Best advice on improving as a beginner. What to focus on?
Hi! I’m 23F and I’ve been skating for about 6 months. I’m testing Adult Pre-Bronze in 2 weeks, and my coach is pretty confident I’ll pass!
I’m looking for advice on how to improve the quality of my skating.
I skate 3-4x a week for about 3-4 hours total. I feel like I’ve been a little stagnant lately, so I’m trying to figure out what I can work on outside of just skating more.
Some specific things I struggle with:
- I can’t consistently cross my leg in a scratch spin.
- I don’t understand the rocker for a backspin.
- My edges aren’t as strong or consistent as I want them to be.
- I’m not sure how much knee bend I should actually be using.
- I struggle with keeping my core and arms controlled. I’m constantly opening my arms when I’m supposed to be checked
I’m also starting ballet next week because I’m hoping it will help with things like posture and body control.
For those of you who have improved a lot in these areas, what helped you the most?
What’s the biggest tip, drill, or change in your training that helped you become a noticeably better skater?
Are there any off-ice drills, exercises, or things I can practice at home? I’m genuinely willing to practice every day if it will help.
I completely understand that skating takes time and that I’m still very new. I’m not expecting to become an amazing skater overnight. I’m just really eager to improve and would love to know what I can focus on rather than just waiting for things to click.