Spring flowers or April showers: 4-10 April 2005

[Mrs Redboots]

Skated at another rink last night. We normally skate for nearly 2 hours there, with a break when the ice is cut, but for various reasons we all got off after the "patch" (teaching ice) ended at 7.45 pm. Which was great, because we got home far earlier than usual. Even still, I slept the clock round - I was exhausted.

Spring Flowers: Husband and his Other Partner were able to get a lesson from one of the really good dance coaches in this country, which helped them no end (if they can remember what they were taught and actually do it when the time comes). I meanwhile, worked on my edges, and various steps of my artistic programme, plus stepping through a few dances on my own and working on my back cross-cuts & cross-rolls.

April Showers: I'm going to have to change my .sig very soon - it's the cross-rolls are proving more difficult than the cross-cuts! I can do them beautifully when someone holds my hands or in dance hold, and I rather think I could probably do them beautifully holding a Dyna-Band (must try, this evening - didn't like to do this on a rink whose policies I'm not too sure of), but without one, I didn't have the confidence to really swing my shoulders and open up as I needed to.

My forward outside edges are awful! I was doing sequences of run/chassé/swing on each foot, and then holding the swing roll - my right foot wasn't just so bad, but my left foot didn't get on nearly such a good edge. I suppose it's inevitable that one side is worse than the other..... great nuisance, though. But I was amused by how much more ice my run/chassé/swing combination covers than it did the last time I had that particular combination in a programme or free dance!

My knee "went" on me, so I didn't want to stay on the ice after the end of the session - it's fine today, although I'm still aware I have one, but I didn't want to skate on it much more that evening. Other Woman's husband also decided not to skate as it was very crowded, and their Zamboni broke down (I thought it was only ours did that!) so the ice had only been partially cut. And as it did get more and more crowded, and it was obviously about to be standing-room only, Husband and Other Woman decided to get off, too....

[dbny]

Spring Flowers:
I had another great practice yesterday. I worked so hard that I had to take my jacket off after the first half hour, and kept it off the rest of the time (an hour). This was in one of the coldest rinks I know of. I am really pushing to get the Prelim spiral pattern. The spirals are not in it yet, but the pattern itself, with back arched and free leg extended as high as it will go, is starting to improve. I am now getting through the FO alternating threes with just a tiny touch down before stepping forward. I'm actually getting the LFO three at the top of the lobe instead of early, which has been one of my big problems (aside for doing the turn at all). I also can finally just do a FO three whenever, a skill which deserted me when I broke my wrist at Lake Placid almost four years ago. F power pulls are not so scary anymore, and I'm starting to hear a rip on the outside edges also.

April Showers:
Spirals! I did them at home and saw that my free leg was at least hip height. I did them standing at the boards and saw in the glass that it was also hip height. Putting them into the Prelim spiral pattern is another matter altogether. Still have not nailed the FI alt three pattern, but I can always do the first one whether it is R or L, so there is hope for the rest of the pattern. I must remember to keep my free hip open after pushing, and imagine the blue line running through the top of each lobe instead of being the axis for the pattern.

I've devised a move to help my spins, but I'm sure my coach won't approve, so I'm not telling her. My biggest problem on a one foot spin is that I'm afraid of tipping to the left (CCW spin), so I always tip to the right instead of being directly on top of my blade. I tried my new idea yesterday and it did help. I skate backwards, hold my R foot in front and a little to the side as if I were spinning, and gently go up onto the spin point. The goal is to keep from tipping so far forward that I go onto the toe pick and stop moving. I'm also paying attention to my skating knee, and trying to rise up without tipping off the spin point in any direction.

[PattyP]

Spring Flowers: My axel has returned just in time for AN! I landed it in competition on Sunday and it was fairly consistant this morning. (BTW I placed 2nd at this competiton! Okay, there were only 3 of us, but who's counting ;) ) Coach fixed my flying camel today and improved my sit spin. I hope this trend continues!

April Showers: Looked at my video tape from Sunday's comp. I still look like an Adult onset skater in many of my elements. :roll:

I'm doing a critique tomorrow night put on by my club for adults going to Nationals. I think it might be a little late for this, this close to AN, but I thought it would be a good experience anyway.

PattyP

[NickiT]

April Showers
......all the way. We have no ice time this week due to skate camp and other rink commitments. This wouldn't normally be a great deal, only I'm competing at Streatham next week and it looks like I'll get just one skate on Monday and no lesson at all, all week. I'm going to be pretty useless without a good few skates beforehand and so I'm feeling pretty bummed right now.

Nicki

[Mrs Redboots]

April Showers
......all the way. We have no ice time this week due to skate camp and other rink commitments. This wouldn't normally be a great deal, only I'm competing at Streatham next week and it looks like I'll get just one skate on Monday and no lesson at all, all week. I'm going to be pretty useless without a good few skates beforehand and so I'm feeling pretty bummed right now.I bet you are - can you get up to Slough, or down to Basingstoke, to practice there? Or even come and get used to our ice - but your family commitments probably don't allow for that. Anyway, I'll be there for you on Tuesday & will put you on the ice, as promised.

[kiwibabe]

Spring Flowers: Now I've only just started ice skating so I'm going through all the badges/tests that little kids do but I passed my first badge/test last night (which means I can stop, start, fall over, skate forwards/backwards). My crossovers are getting alot better which is good as we will be doing a badge/test on it soon.

April Showers: I failed my second test/badge, who knew it would be hard to snow plough stop with my left foot rather than my right foot. Spent heaps of time practicing it last night, and I can retest it on Saturday. Oh well.

[crayonskater]

Spring Flowers : New skates, new skates, new skates! Which actually hold my ankles up so I can do BO/BI edges without fighting the skates! Whee!

April Showers: Showers overridden by new skates, new skates, new skates!

[NickiT]

I bet you are - can you get up to Slough, or down to Basingstoke, to practice there? Or even come and get used to our ice - but your family commitments probably don't allow for that. Anyway, I'll be there for you on Tuesday & will put you on the ice, as promised.


Thanks Annabel. You know what it's like for us adults. I need a few good skates before competing especially with this programme. Obviously it's my hardest yet. Lesley is coming from Bracknell too and at the moment we're thinking of a very early start in order to get onto your practice ice. I'm worried because as far as I understand, your rink is smaller than ours and I'm practically touching the barriers as it is!!! Oh well, all I can do is my best and if it all goes pear-shaped, so what?!!!

