Fireworks or damp squib (Practice Thread 2-8 January 2006) [Archive]

Mrs Redboots

01-03-2006, 09:07 AM

In honour of the New Year's fireworks!

Fireworks: Back into routine, getting up at 6:00 am (yuck!) to be on the ice early. Had plenty of time to warm up before our lesson - did our usual laps round the ice followed by runs round the circle, then worked in waltz hold for awhile (our tracking really is improving now!), and then in Foxtrot hold.

In our lesson we revisited our work in waltz and foxtrot hold, and also worked on our highlights some.

Damp Squib:

So because our tracking is better, he chose to comment on my lack of extension. Sigh.
In our warm-up, we slowed down too much going into the runs round the circle. Deep sigh.
When doing work in waltz hold, I bottled out of doing a 3-turn as we were going too fast. Very deep sigh.
We hadn't practiced our lift recently, and it showed. Huge sigh.
Why is it that whenever you are seized with a good idea for choreography, your partner has already gone to work???

Joan

01-03-2006, 09:31 AM

Mrs. Redboots, what is a "damp squib"?

Skate@Delaware

01-03-2006, 08:21 PM

Fireworks: Had a lovely session at the rink today-quiet and only one other skater who showed up late (a wonderful girl). Rink was also warm! Took some advice and worked on the basics. Stroking was good, did 4 laps. Alternating crossovers were great, did 3 laps frontwards, then did 'em backwards, concentrating on keeping on the back part of my blade (less noisy that way).

Toe-loop was ok but I'm picking in, not waltzing it. Salchow is good. Waltz's were ok, but I can't seem to push up any higher with my leg (need to do some off-ice plyo work). Spins were good (except sit-they're never good).

My skating buddy and I talked about loop jumps, and she worked with me on the 3-turn entry and I actually did a loop! Of course, the landing was a dead-stop and it was probably majorly cheated.... She also showed me how to exit a backspin; which she said you need to know how to do and was wondering why I wasn't taught how?? Yes, I wonder?

Ice Dance class is officially on Monday night-the only night hubby and I haven't had anything scheduled---get this---that was taken into consideration! Knowing that Tues/Thurs were out, she worked around it! Also, knowing that we are 50% of the class helps....So, our "night out" will be Monday AND Friday (group class night)! We can skate, then go out for dessert!

Damp Squib: Edges were off-way overdue for sharpening and outside edges are the first sign... Did a run-through of my program, which I haven't touched in a few weeks and it showed. I was out of breath, and out of time (music) before I finished all my steps :x So I ran through it 2 more times without my music, each time going faster (once I caught my breath). It got better. Then did it once with my music and it was good. Had a brain seizure and forgot how to do the 1/2 flip for about 5 minutes....Doh! My friend was laughing but I told her when she gets to be my age and forgets stuff I'll laugh at her! She said it was a deal!

(I'm keeping an eye on my breathing, because it might go with some of the other problems I've been having....and I might have to go back to my quack for another evaluation. But, that's another story-as long as it doesn't interfere with my skating!)

PS-a squib is the gunpowder (wrapped in tissue paper and twisted off) that musketloaders put into their gun-you have to "keep your powder dry" or you won't be able to fire your musket.

Joan

01-03-2006, 09:56 PM

Fireworks: =

PS-a squib is the gunpowder (wrapped in tissue paper and twisted off) that musketloaders put into their gun-you have to "keep your powder dry" or you won't be able to fire your musket.

Thanks! I assumed it had something to do with the wick, so I guess I was close.

I have only damp squib so far this week. I have such a bad cold that I have not been to the rink since last Friday :cry: . This is the most persistent cold I have had in years! I hope the congestion clears up real soon!

Sk8pdx

01-03-2006, 10:06 PM

Fireworks
I think I Finally understand what back inside edges are supposed to *feel* like. (Pre-Bronze MIF element) They were awesome today. I noticed it helped when I kept my head lifted and fixed my gaze just above the boards. I let my shoulders and arms Then free foot lead in lobes on the blue hockey line. Everything seemed to work together instead of rotating head first then arms then shoulders, then free foot Instead, I kept my head almost steady, Then arms, shoulders,and free foot all moved together... I can't quite articulate how it all felt but it rocked! It was one of those Ah Ha :idea: moments. ...maybe it was just that the timing of it all finally clicked....

