#sywtlfs

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Hi this seems stupid but what are the difference between waltz jump and axel jump. Bc their entries look the same?

The waltz jump is an introductory jump, it’s the easiest because it’s only half a revolution in the air. You’re basically just turning around from forward to backwards via a jump. An axel, while also entered from forward, is a full revolution and then an extra half revolution to land backwards. It’s the hardest of all the single jumps because it’s technically not even a single as it’s got 1.5 revs, the same way a waltz isn’t a single because it’s only 0.5 revs.

#jumps and spins #sywtlfs #admin hera #anonymous replies

[sywtwfs]

do competitions have boxes that people can put their gifts in like shows do? if yes, is it the same for olympics?

We haven’t heard of that happening at major competitions. Usually, fans give skaters gifts at competitions by throwing them onto the ice after their performances. You can try asking specific competition organizers for more information on how to give skaters gifts.

sorry for bothering but what are programmes commonly used ?? like typical ones ??? thanks

There is...a lot of overused music in skating. Here are some of them, but it’s not a complete list.

I love your blog and it's really made watching skating much easier for me so thanks a lot

You’re welcome!

Do you have to go by your birth name when being announced in a competition or can you ask them to call you a different name. Ie your name is Johnathan but you go by John or in the case of a more differing nick name your name is Charles but you go by Chip or something.

Skaters can request to be announced by their nicknames. We don’t know the exact details.

Since Nebelhorn is used for olympic spots, are only skaters from countries without spots allowed to compete? what about during non olympic seasons?

Skaters from all countries can compete at Nebelhorn this year, but the placements of skaters whose countries already have Olympic spots will not affect the qualification process at Nebelhorn. In non-Olympic seasons, Nebelhorn is a Challenger Series competition just like the others (Finlandia, US Classic, etc.)

Hi! Sorry, I know I should be asking SYWTLFS, but this is an 'urgent' question so I thought I'd also ask here: I bought new skates and new blades, but won't be using them until september. They're in their box and the blades are covered by the little 'guards' they came with. I don't know if I should put soakers on the blades now even though I have never used the blades yet (plus there's still glue on the blades so that the 'guards' stick)? I'm just afraid smth might happen to the blades, thank u!

We are not skaters and are not able to answer this question any faster. If any skaters would like to help out anon by replying to this post, please feel free.

How do figure skaters select a coach that is willing to coach them through competitions and possibly the Olympics? I've never understood how the process of finding a coach works.. Like; do they live to certain places to get coaching? Does everyone get their own personal coach(s)? Where do skaters find the best coaches? (sorry for all the questions)

I think most of your questions can be answered with some basic common sense. Skaters find their first coaches at their local rinks, once they advance from initial group lessons. (In some countries like China, where the government plays a big role in sports, talented young skaters are scouted out and sent to specific training locations.) As they rise up the ranks they may search for other coaches themselves and get in contact with them. Skaters can find lower-level coaches by word of mouth in the skating community. As for famous coaches, everyone already knows who they are. Skaters often need to relocate for training. Coaches don’t go to them, they have to go to the coach. Some of them have to live far away from home.

#anonymous #replies #coaching

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

I'm curious about how you spend your training time on ice. I always wonder if I'm training effective enough?

Warm up, edges, then I practice whatever I was struggling with in my last lesson, afterwards I’ll do spins and jumps (order depends on the day) then I end with drills/cardio stuff like swizzle laps, pump laps, edge pulls and the test patterns. I normally then go for a twizzle sesh at the very very end before I hop off and do a cool down 

#ice time #training #figure skating #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

how to perform bigger waltz jumps and land without feeling wobbly / off balance??

Speed is key. If you enter slowly you won’t have enough speed for a balanced landing and it will also give you more momentum for a bigger jump. As for the landing, don’t let your body drop down when you land, or you’ll scratch your toepick and slow down. Keep your back straight and head up and sit into your landing (deep knee bends!!).

