Skills you find "weird"

[littlerain]

Right now, back right crossovers.  I can do left ok, so long as I'm by the boards.  Right feels completely unnatural... feet were not built to move that way!

Whenever I find something totally weird in one direction but not the other, it often comes down to my overall body alignment. For example, with my back left crossovers, I was not "hugging the circle" as much and looking down (concentrating makes me look at the ice lol). Once I worked out where I put my body, and practiced more, it has felt less weird

[iomoon]

Toe Walleys.  There's a reason nobody jumps those in competition.

[iomoon]

There's a 1/2 lutz?  I was spared that, thankfully.  Totally agree.  1/2 jumps are just weird.

Ballet Jumps are pretty, though. XD

[kr1981]

In the UK a cherry flip IS a toe loop. So if you can find out what your coach means I'd be really interested.

Oh, funny! I got the mazurka worked out (I think...), but I think what I was doing before picking with my left toe while on a RBO edge--which is right--but then I think I was doing a little hop/pivot forward (CCW), kicking out my left leg (the picking foot) and doing a hop/bounce on the right. I kind of had the idea, but was doing it with opposite feet, haha. That's what my coach called a cherry flip.

I do agree that the mazurka is awkward and difficult to learn for a lot of skaters, but the mazurka is important because when done correctly it teaches the correct foot action on the take-off to avoid a toe-waltz and later a toe-axel.

Yep! That's exactly why I'm learning the mazurka. I just started private lessons a few weeks ago and my coach asked if I could do a toe loop. I said I could 15 years ago, but don't have muscle memory for it anymore. She said, good, we'll start with the mazurka so you'll have really good technique on your toe loop. I'm glad we're starting this way instead of having me just go straight into a weak, small/cheated toe loop. When I skated in the 90s, no one at my rink started with mazurkas--everyone just went straight into the toe loop. For some reason, I vaguely remember ISI Freestyle 2 requiring a choice of ballet jump or mazurka (but maybe I'm just imagining that) only the ballet jump was taught.

[FigureSpins]

For some reason, I vaguely remember ISI Freestyle 2 requiring a choice of ballet jump or mazurka (but maybe I'm just imagining that) only the ballet jump was taught.

The Mazurka's always been an "Uncaptured Maneuver" under ISI rules.  It can be used in anyone's program.  However, it's an almost-mythical skating creature because many LTS instructors (BSS and ISI) don't know how to perform or teach the jump so they teach it as a toe-turning bunny hop or a side toe hop, if at all.  If you search this site for #jumpclinic, there's a thread on half jumps with some video and tips on the Mazurka.

My first coach (who was a ballet convert, not a competitive skater) initially taught me a Cherry Flip, which was not a Toe Loop - it was really a Toe Waltz.  Put the toepick in, turn around on it, and then do a waltz jump.  I have an awful toe loop to this day, although it gets better if I practice and remember my second coach's tutelage.  Muscle memory is hard to beat.  (For the record, my second coach not only taught me the Mazurka and re-taught the Toe Loop, she put the Mazurka in a lot of my skating programs, to reinforce the skill.)

[Doubletoe]

For the record, my second coach not only taught me the Mazurka and re-taught the Toe Loop, she put the Mazurka in a lot of my skating programs, to reinforce the skill.

Real Mazurkas are awkward and not an easy maneuver!  Great toeloop takeoff exercise, though.  Good for your second coach (and KR1981's coach)!

[Doubletoe]

Not that I've tried it, but I can't quite understand why the solo dance rules we have say that to get an extra level in a solo spin you can do it by spinning in the reverse direction. But you can't change feet because that would be considered a combination spin. So you're meant to spin and pull out on the same foot (is back spin) and then somehow get into a spin in the opposite direction. This apparently is the same difficulty as doing a sit into layback. Who thought up these rules? It's plain peculiar even contemplating doing a spin like that.

I don't know about the solo dance rules, but in IJS singles skating rules you get a level feature for doing a single position camel or sit spin in one direction immediately followed by the same spin in the other direction (change foot camel "CCSp" or change-foot sit spin "CSSp").  Unfortunately, in typical ISU fashion, the wording doesn't specify that you're doing a spin with a change of foot but no change of position; it just says, " Both directions immediately following each other in sit or camel spin."

[kr1981]

Real Mazurkas are awkward and not an easy maneuver!  Great toeloop takeoff exercise, though.  Good for your second coach (and KR1981's coach)!

Tell me about it! I've been studying YouTube videos, and found an old thread on here, and am finding that it's a whole lot harder than it looks! My leg wants to kick out (like a bunny hop) rather than scissor. Funny, my coached showed me last week and I thought to myself, oh, it's a little half jump... once I get it straightened out, I'll pick this up in no time. Famous last words, hahahaha. But I do want to learn to do a mazurka correctly, so I can have a good toe loop--and not the little toe waltz hops that I see so many skaters do.