Damp Squib
Had a hard time with Spirals. even on a straight line. I have the most difficult time getting the free leg higher. :cry:

aussieskater

01-03-2006, 11:15 PM

Sadly, only damp squibs re skating to report - what with chickenpox quarantine (our 3yo got chickenpox on Christmas Eve) and Christmas and the rink changing to holiday times and being overtaken by school kids and all, I haven't skated since Dec 16! And no chance of getting back on the ice until at least the third week of January....

Fireworks

...because we're going on a beach holiday! Yay! We leave early Monday for a whole week. Sun, sand, surf (and 30+ sunscreen and hats and shirts), here we come!

SkatingOnClouds

01-04-2006, 01:45 AM

Damp squibs for me too - still suffering withdrawal symptoms while our rink is in holiday shutdown. Re-opens January 9th with holiday sessions, but I won't get a chance to skate til the Saturday. I am hoping that the kids will all go to the holiday sessions during the week, leeaving the ice pristine on the weekends. Forlorn hope, but I can dream.

Karen

Mrs Redboots

01-04-2006, 09:32 AM

Poor you Aussies, being in the middle of your summer shutdowns! Winter does have some advantages!

Joan, a "damp squib" is basically a fiasco, but a "squib" is also a type of firework.....

Wednesday's lesson

Damp Squib: Knee very painful this morning. I wonder if it's all this driving I'm doing now! Also, driving to the rink means I arrive not warmed-up (you try running for a bus as often as I have to - you warm up superfast!).

Discovered, to my dismay, that I am totally out of practice on back inside edges, and did them very badly indeed in my lesson.

Rink wasn't exactly crowded, but somehow there were always people in the way - some random celebrity training with a partner AND a coach on the ice, an adult dancer and her coach/partner, our elite dancers training very hard for Europeans in a fortnight..... I kept having to abort my exercise & start it again.

Fireworks: My back outside edges have never been so good - my coach even complimented me on them! Shows how hard work with a partner pays off.

My variable-speed cross-rolls were wonderful - really slinky! Felt marvellous.

Changes-of edge worked very well, but a tad slow.

Two of my coach's former pupils, both now away at university, came in for a skate - it was great to see them again.

Got the car in the garage without knocking down the planks my husband likes to keep in there! (Which is a lot more than I managed yesterday!).

NickiT

01-04-2006, 10:57 AM

Fireworks
Back on the ice for the first time in just over two weeks and straight into a lesson (well, almost - I did have half an hour to practise and get my skating legs back beforehand!).

All my skating moves were still there, even the dreaded lutz-loop. I couldn't run through my programme in its entirity due to a part of the rink being sectioned off for broomball, so we did it in two halves. The first half felt quite wobbly though the only thing I didn't do well was my camel-sit. The second half went very well and even included a clean lutz-loop! I couldn't quite manage my step sequence - only three-quarters of it because of the barrier being up, but it went OK.

Damp Squib
Only the fact that I felt severely unfit. I guess it's not surprising given I'd not quite regained my fitness before Christmas after my enforced time off.

Nicki

flo

01-04-2006, 11:08 AM

Damp Squib: Over the holidays my work desktop computer was stolen. Fortunately I had all my work files on the network. What a creep to steal from cancer research.

Fireworks: Had fun at my lesson last night. Did lots of lutz-loops and flying cammels. Finished with a couple of death spirals.

I thought a squibb was a bird. In any case a wet one would be icky.

Skate@Delaware

01-04-2006, 12:11 PM

I thought a squibb was a bird. In any case a wet one would be icky.
That's a squab! With all this rain-all of them are WET (and icky)!

phoenix

01-04-2006, 03:04 PM

fireworks: woo hoo, had a very good team lesson today, and proof of our progress is that we were given 3 new footwork exercises to try. I like one of them, & the other two are scary! And I made a major breakthrough in finally getting what I was doing wrong on our FI edges in Killian. Lesson for everyone: when you think your knees are bent, they're not bent enough! When you think your back is straight, it's not straight enough!! We're also going to practice together over the weekend which makes me very happy.

