Skating pro or tottering celebrity (Practice Thread 23-29 January 2006) [Archive]

Mrs Redboots

01-24-2006, 07:51 AM

In honour of Dancing on Ice or Skating with the Stars!

Skating Pro: Couples lesson today. Drills weren't working very well in warm-up, so we asked the coach to look at our hold when Husband is going backwards and I'm going forwards. That's the worst, since I have a slight tendency to cut inside Husband, and he has a slight tendency to pull me inside! Worked out that it was possibly due to the fact that his RBO edge is a lot stronger than his LBO one, so he pulls round more towards the centre of the rink. Coach said I really need to push at him, which wasn't exactly helpful - what does the man think I'm trying to do? He did fix the problem in the end, though, but I can't remember how!

Step sequence is beginning to happen now, I think. And coach was even vaguely complimentary about the side pattern of our Swing Dance.

In solo work, I did one length of the best cross-cuts I'd ever done, but then couldn't repeat it! Ah well. And had a good time playing with a potential Interp - I think I'll cut it on to a CD and then we can see tomorrow. May not do it, but you never know....

Tottering Celebrity: He said there was no way in the universe I'd be able to do butterflies. Well, I thought not, but didn't want to hear it....

In the Swing Dance, coach just didn't seem to understand why I was having problems doing my Mohawk. I kept telling him I was in the wrong place on the ice, and couldn't get in the right place, and he kept telling me to push - which I was doing, if I pushed any harder I'd have a baby! I think we finally got the problem sorted after the lesson - coach did, eventually, see what I was saying and I think sort-of understood the problem, and then I realised, later, where I needed Husband to be in order to do it better.

Left skate still a bit skiddy but not too bad. Think I'll get coach's sharpener to have another look at it, though.

Skate@Delaware

01-24-2006, 10:44 AM

Ha Ha, these titles are sooo funny!!!

Skating Pro: I felt like one yesterday, we worked on our Dutch Waltz pattern and I left hubby in my dust....he got a little pissy about it tho. I had to remind him that I did this last year and did remember the pattern. So, in the name of skating relationships, I had to sloooow down and walk him through the pattern. By the time I got done, he was really mad (mostly at himself that he couldn't get it). :roll:

Tottering Celebrity: Sunday was adult skate and I had trouble working on the loop. I'm still having problems getting over onto that edge. Then I started thinking if maybe (yeah, another excuse) maybe my blade needs to be skooched over just a bit more? Something to consider when I get my new blades in and get them mounted. I will mention it to the guy. I almost get it. Anyway, I'm getting 3/4 of the way around. That's something. I guess. Back to the ice today. 2 runthroughs of my program and jumps. :frus:

Just a few more weeks to my first competition and I've got to get into the groove. I'm also going to do some more off-ice loop stuff. So far, the off-ice sit spin exercises are working nicely:roll:

phoenix

01-24-2006, 12:51 PM

Skating Pro: Have had a small revelation on my problem step in the Kilian & now the edge is starting to come around as it should & I'm much more balanced over it. Yay! Of course, it was something coach told me about 6 weeks ago, but my brain finally caught up to that part & now I can finally implement it. If only what we hear could be instantly transferred into our bodies for on-the-spot corrections, we'd all be fabulous!

Tottering Celebrity:
1. Tried skating on public sessions the last 3 days in an effort to save money. Useless!! Horrible chopped up ice & little kids everywhere. I did manage to get a few patterns in yesterday, but not up to speed, so I don't have a good sense yet if I can hold my new correction in the heat of the moment when I'm really flying down the ice.

2. Partner bailed on our practice this weekend, basically because he didn't feel like it, so I decided to have a private lesson this week & skip the team lesson, since I couldn't affort both & I really want coach to see where I am. Didn't think partner would care a bit anyway, since he's pretty off & on again in general. So emailed him to cancel, & get a note back: "no problem, maybe I'll come in anyway just to skate!!" WTH?? If he does indeed come in it will be the first time he's skated on his own in the 5 months I've known him. I refuse to feel bad about it however, since this is the only time I've cancelled on him, & I'll still be skating, just not with him.

Debbie S

01-24-2006, 02:40 PM

Mrs. Redboots: :bow: I love the titles you come up with!

Skating Pro: My coach and choreographer complimented my mastering of my new program quickly. Good thing, b/c NYI is next weekend - eek! 8O I also landed the loop each time I ran through the program, and my backspin was pretty consistent too - except for the time where I completed the spin but gut stuck on my toe pick on the exit. :roll:

My Klingbeils arrived yesterday - I had taken them to Nats and talked to the guy who was there. I tried them on for him, he made some notes, re-measured my feet, and took them back to NYC for adjustments. Now, the next step is to get the blades mounted. I'm hoping to take care of that this weekend. Then, after NYI, I can start breaking them in.

