Great or Grim: 17-23 October 2005

[Mrs Redboots]

Reference to a certain pairs skater on this forum is not intended! ;)

So anyway, everybody is in Scotland at the moment, so the rink was pretty empty. My Husband wasn't in Scotland, but he had gone to Basingstoke to practice with yet another partner (neither I nor his usual alternate partner do the Hickory Hoedown, which is one of the dances for the aptly-named Zimmer Trophy at Oxford). So it was just me, and, of course, one or two other skaters.

Great: Because there was only one dance couple this morning (plus one of the pros being used as a professional partner), the ice was really good. And I don't know if that was why, but my back cross-cuts were the best I've ever done them - I managed a whole length of the rink several times without having to do an extra "push". Okay, so they aren't at test standard yet, but they are certainly beginning to happen - bet I won't be able to reproduce them next lesson!

I had increasingly improving run-throughs of the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango - not great, but they will pass with a shove. I'm hoping for a top-half finish at Oxford (class of 17 skaters!), but will settle for top 10, or top 15 if I have to. Anyway, if I skate as I did this morning, certainly towards the end of the session, I'll be well enough pleased with myself. I think - of course, I can't actually see myself skate, but it felt okay!

Managed some really fast backwards skating, too - one rather better-than-me skater did a lap of really, really fast back cross-rolls. I didn't think they were incredibly good back cross-rolls, but a lot faster than I've ever managed! Then she did some really fast back inside edges, so I decided to see how fast I could go on them, and surprised myself. And delighted myself by not being afraid, either!

Grim: Not a lot. My FO swing rolls can be a bit dire, I find, and were at the start of the session today, but they did improve. And my back cross-rolls were pretty awful - I find that if I try to lift my free leg as high as my coach wants me to, it doesn't improve the move any! It's more about swing than lift, right now. And I am probably still wide-stepping, I think.

Two of the coaches - at least, they are coach/pupil, but she's a trained coach too, if that makes sense - were working on the new high-level dance moves that may be brought in. Sooner them than me, is all I can say! She was reading them out, he was doing them.... no, not something I think I aspire to! There was one move where you were dancing round on your tip-toes, little toe-pick jumps, yikes! And earlier she'd been doing some move involving all sorts of turns - the kind of move where the one thing you mustn't do is push, but have to use your edges to maintain your speed & flow, just what I find hard!

Tomorrow will also be very quiet, and Husband will be in with me, so we should get some fairly solid work done, I hope. No solo lesson this week, though.

[batikat]

Worked on moves mostly today - coach is trying to teach me the interbronze field moves (UK) since I dont' need to do the prelim ones as my level 2 dance moves test counts the same.

great: I foot slaloms have improved. I can now do backwards on both right and left foot to a reasonable standard - the only one that is still giving me trouble is forwards on the right foot.

inside 3 , crossover, inside 3 (other foot) crossover. - this is actually not too bad and much better than the dreaded alternating outside 3's. It's nto that I have trouble with outside 3's - I like them - but having to keep my foot extended through the turns is making it difficult for me to get in the right place for the next one. I used to do these quite happily when I could put my free leg wherever I wanted but the way coach wants them, I cant' do.

My best move today was probably the change of edge RO to RI then LI to RO and the opposite on other side of rink. Still need to keep off the toepicks with this move but it's getting there and much better than when I tried doing these last year.


grim: mohawk/back 3 and repeat move. I dont like open mohawks at the best of times but trying to follow them with a controlled back 3 to be able to repeat it is dreadful. Improved slightly when I concentrated on checking the 3 turn but still will require a lot of work.

back cross rolls - I can do these but again not the way coach wants them i.e. without any sign of toepicking


in practice later I was pleased to find my 3 jump (waltz) - loop jump combo, was back and the loop on it's own was OK too. Tried a Flip and managed one but with no speed in or out I can't really count it.

[jazzpants]

Great:

Unusually empty for a Monday night!!! WOW!!! Even primary coach decided to stay for the session to practice!!! he was having fun... and most of us were having fun watching him. :twisted: (Okay! He was staying for the next half hour b/c his check from me is in my wallet and the wallet is in the locker.) :lol:
Jumps were a bit better. I did managed to land a couple of loops. (Am experimenting with a new arm position. Looks promising...)
Moves were okay... still need to work on 5 step mohawk so FI mohawk isn't so hoppy at faster speeds -- NOT an easy thing to do...
Sit spin is getting lower. Primary coach IS watching...
Grim:

A certain little girl about 4-5 years old whose MOM is NOT telling the little girl to watch where she's going... and went right onto me from behind. No harm done! She was going plenty slow. I probably scared the poor girl when I physically stopped her. (Not that I wasn't guilty of this too. A very TALL skating coach did the same to me when I slowly backed right into him. He gave me a smiling but menacing look. :oops: :lol: ) And yes, this young lady and her mom has been warned by the ice guard (a very nice guy) to watch where she's going.
I also managed a couple of loops landing on one foot... but most of those are more toe pick hops than a straight glide. GRRRRR!!!
Flips and lutz were a hopeless cause after the very first one. (Which I landed on both...) :frus:
Backspins were funky today... am trying hard to pull in but end up going on the inside edge as a result... :frus: (I think it's gonna be as frustrating as my trying for a scratch spin.... in fact, that's what I'm trying for... a back scratch!!! :mrgreen: Probably easier just to get a back scratcher. I know. Har har... :P )

[slusher]

Grim

Death by toepick.

I was stepping out of back crosscuts at speed and I guess the weight was't in the right place and I did a classic toepick "toepick" (say with that voice) and since the ice was just cut I slid a long way too.

I was a little bit cautious after that and things are stiff and hurty now.

but

Great
I'm starting to learn a layback! I generally say my spins suck and they do, but having to think about doing something with my arms is letting my brain think all by itself on the spinning part. Strange and weird but skating is all that isn't it?

[flo]

Grim - partner is having knee problems, so it's a solo lesson tonight.

Great - Program is fully choreographed!

[Terri C]

Great:
My power threes are perfect on one side!

Grim:
Does anyone out there have your coach yell "STOP!" right after barely starting on a move?? My coach does this all the time and just when I think I've got the move down, there's something else to fix!! :roll: :frus:

Too many little Clueless Children and high level skaters to dodge and I had a few near misses!

BTW- this is for yesterday!!

[kittie067]

Grim-- Coach couldn't make it because school work is more important than her skating student!(LOL) :lol:

Felt exahsted most of the time ( it's ramadan-no eating or drinking all day).
My inside spirals stank! So did my salchows.

Great-- My (almost) loops are still okay. Also my sit spins are getting opretty good. I attempted a camel (it didn't work!)

