batikat
02-09-2004, 11:47 AM
Well I passed my level 1 elements.:D
It is a relatively easy test:
perimeter stroking both directions,
3 -jump (waltz- jump if you like)
toe-loop (cherry)
1 foot upright spin
forward and backward spirals on an edge
step sequence at least 3/4 's of the length of the rink.
I very nearly didn't get to take it at all though, as I had to come off the warm up before the end with a severe pain in my calf muscle. It is one I strained doing some off-ice exercises last week but had thought it would be OK. I did some gentle stretching and my coach gave it a massage but it still hurt a lot. I limped on to the ice!!
However I was determined to go for it and not waste all my time effort and money to get that far.
The stroking was OK but the pain was in my take-off foot calf, so the 3 jump was painful. I don't even remember doing the toe-loop, (the element I had been most worried about - but my coach said after that it was fine). The spin spun but not well, as it's my left calf that hurts, so turning the LFO3 to get into position was agony:cry:
The funny thing was that my other 'iffy' element is usually the LFO spiral but it was the one thing that drew praise from the judge for it's good control. Probably because once I got in position it hurt too much to move!!!:lol:
Luckily the step sequence had mostly turns on the right foot so I survived that and passed with no re-skates. Phew!!
At least my calf muscle pain distracted from my painful 'frozen shoulder'!
Unfortunately, along with the physical agony, my mental agony was not over as my daughter was also testing. She had passed her Bronze Field moves and had level 4 elements and Free to go. The elements went well except for the axel. She under-rotated and was given a re-skate. They are allowed to practice first and I watched as 3 times she went for it and fell. Then when she had to do it for the judge, she landed what was probably her best ever axel and passed!!
Despite that success she missed it in her programme and though they'd seen her do a lovely one moments earlier they couldnt' pass her Free even though everything else was fine. Never mind - the papers will go back in and hopefully all will be well next time.
It is a relatively easy test:
perimeter stroking both directions,
3 -jump (waltz- jump if you like)
toe-loop (cherry)
1 foot upright spin
forward and backward spirals on an edge
step sequence at least 3/4 's of the length of the rink.
I very nearly didn't get to take it at all though, as I had to come off the warm up before the end with a severe pain in my calf muscle. It is one I strained doing some off-ice exercises last week but had thought it would be OK. I did some gentle stretching and my coach gave it a massage but it still hurt a lot. I limped on to the ice!!
However I was determined to go for it and not waste all my time effort and money to get that far.
The stroking was OK but the pain was in my take-off foot calf, so the 3 jump was painful. I don't even remember doing the toe-loop, (the element I had been most worried about - but my coach said after that it was fine). The spin spun but not well, as it's my left calf that hurts, so turning the LFO3 to get into position was agony:cry:
The funny thing was that my other 'iffy' element is usually the LFO spiral but it was the one thing that drew praise from the judge for it's good control. Probably because once I got in position it hurt too much to move!!!:lol:
Luckily the step sequence had mostly turns on the right foot so I survived that and passed with no re-skates. Phew!!
At least my calf muscle pain distracted from my painful 'frozen shoulder'!
Unfortunately, along with the physical agony, my mental agony was not over as my daughter was also testing. She had passed her Bronze Field moves and had level 4 elements and Free to go. The elements went well except for the axel. She under-rotated and was given a re-skate. They are allowed to practice first and I watched as 3 times she went for it and fell. Then when she had to do it for the judge, she landed what was probably her best ever axel and passed!!
Despite that success she missed it in her programme and though they'd seen her do a lovely one moments earlier they couldnt' pass her Free even though everything else was fine. Never mind - the papers will go back in and hopefully all will be well next time.