adult class was mixed level and more laid back working on some fun stuff too. Some coaching issues in the kids class and I switched back to adults, which is a shadow of its former self, 60 minutes on studio ice, although still taught by excellent coach and class size is rather small.

Having stagnated (if not regressed) for about 6 months in jumps and spins (lutz, camel, back scratch), I grew a bit impatient about progress and consider making changes. The kids class is an option again as it got a coach I like (wheee).

A quick comparison of two classes on a scale of 10:
Fit to schedule: adult class 8, kids class 2 (inconvenient timing for the kids class)
Coaching quality: adult class 9, kids class 7 (really like the adult class coach, although kids class coach is great too)
Small class size: adult class 9, kids class 5 (adults averaging 2-3 and kids 5-7)
Motivation: adult class 3, kids class 8 (prefer skating with skaters more advanced than I am)
Rink size: adult class 3, kids class 8 (hate hate hate skating on studio rink)
30 minutes group routine: adult class 5, kids class 5 (tie, kids class does standard power, adult class more on artistry and choreography)
30 minutes freestyle instruction: adults class 6, kids class 8 (this is the hard part. Mixed level in adult class cuts down the instruction time, but smaller class size and great coaching compensates it. Kids class has more skaters and instructor not necessarily pays more attention)

AND HOW I END UP HAVING A TIE OVERALL???!! lol

Hoping to get your opinion and please do share how you feel about adult vs. kids classes

[sarahspins]

Right now I take an adult class (only 30 minutes) which is not even a full mixed freestyle class (some are not out of basic skills yet - and by that I mean no turns, limited backwards skating, etc) and then I also take a 30 minute private lesson once a week from the same coach.. it's been working out well for me.  I wish the class was longer though, because 30 minutes is really not much time at all when we include a warm up (I'm usually already warmed up since I skate the session before the class, so I find that part frustrating) but that is really my biggest gripe, and that would be the case even if I was taking a kids class... the class I take tends to focus more on power and connections than freestyle skating, which is fine because it ends up being a good workout and it's fun.

The class I take has had everything from 2 ot 7 students in the past year.. it's been averaging 3-4, which is way less than the kids classes would have (each of those can have up to 20 and it's too crowded because it's on sectioned off ice).

[chowskates]

It is a very interesting comparison you make. Perhaps you should also rank (and weight) these 7 criteria by importance to you.

For example, if motivation factor, freestyle instruction and rink size are the top 3 important criteria for you (it likely would be for me) then the kids class will be the one for you. However, if you prefer to have small class size and fits more conveniently in your schedule, then probably the adult class will be better.

It sounds like you are already working on more advanced freestyle level, and if I were you I would prefer the class where everyone is also working on similar or a bit more advanced elements.

[JHarer]

Easy solution, take both!

[Skittl1321]

I think your scale of 10 leaves too much open- I mean, have you really well defined the difference between say a 6 and a 7?  Try a scale of 3 or 4, where you really have to decide if things are workable or not. 

Personally, I've found for freestyle, I prefer class with kids- we are more likely to learn new skills, and get somewhere.  Adult class can be too much social time.

However, for basic skills, I hated class with kids.  The kids were too undisciplined (I came from a ballet with kids background- where no talking at all was permitted) and wasted so much of the lesson talking, not paying attention, or refusing to do something a coach asked, and they also had no sense of space.  Especially being a CW skater that lack of spacial awareness drove me nuts.  The freestyle kids are much more aware. 

Right now, I take a class with one other adult and one kid- just the three of us.
The other option, at the same time has 13 kids and 2 adults in it. 

I cannot skate in a herd.  So the choice is easy.

[jjane45]

It's either or for me unless I give up other commitments. I'm too deep down in the skating blackhole haha.

The scale was there for a different perspective, it all comes down to productivity. I'm sure I get more specific tips in the adult class due to the coach's teaching style.

[kiwiskater]

Is there any way to mix them? I primarily skate in an all ages class but find the odd lesson I take in the adult class as a catch up to my main lessons are a welcome mix, like you say there are some pros & cons to each class & if you don't have the ability to take both long term would there be any advantage (if the rink rules let you?) in blending them??

I really like the blend that the adult class gives you better attention and a different perspective on how to fix the skills you need to work on, but in the kids class we learn a wide variety of skills while the adult class stick to their level and not much else....