Damp squab (because I love the image of all the ruffled feathers): I need to work hard & fast to get my brackets exercise up to par--because that's now one of our team exercises & I'm not keeping up! Looks like a week full of brackets for me, til I get them or til I die, whichever comes first (probably 50/50 odds for either at this point....). I fell on them a couple times last week & did some damage to one shoulder, which is still a little tweaky, so that's not helping. What did I say in the "fear" thread--that I need to fall more--well, I guess I'm meeting my goals! :frus:

Terri C

01-04-2006, 06:20 PM

Fireworks(and shooting stars to boot!):
During my lesson today, I had a PERFECT FREESKATE PROGRAM!!! :D :D :D
It really seems as if "something" is clicking with spins lately. I hit all of my spins dead on and managed a couple of camels as well! I just hope it will stay that way

Damp squib:
The rink was sooo cold that it made practice counter- productive at times! :evil: Supposedly it's kept cold that way for hockey :roll: , so that the puck slides faster across the ice. Uh, hockey skaters need to get into their knees and stroke hard too!

Mrs Redboots

01-05-2006, 06:23 AM

We went up to Tashakat's old rink last night for our monthly class and social dance.

Yikes! is all I can say. The teacher had the proposed new Skating Moves, which are set to replace Dance Moves and Field Moves from next year. All I can say to any British skaters reading this - get as many Moves tests under your belt between now and then as you possibly can, these new ones are severely evil!

I can't remember all the details, but I am so going to take and pass my Level 3 Dance Moves before the end of the year!

I'm not sure what was in level 1; I think it's forwards outside and inside edges, "landing position" and spirals, presumably both from the present Novice Field Moves. Oh, and I think there were forward and backward crossovers/runs in a figure of 8, too.

Level 2 includes back inside edges - proper ones, not the kind in the current Prelim Field Moves test, but real proper semi-circles, like all the other edges. And the current Level 5 Dance Moves Inside Mohawk exercise. And inside 3-turns round the circle - you do inside 3, step to forwards, repeat, all round the circle, in both directions. I think the 4th move was back outside edges.

Level 3 has the change-of-edge exercise from the present level 2 Dance Moves, another spiral exercise (this time using edges), Russian Stroking, or snakies, or whatever you call it - you run round the end, hold a lo-o-o-ong left inside edge to the centre, a run in the other direction (RFO/LFI), then hold a lo-o-o-o-ong RFI edge to the end of the rink, run round the end and repeat. One of my favourite exercises, but I can't usually manage with just 2 edges!

But the worst, the one that has made me utterly determined to pass my level 3 Dance Moves before the end of the year is, I think, what USFSA Moves in the Field call "3s in the Field" - you start off (you may start from a standstill) doing LFO3, RBI3, and repeat half way down the rink, then you change feet so you're doing RFO3, LBI3 the other half, run round the end, and coming back you do LFI3, RBO3 for half the length, then change to RFI3, LBO3. Which is the only combination I'm at all likely to get any time soon.

That was as far as we got by the end of the lesson, which is well far enough!

So for the 3rd time in my skating career I shall be credited with moves I can't actually do. I will learn them and work on them - I like challenging exercises - but I shall definitely get my level 3 Dance Moves if hard work will do it. For a start, my spirals simply wouldn't be up to it - they very seldom even get parallel to the ice.

Ah well. It was a fun evening, though, and the social dance was as great as ever.

Skate@Delaware

01-05-2006, 07:27 AM

Had a relatively good session last night, notwithstanding the migraine I was battling (and loosing, even with the meds). So, my coach offerred me a choise of USFSA moves or ISI testing....hmmmm...no brainer, I chose ISI testing.

Fireworks: Tested up through and stopped after Gamma (I think she said gamma, it's the one right before the freestyle). We'll do the freestyle next week. She had me do the ISI back crossovers and she actually liked me doing those better than the USFSA version! Mostly because it brought my feet close together (which she has been trying to get me to do) AND for some reason, I'm off my toepicks more.

Went ahead and ordered my daughter's new skates-hers were 1.5 sizes too big and are breaking down big-time. Ordered a new pair for me---the one I got off ebay were defective (the steel shank in the sole was broken and rendered them useless). Hopefully, they will be here ina few weeks, then we can get blades (rather than wait weeks for them, I'm getting them locally).

