Skating Pet Peeves & Moves You Dislike

[Makkachin]

I can't be the only one who has tons of these, especially those moves that are difficult variations or level features and so many skaters are doing them, but you just cringe every time you see it because you don't think it's attractive-looking or dislike it for whatever reason.


Elements I dislike:
- Backward to forward change foot spins: I wish this wasn't a level feature because I always feel like it completely disrupts the spin. The skater does a beautifully performed I-spin, or back scratch spin in their combination.... and the impact of that nice, fast position is lost when they have to struggle to push into a forward spin and regain momentum. Disappoints me every time!

- Butt spins/A-spins: Self-explanatory. Awful and I can't figure out why this would be the position you choose to hold for 8 revolutions, either.

- Spread eagles with bent knees: So many of these get randomly inserted into step sequence or choreography and just...why? Never looks good. (Not to be confused with cantilever, those I like)


Pet Peeves:
- When skaters fist pump after a jump/any time before the program is done: Wrecks the atmosphere of the performance pretty much every time. Tacky.

- Nonspecific hand gesturing as a vehicle for "emoting" :noshake:

- Skater moves out of their ending pose/starts their bows before the music ends. Thankfully I don't see this very often at the senior level

 

[Nocturne]

I totally agree on the butt spins. Looks strange everytime xD

I cannot stand Medvedevas strange kind of spiral she does in every program for some unknown reason. She skates forward and pulls her leg up into a split, makes a half turn and glides backwards in that position. Looks simply strange and not elegant at all to me.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

A skid spiral? I love them

I dislike layback spins that are the latter half of a combo spin. Like do a combo spin and a layback spin separately...

 

[Princessroja]

UGH the hand waving for emoting, that's my biggest one. Also the moving out of place before the music ends. I don't mind butt spins though...

 

[Weathergal]

Not holding out moves long enough, especially Ina Bauers and spread eagles.

 

[silverfoxes]

Most of my pet peeves are choreo related. "Why why why?" hands, finger pointing, and that cliche move that you always see "artistic" sensitive lyrical skaters do where they arch backward and then lean forward with arms outstretched...I cringe every time.

 

[synteis]

In the same vein, 1 s spirals that are just there for TR or GOE and crowd the program without adding actual value.

Waltz jumps in step sequences that are more like steps than jumps.

Finishing on a combo with a layback at the end.

 

[Dr. Jenn]

As a former baton twirler, I cringe at badly-done illusion spins... which most of them are.... :S

 

[Amei]

Pet Peeves:
- When skaters fist pump after a jump/any time before the program is done: Wrecks the atmosphere of the performance pretty much every time. Tacky.

- Nonspecific hand gesturing as a vehicle for "emoting" :noshake:

- Skater moves out of their ending pose/starts their bows before the music ends. Thankfully I don't see this very often at the senior level

Mirai wins on that front though - her last jump of the program has a really nice spot for a fist pump that works with the music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkVKDX5xzls

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Why do dudes always run their hands thru their hair? Lolz.

 

[brens78]

When some ladies need to readjust their knickers while skating, to me it looks awkward and perhaps try something better fitting that minimises wedgies lol!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I totally agree on the butt spins. Looks strange everytime xD

I cannot stand Medvedevas strange kind of spiral she does in every program for some unknown reason. She skates forward and pulls her leg up into a split, makes a half turn and glides backwards in that position. Looks simply strange and not elegant at all to me.

A skid spiral? I love them

I dislike layback spins that are the latter half of a combo spin. Like do a combo spin and a layback spin separately...

You two are thinking of her Y-skid spiral. It's not a true traditional skid spiral like Robin Cousins invented and Jeremy Abbott does.

Jeremy actually does several in this program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-KwGwqtxec

Robin Cousins: https://youtu.be/R_xwhkc_A1E?t=183


That said, hers is still cool!

 

[Tonichelle]

A spin and a poorly extended Y/I spin... the A spin doesn't look good on anyone... and if you aren't flexible, don't force it.

 

[Makkachin]

Mirai wins on that front though - her last jump of the program has a really nice spot for a fist pump that works with the music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkVKDX5xzls

Actually yes that's an example that wasn't so bad or out of place!

 

[johnsmith72]

When a skater lands a perfectly clean jump and then proceeds to do some sloppy turns on one foot. It can look good but often looks like the skater is out of balance and simply flailing around.

Also a pet peeve is when a skater does the exact same transitions coming out of a jump for multiple seasons in a row... Evgenia I'm looking at you :scard7:

 

[Step Sequence4]

One of my big ones is badly done three jump combos, especially when its with a top senior lady doing a 3-2-2 and the speed just dies, especially when Evgenia does this because her technique is SO GOOD most of the time. Anoth r example is I remmember seeing a lot of this at jgpf

 

[AngelENTL]

Not sure what the position is called, but everyone seems to do it - after the camel, change edge, donut, that last position - sort of an upright catch foot camel - why oh why won't anyone put their hand anywhere else than on their chest??? The lack of variation in this position annoys me for some odd reason.

 

[mrrice]

Why do dudes always run their hands thru their hair? Lolz.

I don't know!!!!! I remember telling a choreographer.....Look, aint nothin' gettin' thru this fro!!!! We all had a good laugh...

 

[renla]

Butt spins! I haven't been watching figure skating for long, but I can't stand looking at that spin. It's so inelegant to me. And recently, I've been getting annoyed at skaters doing that thing where they bend forward at the waist and sweep out one arm because it's often done multiple times in a program. If it's done once, it seems I can count on seeing it again at least two more times, and I've found I don't like repeated choreography.

 

[Princessroja]

Most of my pet peeves are choreo related. "Why why why?" hands, finger pointing, and that cliche move that you always see "artistic" sensitive lyrical skaters do where they arch backward and then lean forward with arms outstretched...I cringe every time.

do you have an example of the last one? I'm having a hard time visualizing it for some reason.