Cool/Crud Lessons+Practices 21st-27th July

[icenut84]

This is for yesterday morning:

[b:0da10a958c]Cool:[/b:0da10a958c]

[color=red:0da10a958c]In the group lesson, we did loads of edge work, incl. crossovers, 2 foot and 1 foot slaloms (1 foot much better than last time I practiced it, which was... probably last year, lol), forward and backward edge changes, etc. When I was with my coach and about to have my private lesson later on, the coach of the group class told my private coach that my edge changes were very good! :mrgreen: Nice to hear things like that from coaches isn't it? ;)

Worked on loop in freestyle lesson. Haven't landed it properly on my own yet, but started trying it after a waltz jump at coach's suggestion. He held my hand and a few times I succeeded in jumping off my left foot, rotating, and landing on my left foot! Woohoo! We're getting somewhere :D I'm getting more of the hang of what I'm supposed to do with my free leg too. :) Only problem was, couldn't do it on my own! I'm such a chicken on this jump when he isn't there to hold my hand!

Worked A LOT on the 1 foot spin from the proper entry (back crossovers and choctaw). Getting there slowly. The hardest part for me is making the RFO edge curve round in the right way, with a diminishing radius. I tend to turn too soon, meaning I just get a RBI edge, not a spin. However, this all comes under "cool" because I'm slowly getting the hang of it and I did manage a few ok ones and got a few revs of a spin a couple of times. :) I'll get there!

Spiral felt good. :)[/color:0da10a958c]

[b:0da10a958c]Crud:[/b:0da10a958c]

[color=indigo:0da10a958c]Waltz-half loop-salchow combo just wasn't working AT ALL. Hmph.

Pivots ok but not as good as before.

Neither were my mohawks at speed. :(

Slept funny on my back and shoulders on Friday night so am still aching and in a bit of pain from that! :( [/color:0da10a958c]

Ah well, not too bad on the whole! Roll on next week ;)

Rachel

[nutty-ducky]

Cool!
well i have a program (it is a dance program, Waltz). It is my first ever program! and it includes forward crossovers, forward swings, LFO 3-turns, etc. I have only done the first half in which i skate forwards. for the second half i will have to skate backwards. i have a lesson on wednesday so i am sure that i will learn the second half of the program. Oh and the music is The Blue Danube!

LFO 3-turns - I think that they are really good but soon i guess i will have to learn the LBO 3-turns! 8O
Forward Crossovers - they are felling very strong and i feel my confidence when i am doing them! :D

Backwards Crossovers - They are very strong CCW but goingin CW they aren't as strong but still strong, i will have to work on them and make them stronger. I have to remember not to rotate inside leg right around ori will fall! :(

Crud

RFO 3-turns - They aren't great but they are ok. I am working on them. I have to remember to bring the left shoulder right around when turning!

[Debbie S]

Cool:

Waltz jump is coming along.

I'm learning a sit spin and am trying to get down far enough, doing shoot-the-ducks. Anyone have any tips on what else I can do to get down lower?

I'm actually starting to get some height on my toe loop and not rotate with my pick still on the ice (trying to be more like Michelle Kwan than Sarah Hughes :) ), but I think I've got timing probs w/the takeoff - see under crud.

Practiced crossovers and forward edges like we've been working on in class. I'm getting more speed and am holding my edges longer.

And last but not least, my right skate fits much better! Yay!! :)


Crud:

I decided to go to the public session, as I did last week, b/c the ones during the summer seem to be less crowded, and you get more time than the Freestyle sessions. Big mistake! There was a birthday party, which meant a lot of truly obnoxious and uncontrollable kids who decided that it would be cool to chase each other with those bar things that they give the little kids who are learning to skate, and that the cone boundaries in the center didn't apply to them. I politely asked the rink guard on duty to make sure they didn't come running through the circle, and he obliged, for about 10 minutes. After a kid came through swinging that bar around and nearly took me out (and in front of his mother, too), I finally went over to the guard, informed him of what the kids were doing (in case he was temporarily blinded or something), and noted that I didn't think it was necessary for one of those kids to bust up one of my ($100 MK 2-Star) blades while trying to do their action hero impressions. Ugh! And the kids kept coming through even after he took their bars away. Anyway, it's back to FS sessions for me.

As for skating woes, I'm having a problem controlling my RFI turn going into my toe loop. After I turn, I find that I'm still skidding as I pick in, so I feel like I'm twisting around as I'm trying to take off. It is a skill for a higher FS level than I'm in right now, so I've got lots of time to improve it. Does anyone have any tips?

I tried working on my back 3s, but since we haven't actually gone over that yet in class, I figured I would stop and wait for my instructor to show me. I was trying to remember how Irina Slutskaya does her back 3s (of course, I won't be doing double 3s for quite some time!) and apply it to what I was doing, but - sigh - it just looks so much easier on TV!

Have a great week in practices/lessons, everyone!

[MissIndigo]

[quote:5c08582050="Debbie S"]Cool:


I'm learning a sit spin and am trying to get down far enough, doing shoot-the-ducks. Anyone have any tips on what else I can do to get down lower?

[/quote:5c08582050]

You might want to try just squatting down on two feet, with your legs bent at the angle you'd desire in your spin and glide for a while, then raise up, and repeat as many times as you want. Remember to keep your back straight and hold your arms in front of you as you would during your spin. Helps build some strength and gives an idea as to how low you need to be for this spin. I'm still working on getting my sit lower too, and this is a reasonably painless exercise I do.