Damp squib: DA** EVIL BUNNYHOPS!!! I figured they'd come back to haunt me sometime!! My coach said to keep practicing them because I'd see them (again and again and again). Ugh! She was laughing at me because I hate them sooooo much! Because of my migraine, I didn't do any spinning because I'd throw up for sure! I've got 2 weeks before the exhibition and that's 2 weeks to smooth out my routine.....

Also, my daughter and I arrived for our Pilates class, only to find the place locked up with no note or anything! Rumors have been flying around that the gym facility will be closing. I haven't heard from the person running the place, (she is also my daughter's coach) and she didn't show up for my daughter's lesson (for the second week in a row) or for her other student's lessons. This really irked me:x as she didn't call and let me know she wouldn't be there.

FrankR

01-05-2006, 07:36 AM

Fireworks: Well the program is finally done! Woo-hoo! I thought I'd never see the day. Of course, chances are the elements might shift around and we'll think of little extra tid-bits of choreography here and there but all in all I think it's set. My New Year's resolution is to run through my program at least once a session (unless potential Olympians are zipping around getting ready for their Nationals! :D That was pretty cool last week). So far, so good. I ran through my program last week with the moves coach/choreographer and I ran through it again this morning. For the most part, the jumps including the axel combination in the beginning and the solo axel in the middle have been there for every run-through. According the the moves coach/choreographer the choreography is starting to come together so I'm happy with that.

Squibs: Spins, Spins, SPINS!!!!!! Grr. !@!$^%&*()%&(& :evil: :frus: On their own, they usually go okay. However, the way my program is set up, my last two spins take place immediately after jump landings. I have spiral, swing the free leg through, mohawk, axel, push under right up into flying camel in the middle of my program. Then at the end I have flip, push under, right into camel (arms behind the back)/sit-change sit/back scratch, put the toe in the ice right into the ending pose. These sections are killing me right now. I get through all the stuff up until the spins but then I'm all discombobulated by that point and the spin either sucks royally or I just go SPLAT! :cry: I need to practice these sequences over and over and over again or it's going to get really ugly in competition. Oy! :roll: :P Oh and then in today's run-through the lutz combination went all funky. I think I landed sideways on the lutz but still managed to stay on my feet. 8O :?: Umm...ok. Hopefully that'll be better tomorrow

Take care all,

Frank

jenlyon60

01-05-2006, 08:01 AM

For USFS Pre-Juv MIF, the 3's in the field are the full length of the ice on each set (LFI3-RBO3 down 1 side, RFI3-LBO3 down the other side). Then LFO3-RBI3 down 1 side, RFO3-LBI3 down the other side. Actually I think the test sheet has the FO3/BI3 MIF first, and technically you're supposed to start with the right foot first. Rulebook/PSA guidebook is in the car with the rest of my official stuff....

What does the seriously nasty level 4 mohawk sequence look like?

But the worst, the one that has made me utterly determined to pass my level 3 Dance Moves before the end of the year is, I think, what USFSA Moves in the Field call "3s in the Field" - you start off (you may start from a standstill) doing LFO3, RBI3, and repeat half way down the rink, then you change feet so you're doing RFO3, LBI3 the other half, run round the end, and coming back you do LFI3, RBO3 for half the length, then change to RFI3, LBO3. Which is the only combination I'm at all likely to get any time soon.

Mrs Redboots

01-05-2006, 12:51 PM

What does the seriously nasty level 4 mohawk sequence look like?The one Husband can't do? That's totally evil, too (I can't do it either, but then, I'm not trying to be able to, as yet). It's a LFO/RBO Mohawk, cross to LBI, step to RFO, LFO, RFO/LBO mohawk, cross to RBI, step to LFO, RFO, and repeat all the way round the rink (with progressive runs along the end). The level 5 one is way easier, as it involves inside Mohawks.

sunshinepointe

01-05-2006, 03:36 PM

^ ooooh that sounds fun - I LOVE Outside mohawks...

Anywho...

Fireworks
I did some amazing scratch spins today. I also did some great sit spins too but see my note under "damp squib" lol. Moves in the field stuff was good, although I'm still having a hard time with the LFO3/LBI3 sequence my coach wants in front of the salchow - how is it that I can do it on the right side and not the left? Toe loops were good, waltz jumps could have been better but I'm not complaining - Salchows were good. I did a couple loops and then I did THE PERFECT Loop jump and I decided to stop working on loops for the rest of the afternoon so I could remember how good it felt lol. I did some great outside spirals. I also signed up for group lessons on Saturday, so I'm super excited about that.

