Home Run or Strikeout: October 3-9 [Archive]

figure_skater

10-03-2005, 08:43 PM

Home Run

-my coach taught me a catch-camel! they are sooooooo fun! i actually was able to do them by the end of the session! wooooooooo!!!!!!!! :D

-coach taught me layback... lol... ok...

-did the best sit spin ive ever done in front of my coach... low and fast :D

-today was a good spinning day

-get to move up to next competition level!

Strike Out

-jumps were off...

-somehow my back scratch was on an inside edge... :roll: coach couldnt even do it that way... haha

-hockey guys by the ton, those little stupid 10 yr. olds playing hockey tag... so it was hard to get stuff done

Mel On Ice

10-03-2005, 09:14 PM

home run:
sit/back sit is coming along, although I know it probably looks nothing like it should.

Lutz is progressing to the point it is becoming more comfortable, although the slight pause as I toepick in bothers me as I know it's a slight cheat. It should be an instant spring, not a 1/10 or 1/100 of a second pause.

I'm doing loop/loop again.

strike out/K/standing there like a house by the side of the road:
I can do the loop/loop in isolation, like if my coach asks me to just do it. But where it comes in my program, it's as if I never landing the combo ever in my life.

other than that, life's good!

jazzpants

10-04-2005, 12:57 AM

Strike Out:

Loops??? What Loops??? :frus:
Back to working on Bronze moves!!! Was working on the forward progressives and back crossovers. Did swizzles around the circle (both forward and backwards, both directions...) which was scary to do with all these people at public session... 8O
Home Run:

Had a couple of good backspins.
Had a few good camel attempts and at least one camel that went around at least 2 revs.
Did managed to do faster and smoother power 3's on the LFO3's side better. Now to get it consistent and smooth out the RFO3's side...
Had a talk with primary coach...who said that I had a tough panel of judges and thought I should have passed this time around. When I told him that secondary coach said "You are testing in Dec!!!" (Statement, not question) and I said "I am?", he jumped in and said "YES YOU ARE testing in Dec!!!" (Statement, not question!) WOW!!! I definitely had a lot of support from my coaches alright!!! 8O :D

sceptique

10-04-2005, 02:57 AM

Home Run:

This week I'm playing on a guest field - I'm on a training in London, so taking an opportunity to enjoy mid-week skating whilst I can.

Queens rink in West End measured up quite well - it's a small patch, but quiet, not too busy and the ice is good.

I've been working on recently discovered spin technique, and also sit spin - I think I'm starting to get it, at least I get my free leg turned out and pointed 8 times out of 10, and it used to be a major chllenge.

Strike Out:

I want a nice backspin too and it's not there yet.

The Ice Demon

10-04-2005, 04:40 AM

Home Run

I at least got to skate and landed all the jumps I usually can

Strikeout

-2sal is 2 footed at the best and I felt really tired tonight doing everything.
-My foot (plantar fasciitis) was strapped by physio today and I couldn't feel my edges on that foot properly, especially on spin entrances.
-The ice was really bad, like pushing through mud because of all the public skating as it is the school holidays.
-OK the worst part was having to listen to the same 3 pieces of music put on by the same coach over and over again. She did it to us last week too. How appropriate is it for a child to be skating to the "I'm a Barbie girl" song or the "If I was a rich girl" (Gwen Stefani I think) song anyway? We were all really fed up with it. Grrrrrrr!!! The children I'm talking about can barely skate anyway and shouldn't really be on these sessions but this particular coach seems to do what she wants without a thought for anyone else. :evil:
-Final grizzle (I promise i'll be alot happier next week! :) ) is that tonight was the only figure skating session scheduled for my rink for this whole week, something to do with being the school holidays.

Figureskates

10-04-2005, 06:20 AM

Home Run: Coach sez it's a go to test pre-figures next month. The waltz 8 is a little wonky but with practice should be all set in the next two weeks. Just to make sure I have an edge on my figure eights, coach has me do them in my freestyle skates...If I get on and edge with no flats with those, it is a cinch with my patch skates....stay tuned..

Mrs Redboots

10-04-2005, 10:19 AM

I take it these are baseball terms? And that a "home run" is a good thing and a "strikeout" a bad one?

Anyway, back on the ice this morning!

Home run: Husband was working on turning while lifting me, to try to avoid what happened on Sunday when he knew he wouldn't complete the turn so stood still with me in his arms as the finale (at least he didn't drop me in front of the judges, as happened in the summer!). That was quite fun, especially when he got some speed up! Aaaarrrrgggghhhh, scary! And we decided to work on our pushing and gliding, and got skating so fast it was way outside my comfort zone, although he bravely said it wasn't outside his, and he could do chassés that fast (yeah, right, I believe him, thousands wouldn't!).

He only skated for 20 minutes or so, but I stayed on until 10.15, and had fun catching up with those who had skated at the Nebelhorn trophy at the weekend and other friends. And skating, too. I was working on runs round the circle, and remembered what Jimmy Young had said in his masterclass about turning one's ribcage to face into the circle, not one's shoulders. Then later I was working on forward swing rolls, and was having my usual trouble with my shoulders, so decided to see what would happen if I turned my rib-cage instead. Bingo! Instant improvement! Much faster and easier.

Strikeout: Back cross-cuts still not happening. Back cross-rolls horrendously slow and clunky. And my sides hurt after all that ribcage-turning! And my friend reminded me to point my toes!

Plus our coaches are going to Scotland for the Championships there - typical, why couldn't they have gone last year when we were going, too???? This year, the Scottish Adults were separate, and back in August. Not that I particularly want my coach to put me on the ice, but I'd like him to see what the standard of adult skating is these days!