Tottering Celebrity: Messed up the scratch spin in each run through. My loop jump also needs to take off more from an edge, and I need to be quicker (less telegraphing) with the takeoff. I also need to get the footwork looking smoother. I can do the steps slowly, but when the music's playing.... And I still need more extension and hold on the first push on my back crossovers - that applies to moves and freestyle.

I'm still feeling a few effects from my fall on Sat, so I skipped jump class yesterday and used the hour break (there is a group lesson hour bet the rink FS and club FS) to try on the Klingbeils, which I had in the box in the car.

Terri C

01-24-2006, 05:54 PM

This is for yesterday:
Skating pro:
Had a near perfect runthrough of my freeskate, sans the ending backscratch.
"Practiced" a 5 minute warm up then waited a few minutes then took off sweater and gloves off for program.

Tottering celebrity:
Other than the program runthrough, I couldn't spin to save my life! Too many beginners on freestyle and coaches!

Neither one:
Coach was sick and cancelled lesson. At least I've preserved the life of my private lesson punchcard a little longer!

doubletoe

01-24-2006, 06:09 PM

Okay, I'll play this week! (I liked the title, heh heh).

Pro - This morning at 7:00am, I landed the lutz-loop-axel in my program for the first time! I was particularly pleased, since it's more than 2 minutes into the program and my thighs have been known to get a little rubbery by then. I even managed to transition from the landing right into the new steps I just put in to connect me to my combination spin (which I completed nicely). :)

Celeb - I missed the double salchow and the sit/sit immediately afterward because I was feeling so furious at the coach who wouldn't move out of the way for me when I was trying to get into my flying camel (which was another element that can be added to my "celeb" list, I suppose).

doubletoe

01-24-2006, 06:11 PM

I skipped jump class yesterday and used the hour break (there is a group lesson hour bet the rink FS and club FS) to try on the Klingbeils, which I had in the box in the car.

So. . . (drum roll). . . Did they fit? ;)

coskater64

01-24-2006, 07:09 PM

tottering celebrity: Laced up new skates all the way to the top. Had 4 lessons in 3 sessions and boy was I tired. FM, FS and 2 dance coaches at once, they made me bend my knees, and it hurt.

skating pro: Jumps are coming back nicely w/ the new boots, spins doing okay still travel more than I like but footwork and field moves are doing much better.:roll:

jazzpants

01-24-2006, 07:43 PM

Skating Pro:

Was practicing doing FI mohawk at faster speeds Monday night per my lesson with secondary coach last Wednesday morning. SCARY SCARY, but somehow I managed it!!! 8O (Thank you God for keeping me safe!!!) :bow:
Managed a couple of wimpy (position wise) camels. Tried to get to a sit position and only managed a wimpy one rev sit. But it's better than nothing!!! :D
Saw video that hubby filmed of me skating around... and oh, my!!! I AM getting faster and more aggressive. Same with the speed of the sit too. 8OTottering celebrity:

Yup! That's how I felt about my loop and flip jump last night!!! Can't land them w/o toe tapping to save my @$$!!! :frus:
Still have a ways to go on making my speed looked controlled and steady instead of looking like a.... "tottering celebrity!!!" :twisted:Debbie S... Inquiring minds wanna know if your Klingbeil fits now!!! :D

singerskates

01-24-2006, 07:51 PM

Last week including Friday
Tottering Celeb:

Jumps, haven't been there since my surgery. NO strength yet.
Spins, I have to slow my spins down so I can get out of them as my head is not quite with it yet. It sure is something how the drugs they give you to put you under during surgery can last for so long and make you wimpy and spaced out. ROTFLOL It was an experience.

Skating Pro:
Got my freeskate music done http://clubtecumseh.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/narniasuitefsalternative3.mp3 . I call it Narnia Suite. I made it up of several pieces of the score.

Had it choreographed by my friend Hazel in an half hour lesson from top to bottom. Just needs some details worked on like the footwork section. We left it but now seeing how the coach I was counting on to have the footwork worked out with might not be available until the spring, I may get Hazel to do it. Hazel said I was a fast learner and was stunned on how quick I learned the program.

I've been practicing the program off-ice in my living room so that I will feel where everthing goes when I'm on the ice this weekend and Mon. and Tues.
I skate tomorrow and hopefully, my club ice will let me run through my programs and not over the kids who don't move.