Damp Squib
So even though my sit spins were awesome, I'm still so out of shape that I can't get up from them yet. Inside spirals were very shaky. I hate camel spins (see seperate post begging for help). Backspins were "okay" but I've done better. My flip jump was weird today - my free leg was super slow on the check out so it looked very strange although the jump itself was beautiful. Naturally since my flip was funky my lutz was funky. It's the first time working on the lutz in 3 months and it was so, so bad. I need some coaching to get me back on track with it for sure. After a couple of botched attempts I decided to leave it alone - I'm pretty sure I'm dropping my shoulder. I need to get video to see for sure though.

Overall it was a really good day, I think I'm just being nitpicky about stuff, expecting to be at the level I was 3 months ago within a matter of like, 6 hours back on the ice. I'm very pleased with my progress so far, and I can't wait to start lessons again :)

luna_skater

01-05-2006, 05:09 PM

Fireworks: Have been battling lace bite on my left ankle for a few weeks, but it has gotten MUCH better. It was making me very cautious on the ice, which in turn was making things suck and making me frustrated...but it's improved tremendously, and things feel like they are back to normal.

SPINS - forward spin ROCKS, and made major improvements on change-foot spin today. Sit is pretty decent, considering I haven't been practicing it much due to the lace bite. Working on sit, upright, backspin combo, which is getting there, but I am getting mucho dizzy. Need to work on spotting!

JUMPS - All felt great today! I finally got my toe-loop back today. Did some nice waltz-loops today. Sal feels great. Lutz has improved a lot; I'm not flutzing as bad anymore, and am getting more height. Flip has gotten particularly good. Really concentrating on my arms has made a big difference, as has figuring out how to shift my weight to the picking leg. Loops feels quite comfortable, just needs more speed.

Damp Squib: Have been neglecting my turns. Really need to get working on all turns again, so they don't completely go out the window....brackets in particular could use work.

Skate@Delaware

01-06-2006, 07:23 AM

Damp Squib: again, I bailed out of that stupid toe-loop while running through my program...so I did several of them and they were pretty bad. I still had the migraine but don't think that had anything to do with it, as I just hate toe-loops. I also got mixed up on the 1/2 flip :frus: but figured it out after a while.

I have a block on jumping UP on the waltz-maybe I got lazy....

Fireworks: There is a new cd player in the box and the rink manager let me play cd's down there (as there were only 3 people on the ice yesterday). Yay! I ran through my program 3 times (don't get to do that on club time). I will have to re-burn the cd and turn up the volume as I can barely hear the opening notes (sucks having a hearing problem) but I might also put a "chime" at the beginning too!

Did some moves stuff and those ISI back crossovers-weird but they work!

The woman in the pro-shop said my boots should be in within 2 weeks!!! It will be nice to have boots that fit! I swear if these don't, I'm calling Don Jackson himself!

Classes pick up tonight-it's adult group LTS tonight, and Monday night is ice dancing (woo-hoo!).

Mrs Redboots

01-06-2006, 10:23 AM

Fireworks: Had a really good practice with Husband - worked out what was wrong with our Reverse Kilian partnering - if he keeps his elbow up and out, it is much better, I think he lets it go a bit. We also played with some choreography steps, and worked on inside swing rolls in waltz hold, as well as outside ones and chassés. The last two are boring routine drills, but still need to be worked on! We also worked on our lift and our spin.

In solo practice after he'd gone to work, I had a good back cross-roll day, but my cross-cuts are still playing up. Played with some of the new Moves; I really love the "Russian-stroking" one, although I'm not _quite_ getting far enough down the rink. Very nearly. It makes a great exercise to finish with.

Damp Squib: Husband played his music the whole way down to the rink, very boring! It's nice enough music, but.... I have some ideas for choreography, but plan to let his coach do most of it, as she knows what's wanted for NJS rather better than I do.

I am still having trouble with these ruddy back cross-cuts - either they don't flow enough, or I get my weight just wrong and have to stop. I can sometimes do a whole lap of half-decent ones, but they are only half-decent, and still unreliable. I need to get far more flow out of them, but when I try, I come up in the knee, or my head moves, or.... anyway, I grind to a halt! Grrrrrr......