Nicki

[Skate@Delaware]

Spring Flowers: Our synchro routine is really starting to rock! AND we are getting even more ice time after lessons end for the season for more rehearsals for the other numbers. And my waltz jump is improving. And my new skates/blades came in (but must be sharpened and I must now go through the break-in process so I don't think I can wear them for the show).

April Showers: My skates are dull, dull, dull and don't hold and edge and have been sent to my trusted sharpener; my spins don't spin, and the show is less than 2 weeks away and I've still got costumes to finish! And did I mention the break-in process on my new skates? :roll:

[sk8pics]

Spring Flowers:
I've devised a move to help my spins, but I'm sure my coach won't approve, so I'm not telling her. My biggest problem on a one foot spin is that I'm afraid of tipping to the left (CCW spin), so I always tip to the right instead of being directly on top of my blade. I tried my new idea yesterday and it did help. I skate backwards, hold my R foot in front and a little to the side as if I were spinning, and gently go up onto the spin point. The goal is to keep from tipping so far forward that I go onto the toe pick and stop moving. I'm also paying attention to my skating knee, and trying to rise up without tipping off the spin point in any direction.

I was having similar issues when I first learned to spin (now I'm re-learning, but that's another story :roll: ) and my coach had me doing the same thing. Skating backwards on my right foot (I'm CW) and then pulling my left foot to the position is was supposed to be in and pulling my arms in, and still holding the correct position on my right foot. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to try it again tomorrow.

Pat

[Terri C]

Spring flowers:
Moves- had a lesson with Coach #2 today and she said that my moves have improved since last time- even the power threes! :D That Bronze MIF test may seem doable this spring or summer after all!

April Showers:
With all the work on moves, my freestyle elements are slowly but steadily going to pot. Therefore, I've asked Coach #1 to please work on freestyle on my lesson Thursday!

[dbny]

I was having similar issues when I first learned to spin (now I'm re-learning, but that's another story :roll: ) and my coach had me doing the same thing. Skating backwards on my right foot (I'm CW) and then pulling my left foot to the position is was supposed to be in and pulling my arms in, and still holding the correct position on my right foot. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to try it again tomorrow.

Pat

Well, you made my day, but I'm still not telling my coach!

Spring Flowers:
Had another good hour and a half practice today. B crossover to BO edge pattern is much better after checking it in the rule book. During my lesson last week, I heard my coach yelling something about the entry Mohawk, and the diagram confirmed what I had thought. I hadn't understood the pattern correctly, and was doing the entry Mohawk way too late. I'm also managing to get my free leg higher on this pattern and it's starting to feel faster and more flowy. I've been watching other people's lessons on power pulls, and noticed that some coaches teach bringing the free foot back to parallel for each F pull. I tried it and can do it, but feel keeping it forward is more elegant. Will keep playing with it. My big surprise in today's practice was that at the end, I just felt the need to do some RBO threes, and did them without fear. Need to work on the check, of course. I think the F power pulls are great practice for B threes, as they require the weight to be on the back of the blade, which is a bit scary.

April Showers:
Still Spirals! Some of little kids at the rink offered to lend me theirs :lol:. My FO and FI threes were not as good as yesterday, nor was the Prelim power three pattern, but I was still able to do them all. Lesson tomorrow, hope the good stuff shows up for it!

[MannyisHOT]

Spring Flowers: Had skating last night... went through my program and landed most of my jumps except for the axel and double sow... i landed my double toe... in the program...

April Showers: Was doing skills and i was doing a cross cut and I put my foot so far under that the blade came off the ice and i was skating on the side of my boot.... you can probably picture what came after that...... SPLAT!

[Mrs Redboots]

Thanks Annabel. You know what it's like for us adults. I need a few good skates before competing especially with this programme. Obviously it's my hardest yet. Lesley is coming from Bracknell too and at the moment we're thinking of a very early start in order to get onto your practice ice. I'm worried because as far as I understand, your rink is smaller than ours and I'm practically touching the barriers as it is!!! Oh well, all I can do is my best and if it all goes pear-shaped, so what?!!!We're the same length as you, but a little narrower - 26 metres rather than 30. I'll put Lesley on the ice too, if she likes.... typical, isn't it - Husband went to the draw last night, and can he remember what order you are skating in? You guess! He can't even remember where his Other Partner is skating..... I should have gone down & made notes, but I had forgotten it was the draw & I was tired.

But I skated this morning, first of 2 skates for today. Arrived at the rink to find a very large van parked very awkwardly, and when we got in, there was a scaffolding tower & two workmen working on the spotlights. As my coach said, they would have been more to the point to have worked on the sound system.... One skater was yelling at her coach that "she had a competition in six days....." I thought it more tactful not to tell her about NickiT's complete loss of ice! And anyway, the scaffolding tower was not too awkward - one had to look out for it, but it didn't really impact on one's programme. I felt sorry for the workmen, though - they kept having to get on and off the ice, and it must have been like crossing the M25 (or your local Interstate) in the rush hour!

Spring Flowers: Coach was actually complimentary about my edges. He agreed that my LFO edge wasn't as steep as my RFO one, but said it was perfectly respectable, and only caused by the fact that I have trouble staying over my left hip. Said to practice the run-chassé-swing combination, and to remember to extend properly! And to watch my hands.... and....

Programme run-through went well. Again, coach was complimentary about my twizzles - why is it, though, that I can do really nice FI twizzles, but only one revolution, and my BI ones, which I am using in this programme, don't look so nice but I can get a reliable 1.5 revolution on my right foot? And I managed my 3-turn sequence, but I'm going to work up some "alternative choreography" just in case..... I'm still not 100% sure it will work. That's the trouble with doing what, for me, are rather showing-off steps - most skaters wouldn't find them hard, but you know me..... so I'm doing steps at the limit of my ability to do well. Oh, and on the way home I've bought most of the costume!

April Showers: Back cross rolls mutter mutter mutter, back cross cuts, mutter mutter mutter, back outside edges..... Actually, they are all coming along nicely now, and they are all suffering from the same affliction - my shoulders! If I concentrate on where my shoulders should be (which is hard, for the back cross-rolls - I tend to bottle out on getting enough oomph in them), then I forget everything else, like hands, and extension, and.... and when I think of those things, I forget about my shoulders. Sigh.... Coach says I may & should practice with my Dyna-Band, as it works for me!

