Skating Pet Peeves & Moves You Dislike
- Thread starter Makkachin
- Start date
I was about to start a thread just so I could talk about how much I dislike Pair StSq, but thankfully this one came along...
I loathe the StSq's that the pairs have to do in the SP. I'm so grateful that it's only in the SP we have to see them. I'm a major Pairs fan--right now it is my favorite discipline, by a lot. But seriously, StSq's add nothing to a Pairs SP. Even the top pairs have a hard time making it look like anything other than an exercise. They seem to completely halt the speed and energy of the short, and I've yet to see one that actually seamlessly fits into a program. The frees are so much better without them.
And yes, I understand why they are included. They reveal a lot about skating skills and technique. But that doesn't make them any more interesting to watch :noshake:
I loathe the StSq's that the pairs have to do in the SP. I'm so grateful that it's only in the SP we have to see them. I'm a major Pairs fan--right now it is my favorite discipline, by a lot. But seriously, StSq's add nothing to a Pairs SP. Even the top pairs have a hard time making it look like anything other than an exercise. They seem to completely halt the speed and energy of the short, and I've yet to see one that actually seamlessly fits into a program. The frees are so much better without them.
And yes, I understand why they are included. They reveal a lot about skating skills and technique. But that doesn't make them any more interesting to watch :noshake:
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2014
What are "Why" hands?? Is this them???
Like these ones at 0:20: https://youtu.be/lTXFdNfip9o?t=20
Or 1:20: https://youtu.be/IXDV3RdfcNE?t=77
Edit: Maren and Karen aren't the only ones using them - they are a must have for every other tango program
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
I dislike that spin Alaine is doing where she is squatting but one of her legs is lifted and parallel to the ground.
I think this is another prime example of doing a skill simply for the points and not for the sake of artistry. Its supposedly super-hard to do, but agree that its sort of awkward looking when you watch it.
I personally don't like:
--the campy over-emoting of the face for dramatic purposes;
--when pairs skaters talk to each other during the program;
--split jumps if you aren't able to get anywhere close to 180 degrees;
--y-spins if you aren't flexible enough to hold your leg above 90 degrees
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2017
Floppy, unplaced hands*. Arm movements should extend beyond the fingertips!
Elbows hiking up around the ears as a skater muscles their way into a jump.
Mule kicks.
Travelling spins.
Flashy acrobatic lifts that don't connect to the music (flashy acrobatic lifts that do connect to the music are completely fine).
*And while I'm on the subject of hands: wrist-length gloves teamed with short sleeves. They make skaters look like street mimes, or possibly Hyacinth Bucket.
Elbows hiking up around the ears as a skater muscles their way into a jump.
Mule kicks.
Travelling spins.
Flashy acrobatic lifts that don't connect to the music (flashy acrobatic lifts that do connect to the music are completely fine).
*And while I'm on the subject of hands: wrist-length gloves teamed with short sleeves. They make skaters look like street mimes, or possibly Hyacinth Bucket.
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
They are unsightly when they're too obvious, but I give them a pass because they help prevent hand cuts from the blades sometimes, which is not a pretty sight!
100% with you on this, why do skaters do this? WHYYYY, so hideous. Plus in Euro's some poor lady ended up with one half over the boot and one entirely over the boot it was the worst look!
Yeesss! Watching old program when skater's used to hold their landing positions! It was so elegant! Plus landing jumps is hard as, milk that moment I say!
And I'm with everyone who mourns the loss of spirals, bring back the spirals!
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2018
I hate it especially when they yak about another skater when somebody is skating. It feels so disrespectful. At least talk about what is going on.
Especially without any regard to like timing and what's actually happening on the screen.
I'll limit myself to two moves: what I call the Sandhu spin because he was the first skater I saw doing this (a/k/a eggbeater) spin. I loathe it. So ugly. The other move is the pairs spin. Now, in ice dance, it's always a thing of beauty. But in pairs? It's almost always sluggish and lethargic, as if they hate having to do this spin.
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
For some reason Sandhu can make that butt spin/A spin look really good, I dunno why...he must have some sort of magic power in that regard! But yeah on the whole that spin is a disaster!
I do like the pair spin where they're both in the same position, like they're both doing a camel spin, but not so much when the lady is contorting herself into a wide range of position and the guy is just hanging on for dear life LOL!
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
though this isn't really as big a deal now as it was a few olympic cycles ago... skaters who plan to fall on jumps. They know they can't land them but if they get around they still get the points and ugh. still mad at how that gets exploited.
also front loaded/back loaded programs. I want balance!
also front loaded/back loaded programs. I want balance!
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
This is a big one. And when I was catching up on videos on YouTube I've noticed the Russian commentators have really started doing this...they literally don't take a breath! It'd be impressive if they weren't talking over a skater! They should turn the microphone's off if they can't keep their comments brief!
What? Do they really do that? Sometimes I wondered...but that seems really not fair play and also dangerous, if you can't land it properly and you fall wrong I imagine you can get injured badly!
