Thursday, January 16, 2014

Adult Basic 6--

USFSA changed the Basic skills for Adults from Basic 4 to Basic 6 back in the Summer. I'm cool with the decision. Basic 4 left a lot of things out and assumed Adults just wanted to learn dance. Anyway, on Wednesday I started my second class of Adult Basic 6. Yes, I graduated from Basic 8 several years ago, but followers of this blog will know I've been cursed by a lot of injuries since then and lost some skills.

Basic 6 consists of the following skills:
  1.  Forward inside OPEN mohawk, both directions
  2.  Forward Perimeter Stroking with crossover end patterns
  3.  Alternating backward crossovers with two-foottransition
  4.  Backward crossovers to a backward outside edge glide (landing position)
  5. Lunge
  6. Spiral
  7. Bunny Hop (optional)
  8. Footwork sequence: (3-5 forward crossovers to an inside Mohawk, 3-5 backward crossovers, step forward inside the circle and repeat) 
 Of this I can do everything except Forward Inside OPEN mohawk, clockwise. I'm not really worried about it. Then our coach says:

"Oh, and to pass the test to graduate, you have to do a mohawk both ways."

A TEST! I've never been to a rink that tested adults. Usually the coach would say, "Take level x next time." But at this rink, THERE'S GOING TO BE A TEST?!!!
 

And passing the test for Basic 6 is rather pointless since Free skate group classes have disappeared from the schedule.

And did I mention the rink charges me for full ice with only half ice access?
Yes rink, I'm going to keep judging you


7 comments:

  1. I would not pass Basic 6 because of one mohawk and the bunny hop. I think it's crazy that I still struggle with the counter-clockwise mohawk (it's better) and that I never learned a bunny hop. Recently, another skater tried teaching me a bunny hop, but it made no sense to me at all. You want me to stick my toe in the ice and not rotate? Are you mad??

    On another note: how do you get those wonderful and funny photos in your blog? I tried and nothing happened.

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  2. You can do it! There has always been a test before- they just never told you when you were being evaluated.

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  3. My rink has decided they don't want to pay the USFS membership fees so they are not following the exact curriculum anymore.......however, in Adult 4 they were pretty much teaching us whatever we wanted to learn anyway. A couple of us have taken several sessions of "Adult 4" because the next choice is to move up to what is now being called "Adult Advanced" and we certainly don't feel advanced!

    Fortunately, my coach still believes in ISI and makes sure we learn the skills we need to compete at ISI comps. Mostly, I stay in the LTS classes because we can skate free at ANY public session when we take group classes.

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  4. It's interesting to compare the USFSA elements with those of the ISI. My rink's LTS group lessons follow the ISI framework. There are both ISI and USFSA clubs at this rink. I currently belong to neither club, camp, tribe, whatever but probably will join our USFSA club at the start of next year's dues cycle. Under the ISI system I'm currently at the freestyle 1 level. I don't consider myself a strong or particularly elegant skater and take nothing for granted. I do think with a bit of practice I could pass the USFSA's adult 6 level. I'd need to see the back cx sequence (#3) and also the footwork pattern for the last text element (#8).

    Some things, like the bunny hop are learned for the sake of passing a level's test but then quickly lost if not used. I'm surprised by the lack of 3 turns for the USFSA's adult program. Perhaps some day the two skating organizations will standardize their tests.

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    Replies
    1. Lack of 3 turns?? Have you looked at the Adult Silver Moves? All 3 turns, all the time.

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  5. I'm talking about the adult basic 6 skills listed above. Don't see either outside or inside 3s mentioned as a basic skill. Outside forward 3s are introduced along with inside forward Mohawks in ISI's gamma level. OTOH, the lunge and the spiral are introduced at later stages under the ISI system. Are the two organizations being different just to be different, or is this difference in the introduction order of various elements a reflection of diverging teaching philosophies? If so, which is best?

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    Replies
    1. Those basic skills are just level 6. FI3 are in level 5, and FO3 are in level 4.
      I've got my opinions as to the 'why' of the organizations difference (I prefer ISI) but you'll get the same skills. Here's a post I wrote a couple of years ago: http://icedoesntcare.blogspot.com/2012/01/isi-weskate-vs-usfsa-basic-skills.html

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