Now to rest up before tonight's skating at Tashakat's old rink!

[NickiT]

We're the same length as you, but a little narrower - 26 metres rather than 30. I'll put Lesley on the ice too, if she likes.... typical, isn't it - Husband went to the draw last night, and can he remember what order you are skating in? You guess! He can't even remember where his Other Partner is skating..... I should have gone down & made notes, but I had forgotten it was the draw & I was tired.

Thankfully synchro aren't using our late club patch at 9.15 tonight so it means that Lesley and I can get up there and have a bit of a practice. With a bit of luck I'll be able to run through my programme a couple of times.

It's a shame your hubby can't remember the skate order. I hate being first or last but don't mind any other order. Do you have any idea how many are in our class? I expect I'll come last anyway!

Nicki

[Mrs Redboots]

Thankfully synchro aren't using our late club patch at 9.15 tonight so it means that Lesley and I can get up there and have a bit of a practice. With a bit of luck I'll be able to run through my programme a couple of times.Oh good! That'll make you feel better about it, I know.

It's a shame your hubby can't remember the skate order. I hate being first or last but don't mind any other order. Do you have any idea how many are in our class? I expect I'll come last anyway!He thinks about 7.... needless to say he's not sure of that, either.... I have never NOT come last at my home rink. One of these days..... but I'm not skating this time as my artistic programme wouldn't have been ready in time.

[Tessa]

Showers -- not enough practice. Never enough practice. Why did I think I should start skating again in the SPRING? Back inside and outside threes BITE.

Flowers -- I am liking the coach. There was hardly anyone at the rink today. My forward scratch spin made a guest appearance after new coach corrected a few things. Why had I never been told those things before??? Landed a couple decent loops. Found out crosscut thingies aren't so terrible. Fell. It's not a good practice if I don't fall at least once.

Showers again -- I hate three turns I have to two foot -- I hate more when I two foot it and I still can't do it!

[dbny]

Spring Flowers:
Had my lesson today and only worked on the Prelim spiral pattern and a little on the BO crossovers to BO edges. I'm finally on pattern, and even getting my L leg almost high enough. I also now have enough power to get through the FO side of the pattern, which is always slower for me.

The BO XO's to BO edges are passing standard! Now I am to refine the pattern by making sure my free leg is fully extended, knee locked. That gives me a confident pass on three out of the six moves in this test.

I've decided that since I do not have the turnout for spread eagles or Ina Bauers, I am going to develop knock out spirals. It may take me several years, but at least I know it is doable, and I'm not afraid of spirals at all.

April Showers:
I have not slept well for the past two nights, and I felt it today. I just did not have the energy I needed to warm up properly before my lesson, which comes a half hour after I've finished an hour's teaching. Moves that were their best ever on Friday and Monday started to decline a bit yesterday, and today I did not have the strength to fight with them much. Three turns were the primary victim. I'm supposed to skate an hour and a half freestyle tomorrow afternoon, but I may not go if I'm still so tired. I'm skating Friday, and I might be better off with a little rest first.

[phoenix]

Showers: Ugh. I've worked on practically nothing but my one dance for 5 1/2 months---you'd think I'd be able to pull it together by now, right?? No, skated pretty crappy today, wild & sloppy & not into my knees enough. I'm testing it again in May, and I WANT to pass it this time! I'm very tired of it. I am paying my coach a fortune to tell me the same things over & over, & I can't seem to get my body to put it all together in the right sequence--if one thing is fixed, then something else falls apart.

Flowers: Nothing. Nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing. :giveup:

[jenlyon60]

Showers: main coach got stuck in traffic because of an early rush hour accident, so I only had 10 minutes with him.

Flowers: Made a breakthrough (if I can remember it) on how to track into the closed mohawk in the Starlight. Think I know what to do to not rush the end 3-turn quite so much, but need to try it out.

In my other lesson, we worked back cross-rolls, back chasses (ala Starlight) and back crossovers. My knees and what-not definitely know they got worked today.

[jazzpants]

Spring flowers:

LFO3 are better. We'll see what my secondary coach has to say on Wed. morning... :P
5 step mohawks are better in the middle of the session.
Flips are crappy but not as bad as loops.
April Showers:

RFO3, losing the step to FO edge thing. I'm really having trouble now. GRRRR!!!:frus:
5 step mohawks bad at the end of the session. I was fearful of doing a RFI mohawk at the end. I know then NOT to push for it... and leave it on the ice!
Loops are crappy.
Primary coach not landing his double sal and then watching him grab his knees for some reason. (Turns out he took a spill at home and feel on his tush badly and for a while he could even sit w/o his butt hurting. i.e he's injuried but it's NOT his knees...) :cry:

[jazzpants]

Spring flowers:

Secondary coach is very happy with the LFO3's now! Now she wants to see if I could go faster! Sure enough, I can and it wasn't as scary! WOO HOO!!! :mrgreen:
April Showers:

Back crossovers on one side and spiral (mostly FI edge ones) are sucky! My secondary coach says that I really to take Yoga and get my flexibility up. AUGH!!! Where the h*** am I gonna find the time? 8O :frus:

[jazzpants]

Spring flowers:

LFO3 are better. We'll see what my secondary coach has to say on Wed. morning... :P
5 step mohawks are better in the middle of the session...well, when I'm not getting cut off. :roll:
Sit spins are coming alone
Camels are getting better.
April Showers:

Secondary coach not there to watch "dog and pony" show. And I'll probably won't see her next week b/c she'll be at a competition. (I heard something like she's gonna be in Florida...)
RFO3, losing the step to FO edge thing. STILL having trouble now. GRRRR!!! Where were the ones I did last week??? :cry::frus:
Fell on my knees! Having a hard time bending left knee at times... but ironically, I can still skate on them. (Probably gonna be just a nasty bruise by tomorrow night.)

[Mrs Redboots]

Spring Flowers: The monthly - actually, they're weekly, but we only go monthly - class at Alexandra Palace was fantastic! They have decided to re-work the forwards dances, largely for the benefit of beginners, but also to work the edges of those of us with a little more experience. So the introductory moves were pretty easy, except for FO swing rolls done counter-body - I usually find them easier than with-body, but last night I kept doing them counter-body on one side and with-body on the other - in other words, wasn't moving my shoulders properly.

