Author Topic: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners  (Read 1736 times)

SK8R

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Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« on: March 29, 2022, 08:38:00 pm »
Hi all,

I’m a complete beginner (and in my 50s). I have recently completed level 1 of Skate Excellence and looking to continue on my ice skating journey.

I’ve found the course of 6 lessons not exactly what I expected but have just got on with it. What I mean is that I’ve found them to be a little light weight in that you’re quickly shown a move (such as lemons) and then told to do the move to the other side without much further interaction or comment. There are other participants at level 2 who are doing the same things. I’m not exactly sure what I did to pass level 1 and can’t see what I’ll be doing differently to pass level 2.

It might be that I’m expecting too much from group classes. I was wondering whether to enroll at my other local rink where they do Skate UK but will it be much different? If it’s more or less the same then I may as well stick with the Planet Ice rink as the classes and skate sessions are cheaper.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Badass

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2022, 01:39:05 pm »
Hi SK8R,

I take Learn To Skate classes at Cambridge, the coaches sometimes show us a move from the next grade or have us warmup on moves from the previous grade, I wouldn’t be surprised if you do more lemons, backwards lemons, lemon then glide, half lemons, etc, etc and maybe you’ll get more tips from the coaches to level it up or maybe they’ll demo it and you’ll nail it first time  O0

Skate Excellence seems to have detailed grading with descriptions of the move, what you’re aiming at and like the purpose of learning it, whereas LTS grades are written with the absolute minimum, like a telegram.

For example SE grading for forwards lemons: Continuous Lemons with neutral bounce. Using the rise and fall of the skating knee and weight transfers from inside edge to a straight glide to increase speed.

Verses LTS: Forward Swizzles (Lemons)  ::)



transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2022, 05:15:45 pm »
In my experience what you learn and how and how effective it is depends as much on the individual coach delivering any teaching within a framework, and also depends in part on the group size and dynamic, and in huge measure on how much you practice and how accurate you are in practice (level of focus on working on the things you've been shown).


World champion skaters do basics when they warm up, so you will always go back to things, or should do.  I think teaching these days rushes people too much, on the other hand, are people patient enough?  When my kids learnt ballet, the first year or two seemed to be just plies at the barre.


Hope you enjoy the skating experience and get lots out of it.

SK8R

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2022, 11:47:59 am »
@Badass, I’ve been talking a closer look at the moves covered in the various levels and that’s quite helpful. It looks like we’re touching on things in higher levels along with the level we’re on which is no bad thing, I guess.

@transmissionoftheflame, I guess in a 30 minute lesson with 15 people of different levels it’s limited how much leeway am instructor has.

I can imagine private lessons would be more efficient but I’m just a casual participant for the time being and having fun. It doesn’t look like I’m missing out by doing Skate Excellence rather than Skate UK so I’ll just stick with SE.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2022, 12:25:44 pm »


@transmissionoftheflame, I guess in a 30 minute lesson with 15 people of different levels it’s limited how much leeway am instructor has.




True, though I still think there can be a huge difference in what you get out of it depending on how knowledgable and passionate a coach is

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2022, 12:27:36 pm »

I can imagine private lessons would be more efficient but I’m just a casual participant for the time being and having fun. It doesn’t look like I’m missing out by doing Skate Excellence rather than Skate UK so I’ll just stick with SE.



I think a combination of private and group is a great combination as you get 1-1 attention from private but camaraderie and value for money from group, but if you're having fun then there is plenty of time for private later on, and ultimately a lot depends on what you put into it.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2022, 08:44:52 pm »
As an ex-pro, I can tell you that you NEVER stop doing lemons. Trust me on this. And every session should start with the real basics of skating, whatever your level, beginner to pro/champion.  I like surprising people with massive backward lemons. You'd be amazed at the number of really good skaters who suddenly discover that they are favouring one leg...  ;)

Personally, I dislike Skate Excellence as they use weird terminology which you'll have to relearn once you progress onto the NISA Passport, but everybody ends up in the same place. It's the quality of the coaching rather than the course that really makes the difference.

Enjoy your journey. It's all about the joy.  8)
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2022, 09:02:01 pm »
Yup all you need to do is watch the warmup of any international comp - they start with basic stuff, albeit superfast.


Totally agree it's the coach not the system that really counts, though don't get me started on gratuitous new terminology where existing terms are well understood - in the inline world there is now "wizard skating" which just looks like scrappy figure skating to me, and 3-turns are either called "lions" or "gazelles" depending on whether they are two-footed or one-footed.  They don't seem to have made up nonsense terms for brackets, rockers and counters yet so I suggested to my friend who teaches in that world to pretend to invent them and make up silly names for them.

SkateMate

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2022, 10:35:23 pm »
Thats the problem when you try an reinvent the wheel, you have to call it a swirly.

Skate Excellence came along so Planet Ice could drop NISA like a hot potato but they still have to teach the same basic things, its not like they came up with new skating techniques.

Like people have said, its about the coaching. Some rinks just want a production line of people coming in and getting off the courses as fast as possible so they can get more peoples money. They'll pass their grades by completing the very very very bare minimum. To steal a phrase from Martial Arts, these are McRinks. Whats worse is when they do "intensive courses" from zero to hero in just 5 easy lessons over the holidays.

SK8R

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2022, 01:57:06 pm »
Thanks everyone for your views. I went ahead and enrolled for the next level of Skate Excellence. We have a different instructor this time who I think is a little better.

It’s not doing lemons I was objecting to. It was more an example of the the instruction we were receiving. Basically, we were told “Do lemons to the other side” and I was expecting some more guidance on, for example, which way your blades should be leaning at different stages of the lemon. Or even an explanation of what a lemon is. I guess it’s difficult to do that when there is a mix of  levels in the class. The new instructor does give a bit more of this kind of detail and I’m happy to continue with the classes supplemented with independent practice and watching YouTube videos 😀.

transmissionoftheflame

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Re: Skate Excellence vs Skate UK for beginners
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2022, 02:54:26 pm »
I believe you have a thoughtful approach to your skating and this will stand you in good stead.  Even in a mixed ability class, a good coach should be communicating essential basic information of the type you describe, and should be able to pick out common faults and go through them either with each skater or with the whole group depending on numbers.  Doing lemons well, like any basic skill, is actually not that easy and requires effort and understanding of what is needed.



 

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