And I cannot do a BI 3 for love NOR money..... did scrape one half-way round and very nearly fell over! Ah well....

phoenix

01-06-2006, 10:35 AM

samba

01-06-2006, 10:53 AM

You know what, I have wanted to know what a cross cut is myself but felt silly asking, glad someone else doesnt know, so what is it Annabel? I bet it's something I do all the time.

jazzpants

01-06-2006, 12:08 PM

Fireworks:

I am back on the ice and having a lesson with primary coach after fighting the Christmas Crud and bad timing on trying to get a lesson before I go back home.

Damp Squib:

Primary coach was particularly interested in Move Guru's work with me... (I had to mentioned that I was working with the Chelsea Piers coach on the same things too and was working more with him b/c of the timing of when Christmas crud came and my trip back home!) And all I keep hearing from primary coach is "How long has it been since I've been beating you up on the SAME THING that Moves Guru has been teaching you!?!!?!" :evil: :frus:

Lesson learned from going to Hackensack from Long Island: Rent a car!!! It's actually more expensive to go public trans than to rent a car... and a lot more convenient too, especially if I rent it between Tuesday-Thursday! Plus not having to deal with the stress of hubby's health ailment du jour :frus:walking a quarter mile outdoors. (This year it was the Christmas Crud. Last year, it was the lower back! And no, we can't return his body for a refund either. The warranty ran out! :evil: )

Mrs Redboots

01-06-2006, 03:57 PM

Mrs. Redboots (or other British skaters)---are cross cuts where you're on a back outside edge, & the new foot crosses in front & sets down also on an outside egde? Yes, that's right. They probably have another name, my coach sometimes calls them Cross strokes.

Grace, they're level 3 Dance Moves and Prelim Field Moves, so you can almost definitely do them!

aussieskater

01-07-2006, 01:35 AM

Mrs. Redboots (or other British skaters)---are cross cuts where you're on a back outside edge, & the new foot crosses in front & sets down also on an outside egde? We have to do that as part of our footwork exercises & I wondered if that's what it was. I'd never done that before (I always did BI to BI), & it's tricky! Biggest trick for me is getting the new free foot out of the way quickly enough, if that makes sense.

I *hate* those things. Especially when I know that my backside sticks out while I do them...and gets further and further out (and my torso more and more torso parallel to the ice) the more of them I do...

phoenix

01-07-2006, 08:06 AM

Yeah, I certainly don't feel real graceful doing them, that's for sure.

Mrs Redboots

01-07-2006, 08:27 AM

I *hate* those things. Especially when I know that my backside sticks out while I do them...and gets further and further out (and my torso more and more torso parallel to the ice) the more of them I do...Mine too.... and when that happens, you know you are gradually going to grind to a halt, probably before you get to the end of the rink, and there is f-all you can do about it!

Melzorina

01-07-2006, 10:21 AM

First time skating in 2006, hadn't been for some time. I got so excited at the prospect of being on ice that I pulled a muscle, but I carried on skating in a euphoric state of mind.

Ohhhh it was good. I landed my flip again (which I pulled my muscle on) but later lost it. Skates were giving me trouble, but I still carried on smiling. Not a Damp Squib in sight.

Skate@Delaware

01-07-2006, 12:02 PM

Fireworks! At group lessons last night, we worked on spins and while hubby actually did a 5-revolution upright spin! (Yay for him) I did 2 SIT SPINS!!! First time EVER!!! AND, coach showed me how to lower my free foot while crossing it to get more revolutions! Managed a 12 revolution scratch!! WOW!

Then I dropped my skates off for a sharpening, so who knows when I'll be able to spin like that again!

samba

01-07-2006, 12:55 PM

Yes, that's right. They probably have another name, my coach sometimes calls them Cross strokes.

Grace, they're level 3 Dance Moves and Prelim Field Moves, so you can almost definitely do them!