I now have to work on getting my stamina and strength up so I can do the loop, flip and lutz again never mind try to learn the axel and relearn the double sal.

As it stands at this point, I only have one combination in my program. But I have room for two more. I have 8 jumping passes in my 2 min and 15 sec program. I've got a camel/sit/back catching foot upright spin combo, a sit into broken sit and a corkscrew(scratch) spin, RFO change edge to RFI spiral to LBI catch footspiral that I use to take off on a salchow/toe combo.

The first time on Friday when I got all the way through it, I had to lie down on the ice afterwards I was so tired.

I've got 3 weeks to get it ready for competition.

Brigitte

Skate@Delaware

01-24-2006, 08:20 PM

Skating Pro: That's what I felt like today at drop-in when there was a tour of little kids....I was lacing up my skates and the teacher with the kids said, "Oh good-we can watch you skate"8O I waited until the zamboni was done, paid my money, then had no excuse (this was not a cheap session)...

Then I felt like the Tottering Celebrity as I did a few very shaky scratch spins, waltz jumps and salchows for the kids. They were a rough bunch of 3-5 year olds because they started yelling for "MORE TRICKS!!!" I did a spiral and was saved my our much younger 17-year-old skating instructor, who did some very high waltz's and flips, then some nice sit spins.:bow:

Then they left and I got to run through my program twice. And work on my loop, which still suckssssss!!! I'm giving it the same time-line as my salchow, so I will get it next year:lol:

Debbie S

01-24-2006, 10:09 PM

Debbie S... Inquiring minds wanna know if your Klingbeil fits now!!! :DLOL! Yes, they seem to - not perfect but I guess nothing is, right? It doesn't feel like they did that much to them, but there's less room in the toe box, which was the main problem. The weird thing I noticed was that the outside ankle bone on my right foot felt really squeezed, but I guess that's just b/c they're new and need to be broken in - they were punched out a little so I worry they were punched in the wrong place, but I imagine a little skating will take care of that.

The one thing I definitely notice is that the sole feels differently than my SP-Teris - there's a rise in the arch area, so it feels like my arches are being held high up - as opposed to being flat in my current skates - does that make sense? I guess it'll take some getting used to.

Mrs Redboots

01-25-2006, 05:33 AM

Skating Pro: Good skate this morning, although the rink was freezing cold. So you had to keep moving, or you'd have frozen to the spot. Actually managed to outskate the Husband, who was gasping for breath after 3 1/2 laps of warm-up drills, and demanding a breather before we went into runs round the circle! Yaaay! Worked on the level 4 dances; things are getting easier, slowly. Managed to get round the Mohawk in the Swing Dance, still a bit rushed, but we got the pattern in the right place, for once. And if I can get low enough in the knees, I can manage the end pattern of the Fiesta far better.

Coach approves of my new Interp music, but we worked mostly on drills this morning. Dance moves still not testable, but are improving - I need to be able to hold the edges more, and get down in the knees. Back outside and inside edges okay, but swing rolls less good. Mohawk & 3-turn exercises, too. Still can't hold the entry edge on the LFI 3. Coach rudely said he hadn't noticed I was getting any lower in the knees, but when I said the front of my legs had been aching, he conceded that perhaps I had. Variable-speed F X-rolls really, really really good! Even coach said so! Changes-of-edge okay-ish.

Left skate still inclined to skid, so have left them to be sharpened again, not that they really need it, but let's see if that will stop the skidding. I think there must be a "flat spot" since I got that kick on New Year's Eve.

Tottering Celeb: Basically just the temperature in the rink. I literally couldn't feel my big toes when I took my skates off, and had to stamp around in my shoes for several minutes before enough feeling came back in them that I could drive home!

quarkiki2

01-25-2006, 09:12 AM

It's been forever since I've posted here, probably because I've been working to regain all the ground I lost being off the ice to have Milo...

Skating Pro: I'm working on my spins again, finally. Forward scratch would be OK, but I keep tapping my free foot down just as I pop into the spin, then picking it up into the right position. I have started to get it bending towards my supporting leg and am simply amazed at how much speed one picks up by just starting to pull in. I have no idea what it will feel like when I actually DO pull in.

My coach has also started me on the backspin as, in my former life as a dancer, my backwards turns were much better than my forwards. She thinks I may be more comfortable getting into the backspin because I can leave my free foot on the ice a little longer into the spin. She may be right -- my back spin was about as good as my forward. That's not really saying much because they both stink, ha!

