View Full Version : Grinning or griping: 22-28 May 2005
Mrs Redboots
05-22-2005, 04:04 AM
Yikes, the Vana Tallinn Trophy is next weekend, and the exodus to the European competitions starts this Wednesday or Thursday! Where does the time go? I'm just thankful I'm not doing Tallinn, and all we have next weekend is a RIDL match, which I don't take seriously (not seriously enough for our team captain!).
Griping: Oh, but I ache all over, especially my left leg, from being lifted (I think Husband catches it just on one of the tendons behind the knee, and it feels really bruised), and my left arm, from being lifted, spun, pushed up into the assisted jump...... "Yes, it will hurt," said the coaches, thoroughly unsympathetic, with the unspoken implication of "You chose to do this, ducks, so don't grumble!" However, all our women pairs skaters will, I'm sure, sympathise!
Just at the start of our lesson we were working on our lift, and the lesson started with me rolling on the ice & coach2 coming towards us nearly wetting herself laughing..... after that, it went rapidly downhill. Actually not, it wasn't too bad once we got going - but 15 minutes goes like a flash, and we felt we were just getting started when it was time to stop.
Comment from Coach2: "Don't wait until you are in the lift to put your head back - it looks as though you are making sure you are secure first!" (Actually, I'd forgotten I was meant to throw my head back, but I do take her point!)
In our compulsories lesson we worked on the tangoes we need, actually not too bad. Of course, we both had our free legs bent on the back extension. Coach1: "I was expecting you not to have any so I was pleasantly surprised when you did, but I couldn't think why it looked so awful until I realised that neither of you was straightening your free leg!" I am not sure whether there was a compliment in there somewhere.....
[b]Grinning: Our Fiesta really is better than it was last year. Now if I can only remember to keep my head up and my shoulders back - and to extend my free leg..... Once we did in the Canasta, we increased our speed & our ice coverage six-fold.... I do wish our Willow was better, but I'm afraid it's as good as we're going to get it. BUT we did a really good Swing Dance, not to the music - okay, masses of room for improvement, especially in my Mohawk, but way better than it's been before. New blades and a new figure really have made a difference!
Edited to add: Of course, when I ended up rolling all over the ice when Husband dropped me, the coaches both noticed & laughed. And coach1 said afterwards "That means you're pushing your boundaries and trying new things - I'm so glad!" Does that sound familiar??????
blue111moon
05-23-2005, 07:32 AM
Grinning: Yesterday was the last day of group lessons for the summer so I have my Sundays free again. As much as I enjoy teaching the little ones, by this time of year, I've had enough of them (and they've had enough of me!) so I'm always glad when that part of the season ends.
Griping: Sunday ice is done so I'm down to Tuesdays and Thursdays through June and then Thursdays only until fall. All the summer ice nearby is during the day when I'm working, and with the price of gas, I'm not too eager to be driving 100 miles for 45 minutes of ice. I have this rule: my drive shall not take longer than the time I'm skating.
Mountain Cup is coming faster than an avalanche!
Isk8NYC
05-23-2005, 01:49 PM
Grinning:
After skating pretty much every day for the past two weeks, the show is over! It went well, with very few mishaps. 2.5 hours, must be a record -- but it went quickly! I stumbled a few times and changed my two moves at the last minute. All in all, a wonderful time.
Friday night, I took the girls skating at Floyd Hall Arena. It was a very nice family-oriented crowd and they had the nicest DJ! My kids are begging to go back this Friday night since it's the DJ's last session before taking a summer break. Probably not an option given our busy schedule.
Griping:
My boss keeps checking out my feet since I was wearing sneakers for most of last week. (Keeps the foot cramps in check when I switch to skates after work.) Have to wear shoes for a few days so he doesn't say anything.
My knees hurt, my back hurts, and I want to sleep for a week. Alas, my email calls! Maybe I'll feel up to skating by Thursday!
Melzorina
05-23-2005, 02:08 PM
Griping: I need to rediscover the magic of skating. Although I still love it, I want to feel happy all the time when I skate. My best friend said that he might take up skating, and I personally think it's the best idea since sliced bread, but he later said he'd leave it for the time being, which kinda made me sad. I really want him to take it up so I have a friend!
As for my lessons, I still can't manage to jump the loop from a RFI3. There's just something so daunting about it. My lesson was fairly boring and challenging, change of edge. I can do it perfectly on my LFO to LFI, but I was shown all these other ways that I can't even remember and it was sooo hard!
Skate@Delaware
05-23-2005, 02:49 PM
As for my lessons, I still can't manage to jump the loop from a RFI3. There's just something so daunting about it. My lesson was fairly boring and challenging, change of edge. I can do it perfectly on my LFO to LFI, but I was shown all these other ways that I can't even remember and it was sooo hard!
There's a woman at my rink who was doing the loop from back crossover, then she'd change feet then loop-it was different! I can't loop at all so I'm very envious!!
mikawendy
05-23-2005, 03:19 PM
Grinning--
I had a GREAT practice last night. My jumps felt much higher than they usually are. I'm not sure what I was doing differently, so I hope I'll be able to replicate it next time I skate, lol! :D
A skating dress I had ordered came it. It's very pretty (similar to Mrs. Redboot's blue dress, but black, and with no sparklies on it). I think I'll wear it as is for tests and dress it up with trim for competitions.