BelleOnIce

10-04-2005, 11:23 AM

Home Run- All my doubles were done well, nice and light on my feet with plenty of hieght. Combinations were all good, including axel double loop, and Split/2flip/2toe (not had good combos for while!)
Over all pretty good jumping day!!

Strike Out- SPINS!!! No matter how hard I tried I wasn't getting anywhere! Done a few good parallel back sits but my legs started to feel so tired that they just started going weird!!
Also now Im back at uni I am not getting to skate as much, especially not during the day when I usually go and all the little ones are at school so usually only 2 or 3 of us on the ice! :cry:
Belle

AnnM

10-04-2005, 11:52 AM

Home Run:
Back crossrolls were good, technique-wise; now I need to work on getting a bit more speed & power on them. Back power pulls were also pretty good, although I need to pay attention to keeping the outside edge lobes even with the inside edge lobes. I tend to take spirals for granted, so I made sure that my coach checked them out today and they were mostly fine. The leg position and free leg height were great, but when I do a left forward spiral I apparently need to look at something in front of me, otherwise I'll go on an edge. I did about three of them that shifted to an outside edge when I was trying to skate on a flat. So my coach got in front of me on the fourth attempt to see what was going on exactly, and that's when I managed to stay on a flat. I also managed to do a pretty decent sit spin "cold", when my coach asked me to do it on the spot in order to demonstrate a point about crossrolls.

Strike Out:
Strike 1: Forward crossrolls -- UGH! Strike 2: Forward power pulls -- double UGH! I can't generate decent flow on either move. I'm nowhere near on pattern while doing the power pulls. And then my coach actually asked me if I wanted to try and test Silver moves next month when there's a test session at our rink. HA! Like that's going to happen :lol: Strike 3: I didn't get to the rink early enough to work on the mohawk or three turn sequences before my lesson.

Seventh Inning Stretch:
My coach gave me a neat exercise to do for spirals that can be done off-ice as well as on-ice. Going down the length of the rink, you start in a spiral, drop into a lunge, and then rise back up onto a spiral on the same leg, etc. You can also do spiral-shoot the duck-back up into a spiral-lunge-back up into a spiral, etc. It's a quad killer! But I'm sure it will be helpful in the long run.

sunshinepointe

10-04-2005, 08:36 PM

Grand Slam!!!

Best. Session. Ever.

Well maybe not EVER but it's been a while since I had things click like they did today.

I did NOT lose my loop - in fact it's gotten better and now I'm able to do 5 loops in a combo AND a solid loop-loop from back XO's. Flippin SWEET.

Speaking of flips I did an AMAZING flip jump that had everyone in my general area in awe. My skate buddy said it was one of my best ones ever. I did a couple more really good ones but I had a couple two footed/cheated landings sprinkled throughout. Much better than Saturday or Thursday when I couldn't do them at all.

I was watching a woman work on backspins and something made me want to try - and I was actually able to not only do a backspin with like 4-5 good fast revolutions, but I was also able to check out of it. Man oh man oh man!!!!

I did a Biellmann spin today...like, a REAL one. I could stand to improve on my flexibility a little more to get the leg higher and spin slightly faster but it was GOOD. The kids at the rink were like "WHOA HOW DO YOU DO THAT???". What a self esteem booster.

My brackets are actually travelling across the ice at a good pace and in a relatively straight line...much better on the right foot than the left foot, but considering I never though I'd be able to do consecutive brackets like that only a couple of weeks ago this is amazing.

Scratch spins were good today too - nice and centered but not as fast as I'd like. Gotta work on squeezing in.

Sit spins have gotten many more revolutions and a LOT more speed. I need to work on pointing the toe a little bit and maybe start experimenting with upper body position.

Overall today was SO much fun - I can't believe I got the flip, loop, Biellmann and backspin in one day. Now I just need to KEEP them.

The axel is coming soon, I can taste it... :twisted:

sceptique

10-05-2005, 03:35 AM

Strikeout:

Yesterday night the session was cut short two hours early - the rink security came and said there was an incident with a bus on the street just outside the rink - some sort of explosion. They handed out vouchers for a complimentary skating session and asked everyone to leave. People packed quikly and silently, made a few phone calls in case things are in the news already and families are watching, and headed home. On the way back I saw an emergency services vehicle pushing through a crowd of onlookers near Bayswater tube station, but overall it looked quiet - no police or ambulance, and buses were still running.....

Home run:

Were was nothing in the news today or yesterday, so I assume it was something minor and not related to The Thing that Everyone Fears (I now sound too much like J.K.R.). Certainly, no one was harmed and that's all that matters. And I got a "skate for free" voucher to use!

Mrs Redboots

10-05-2005, 07:24 AM

It may have been either a mechanical problem with the bus, or a false alarm (this happens, better safe than sorry!).

Husband had said he wasn't going to skate this morning, as it is the First Wednesday of the month, on which day we brave the unknown territory of North London and go to Alexandra Palace, but by this morning he'd changed his mind.

Home Run: We didn't do much serious work, this is not a week for heavy training, but we did work on variable-speed runs round the circle, which were quite fun. And we played with some moves to put in a new free dance, and also with our spin. Which didn't work very well, but the work he's put in on his solo spin does show.

In my lesson, I worked mostly on my Dance Moves, and on stepping from backwards to forwards (we don't call it a Mohawk here unless there's no push, and the one thing he wanted me to do was push!). At the end of the lesson, I was able to play some tracks from the CD from which we hope to cut next year's free dance - the trouble is, the track I really, really like might be too challenging for us, but I'm not too sure I want the "safe" option..... I'll cut both, and there's a third track I also like that might be a good compromise, we'll see, so I'll cut that, too, and then we can have some fun. No point in doing too much choreography before next year's rules are published, but we can play around and work out some steps to put in.