[quote:5c08582050="Debbie S"]
I'm actually starting to get some height on my toe loop and not rotate with my pick still on the ice (trying to be more like Michelle Kwan than Sarah Hughes :) ), but I think I've got timing probs w/the takeoff - see under crud.

As for skating woes, I'm having a problem controlling my RFI turn going into my toe loop. After I turn, I find that I'm still skidding as I pick in, so I feel like I'm twisting around as I'm trying to take off. It is a skill for a higher FS level than I'm in right now, so I've got lots of time to improve it. Does anyone have any tips?
[/quote:5c08582050]

You *must* check the three turn before you jump in order to stop the rotation of the upper body. Since you are turning CCW, you need to feel a small CW force after your three; this is the check. If you don't check, your shoulders will get ahead of your hips and you will feel twisted--I had this problem for the longest while. To fix it, I keep my left arm in front of me the whole time, during the approach, RFI three, and while reaching back to pick in. The left arm simply comes towards me while the right arm comes up and through on my right side to meet my left. (Make sure your right arm is doing this and not swinging around in front of you--another action that can make you feel twisted). Also, when picking, you should aim to reach your leg straight back behind you--it will follow the natural curve being made with your RBO edge. Planting the pick inside the circle of travel will twist the hips out of line with the shoulders.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[JDC1]

Cool - I am now skating longer practice sessions. I used to only skate an hour now I skate 2-3 per session with two 10 minutes breaks. I am seeing improvements already in my skating. Did lots of edge work and it felt very good. I can actually pivot and go directly to spinning on one foot and hold it for like 4 rotations!!! This is a BIG deal for me, we've worked so hard on trying to spin. A scratch spin may actually be in my future. :-)

Worked a little on loop prep - RFI, check, hold the edge, then pop up on my toe and back down on my toe. Felt very controlled and secure. I actually have no fear of jumping backwards I just really don't understand how to get the "feeling" yet so we are practicing everything but the jumping to get that perfect. I saw a bunch of people doing that on Lutz's.
Waltz jump is bigger, I can feel it and I cover more ice (small crud on this).

Crud -
okay brief rant - snotty little ice princesses - there are a few of these at every rink that I've ever skated at - but we have one that's particularly obnoxious, she's very talented and young, but she loves to come over and whatever you are practicing she'll do it RIGHT IN YOUR FACE. I just laugh and skake my head but she also interupts skaters lessons constantly.

I still have a habit of slipping off my forward edge on the waltz jump, I am able to land the jump just fine and have lots of flow and control out of it but I am not sure what I am doing wrong, maybe just rushing it.

Still working on back inside 3's, I can totally do the turn but now I am working on holding the forward edge but I end up with very little flow.

[Debbie S]

Thanks MissIndigo! I'll definitely try those things at my Wed practice/lesson.

[garyc254]

COOL: Since I've decided to join my girlfriend's synchro team, I have to pass ISI alpha thru delta. Fortunately, one of my coaches is certified and I'm taking alpha and beta this coming Saturday. :o

Mohawks and FO3's in pretty good shape. :D

CRUD: FI3's a little shaky.

Can't do a right T-stop to save my soul. The left is stellar.
PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE

For the ISI delta test, I've got the choice of a shoot-the-duck or a lunge. I'm not sure my knees will handle either one.

Shoot-the-duck is out of the question as I can't even do an unskated squat and get back up without pain (crunch, crunch, crunch).

Soooooooo, the lunge it is.
Any tips that will help me not overstress my knee?

[kayskate]

[quote:100368d580="Debbie S"]
I decided to go to the public session, as I did last week, b/c the ones during the summer seem to be less crowded, and you get more time than the Freestyle sessions. Big mistake! There was a birthday party, which meant a lot of truly obnoxious and uncontrollable kids [/quote:100368d580]

I have fallen into this situation too. Before attending summertime publics, I always call ahead and ask the manager to check the schedule for parties and groups. I drive a long way to skate and hate to waste a trip. You can also check the schedule while you are there for the rest of the week.

Kay

[MissIndigo]

[quote:84f62e4f9a="garyc254"]
Soooooooo, the lunge it is.
Any tips that will help me not overstress my knee?[/quote:84f62e4f9a]

Both the lunge and shoot the duck are strength moves requiring a great deal out of your quad muscle on your bent leg. One main key to avoiding knee injury is to keep from bending the knee too far, that is, with the back of the calf touching the hamstring. This hyperextends the knee in such a way that you can damage the ligaments. To practice the lunge, I would suggest holding to the boards and just get used to the position standing still first, and this also gives the chance for you to feel the right bend and feel the hyperextension if you should bend too far. After that, it is key to keep shoulders, hips, and back in one straight line as you bend your leg and stretch and drag the free leg behind you. Might also be a good idea to practice walking lunges at home if you know how to do them properly in order to help build quad strength as well.

I love the lunge! Doing one at a fast speed on a diagonal can be really fun and showy!

[jasmine]

The lunge is easier if you can flex out the inside ankle of your dragging leg outwards towards the ice, and point the toe of the dragging foot . This will mean you drag against the side of the boot and do not accidentally catch the blade.

(To point the toe, you can also imagine pushing down the cap of a childproof medicine bottle against the boot sole with the underside of toes and toe area).

Try a few next to the barrier.

I agree with Miss Indigo's comment about not bending your knee too much.