Griping--
Holiday weekend coming up, so I won't be able to practice as much.
The benches at the rink were newly varnished, and the building had not aired out, so we were all loopy and queasy from the fumes...
singerskates
05-23-2005, 03:36 PM
There's a woman at my rink who was doing the loop from back crossover, then she'd change feet then loop-it was different! I can't loop at all so I'm very envious!!
I'm working on that. Right now, the part I have trouble with is just before taking off from the backward glide where my left foot is crossed infront to the right side of the right foot which is also on the ice. I'm getting closer and closer to getting use to the feeling. I'm trying this because I'm thinking of changing the way I go into my loop jump. The difference is that I'm not doing a series of back crosscuts to get into pre-take off position. I'm skating forwards and then I do a RFI mohawk and then take my right foot and slide it past the left foot behind it and glide.
2loop2loop
05-23-2005, 04:34 PM
Grinning: Had a good jumping day today. All my double flips were secure - the first time I have felt really good on them since I got new boots. I was able to start powering into them a bit more. I have a momentum threshold on my flips - above a certain speed they work quite well - too slow and they are a disaster. Of course going faster requires confidence which is sometimes in short supply on this jump. I didn't miss any other doubles either and made two out of three 2loop2loop combos. This is the combo that I did at the MC last year and that has been remarked upon a few times recently so there is even more pressure to do it this year!
Griping: The Mountain Cup seems to be looming very quickly and I have no idea where I am going to get the stamina from to do my programme. 3m15 nearly kills me at sea level never mind at altitude! I fly next Wednesday eek 8O
Double lutzes - I know I can do this jump grrr, the problem is it only works above a certain speed, which means plucking up courage etc, but when I fall I always fall the same way which really hurts (you know when you can only sit on one side for the rest of the day!). So I only manage one or two attempts then I can't bring myself to do anymore for fear of rebruising the already bruised parts. I think I need some crash pants! :frus:
I bought a new shirt and pants for the MC over the web. The shirt arrived a few days ago and after paying all the importation charges I discovered that I hate it. Not what I was expecting at all and not a terribly good fit. The pants haven't even been posted yet and I leave for the comp next Wednesday. My only other good pair of skating pants mysteriously disappeared from the rink about two months ago (though Lord knows there aren't any other male skaters my size there!). I ordered the new pair immediately, but no sign yet. I have two pairs that I wear in practice, but neither pair is very smart. Keeping fingers crossed that the new pair make it in time!
samba
05-23-2005, 04:45 PM
Of course, when I ended up rolling all over the ice when Husband dropped me, the coaches both noticed & laughed. And coach1 said afterwards "That means you're pushing your boundaries and trying new things - I'm so glad!" Does that sound familiar??????
Poor you, I have my own little moto which goes something like, "if you dont fall over at least once in a session then you havent tried hard enough", so 10 out of 10 Annabel.
Best of luck to Robert and yourself in your competitions
Grace
Griping:
My boss keeps checking out my feet since I was wearing sneakers for most of last week. (Keeps the foot cramps in check when I switch to skates after work.) Have to wear shoes for a few days so he doesn't say anything.
Get a pair of all black leather sneakers or walking shoes. I wore them to work for years because my feet couldn't stand "office" shoes, and they tend to pass inspection.
kiwibabe
05-23-2005, 09:56 PM
Grinning: Had group lesson last night, when I first started adult learn to skate there was 4 people in our class, now there is 30. I'm not complaining mind you, its just that I don't get much time with my coach one on one. Anyway I managed to figure out how to do RI 3 turns yay! Thanks for the suggestions. I practiced them until I got too dizzy and then started trying to do backwards crossovers.
Griping: My coach told our learn to skate group that we would be sitting tests in two weeks time, I think I can go up a level, I checked the requirements and the only thing I can't do is backwards stopping, but I haven't learnt it yet. Also the club has its club championships next month and one of the non-championship events is an adult learn to skate competition, basically you do the best 3 moves in your level you are learning and get graded for it and our coach wants everyone to take part 8O
Mrs Redboots
05-24-2005, 12:09 PM
Yes, well, the Mountain Cup is NEXT WEEK. Yikes....
So last night we went to Slough to get our skates sharpened, and for Husband and Other Woman's last practice together before O'Dorf. Our new blades only had the factory grind on them, and having them properly sharpened made a huge difference - I'm not afraid of skidding any more! Of course, for the first 30 minutes I had no power, either, but....
Last night was mostly about Husband and Other Woman; a couple of other friends were there and I played with them, mostly, and ran through some bits for my Interp/Artistic (all of which got thrown out this morning, sigh!). Loads of griping because nobody has a lesson tomorrow as there is a seminar on the NJS which all the coaches are going to! I had mine today, though.
Grinning: Dress rehearsals! I thought I'd better skate in the dresses I plan to wear this season to avoid unpleasant surprises. So I wore each of them in turn, and did most of the dances I am going to do in them (except I forgot to do the Riverside Rhumba in the purple dress). Then I changed into the costume for my Interp/Artistic in time for my lesson. We were able to hog the music, as the team were at squad camp, and the only other skaters at that stage were a social dancer and her coach, and they were happy enough to dance to whatever we put on!