We are beginning to be able to do 3-bracket-3 together holding hands. Both directions! Not very well - rather scratchy - but a start!

Strikeout: "So push!" said the coach, when I was trying to do waltz 3s round the circle, but concentrating on the step to forwards. Er - yeah - but if I push, I can't do the wretched 3-turn!!!! So he had to change the exercise! I could do it with him, had he fancied doing waltz 3s wiht me, but he obviously didn't.

When I was working on back swing rolls, I had serious trouble controlling my free leg, but at least I now know what I was doing wrong! I was allowing it to swing wide, which was pulling me flat - but it's really hard to get it in the right place!

crayonskater

10-05-2005, 09:01 AM

Home Run: The rink is open, finally! Got back on the ice after a summer off two days ago and had fun skating around. Did some edges, crossovers, and did some retarded little waltz jumps.

Strike Out: I am feeling more and more like I am wasting my time with this sport. A summer off, and while I stayed in shape, I pretty much lost all my edges, all my crossovers. I had a lesson today and it was a real waste of time. I'm sure the edges will come back, probably just in time for the rink to close next summer. Coach was helpful and great as always, but at this rate I feel like I'm wasting my money. It's an expensive sport to suck at.

My feet are also killing me; lots of pressure on my bunions and I didn't manage to skate more than my lesson because I could barely stand. Limped home. I'm getting the boots (relatively new) punched out; they fit when I bought them in March, I haven't gained any weight.

Blah.

phoenix

10-05-2005, 09:36 AM

It's an expensive sport to suck at.

This is my new mantra! I love it. :P

Don't give up; this was your first time back out & it will take a little while to get everything back--but it won't take a year! Give it a few more weeks & I'm sure you'll be feeling much better.

Skate@Delaware

10-05-2005, 09:44 AM

Strike Out: Don't you love how this is an on-again, off-again thing? While my spins are starting to return, my jumps are now very tentative....(I also do retarded waltz jumps and will upload and link a video when I figure out how!) I over-rotate on my toe-loop and don't spring up on any jump.

Home Run: Spirals....I can manage to get on the outside edge and make it curve. I did a large full-lap spiral! They are looking nice. Spins....yes, they enjoyed their summer vacation and have returned somewhat. I even pulled out of one because I went around so fast I got skeered! Back Inside Edges...did some where the lobes were rounded (not just squiggly), even though I hit a bump and almost fell :oops: but working on keeping free foot in front is hard....I'll take it anyway!

Hubby showed up at the rink yesterday to drop off video camera that I forgot, he later watched video footage; he had nothing but complements (of course, he's extrememely biased!) Private coach tonight...get to see what she says! I forgot to work on waltz 8's yesterday... 8O

Mrs Redboots

10-05-2005, 12:17 PM

Strikeout: Why don't husbands wear their watches? Mine has just rung up to say that he didn't notice the time, and can't now get home before about 7.00 pm, so no way are we going to make the class tonight! We should make the social dancing, though - but what a pity!

Ah well, I'm a bit tired, so perhaps it's as well. But I did have quite a pleasant nap this afternoon.

jazzpants

10-05-2005, 12:44 PM

Can't say this is a Home Run or a Strikeout, so...

Base Hit:
Started on my Pre-Bronze FS program for Skate SF. It's originally choreographed by primary coach, but I had secondary coach take a look at it and the first thing she said was "It needs to cover A LOT MORE ice surface!!!" So without changing the general footwork, she changed ALL the places where I do my jumps, spins and footwork.

Oh, wait 'til I show this to primary tomorrow... I'd be curious as to what he says about it. :twisted: (I actually like the sense that I'm getting more ice coverage now.) The other thing I was thinking of tweaking for extra points is to change where I normally do toe loop and see if I could do a flip instead. But for now, I just want to get the general sense of the new placement of all my elements.

Other than that... don't remember much of this morning. I was sleep-skating again!!! http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/zzz.gif

icedancer2

10-05-2005, 01:55 PM

Other than that... don't remember much of this morning. I was sleep-skating again!!! http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/zzz.gif

Sleep-skating LOL!! Where did you get this smiley?? Love it!!

jazzpants

10-05-2005, 02:23 PM

Sleep-skating LOL!! Where did you get this smiley?? Love it!!http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/ (Courtesy of TashaKat...)

Terri C

10-05-2005, 08:13 PM

Home Run:
Bronze moves are moving along and was practicing 5 step mohawk today when I hear this yelling of "EXTEND, EXTEND!" It was my coach yelling at me!
Did move on to have a good lesson with secondary coach where we worked on the moves test itself and....
My coaches are just as confused about the adult judging standard on the Adult Moves tests as the rest of us are!
With that said, if I can fit my moves into the smaller rink in the area, I amy be taking my Bronze moves test on November 11!

Strike out:
Too many little ones mixed with kids doing doubles on the session!

pennybeagle

10-05-2005, 11:51 PM

Home Run:
Willow Waltz, Ten Fox, Fourteenstep, and Foxtrot felt good. Apparently, the Willow even LOOKED good, so I'm happy. It's a very good thing that I took up dance, because...

Strikeout with bases loaded to end the 9th:
Ever since the Peach Classic, all of my jumps have gone off somewhere else. I'm not sure what I did to offend them. Double sal, axel, and even the lutz are just...well, presumably on vacation. Dunno when they'll be back. Hopefully soon, or else it will be me who will be taking a vacation. :giveup:

At least I can usually still spin. Usually. Not today.

aussieskater

10-06-2005, 04:28 AM

Home Run:
Bronze moves are moving along and was practicing 5 step mohawk today when I hear this yelling of "EXTEND, EXTEND!" It was my coach yelling at me!