[Figureskates]

All Crud:

After suffering flu-like symptons since Thursday, the diagnosis is Lyme Disease...yup, picked it up over the 4th on the Cape, walking through beach grass at my father's house, I must have picked up a tick which went undetected. I did have a rash on my forearm about 10 days ago but I never put the two together...So after four days of rollercoaster fevers, and a day at the doctors having complete blood work done along with chest X-rays, I guess I am on the road to recovery with a 3 week regiment of antibiotics....

Cool: I am actually going to try to get out and do some skating tomorrow....I can't cranky with no ice time!!

[SusanaO]

[color=blue:334a80d491]Cool[/color:334a80d491]
[color=blue:334a80d491]Finally had lessons this weekend! I hadn't had one in a month as my coach was away on vacation and then got sick. It felt good to be back on the ice. I worked on a short sequence of steps: 3 forward crossovers, RFI mohawk, 3 back crossovers, step out and begin again. Also, started to learn the spin! I'm very slow, but my coach was very encouraging. He seemed to be very happy that I could do 3 revolutions. It was a lot of fun! Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.[/color:334a80d491] :?

[color=red:334a80d491]Crud[/color:334a80d491]
[color=red:334a80d491]I really hadn't practiced at all this past month, so it took a while to get comfortable again. Plus my new boots are still not broken in and I have some problems with them. I either don't tighten the laces enough and my heel moves up and down or I tighten them too much and lose feeling in my toes from lack of circulation![/color:334a80d491]

[MissIndigo]

Crud:

Hamstring is acting up again because I thought I'd practice spirals yesterday. Ow. Must do more stretching before trying those again, and must try more on the ice once I'm no longer sore. As a result of my sore leg, it felt like I had about 15 pounds of dead weight just hanging off me. That impaired my ability to try sit spins. Could not get one going to save my life. Also didn't help my scratch spin any as it was uncomfortable to hold the leg out in front of me. Ditto for waltz jumps. However...

[b:82a6752279][color=blue:82a6752279]Cool:[/color:82a6752279][/b:82a6752279] 8)

The camel I think is here to stay. That is one amazing spin and I truly enjoy it. Getting more speed now, and my coach says my position is textbook! I couldn't be happier with this skill since it is something in particular I've always wanted to do well. Got compliments from my skating buddies on it tonight too!

Made major progress on the flip also, as in actually [i:82a6752279]landing one![/i:82a6752279]

The laugh of the night had to come when I slipped on a toe loop. I didn't get hurt, but my buddies got a charge out of my facial expression once I knew the jump was doomed. I had the perfect "Oh #*@%!" look going on.

[JDC1]

That's too bad Figureskates!! Good thing you are getting treated now and should feel better soon!

Cool - WOrked more on spinning. Using the pivot to a one foot spin is getting better, still can't spin out of the LFO but am working on it. Learned the back crossovers hold the RBI edge then switch over to LFO 3 turn to spin. Ofcourse still can't spin but I totally got the mechanics and am thrilled to find that I have a really decent RBI, was really nervous about being able to hold it.

Crud - No real crud, waltz jumps felt a bit wonky but I was tired and forgot to bring my inhaler so I was short on breath for most of my lesson and warm up time.

[Yazmeen]

Crud: Back crossovers started out as crud, but they got better. Power pulls!!! We started those today. Good grief, that's hard!

Cool: We worked on taking my back crossovers "to the next level" (rapidly becoming my coach's favorite expression for our work with all my moves and skills). Was able to pick up more speed and achieve better position for both left and right--YES!!! 8) Also worked on back edges and getting stronger pushes for those. Today was speed and stronger push day, and aside from getting worn out, I made some progress. Overall not a bad day.

Any suggestions for doing power pulls? I'm currently just working on right foot forward. I realize I'm just starting, but I lose speed after the first change of edge and can't keep it going. All advice appreciated! :)

figureskates: In one sense, its a good thing you were so symptomatic and they caught the lime early. It can be subtle and be missed, and that can lead to complications. HEAL!!! Doctors orders!!! :lol:

Thanks,

Beth

[LoopLoop]

[quote:84259625dd="Yazmeen"]Any suggestions for doing power pulls? I'm currently just working on right foot forward. I realize I'm just starting, but I lose speed after the first change of edge and can't keep it going. All advice appreciated! :)
[/quote:84259625dd]

As a note of encouragement to start with, forward power pulls are much harder than backward. To keep the momentum on the foward pulls, you really need to bend your [b:84259625dd]ankle[/b:84259625dd] as well as your knee...your knee does the up and down, but the ankle helps immensely with the edge changes.

Marna

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:e2ad892cd3="Figureskates"]All Crud:

After suffering flu-like symptons since Thursday, the diagnosis is Lyme Disease...yup, picked it up over the 4th on the Cape, walking through beach grass at my father's house, I must have picked up a tick which went undetected. I did have a rash on my forearm about 10 days ago but I never put the two together...So after four days of rollercoaster fevers, and a day at the doctors having complete blood work done along with chest X-rays, I guess I am on the road to recovery with a 3 week regiment of antibiotics....[/quote:e2ad892cd3]

Oh, poor you. I do hope you get well soon.

[quote:e2ad892cd3]Cool: I am actually going to try to get out and do some skating tomorrow....I can't cranky with no ice time!![/quote:e2ad892cd3]

Me too! And painting the bathroom doors just isn't in the same league.....