(Cross Cuts)

8O Uhh! I cant remember seeing or doing anything that hard, sounds down right dangerous to me. I will ask my coach to demonstrate, not sure I want to try it though, being the brave person I'm not. :oops:

NickiT

01-07-2006, 03:45 PM

(Cross Cuts)

8O Uhh! I cant remember seeing or doing anything that hard, sounds down right dangerous to me. I will ask my coach to demonstrate, not sure I want to try it though, being the brave person I'm not. :oops:

I have no problems with cross-cuts. In fact I love all the prelim and inter bronze field moves. It's the bronze ones that I find impossible. I haven't done them in a long while. Since changing coaches last spring my new coach only did them a couple of times with me, then I broke my arm and I had another excuse not to do them. Well I promised I'd do them every time I skate from next week. Wish me luck on all those double threes....eeeek!

Nicki

mikawendy

01-07-2006, 04:52 PM

phoenix

01-07-2006, 05:19 PM

sunshinepointe

01-07-2006, 05:41 PM

Fireworks

1. As posted in the other thread, I was able to do a decent camel spin - thank you so much to everyone who offered tips and advice! I still need to work on it hardcore, but I made substantial progress today.
2. Group lessons at the new rink were cool. The coach was impressed with my level of skating and commented that my back crossovers were gorgeous. Woohoo. She helped me fix my backspin a little too so now I have a decent backspin - awesome!
3. Spins were good. Toe loop and salchow were okay. Waltz jump is still weird. The group coach said I was twisting my upper body before take off. Grr. I hate stupid waltz jumps.
4. At the end of the lesson the coach said she wanted to start an adult synchro team - I'm so on board for this! It sounds like so much fun! I've never, ever done synchro but I'm so up for learning something new.
5. The rest of practice was good. My loop and flip were kind of off today. I think I figured out my loop problem, but on the flip I kept having a brief touchdown with the free leg. Did manage to get awesome height though. I desperately need to work on strength for camel and sit spins.

I'm so happy to be back skating and to be making progress. I think a call to my old coach is in order this week to resume lessons - if I can't take with him I have my eye on another coach at the new rink. SO excited!

Skate@Delaware

01-08-2006, 08:18 AM

Woo-hoo! Congrats to your hubby and to you! :D
Thanks, Mika!
Hubby is doing so well and he is so motivated, he decided to ask for a part in the spring show! I guess he realized that he was missing out on all the fun, and it is a good way to break out in front of crowds! I'm hoping he has as much fun as I do!

And, being the driven person he is, he has moved away from the wall to work on 3-turns because our resident guy coach told him frictionless 3-turns and spins are the breakthrough points for twizzles-which he wants to do!!8O Can the death spiral be far behind?

sunshinepointe: Aren't group lessons FUN!!! I love synchro, and I'm sure you will to!

Mrs Redboots

01-08-2006, 10:09 AM

Sqaub/Squib:

My newest drill-intended-to-kill-me:
1. put on the Kilian music
2. Do progressives in a circle, in time to the music, one beat per step. Don't lose your extensions while you do this.
3. For the entire song. :giveup:

Coach informs me I'm only making it for 30 seconds til I bail out gasping for breath. (he's by the boom box watching the counter--or he's standing in the center of my circle clapping in time to keep me on the beat).

Anybody have any really, really short Killian songs? I'll pay good money!!!! 8-) What is it with dance coaches - they really do seem to want to kill one! Have you had to do variable-speed progressives - 1 with 4 beats each edge, then 1 with 1 beat each edge, repeating ad nauseam? Almost impossible at first.... Or JenLyon60's coach's "Evil eights" exercise????

However, for me, today was not a lesson day.

Fireworks: Got husband's music properly on to CD, with a 2-second pause at the start so he has a moment. Gave CD to his coach so she can choreograph it for him (she knows the NJS rules better than I do). Husband has discovered he doesn't have to do a change-edge spiral, after all, which pleases him. He was working on his loop jump, but 2-footing every attempt - he used to have a great loop, but lost it because his knee hurt too much to jump much. I still don't think it's worth him stressing his knee for 0.5 for a single loop jump when he could get 0.4 for a good cherry!

When he'd finished his lesson, we started to work on a step sequence for our free dance, although as we don't yet know what will be required, this may have to be rethought! But the music is rather fast, and I'd like to at least have something to play with to practice skating in time to it!

