USFS Moves In The Field Tips: OLD Bracket-Three-Bracket – Novice (Karen Heng Olson)

NOTE: This pattern was removed from the US Figure Skating Moves in the Field patterns a number of years ago. It is no longer a valid pattern, although the skills the Karen talks about in this video are obviously still valid.

 

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the Bracket-Three-Bracket Pattern from the Novice USFS Moves in the Field Test.  Karen provides a whole arsenal of drills and exercises as well as insights into the turns and the pattern.

Karen starts with an exercise that teaches skaters to turn their hips in and out while rocking back and forth on the blade.  This is a fun drill that skaters will enjoy learning.  Next Karen has the skater do two foot turns going down the ice, focusing on using the correct part of the blade.  She really wants her skaters to bend their knees and ankles in this drill.

Then Karen builds the move step by step with simple movements.  She talks about the rhythm for this pattern and how she has her skaters count through it with a constant cadence.  She recommends doing the pattern only as fast as the skater can maintain the constant cadence, and slowly speed it up over time.

The drill of staying entirely on one foot all the way down the rink is a great way to ensure proper alignment and blade usage and build skater confidence in the turns.  It also offers a simple way to drastically increase the number of practice repetitions that a skater will attempt (and time efficiency is an important part of training).

Karen offers yet another drill that’s based on the Intermediate brackets that most skaters are more familiar and comfortable with.  This often helps with skater alignment and control.  Karen ends this video talking about the critical concept of alignment.

Please leave a comment for Karen or other members below.

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