LOL - I get this too - even when my dance coach is teaching someone else and I'm practising (even in the far corner from where she is), all I hear is (in a *very* loud voice bellowing down the rink) "EXTEND! and EXTEND! and EXTEND!" She later said that it doesn't matter who's she's teaching - if she notices one of her students not doing what they should be she'll forcefully point it out. She's not wrong.

sceptique

10-06-2005, 04:46 AM

Home run:

"Exploding" bus mystery solved:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4310434.stm

Strikeout:

My loops are now belong to eigher of two types: the ones that land and the ones that rotate. Those that land are badly underrotated and thus the landing is rather tentative. The ones that have good take-off and rotation are always two-footed. Looks like I'll be working on a merger for a while.....

Mrs Redboots

10-06-2005, 05:20 AM

Home Run:
Willow Waltz, Ten Fox, Fourteenstep, and Foxtrot felt good.I bottled the Foxtrot at our social dance session and didn't do it, and don't know the Ten Fox. The Willow felt great, and was covering far more ice than before, but I can still feel places where it could be a lot better, and if we are allowed to skate it in the recreational match on Sunday, we'll need a very lucky draw. The 14-step is beginning to happen, but only beginning. However, the Swing Dance and Fiesta felt great, and we were fast and covering more ice than ever before, and the Riolado Samba (a dumbed-down version of the Silver Samba) was fast and furious, too, as was the Festival Quickstep (dumbed-down version of the Quickstep). And of course we are keeping our Riverside Rhumba and Golden Skaters' Waltz current for our next competition.

Strikeout: Sadly, one of the most regular skaters at that club didn't feel at all well and had to go home. I danced a pre-planned Hickory Hoedown with her husband, who stayed on, and proved to my satisfaction that I really can't do that 3-turn! I knew I couldn't when dancing it with my husband, but wasn't sure if it was him, not me. Alas, it was me! And I'm still not happy with my solo Canasta Tango, and don't know what I did on the last Dutch Waltz I danced, but something went wrong and I very nearly fell heavily - managed to save myself, but shook myself up rather.

slusher

10-06-2005, 05:16 PM

Home run:

My spiral is as high as the teenage skaters. woah! really? I say.

Strike out:

Dance. This whole dance thing. Why on earth do I do dance. (hmmm, long flowing edges, pretty dresses, well okay) I've been working on the Willow for about a year and it's fine, but haven't done it to music in a long time and I was skating on freeskate sessions all summer. Last night we had our first dance session and not only is my timing off on the Willow, I have completely forgotten all the steps to any dance I ever knew. All my dances are some sort of 3-turn chassee swing roll cross behind generic thing. A little bit of tango, a little bit of waltz, some blues, you name it. My dance partner is not going to have an idea of what hit him, literally !

jazzpants

10-06-2005, 05:42 PM

Home Run:

Got a much needed break from moves for today. Well, not too much... I did some crossovers and 3turn drill that Jay put together... :roll:
Strikeout:

Unfortunately I'm gonna have a LOT of work to do to get my pre-Bronze program ready for Skate SF (in a month.) 8O Primary coach is going along with the secondary coach's placement on the ice. (He also thinks it's better too...) :P Of course, I'm going slower than before b/c I'm not used to the new placements and not fun trying to get that and the timing of the program at the same time. (WAAAAAY too confusing for this skater...) 8O
Tried loop jump... eh, what LOOP jump?
Tried to do a lutz... blanked out on which foot I was supposed to pick from. :oops: (Hey! I don't do jumps often. Definitely not this particular jump...)
Base Hit:

Flip is a little bit better. I am landing those more than the loop...
Camel is getting better. I'm consistently getting up there... I just don't STAY up though. :frus: (This one's a second base hit...)

luna_skater

10-06-2005, 06:26 PM

Homerun: Loops have gotten really good! I finally got a grasp on the timing for really getting my hip over my skating leg, pressing into the ice, and using my free-leg knee to jump up. Hardly any pick-noise now, and more height. Yay! Flip has become consistent again. Discovered that most of the problem before was not getting my LFO-3 entry just right. Lutz is getting better, but I think I'm still flutzing just slightly. Jump has more speed going in, though! Spins...working on about 50 different ways to try and get me to do a sideways leaning spin, lol. Getting there in baby steps. :)

Strike-out: Salchows are feeling professively suckier. I think I'm trying to force the height instead of just letting it happen. Haven't really been practicing axel entry or sit and camel spins; need to get on that. Backspin might be a lost cause. :(

sunshinepointe

10-06-2005, 10:31 PM

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I love skating. Just wanted to share.

Okay, practice notes!

Home Run Lots of good things today in private lesson. My coach saw me land good consistent loop jumps and a couple decent flips. I couldn't nail the lutz jump in my lesson but he told me what I was doing wrong and I managed to fix it on my own later and landed two gorgeous lutz jumps on my own that my friend saw. Coach asked to see a wide variety of spins and the only one that really stunk up the joint was, of course, the camel spin.

I actually have a backspin now. Like my coach did this - 8O - when he asked to see my backspin and I pulled out a nice one, complete with check out. Of course nothing is ever good enough ;) so now he wants me to pull in tighter and I'm like....but that will make me go SO much faster to which he got this look - :twisted: - on his face.

I did a nice spiral that coach loved - largely because for the first time in history he didn't need to yell at me for bent knees. They were LOCKED UP baby. And, I had "sasha height" as my friends like to call it.

I did another good Biellmann spin today - I got about 3 revolutions in the final Biellmann position. Problem - grabbing the blade FREEZES my hand and I can't do more than one at a time. I need to contemplate going back to gloves just for this move, like keep a glove in my pocket or with my guards or something.