[icenut84]

[quote:9ef7092f35="SusanaO"][color=red:9ef7092f35]I really hadn't practiced at all this past month, so it took a while to get comfortable again. Plus my new boots are still not broken in and I have some problems with them. I either don't tighten the laces enough and my heel moves up and down or I tighten them too much and lose feeling in my toes from lack of circulation![/color:9ef7092f35][/quote:9ef7092f35]

You will get used to how your boots feel, i.e. when you've done them too tight or not tight enough you will know straight away. Often it is difficult to get exactly right and you can end up retying them numerous times if they don't feel right. There are a few things you should keep in mind when you put your boots on. Firstly, don't just shove your foot in and lace, position your foot comfortably on the sole of the boot, make sure your sock or tight hasn't bunched up or anything. Before you lace, MAKE SURE your heel is right at the back of the boot. It must be right at the back. When you lace, make sure you keep the tongue in the middle. Lace firmly (not too tightly) over the foot. When you get to the ankle area between the holes and the hooks, tie a knot and make sure it's tight (this will keep your heel in place - again, you don't want to cut off your circulation, but this bit must be tight). Then lace over the hooks, not under (so you hook over the top of them and then down the outside, then up to the next one, if that makes sense). The lacing over the hooks should be firm, not too tight. Then tie at the top. If it feels a little too tight, loosen it a tiny bit at the top (you only need to loosen it a tiny bit). If it doesn't feel tight enough, untie it at the top and tie it again, a little tighter. If your boots are new, it might help if you leave the top hook for a while - this makes them more comfortable and easier to bend your knees. If they're uncomfortable, just come off and retie them, making sure your heel is right at the back and they're laced tightly enough between the holes and hooks (tying the extra knot here helps it to stay tight).

Hope that helps! (Even if it is a bit long winded ;) )

Rachel

[Figureskates]

Cool:

I did go skating today, eventhough I am still battling this thing. Eventhough my knees were a little wonky, we did get to work on the toeloop..not all the way to the jump itself but the inside 3 turn to the placement of the left toepick to the rear...concentrating on arm and shoulder placement....It was a good lesson in spite of it all and it really did feel good to get out on the ice...

Crud:

Realization that it is going to take time to get over this crud. The antibiotics haven't quite kicked all the way in yet so still experiencing the rollercoaster chill/fever/sweat thing though not as severe as over the weekend. This is going to be a long pull and I won't have all the blood work back until Monday. I am just hoping that I am at least most of the way back by the time adult skate week in Lake Placid rolls around next month....

[KathySkates]

figureskates!!!!! I am sending healing vibes and prayers your way! You MUST get well for Lake Placid! I am counting the days! I am taking my test before I go so that it won't cramp my fun while I am there!
I am staying in a room with a kitchenette and plenty of room for a get-to-gether. As far as I can see most if not all the usual suspects will be in attendance!
Warm Regards,
Kathleen :lol:

[Anita18]

[b:ccf6cde429]Cool:[/b:ccf6cde429]
[list:ccf6cde429][*:ccf6cde429]BO3's are getting better! The RBO3's are checking out more easily, and I could even do double 3's on them! LBO3's still need more work, not to mention my LFI3's still need some work too... :P
[*:ccf6cde429]Scratch spin! None of them were exceptionally good, but all of them were consistently balanced. Still travelling, but it's not as bad as it was before..
[*:ccf6cde429]Sit spin! LOL, yesterday my friend tried to photograph me doing one, and I kept on messing up some way or another. But today they were so much better! I was even able to show off a good one to my schoolfriends who happened to be at the rink too! :D :D Whee!
[*:ccf6cde429]Had one good backspin today. One... :lol:
[*:ccf6cde429]Loop is feeling a lot better. I'm feeling as if I'm taking off from the pick, but I'm getting around and landing better, so I'll see tomorrow if it's getting to be a habit...
[*:ccf6cde429]The 3turn before the flip is getting straighter! Yay! LOL even when I mess up on the 3turn, I mentally give up but usually decide to pick in anyway....and still get all the way around. Well, the landing's not pretty, but it's nice to know that I don't have to fight for rotation....
[*:ccf6cde429]I got around 1.5 or 2 times on the camel! (It's truly ugly, but at least I'm not scared of it now, LOL...)
[/list:u:ccf6cde429]

[b:ccf6cde429]Crud:[/b:ccf6cde429]
[list:ccf6cde429][*:ccf6cde429]Some genius at our rink decided to put up new lights [i:ccf6cde429]while the public session was open!![/i:ccf6cde429] Yesterday they closed half the rink while they installed them. Today they tried to move the cones after finishing a section, since there were more people, but eventually they closed down half the rink anyway.
[*:ccf6cde429]Lutz. I can't get all the way around - 3/4 is the best I can do. Maybe I ought to get mad at my lil sis again....
[*:ccf6cde429]BI3's. The right one is okay, but the left one, arhghggh! I keep on getting on the toepick while I'm trying to exit it! Sigh......
[*:ccf6cde429]Backspin. When I get it, it's really good. When I don't get it, it's really bad. Most of the time it's baaaaaad.......[/list:u:ccf6cde429]

Anita

[nutty-ducky]

Cool:
Forward Outside Edges - They worked really well today. I am happy. Have to practice them.
Forward Inside Edges - They are working well too! :D I have to make the edges stronger though and get down in the knee. That is the same with the Outside Edges.
Backwards Crossovers - I think they are working very well and they felt fats today. :D
Backwards Inside Edges - I think they are really good considering that it was my first ever time I had done them. I really enjoy doing them! :D
LFO 3-turn - They are really good! They are flowing very well.