Good luck

#waltz jump #jumps and spins #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

hello, recently my mum hasn't been the lets say "biggest fan of my skating" and hasn't taken me to our local rink in about a month (I cant drive) I've gotten quite sad about this but she wont take me to my lessons or just to practise at a rink, I'm not familiar with off ice training but if theres anything I can do to keep training i would be grateful if you could tell me.

try our off ice training tag or the master list of off ice made by our wonderful admin Asyn

Is there anyway you could use public transport to get to the rink? maybe it would show your mum that you’re really passionate and she might ease up. Good luck.

#off ice training #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

I don’t even know if it’s my turn, but here is a double flip! Anyone who wants to go next, can I guess.

#sywtlfs #admin challenge #admin maddy #double flip #figure skating

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Hi! I've been taking private lessons with a coach for about two weeks now, and I've just started waltz jumps. I'm moving much more comfortably on the ice than when I first started a couple weeks ago, but it's still very frustrating sometimes. Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for not being scared by speed or the fear of falling over? A lot of my problems come from not shifting all my balance to the proper foot or leg because I'm just too cautious. When will this go away? Thank you!

Everyone falls.

That’s just how skating goes, because that is how you learn. Know that for every fall you are learning a better way to skate. The same goes for speed, the faster you go the more likely you are not to fall because you have the momentum need to keep going. The best advice I can give for jumps is it’s better to just go for it and risk the chance of a fall for the likeliness you will land it then to be cautious and increase your chance of falling because you don’t have enough momentum.

The more you practice, the less afraid you will be. Good luck.

#jumps and spins #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Do you have any tips for a beginning skater on how to stop looking down so much? My coach constantly pushes me to look far away and up, but I just can't get past the wariness.

If you look down, you’re more likely to fall because you can’t see where you’re going, you can’t see other skaters and your weight is dropping forward with your head. If you keep your head up, it lifts your whole body up and it will help you to feel more secure. Good luck!

#figure skating #sywtlfs #admin hera #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

what kind of testing would an ice dance team go through? what would they have to go through to get to being junior level what if they are 19-23 years old and still in junior level would they be behind?

From Skate Canada:Test and Age Prerequisites for CompetingJunior Event•  DANCE: 1.    TEST: Must have passed the complete Gold Dance Test or higher.2.    AGE: Shall meet ISU Junior age criteria (maximum age limit only applies)Senior EventDANCE: 1.    TEST: Must have passed the complete Gold Dance Test or higher.2.    AGE: No age requirement.

In the US the test to be a junior is “Both partners must have passed the junior moves in the field test or higher, at least two standard pregold dances and the junior free dance test”

“To be eligible for the Junior Grand Prix series, skaters must be at least 13 but not 19 (or 21 for male pair skaters and ice dancers) before the preceding July 1.”

In the us you can’t compete in juvenile and intermediate over a certain age so you would have to start at novice, and then you can’t compete internationally as juniors after a certain age so it would be hard because they don’t want the older teams clogging up the lower ranks where they can win easily to allow younger teams to grow

so this team would either have to start in juniors or wait til they can complete the testing for seniors?

i guess they would be fine in juniors domestically but if they got good enough internationally it wouldn’t be an option for them unless they were not yet 19 by July 1st for ladies, not yet 20 by July 1st for men.

so internationally it would be best to pass the mitf tests and then try and start in senior?

Yes, there is also the adult skating competition scene but idk abt the rules for that but i think those are national competitions that vary by country

#draft #ice dance #admin emma #anonymous replies #sywtlfs #anonymous

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

I'm super sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm 13 and have been skating for a year. Currently my coach has me training my double jumps. I can already land toe, flip, and loop. I haven't gone through puberty yet (as I'm still barely 5 feet tall) and my coach and I have started talking about the possibility of triples. Will I be able to get triples?