I'm *thisclose* to really, really having the footwork in our synchro program. Two mohawks are freaking me out right now because the team is moving faster than I'm comfortable doing them, but I sort of two-foot my way through and still get turned around at the same time as the rest of the team. I'm a little closer each time... The twizzle we added, however, I totally rock at and actually have to skid a bit coming out of because I'm maintaining more speed through the turn than the rest of my line. Surprise! Of course, it's the "backspin" twizzle -- CCW on the right foot, so it's very comfortable for me. Who knew??

I've started working back threes and find that I have a really wimpy double three LFO-LBI. Somehow, that's easier to do than the LBI three alone -- I'm probably not checking the turn very well so it's easier to turn again than to hold the edge.

My power skating class totally rocks. I LOVE this class. My crossovers are so much better (except forward clockwise -- they are still a little steppy if I don't think really hard). We're working swing rolls with a change of edge and slide chasses and I love these drills! There's only two of us in the class, so it's basically another private lesson. The other skater is another adult from my synchro team. We've both been skating about the same amount of time. It's really interesting to see how we're progressing. She has less fear than I do, but doesn't have any polish. I look pretty, but am terrified, LOL!

And, I totally felt like a skating celebrity on Saturday. I was practicing and was approached by another adult skater who skates this particular freestyle most weeks that I'm there. She is a little older than me and is also a beginner. I was working on the entrance to my forward scratch spin (like I can really say I have this spin, ha!) and she said that she can really see a lot of improvement and wanted to know how long I'd been skating. She was so complimentary and concluded the conversation with "So there's hope for me after all!" I was truly flattered. Sometimes, on a public session I'll get a compliment from a public skater -- usually about how fast I skate (that's a laugh), but I know it's really only because I'm not waring rental skates and do crossovers around the end of the rink, but I've never been someone else's goal before. It's amazing how such a short conversation really made my week!

Tottering Celebrity: That being said, I'm still lacking some speed and power since before the pregnancy -- mostly because I haven't done a very good job losing baby weight. Working on it!

I hate being a chicken. I completely panic during one of the passthroughs in our synchro program. And I hate that I'm not comfortable with the mohawks in the program, grr.. If I wasn't such a dork, I wouldn't be afraid to actually pop into my scratch spin on one foot and I might have a spin then. And I would be eager to attempt the waltz jump as an actual jump instead of a glorified and self-important three turn.

Someday... I never thought I'd be able to do back chasses without scraping, but I did that on Saturday, so I'll eventually surprise myself with a real spin or jump. Someday….

phoenix

01-25-2006, 10:08 AM

Skating Pro: SO glad I opted for my own lesson today instead of w/ my partner! I really needed that. Coach said Kilian has definitely improved, and didn't tell me once that I needed to bend my knees more (though did scowl about no toe point). And at the very end, put on the music (!) and chased me through three (!!) patterns counting to keep me on the beat--and I did it! Terrible, flat patterns, but I kept up with the music and was balanced the whole way through and not panicking at all. WOW! I've worked really hard these last 2 weeks when I had no lessons, and I'm so happy so see it's helped.

Tottering Celeb: The new correction, while definitely working, does indeed get lost for the most part when I'm up to speed (thus the flat pattern), but at least I'm thinking about it. I think it will work as I get more comfortable with the tempo, and I also think that it's still better than it was.

jazzpants

01-25-2006, 02:56 PM

The one thing I definitely notice is that the sole feels differently than my SP-Teris - there's a rise in the arch area, so it feels like my arches are being held high up - as opposed to being flat in my current skates - does that make sense? I guess it'll take some getting used to.If it does hurt to spin or just skate after a while, bring it back! I have low arches! High arches boots makes my skating life a living hell! I have to have my boots custom partly b/c of that very reason. :evil:

No Skating Pro story... at least I'm not the skating pro in this case!!! :evil:

Tottering celeb:
GRRRR!!! I did the same drill this morning that I did last week's lesson and I hestitated going into the FI mohawk at that fast a speed!!! :frus: (The exercise is to go stroking around the rink as fast as you can for a lap and toward the end of the lap, do a mohawk and do a lap of alt. back crossovers (Yes, the Bronze Move!!!) And of course I have to do it against a couple of skaters. One skater slightly ahead of me in general... probably could compete at Bronze if she wanted to... and 2) IS a Bronze lady skater!!! Yup! Of course, I was MAJORLY creamed!!! :giveup:

And if that's not enough, after that lap, she was disapointed b/c "all those weeks of drills on back crossovers went straight out the window" when I was trying to go "as fast as I can" She threatened to bring out the medicine ball to make me go do back crossovers correctly again... I told her that's NOT the problem... went out and did perfectly good back crossovers around the hockey circle with knees bent and me looking behind me.. Came back and she was like "What happened?" I said it's partly me getting used to doing them TO the pattern and partly due to me thinking that I have to do them as fast as I can instead of doing them at a manageable speed. And then I went and did the alt. back crossovers pattern at a okay to good speed (for me anyway) with my head turned and knees bent. Poor secondary coach is probably going "Hmmmmm....?"