The coach asked us to show her the dance, which we did, and she said it was quite good - and then proceeded to tear bits out of Husband about his FI edges, saying he was using his free hip too much and making it more difficult for me. Well, I could have told her that, and have told him that, frequently and loudly - not so much about his FI edges (I appear to have adjusted to those!) but his BO ones, where he tends to get the edge by drawing it with his bottom, and it is so-o-o-o difficult to track! I plan to have Words with his coaches before our lessons on Sunday!

The social dancing was fun, as social dance always is - danced with a couple of other men, including Other Woman's Husband, which is always nice, especially if it means I don't have to do the Prelim waltz with Husband, because he always over-rotates his 3s and it's a bear to partner him. Only my 3-turns were a bit skiddy, so I must have been awful to partner, too!

Oh, and I discovered that if I do the chassé properly in the Canasta (bending into it, not just picking the free foot up!), I get a decent FO edge on the first swing. I said this to Other Woman, and she was like, well, duh, so you may laugh if you choose! But I also think I may have had a breakthrough on the step to forwards on the Fiesta - I have a feeling that if one lifts one's foot up, it then makes it easier to step down again. Need to try this if I go to dance club tonight....

Cor, thunder! I am not going if it is thundering, that's for certain!

April Showers: Going on outside my window right this minute! Nothing much - didn't do the Swing Dance as well as I'd like, and Husband had totally forgotten what we were working on in the Willow, at least, in the first pattern (the 2nd time, I did the 3-turn too early, which didn't help either of us). Wish we could keep the speed up in the Fiesta - we do the first pattern really quite respectably fast, but grind to a halt because we do the step to forwards so badly! So the next pattern is slower, and the 3rd slower still.... I'm looking forward to seeing how the pre-Bronze dancers manage at Adult Nationals - and the Willow Waltz....

[NickiT]

Spring Flowers
We were alerted to a free bit of patch ice late last night so I managed to get an extra bit of practice before next week's competition, but.............

April Showers
I did something pretty stupid. My piriformis syndrome has flared up a little of late, I guess from doing more jumps than usual in anticipation of competing next week. Anyway I decided to do a trial of the two and a half minute on-ice warm-up but in my haste I forgot to warm-up off the ice first. Big mistake. I got to the first jump in my programme and felt a "ping" in my right hip/groin area. I guess with the flared up piriformis problem caused by my twisted pelvis, I have quite a weakness in that area. I tried to do the jump again but it hurt so I rushed off for some ibuprofen. No matter what, I had to get some practice in. I did manage to run through my programme twice though I was very wary of jumping because of the strain I'd obviously done, and the crossovers into a spin and any spin really hurt. I probably won't get to skate now till Monday anyway, so hopefully the few days off will be enough to help it to heal. I just don't believe my luck on this.

Nicki

[dbny]

But I also think I may have had a breakthrough on the step to forwards on the Fiesta - I have a feeling that if one lifts one's foot up, it then makes it easier to step down again. Need to try this if I go to dance club tonight....


I've been practicing the Fiesta, having learned it from the rulebook. It's similar to the roller version or at least a dance I half remember from the roller version. I have no problem with the BI Mohawk, but the same turn is in the Juv eight step Mohawk pattern, which must be done in both directions, and I have a lot of trouble with it CW. One tip my coach gave me, which does help, is to regard the XF before the turn as a crossover only when your foot leave the ice, so that you don't just pick up your (CCW here) R foot to step forward, you also push with your L at the same time, just as in a crossover. I think it helps because it puts your weight firmly on the foot you are stepping from.

[Terri C]

April flowers:
The moves are moving along! I actually did one full lap of power 3's today!!
I've restarted work on the camel and did one with 2 revolutions!

Showers:
Coach says at beginning of lesson:
"I know you wanted to work on freestyle, but can I see some power 3's first?" (Terri is not suprised but, ugh!)
The sitspin, the sitspin, the sitspin :giveup: !

[kittie067]

Spring flowers: my coach and I got along famously. I actually had fun!!!!
Also my sister is better now, so she got a lesson as well. As for thursday, I worked on spins the whole lesson! And finally I got the opening right! Now my spins are a bit more centered.
Also my coach started me on camal spins!!! :lol: they looked awful tho!

Im going to start dance week after next!!! :D

April showers: My crossovers as usual! :roll: Also my left leg hurts behind my knee (does anyone know how to cure this?) Its the area behind my knee but more like the hamstring. Also my back has been killing me!

happily skating,
~kittie

[jazzpants]

Kittie067: I don't know about you but I'd go see a doctor about that leg pain. Better safe than sorry... your back too for that matter...

Spring flowers:

Alt forward crossovers are okay. Minor toe scratches but he thinks the judges will pass with the one I did in front of him. (It was smooth and fast.) But I want a kick @## one for "insurance" to offset my weaker elements.
My power 3's towards the end. I had a problem with stepping to a FO edge on my usually better RFO3 side, but somehow I managed to fix it and MAN, I was moving thru those power 3's on that side afterwards!!! 8O
More power 3's: My weaker LFO3 side is still slow but at least I'm now stepping onto a FO edge and not doing what I was doing with my RFO side this afternoon! :lol:
April showers:

Got some this afternoon getting back into work from the rink... :P
Primary coach did NOT noticed the change on my LFO3!!! Secondary coach wanted me to see if primary coach notices that my body is better aligned on those LFO3 now. I did DO them correctly right in front of him, but he didn't noticed. *sigh* :roll: (Guess I really have do them A LOT faster to get him to notice, huh?) :P
MAJOR THUNDERSTORMS on my alt back crossovers and the back crossovers to BO edge!!! Very :frus: (Better work on my back crossovers this weekend...)

[aussieskater]

[
I did something pretty stupid. My piriformis syndrome has flared up a little of late, I guess from doing more jumps than usual in anticipation of competing next week. Anyway I decided to do a trial of the two and a half minute on-ice warm-up but in my haste I forgot to warm-up off the ice first. Big mistake. I got to the first jump in my programme and felt a "ping" in my right hip/groin area. I guess with the flared up piriformis problem caused by my twisted pelvis, I have quite a weakness in that area. I tried to do the jump again but it hurt so I rushed off for some ibuprofen. No matter what, I had to get some practice in. I did manage to run through my programme twice though I was very wary of jumping because of the strain I'd obviously done, and the crossovers into a spin and any spin really hurt. I probably won't get to skate now till Monday anyway, so hopefully the few days off will be enough to help it to heal. I just don't believe my luck on this.