~kittie

[sunshinepointe]

Grim -

I'm still not sure what on earth is going on with my spins. Travelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!! (and then travel some more!) :roll: So because of this I didn't do much spinning.

When I went to go do jumps instead my lace broke and I almost broke my neck landing a waltz jump not realizing my boot was almost completely untied. I went down and was all, "what the heck??" I had enough lace left to keep going, but the skate kept coming untied. I did manage some REALLY nice loops though and a couple of passable flips. I attempted a couple lutz jumps but I was afraid of my skate coming undone again.

Great! -

I started the choreography for the christmas show and I have to say our little duet is SO cute. (I don't like to toot my own horn, but BEEP BEEP.) I FINALLY settled on music and I choreographed the bulk of it in like, 10 minutes. Then I took it on the ice and marked it - didn't want to get too into it with my skate issues. It SHOULD turn out really, really nice for my first skate choreography. I need to add some finishing touches and then teach it to my partner and then drill, drill, drill until December 3rd.

I brought my ipod for the first time today and it was SO nice having my OWN music to listen to. My own music inspired me to skate faster, harder, BETTER. Good stuff. I think I'll bring it EVERY time...I need to get one of those armbands though since I might not always have pockets.

Also, the skating director told me she had a friend who gave her like 30 or so practice dresses and I picked out about 10 plain ones that I tried on and fit me great - I could stand to lose a couple pounds though lol. But free skating apparel rocks.

I also picked up my application for USFSA. I can't believe this, I'm actually going to start testing. I think I'm going to document my whole progress in my journal so I'll keep you posted. It's scary and exciting at the same time :mrgreen:

[Skate@Delaware]

Grim: Practice was not meant to be: picked up the boy and found out his elastic thingy on his braces had broken, so we drove to the orthodontist only to find out today was their day in another town....so we went home and dealt with other issues....by the time I could call them their office was closed :giveup: So, I stayed home and waxed laces (weird huh?), put them in the boots, then went to scouting.

Here's hoping my Salchow stays with me tomorrow night so I can show my coach! MikaWendy, you didn't borrow it yet did you?

[luna_skater]

Great: Forward spin has gotten very consistent (now I've probably just jinxed it), and I did a few good sideways leaning spins today. Need to work on getting more speed and revs, but it actually feels like a spin now, and coach says it looks MUCH better! Backspin on its own is improving. Waltz and sal still good. Worked on getting height on toe-loop, and not pre-rotating my shoulders. Did one REALLY nice one! Did some solid flips too, and lutzes improved today.

Grim: Loop has gotten pretty good on its own, but now it STINKS in combination! Front spin to back spin is non-existent. Got really tired towards the end of my session today, and could not physically do any more jumps. I've never really had that feeling before, where no matter how much I tried to convince my legs they could do "just one more," they wouldn't listen!

[mikawendy]

Grim: Here's hoping my Salchow stays with me tomorrow night so I can show my coach! MikaWendy, you didn't borrow it yet did you?

To be sure, no--mine's still wacky....

[blisspix]

Great - my sit spin is baaaackkk. Oh yeah! And I took a fall today! I'm one of those skaters who just never falls, and I think it's a bad thing, you stop yourself doing things that you know you will fall on (ie I will pop a jump midair instead of going for it and crashing). And it was a big-ol' slide across the ice number too. Just what I needed actually! Off the back of a loop, of all things.

Grim - back on the ice today after a month off with work hassles, bronchitis (I'm asthmatic) etc. Not a bad session given the break and my health, but still. Slow steps to recovery.

[aussieskater]

Both dance and free coaches have climbed repeatedly down my collar for getting too far back on my blades. Finally one of them said maybe the heels of the skates need building up. So I spent last evening (until about 11 pm) playing around with my boots. Thanks to Skate@Delaware's suggestion in another thread, I cut up an old mousepad into half-insoles (the back half), and put them into the boots underneath the regular insole and the orthotic. Then skated in them like that for the first time this morning.

Great - it worked brilliantly. I know this because (a) I felt scared silly I was going to pitch forward over my toepicks; and (b) the coach said so. Knee bend was better. I was in the middle of the blade. I was fast (well, for me) and quiet. He was happy. So was I. (Insert big grin smiley here.)

What was more, the back crossovers were still well off the toepick, fast and quiet. (Insert even bigger grin smiley here.) Because I used to sit so far back on the blade, hitting the toepick - forwards or backwards - has never been a problem, so I was worried that the heel lift would pitch me so far forward that I would suddenly start having problems I haven't had before.

Grim - I *really* felt like I was going to pitch forward over the picks. This will take some getting used to. Turns (3's, mohawks etc) are harder because I'm a bit rockier on the blade. Again, I hope this is just a matter of getting used to it.

[Mrs Redboots]

Worked on moves mostly today - coach is trying to teach me the interbronze field moves (UK) since I dont' need to do the prelim ones as my level 2 dance moves test counts the same.Are you absolutely sure on that? Only, I was credited with Level 2 Dance Moves after passing Novice Dance moves, and was told that I wouldn't have to do Novice Field Moves but would have to do Prelim. So I think I'm going for level 3 Dance Moves, it's easier!

Great: And, what's more, is beginning to look possible! I did them better than I've ever done them, this morning. Wish I'd had a lesson to show my coach, what's the betting they'll have vanished again by next week?

Was also very pleased with my Canasta Tango, and decided only to do it once - did do my Dutch Waltz twice, though. And my plain vanilla backwards skating is way faster than it used to be, I'm rather pleased - plus I managed to get half-decent edges. And really fast anti-clockwise back crossovers - the clockwise ones were better than they used to be, but that's not saying much.

Oh, and I also had fun doing waltz 3s round the circle, seeing if I could manage just 4 of them round the hockey circle - which I could! Easily, anti-clockwise, and just a bit of a struggle clockwise.

With Husband we did a reasonably good Riverside Rhumba, and a good run-through of our free dance, then I spent most of the rest of his time coaching him! He could be so good in his solo dances, but it's the little things that let him down, all the time.... Not just timing, for the 14-step and Fiesta that isn't really a problem; it's more lack of pointed toes, sticking his bum out, and his forward swing rolls. He is quite capable of correcting all of these, I think......

Grim: Not a lot, except I have a sore knee, and sometimes it was a bit painful. Don't know what I've done to it, if anything - it sometimes gets a bit sore. It will pass..... I take enough glucosamine and cod-liver oil to sink a battleship, so it should!

[batikat]

[QUOTE=Mrs Redboots]Are you absolutely sure on that? Only, I was credited with Level 2 Dance Moves after passing Novice Dance moves, and was told that I wouldn't have to do Novice Field Moves but would have to do Prelim. So I think I'm going for level 3 Dance Moves, it's easier!


