Obsessed about toe picks

The only thing worse than a high ranking mature skater using toe picks for forward stroking, is a coach who encourages it by telling the skater how great and powerful the skater's forward stroking is. The other day was the first time I have actually seen a coach do it with an advanced adult student, and I've been obsessing about it ever since (it's better than thinking about taxes). Every single push was with a toe pick. Think of fingernails scratching a chalk board.

How does anyone get past tests skating like that?

I agree that this is one of my biggest pet peeves in skating. Unfortunately there are judges who are more concerned with the expression and presentation, especially with dance tests than the technique. I've seen judges pass the Rocker without a rocker because the skater looks pretty. There's also the fact that the lower level tests it's more important that they do the right steps and don't fall over. Toe pushing doesn't really start to impede tests until the Jr. Silver level and it is possible to fake your way through skills and dance test. You just keep trying until you get an easy judge.

Treesprite, it depends on your definition of "advanced" adult. If you mean about the Bronze/Silver FS level, toe pushing is not uncommon at those levels (and it improves the more the skater works at those levels). If you mean higher than that (Gold+), it'll likely get a retry. It could be that the coach is trying to enoucorage power from that skater and will take whatever he/she can get to get that skater moving faster. I know the judges in our club will likely give a FS test above Adult Silver a retry for excessive toe pushing, even if the elements are completed.

Is USFSA still not requiring basic skills as a prerequisite to FS tests? It wasn't when I was originally skating (before the 17 years off). Maybe that's where the problem is. I know that in ISIA skaters can't get to FS tests without first passing the basic stuff, so I'm inclined to conjecture that there are fewer toe pushers among skaters who started out with ISIA before (if ever) getting involved in USFSA.

treesprite said:

Is USFSA still not requiring basic skills as a prerequisite to FS tests? It wasn't when I was originally skating (before the 17 years off). Maybe that's where the problem is. I know that in ISIA skaters can't get to FS tests without first passing the basic stuff, so I'm inclined to conjecture that there are fewer toe pushers among skaters who started out with ISIA before (if ever) getting involved in USFSA.

Click to expand...

BS is not required, but you DO have to pass the requisite MIF test before the FS test. If the skater was grandfathered to a particular level (took the FS test before 2002) hey didn't have to do MIF, either.

Where I was, toe pick pushes weren't tolerated by coaches or test judges, even for fairly new adults prepping for USFSA Pre-Bronze. Any adult who can get through the full Learn to Skate series should KNOW that toe pushing is a no-no. And should be able to master correct pushing/stroking technique within a short time after going to privates, or earlier with some diligent practice. Shame on a coach who lets this slide, as most adults CAN get this right, but need proper instruction and at first, a lot of reminders (nagging ).

The biggest problem with adults stroking incorrectly is that they just won't bend their knees enough. When helping friends casually, they insist their knees are bent went I can see perfectly well their legs are nearly straight as they try to stiff-leg it around the ice. Of course you're not going to avoid the toe picks if you do it that way! Or they break at the waist and look down, as if checking their feet to make sure they are still attached to the body. That will interfere also will getting into good stroking position and staying off those picks.

The coach I had used to tell me to stop looking at my feet because they weren't going to go anywhere without me. She was very picky about tiny details and did not candy coat anything. I didn't dare push with toe picks.

If figures were brought back as mandatory, people might stop ignoring details.

That's not going to happen, treesprite, although some figures have been added to the MIF structure. As for toe pushing, saw it happen on the preliminary figure test from time to time and still pass...