Nicki

Gee, I'm sorry and hope it gets better in time for your competition! I don't know anything about them, but it sounds like something that would really *hurt*. What does the doctor say?

Spring flowers

At last proper back cross rolls came and paid a visit. Not very good ones (I can't manage a full half-circle with bite each one yet), but I can feel that they'll get better fairly soon with practice (although I may yet have to eat my words - which would be a "storm" subject in a "sunshine or storm" report....).

Also, I've been working really hard on getting a decent step fwd onto the right foot from back XO's (left side [ie: CW] is fine; as usual, it's the CCW version giving grief). Last night, my coach had me doing the back XO with my left arm raised vertically in the air, to try to stop the left side collapsing out of the circle as I step forward ("We'll try anything..."). Well, I am happy to report that it looked peculiar (to say the least) but it worked! Now to work out how to achieve the aim without the arm...

April showers

Got to the rink and asked (as is my wont on a Thursday night - I've been caught too often) "Any groups tonight?" "No." Got on to find many dozen teenage boys, few of whom knew how to stand and fewer of whom could competently stop or turn, gouging holes in the ice and chucking snow at anyone who moved. And where was the rink guard? Chatting to his friends in the office. Grrr.

Sorry for those who may have seen this message appear and disappear several times over the past half-hour - I posted it half-written by mistake, and then accidentally logged out twice looking for something on the board...so had to re-type it!

[Mrs Redboots]

Very busy today, so of course had to skate for an hour! Husband didn't skate. Worked on step to forwards in Fiesta - yuck

Spring Flowers: Someone put a tango music on, and was delighted to find I could keep the rhythm of the Fiesta & not bottle the Mohawk, although I don't think I was quite as fast as I could have been.

April Showers: Did a Golden Skaters' waltz when the music was played and despite several lessons on it recently, still didn't get the slide-chasse widestep combination properly.

All I've time for - must rush!

[blue111moon]

Showers: Lost an hour of ice to hockey tryouts, plus obnoxious hockey kids crowded into box ten minutes before the end of our freestyle session, making noise and swinging sticks at each other. No coach in sight and the one adult male in the bleachers did nothing to control them. One almost hit my coach in the head with his stick. She looked at him and asked "Are you a girl?" :twisted: He left. Quickly.

Flowers: I have a change edge spiral!!!! And it's fun. I have crappy spirals to begin with and generally avoid them but this just fits the music in my new interp program and since I can do change edge figures easily, I figured why not try it. I like learning something new and I love learning something new that I can do! I even got a couple of hand-slaps from the kids I skate with. Yay for me!!!

We also finished the choreography on the interp program and I found the perfect props at Toys R Us on my way home.

Usually skating the week after the club Open is a drag for me - I'm too tired and sick of looking at the rink. But the weather changed abruptly to spring and I fell pretty good so I'm glad I skated. Tonight may be another story, since I may be losing my figure patch ice to learn to skate classes. Last week, though, I managed to get a decent double three layout and a pretty decent change three as well. The ice was super-good. which helped a lot, but I think I'm actually getting better at the darned things. Loops are still scary, especially on the right foot but my coach seems to think there's still hope. MOuntain Cup, here I come!!

[dbny]

I have a change edge spiral!!!! And it's fun. I have crappy spirals to begin with and generally avoid them but this just fits the music in my new interp program and since I can do change edge figures easily, I figured why not try it. I like learning something new and I love learning something new that I can do! I even got a couple of hand-slaps from the kids I skate with. Yay for me!!!

Congratulations! I'm quite :mrgreen:.

Today I tried to put in at least one spiral on each side, and did get the RFI high enough. Then another adult skater asked me about spirals, so I showed her the stretches at the boards for spirals. I was a little surprised that she could not easily hoist her free leg onto the wall, as she is younger than I, and thin. It was good for me to see that I have made progress, even if it's primarily in doing the stretches without so much effort.

[Scarlett]

Spring Flowers: Had the best lesson of my life today. We actually worked on waltz jumps as apparently I am not getting enough spring out of my legs which is why my salchow is so little. I finally managed to cross my foot and push down in my forward scratch spin. It isn't consistent by any stretch of the imagination but it is definitely coming.

April Showers: Have you ever had one of those days where you can't skate to save your life? Had one this week. Apparently your blades need to actually be sharp if you are attempting to hold an edge on the ice and it is 80 degrees outside. Go figure :roll:

[Terri C]

Went to a different rink today, as my regular rink doesn't believe in Saturday freestyles. :evil:
It was weird, these kids were not on the ice maybe 5-10 minutes and they were jumping. At my regular rink, everyone warms up with moves first. Therefore, trying to do one complete moves pattern was impossible!
I did do power threes, though with extra practice on the starting and end patterns and yes, I did a few camels.
Sadly, I'm having better, but not much balance on the camel than the sit, wonder why that is!
What I can say is that I had fear issues of both power threes and camel spins a few weeks ago that have since gone away! :D

[MusicSkateFan]

showers: Spins are a pain but I think I am making some progress. 5 step Mohawk is also a pain but it is getting better.

Flowers. Two new 3 jump combos have all of a sudden become possible. Lutz, loop, toe loop and the flip, loop, toe loop. Landed both of them today! :)

[Tessie]

Showers Ice show last night...made it through..felt like I was just pushing my blades. Missed the toe loop, there was a waltz jump couldn't remember if I did it or not. Spiral was good. Final spin I ended facing the back wall not the audience. :giveup: Fortunately, it was a group number.

Flowers I got out there! :)Passed FS 3 (USFSA)!

[jenlyon60]

This is for yesterday (Friday)... Paso day.

the focus at first was on the back break-out. I am trying to get more curve/depth on the rest of the back break-out. I get a good change-edge after the slip steps, but the rest is pretty flat. Coach had me do something similar to the wicked back cross-cuts... it was hilarious, I had free leg and arms going everywhere. Can we spell CHEERLEADER imitation with my arms?