QUOTE]


I imagine the difference is that you were credited with level 2 dance moves from the old novice moves whereas I took the actual level 2 dance moves after the time they declared them to be comparable level for level with field moves. At least novice = level 1, prelim = level 2, but interbronze would I guess be = level 4. You're right it doesnt' make sense but I was told I didn't need to take the prelim field moves as level 2 dance was equal and the next field moves are interbronze.

What are the level 3 dance moves anyway?

[Skate@Delaware]

Both dance and free coaches have climbed repeatedly down my collar for getting too far back on my blades. Finally one of them said maybe the heels of the skates need building up. So I spent last evening (until about 11 pm) playing around with my boots. Thanks to Skate@Delaware's suggestion in another thread, I cut up an old mousepad into half-insoles (the back half), and put them into the boots underneath the regular insole and the orthotic. Then skated in them like that for the first time this morning.

Great - it worked brilliantly. I know this because (a) I felt scared silly I was going to pitch forward over my toepicks; and (b) the coach said so. Knee bend was better. I was in the middle of the blade. I was fast (well, for me) and quiet. He was happy. So was I. (Insert big grin smiley here.)

What was more, the back crossovers were still well off the toepick, fast and quiet. (Insert even bigger grin smiley here.) Because I used to sit so far back on the blade, hitting the toepick - forwards or backwards - has never been a problem, so I was worried that the heel lift would pitch me so far forward that I would suddenly start having problems I haven't had before.

Grim - I *really* felt like I was going to pitch forward over the picks. This will take some getting used to. Turns (3's, mohawks etc) are harder because I'm a bit rockier on the blade. Again, I hope this is just a matter of getting used to it.
If you end up getting new skates, you could check on having the heel height adjusted, either by the skate manufacturer or by a cobbler (if there are any in your area). I'm glad it worked for you! You'll adjust in no time-wait till you spin! I'm going to add more to the front 'cause I'm still too far forward on mine (I hate heels and never wear them anywhere else) might have my next skates with less heel!

[flo]

Great: Had a fun lesson last night. Worked on axels and doubles, did a tripple sal in the harness - gives my coach some excercise.

Grim: feet hurt! It's back to the skate shop to get the boots re-heated. I think they are too big. Grrrrrr.

[Mrs Redboots]

What are the level 3 dance moves anyway?1 lap back cross-cuts; 1 lap back cross-rolls. First time ever today I actually managed to get through them! :D Maybe I will get them testable before the system changes.... if it ever does.

[2loop2loop]

This is from yesterday

Great: I had a 4 double day! Everything up to double flip was nice and secure, even the dreaded double toe - I landed at least four nice solid ones and didn't miss one. I even made some progress on the double axel, I had lots of splats :twisted: but one in particular felt really promising 8-)

Grim: Couldn't get the 2lutz to work at all. My 2lutz is sporadic at best and yesterday I couldn't even rotate it to backwards, it just didn't feel right at all. Annoying because I've been making some good progress on this lately and it has felt like it is on the verge on coming back. I so want a full set of doubles! :frus:

John

[batikat]

1 lap back cross-cuts; 1 lap back cross-rolls. First time ever today I actually managed to get through them! :D Maybe I will get them testable before the system changes.... if it ever does.

That's interesting as the cross cuts are on prelim field moves. I actually quite like doing them and reckon mine would pass OK. the back cross rolls are on interbronze test so I am practising them and while I can do them, I certainly can't do them the way coach wants (i.e no toepicking as you put the back foot down). Doing them is OK but trying to do them properly is scary! Think I'll go back to practising the back cross cuts too in case I end up having to do level 3 dance or taking prelim FM's.

no lesson today other than group dance which was fine - did a Canasta Tango I quite enjoyed for a change (normally I hate that dance!).

Played with bunny hops,drag,bunny hop, drag combos

Fell doing nothing much but luckily didnt hurt myself. Flip not cooperating, loop awol again!

[Hannahclear]

Freestyle practice this morning. Most of my half an hour lesson was dedicated to finding a footwork sequence that works for me in the program. I'm kind of slow at learning footwork, but we got settled on a relatively nice sequence. It's probably a tad easy, but it's what I can do right now. Perhaps I can add to it later.

As of right now, it's 2 waltz 3s followed by a double inside 3 into a swing rocker. From there, I change direction and crossover into my second lutz.

So that's the great, even though it wasn't really great, but I am excited to get the entire program planned. Now I just have to do it, many many times. 8O

[Mrs Redboots]

That's interesting as the cross cuts are on prelim field moves. I actually quite like doing them and reckon mine would pass OK. the back cross rolls are on interbronze test so I am practising them and while I can do them, I certainly can't do them the way coach wants (i.e no toepicking as you put the back foot down). Doing them is OK but trying to do them properly is scary! Think I'll go back to practising the back cross cuts too in case I end up having to do level 3 dance or taking prelim FM's.My coach said about the cross-rolls is that the foot movement is exactly the same as for outside Mohawks (Foxtrot Mohawk, if you know what I mean), so you can practice the one to improve the other, and vice versa! The other thing that helps is to think of pointing your heels at the opposite barrier. Mine are not the way my coach wants yet, either, as I widestep, but everybody does that!

no lesson today other than group dance which was fine - did a Canasta Tango I quite enjoyed for a change (normally I hate that dance!).So do I - why am I doing it at Oxford?

We haven't skated yet today, but since I last posted I've been looking for free skating music for the Husband, and we have decided to enter our club's "Hop Step and Jump" competition! It's just three elements, done separately - a cherry flip (toe loop), forward spiral and upright spin. I can't do the upright spin very well, but so what?

[Skate@Delaware]

For my private coach session last night:
Grim: Sit-spins are still not low enough (no news there!); backspins still not there..., need more "oomph" on my waltz-I can do it, why am I holding back?

Great: Salchow stuck around to show coach-she was happy! Scratch spins were good, although I bailed out of the first one because it didn't feel right (but when I looked at the tracing-it was centered! :oops: ), coach was happy that I'm improving on them-they are mucho better. Did some LFO spirals and surprised coach cause I went all the way around the center of the rink on my edge...then we added the RFI (not my best side) and that was ok (just wobbly). Toe-loop is getting there. Started on the loop.

Homework: Add speed to the jumps; add "oomph" to waltz (anyone got some to spare?); try to roll off toe-picks more (please!); work on spirals, backspins, sits, mohawks. Try to raise leg a bit higher on scratch spin (weak hip flexors don't help...)