[turnip]

I took mixed age skate uk classes for a year and enjoyed it. Apart from the first test session where I somehow ended up being the only adult with a couple of five year olds, i was normally with the teenagers and any other adults anyway.

My first coach started an adult group a couple of years ago, which i took for a while then dropped on financial grounds. At that time there were three coaches and upto a dozen skaters. We did a mix of stuff, basics, some beginner dances, free skating, and even had a spin spiral jump comp organised (open to all adult skaters at my rink, not just the ones doing the class). There was a mix of abilities, and I was probably towards the lower end of the middle of the range.

This summer, with the blessing of my current coach, I rejoined the adult group which now only has three skaters and one coach. We do a little bit of free, but not much, which is fine with me as I have private lessons to do free in. We attempt some advanced turns like brackets, rockers and chocktaws, and do a nice variety of dances. I'm the only one interested in testing and competing, so i'm the best at jumps and spins, and at some of the field moves. But they have neater footwork than me (mine is very sloppy and scratchy) and much better timing for the dances. I find it works well, as some things i find easy that one or two of the others struggle with, but then other things i can't do to save my life and they are good at them. As there are only three of us, if we do spins for example, one can do a spin from standstill, one can do an upright spin with entry and after a few uprights, i might attempt a sit or camel (neither of which i can do to a recognisable standard!).

On the other hand, after a couple of bad experiences, I've vowed neevr to be in the adult group numbers in galas and shows ever again. I generally speak more to the teenagers at the rink than the other adults. And like you, I prefer being with skaters that are better than me, as it makes me push myself and I get bored easily lol!

I agree with the suggestion of thinking about how important all those criteria are to you. Or look at the ones where there's the most difference if the others are more or less equal. Like there's a big difference in the conveience in favour of the adults, but in motivation there's a big gap in favour of the kids one.

[Robin]

Have you considered private lessons?

[jjane45]

Have you considered private lessons?

Thanks my private Coach is great, but I can't afford to spend tons of time with him and always like to supplement with good group lessons.

I gave the kids class another try and decided to stay with the adult class, the quality of coaching is unbeatable this session. And we ended up on the big ice several times when hockey canceled.

I am still hoping to hear about adults vs kids class stories!! :-)

[JSM]

I take an adult class vs a class geared more towards "freestyle" skating because of the instructor.  I find I mesh more with the adult instructor and I get more out of the class, even though the (much) younger skaters are more my level.  Also, adults in general are much easier to get along with, and goof off a lot less!  After all, we're spending our own hard earned money to skate, so we usually want to get the most out of each class.  Sometimes you can't say the same for the kids.   

However, every once in a while I see the kids doing cool stuff (using props for balance, harness work, etc), and I'm wishing I could join in on the fun!

[SK8N]

When I first started taking the Learn to Skate Freestyle classes, there was not adult Freestyle during the Saturday session.  There was one during the Monday session, but it was an inconvenient time for me so I took the classes with the kids.  I was in with the kids through FS1 & FS2.  It was fine, but since I was twice their size, I would sometimes concentrate more on trying not to do something to hurt the kids instead of the element.  For example, if we were working on spirals, I might not lift my leg as high as I could because it would put my blade at kid head level.  Then they started an Adult Freestyle and I moved into that class. 

The adult classes are all Freestyle levels in 1 class.  So the range of skills can be large.  I am currently in FS5 and the other 2 people in my class are FS1.  The kids classes are 1 level per class.  So everyone in the class is the same level, working on the same elements.  We usually work on similar things though.  We will all work on jumps or spins together, just doing what is applicable to our level.  With footwork, we tend to do things that run in the same pattern.  If the FS1 people are working on edges on a line, I'll work on cross-strokes.

Even though the Adult Freestyle is a Learn To Skate class, we pretty much work on whatever we want.  I do alot of work on the Silver Moves skills.  I also work on getting better at elements that I technically passed in lower FS levels but still aren't good at.  I am a horrible spinner, so I work on scratch spins with the FS1 people. 

And in the Adult Freestyle, I don't have to worry about the kids.  I know the adults won't skate into my path.  So overall, I prefer the adult freestyle but would go back to the kid's freestyle if they no longer offered the adult one.l