What level am I?

I started Learn To Skate for adults almost 6 weeks ago and have been practicing about 7-10 hours a week. I can't for the life of me figure out what curriculum my coach is using for the group class and am progressing on my own faster than the class covers material. I may need to register for the next class level, but haven't the faintest clue what level I'm at now (the class covers basic 1-3 and I don't know where the class is in that, let alone where I am). Should I be registering again for basic 1-3 on the assumption I'm now at basic 2 as a new skater? Good ole' Google research is turning up conflicting results about skills you're supposed to learn at each level. Right now on my own time I'm doing forward crossovers, single leg backward glides in a low arabesque, 2 foot spins, etc. And some single rotation one foot spins, but not consistently and probably not correctly (I plie and just rotate, but what I'm reading online suggests I should instead be transitioning from a 2 foot spin into the 1 for version). But in class our coach has us working on stuff like forward single leg glides, backward swizzles and forward and backward snowplow stops and I'm wondering when we're going to do the other stuff I'm doing on my own time. One thing I read online suggested we were already supposed to do the 2 foot spins, another that it don't be taught for another few levels. Ahhh!

Any idea what level my class is in the current Learn To Skate curriculum, and what level I am? I am so confused...

wobblepro said:

Right now on my own time I'm doing forward crossovers, single leg backward glides in a low arabesque, 2 foot spins, etc. And some single rotation one foot spins, but not consistently and probably not correctly (I plie and just rotate, but what I'm reading online suggests I should instead be transitioning from a 2 foot spin into the 1 for version).

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Unfortunately, you're probably not doing any of that entirely correctly if you were never taught. That doesn't mean that you're doing it poorly or that you won't pick up the proper technique right away when taught, though! Also, I was doing a lot of things incorrectly that I was taught (by busy group lesson coaches who didn't have time to give everyone enough individual attention), so that is not meant as a criticism or anything specific to you.

If you learned all that in less than six weeks and have the time/money for that many hours of practice, then correct technique or not, you have a lot of natural talent and resources, and I think you'd be much better off with private lessons than groups.

You should probably inquire with your skating director and look into getting a private coach, that way you progress properly and will have one on one attention, because it sounds like the Adult LTS classes are a mess and not working for you.


Good luck!

hanyuufan5 said:

Unfortunately, you're probably not doing any of that entirely correctly if you were never taught. That doesn't mean that you're doing it poorly or that you won't pick up the proper technique right away when taught, though! Also, I was doing a lot of things incorrectly that I was taught (by busy group lesson coaches who didn't have time to give everyone enough individual attention), so that is not meant as a criticism or anything specific to you.

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That's about what I've been experiencing. I teach myself something somewhat incorrectly, and then when it pops up in class, I get corrected and it seems to go faster than if I was just barely being introduced to it. Practicing on my own seems to at least give me a slight head start, if only in terms of balance and proprioception. And it keeps me from getting bored...

I may take your advice and look into private lessons if I can find someone who will take an old newbie.

I would also suggest looking into private lessons. I don't think finding a coach will be difficult. There is a coach at my rink who coached at the Olympics and another who was a junior world champion and they both have had adult students and lower level students. Not all coaches work with adults or lower levels but many do- ask the skating director who they recommend or alternately if you like any of your group lesson instructors speak to them.

Good luck!

Just to add to people's advice, 30 minutes of group lesson for 10 hours of practice is too little at your level, and you might be picking up bad habits. Try to take at least 2 lessons spaced out in a week (whether you stay with group or do privates, or do 1 group and 1 private) if you're skating that much.

This is the official Adult Learn to Skate curriculum: https://www.learntoskateusa.com/media/1085/curriculum_adult.pdf

You should communicate with your coach about your concerns and ask him/her what level to sign up for if you intend to continue with group lessons. These group Learn to Skate classes normally give you a test at the end of the session to see how far you've progressed, and you might even get fun badges for Level 1, 2, etc. This would also help you know what level to sign up for. Sounds like things might be run a little... creatively? at your rink, though.