At that age it’s definitely achievable if you have doubles and if your coach is talking about triples then they probably believe it’s in your path. It’ll be up to your coach when they think you’re ready, and if they think it’s possible. From the sounds of thing its possible but again it will be up to your coach

#jumps and spins #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

After binge watching figure skating programs on YouTube at all different levels, do you guys have any tips for fluidity and general grace I guess you could say? I know some of it comes from just practicing but is there anything I can do to help flow?

Skating with music and just feeling the music, that’s what helps me. But yes practice, practice, practice makes perfect. Speed is another thing that helps as well.

#fluidity #admin hera #sywtlfs #xyeahdontcarex

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Hello! Do you have any pointers or tips on just moving more fluidly and with better balance on the ice? I've just started lessons, and I know it's going to be a while before I can really start getting comfortable, but I was wondering if you had any helpful tips? Thank you so much!

Music is my tip for this, it’s how I improve my movements, because I find that if there’s a melody to follow, I can really focus on following the flow with my body. 

As for Balance, keep your body square, hips over your ankles, shoulders over you hips and head up. this prevents you from dropping to the side. Something else that helps with balance is actually speed, the faster you go the easier it becomes to balance and skate smoothly.

#balance #fluidity #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Hey! I was wondering what your best tips are for 1 foot spins without the entry because I need to pass this level in 2 weeks and I'll only get a few hours in this week :)) One of my issues is I get really scared whenever a get a tiny bit of speed, so I lose my balance whenever my spin starts off well...

Keep your hips square, don’t let them drop or you’ll go onto an edge and lose balance. Pull everything in tight and keep yourself tight. As for being scared, yes the speed is pretty scary when you start but if you feel like you’re going to fall, you can pull out. Try and go for as long as you can and only exit the spin when you can’t hold it anymore. 

#spins and jumps #admin hera #sywtlfs #sorry for these late replies #all the admins have had exams/are about to have them #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

I am learning basic skills as an adult. I'm in a tropical country so the facilities and number of skaters are vey few. I'm going to the US this August and gonna take lessons there. But for summer, as I have limited funds, do you think it's better to have one-month pass (meaning I can access the rink at any time) or take a 10-session lesson plan? I've been progressing fine by myself but don't know if I'm productive and learning fast enough the amount of time I spend on ice so i'm still pondering.

I generally recommend going for lessons if you can, but it depends on what you view as a better investment, more ice time is good but so is having a teacher to help you learn, so it comes down to what you feel is a better choice for your money. 

I would personally go for the pass but that’s because I’ve had lessons for ages and can train alone. For those still learning basics, I’d always recommend having lessons.

Good luck

#learn to skate #admin hera #sywtlfs #anonymous replies

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

SYWTLFS Discord

I created this blog because I saw people wanting a place to ask questions about learning to skate, and now I’m seeing people wanting a place where they can communicate and befriend other people who are also learning to skate so the admin team at sywtlfs has decided to create a discord server for you guys to create that type of community, so without further adieu, here is the new SYWTLFS discord server 

join us

#sywtlfs discord #figure skating #learn to skate #announcement #admin hera #sywtlfs

[soyouwanttolearnfs]

Yesterday I went to my first skating lesson. After an hour of off-ice exercises everyone went to the rink. I was holding the wall and making steps the way coach showed me. It was going relatively well but suddenly I felt nauseated and promptly threw up. It was very embarrassing and I wanted to disappear. I didn't eat before the lesson so that wasn't the problem. Can you tell what I can do to reduce the risk of throwing up again, please?

jumping straight into an hour of off-ice can be pretty brutal. It’s not a light workout and if you’re not used to that sort of exercise it can make you feel sick. You can build up your tolerance at home by doing smaller workouts, high intensity but short bursts with recovery time in between, this will help you prepare for longer workouts. Make sure that you have eaten that day but give yourself around 2 hours before training where you don’t eat, also don’t chug down water because that can upset your stomach as well, small sips, slowly is the way to go during exercise.

#off ice training #sywtlfs #admin hera #anonymous replies