[fsk8r]

I don't know about the solo dance rules, but in IJS singles skating rules you get a level feature for doing a single position camel or sit spin in one direction immediately followed by the same spin in the other direction (change foot camel "CCSp" or change-foot sit spin "CSSp").  Unfortunately, in typical ISU fashion, the wording doesn't specify that you're doing a spin with a change of foot but no change of position; it just says, " Both directions immediately following each other in sit or camel spin."

The IJS single rules allow you to change the feet to push off into the other spin direction. The solo dance rules we're using, only allow that for a change foot spin (which in dance is a combination spin unlike free which calls anything with a change of position a combination). But for a spin with no change of foot, you are meant to pull out of one spin and immediately get into a spin going the other direction, which requires you to pull out on your back edge, change edge and get yourself spinning again. The only positive, is that unlike free skating, we're allowed to do the reverse spin in the upright position which means that if you are allowed to change feet in your spin, it's easier to achieve than for free skating.

[karne]

Mazurkas and ballet jumps just about killed me.

Right now, back inside edges and Ina Bauer. I cannot, for the life of me, work out why the Ina Bauer is a required element in Aussie Skate.

[lutefisk]

Schaefer pushes. Weird stuff.

Ditto on Schaefer pushes.  I can get the job done on one side but not the other.  I have to keep telling myself to turn out more so that I push with the ball of the blade and not the heel. 

The Tango stop is related to the push.  Also v. strange.  I thought that once I got the push to work the stop would come quickly--not so!

[tazsk8s]

Add me to the "mazurka is weird" club. I never have been able to do the "scissor" action my coach wants every time we play with this one.

I never liked the ballet jump either - but I have exactly zero "ballet" skills. Ditto the half toe walley. Who actually does that jump other than FS2 skaters?

I LOL'd at Agnes and the back wiggles. They're fine when I'm teaching tots and younger kids (I use the "wag your tail like a really happy puppy" analogy to get them going), but they just don't work on older kids and adults.

The other awkward move in Basic Skills...forward alternating swizzle pumps in Basic 2. I just can't figure out a really good way to explain these and the kids usually end up doing awkward looking forward swizzle things.

[Rachelsk8s]

I still to this day find forward Mohawks awkward I mean I can do them, but even as a kid I thought them to just feel off lol

[AgnesNitt]

Back crossrolls.

The road to hell is lined with failed back crossrolls.

[Gabby on Ice]

Back 3-turns. Those things are very tricky

[icedancer]

Back 3-turns. Those things are very tricky

And for me the back inside especially... Yowsa.

[dlbritton]

Back crossrolls.

The road to hell is lined with failed back crossrolls.

The hockey coach said not to attempt back crossrolls without a helmet on.

[AgnesNitt]

The hockey coach said not to attempt back crossrolls without a helmet on.

That's because they can't use toepicks1 

[Bill_S]

I remember that the whole concept of the salchow jump just seemed wrong when it was being explained to me. The discussion with the coach went something like this...

"Let me see if I have this right, I make some turns and end up skating backwards, then you want me to jump back toward where I just came from?"

"Basically, yes"

"I just stepped through it without jumping, and I can't see how it's possible. Are you playing a mean trick on me, coach?"

"Nope, just trust me, and do it!"

<shrug> "OK, here goes!"

It ended up being one of the easier jumps to learn and the only one that I ever doubled. It still seems like Newtonian physics can't possibly explain this jump though. Even today, the forces I feel when doing this jump are different from the others.

[ChristyRN]

The sal is the only jump where I feel like I'm flying and doesn't scare the $^!+ outta  me. I just wish I could control the swingy free leg more consistantly.

Now loop? I don't get that at all. My coach is trying her best to teach it to me and I keep doing a half loop. It's apparently pretty good, but not what I'm supposed to be doing.

[Neverdull44]

Inside spirals, in any direction.

[Bill_S]

Ha, yes! Spirals.

I always felt absurd doing them for the moves test. And when a friend made me wear some Santa gear to clown around for a picture, it got even weirder. Here's evidence...



Blackmail material. I just plain don't do them anymore because I feel silly.

[AgnesNitt]

You know Bill, if you get a decent Santa suit, rinks will pay you to skate at Christmas on public. Especially since you would be a "REAL BEARD" Santa (RBS).

I know a couple who skate as Santa and Mrs Claus every year. He has a nice suit (not some crappy POS) and the kids just go wild since he's an RBS. (yes they know when 'santa' is  teeage rink guard in a cheap suit)

[Bill_S]

You know Bill, if you get a decent Santa suit, rinks will pay you to skate at Christmas on public.

Hey, I like that! It would be another profit center for Bill_S Heavy Industries!

One snag is that there's only one rink within 75 miles (the university's - read "cheapskates"), and Santa's sleigh is over 10 years old.

[Query]

If God, evolution, or the aliens of "2001: A Space Odyssey" had meant us to skate, we would have been born with blades on our feet.

Is there anything about skating that isn't weird?