Next week my coach said he's going to start me on the layback. This is like, a dream come true. I've been wanting to do a layback spin since I was a little girl and I never thought I'd see the day. Is it next Thursday yet? If I had the money I'd pick up a lesson on Saturday just to start working on it sooner :)

Strike Out Nothing really bad happened tonight...I fell out of some loop-loop combos a couple times trying to get more height and better timing from back XO's. My coach had to laugh at my ability to stay upright on the funkiest landings...he said I have very cat-like reflexes. I took that as a compliment, but I'd rather just land the stupid jumps the right way ;)

My sit spins are a bit travelly at times - other times they're perfectly centered. I can't figure out why the lack of consistency, but I think its blade control and coach agrees. At least I'm able to count my revolutions when I travel - I average about 10 revs ;)

Camel spin is...ick. I need to just practice it more I think. Keep the chest down, straighten the knees. It's just hard to practice camels because I go to mostly public sessions.

I was very sad when the session is over. I've been having SUCH a great time at the rink these days that I just want to skate every day. Oh well - at least I can skate on Saturday for four hours!!! :D

mikawendy

10-06-2005, 10:59 PM

After 17 days off the ice because of vacation, everything felt weird today! (and much much slower!) I have my work cut out for me before Halloween Classic! 8O 8O 8O

Strike-out: Pretty much everything was wonky at the start of the session. Mohawks were especially bad. Spins travelly. First flip I attempted was horrendous. (And my luggage still hasn't arrived because of a strike in France. My knee pads and bungas are in that bag. Thank goodness I didn't take my skates with me on my trip!!)

Home run: Toe loops (my least favorite jump) were cooperating beautifully. I was finally able to do decent loops at the end of the session, and I had a total inverse coach moment with the flip in my lesson--correct timing and better height than I can normally manage. My spins felt rusty and my legs felt weak, but the jumps that did cooperate felt a tad higher than before I went on vacation.

Thin-Ice

10-07-2005, 02:23 AM

Skate@Delaware

10-07-2005, 05:17 AM

This is for private session on Wednesday:
Homerun: Spirals...Can I build a program completely on spirals? Ok, well they aren't perfect either, ("can you try to straighten that leg?") I did manage to do some toe-loops in practice yesterday!!! And I did learn the 1/2 flip! I like that jump! (ok, sort of skating related-I found a special fabric for the ice show!!!!! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to and we would have to go to plan B; plus, it was 50% off!)

Strikeout: Everything else! backspins, Salchow (yes, it was going well...), mohawks, spins ("try to widen your circle"), Salchow, waltz jumps-I'm in jump remediation (I was trying to remember soooo much stuff, I was forgetting to "spring" up), Salchow, back inside edges (although they are much better). Did I mention my Salchow really sucked!! my free leg is refusing to cooperate and then my body freezes....total mental block after the 3-turn. :frus: And I learned this mohawk footwork thing that has me tripping up all over!

PS-My coach told me (for now) to keep my arms out to the side while doing my toe-loop. So I did a few like that. This 4 year old skated up to me and told me that "teacher said you hug yourself when you jump-you better do it!" It was too cute!!! She is a little :halo:

I have group lessons tonight-don't know what we have in store for us. Probably jumping, since last week was spinning. Maybe my Salchow will return....

Mrs Redboots

10-07-2005, 07:30 AM

Strikeout: Got some kind of Lurgy (there's one going round here), and can't skate! Hope I will be able to by Sunday, we've got the last Recreational match of the season, and while I wouldn't at all mind missing it, the Husband is keen, so.... Plus it's at our rink so we are hosting it!

jazzpants

10-07-2005, 11:17 AM

Strikeout: There is a small concave section on my right blade, right where I SHOULD be doing my backspin and back 3-turns. :cry:
I've had two coaches look at it and both said some variation of "How are you skating on this?"... so that means I need new blades to the tune of about $400. :evil: (No, we're not going to go into 'what kind of blades are best?' I'm going to get what I had before because I like them.)

Homerun At least it's not JUST me botching the backspin and RBI 3-turn! Also, the guy who sharpens my blades admits he must have caused the problem during the last sharpening :roll: .. so he's chipping in to pay for the new blades 8-)
.HOLY BAD BLADES, Thin-Ice!!! 8O At least your blade sharpener admits his mistakes.

Maybe I should have someone look at my blades and tell me whether the blade is the cause of my skating on my flats instead of an edge? :lol: (Just kidding! I know it's ALLLLL me!!!) :roll: Ditto for my lack of a LBI3 either. (I have an inconsistent RBI3 though now. Believe it or not, I'm JUST learning them now... :oops: )

I didn't skate today but I have one Home Run... I don't have to get up early the next morning this weekend to test!!! I can skate tomorrow as a SANE HOUR!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: (Mr. Head, meet Mr. Pillow!!! AHHHHH!!!) :mrgreen: http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/zzz.gif (http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/zzz.gif)

Terri C

10-07-2005, 05:32 PM

Ditto for my lack of a LBI3 either. (I have an inconsistent RBI3 though now. Believe it or not, I'm JUST learning them now... :oops: )

Jazz, believe it or not I don't have back threes, period!

Went to the small rink today to see if the Bronze Moves test would be testable there next month. Made the decision in uh, about 10 minutes.
Looks like I'll be waiting to test in December at my regular rink. At the smaller rink I literally have to cram everything in and I'm not comfortable with that, plus there are a few things that I feel need cleaning up before putting this test out. I want to keep the "tradition" I've set for myself in passing the moves tests the first time around. The freestyle test, well, that's another story.

Home Run: Will be going to watch the Falling Leaves competition tomorrow in Richmond!

dbny

10-07-2005, 05:54 PM

Mrs. Redboots - guessing a Lurgy is some kind of illness. Sorry you have got one, hope you feel better soon.