I think they get really good at doing the fall as well. It doesn't even interrupt the program much. And there are some people still doing them. I also find it maddening. Maybe if Jason Brown had been doing/not doing quads for years, he would be on the Olympic team!
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2014
The point is, the quad itself has a much higher value than other elements, so doing it and rotating it still racks up lots of points. Today it's not done so much since the negative GOE for quads is higher and men in general have less trouble doing quads (although it could be argured that some skaters who have a high BV and fall still beat skaters with lower BV, but it's to tell if they know they won't land the jump), even though there is a stronger point of doing it today, and that's the fact that while today there is a difference between a underrotation and a downgrade, before 2010-11, there was just a downgrade.
If I'm not wrong, Jeffery Buttle used to do this. He knew he probably couldn't land a clean quad, so his main goal was just to rotate it and still get the points.
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
"Spread eagles with bent knees" Do you mean Basti/Besti(?) Squats? When done with deep knee bends (※cough※ Yuzuru) I'm a fan.
Agree on A spins. Not attractive in the least.
Going to disagree on celebratory fist pumps. I love it because it shows the skater's state of mind. I got a little choked up with Mirai did it during Nationals.
One of my disliked move: a variation on camel spin when they kind of drop the hip and bend their leg a little. It looks like a dog peeing at a fire hydrant to me. Shoma has it in one of his spin sequence. A few other men and women do it as well and I cringe every time.
I also don't like it when a skater repeat a specific arm movement too many times. For example in Mai's SP she dramatically waves her hands too many times. It also bothered me about Satoko with straight arm with bent hands upright in her SP. Sorry can't explain it better. I'm sure it has to do with her character (was she mulan?), but other than in Thai dance, I've never seen that kind of hand movements in RL.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
A number of good points in this discussion. Until now I didn't realize the problem with the jewellery for one...
Anyhow, my top dislike list:
- fist pumping. I don't mind it if it's quick, but excessive fist pumping, especially if accompanied by screaming and jumping like a madman (like Bychenko recently, was it at NHK?), just kills all enjoyment for me. I don't care if it's one's PB or the first clean skate in years, I watch FS because it's an aesthetic sport and don't want to feel like I'm watching football or martial arts.
- pairs chatting and kissing each other once they finish their program. I don't care if they date each other, I don't want to feel like a voyeur with the latter. When it comes to talking, a brief phrase is OK with me, but starting a program analysis with one's partner before acknowledging the clapping audience, just feels so disrespectful to me. One who does this a lot is Duhamel, but she's definitely not the only one.
- O-mouth (looking at you, Liza) and singing along with the music (felt forced even with skaters like Pechalat/Bourzat)
- drama hand waving, head-in-hands movements... very few look convincing doing that, mostly it looks cheesy (cough... Kovtun...)
- pair lifts with wide-spread legs, yuck.
- as someone mentioned, skaters not holding their ending pose at all, especially after a disappointing skate. One who comes to mind is Meite after one of her Prince skates. I get they're upset, but it again kills all lingering enjoyment for me. Also, annoyed-looking skaters who barely jerk their head at the cheering audience.
Now, one thing I'd be interested to read, would be an audience pet peeves list compiled by skaters themselves... even if I could likely guess most of it by myself.
Anyhow, my top dislike list:
- fist pumping. I don't mind it if it's quick, but excessive fist pumping, especially if accompanied by screaming and jumping like a madman (like Bychenko recently, was it at NHK?), just kills all enjoyment for me. I don't care if it's one's PB or the first clean skate in years, I watch FS because it's an aesthetic sport and don't want to feel like I'm watching football or martial arts.
- pairs chatting and kissing each other once they finish their program. I don't care if they date each other, I don't want to feel like a voyeur with the latter. When it comes to talking, a brief phrase is OK with me, but starting a program analysis with one's partner before acknowledging the clapping audience, just feels so disrespectful to me. One who does this a lot is Duhamel, but she's definitely not the only one.
- O-mouth (looking at you, Liza) and singing along with the music (felt forced even with skaters like Pechalat/Bourzat)
- drama hand waving, head-in-hands movements... very few look convincing doing that, mostly it looks cheesy (cough... Kovtun...)
- pair lifts with wide-spread legs, yuck.
- as someone mentioned, skaters not holding their ending pose at all, especially after a disappointing skate. One who comes to mind is Meite after one of her Prince skates. I get they're upset, but it again kills all lingering enjoyment for me. Also, annoyed-looking skaters who barely jerk their head at the cheering audience.
Now, one thing I'd be interested to read, would be an audience pet peeves list compiled by skaters themselves... even if I could likely guess most of it by myself.
It's typical of japanese performances like that of her Sayuri character (Memoires of a geisha), she explained it well in an interview, but I can't find it right now.
I hate when skaters cross their arms in front of them as a filler movent of sorts (like this - I chose this video because she does it twice in a row and I just saw it, but it's quite common)
On the other hand, I love a well done butt spin
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