Then we worked on the cross-rolls into the swing mohawk, and I got my body re-arranged on how to get more depth on the last cross-roll before the swing mohawk. Back to the pattern with coach and I did the infamous lady's Paso fall (on the swing mohawk). Luckily, I managed to turn (or continue turning) as I fell and fell on my "built-in axel knickers" aka my backside. Bumped the right elbow a bit, but nothing was permanently sore. I still want to be able to do the swing mohawk solo.

[Mrs Redboots]

Sunday morning:

April Showers: Lesson not bad, but why, oh why, won't my coach correct Husband when he is wrong, but insist on focussing on what I'm doing wrong? I mean, if I'm so bad that Husband looks good by comparison, I ought to hang up my skates here and now.... okay Husband isn't that bad, BUT.

Oh, I don't know.... some things improve, slowly, but once again we'll finish last in every single competition we enter this year, doubt we'll score more than 1.0 in any single dance. I don't know why I bother, I really don't.... except it's such fun. And you always think "Well, maybe this time", even when you know it's a triumph of hope over experience!

Spring Flowers: I really am looking forward to seeing the pre-Bronze dancers at AN, and see what their standard is. I do wish my coach would, though, so he'd see what we're up against, I don't think he realises! Plus Husband will dance better with other people than he does with me, but maybe if he danced with me the way he does with them, we would improve.... we'll see.

Oh, I nearly forgot - I actually managed a double BI twizzle on my right foot - why is that my best twizzle???? Weird, or what?

By the way, Nicki, if you're reading this, you're skating 3rd in your class on Tuesday & Lesley is 4th.

[NickiT]

By the way, Nicki, if you're reading this, you're skating 3rd in your class on Tuesday & Lesley is 4th.

Thanks Annabel. That's great. I'm glad I'm not first - it's bound to happen one day but I would hate to have to skate straight after the warm-up. Lesley will be pleased too!

Nicki

[MannyisHOT]

Showers: Isnt very much showers.... besides all the falls i did on my double loop....

Flowers: my supercool footwork is coming along!

[kittie067]

showers: might not skate because i have birthday party to go to!!! :cry:

as for my back i think its due to things other than skating, plus its feeling better now.

i dont know about my leg muscle, i wiah i had a physical therapist or something! im always getting these strange aches and pains! :roll: :frus:

~kittie

P.S i took my ACT yesterday!! 8O
Hope i did well!

[Melzorina]

April showers: The cherry flip is not a jump that agrees with me. In my group lesson, I learnt it a different way, and found it kind of easier. I kept practising it, and fell flat on my a$$! Thank god I didn't sprain anything, I just had one very sore bum! I sat out for a few minutes and got back on the ice. It felt fine after a bit.

April flowers: Started to learn combination jumps! I tried a three jump, cherry, and a salchow, cherry. I was also advised to play about with a cherry, cherry, but as it's my most hated jump I ignored that advice. I don't like the loop either. My instructor knows me so well, I kept moaning at these combo's because they were weird, and he commented that I didn't like learning new jumps, but I loved it when I could do it. He's so right. Knows me too well.

Getting my skates sharpened, I can't get them till at least 9am on saturday, and I want them earlier so I can get used to the blades before my lesson, and I'm having a half hour lesson later on, so blunt blades are kinda wasting the lesson, so my instructor is picking them up for me so I can get them earlier. I'll be stuck at the rink for an hour before he gets there, so I might do a lot of stretching and running about. I have to remember to send him a message to remind him to remember to collect my skates!!!

That'll be tough.

[NickiT]

Spring Flowers
I skated today for the first time since straining a muscle last Wednesday and with the help of Ibuprofen and lots of off-ice warm-up and stretching, I was able to have a decent practice and ran through my programme three times, ending on a perfect run-through! I now feel as ready as I can ever be for tomorrow's competition at Streatham!

April Showers
The downside was that several of the local schools haven't gone back today (as my kids had) and so there were a few extra bodies on the patch and the session afterwards was pretty busy. Luckily I did a few lutz-loops on patch because by the session it was impossible with all the kids.

Also found out our rink's hockey team has folded. I'm not a hockey fan and I complain about them taking figure skaters' ice but still, this is a huge blow for Bracknell Ice Rink.

Nicki

[jazzpants]

Spring flowers:

That bad habit I had on last Thursday with my power 3's on the RFO3 I managed to make it go away... :mrgreen:
Spins did make an appearance...
Was at the AN send-off freeskate session watching my fellow skating buddies (from my freestyle session) who are going to AN do their final program before leaving for KC. They're looking great!!!
April flowers


...but my LFO3 still has that nasty habit and I'm still not going fast enough. GRRRR!!!
Have to get myself to face up to my fear and just stroke fast into the intro 3 on the same move...
Hard to practice the rest of the moves in its entirety b/c of the crowd. I'm now seriously thinking of doing more FS sessions now.
My lower back was aching enough that I didn't attempt any jumps!!! :cry:
Spins did make an appearance...but so did the drippy nose too!!! EWWWW!!! :roll:
A slight sadness for me since I won't be at AN this year...again!!! And I'm feeling discouraged now since it's been over 3 years and though the Bronze moves are much better, they're still crappy... Ain't no way I'm testing with these moves as it is now. :frus:

[Mrs Redboots]

Also found out our rink's hockey team has folded. I'm not a hockey fan and I complain about them taking figure skaters' ice but still, this is a huge blow for Bracknell Ice Rink.It is indeed - what league were they in, do you know? Mind, you may find another team comes along to fill their place.... there seem to be hockey skaters everywhere these days, and no matter how often you suggest they might prefer skating with a woman to with a stick, they always come up with a good excuse not to: "Sticks don't argue/if I break my stick, it doesn't matter...."

[Debbie S]

All showers for me this week. I got new skates that don't fit (see the thread I started) and couldn't do anything (except for a few moves) in practice Thursday. The one thing I tried was a spiral and I lost my balance (b/c the skates were so wobbly) and fell. I woke up Friday morning and could barely move - my back and neck were killing me. It's been that way mostly since then.

I did get the owner of the place where I bought the skates to verbally agree to let me return them - the problem is that the shop is an hour away and in addition to my packed schedule this week, I'm not in any shape to sit in the car for that long. It's going to be torture to drive the 45 minutes or so to school tomorrow. This morning I did go to an interview with a headhunting agency - I'm not sure if I was extremely brave or extremely crazy. I came home and bonded with a heating pad, on and off, for the rest of the day. It's a good thing I'm not going to AN.