Crud:
Well after sleeping with a bad neck, i had to skate this morning and my mum told my coach about my neck and he said that i had probably strained a muscle or rorn a muscle! :( noooooooooo!
so i had to just do forward skating, backwards skating and some turns. but we were going to work on the rest of my program and soins but we weren't able to cos of my neck! :(

[Figureskates]

[quote:4eae0e6c82="KathySkates"]figureskates!!!!! I am sending healing vibes and prayers your way! You MUST get well for Lake Placid! I am counting the days! I am taking my test before I go so that it won't cramp my fun while I am there!
I am staying in a room with a kitchenette and plenty of room for a get-to-gether. As far as I can see most if not all the usual suspects will be in attendance!
Warm Regards,
Kathleen :lol:[/quote:4eae0e6c82]

Well, it must be working since I do feel a lot better today...at least the fever episodes are over...I expect to be able to do my usual skating this year at Lake Placid plus I do want to work on my Salchow, toeloop, and half flip. I need to practice, practice, practice but this year I will just take it a little easier...Anyway Kathleen, I would be out on the ice even if they had to push me out on a guerney!!! Much too much of a figure skating fanatic to be sidelined by some stupid Lyme Disease thingyabob... :lol:

Bad Lyme Disease, Bad.. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[garyc254]

Thanks for the tips on working my way up to doing a lunge.

Monday lesson:

COOL: Just about everything. My Monday "good-lookin'" coach was back from vacation.

We worked on my awful left T-stop and got me on balance.

Worked on tightening up my FO & FI 3-turns. I'm starting to look like I know what I'm doing on the ice. :lol:

I learned what the blade marks of a "perfect" 3-turn should look like. Not that I can do it, yet. :lol:

She gave me a couple of off ice practice/stretching tips to prep me for my lunges.

CRUD: Nothing on the ice, but my pulled left shoulder muscle started aching from holding my arms out. I haven't been able to lift my arm since. Getting old is no fun. :wink:

YES!! BAD LYME DISEASE!! BAD!! BAD!! Get well soon, Figureskates!!!

[jenlyon60]

Well, MIF and 14Step are getting better. Foxtrot is lagging.

Tuesday morning I had my lesson and my Alternating back crossovers to back outside edge were flowing nice and I was finishing the lobes pretty well. On the LBO, I still had my right free leg too far out to the right, so that edge wasn't as strong as we'd like it.

Left side power-3s were pronounced pretty good (except for the 1st beginning where I nearly stumbled on my 1st LFO3, but I recovered and kept going). The choctaw on the right side power-3's is getting better slowly. I spent quite some time last night practicing the right side trying to figure out exactly what works to prevent the infamous toe-tap.

Didn't do 14Step in lesson, but did it in practice last night, to the music.

Worked in lesson and in practice on Foxtrot. When I put it to the music, I choke on the LFO cross-3, so last night in practice I took the steps off pattern, put the music on and drilled it to figure out what I need to do in terms of "guaranteed" set-up to build my confidence factor.

At the end of my Tuesday lesson, we did a couple patterns of EW and they felt VERY solid. I think the MIF work is paying off and helping my EW. Because I haven't really been practicing EW solo or even bits and pieces...but I have been doing LOTS of forward power-3s.

Tomorrow morning is another lesson day, and probably Friday (to play catch-up for my lesson-less vacation week coming up...)

[Terri C]

Cool:[color=red:3f642ae615][/color:3f642ae615][size=18:3f642ae615][/size:3f642ae615]
HAD MY FIRST DANCE LESSON YESTERDAY!![color=#444444:3f642ae615][/color:3f642ae615][size=9:3f642ae615][/size:3f642ae615] To prepare me for the Adult Camp I'll be attending next week; my secondary coach gave me a "dance cram". Learned about progressives, swing rolls and chasses. It is [color=red:3f642ae615][/color:3f642ae615][size=18:3f642ae615][/size:3f642ae615]WAY[color=#444444:3f642ae615][/color:3f642ae615][size=9:3f642ae615][/size:3f642ae615]different than freeskating. Even attempted the Dutch Waltz!

Pre- Bronze MIF: Alternating 3's are getting better, just need to maintaiin the power after the turn, which is when I lose it!


Crud:
Scratch spin decide to take a week off, hopefully it will be back when I attend camp in North Carolina next week![/b]

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:139c4fdedf="Terri C"]Cool:[color=red:139c4fdedf][/color:139c4fdedf][size=18:139c4fdedf][/size:139c4fdedf]
HAD MY FIRST DANCE LESSON YESTERDAY!![color=#444444:139c4fdedf][/color:139c4fdedf][size=9:139c4fdedf][/size:139c4fdedf] To prepare me for the Adult Camp I'll be attending next week; my secondary coach gave me a "dance cram". Learned about progressives, swing rolls and chasses. It is [color=red:139c4fdedf][/color:139c4fdedf][size=18:139c4fdedf][/size:139c4fdedf]WAY[color=#444444:139c4fdedf][/color:139c4fdedf][size=9:139c4fdedf][/size:139c4fdedf]different than freeskating. Even attempted the Dutch Waltz![/quote:139c4fdedf]

Terri, welcome to the wonderful world of ice dancing! It is, indeed, very different from free skating, but the skills you will learn do translate and can only enhance your free skating skills.

Incidentally, the day they tell you that you look like a dancer, rather than like a free skater dancing, you'll know you've cracked it! And that is really not an easy thing to change.