Thin-ice - I sent you a PM about the best prices on blades, if you are interested.

Homerun:
Finally felt like a skater again today! I didn't get much practice in, but FO threes are back and I did manage a little bit of the R side of Prelim power threes for the first time since the spring. Keeping the discussion on F cross strokes in mind, I did them concentrating on smoothness. RBI edge is finally coming back in spite of the orthotics.

Strikeout:
Evidently boots were laced too tightly because my left toes are still burning about 4 hours after finishing up. Forgot to do spiral stretches, and that is something that I really need to do every time I skate.

jazzpants

10-08-2005, 02:37 AM

Jazz, believe it or not I don't have back threes, period!8O (Then again, back threes weren't a priority for me... it was a priority for my SECONDARY COACH for some reason though... :?? And primary coach seemed particularly interested also in the back threes whenever we end up with 90 screaming kids at the public session that I take lessons from. Thankfully NOT that often during the school year...)

Went to the small rink today to see if the Bronze Moves test would be testable there next month. Made the decision in uh, about 10 minutes.
Looks like I'll be waiting to test in December at my regular rink. At the smaller rink I literally have to cram everything in and I'm not comfortable with that, plus there are a few things that I feel need cleaning up before putting this test out. I want to keep the "tradition" I've set for myself in passing the moves tests the first time around. The freestyle test, well, that's another story.I have no clue whether or not I can "clean up" whatever the judges wanted me to clean up by my Dec 3rd deadline but... I've got my orders to keep working on them and improve on it!!! :twisted:

Here's to the Pre-Bronze Peanut Gallery push for a "Bronze" finish!!! :mrgreen:

Meanwhile... UP YOURS!!! LOL!!! :twisted: :lol:

Mrs Redboots

10-08-2005, 06:03 AM

Jazz, believe it or not I don't have back threes, period!And you are not the only one, I don't, either. Although my BI twizzles are way better than my FI ones (can't do BO twizzles for love nor money, as yet).

Strikeout: Still off skating, although I'm feeling better today, but I've now developed a cough! I'm just hoping that I'll be fit to skate tomorrow, since I plan to skate tomorrow, whether I'm fit or not! Still, it's a good excuse not to have to do too much social dancing on a crowded rink!

The Husband did go this morning, as he's decided to enter the solo Intermediate compulsory dance class at Oxford. I wouldn't let him enter the solo Elementary, as I'm doing that (probably my last ever solo dance event!); the Intermediates are Fiesta and 14-step, and I've only recently started working seriously on the 14-step, although right now my Fiesta solo isn't too awful. It's all very well for the men - their steps are a great deal easier! Will be interesting to see where he finishes, especially as he'll be taking on Other Woman head to head.... they had half thought of doing the Intermediate couples compulsories together (Willow Waltz and 14-step), but that's not happening. So anyway, he wanted to practice those.

sk8pics

10-08-2005, 09:14 AM

Another sheepish pre-bronze skater confessing to not having any back 3's. There's just so many other things to work on!

Home run Great, great practice yesterday. Ice was good, not too crowded and it really emptied out for the last 30 minutes. I did all of my programs (there's 3 right now :roll: ) several times, although I didn't do any of the jumps in my new interpretive. The choreography is still giving me some fits, but apparently it's getting better because one of the college kids was all smiling at me as I finished. She'd been watching and she said it was good, which was really nice of her. My compulsory moves program is coming along and I was able to do my free skating program with the changes we made last week. My coach will be happy about that when he sees it tomorrow. (We put a spin at the very beginning, so I had to get used to coming out of the spin and then skating into my waltz jump without falling on my head because I was dizzy, LOL!)

Oh, and one of the coaches who was there working with a friend of mine gave me some sit spin advice (don't do like this because you will fall over, as he demonstrated the wrong technique), and I will have to try to remember that for the distant future when I am working on my sit spin! :roll: It was pretty funny actually, because I was only practicing upright spins, but I guess it occurred to him because he was working with his student on sit spins (hers was awesome!)

Happy skating everyone!
Pat

Skate@Delaware

10-08-2005, 10:57 AM

Ok, I don't have back anything's yet either---no 3's or backspins :oops: but I've got time before I test pre-bronze.....

Friday night's lesson went well-we arrived early for public skate which was crowded with kids (ok, there were only 25-30 max).... and all but 2 behaved.
My back edges are much improved, which got me an "atta girl" from the coach. Then, for the 2nd week in a row, we worked on spins.....AAAGGGHHH!! Ok, they weren't that bad. I did manage to eak out 3 good centered spins. She did ask if my private coach had started on camels (no). I did some crappy sits for her (why can't they be nice when someone's watching?) But, I really wanted to jump. So I did a few jumps. Then coach saw me and we ended up working on jumps. Even the new "kids" :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: (they worked at the wall).

My waltz is getting higher-when I remember to bend deep and push up hard, and if I remember really flex my backgliding foot, I don't hit the toepick and grind to a halt :frus: .....

sunshinepointe

10-08-2005, 03:55 PM

[/B]Rain Delay[B]

Mehh.....today I just wasn't feeling all skate-like today. I stayed up late last night and I had to leave early today anyway so my heart just wasn't in it.

Group lesson was fine - we worked on the same ol stuff, except now he wants consecutive mohawks but with a weird cross behind/kick forward thing. I can do the first part of it, I'm just not getting how to push into the second part. I'll figure it out next week.

I worked on jumps and spins for a little while. Both were fine, no change since Thursday really. My loop has gotten much better, but now I'm having a hard time doing a loop-loop combo. I'm not landing so that I'm set up properly for the second jump...maybe some off ice would help that.

I did a couple of good flips. I think the trick for me is to raise the free leg even higher right before checking out.

