Level 9

WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING

Learn how to hold a Forward Outside Spiral on a curve with both legs straight and the free leg extended behind you.

COACH'S POINTS

1. Aim for two straight legs through the spiral position.
2. Keep the skating leg straight as the free leg extends upward behind you.
3. Lift the free leg from the hip rather than bending the knee to make the leg appear higher.
4. Expect to feel the position through your glutes and lower back. These are helping lift and support the free leg.
5. Keep your arms extended for balance. They can stay open to the sides or slightly around the curve.
6. Establish the forward outside edge before lifting fully into the spiral.
7. Use a mirror or video when practicing off skates so you can see whether both legs are actually straight.
8. Practice both the left and right Forward Outside Spiral.

WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING

Learn your first simple hop by moving from a forward glide onto the EDGE pick, jumping and returning to a controlled glide.

COACH'S POINTS

1. Learn the foot pattern before trying to jump.
2. Begin with a gentle forward glide rather than trying the element from a complete standstill.
3. Transfer onto one skating foot first.
4. Move from the wheels onto the EDGE pick before the hop.
5. Let the free leg move forward as you push from the EDGE pick.
6. Land onto the opposite EDGE pick before returning to the wheels.
7. The final action returns to a glide. Do not continue bouncing from EDGE pick to EDGE pick.
8. Keep the first hops small. The goal is learning the weight transfer, not creating height.
9. The Bunny Hop prepares you for the Waltz Jump by teaching you to move from the wheels to the EDGE pick and back into a controlled skating position.

WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING

Learn your first rotating jump by combining the forward outside takeoff, knee action and landing position you have already practiced.

COACH'S POINTS

1. Think about the Waltz Jump as a Forward Outside Three Turn with the turn replaced by the jump.
2. Enter on the forward outside edge with the leading arm organized for your jumping direction.
3. Bend before the takeoff rather than trying to jump from straight legs.
4. Let the free knee travel through the movement. Think about bringing the leg over rather than kicking straight out.
5. Use the arms together with the knee to help create the rotation.
6. Land onto the EDGE pick first.
7. After the EDGE pick touches, ride the landing back toward the center two wheels.
8. Do not remain on the front two wheels after the landing. Let the frame settle into your landing position.
9. Use the Backward Crossovers to Landing exercise from Level 7 before jumping so the landing position already feels familiar.
10. You only need to learn the Waltz Jump in your natural jumping direction.

WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING

Progress your One Foot Spin by learning how to enter the spin from movement instead of beginning only from standstill.

COACH'S POINTS

1. Keep the basic One Foot Spin position you learned in Level 8. The moving entry changes how you arrive there, not the position you spin in.
2. Every entry should bring you onto the same forward outside edge before you enter the spin.
3. Let the leading arm organize the outside edge as you travel around the entry curve.
4. Do not travel straight toward the center of the spin. Curve around toward it.
5. The simplest progression is to begin from a controlled forward outside edge before adding more complex entries.
6. A Backward Crossover step forward can be used to create the forward outside edge into the spin.
7. A Forward Inside Three Turn can also connect into the same outside-edge entry.
8. The Forward Inside Open Mohawk can create another moving entry and can help generate more speed.
9. Whichever entry you use, arrive at the spin with enough control that you can establish the spinning position instead of throwing yourself into it.
10. Continue thinking about the same slight inside loop once the spin begins.

WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING

Learn your second jump by connecting a Forward Outside Three Turn to a backward inside edge and using the free side of the body to create the Single Salchow.

COACH'S POINTS

1. Begin with the Forward Outside Three Turn you already learned.
2. After the turn, establish the backward inside edge before beginning the jump.
3. Bend the skating knee through the backward inside edge.
4. Bring the free arm and free leg through together.
5. The free leg travels through the jump. Do not turn first and then kick the leg afterward.
6. Practice bringing the free arm and leg through without jumping before attempting the full element.
7. Let the movement develop from the backward inside edge rather than forcing the rotation from the upper body alone.
8. Use the same landing position you learned before beginning jumps.
9. Land onto the EDGE pick and then ride back toward the center two wheels.
10. Hold the landing position after the jump instead of immediately stepping out.