2016 Skating Resolutions

[CaraSkates]

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

[Bunny Hop]

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

[amandascw]

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

[nicklaszlo]

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

[davincisop]

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!

[davincisop]

Another update to this!

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.

[jazzpants]

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




• 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...    )
• 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!!!      Going thru hoops now just to have my health insurance pay for a dietitian.

[PhysicsOnIce]

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

[Toby Wollin]

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!!

[skategeek]

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. 

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)

[iomoon]

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!
Beast mode?

[davincisop]

Another update to this!

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.

[skategeek]

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.

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.

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)

[holdontilmae]

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 
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 
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  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 

[LunarSkater]

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?

[dkd]

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.

[icepixie]

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.

[Feebee]

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
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.

[JSM]

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.

[skategeek]

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

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!

[Neverdull44]

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 . . .

[davincisop]

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." **

[AgnesNitt]

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.

[ls99]

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

[Doubletoe]

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