Damp Squib: Ice was awful this morning, worse than it's been for months. Don't know who cut it last night, but someone ought to show them how!
My back cross-cuts have vanished again. Sigh. And I still can't do 3-bracket-3s on one foot and everybody else in the entire skating universe, it seems to me, does them easily....:cry:

Oh, and I'm not sure what this counts as, but I was preaching this morning, after skating, and before the service started I had to wait in a very cold vestry! So I improved the shining hour by practising my inside Mohawks off-ice, and finally got the feeling I want in my upper body..... but I have a distinctly lowering feeling that this is not going to translate well to the ice!

mikawendy

01-08-2006, 12:09 PM

What is it with dance coaches - they really do seem to want to kill one! Have you had to do variable-speed progressives - 1 with 4 beats each edge, then 1 with 1 beat each edge, repeating ad nauseam? Almost impossible at first.... Or JenLyon60's coach's "Evil eights" exercise????

Lol, Annabel, it's not just dance coaches! My coach (I do freestyle and moves in the field) often says " Why don't you do [insert name of hard step or exercise here] one more time! It'll be good for you!!" then when I'm done he says "one more time" again! :D

Skate@Delaware

01-08-2006, 08:19 PM

Lol, Annabel, it's not just dance coaches! My coach (I do freestyle and moves in the field) often says " Why don't you do [insert name of hard step or exercise here] one more time! It'll be good for you!!" then when I'm done he says "one more time" again! :D
They must all learn this in coach's school, "I'd like to see that one more time, but this time I want you to....(insert something that I can't do yet or some variation of faster, higher, quicker, lower, etc.)"

8O

Sk8pdx

01-08-2006, 08:44 PM

Fireworks:
I was in Yoga class the other day. If anyone here has taken Yoga before, we were in "Warrior 2" poses and a light went on :idea: . It reminded me of an Ina Bauer position so I tried it on ice today and was successful at it. I can't wait to show my coach at tomorrows lesson!

Damp squib:
working on back spin and change foot spin with not much improvement so far. I can only get a 1/2 rotation on my back spin. then when I tried it with the "change foot" combination, I end up on my RBI edge not on the outside when I change into the back spin. ... :?? :giveup:

doubletoe

01-09-2006, 12:10 AM

Congratulations to Skate@Delaware and Sk8pdx on their big breakthroughs!! A sitspin and an Ina Bauer: awesome! :D

I felt like I had a breakthrough practice today, too, although it wasn't any one particular thing. I landed my double salchow in my program (in addition to completing the axel, the flying camel and the camel-sit/back scratch), and later on, I managed to land a new combination jump: loop-toeloop-double toe! The double toe always weirds me out, so I'm trying to get myself into a rhythm so that I don't think over-think the takeoff and abort it at the last second. Looks like the strategy is working, not to mention it's worth more in combination anyway. ;) The next step is to see if I can manage a lutz-single toe-double toe. If I can do it, and if I still have enough oomph in my legs to lamd it 2 minutes into my program, I'm putting it in. :)

jazzpants

01-09-2006, 12:49 AM

Congrats to doubletoe, Skate@Delaware and Sp8pdx on their respective breakthroughs!!!

Fireworks:

Coming back to my weekend rink!!! It's nice to be back on familiar territory.
I've practiced some of the stuff that I was taught while I'm in NYC... it's getting there. Moves guru would be proud... well, happier :P ...if he saw my perimeter crossovers (forward and backward) now! Can't wait to show it to secondary coach and see what she says about it!!! :D
Got one decent enough camel. Here's hoping I get consistent camels this year. I have a consistent enough backspin now, but just have to improve on it now. (WOW!!! Can't believe I live to see myself wrote what I just wrote about the backspin!!! 8O )
I've been practicing the alt 3's from the prelim moves test and it's coming along well. (Prelim moves are the next moves test that I'll be doing after Bronze Moves.) Now to finally get around to the prelim spirals... :P
Damp Squib:

I didn't miss the crazy b-day crowds though!!! :twisted: Got little accomplished on Bronze moves b/c of the crowds, but lots on my edge work, jumps and spins!!! :roll: (Not a totally damp squib...)
(And what a REALLY DAMP one this is....) I went to the weekend rink earlier in the morning after brunch, only to find that I have FORGOTTEN MY SKATE BAG AT HOME!!! 8O :frus: :oops: :x Went home. Waited for b-day kiddie crowd to die down a bit before venturing out again. GRRRR!!!!