I'm starting to wonder if I should give up skating or, as my mother recommended, be a recreational skater. My fall on Thursday was hard, one of those judo takedown-type falls right on my rear end/lower back area. But I could have that kind of fall practicing jumps or anything else. Do I want to risk being out of commission, and in pain, for days? And then there's my problem of finding skates that fit. Oh well, I'm not going to be skating for at least a week, so I'll have plenty of time to ponder the situation.

Good luck to everyone going to AN!

[jenlyon60]

Debbie --

Last year I took an unplanned fall backwards onto my backside and ended up having my lower back tighten up really bad, to the point where just about any movement was painful.

What really helped me was to go get a deep tissue massage focusing on the tight muscles in the lower back/base of the spine. It was very painful while the massage therapist worked out the kinks, but within 24 hours after I had the massage, I was basically back to normal.

And it was cheaper than going to the doctor and taking lots of motrin.

[dbny]

All showers for me this week. I got new skates that don't fit (see the thread I started) and couldn't do anything (except for a few moves) in practice Thursday. The one thing I tried was a spiral and I lost my balance (b/c the skates were so wobbly) and fell. I woke up Friday morning and could barely move - my back and neck were killing me. It's been that way mostly since then.

Ouch! Have you tried ibuprofen? I take 600 mg immediately after a fall. I hope you feel better soon.


I did get the owner of the place where I bought the skates to verbally agree to let me return them - the problem is that the shop is an hour away and in addition to my packed schedule this week, I'm not in any shape to sit in the car for that long. It's going to be torture to drive the 45 minutes or so to school tomorrow. This morning I did go to an interview with a headhunting agency - I'm not sure if I was extremely brave or extremely crazy. I came home and bonded with a heating pad, on and off, for the rest of the day. It's a good thing I'm not going to AN.

Good for you. I have one of those heated massaging pads that also has a car adapter, and it got me through a three day car trip a year ago when I had a neck problem. Can you borrow one?


I'm starting to wonder if I should give up skating or, as my mother recommended, be a recreational skater. My fall on Thursday was hard, one of those judo takedown-type falls right on my rear end/lower back area. But I could have that kind of fall practicing jumps or anything else. Do I want to risk being out of commission, and in pain, for days? And then there's my problem of finding skates that fit. Oh well, I'm not going to be skating for at least a week, so I'll have plenty of time to ponder the situation.


Noooo, don't quit! When you have the right skates you will feel better about it all, and you will also be cutting your risk of a bad fall.

[dbny]

Flowers:
My alternating FO threes are soooo close to being properly checked! It is going to happen. Power threes began to improve again today. The R are actually starting to gain a little speed, and I've regained the lost ground on the L.

Showers:
Still can't do the intro three on the power threes. FI threes did not want to cooperate today. I am still working very hard on spirals, but that Prelim pattern is just exhausting!

Does anyone else find that spirals take a lot of energy?

[jazzpants]

Debbie: I concur with the heating pad and the massage therapist! I also recommend if possible to get to a hot tub and just soak for a little while to loosen up the muscle.I would not give up on skating yet! I also suspect that if you have the right skates that you'll cut down your chances for injuries by a lot. (Speaking from experience here...)

Also, do you by any chance are the type that doesn't fall a lot? If so, welcome to the club where your coaches are gonna be evil and make you fall just so you get to push yourself more. Last week I have a bruise on my left knee. I hope this week's fall isn't gonna be so bad. 8O

[jazzpants]

Spring Flowers:

Okay, so my RFO3's stayed okay for once. Let's see how long this one last! Meanwhile, I'm still working on speeding up my LFO3's and am getting into "chicken mode." GRRRR!!!
Forward Spin were pretty good. Backspins are better considering...
April Showers:

Now why can't I get a good back crossovers going in the counter-clockwise direction??? I can do a pretty decent one going the clockwise direction... :roll:
Loops sucked. Flips were okay a couple of times, but mostly sucked too!
Can't practice camel spins much b/c the little ones keep skating up to me trying to "absorb whatever invisible energy I have to help them skate." STAY OUT OF THE MIDDLE!!! It's DANGEROUS!!!

[sk8pics]

Flowers:Does anyone else find that spirals take a lot of energy?
Me, me, me! I definitely find it takes a lot of energy to do them well, with speed, good stretched leg, and holding your head up and so on. Especially off-ice, I think, or maybe we just do more of them when we do them off-ice.

And Debbie --Don't give up in the heat of the moment. We all have bad moments on the ice, and it will get better, too, especially as someone else said if you get skates that actually fit you. BTW, I was a junior brown belt in judo when I was a teenager and I laughed at your description of your fall. (So you'd think I wouldn't mind falling on the ice, right? Nope!) Actually, the way you fell is exactly the way we were NOT taught to fall! I hope you feel better soon. Maybe we can skate together some time over the summer.

Happy skating,
Pat

[jazzpants]

I am still working very hard on spirals, but that Prelim pattern is just exhausting!

Does anyone else find that spirals take a lot of energy?OOOOhh... YEAH!!! Lots of work to get that speed! Lots of work to be on the right edge! Lots of work (my case) to maintain that free leg in that "hip level or above" position with leg turned out and straight STRAIGHT legs!!! LOTS and LOTS of work!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: (And did I tell 'ya that I have a consistently NAGGIN' lower back problem since that sciatica incident in 2001? EEEEEK!!!!) 8O

And I STILL have to find a yoga class too!!! AUGH!!!

[Skate@Delaware]

April Showers: Show rehearsals/costumes are killing me!! :evil: Some pieces have disappeared from the closet-while some moves have disappeared from my mind...... Our Navy routine (synchro) keeps changing and I'm having trouble remembering...... my medication doesn't help.... Plus, recovering from pnuemonia and I'm on the end of a pivot line and have to pump like mad just to keep up..

Spring Flowers: My New Skates (which finally fit) & Blades (Coronation Comets) !!!!! :D :D :D My scratch spin has re-appeared, although not consistently, but I did 5 of the suckers on Sunday (with witnesses!) one was so fast with so many centered revolutions you couldn't count how many from the tracings! I am so glad I got the new blades-what a difference! YAY!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

Spring Flowers: Last skate before our holiday! Ran through my programme twice, it's coming along now. Just wish my coach took more interest. :roll: Husband and his other partner had a lesson, too, and his coach finally understands what I've been grumbling about.... :twisted:

Meanwhile, it was the 2nd and final day of our Opens, and the Adult classes. I didn't skate (difference of opinion with my coach about my interp music meant I wasn't quite ready), but NickiT did - and very well, considering she swears she forgot the beginning of her programme! It didn't show - it just looked as though she was nervous & then settled down. And various other people - Husband's Other Woman skated in 2 classes, free & artistic, & came second in both, and her daughter was 2nd in the younger adult class.

