I know, you have a crazy Soviet-trained coach who barks at you on a regular basis, you practice your ass off, then you return to the crazy coach who leans back on one skate, folds his arms across his chest, glares and says, "not bad" even though you know what you did was perfect. That I know. That I do.
I often look at my skating friends as "serious" skaters. They have coaches from whom they take private lessons. They don't go ice skating, they go to practice. They skate 2-4 hours a week. They skate at three different rinks, depending on their schedules and they have every rink schedule in their iPads. They have jargon-laden conversations about edges and extension. I do all of this too. But what makes them "serious skaters" and me "recreational" is that they participate in a formalized testing program.
- How do you find the courage to skate in front of people who are judging what you're doing?
- What motivates you to skate in front of someone who gets to arbitrarily decide if your skating is good enough?
- What does it feel like if you pass? If you fail?
- What made you decide to take a more formalized approach to skating?
- How much wine do you drink?
I'm so impressed by adult skaters who test. I can't imagine doing it. I hate it when people watch me skate. I'm certain I would wither under the gaze of an evaluator. (Hell, I wither under the gaze of my own coach.) You all have something in your DNA that I wish I had.
The longer I skate, the more my friends ask why I'm not testing. Because I'm a big, fat chicken, that's why. Okay, I'm not big or fat, but I am a chicken. That's unlikely to change.
This is a GREAT set of questions. I have been thinking about starting testing myself. It's a little scary. Because, seriously, yesterday while practicing, I landed two or three actually good salchows, ones I knew my coach would like. But today, in my lesson, with just her watching, I couldn't land a single one, couldn't even set one up reasonably well. It was like I hadn't been practicing at all. Perhaps I could manage the MIF tests, since they don't involve leaving the ground or spinning out of control -- but, really, I hope some other people answer this because I just don't know HOW I will know I'm ready for that.
ReplyDeleteI think the whole former soviet skater turned coach barking business is half the fun. It makes the lesson seem serious.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why people get tied up in knots over testing. I think it's a good experience. Your coach won't put you in front of judges unless he/she thinks you're ready. It's a goal, that once you've achieved it signals you can move onto more difficult things.
And as an adult, failure will be a disappointment, not a crisis. It's a signal to either work harder on my skating, or on myself.
I test and compete because if I don't I won't try to do anything better. I need the motivation to try harder. The first time I failed bronze moves I cried. None of that adult learning from your mistakes and working harder for me. Cried like a baby.
ReplyDeleteI skip the wine and go straight to the vodka.
MommyTime -- Oh! That happens to me all the time! I'll be skating so well when I'm practicing, then my coach shows up and I can't do any of it. He probably thinks I'm making absolutely no progress because he never sees my best skating.
ReplyDeleteAs for testing...maybe the fact that you're thinking about it is a sign you're ready to do it? Go for it!! (Says the woman who just wrote a whole blog post on the scariness of being tested...)
Babbette -- When people make comments about my coach, "one of the Russians? They're so hardcore," I always nod in agreement, sigh dramatically about my coach's high expectations. I neglect to mention that I also laugh my way through every lesson because my coach is too hilarious for words. Why let people in on the secret that while he's kicking my ass, he's cracking me up.
ReplyDeleteAs for getting worked up about testing...a friend of mine teases me because I have no problem giving presentations to hundreds of people, but ask me to do a couple crossovers in front a friend and I freeze. I never said I was rational. This is why I think you testing folks are fearless!
I just saw some video someone took of me saturday. I need more knee bend. Now I'm nervous.
ReplyDeleteorangechiffon -- Awwww...you cried? I totally would've been a shoulder for you to cry on. You and Babbette have that DNA though, which is so cool. I don't know if I'd find testing motivating. I'd be so shaky and nervous, I probably wouldn't pass and even if I did pass, I'm not sure it would be worth the ulcer I'd give myself taking the test. I'm a confident woman, but this stuff freaks me out. So irrational.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do know that I can drink vodka like a pro, so next time you test, let's get (virtual) cocktails. First round is on me! ;-)
Babbette -- Don't be nervous! Like you said, your coach wouldn't put you out there if you weren't ready. You'll rock that test! I've been reading about your prep work...you're ready and you'll be awesome. Go nail that test! (And I'll check in with you tomorrow...)
ReplyDeleteI'm currently waiting for a date for my first test (level 1 field moves). They're so boring that it would seem pointless to work on them for so long and then not test. Coach saying "that's fine, we'll do level 2 from now on" just isn't the same. Although I guess if I didn't want to test, we wouldn't have spent so long focusing on them.
ReplyDeletePassed Dutch Waltz. The results are over on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support. I think I need a nap now. I'm past the age for vodka. :-)
Anonymous -- Good luck with your first test! Sounds like you're well-prepared. That's great!
ReplyDeleteBabbette -- Of course I scampered right over to your blog. Congrats! Hope you were able to get that post-test nap.
OMG, testing is THE WORST. I'd rather compete than test any day. When you compete, people are cheering you on and there's music. When you test, it's Just. You. It's dead silent. Nobody's making a sound, so you can hear every bad edge and toepick scrape. It's totally nerve-wracking -- at any age, but especially as an adult, I think.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, that's so true. I even had tunnel vision, I was so nervous.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth and Babbette -- Your most recent comments have inspired me to make a New Year's Resolution: no testing. Ever! :-)
ReplyDeleteI think once you commit to testing some of the trepidation goes away, or it channels anyway. It's also really important to find a coach that will just let you take the damned test. Nothing more discouraging than a coach who never thinks all that stuff you've been working so hard on is good enough yet. Hey, Coach, one foot in the grave here! Time's a wasting! ;)
ReplyDelete"One foot in the grave here! Time's a wasting!" Can't stop laughing!
ReplyDeleteFor me, testing is something that I have to do to get where I am going. It's just another task like training. I'll admit it, I get nervous. I'll be a shaking mess. I'll have the MIF perfect for 2 weeks leading up to the test and then screw it all up. But it has to be done so I put my big girl panties on and go do it.
ReplyDelete