I spent a lot of time standing around...bad me! I think my coach noticed this because in his lesson he flagged me down and asked me to show his student a scratch spin. I looked at him like he was nuts and I pointed to a girl who has a far superior scratch spin and he said "no, I want her to see YOURS". SO either that was punishment for not skating hard today or he thinks my scratch spin is suitable. Either way I took it as a compliment.

Backspins are scaring me...I try pulling in to go faster but I'm just soo afraid to go that fast yet so I chicken out of them.

The good scratch spin girl showed me what I think are twizzles...It's basically a bunch of RFI/RBO 3's in a sequence without stopping - or a travelling spin, however you want to look at it. I dunno if they're twizzles or not but they're fun.

I found out the information on the holiday show today. There is going to be an adult precision number with stepout spotlight things...I'm thinking I might want to do a solo or pairs routine with a friend of mine too but I've never choreographed skating before, only dancing. Should be good experience.

I've also been making my own skating dress...not for the show, but if this turns out okay maybe I'll wear it for the show. In any event, its the first time I've ever made anything like this and so far so good. My friend is making one too but she's not using a pattern. I'll post pictures of it when I'm done.

Okay, time to go run right back out the door for a party. I hate skating days like this - but I know that Tuesday will be better. At least my skating technique didn't suffer because of my poor attitude lol.

mikawendy

10-08-2005, 07:50 PM

Maybe I should have someone look at my blades and tell me whether the blade is the cause of my skating on my flats instead of an edge? :lol: (Just kidding! I know it's ALLLLL me!!!) :roll: Ditto for my lack of a LBI3 either. (I have an inconsistent RBI3 though now. Believe it or not, I'm JUST learning them now... :oops: )

BI threes are eeeeeevil. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

jazzpants

10-09-2005, 01:25 AM

Speaking of eeeeeevil.... :evil:

Strike out:

My moves practice session!!! WAAAAY too many kids!!!
My program practice session!!! WAAAAY too many kids!!!
(Actually, many of those kids ARE eeeeevil for skating thru the middle!!!) :evil:

Home Run:

Not much... got one good loop and two smaller flips!
Got a couple of good camel tries!

slusher

10-09-2005, 10:32 AM

A question to the USA skaters, at what point do you have to do back 3's for a moves test?

I'm in Canada, we don't have learn them, although we sort of pass over them in Canskate learn to skate, we don't have to learn them until Junior bronze and then they come with a change edge back 3. It's secretly my reason for dawdling on my preliminary skills test, so that I don't have to do back 3's because I can't do them and I don't even try. Too many other fun things to do!

Yesterday:

Strikeout:

Video. Sigh. I know it's good for me but eek! I can't even talk about all the things that seem so perfect in my head and don't seem to appear on the video.

Dance. Well. Hmmm. Dance guy has pulled out the marker and drawn the steps on the ice, yet again. It's got something to do with corners, they must have amnesia because no matter what the dance, I bottle (I love that term Mrs. Redboots) the corner steps.

Homerun:

I'm jumping pretty high once I got past the visuals. I might not have technique, but the will to fly is there.

mikawendy

10-09-2005, 10:37 AM

A question to the USA skaters, at what point do you have to do back 3's for a moves test?

I'm in Canada, we don't have learn them, although we sort of pass over them in Canskate learn to skate, we don't have to learn them until Junior bronze and then they come with a change edge back 3. It's secretly my reason for dawdling on my preliminary skills test, so that I don't have to do back 3's because I can't do them and I don't even try. Too many other fun things to do!

In terms of the adult tests, I think they first show up on the Adult Silver test as alternating back and forward threes, for example, RFI3/LBO3 and LFI3/RBO3, and RFO3/LBI3 and LFI3/RBO3. I think that they then reappear on the Adult Gold moves test as double threes, but I could be wrong. I'd check in my rulebook but it hasn't come yet! :evil: I don't know the order of elements on the standard track tests as well, so I couldn't tell you quite when they show up there. Probably Pre-Juv or Juv, but I'm not sure.

Thin-Ice

10-09-2005, 11:38 AM

Yes mikawendy, you have it right... BI & BO 3-turns show up on the "3-turns in the Field" on both the Adult Silver and Pre-Juvenile moves.

Now, why is it when I took the Pre-Juvenile Moves test I managed to squeak through on these.. and now that I'm working on Adult Silver I find them SOOOOO difficult??? Maybe because I don't like to practice them??? At least I'm enjoying my brief respite from them until I get new blades! Even my coach said not to bother working on them with the not-quite-right blade!

And dbny, thank you so much for the tip on where to buy blades for less! I just LOVE how people on this board help each other with info on costumes, technique, stretching, psychology and financing this sport!

mikawendy

10-09-2005, 11:59 AM

And dbny, thank you so much for the tip on where to buy blades for less! I just LOVE how people on this board help each other with info on costumes, technique, stretching, psychology and financing this sport!

I was also thinking of buying blades from the place dbny recommended the last time I needed to buy blades. However, all of the places near me that do blade mounting charge a higher fee for mounting blades not bought through them, so the total cost would have wound up being higher! :evil:

Thin-Ice

10-09-2005, 12:06 PM

I was also thinking of buying blades from the place dbny recommended the last time I needed to buy blades. However, all of the places near me that do blade mounting charge a higher fee for mounting blades not bought through them, so the total cost would have wound up being higher! :evil:

Once again, I'm fortunate.. the guy who mangled the blade in the first place has said he will mount the new blades for free... no matter where I buy them!

dbny

10-09-2005, 02:52 PM

I was also thinking of buying blades from the place dbny recommended the last time I needed to buy blades. However, all of the places near me that do blade mounting charge a higher fee for mounting blades not bought through them, so the total cost would have wound up being higher! :evil:

Either they are charging way too much for mounting "outside" blades, or their blade prices aren't so bad to begin with. I've never heard of charging more than $10 for mounting - and that's at Chelsea Piers.

icedancer2

10-09-2005, 03:01 PM

And which place was that dbny -- where you can get good prices on blades??

