2015 Skating Resolutions

[AgnesNitt]

And, FI3 has succumbed to my coach's patience and my struggle to engineer the hell out of them.

So 2011 is done. On to 2016.

[riley876]

I am so far *hating* my 2015 skating year.   Only good thing:  no major injuries this year (so far).

For everything I get, I erase something else.  Particularly the battle between power pulls and threes.  Nothing has been sticking.   

I want the 500+ hours back that I've spend on skates so far this year.   Because they've been utterly pointless, and utterly miserable.   My skating year is a lemon and I want my money back.

Here's to 2016. *clink*

[Neverdull44]

THE OUTCOME TO MY RESOLUTIONS

I hope to pass my bronze tests in January. (OUTCOME, Passed in early 2015)
Compete at State Games in Omaha. (OUTCOME, Didn't happen due to groin injury)
I think an axel would be nice, but I'll go for a 6 revolution camel spin (OUTCOME, Had some awesome camel spins this 2015, meeting 6 revoltions and in combination with sit spins & back spins) & a flying camel spin with 5+ revolutions (Outcome, Made 3 revolutions but not all that pretty).

[ChristyRN]

So 2011 is done. On to 2016.

That made me laugh! Good thing I'm alone, because only the dog looked at me like I was crazy.

[AgnesNitt]

That made me laugh! Good thing I'm alone, because only the dog looked at me like I was crazy.

I set my standards low and I stay there. If I meet them, I'm pleasantly surprised.

[saje]

Here's where I stand at the end of 2015...

1. Moves in the Field:

• Take and pass Intermediate MITF.  Nope.   Took and failed in August.  My best set of twizzles decided not to show up on test day.  I'm going to try to test again in the spring.
• Begin working on Novice MITF and be able to complete each pattern somewhat correctly.  I've worked on some of the patterns but not very seriously (or recently).

2. Jumps:

• Land axel more consistently than in 2014.  Yes!  I landed my axel only a handful of times in 2014.  Now I'm landing axels every session I skate!
• Land double salchow at least once.  Yes!  This is actually a better/easier jump for me than the axel.
• Land double toe loop at least once.  Yes, but only out of a backspin.
• Begin working on double loop.  Yes - AND I've landed it (1/2 turn cheated, though).

3. Spins:

• Get a lower sit position.  Yes, but still not as low as when I was a teenager.
• Get additional revolutions in cannonball and tuck behind sit variations.  Haven't really worked on these very much...
• Get a nicer and lower position in back sit.  I think so?
• Get at least five (nice) revolutions in back camel.  Four on a good day.  Much better than it was!
• Begin working on flying camel.  Yes.  It's coming along nicely.
• Be able to lay back more in layback.  Still not great, but better than before.

It's crazy what a difference a year makes!  I started taking lessons again as an adult just over a year ago.  In that time, I've almost passed my intermediate moves, gotten my axel and double salchow back, begun working on and landing jumps I never attempted as a teenager, and shown some serious improvement in my spins.  Hoping that 2016 will be as successful as 2015!

[Live2Sk8]

My progress on 2015 goals - started out great, then turned into worst year of my life for many personal and family reasons.  2016 cannot come soon enough.

* Take and pass Bronze FS test - I passed my test, first try, in January!  Was so thrilled.
* Continue working on first three dances with goal to test and pass one of the three by December, either partnered or solo -   Decided not to test; so expensive unless you want to compete.  All 3 dances improved, and I just started on Fiesta Tango and Swing Dance.
* Compete in 6 competitions this year, 2-3 events each -   This was good - competed at 7 competitions, and went to Adult Nationals for the first time!  Despite some devastating news the week before, I had the time of my life at AN.
* Choose music for a new Light program and have ready to compete in late summer/early autumn -   Yes!  Love my new program.
* Choose music for a new FS program and have ready to compete (or skate in recital) by end of year -   Yes!  Was able to compete 1x, and it wasn't horrible despite coach challenging me greatly, and will skate in a recital as well.
* If given an opportunity to skate in an adult group number again, go for it! -   Yes, and it was so much fun.  Had another opportunity but life intervened for most of us and we couldn't do it after all.
* Continue working on all skating skills -   Yes, although horrid experience with new boots and blades meant I went back to Snowplow Sam level for most of the summer.  They're fine now, though.
* 3-rev camel spin; 2-rev back camel spin -   No.  See above (new boots and blades).

  So grateful to be able to skate during this terrible year.  More bad news means I will be off the ice for awhile, but I know the ice will be waiting for me when I get better.

[Bunny Hop]

1) Learn to be more confident on ice (carried over from....well, forever)
2) Pass the preliminary edges test (you know, that thing I've been working on for the last four years)

This may not go well! 

Well, I was right - it didn't go well! I do believe I have made a small amount of progress on point 1, but 2 is as far off as it ever was! If the rules allowed me to just test dance I'd already be testing. Stupid rules!

[skategeek]

OK, so this year I'm dividing things up into what I want to do and how I plan to get there.  After June my job responsibilities shift and I have more time and energy to devote to this.  So...