I could have skated this evening, but the public session at Slough is expecting 350+ kids (thanks, but no thanks!), and I have done something to my shoulder (too much painting - but it's almost finished now) which is rather sore, so we are taking the whole week off. Given the amount we quarreled last time we were on the ice (I was too upset to post about it at the time, but we were having enormous problems with the partnering side of things, and Himself stalked off in a huff because I was unable to explain what was wrong without stopping......), perhaps a week off is a good idea! Certainly I am longing to skate again at the weekend.

[KathySkates]

I had a clean run through!!! I am so excited! I am taking my test on August 13th and I want to pass so badly. The test is at 9:30 at night and I am naturally a morning person as I skate in the wee hours. But that's that so I am hoping for a good day.

Figureskates! I am so glad that you are feeling better! Take extra good care of yourself, rest, eat well... I am still sending vibes and prayers!
I can't wait to see those jumps!

Warm Regards,
Kathleen

[TashaKat]

[quote:6559d8b2bc="Yazmeen"]Crud: Back crossovers started out as crud, but they got better. Power pulls!!! We started those today. Good grief, that's hard!

Any suggestions for doing power pulls? I'm currently just working on right foot forward. I realize I'm just starting, but I lose speed after the first change of edge and can't keep it going. All advice appreciated! :)

Thanks,

Beth[/quote:6559d8b2bc]

Hi Beth :)

Another bit of advice that my coach has given to me (apart from the 'spring like' knees and using the ankles) is to think of you free foot as a pencil! Extend it in front of you, point your toe and imagine DRAWING the wavy line with your toe. DON'T swing the free leg around as you'll get your edge but it won't be in control ..... oh, and don't do a 'me' and try and get the upper body to do the work either :roll: This exercise is mega tough on the quads if you're doing it properly so stand by and wait for those froglet thighs to develop ;)

L x

[skatin' mom]

This may be a dopey question, but -- what's a "power pull"? :?

[CanAmSk8ter]

Good luck Kathleen! I'm testing on the 11th, which also happens to be my birthday, but my coach has had to work during the last three test sessions, so it's now or never. The good news is, I'm turning 21 so if I fail I can have fun buying my first alcohol afterwards! LOL. With any luck I will be working solely on my Silver dances at camp. (And my stupid Intermediate moves, but that's another story).

Figureskates: keep getting better! That's an order. I want to see those half-flips and the famous waltz jump.

Speaking of Lake Placid, has anyone heard from Sally? I haven't, not since before F$W went down. I suppose I should post this at the other board too and see if Chris knows where she's been.

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:911a575b86="CanAmSk8ter"]The good news is, I'm turning 21 so if I fail I can have fun buying my first alcohol afterwards! LOL.[/quote:911a575b86]

Well, let's hope you do pass - but whatever you do, I hope you enjoy your first legal drink! In this country, legal age is 18, and my daughter and a group of friends, all of whom had had their 18th birthdays by then, went out to have her first legal drink, only to be carded for the first time ever - and one of their number had forgotten her ID....

To whoever asked about power pulls, they are what we in the UK call one-footed slaloms; they are also impossible and make your knees hurt.

[Anita18]

[quote:ffd9ca0c1c="skatin' mom"]This may be a dopey question, but -- what's a "power pull"? :?[/quote:ffd9ca0c1c]
It's a move where you switch edges on one foot (inside to outside to inside to outside, etc..) and you gather power from each lobe of the edges. It's actually a lot more complicated than that, but only if you're doing them. :) They make your legs tired really fast.. :P

[b:ffd9ca0c1c]Cool![/b:ffd9ca0c1c]
[list:ffd9ca0c1c][*:ffd9ca0c1c]I found the magic trick for my backspins! When I turn for the the LFI3 from the pivot, I [i:ffd9ca0c1c]push[/i:ffd9ca0c1c] CCW with my freeleg/hip and that straightens me out! Another adult skater with really good backspins (one of the few that actually spins on the right edge..) also agree with me on this! LOL she said that with an LFI3 without the pivot, I can kick really high and it's [i:ffd9ca0c1c]fun[/i:ffd9ca0c1c]! I got a couple that finally spun on the sweet spot when I pulled in! Yay!
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]Back cross-strokes are getting better!
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]Dunno why, but waltz jumps were flyin'! Whee!
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]Loop. Had a couple good ones..[/list:u:ffd9ca0c1c]
[b:ffd9ca0c1c]Crud[/b:ffd9ca0c1c]:
[list:ffd9ca0c1c][*:ffd9ca0c1c]Falls on the backspin. When entering it, I'd kick out too hard then [i:ffd9ca0c1c]FOOM! [/i:ffd9ca0c1c]Bodyslam! 8O After the second one, I decided that maybe that was enough... 8O Surprisingly, it didn't really hurt, but I was getting awfully close to hitting my head, and didn't want to press my luck. :wink:
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]Flip. (Or more specifically, that #($*&% LFO3 before the flip..) Ewwwww.....what's more frustrating is that there was another skater there taking a private lesson who was landing pretty good flips, and she couldn't even do proper back crossovers or a scratch spin....grrrrr, why are they so easy for some people? :x
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]Every other spin other than the backspin. For some reason, nothing else really worked...and I had the sit spin so good yesterday! :x :x
[*:ffd9ca0c1c]My lack of runout on my jumps (other than the waltz..) I've to figure out what I'm doing wrong here..[/list:u:ffd9ca0c1c]
Anita

[TashaKat]

:( ...... erm, that's it really!

After paying £15.60 for a train ticket ESPECIALLY to go into the rink for a lesson I got there and coach was being coached himself! Not only did I NOT get a lesson but he had someone on there that I don't like skating at the same time as (does that make sense?). Even though my friend's music was on she still skated straight into him and didn't even TRY to take avoiding action or apologise!!! Add this to the fact that I'm CONVINCED that my blades are totally wrong, the fact that I managed one 'decent' scratch and one 'decent' backspin before wrenching my knee again on a WALTZ JUMP landing .......... and you can probably guess my mood right now. I probably 'skated' for no more than 10 minutes in total! Then things got even better ........ went along to my hairdresser (of 12 years) to find that he had closed his salon down and hadn't even bothered to contact me :x Right now my feet are sore, I'm tired, I'm fed up, I hate skating ........ ok, I'll shut up ;)

Just hope that the rest of you are having a slightly better time of it!!!

L x

[garyc254]

[quote:dc8bfd669b="skatin' mom"]This may be a dopey question, but -- what's a "power pull"? :?[/quote:dc8bfd669b]

It's pure torture!!!! :wink:

Forward power pull: Stand (a small push helps to start) on one skate with your free leg out front. Swing your arms, torso, and free leg back and forth. Go from outside edge to inside edge on your skating foot. Accelerate. (Sure!!!)

You can get an hours workout in about 10 minutes. :wink:

They say backward power pulls are easier.

[LoopLoop]

[b:3a5eeef183]Cool[/b:3a5eeef183]
* Worked on deathdrops and flying sitspin this morning. A flying sit is one of my ultimate goals in skating, so starting on it was exciting.
* Did a few [b:3a5eeef183]perfectly[/b:3a5eeef183] centered sitspins.
* Loops were enormous.

[b:3a5eeef183]Crud[/b:3a5eeef183]
* Lutz. I was leaning sideways on every one of them, so I kept two-footing.
* Axel. Enough said.

Back power pulls are MUCH easier than forward for me.

[jenlyon60]

A pretty good lesson for the 3rd lesson of the week. Especially considering I really didn't get to practice much inbetween lessons.

[b:cf3c0af65b]Cool: [/b:cf3c0af65b]
* 14Step: 2 sets of 2 patterns to the music + some w/o music. I've skated it better overall, but the open mohawk was good today.

* Alternating Back Crossovers... : Coach was pleased with my first run-through so that's all I had to do. He said they were nice and fast but that I could still stand up straighter.

[b:cf3c0af65b]There: [/b:cf3c0af65b] (i.e. the halfway in-betweens)
* Forward Power-3s: The left side was good. The right side is getting better. Of course, before my lesson I did several right side sequences w/ no choctaw problems, including one just as my coach got on the ice. But as soon as I got in lesson, old habits returned. I started playing around with the end-pattern connecting steps just for fun.

[b:cf3c0af65b]Uncool: [/b:cf3c0af65b]
* Foxtrot: No patterns to music today. We took it off pattern and worked on my RFO cross-roll into the LFO cross-roll 3. I realized after my lesson yesterday that I wasn't squaring off my hips enough as I skated onto the LFO cross-stroke to do the 3-turn. Plus not bending the knees enough.

Over the weekend I'm going to work the dance to music...

I told my coach I'm going to get me a warm-up shirt with the words "Bend your knees" on it. Actually a pair of gloves with that on it would work best.

[jasmine]

deleted

[flo]

Had pairs lesson and went through the program, making sure we were both skating the same one - which has been a challenge as we have had three in the last couple of months. Put in some hoppy dance steps and double threes in the footwork, added the spiral sequence, another lift and a throw. The strangest part is practicing the program on my own. Anyone watching would wonder what I was up to!

[Debbie S]

Cool:

Actually getting height on my toe loop. Changing my arms around really helped (thanks for the tips!). Now, I've just to get the pulling in part down.

We learned a layback spin! I don't think it's even a freestyle instructional skill, but the instructor thought we might enjoy it (and we're all female, LOL!). At first, she had us skate forward in the attitude position and then try spinning with our leg out but with our upper body straight, just to get a feel for it. My first try went well, so I decided to try bending back, which led to the cruddy part of the lesson - see below.

Waltz jump continues to improve - getting more height.

Back crossovers are getting faster.


Crud:

My scratch spin appears to have abandoned me! Ugghh! And especially when my instructor was watching me. I've got to figure out a way not to get off balance on my blade and to also stop whacking my left leg w/ the end of my right blade. Ouch! Add another cut this week. :(

I fell doing the layback! I probably shouldn't have tried to lean back just yet, as I got kind of disoriented coming out of it and must have caught/tripped on my toe pick while exiting the spin. At first, I thought I was going to fall backwards and tried to shift my weight so as to go forward - and I landed on my left hip/knee. Good thing I wore leggings that day instead of my skirt.

Well, off to practice on Sunday! Got to solve my spinning disability.

[sk8pics]

Cool:
I passed my adult pre-bronze free skating test this morning! :D I was so sure I was going to fail because any progress I'd made on my 1-foot spin had desserted me last night, and still wasn't with me during my practice and brief lesson this morning. My poor coach was about ready to tear his hair out. Even my waltz jump had nearly desserted me; on the first one last night I barely landed on my toepick, tipping forward.