Since you seem to enjoy skating a great deal (10 hours a week is a lot at your level), doing a combination of group lessons and private lessons might a good idea. Or, if money isn't an issue, switching entirely to privates. Good luck!

bunnybarista said:

This is the official Adult Learn to Skate curriculum: https://www.learntoskateusa.com/media/1085/curriculum_adult.pdf

You should communicate with your coach about your concerns and ask him/her what level to sign up for if you intend to continue with group lessons. These group Learn to Skate classes normally give you a test at the end of the session to see how far you've progressed, and you might even get fun badges for Level 1, 2, etc. This would also help you know what level to sign up for. Sounds like things might be run a little... creatively? at your rink, though.

Since you seem to enjoy skating a great deal (10 hours a week is a lot at your level), doing a combination of group lessons and private lessons might a good idea. Or, if money isn't an issue, switching entirely to privates. Good luck!

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Okay this is super helpful, thanks. So we haven't covered 1B, 2F, or 3C, but we have done hockey stops, which are a basic 4 skill. And my classmates are still struggling with what they've learned. So maybe tomorrow in the last day of class we'll cover the rest of the 1-3 material and then those of us who assess well will start on the basic 4 and those of us who don't will repeat the basic 1-3 class? Or maybe everyone has to repeat basic 1-3? Guess I'll see tomorrow!

In the meantime, I am taking ya'll's advice and looking into lessons with a private coach. Found one who is willing to do a trial lesson tomorrow before my class. Looking forward to it! It does bring up a new question though... how much is "too much" for private lessons for a newbie?

The adult LTS class I was in back in April sounds like it was run pretty similarly to yours, OP. I got frustrated with my class (can any adult who's actually practicing at least a few hours a week really take eight straight weeks of forward swizzles, forward marching, forward two foot gliding, snowplow stops, dips, rocking horse, and nothing else? Because I certainly couldn't but testing was for the end of the session only and I was in Adult 1), got a private coach (in addition to the group lessons because hey, ice time), and immediately saw improvement, gained new skills, and wasn't bored. My coach was also able to easily correct some things I had not been doing right because I'm just starting out. Better to learn it right the first time than have to relearn it later, it's always harder that way. If money is an issue, I know a lot of coaches will be fine with doing a lesson every other week instead of every week, things like that, and it's still well worth it IMHO.

Do you mean how often? I know kids who have lessons every day they skate! It’s really up to you and how you learn. At some point you have diminishing returns from having more lessons and the coach is just watching you practice, but some people want that. I would personally think about using group class as a cheap supervised practice/social time and private lessons as the time for real learning. You can gradually add more lessons until you get the feel for what you want.

jf12 said:

Do you mean how often? I know kids who have lessons every day they skate! It’s really up to you and how you learn. At some point you have diminishing returns from having more lessons and the coach is just watching you practice, but some people want that. I would personally think about using group class as a cheap supervised practice/social time and private lessons as the time for real learning. You can gradually add more lessons until you get the feel for what you want.

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Oops, sorry, I mean how much money is too much?

I agree that group and private at the same time will probably work well right now, in part to ensure that I keep being able to do public skate for free... but also so my boyfriend and I can keep taking class together for a bit longer.

The cost of private lessons really depends on where you live.

So, mystery solved. We had our assessment tonight and I passed Basic 3 and get to start on Basic 4 next week. I'm already practicing all of the Basic 4 stuff and just need to actually, yanno, learn to do it WELL.

wobblepro said:

So, mystery solved. We had our assessment tonight and I passed Basic 3 and get to start on Basic 4 next week. I'm already practicing all of the Basic 4 stuff and just need to actually, yanno, learn to do it WELL.

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There’s a Skate coach app that explains what is at each level, gives a brief description then has a video showing the proper technique. I have found it to be really helpful, especially if class was busy and my brain didn’t absorb everything first time around. Not free, I think it was maybe $3-4. A good supplemental tool, might be useful for the things that were skipped or glossed over. Just a suggestion!