Feedback from coaches & fitness trainer, when she came in, was great, the FT made some suggestions in respect of my Interp/Artistic costume which I have now implemented. Coaches loved my dresses! Even coach2 was complimentary, and he never notices what other people wear, only what he does!
Griping: The skating! My Willow has fallen to pieces since we had our skates done - Husband gets into all sorts of odd positions that I can't do the RFO 3 from. And scrape, scrape, scrape on the step to forward in both it and the Swing Dance.
Finally had to abandon all hope of doing a change-edge 3 in my Interp/Artistic, it's just not reliable enough. :( Will put in a run/chassé/swing combination instead and then another change of edge. Also had to abandon any idea of doing FI twizzles into a cherry flip (toe loop) in the long version, but have put in some rather nice edges instead!
Only another week.... and a Bank Holiday in the middle so no skating anywhere! Help.....
Coaches loved my dresses! Even coach2 was complimentary, and he never notices what other people wear, only what he does!
My guess is that it wasn't the dress alone that caught his eye, but the combination of the dress and how stunning you look in it. It really highlights your weight loss.
Mrs Redboots
05-24-2005, 01:25 PM
My guess is that it wasn't the dress alone that caught his eye, but the combination of the dress and how stunning you look in it. It really highlights your weight loss.Thanks. Actually, it wasn't that one he commented on - he was busy doing something with scenery at the time - but my purple one which I don't yet have a photo of me in!
Forgot to add a terrific funny that happened last night. Husband had just decided that his skates were worn-in enough to risk trying a spin on. But for some reason he started his spin on the red line nearest the end of the rink... and the spin travelled and travelled, and the inevitable happened and he spun right into the boards! Luckily he didn't break his spectacles, but he bashed himself hard enough to bring a tear to his eye, and was very disappointed to find that his nose wasn't bleeding: "I'm sure it's bleeding, it feels like it's bleeding!" But it wasn't!
yorkie
05-24-2005, 02:23 PM
Grinning: I got new skates for my birthday :) my edges and jumps have improved and ive even managed to beat my fear of backwards spirals, dont ask, so I think getting new skates for my birthday was a good move from my parents. Now im just waiting for my lesson on thurs with my coach to see what she thinks, i cant wait.
Griping: the only problem with new skates is that they rub and they just hurt my feet after a short while and then it means i cant skate up to my usally standard as im in pain. Also weeks full of exams, what joy. Skating the only chance i get to get away from it all and i have a feeling im going to have to start cutting back on that to soon.
Anyway back to Grinning - i love my new dress, i got it a week ago and i just love skating in it. just need to know what my coach thinks about it.
Hannah
Grinning: I got new skates for my birthday :) my edges and jumps have improved and ive even managed to beat my fear of backwards spirals, dont ask, so I think getting new skates for my birthday was a good move from my parents. Now im just waiting for my lesson on thurs with my coach to see what she thinks, i cant wait.
Griping: the only problem with new skates is that they rub and they just hurt my feet after a short while and then it means i cant skate up to my usally standard as im in pain. Also weeks full of exams, what joy. Skating the only chance i get to get away from it all and i have a feeling im going to have to start cutting back on that to soon.
Happy birthday! Congrats on your new skates, also. For the rubbing, try moleskin, which you can find at any drugstore. It prevents blisters and can really work wonders when breaking in any new shoes.
Grinning: Finally finished the choreography for the ending of my program. Also, I'm starting to feel much more comfortable & secure in my new boots --- only had to retie my laces once. And I think I've found the perfect dress for my program.
Griping: The ice was flooded this morning. There's nothing like seeing water ripples when you come to a stop or hearing the sound when you skate through a puddle.
Terri C
05-24-2005, 05:20 PM
Grinning:
I was on edges and had speed on moves during my lesson today and Secondary Coach and I wer grinning! :D
Ran freeskate program today for the first time in two months to assess how much work there will be to do to get it back for Peach Classic. Not that bad, but I want everything better!
Groaning: Primary Coach a PSA Conference this week, so only one lesson this week for me!
Still wussing out on the first three on power threes and the back crossover step into RFO3 part on the power threes! When will the mental blaock go away???
Spins sucked today- it was hard to do them with folks doing moves everywhere!
****** And now a public service announcement******
If your coach, like my primary coach, ran off to Denver this week for the PSA conference, still go out and skate! You'd be surprised how many kids skip practice when the coach is out of town!
cutiesk8r43
05-24-2005, 06:12 PM
today all I have is Grinning :D :
My axel came back!!!!!!!!yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay :D
(lets just hope it stays :roll: )
~very happy cutie :P
sk8pics
05-24-2005, 06:35 PM
Grinning: Actually managed to do run throughs of my free program with the music today and got through on time with the music each time. Thank goodness! It was quite a relief since I leave in 2 weeks for Oberstdorf and I was not feeling very good about my program or my skating. But having virutally private ice and a new sharpening helped! Rough version of my new dress is supposed to be ready on Thursday. And my backup coach told me he would make sure to work with me next week since...
Griping: I'm missing a bunch of lessons with my primary coach between now and Oberstdorf. I can't say I'm happy about it, but what can you do. Also a bummer is that it took me a long time to work up the nerve to actually do the whole program on my own today. But finally I did it!