And I bought a new dress (well, 2nd-hand, but new to me), so that's coming to the USA with me instead of the dance practice-dress I was bringing. It has a freestyle skirt, but it looks good and I don't have to wear a T-shirt underneath it as I do under my dance dress (which has spaghetti straps, and I need a bra! Plus I'd freeze!).

April Showers: Forgot my boot covers!!!!! And I really do hate skating without them - I'm always afraid of catching my laces. Plus my skates are so old and tatty now.... And my leggings are "Jazz pant" style (Hi, there, Jazzpants!), and I was afraid I would catch my feet in them. I could have tucked them into my socks, I suppose, but it would have looked most odd. Had I had a pair of tights with me, I'd have worn my new dress for my lesson.... but then, I'd have had nowhere to tuck my prop into (don't ask!). Anyway, it didn't really matter. The other thing was that I carefully packed my contact lens cleaning fluid in the wrong bag.... I just hope it's in my suitcase! It was last time I saw it, but that's not saying much.

I suppose we'll catch this plane..... see many of you on Thursday! For the rest - if I can borrow a computer, I'll check in, but I'm not counting on doing so. If not, talk to you next week!

[NickiT]

Spring Flowers: but NickiT did - and very well, considering she swears she forgot the beginning of her programme! It didn't show - it just looked as though she was nervous & then settled down.


I still can't believe I got out there and had a total mental block as my music began, then pivotted the wrong way. Apart from the missed flip, this was the only error and looking at the video recording I think I got away with covering it quite well, however I'm pretty baffled about my placing. Having landed two combination jumps well - loop-loop and lutz-loop, and managing to pull off a decent camel-sit combo spin, I'm surprised that skaters with no more than salchow-cherry placed higher and am now wondering if difficult combinations actually count for much. My coach wasn't there but thinks maybe I looked unsure (which I'm sure I did) when I forgot the opening piece and promptly wrote me off. It's skating I guess, but I'm feeling pretty demoralised right now.

I'm back to the rink tomorrow for my first lesson in almost two weeks. I guess this hasn't helped my performance today as my coach is good at prepping me for competition and I missed out on that. Still looking on the positive side, I was actually less nervous today than I usually am when I compete and when I got on the practice ice I was totally shake-free.

Anyway it was nice to catch up with you, Annabel and thanks for the cheers and support. I can hear the ring of your bell on the landing of my lutz-loop when I watch the video!!

Nicki

[Debbie S]

Thanks, everyone, for the tips and support! I am feeling a bit better today - a bit that is. I think my shower last night helped. My back area still feels tight, but I can at least turn my neck. I survived my trip to school today, no small feat in a morning rush hour where it seemed like there was an accident/delay on every major road in the area. I was in the car for an hour and 10 minutes going and about 40 minutes coming back. My back only started hurting after 30 minutes or so - I think movement is the key. My class was an hour and 15 min - so that obviously got a little uncomfortable.

Yep, I am one of those people that rarely falls, and when I do, it's always bad. I'm especially careful now after a couple of bad falls on each knee. My coach says I need to take more risk if I want to land the hard jumps, and have them "big" enough to be recognizable, but that's where my fear comes in. I always say I don't mind falling on my rear end, since that is more padded, lol, than my knees. I tried those Skating Safe knee pads, but they felt so bulky it was hard to bend, and I kept having to stop and adjust them since they wouldn't stay in place, and the borders would often dig into my skin. Yuk!

Seeing as how I don't have skates that I can use (at least, until my blades get taken off the skates I'm returning and get put back on the old ones) and given the way I feel, I think I'll be taking at least this week off, maybe more. My coach is at AN this week anyway. Maybe I'll get a burning desire to go back to the rink when I'm able, or maybe not - I'll see. I've got so much going on with school and job hunting, this might be a blessing in disguise right now.

[Terri C]

Spring Flowers:
I'm getting confidence on the LFO power threes- they are getting better. Secondary coach took a look at the camel spin today also- not bad, as I actually got two revs in camel position!

April Showers:
The RFO power threes- well there's no power! I will also need a $%^ road map for the 5 step mohawk!
The sitspin, well don't ask!

[jazzpants]

Guess we're extending the date on this thread... :P

Spring Flowers:

One foot spins and sit spins are coming along fine.
The power 3's on my RFO3's side are coming along quite well It's almost ready to test!
April Showers:

Didn't do much jumping today! My lower back was flaring up again. I really need to get a sit-stand workstation at work now. Sitting for hours at my job is taking its toll....
The camel has been consistently better the last two session in terms of position, but I still managed only ONE revolution in position... :(
Couldn't complete any of the moves patterns b/c of the crowds. I managed only sections of it.
The power 3's on my LFO3's side are still way too slow, even though the LFO3's started off fine. (See above bullet for why...) :roll: :frus:

[jazzpants]

Spring Flowers:

Alt. Forward crossovers still going strong!!! WOO HOO!!! He think this move is consistently good now...
Alt. Back crossover was better after he fixed a few things...
April showers:

AUGH!!! Those FI mohawks!!! :frus: Lucky for me, this time he did a difficult problem with the weight shift, which also helps me to make it easier to get my foot closer together and keep things tidy...
Didn't go over power 3's today...
Alt. Back crossover was crappy on the first try.
Had a horrible time with the back crossovers with the BO edge. :frus:

[AnnM]

Spring Flowers:
My program for the ISI Worlds is pretty much done.

April Showers:
I can't skate my program well at all! :cry: I have lots of work ahead of me the next three months particularly on back outside pivots, choctaws, and a camel/sidebending spin. And there's this one part that feels "ugly" to me that I am desperately trying to convince my coach to change. I'm also still dealing with new boot/new blades issues on top of these moves that I've never done before.

And, my coach has now decided that my 'check' position on my jumps is all wrong and has decided that she will be on my back about it until it's to her liking. Couldn't anyone have told me that sometime in last five years?! :frus: