Adult MIF

Hi everyone. I've been ice skating for a few years now, just group lessons and synchro. I really enjoy setting and achieving goals. I've been thinking about adult MIF, I just don't know much about it. Can you guys tell me about it?

When you test, can you JUST test on the moves you were taught, or do you have to come up with a program and skate to music? Do you have to compete, or can you just learn the moves and then take the test on those moves. I just want to learn correct form and follow a clear and direct path, but I'm not one for dramatic performances. (Imagine my surprise when my coach told me that ice skating was all about the performance.) For me skating has always been about enjoying freedom with family and friends.

I feel that maybe the MIF would give me a clear path for learning in sequence. I could be wrong, that's why I'm asking.

I'm middle aged, I DON'T want to wear a skirt or leggings. I just want to learn correct form and follow a clear and direct path. Skating has been the center of my life since I was young, it's a passion that just doesn't go away (quad skating and slalom skating). Just wondering if MIF is the path for me. Thanks.

So I think you're a little muddled here. Tests like the ones you're describing are generally split into two parts - the MITF or Moves tests, and the Freestyle part of the tests. The Freestyle part is where you make up a program and perform it. Moves tests only require you to complete the Moves cleanly.

You absolutely can test Moves only, without ever having to perform. However, the MITF does not include jumps/spins, so if you want to test those, you will have to do the program part of the test.

http://www.usfsa.org/content/AllAboutTests.pdf

Here is a good link about testing, if you're in the US. It sounds like MIF would be a good path. However during the actual test you may be encouraged by your coach to wear a skirt or leggings, because the judges need to see your body line, such as, if your legs are straight on spirals.

karne said:

You absolutely can test Moves only, without ever having to perform. However, the MITF does not include jumps/spins, so if you want to test those, you will have to do the program part of the test.

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In the US, the first freestyle test in the sequence (adult pre-bronze, and pre-preliminary on standard track) does not require a program to music. Starting with preliminary and adult bronze, a program is required.

Schpanky said:

(Imagine my surprise when my coach told me that ice skating was all about the performance.) For me skating has always been about enjoying freedom with family and friends.

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It sounds like you and your coach have differing ideas about your skating goals. I suggest communicating with your coach about your goals. For many, performing and competing is their goal. For others, the goal is just to enjoy the sport and become a solid skater, or just to move up the tests ladder. You sound like the latter.

IMO, MITF tests provide a good structure for evaluating the progress of your skating, and I would encourage anyone to test if at all possible. On the other hand, if you focus only on working on the 6 patterns required in each MITF test, and nothing else, you won't necessarily become a solid skater. That would be the skating equivalent of "teaching to the test".

In the same vein, doing programs isn't the be all and end all of skating, nor does it make you a solid skater, but it does have other pleasures, such as artistic expression through the medium we love, skating.

A small comment on wearing a skirt or leggings: depending on how nit-picky your test judges are, they could be put off by non-skating-appropriate clothing. At my rink, everyone wears a dress to test, even the low level MITF tests. (Somehow we always get super nit-picky judges. One judge even complained about a skater not putting her very long hair in a bun.)

When I first started skating as an adult, we were still encouraged (read that as required) to wear a skirt while skating. Now, however, that's no longer the case. Even the kids can wear typical skating practice wear for a MITF test*. The adults have more latitude, and can wear yoga pants or something similar that's less form fitting than leggings. And certainly you don't have to wear a skirt.

But overall, you dress neatly. No holes in your stuff. Hair up or back. For kids, all the girls do wear their hair up, at least in a ponytail. For adults, again, there's more latitude - I wear a headband so my hair is back, but it's not up.

This likely will vary from one region of the US to another. I'm in NY/NJ.

*The exception is dance tests. Dance tests tend to be more formal. For those, I wear a dress. But MITF? Pfffft. Yoga pants.

I usually test dances the same day as MITF, so for dance I wear the dress and no gloves, but for MITF where I'm going to be on the ice more than a few minutes, it's a nice black fitted jacket and gloves so that I don't freeze my tush off. I'm debating wearing pants for my upcoming for moves and then switching to a dress for dance later. But my rink is a little more formal so I don't know for sure if I could get away with it.