[skatergirlva]

Great :lol:
I worked on spins this morning. Of course everything worked fine when my coach was there. Loops can attest to this as we have the same coach. It always works fine when he's watching us. I worked on a sit spin with my arms behind my back. Loops was trying to help me Monday with this. I've got it now. There's a trick to it. You definitely go really fast doing it. I also worked on camel, flying camel, the layback (which came back...it's related to the axel I believe), and backspin. However, the most fun was working on the flying sit, which I haven't done since last year. My coach says it will all but eliminate the flying camel because of the point value associated with it. They were actually really good. Loops if Nick hasn't told you the arm secret yet, let me know and I will fill you in. It was like a completely different spin. We also worked on this flex/hyperextend thing with your leg on jumps. It's amazing how a tiny thing can change a jump completely.

Axels were back from their vacation on Monday night. Let's hope they stay. :lol:

Grim
Monday nights disasterous skating episode. I popped two lutzes....I haven't done that since I was like 10 or 11. Hopefully, since I had my skates sharpened for the first time in a year and a half 8O everything will remain the way it did this morning. :lol:

[LoopLoop]

Hee hee, I have a different experience with our coach, skatergirl. Very often I CANNOT do a camel spin in front of him. I tell him that the poor camel is scared of him. :lol: We've done the hyperextend your right leg thing on jumps too; well, he's TRIED to get me to do it. I cooperate occasionally.

Did the arm thing on the flying sit involve your left arm and sweeping it across before pulling it back for the takeoff?

[skatergirlva]

Indeed it did loops in regards to the sweeping the arm. "Imagine you are pulling the curtain away..."

He was laughing because in your words from last night, I to had a lightbulb moment. When he said hyperextend it all clicked. Locked leg didn't do much for me. He said, "It's the same thing." I said, "Well, you better just stick to using hyperextend for me." :)

Oh-on the sit with your arms behind you, he said to think of it like a layback in terms of your back position and you have to keep your arms close to you, not stretched. It's easier to demonstrate then explain. :)

[jazzpants]

Great:
Secondary coach is at Regionals... guess who gets to sleep in a bit... http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/zzz.gif

Grim:

My computer at work went down for the count with a Spyware virus... the good IT folks were trying to fix my computer... GRRRRR!!!!

Great:

They told me as they were about to start a CHKDSK that I probably should take an extra long lunch break!!! So guess where I went???? RIIIIIGHT!!! The ICE RINK!!! :twisted:

Rink was pretty empty (okay, ice was sorta crappy...) Moves went okay.

Did land a couple of loops with a new arm position I'm trying out. It's definititely working out quite well (when I get it!) b/c it's giving me the extra rotation I need to land on that one foot!!! Now to land and GLIDE, not land and hop!!! :roll: (Yeap! Boys and Girls!!! More speed!!!)

Grim:

Starting to build up some speed on my program but it looked clumsy and I nearly killed myself in the process. But hey, my coaches want me to take more chances!!! :roll:

[sunshinepointe]

Did land a couple of loops with a new arm position I'm trying out. It's definititely working out quite well (when I get it!) b/c it's giving me the extra rotation I need to land on that one foot!!! Now to land and GLIDE, not land and hop!!! :roll: (Yeap! Boys and Girls!!! More speed!!!)


What's the new arm position? One day by accident I did a loop and my arms kind of went up over my head and I got REALLY good height. Just curious to know what you're doing :)

[jazzpants]

What's the new arm position? One day by accident I did a loop and my arms kind of went up over my head and I got REALLY good height. Just curious to know what you're doing :)Well, kinda hard to describe (hope I can describe it well enough) Also, Keeping in mind that I jump lefty and from a back crossovers entry. When I am gliding on the LBO edge my right arm is slightly across the right of my chest at the 11 o'clock. (I should feel my arm pushing on the chest) The left arm is behind me but is straight behind me... As I curve in, the arm in the left (back arm) scoops "down" and then "up and around" to my left chest.

The hard part I'm trying to figure out the timing of the jump. And I'm still experimenting with this so... But it's certainly giving me better results than usual... (Also, keep in mind my problem is with getting enough rotation to help land on one foot rather than on two feet (b/c I was under-rotating.) My primary coach think my loop is pretty decent otherwise...

[Skate@Delaware]

for practice session today (13 Oct):
Grim: (let's get this out of the way) Migraine hit this AM so I was feeling really relaxed on meds, soooo, spins were really crappy. :giveup: Jumps-Practiced the loop-still working out all the details of the timing, positioning, etc...

Great: When you can't spin-ya jump (and spiral)!!! Worked on adding ooomph! to waltz and punched out some very good ones! Then added some speed to the salchow and managed to do some from back crossovers and keep enough momentum going to actually exit and glide out of it (on one foot!). Toe-loop-did one where I felt I actually picked instead of waltzing around...still needs work though. Although I did add a bit more speed and it wasn't as scary as I thought :oops: .
Added: Spirals were great also! Was able to hold the LFO edge around the big circle and really ride it, then change feet to the RFI and take a wobbly ride around...gotta work on keeping free leg turned out more though. Forgot to work on Mohawks :oops:

[batikat]

Grim: Interbronze field moves. I did check with NISA and indeed there is no problem going from level 2 dance to interbronze field moves - well no problem for them :lol: but big problems for me. Not sure I can ever get the alternating outside 3's to standard. Surprisingly to me the alternating inside 3's seem relatively easy, even the scary LFI3 but at least with those you get a crossover in between. Back 3/mohawk one is well nigh impossible.

Great: Did my program to music for the first time since the adult championships at Sheffield. It wasnt' too bad but it did show how rusty you can get on a programme if you aren't doing it regularly as I managed to exit the first spin in entirely the wrong direction. I'm not sure I'll ever use it again in competition as I doubt I'll compete again til Bracknell next June and I might have decided on new music by then - at the moment I cant' find anything I like. I have come up with a possible idea for daughters new artistic though and coach seemed to like the music so it may work.

Did a couple of lovely spins and nearly got 2 revs on a backspin without falling over forwards which is great by my usual standards!!!

[luna_skater]

Great: Combos needed some work, so I did everything but the lutz in combo with the loop today. Went better than expected; I haven't tried some jumps with a loop for a while so I was pleased! Did one REALLY nice toe-loop/loop. Backspins improved! Been working on them in isolation (i.e., not as change-foot spin), and and feeling much more centered. I'm also getting braver with the speed on the pivot.

Another bonus...not feeling pain in my ankle any more. I don't know if I was over-working it...I haven't cut back on ice time at all. I'm just happy it's not throbbing when I come off the ice any more!

Grim: Spins sucked overall. Could not center anything. The ice was REALLY crappy though, so it can take some of the blame. :)

[sunshinepointe]

Grim

So I finished the choreography for my little duet for the holiday skating show.

Then today I get an email saying that tickets for my FAVORITE musician are going on sale.

Guess when the concert is?

So, no holiday show for me. I called my partner and she said she understood how much the concert meant, plus her baby has been sick so she doesn't even know how much she can practice. It sucks though, I was really looking forward to it, especially since I had done my own choreography.

At the actual rink, the only thing that stunk were my camels. My coach took a looksee despite my protests and simply stated "You don't practice this very often do you?" :oops: He then proceeded to mock my technique, saying that I looked like a dog chasing its own tail. Complete with barking. I laughed about it, but between you all and me I'm a little embarassed. I've made a resolve to work on it for at least 15 minutes at every session until I demonstrate some sort of progress. I just can't seem to keep my chest down. Years of ballet training (mistresses yelling "CHEST LIFTED!!!!") is hurting me in this spin. Sigh. I guess the only way to improve is to keep at it and since I've not been working on it, it's gotten rather...well...let's just say it's regressed.

Great

Spins were weird today. Either they were PERFECTLY centered - tight, tiny circles, or SUPER travelly and out of control. I think toward the end of the session and definitely by the end of my lesson I had regained some control that I lost over the past couple of sessions. Same thing with the sit spin. I did a great sit for the coach and a couple of really good ones - full sits with a nice center and good position. The sit spin has always come so naturally to me...stupid camel.

Jumps were amazing tonight. I got applause from some bystanders when I was working on my flip jumps towards the end of the session. I was getting huge height, someone asked me how I "hang up in the air like that". Teehee. I think I've "mastered" the entry on the flip for the time being - that whole slingshot thing. I also did several good loops, including a loop-loop for coach that prompted a high five. He was funny with my waltz and salchows though - he kept asking me to "please TRY to remember what he teaches me from lesson to lesson". He knows I can do it since I've done it before - in this case a fully extended waltz jump and a nice open position in the salchow. Hey, I DO write this stuff down, I just need to have it beaten into me every once in a while.

I only attempted ONE lutz before I realized the session was over. I think I would have had very good luck with this jump if I had more time. Stupid 2 hour session.

Spirals were very nice. I experimented with some arm positions and REALLY lengthening through the legs. I think it paid off, my spirals felt very solid and pretty. I need to work on my RFO spiral though - I tend to do LFO way more than the right and the difference between the two is quite noticable. I have a sasha spiral on the left and a slightly above average spiral on the right.

Well, speaking of all of that I need to get stretching! Let's hope I'm heading into another good run of skating - the past week or so has been not so good, I could use a nice couple of progressive and encouraging sessions.

[jazzpants]

So that's where my jumps went! Sunshinepointe's got 'em!!! :P (Maybe I have it back in time for Skate SF, please!!!) :mrgreen:

Grim:

Looks like I'm still not getting the time or the lower back. Then again, having the loop jump towards the tail end of my program isn't exactly fun either!!! :twisted:
Tried to do a flip. Same problem.
Tried to do a lutz. Lutz went on vacation... and primary coach is cracking up b/c I'm flutzing!!! :roll:
Great:

I had two run thrus of my program I did miss a couple of sections where I was slightly late, but did pick back up and ended on time on both runthrus!!! YIPPEEE!!!!!! :mrgreen:

[Mrs Redboots]

Grim: Interbronze field moves. I did check with NISA and indeed there is no problem going from level 2 dance to interbronze field moves - well no problem for them :lol: but big problems for me. Not sure I can ever get the alternating outside 3's to standard. Surprisingly to me the alternating inside 3's seem relatively easy, even the scary LFI3 but at least with those you get a crossover in between. Back 3/mohawk one is well nigh impossible.The alternating inside 3s are less easy than you might think, as each lobe has to be the same size, including the lobes on the crossovers! I can't do them yet (they are level 5 dance moves), but am beginning to be able to do the outside ones (which, in level 4, also have a crossover! I wonder what they'll do when they make them all "Skating moves"). The back3/Mohawk is TOTALLY impossible, I can't even begin to do it. Husband, alas, can....

As for me, last night's skating was okay, but only okay. I was very tired, and had neuralgia, and my knee still hurt. But I found, in my warm-up, that I still have a rather dainty cherry flip (toe loop).... it does leave the ice, anyway! Doesn't go anywhere, though. Still can't spin. Spiral okay, and fast, but not very high.

I only stayed on for 45 minutes of the dance club, as I got very tired. As there were only very few of us at the start, we'd put on our "Relatively Easy" tape, which meant that you didn't get much rest! But I did leave the Husband to do his Fiesta Tango and 14-step by himself, and was in no mood to try a Foxtrot, so got some rest. But when my free leg stopped extending, it was time to get off.... no point in dancing badly.

[NickiT]

I skated today and hopefully it will be my last skate in a plaster cast as I'm off to the fracture clinic today and hopefully cast will be removed.

Great
I haven't been on the ice for 2 weeks and it was only the 4th skate since breaking my wrist 7 weeks ago so I was pleased at how at ease I felt on the ice given the little time I've skated and the fact that my cast is still on to remind me not to fall on that arm!

I'm not really doing any free though I did try a basic upright spin. In fact I did 3 and all were good so I've not lost the ability to spin. Apart from that it was field moves - prelim and inter-bronze ones, or easy ones as I put it to my coach. I had no problems with the consecutive FO3s and inside threes, and can still do the change of edge exercise.

Grim
Nothing more than the frustration at not being able to skate "properly". Still if all goes well at hospital later and the cast comes off, I'll be back to it "properly" after half-term!

Nicki

[PattyP]

Great: Back on the ice today after 3 weeks off. :) Skated better than I expected just 5 days after the marathon.


Grim: My hip and hamstring are still sore. I don't know if its skating or running that is aggrivating it. I have not been able to practice a camel spin for at least 5 weeks. :cry: I may have to withdraw from Skate SF if it doesn't improve.

I finished the Long Beach Marathon 20 minutes slower than my goal. :twisted: 4 months of training for that. :twisted: It's kind of like training all year for AN and then falling on your butt...twice :oops: Yes, I did that too.

[jazzpants]

Grim: My hip and hamstring are still sore. I don't know if its skating or running that is aggrivating it. I have not been able to practice a camel spin for at least 5 weeks. :cry: I may have to withdraw from Skate SF if it doesn't improve.YIKES, Patty!!! Get thee to a doctor to make sure nothing is wrong. You do NOT want to skate on a bad hamstring or hip!!! (Voice of experience here!!!) And I hope it's nothing bad too. I do hope to see you in a couple of weeks...

Don't worry. Haven't done the ice blessing yet... but the YB rink is being repainted and sniffed up as we speak for the event!

[coskater64]

Great: Jumps get better axel-1/2 loop-2 sow is getting good for timing landing on 2 sow is very exciting. Jumps are getting bigger and 2 toe is coming back. Spins are solid, new layback feels nice still working on speed of actual spin.

Grim: Quit dancing with partner, personality conflicts beyond .... (gads). Will dance solo from now on too bad, intermediate FD was really nice. Oh well such is life.