And more Grinning: My one foot spin is coming along. I did it as set it my program without freaking out at all and it was better than it was last week. I have hopes that the required number of revolutions will appear in 2 weeks!
Happy skating everyone! And congrats to everyone having any success at all!
Pat
NickiT
05-25-2005, 03:20 AM
Grinning
I had another great lesson yesterday. My coach and I have finally decided upon the spins for my programme now, and I skated it clean three times. Since moving the camel-sit from the end of my programme I now feel the pressure's off and I can do this spin combination pretty consistently.
My new dress arrived from the US yesterday and it's beautiful. Even better, I didn't get stung for customs tax!
Griping
My new coach isn't forcing me to do my dreaded field moves. Not that this in itself is much of a gripe because I hate them, but I made myself do them yesterday and they felt awful. I really must make sure I run through them each time I skate.
Nicki
Mrs Redboots
05-25-2005, 07:22 AM
Grinning: I got new skates for my birthday :) Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen!
If you have a blister, put one of those special plasters you can get - Scholl or Boots own brand blister plasters - they make it heal up much faster than ordinary Elastoplast. If it's just rubbing, try sticking felt on that bit of your skates.
As for me:
Grinning: As all the coaches were at the NJS seminar, there was only one coach at the rink (does he already know all there is to be known about the NJS, then?), and very few skaters! Most of my friends had been griping as they weren't going to have their normal Wednesday lesson this week ("the last lesson before competition!"), but I had mine yesterday....
Husband and I worked together for awhile, and made much better progress in the Willow Waltz, but why, oh why has the RFO3 suddenly gone pear-shaped? Actually, the answer to that is because we now have sharp blades, and we had got into bad habits on the factory grind.... We walked through all three of the slightly harder dances - Willow, Swing Dance and Fiesta, and through our free dance, plus we did some exercises together.
After he'd gone, I ran through both versions of my programme twice, to the music (there was only me and a young girl on the ice by that stage), and was going to get off but didn't want to leave C on the ice by herself - the coach was coming back for her lesson in a few minutes, but we both agreed that being absolutely on your own on the ice is no fun at all. So I stayed on for a bit to keep her company - and, as a reward, was able to do a whole lap of back cross-rolls for the first time ever! They weren't very good - no way were they test standard - but I was dead pleased! :D:D I didn't do quite so well on the back cross-cuts - my weight tilted forwards and I ground to a halt, but managed to do about 3/4 of each length of the rink. I was very pleased. Also did a lap of BO edges with more flow than I've ever managed before!
I also managed to get more energy into my Interp - at long last! I think it'll be "all right on the night".... if I get enough energy into it, and it wants a lot!
Griping: Husband and I tried to skate backwards together in Kilian hold, something we really need to improve on if we are to make any progress in the Fiesta Tango and similar dances. Yuck. Not successful - it was better when we just held hands, but still not good. But we did manage back crossovers round the ends without me feeling I was going to fly off into the stratosphere somewhere!
We still can't get the timing right on our lift - the music will have finished half an hour before we get into it at this rate! It is only a matter of working out the timing, but it does need practice!
Still messing up the RFO3 in the Willow as often as not, and still scraping dreadfully on the step to forwards and rushing the Mohawk. Those two complaints also apply to the Swing Dance, although that is getting better by the minute, as is our Fiesta. I have decided I don't loathe the Fiesta as much as I think I do! I always hate the thought of dancing it, but when I do, I enjoy it!
First couple of run-throughs of my Interp/Artistic just lacked energy. 2nd run-through of 1'40" version had the energy and I messed up my spiral sequence! 2nd run-through of 2' version best I've ever done.... but Coach and I agreed yesterday that I had to take out the change-edge 3. This has improved it, but it's less interesting, so needs more acting. Oh well.
blue111moon
05-25-2005, 07:54 AM
Griping: Figures. Still. All I can hope for is that the MC judges have giantic senses of humor and/or appreciation for that fact that I'm TRYING to learn the blasted things from scratch.
ISU FS program is okay until I try to do it with the music then I can't keep up and I look like a frantic ant scrambing around the ice chasing the notes.
Interp runthough was decent until the end when I forgot which hand the prop was supposed to be in, got myself all tangled in the string and nearly decapitated myself on the last note. Kids watching fell over laughing.
Grinning: At least the program's entertaining.
Only one more practice before I leave for MC. 8O
jenlyon60
05-25-2005, 08:18 AM
This is for Monday (Paso day) and today (Starlight day)...
Griping: Those blamed Paso quick cross-rolls. Coach #2 says that a lot of the problem on the one side is because of my upper body/arms. So she had me do quick cross-rolls down the rink with my arms down by my side. And the cross-rolls were better.... not perfect and not gorgeous like hers or those of coach #1, but better.
Then we worked on the quick change-edge swing to make sure that I was truly swinging the free leg ACROSS the tracing not sort-of beside or in front.
Did Starlight to music with coach #1 and once I could hear the music (the mom who was at the music box didn't turn the music up loud enough at first and one of the speakers at one end of the rink is dead) pattern was sort of okay. I was trying to really push out on the pattern and ended up not being quick enough going into the drop-3's, but recovered the timing on the mohawk and 2nd side. Slightly rushed the waltz 3 but not as bad as sometimes...
Grinning: Tango was better the 2nd time we did it. Remembered to pull up through the body and chest on the promenade and into the swing mohawk and pattern was gorgeous. Now to ingrain that into my memory and do it all the time.
yorkie
05-25-2005, 08:24 AM
Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen!
If you have a blister, put one of those special plasters you can get - Scholl or Boots own brand blister plasters - they make it heal up much faster than ordinary Elastoplast. If it's just rubbing, try sticking felt on that bit of your skates.
Happy birthday! Congrats on your new skates, also. For the rubbing, try moleskin, which you can find at any drugstore. It prevents blisters and can really work wonders when breaking in any new shoes.
Thank you, to the both of you! o yeah the Sweet Sixteen mark, great fun. Sorry, exams put me in such a strang mood.
Anyway, its the top of my skate that are rubbing, but im also getting blisters. I'll see what i can get hold of at the weekend. I know i have some blister plasters somewhere just cant remember where. I'll speak to my coach tomorrow and see what she thinks before i go into town at the weekend to see what i can find to help. And i'll let you know how i get on with them, might not be tomorrow, RE exam friday, but if not i'll fill ya in next week. that also gives me a chance to go into town and go skate on them again.
Thanks for the tips
Mrs RedBoots, good luck in your competitions coming up, im sure you will do fab.
Hannah xXx
LoopLoop
05-25-2005, 10:28 AM
My coach is insane! This morning was all about spins... all about him coming up with spin combinations and me trying (note TRYING) to do them. Forward sit to forward camel? Layback to forward camel? :giveup: Not really giving up, but my list of things to practice just got longer.
Mrs Redboots
05-25-2005, 12:47 PM
Mrs RedBoots, good luck in your competitions coming up, im sure you will do fab.Thanks! I'm not.... sure I'll do well, I mean! We will definitely get a Silver medal at the Mountain Cup, since there are only 2 couples in pre-Bronze Dance.... I'd love to make it gold this year, but I'm not expecting to. As for the RIDL competitions, they're all luck of the draw, and the Interpretive/Artistic events are also very much depending on what the judges like. Goodness knows what will happen with the dancing at Bracknell (if you don't have an exam, are you coming to watch?), probably last place as usual - depends who our opposition is. We can't win the compulsories, that's for certain sure (I know one couple who is skating against us and we wouldn't beat them in a million years - mind you, it won't be for lack of trying), but we just might beat them in the Free Dance class, although I wouldn't be too surprised if we didn't. We also won't win the Free Dance class, as, now I come to think of it, another couple of friends are in that, if not two, who skate Intermediate at the British Adults (we skate Elementary).....
So it's probably going to be last places all round again, and losses in the RIDL matches. But I'd rather do it and come last than not do it at all! And who knows: "Maybe this time, I'll win!"
Mrs Redboots
05-25-2005, 12:48 PM
My new dress arrived from the US yesterday and it's beautiful. Even better, I didn't get stung for customs taxJammy! How did you manage that - we had to pay over £40 in customs, VAT & Parcelforce admin charge! Picture, pretty please (I showed you mine, now you show me yours!)?
NickiT
05-25-2005, 01:44 PM
Jammy! How did you manage that - we had to pay over £40 in customs, VAT & Parcelforce admin charge! Picture, pretty please (I showed you mine, now you show me yours!)?
I don't know but for once luck was on my side! Mind you I can't complain as I've purchased a lot of stuff from the US and only been clobbered a couple of times.
Here's the picture. Not of me though. You'll have to wait until 23rd June to see me in it!!!! It's a Jerry's dress and I really am very pleased with it. The photo doesn't do it justice, but then they often don't, do they?
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A276323232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E232%3C%3D97%3C%3D8%3 B3%3DXROQDF%3E2323877647%3B98ot1lsi
Nicki
Melzorina
05-25-2005, 03:09 PM
That dress is lovely! I love the skirt part, the fade is fab!
jazzpants
05-25-2005, 03:33 PM
Gripling
Still had major trouble with RFI mohawks and RFI3 that's in my program.
Grinning
Thank goodness ice dancer guy was there to help me out. I not only got it back but I managed to get it closer to a non-wide stepping RFI mohawk. :D
Also got some great tips from a fellow figure skater who helped me out on the Chinese spirals! It actually became closer to what I would be proud to call a Chinese spiral and I did NOT lose speed doing them.
Still griping
Now I have to get my LFI mohawks to do the same too! GRRRRR!!! :frus:
jazzpants
05-25-2005, 03:34 PM
Grinning
Got my RFI mohawks back for the most part. Very relieved!!! :mrgreen:
Griping
Chinese spirals are bad and so far the RFI3 hasn't come out of its shell yet... I really REALLY need it for this program... and it's embarrassing not being able to do a RFI3! :oops: :frus:
jazzpants
05-25-2005, 03:41 PM
Grinning
Added more stuff to my artistic program. All I could say is... ummm... LOTS of arms (and one small sneaky surprise entrance to a jump!!!) :twisted: But it still will be a pretty number.
Griping
I've talked to my secondary coach about the RFI3 I'm having trouble with. Unfortunately she won't change it -- the RFI3 stays in the program! Not only that, but she insists I work on that for the next 2 months to see how far I get on those. EVIL coach!!! :twisted:
Just kidding! Actually, I will admit that she's right -- it's a prettier entrance to my first spin. Besides that, both of us agree that at my skating level, it should be easy for me to do a smooth fast RFI3. However we did go over the RFI3 briefly today and it was a little smoother than last weekend.
I'll put my primary coach on my case about this too, just to make sure I get it.
yorkie
05-25-2005, 04:29 PM
Thanks! I'm not.... sure I'll do well, I mean! We will definitely get a Silver medal at the Mountain Cup, since there are only 2 couples in pre-Bronze Dance.... I'd love to make it gold this year, but I'm not expecting to. As for the RIDL competitions, they're all luck of the draw, and the Interpretive/Artistic events are also very much depending on what the judges like. Goodness knows what will happen with the dancing at Bracknell (if you don't have an exam, are you coming to watch?), probably last place as usual - depends who our opposition is. We can't win the compulsories, that's for certain sure (I know one couple who is skating against us and we wouldn't beat them in a million years - mind you, it won't be for lack of trying), but we just might beat them in the Free Dance class, although I wouldn't be too surprised if we didn't. We also won't win the Free Dance class, as, now I come to think of it, another couple of friends are in that, if not two, who skate Intermediate at the British Adults (we skate Elementary).....
So it's probably going to be last places all round again, and losses in the RIDL matches. But I'd rather do it and come last than not do it at all! And who knows: "Maybe this time, I'll win!"
When is the Bracknell one? im such a rubbish team supporter, im always forgetting all their dates of things. yeah, ill try and get down if i can. it all depends when it is and what time.
Anyway, im sure you will do a lot better than you think you will. I dont believe you, im sure you will get a lot better than last place in all of them. And bring on the gold, im sure you can get it. You never know, you might end up winning this year. and beating the couples who you didnt think you were going to beat. they could mess up, you can pull through. or you could just skate a lot better than them, which i think you can anyway!
Anyway, all my support is with you. and i think you can do it. positive thinking.. okay, to many exam talks now sorry. im sure your go fab in them all.
Hannah
Tessa
05-25-2005, 06:31 PM
Good luck to all you competitors! In some ways I can't wait to compete again and in some ways I SO can. (It's been 5 years since my last comp (adult bronze where I am still barely at.)
Grinning: Had a good practice today. I used the giant magic markers I had my boss order ("why do you need such big markers for work?" "Oh, they're not for work, they're for skating." "Do you need more than two? Tell Di to get them!") and I drew the long axes down the rink and it really helped for silver threes and forward edge pulls. Pretty soon EVERYONE was using my badly drawn axes. Did a sit spin for coach -- she was shocked! "When did you learn that????" Heck I was shocked! Then showed bad camel spin, then she made me do camel/sits. Like 5. Euw! Man they were horrible but who cares! The sit actually feels good. It never felt that good when I was skating 4.5 long years ago. Maybe now that my butt is bigger gravity is helping me get lower?
Griping: Not much this week, except with this bad east coast weather the rink was freezing. I'd forgotten how cold this rink can be. Threes in the field are torture but are actually coming along. While whipping an upright scratch spin totally went up on the toe and fell FORWARD and sprawled on the ice. It didn't hurt and was actually pretty funny. When was the last time you fell on your stomach while skating? Worst gripe -- visiting family over the coming weekend and will not get time to practice.
Mrs Redboots
05-26-2005, 05:56 AM
When is the Bracknell one? im such a rubbish team supporter, im always forgetting all their dates of things. yeah, ill try and get down if i can. it all depends when it is and what time. Bracknell Adult Open is 23 and 24 June - both all day (I think there is very early patch, but the competition normally starts about 08.00 each day and goes on until the early evening, very often - your coach will know).
Nicki, that dress is fantastic! I long to see it on you.
No skating news for today as yet, as on Thursdays we skate in the evening unless we have a meeting.
Mrs Redboots
05-26-2005, 03:07 PM
Got down to ice-rink at about 6.30 pm, and first of all got on the ice without changing, to make sure my boot-covers were okay with the elastic on them, which they are. I just need to put a stitch in the Velcro on one of them, as it's not sticking properly. Then got off again, got changed properly and skated for 15 minutes' practice with Husband before dance club. Which all went okay, but the ice is slow at that session, and I was all too aware of our lack of power, especially when I danced with one of our rivals, and he has just so much more power than we do (but his turns are hopeless!).
Felt horribly low-blood-sugar afterwards, and am glad to have had some soup. Wish the Husband would come in so we could eat... he's gone to sort something else out.
yorkie
05-26-2005, 03:38 PM
Bracknell Adult Open is 23 and 24 June - both all day (I think there is very early patch, but the competition normally starts about 08.00 each day and goes on until the early evening, very often - your coach will know).
yeah, my coach should know but i forgot to ask her this morning. its just a little bit early for my liking. but the 23rd and 24th is when my exams end, well my last one is on the 17th but we have to go in somewhere round the 23rd or 24th. so yeah, i'll prob come down.
anyway, skating news.
Grinning: Morning patch was great today, my lesson was so good. I was really pleased with it. It just went so well, new skates went down with my coach well too. But, its so typical that they didnt cause me any problem today. My jumps where a little bit uneasy to start of with but i soon got back into the swing on things, once i had warmed up and woken up a bit.