1.  Pass ISI Beta/Gamma and/or USFSA Adult 3 and 4.
    Continue LTS classes; add a second class at my regular ISI rink or the USFSA rink starting in the summer.
2.  Improve general fitness- flexibility, cardio, strength/endurance.
    Continue stretching daily at home and after skating; sign up for a pilates/yoga class starting in the summer.
3.  Improve presentation skills, put together a program.
    Private lessons starting in the summer; aim for next year's NJ Basic Skills competition series.
4.  Increase confidence in general.
   Skate at least twice a week in addition to classes/lessons.  Fall!

End of the year... how'd I do?
1.  Haven't passed any of these but I've made progress toward them.  I think I could just about pass Adult 3 now.  Instead of adding a second class I've started private lessons.
2.  Did OK with daily stretching for a while, then got busy in the fall and need to get back to it.  No pilates, but I started karate in the fall, and I've been doing a little bit of yoga (Pocket Yoga app) maybe once a week.
3.  Started privates this fall; hoping to put together a program for late spring.
4.  Did ok with this starting in the fall; made my goal of skating 2 hrs/week on average for the year.  Still haven't fallen.  This is getting silly.

Now to work on my 2016 goals!

[alejeather]

Okay, time to document my goals for the year.

1. Land clean Axel in competition
2. Land Double Salchow
3. Land Double Loop
4. Start Double Toe
5. Pass Gold FS
6. Compete in my first Gold/IJS competition
7. 8-rev camel spin
8. Add IJS spins to repertoire
9. Pass Foxtrot and European Waltz
10. Add off-ice routine to my training

I've not been around here much this year, but I've still been skating! It's been a busy year - I got a new job, moved apartments, got engaged, and planned 80% of a wedding. I've met some great skating goals along the way! But not all of them that I set out to at the beginning of 2015.

[y] 1. Landed my first (and only) axel in competition at ANs! I'm incredibly proud of that moment.
[y] 2. I started landing double salchow in November! It was a year to the week after landing my first axel. I really like this jump, but I'm not focusing on it a ton right now.
[n] 3. I did not land a double loop. I didn't work on it much at all.
[y] 4. I did start on double toe. My coach was really happy with my initial attempts, but I lost the feel for it, and quit practicing it because I just didn't have the time.
[n] 5. I did not even take the Gold FS test. I decided that I had more I could do at silver and wasn't ready to move up, so I'm staying another year.
[y] 6. I did skate up to gold in one event over the summer and got an IJS score. It was certainly eye opening! There were a lot of dashes!
[~] 7. I have done the occasional 8 rev camel. It's possible, but not constant.
[y] 8. I have made camel-catch into one of my program spins, as well as an 8 rev cannonball. That's a good enough start for me. I'm trying to develop some strong level 1 or 2 spins, rather than go crazy trying to achieve higher levels.
[n] 9. I did not take any dance tests this year. Because of this, I probably won't be competing in dance at ANs 16
[n] 10. Um, oops. None. In fact, I got worse at even warming up off ice.

5.5/10 - I'll have some thing to carry over for 2016, but I think I may scale back a little!

[ChristyRN]

I second yours and add my own:

3. Pass bronze MITF test
4. Continue to work in scratch, back scratch and sit.
5. Progress from half to full flip and learn loop.
6. Compete again. If I can get my lungs to let me do a full 1:30 program.

3. Pass bronze MITF test. Passed in August
4. Continue to work in scratch, back scratch and sit. Not gonna happen until my grandson graduates from college. He's in kindergarten.
5. Progress from half to full flip and learn loop. Coach wants me to learn loop first. We started it after bronze MITF
6. Compete again. If I can get my lungs to let me do a full 1:30 program. Started walking to build up my endurance. I figure if I can walk a mile + in under 20 minutes, I should be able to last for 1:30 on ice, right?
[/quote]

[Meli]

1. Pre-bronze MIF and FS tests (not going to make it for 2014).  Scheduled for Jan 31.
2. Toe loop. Meh. It happens when next to the wall, but I'm otherwise a big chicken.
3. The weight thing. Lost a few, toned up a bit, not the progress I wanted, but given the circumstances this year, it's a miracle I didn't gain 50.
4. Higher spirals.  High enough to test, could still be better.
5. Keep to an off-ice workout plan (I've already bought a mini day planner to keep track!)  So didn't happen.
6. More revs on the spin... would like at least six.  Have more revs (still not six) and now have a scratch!
7. New boots.  Got em back in April... new blades too!
8. At least two competitions. Managed to do four.

[PinkLaces]

I didn't have any 2014 resolutions as I was injured the last part of the year and well into the spring. So......

1. Stay healthy/avoid injury. Yes!
2. Have a consistent off-ice routine to build strength and flexibility. Yep. Did really well at this.
3. Pass ISI open silver FS by the Spring ice show. Nope, but I may be ready to pass this by end of Jan 2016
4. Master my nemesis -the back 3 turns. Yes to LBO & RBO. LBI is okay. RBI I still sometimes struggle a bit with.
5. My reach goal: USFS Silver Moves by the end of 2015. Yeah, this was really a stretch, but much improved all those moves.