But I went out and did everything as well as I could, and got some nice comments from the judge. She had me try the 1-foot spin twice, and I was about at 2 revolutions, but I suppose the rest of the test balanced it out. Actually, the 2 revolutions was about 1 1/2 better than I was getting last night! My coach said to me afterwards, "You really [b:4e968af46f]do[/b:4e968af46f] skate up!" I think I was most happy about landing my jumps pretty well and doing my backward crossovers on relatively bad ice. And surprised and happy at the judge's comment that I have good posture. 8)

On to the bronze moves, since I don't expect to get a toe loop, salchow, and flip, not to mention a backspin, by the end of August!

Good luck to anyone with competitions or tests coming up, especially any adults trying to beat the September deadline!

Pat
(planning never to do another 2-foot spin in her life!)

[tidesong]

Cool:

My Axel has decided to return again and its big! I can feel the air time--- so cool !! :)
My Spiral has improved again... I can straighten my skating leg now and so I can get on a better edge with more extension...
I have figured out that I have been trying to put my weight in the wrong place in spins... it should be on the ball of your feet right? I have been pressing very hard on my toes for dear life.... :) now my toes don't hurt so much trying (in vain ) to keep balanced...
I am practising my back sit... my friend told me at the end of a spin combination that everything was very good, except the back sit... so I got to make it perfect :) and its coming along except it makes my right leg ache...

Crud:
Since I got my axel, I decided to try the axel-half loop-flip... but my Half-loop is so terrible I always end up doing the jump combination in a circle with the radius my height... awful... I want it straighter...
I need to get used to placing my weight differently on my spins... maybe I can get my spins to be consistent... finally???
My double salchow is on and off... looks like it isn't as coming along as I thought it was...
Double toe-loop is back to revising toe-loop basics... arrgh so many problems, now when I pick with my leg straight, my left leg swings wildly on the landing...

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:362a08710f="TashaKat"]:( Right now my feet are sore, I'm tired, I'm fed up, I hate skating ........ ok, I'll shut up ;)

Just hope that the rest of you are having a slightly better time of it!!!

L x[/quote:362a08710f]

Well, you sound exactly like I felt last Sunday - and after a week off the ice (planned, although we could have gone to your rink, or to Slough), I am actually nervous about going back tomorrow. I feel quite sure I shall have forgotten everything I ever learnt! And my shoulders are sore, and I have a backache - this is, of course, due to not having taken much exercise except for painting the bathroom (it's finished!!!!!! And it looks fantastic :-) - hang on, I'll go and take a photo or two..... No I won't, there's washing hanging up over the bath which ruins the effect! Oh well, tomorrow, perhaps.

Anyway, I'm dreadfully feeling the lack of exercise this week, and rather dreading going back tomorrow. Last Sunday morning I was really convinced I'd hung my skates up for good - I'm very tempted to say I have, but whatever would I do for exercise then????? :o

[jazzpants]

For Thursday...

[b:0d8b069bc4]Cool:[/b:0d8b069bc4]Finally starting to get that nasty choctaw after holding the BI edge. Moves coach made me do alternating FO3's...and she wants them done RIGHT...but the arm position she had me on made it easier for me to get the BI-FO choctaw for the next FO3. I hope that it stays that way... I got lots of moves (and the flip jump) requiring good FO3's...and the choctaw will certainly help with my spin entry! :P She also said that if I have more control on my FO3 and my BI edge hold that I would turn my "not bad" salchow to a "good salchow."

I had one very GOOD spin... not because of the spin itself but because of the entry. It was easier getting the BI-FO choctaw. I'm so surprised that I even got THAT!!! 8O Let's hope it will stick this time around...

[b:0d8b069bc4]Crud:[/b:0d8b069bc4] Back crossovers... well Moves coach said it is better but it's still crud... :roll: I'm starting to finally get around the ends of the rink, so that helps a bit. (She had me work on leading with my back arm.)

The other crud...Mistress Coach isn't teaching me this week either (because of hockey camp.) I hope to get tortured by her this coming Thursday!!!

[jazzpants]

For Saturday:

[b:79e71ad294]Cool:[/b:79e71ad294]I almost had the rink ALL to myself as I was skating at a FS session that was intended for the younger kids who are preparing for Regionals. Guess they all skated in the mornings, as pretty much only about 4 people totally showed up for the two FS session. One of the skater pretty much had the rink to herself for at least about 20 minutes before someone else came on the ice to skate.

Because of that, I was able to practice those dreaded back crossovers w/o worrying about hitting anyone (well, except for that one skater, but she was far enough away from me and she skated well enough to know how to maneuver away from me!) :D

Sit spins: Stayed in the middle! WOO HOO!!!

[b:79e71ad294]Crud:[/b:79e71ad294]The whole entire session...just couldn' skate well enough. Maybe it's because I could now clearly see all the mistakes that I've been making on the ice. The scratch spins weren't THAT bad, but bad enough that I knew I was traveling from SF to NY if I didn't stop spinning! In fact, I had some pretty good ones too!!! Pretty much stayed in the middle. Didn't feel much like jumping, fell on the ice doing 5 step mohawks, my FO3 were a BEAR on one side and much better on the other, and I could HEAR all the mistakes on my back crossovers (though I was able to correct myself and go on...) Oh, those toe scratchies!!! YUCK! YUCK! YUCKO!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Hamstring was very tired and very sore afterwards. Uh oh... :(

Guess empty ice session also doesn't motivate me either...at least not without a coach on the ice with me!!! :P

Cheers,
jazzpants