Griping: i didnt actually notice how noisy i can be on my skates, espically with my forward inside 3 turn on my left foot, im so up on my toe and until today i never really noticed it. It was just so quiet on patch, you heard every noise i made. I know i go up on my toe on jumps and i go up on my toes to stop going backwards, but my jumps its just normally to slow me down and stopping, is just how i learnt to stop. But im just surprised how noisy i can be.
anyway back to Grinning: By the end of patch, it had completely emptyed out, apart from me, my mate who skates with me and someone else. no coachs, no little people to watch out for, it was great. i loved it. If it wasnt for the early start i would skate that so much.
Hannah xxx
NickiT
05-26-2005, 04:23 PM
Nicki, that dress is fantastic! I long to see it on you.
Thanks Annabel :)
Nicki
cutiesk8r43
05-26-2005, 05:31 PM
Grinning: did some really good axels :D , and my coach was in a good mood, I also did a really good camel-sit spin
Griping:my feet wore sore after that :(
~ I like your dress Nicki
jenlyon60
05-26-2005, 07:34 PM
Today was Paso day, after coach had me do extension and power drills (no Evil 8's but rather get up some speed and then take 1 strong stroke down the length of the rink, holding the position with well bent knee, and good posture and good strong extension....come back up the other side of the rink using the other leg...)
We worked on Intros and exits and then did the whole kit and kaboodle to the music.
GRINNING: And... And... And... I did my intro-3 on time at pretty close to full power!
We had swapped around part of the skate-out so that I could do the LFO3 with having the previous step being a vanilla right stroke, rather than the RFI of a progressive... this since it worked in American Waltz (with a cross-roll before the LFO3) and in Tango (with a cross-roll before the LFO3) and same in the Starlight.
And it worked in the Paso (straight stroke instead of cross-roll before the LFO3).
jazzpants
05-27-2005, 12:30 AM
Griping:
Rink had a field trip of, oh, about 100-150 kids in the rink... TOTALLY demolished the ice by the time I got there!!! And unfortunately, they're there for the rest of the school day!!! I had to do most of the moves in the middle of the rink instead of on the pattern. GRRRR!!! :evil: :frus:
REALLY need to get good on those CCW back crossover real soon. This might freak out the judges at the test session and I want to make a good impression during the test session. Besides, I want my coaches to leave me along on those so I can work on other things. :twisted:
Grinning:
RFI3 is better... well, better than NOTHING!!! :twisted: :P :lol:
Moves are steady to getting slightly better. I still would like to get some more speed into my forward power 3's, but I'll settle now for "steady, smooth and correct" and hope the speed will come along with it.
NOT making the "sit spin face" when my primary coach told me to do a sit spin in front of a fellow skater. Sure enough, he wanted the fellow skater to see that I also make the same funny "sit spin face" too. I told him "Ummm...I've been breaking myself of that habit..." :P :twisted:
sk8pics
05-27-2005, 05:56 AM
Grinning Good pratice and lesson yesterday. The second program run through in my lesson was pretty good, even though I clicked my blades going forward of all things :roll: and so missed a little bit of the choreography. Still, I didn't fall and it didn't freak me out so that I couldn't do the spin, so it was all good. My coach was pretty shocked at how much better the jumps were since he hadn't seen me skate since last Friday.
Griping They never ever cut the ice before my session and so at least half the ice is chewed up terribly. I end up shifting my program starting position over, so I'm too far to one side before my spiral sequence, and it's hard for me to get enough speed up to cover the distance I need. Oh well, maybe someday before Oberstdorf the ice will be good and I'll get to practice it really on pattern!
More Grinning My two other coaches are going to spend extra time with me next week since my primary coach scheduled himself into a scheduling problem. :roll: :roll: At least I'm not being abandoned! And I had my first fitting yesterday for my new dress and it was very comfy. Second fitting will be on Sunday and then she'll stone/bead it. I'm excited to have a dress that fits me right!
Happy skating everyone, and for those in the U.S., enjoy the holiday weekend!
Pat
blue111moon
05-27-2005, 07:42 AM
Last practice before leaving for Mountain Cup. 8O
Grinning: Got my skates sharpened by my very favorite Super-Sharpener Guy and all is wonderful. Well, stopping's a bit iffy in that I have to think about how much weight I put on the edge but I'm getting used to it. But spins were no problem and that's usually where I feel a new sharpening most. I did The Best Camel Spin Ever - 7 rotations in position, head up and foot turned out - so Coach was ecstatic. I could not do it again, mind you, but I'll take one.
Griping: Still figures, although they're better with sharper blades. I had to keep doing older easier figures to remeind myself that I CAN do something right; the Silver figures this year are HARD. But Coach reminded me that when she she was learning loops, she skated two or three patches a day every day five or six days a week and it still took her more than a year to get them. I've only had 26 HOURS on them since October so I suppose I should be pleased with the progress I've made, even if it doesn't seem like much. At this rate though I should have these blasted things down in - oh, five or six more years.
Now it's time to concentrate on all the prep work for MC - laundry, banking, packing ... :x
Mrs Redboots
05-27-2005, 08:23 AM
Last practice before leaving for Mountain Cup. 8O Tee hee, we still have 4 more, plus a recreational match! So still plenty of time.... 5 more if I go this afternoon, but I'm thinking I won't as I've not had a rest day this week and am very tired.