Emotionally draining week, may need to borrow knife collection. ;-)

[Mrs Redboots]

Oh, Leslie, so sorry to hear that! A pity, just when your free dance was coming along.....

Well, they are all back from Scotland, so the ice was full again this morning, although as it's the start of half-term here, not as full as some Saturdays.

Great: It was good to see everybody again and catch up on all the gossip! We had good run-throughs of most of our stuff, too - it's amazing how aware we are getting of our faults, though. After the first run-through of our free dance, the Husband said that it was a bit scrappy, and mentioned one or two things that hadn't gone just so well - but, as I pointed out to him, three months ago we'd have killed to have been able to skate it as well as we just had! You're just so never satisfied in this sport!

Grim: Ice was slow again, as it was well-used! And my knee still hurts a bit. Didn't do enough work on my solo things, and did a very poor lap of back cross-rolls. And we are still having trouble pointing our toes, and, worse, bringing our feet together on some of our steps. But then, I suppose, we never did.....

Mind you, our coach was skating with one of his pupils this morning, and talk about pots and kettles - so we yelled "Point your toes!" at him as he went past..... :twisted:

[Skate@Delaware]

Grim: another migraine! I really hate this weather!!!! And the ice was really crappy-looked like the surface of the moon!!! We arrived early for public skate and I guess I was cold (feet were freezing) and I fell on a waltz jump :oops: right in front of the lobby! Doh! And, husband bailed out of lessons tonight....

Great: After we warmed up on swizzles and edges, tonight was jump night! If she'd have said that last year, FEAR would have gripped me and made me physically sick! Instead, I was really excited to show how much better my Salchow and waltz was. Cool, huh? I got nice air on my waltz (finally starting to happen) and had more speed on the Salchow which helps keep it going...

Worked on the loop (still ain't happenin), then learned the flip-I remember this from last year (when it was scary and I couldn't do it) but I can do it fine this year! Of course, I'm only getting 1/2 way around, but it will get there.

I asked if picking in for the flip would help with picking in for the toe-loop, coach said it might over-power the toe-loop.....I don't know-I have problems with picking in, mine is still too much the toe-waltz. :giveup:

[skaternum]

PattyP is my new hero! Running that far, without the incentive of someone chasing you with a gun or even a buffet at the end :P ... wow!! YOU ROCK, even if you did finish slower than you wanted. At least you finished! :bow:

[PattyP]

PattyP is my new hero! Running that far, without the incentive of someone chasing you with a gun or even a buffet at the end :P ... wow!! YOU ROCK, even if you did finish slower than you wanted. At least you finished! :bow:

Thanks!!

There was free beer at the end! I think that's the only thing that got me to the finish line this year.

[sunshinepointe]

Great

Pretty much everything I worked on. It was strange - I worked through everything a bunch of times and with a few exceptions everything was fabulous. Jumps, spins, footwork.

I did not want to try the layback at a public without my coach there.

Grim

Needless to say I got bored easily. I know you can always make your jumps higher and spin positions better etc. I just felt pretty satisfied with my work.

I did work on my camel a lot today. My inability to keep my chest down is starting to get on my nerves. If I straighten my skating knee, the chest comes up. If I leave it bent, the chest stays down. Sigh. At least I was able to get around a couple of times with it today, despite it looking terrible.

I tried working on my lutz but there was really no room at the public. I kept waiting for an opening and then if I took it I was paranoid some kid would end up behind me so I two footed every landing. Or at least this is what I'm telling myself. Truthfully I'd rather fall with a one foot landing but I didn't want to go skater bowling. But now that I have both my loop and flip pretty consistent (can you believe THAT???) I'm trying to get the lutz consistent and its just hard to work on. Maybe tuesday if this stupid hurricane stays away.

That's it for me today really. Nothing new and/or interesting to report, just three hours of hard work on the same stuff :)

[Skate@Delaware]

Ok, my videos are up! Here is the link-I'm open to any criticism. Hopefully, I will have a video of my salchow up soon. If you get a chance, take a look at my photos too http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/pictures/ ! I'm trying to get more of the shows.

http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/video/

The one: Scratch Spin Stuff was for someone on another board and for one of my fellow adult skaters-so I made a "movie" for her to watch to help her out. I know my jumps are pathetic, but my edges are better, as are my spirals (wish I'd had the camera in a different spot).

[jazzpants]

Great:

After the ice cut, the rink started clearing out. And the ice wasn't perfect, but it was definitely smooth enough that I could do some skating.
I landed four flips and four loops today. Tried the new arm position for the loop and it worked again! Spins worked. Footwork worked. Just about everything I've tried has worked.
Grim:

5 step mohawks still "hoppy." Still need to show to coaches to see if I'm actually on an edge instead of a flat... (I don't think I'm on a flat...)
Backspin kinda wimpy today.
And why couldn't I for ONCE be able to land a few flips and loops IN FRONT OF MY COACHES!?!?!? :evil: :frus: :x

[sunshinepointe]

Ok, my videos are up! Here is the link-I'm open to any criticism.

Hi there!

I love watching other peoples videos - very inspirational.

My biggest critiques are the following:

1. Take your time in your jumps. You're kind of whipping through them and sacrificing height :) Think slow, open, controlled and this will help you get better hang time.

2. Nice spirals, but watch your knees - on a couple, especially the outside edge spirals I noticed your knee was pretty bent. I suffer from this too unfortunately, but its something I really try to think about.

3. Your edges were nice, except in your back edges you were looking down at the ice. Also a nice position for the free leg for forward edges is tucked behind the skating leg (for back edges keep it trailing in front)

I'm very excited to see more videos from you, especially that salchow! Keep up the great work you're doing so well! :mrgreen: :bow:

[jazzpants]

Skate@Delaware: I wish I could watch your video, but since it's a WMV player file, it tends to just freeze on certain frames instead of just show a streaming framework. (I can see the sound of the skates and the music though.) And I'm on DSL too, so this is really strange. (I have Windows XP SP2.)

I may have to try the video at work when I'm on a lunch break. Maybe it'll work there. (Then again, given how our firewall's been having problems of late...) :frus:

[sceptique]

Great:

LOOP!!!!!

And I'm half-way through my programme. Another 45 seconds to choreogaph, and I will have my first skating piece.

Also, did one accidental amazing sit spin.

Grim:

My knees! My bum! My elbow (toe pick!)! I feel like I've been doing 20-hour shifts in a coal mine, and I have back-to-back boxersize and streetdance sessions in the gym tomorrow. Where's my "Deep Heat" spray?