Would you mind repeating that info?

Thanks.

Mrs Redboots

10-09-2005, 03:25 PM

Back on the ice, thankfully, although perhaps not as fully as I'd have liked.

In our lesson this morning we worked on the Willow Waltz for a bit to see if there was anything that obviously needed correcting (thankfully, this evening, we had a walkover as one club couldn't field a team, so got our 3 points even though we were pretty dire! But at least we had a go!) and then played around with different spins and lifts, things to work on that might go into next year's free dance. Which will either be fairly pure rock, or a rock waltz, either way it's going to be rock-based (Kirsty McColl; so far we've narrowed it down to three songs, but I'm still not sure which we'll choose).

I only really stayed on the ice for our lesson, as today was always going to be difficult and busy (Harvest Festival at Church, followed by a church lunch, and then straight to the recreational match, which we were hosting, which meant helping with the catering for both!), and I wasn't sure how much stamina I had. This evening I did dance quite a bit, but was getting breathless and starting to cough again, so once we'd done our Willow Waltz (and there was no social dancing between the end of the junior dances and the start of the senior dances as one of the judges was late as he'd been watching the Formula 1 Grand Prix!), I got changed. Our Senior couple very kindly gave an exhibition of their OD, which is marvellous (I have a shot from a recent performance of theirs as my desk-top, but all she said when she saw the photo was: "I need to straighten my leg more!"), and although I've seen them working on it a zillion times, it's much nicer when they're on an empty rink and dressed up!

Skate@Delaware

10-09-2005, 06:55 PM

Had show practice today-I'm wondering at what point I'll go crazy from listening to Nutcracker music???? Last year I made it to Thanksgiving.....
Went to public skate today; mostly to skate with the boy. Very crowded, like skating during a hockey game! Cut the session early and waited for the adult session which is blessedly uncrowded but pricey (1 hour/$5).

Homerun: Spins are still with me. I can manage 2-3 good ones out of 10. Waltz jump is getting better-more height! Toe-Loops! Working getting down more in the knee and picking back further and trying not to do a toe-waltz. 1/2 flip was ok (really like them). Outside spiral is getting better! Locked that knee and went for it (almost kissed the boards so I leaned away-sort of scary but cool!). Stroking is really great! Smooth and my observers (hubby and daughter) said my legs are lifted to the same height (my left was not last week for some reason....bad leg....)

Strikeout: Salchow! Major brain spasm on it again!!!! AAAAGGGHHH!! What is my free leg supposed to do after the 3 turn???? :frus: :frus: I got everything except that! Footwork sucked...supposed to do a right mohawk, cross in front, then left mohaw, cross in front and repeat and I'm tripping all up (dork on ice anyone???). This has been a tough week for me-I've had to hit my inhaler twice this week and I'm not happy about that (although I'm really happy to be breathing as wheezing is not cool)....And I've got some major muscle spasm in my shoulder/neck area which is causing my shoulders to be carried unevenly-I really need a massage, I just don't have time!

dbny

10-09-2005, 08:32 PM

And which place was that dbny -- where you can get good prices on blades??

Would you mind repeating that info?

Thanks.

It's Mike at the pro shop at the Cantiague rink on Long Island, NY. I hate to post anyone's phone number on the web like this, so I'll PM you with that, but you can reach Mike also at MIGOLD22@aol.com. Sample prices: Gold Seals for $345, Coronation Aces for $140.

sunshinepointe

10-09-2005, 08:35 PM

jazzpants

10-10-2005, 12:44 AM

Home Run:

Nice empty ice.
Got thru all the Bronze moves well enough still.
I asked Ice Dancer guy #2 to help me with crossovers next week and he's kindly agreed to help me with it. :cool: (I figured if he can get me to do better FI mohawks that it can't hurt...)
Landed a couple of flips, though I also nearly killed myself on a few attempts too.
Strikeout:

Didn't improve much on the power 3's on my LFO side as far as speed is concerned :frus:
Didn't have enough time. Had to leave for a concert. Thought I was running late and was gonna miss a good portion of the first half of the concert but turns out they just started!!! :mrgreen: But in any case, I really need the ice time.
Ice was CRAPPY towards the time I left the rink... LOTS of ruts!!! I almost killed myself a few times on the ice from running over those ruts... :evil:

sceptique

10-10-2005, 05:09 AM

Strikeout

Where did my beautiful spins go? I maneged to center only one out of maybe 50. My coach told me that I hold my right shoulder too far back, but when I try to pull it forward, I fall forward.

Backspin is a mirage...

Loops are frustratingly close to clean, but still not there.

Home Run

Toe loop and salchow are getting better and better, by itsel and in combinations. I need to work on speed and height but the technique seems to be spot on. Footwork is also improving, slowly but steadily.

Skate@Delaware

10-11-2005, 08:35 AM

^ on the salchow....

after the 3 turn check the position - free leg should be behind you. After the check, draw the free leg around your body in a nice open position and when your pretty much facing forward take off rolling through the toe. Voila! Instant salchow.

My coach said to think of it like a 3 turn with a waltz jump - that's all a salchow really is :)
I know-but for some reason I can't get that idea down to my leg :frus: when I go to do it I freeze.....I'm hitting the session today with the intent of working on doing the waltz from the back position, maybe that will help (couldn't hurt).
I do appreciate the tips and advice. Too bad we are located too far apart! It would be fun to skate together (although you are a much better skater) I'd like to see your jumps!