Now it's time to concentrate on all the prep work for MC - laundry, banking, packing ... :xOh, don't...... We have a lot of that to do tomorrow - valeting the car, for a start! Main laundry, too, although I will do a Last Wash for last-minute items on Tuesday.
Of course, the weather has just taken a turn for the better (unusual, for a Bank Holiday weekend!), but I want all my cropped trousers for the next fortnight, so what on earth am I going to wear between now & Wednesday? I think I'll be reduced to a skirt, help....
kittie067
05-27-2005, 10:12 AM
Grinning: had a dance lesson today, and my I am finally getting more speed!! :D Plus I like my dance coach she's so sweet.
Griping: I am working on inside edges to improve my cross overs, my left inside, is being very stubborn!! Also my jumps are not working right!! (sigh)
Have a lot of tests coming up. I hope I do well, especially math 8O
~ good luck to everyone who's competing!!! :D
~kittie
mikawendy
05-27-2005, 01:56 PM
Griping--
Holiday weekend and a trip coming up, so no ice for me until Monday.
Grinning--
Saw flo's club's show last weekend. It was great, as usual. (flo--I meant to say hi to your friend whose note you dropped off, but I had to run afterward--sorry!)
Griping:
I've got some kind of virus that has my chest congested and my nose just clogged enough so that I have to breath out of my mouth. Went skating anyway just to be on the ice, and that's about all I did. My left boot problem is back in full force. I must get those orthotics and then see the Klingbeils again.
Grinning:
The public session I went to was so empty that they didn't even put out hte cones. Got my FI threes back, which had disappeared after my blade sharpening.
phoenix
05-27-2005, 09:46 PM
Grinning:
woo hoo hoo, my coach was gone all week & so I more or less ignored my compulsory dance (which I'm testing in one week, ha) to work VERY hard on my free program, which I'm competing in 3 weeks, & for which the choreography is now about 5/6 done! I've focused on trying to give it more LIFE, using arms, head, eyes up, more emotion, etc. I've been watching old tapes of MK & trying to channel her on my straightline footwork! :lol: As I went by my choreographer tonight she caught my eye & said, "It's looking good!" I said, "I'm feeling it tonight" & she said "I can tell". So that's a really good sign that the work is progressing & paying off.
Griping (not even very much!)
Well, I've been running several obligatory patterns of the dance each session w/ the music but I do feel a little guilty for not focusing on it as much.......but I really do think it's pretty ready to go so at this point I'm thinking more about just maintaining it & keeping up my stamina (which my 2 1/2 minute program is certainly taking care of!!).
Andie
05-27-2005, 10:11 PM
I haven't skated this week, so I have nothing to say. I'll probably practice once or twice next week, though.
My coach has been out of town about a week and my next lesson is June 7th (I think, I'll have to check) so I've kind of been taking a break. I can't wait to start lessons again.
doubletoe
05-27-2005, 11:25 PM
today all I have is Grinning :D :
My axel came back!!!!!!!!yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay :D
(lets just hope it stays :roll: )
~very happy cutie :P
Hey, I know that feeling! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Try to see if you can figure out what you're doing differently so that you can make it come back again if you lose it again! :)
doubletoe
05-27-2005, 11:27 PM
My coach is insane! This morning was all about spins... all about him coming up with spin combinations and me trying (note TRYING) to do them. Forward sit to forward camel? Layback to forward camel? :giveup: Not really giving up, but my list of things to practice just got longer.
Geez, aren't bored coaches SOOOO dangerous?! Mine was in that same mood on Wednesday morning. In addition to the usual layback torture (my back just doesn't do that), he was trying to get me to try an illusion spin. I think it was more of a delusion spin myself! ;)
Mrs Redboots
05-28-2005, 06:47 AM
Had a serious problem getting up this morning, and nearly didn't! But we did get an hour on the ice, and got some useful work done.
Griping: With competitions every few days for the next few weeks, including a club match at the Isle of Wight tomorrow (it is high season for the non-elite skaters in this country!), the rink was packed out with children working on their programmes. We kept nearly running down one little girl - not her fault, nor ours, just one of those things - until I finally snapped at her, and then had to go and apologise afterwards! It was impossible to finish one pattern of any dance until right the end of the session. And when we did, we were doing the Willow Waltz and I notice Husband is rushing the progressive/run every time!
One of the coaches was teaching her skater how to do FO cross-roll twizzles, and I am madly jealous as I long and long to be able to do those, but I simply can't get my weight shifted to the right place in time! I think I'll ask if we can work on twizzles at the MC camp, as well as our free dance!
Grinning: Worked on our lift, which is coming nicely now - managed to do it a couple of times in context. Also worked on the start for our Swing Dance - we may be competing it tomorrow, not at the Isle of Wight but at the first Recreational Ice Dance League (RIDL, pronounced "riddle") match of the season in Chelmsford. And we also practiced our stroking backwards in Kilian hold, both chassés and plain vanilla back edges. I think most of the problem we were having was that he was holding my left arm too low down - once I suggested he raise it about 3-6 inches, it went much better, I didn't feel I was being pulled off my RBO edge.
Discovered I can skate very well in cropped pants, just put a pair of pop-sox on. Couldn't be ***ed to change......
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