[slusher]

I just realized that I could post here every day of the week if y'all wanted reports on my little kids hockey team (that I also volunteer with). However, on to figure skating:

Grim:

Loops at speed. I am r e s i s t i n g coach's "idea" that I need to change my jump entry technique. Coach is right and I know it and coach knows that I know it, but it is SO hard to give up the familiar to go back to the beginning. So, I continue to try to hit the loop in my program (after skating the length of the ice at full speed) and pop it with laughter, (giggleloop) and then get 20 minutes of "the other way is going to be so much better". Good thing coach has a thick skin because it ain't pretty.

Great:

All the work on loops has improved my flip. It is no longer so scary and even scarier, I can do it faster than the loop at present time.

Still out in the ghoulish mist:

My arms. They're so annoying and don't do what they're supposed to. They need to go to arm school.

Just plain fun:

Learn to skate has started, I teach two classes a week, and I can't get through the grocery store without some little pumpkin throwing their arms around me and telling their mom I'm their skating teacher. Not really, I'm just a PA, but fun it is!

[Skate@Delaware]

Hi there!

I love watching other peoples videos - very inspirational.

My biggest critiques are the following:

1. Take your time in your jumps. You're kind of whipping through them and sacrificing height :) Think slow, open, controlled and this will help you get better hang time.

2. Nice spirals, but watch your knees - on a couple, especially the outside edge spirals I noticed your knee was pretty bent. I suffer from this too unfortunately, but its something I really try to think about.

3. Your edges were nice, except in your back edges you were looking down at the ice. Also a nice position for the free leg for forward edges is tucked behind the skating leg (for back edges keep it trailing in front)

I'm very excited to see more videos from you, especially that salchow! Keep up the great work you're doing so well! :mrgreen: :bow:
Thanks for the critique!
1-Jumps-yeah, I anticipate too much, rush through, speed up, etc! We've been working on slowing down and riding out the entrance but I think I've got a great ways to go on that road. I also don't get down in the knee enough for "oomph" but maybe that's a security issue (any psychoanalysts out there?)
2-I bend where I'm not supposed to, and straighten when I'm supposed to bend :oops: (see above)
3-I will keep practicing these-just not comfortable with these yet (that's why I look at the ice)
4-I wish I could stop looking down when I exit a spin 8O Gosh, that's a hard thing to keep from doing!!!

Skate@Delaware: I wish I could watch your video, but since it's a WMV player file, it tends to just freeze on certain frames instead of just show a streaming framework. (I can see the sound of the skates and the music though.) And I'm on DSL too, so this is really strange. (I have Windows XP SP2.)

I may have to try the video at work when I'm on a lunch break. Maybe it'll work there. (Then again, given how our firewall's been having problems of late...)
Let me know if it doesn't work and I'll put a different format up-I had problems saving to .avi and to a different format but I think I can. It's probably the video :(

Did make it to the rink today, for both public session (crowded with rugrats gone wild) and adult skate. Found out our adult skate session will end after December :cry: because there never was enough people to support it. Hopefully, we don't lose any more ice time. Anywho, session was ok.

Managed a few decent scratch spins (while on migraine meds). Waltz jump is getting better-higher and further! Yes, I try to take my time and when I do, it's good. Did some waltz-waltz just for fun and worked on really kicking the free leg through. Worked on the salchow-did 2 without 2-footing any part of it.

Back crossovers were not good today for some reason, even though my head was up and I wasn't looking "under" my arm-Honest!. Forward was. Go figure!

That's all I worked on. Ended session with a really bad stomach-ache. :cry:

[jazzpants]

Great:

Landed a good handful of loops... once I calm down well enough to concentrate on where my body position should be... Did 3 in a row and said "I'm gonna call it quits here!!!" :twisted:
Landed some flips too, but it's not as consistent.
Sit spin and scratch spin stable...
Got a few GOOD salchows today too!!!
Grim:

Couldn't do much in the way of moves. The rink was REALLY crowded this afternoon!!! :frus: (Sat. morning FS, here I come... :cry: )
Almost killed myself trying to do a good fast backscratch. (Well, it was on a BO edge when I almost fell off the edge anyway...) :giveup:
Camel spins sucks...

[Thin-Ice]

Great: Back on the ice today after 3 weeks off. :) Skated better than I expected just 5 days after the marathon.



I finished the Long Beach Marathon 20 minutes slower than my goal. :twisted: 4 months of training for that. :twisted: It's kind of like training all year for AN and then falling on your butt...twice :oops: Yes, I did that too.

CONGRATULATIONS for FINISHING!!! :bow: :bow: :bow: My mind cannot get around the idea of running that far for ANY reason. I knew you were a "stud-ette" (i.e. you'd be a real stud, but I've seen you in a skating dress and it's obvious you are a girl).. but you've jumped to the head of that class! Wow!!! What an inspiration.. no matter HOW long it took to finish!

[flo]

Skate@del
Nice pics!

[Skate@Delaware]

Skate@del
Nice pics!
Thanks!
Looking forward to seeing you at HC-now officially have 2 passengers to see an adult comp. and I told one about your scarves so we are bringing our money $$$$$!!

[flo]

Thanks Del! Let me know if you want special colors. Wait 'till you see the Dress that Mika painted this weekend. My fingers are still blue!

[jazzpants]

Let me know if it doesn't work and I'll put a different format up-I had problems saving to .avi and to a different format but I think I can. It's probably the video :(It does works at work. I think it's just that my network at home is a DSL network and doesn't handle streaming videos (.wmv) files. My network at work is probably broadband, but I'll check with our sys admin guy.

The one note I'll make right off the bat:

Scratch spin: Nice scratch spin! Next thing to work on (and I know my coaches will ding 'ya for this) is the spin entry! Be careful NOT to step and turn your spinning foot going into the spin. When you step into the spin, it should be on a strong deep FO edge. (Which means you will have to bend your knees (not your back) deeply going on that BI edge to help you get more stability to step into the FO edge.) It is NOT an easy habit to break, lemme tell 'ya. :( (I don't know if I'm still doing it in fact. I doubt it though!)

I'll get around to the other stuff later. Boss is watching... ;)

[Skate@Delaware]

It does works at work. I think it's just that my network at home is a DSL network and doesn't handle streaming videos (.wmv) files. My network at work is probably broadband, but I'll check with our sys admin guy.

The one note I'll make right off the bat:

Scratch spin: Nice scratch spin! Next thing to work on (and I know my coaches will ding 'ya for this) is the spin entry! Be careful NOT to step and turn your spinning foot going into the spin. When you step into the spin, it should be on a strong deep FO edge. (Which means you will have to bend your knees (not your back) deeply going on that BI edge to help you get more stability to step into the FO edge.) It is NOT an easy habit to break, lemme tell 'ya. :( (I don't know if I'm still doing it in fact. I doubt it though!)

I'll get around to the other stuff later. Boss is watching... ;)
Maybe that's why I've been hooking it? My coach doesn't understand why I make my circle smaller before I step into my spin.....I wish I knew! I've been practicing on the hockey circle and trying really hard to stay on the line so I don't....no luck so far..

I go to the rink tomorrow for practice (hopefully medication free-no migraine today) and I will take all the advice given and practice it!!! (maybe I'll bring the camera)

Yeah, I don't bend enough...AAAGGHH!!! It's so aggravating! I'm not sure what's more frustrating, not bending or not lifting my leg up... :frus: :frus: :frus: or pointing toes, or straightening leg on spirals, or not hunching over on crossovers, or .......

[jazzpants]

Great:

Landed more loops and flips.
Hubby says that my sit spins tonight "are the lowest he's ever seen..." Darn it! I wish I filmed it too!!! :frus: :x
Grim:

The ratio of landing vs. two footing the landing is now 30% landed cleanly, 55% two footed landing, 14% aborted, 1% near killed myself getting myself twisted around as I tried to stay landed cleanly... :evil:
Lower back is hurting again. I think I did enough jumps for today. :evil:
5 step mohawks went AWOL and I ended up skating too close to the wall and getting my blade caught along the wall... Yeap! WHAM!!! (I'm okay. The ice was still smooth enough that the impact wasn't as bad.)

[Casey]

Great:

I'm getting new skates (http://skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=18715)!
On Saturday, I went skating with an OLD skating friend that I met back when I first started skating and just re-met a couple weeks ago (she's the one who told me I needed to get new skates when I was skating in my $25 eBay specials).

We were working on various stuff, and then I tried to get her to try the flip which she apparently hadn't made any progress on since ages ago when I was just starting to learn the toe loop and salchow because she didn't skate much all spring & summer. She couldn't do it without two-footing the landing, but when I tried mine, she said it wasn't a flip, it looked like a confused toe loop because I wasn't doing the correct entry. So then I tried it her way (which starts on a forward left outside edge with the free leg in front), and could do them fine, so then she was mad at me for being able to do them before her. :twisted: She can still spin better though. :)
Was able to do some passable attempts at sit spins...erm...not that I'd call them passable but she did and she's a pretty harsh judge. ;)
Gave her a 20-session punch card that I had gotten from trading in my unused freestyle sessions for at that rink, because I almost never go there anymore and she's attending college and otherwise too broke to skate much at all. Felt really good about that.

Since learning the new flip entry, I've come to like it quite a lot, and my flips are much more controlled and consistant now. I landed rather a lot of them today, which is probably why my screws were so loose (pun intended).
The kids at the rink have all headed off for Regionals I guess, which meant that A> the rink director didn't tell me to slow down today, and B> the rink was nicely deserted.


Grim:

Loop still isn't consistant. I don't get it. I can do it pretty easily in a combo after any other jump, I even do a few flip-toeloop-loop combos every time I skate, but doing it from back crossovers is hard and on some days (like today) nearly impossible to pull off. I think I finally figured out that it was because I'm not leaning back quite enough and jumping too much off the toe rather than the edge when it doesn't work. But by that time I was pretty tired so I didn't try too much. Only landed a couple decent ones.
What the heck are my arms doing in jumps? I don't know either. Goodness...I've got to figure out how to teach them better control.
Started practicing back edges again recently so I can finally take the stupid pre-bronze MIF test. They need a lot of work. >_<
I'm coming up on my one-year skating anniversary (11 Novemeber), and while I try to be thankful all that I've accomplished, I can't help but feel like I haven't made enough progress. And I feel generally too old and depressed about it...stupid birthdays... :??

[MusicSkateFan]

GREAT: Program is coming along, I like the music, placement of elements and the overall character. I am doing run throughs and working the elements and feel I am right on track for a decent first time competition.

Jumps are doing good, I have been back with my jump coach for 3 consecutive lessons and it is paying off. I sometimes am having trouble controlling any combos that start with a lutz...My coach and one skater last night said that the reason was my single lutz is just too high! I like having that problem! I have, however, landed some really great 1z,half-loop,1f combos and even did a 1t, 1l,,1t,1l combo last night!


GRIM: Spins! I just need to relax and think about the timing!

[Skate@Delaware]

Grim:

Loop still isn't consistant. I don't get it. I can do it pretty easily in a combo after any other jump, I even do a few flip-toeloop-loop combos every time I skate, but doing it from back crossovers is hard and on some days (like today) nearly impossible to pull off. I think I finally figured out that it was because I'm not leaning back quite enough and jumping too much off the toe rather than the edge when it doesn't work. But by that time I was pretty tired so I didn't try too much. Only landed a couple decent ones.
What the heck are my arms doing in jumps? I don't know either. Goodness...I've got to figure out how to teach them better control.
Started practicing back edges again recently so I can finally take the stupid pre-bronze MIF test. They need a lot of work. >_<
I'm coming up on my one-year skating anniversary (11 Novemeber), and while I try to be thankful all that I've accomplished, I can't help but feel like I haven't made enough progress. And I feel generally too old and depressed about it...stupid birthdays... :??

Glad to hear about your skates!! Yay!
Loops-maybe you should try from a 3-turn entry? Couldn't hurt.
Arms-perhaps your arms act like my legs-they just don't listen to the brain! In my group class we have one woman who has "wild arms" so her work is to hold them out to the sides during jumps-that's it....once she gets her legs working right, she is allowed to bring her arms in. Worth a try.
Edges-want to see bad back edges-check out my uploaded video! (see my previous post for url-(too tired to look it up right now)
Feeling too old and depressed??????? No sympathy from me!! I'll rag you when you hit 40++++ ;) Just remember-the only ones who don't have birthdays are dead!

[Casey]

Loops-maybe you should try from a 3-turn entry? Couldn't hurt.
Yeah, I can do them from that entry fine too. 3-turn entry - no problem, in combos - no problem, from back crossovers - very challenging!

Also my back edges aren't much if any better than yours! LOL, stupid edges!

[Skate@Delaware]

Yeah, I can do them from that entry fine too. 3-turn entry - no problem, in combos - no problem, from back crossovers - very challenging!

Also my back edges aren't much if any better than yours! LOL, stupid edges!
Yeah, when I first learned the back edges, they were barely squiggles~~~ I didn't know until I got my private coach that they were supposed to be as rounded and nice as forward edges :oops: Not really my group coach's fault as we never really hit on them (she loves power pulls).

Last year we tried loops from a 3-turn, but it was at the end of the season so I dropped it (my jumps were crap-fear factor 8O ) but I'm better now, really, and I like the back crossovers....as long as I can bend deep enough, get that hip over, lift the free leg, roll off the toe, scoop my arms, AND remember to breathe! ALL AT ONCE!! and, I always manage to leave something out!