The only time I got to "relax" was probably when secondary coach got me to start on power pulls. (Or in my case, "wiggle pulls!!!") We'll see what I get out of her on power pulls, I guess, since primary coach occasionally wants to see me do those too.

sunshinepointe

01-25-2006, 03:35 PM

Skating Pro Sadly there's not too much to comment about here since I'm sick but I DID go to my lesson today anyway. Yay me!

Celebrity My coach decided that I should do the adult track instead of the standard track because she feels like once I start testing I'm going to want to compete. I'm not going to argue with her - I mean, she could be right. I don't care, I just want to improve.

My forwards crossovers were bad today. I don't mean bad like, not up to snuff, I mean BAD as in you would never know that I could skate at ALL based on how they looked. The forward crossover pattern is something I'm going to have to give a LOT of concentration to. I'll also need to work on the crossovers for the end pattern of the perimeter stroking.

The 3 turn pattern isn't so bad, I just really need to get my body under control. Insides were much better than outsides which was a shock. We didn't cover the waltz-8 - I think we both kind of forgot about it since she was sick too. I wish I had though since I won't see her again until next week since I have to miss group lessons this week due to work. Stupid work!!! :x

Beth is really being patient with my waltz jump - it's making small improvements but it's very frustrating to know that I once could do a beautiful waltz jump and now I'm just afraid so I'm holding back. NO idea what I'm afraid of, since I don't care about falling. I fall all the time! I did finally do two decent waltz jumps that made Beth happy but I know I can do much, much better. We then moved on to salchows and she had me try one from a mohawk and....STRANGE. But - doing it that way convinced me that I was using the 3 turn momentum to assist the jump so...I'm going to work on it from a mohawk to try to get the 3 turn under control.

My coach feels that I can pass pre-bronze no problem in a couple of months. Hopefully she's right but I don't just want to pass, I want to feel confident that I know what I'm doing and right now my pre-bronze moves make me feel nothing of the sort. Stupid forward crossovers!

Debbie S

01-25-2006, 03:45 PM

My coach decided that I should do the adult track instead of the standard track because she feels like once I start testing I'm going to want to compete.Remember that it is possible with the new rules to test moves on the standard track and cross over to the adult track for FS testing. However, to take Pre-Bronze FS, you would have to pass both Pre-Preliminary MIF and Preliminary MIF instead of just Pre-Bronze MIF - for Bronze FS, you would need to pass Pre-Juvenile MIF.

I think either track would be fine, b/c as I posted in the other thread, there aren't many moves that the adult track skips, and you can always learn the moves even if you aren't testing them. For example, my coach had me work on an exercise that was basically the waltz 8, to help with my power 3's.

flo

01-25-2006, 04:07 PM

Skating pro: worked on more of the choreography for the pairs program.

Celeb: Since it's without my partner, I'm making sure to get my and his steps learned!

Terri C

01-25-2006, 06:53 PM

Skating pro:
Had another near perfect runthrough of the freeskate today. Did a nice fast sitspin toward the end of the session.
Coach was impressed with the footwork that I put together for my Interp- this time it's the 5 step mohawk in opposite directions.

Tottering Celebrity:
The sitspin, was the bail- out in program element of the day.
Hey, the celebrities don't have to dodge oblivious little kids and coaches during their program runthroughs! I wanted sooo badly today to declare a moratorium on freestyle etiquitte!

vesperholly

01-26-2006, 04:21 AM

Wednesday is lesson day!

Tottering Celebrity: Discovered I'm not centering ANY of my spins. BAH. I knew my layback was all funky, but I wasn't even centering scratch spins. They were tight, but like a little curlicue across the ice. I was focusing more on the position in the layback, and said to my coach I wanted people to be impressed with the position. She says, yeah, but they'll be more impressed that you can actually hold a position while traveling all over the place! :lol:

Skating pro: Axels looking good. Takeoffs were consistently the same, I was getting better kick through and good rotation. I just keep wussing out and opening up too early. A few even had enough rotation but I put my free foot down! :frus:

Also, Since I couldn't test for Adult Nationals in time this year :cry: , I am very tenatively considering going to Mountain Cup. I could live without a trip to Dallas, but I would LOVE to go to France. The area around Villard-de-Lans looks gorgeous, I could take a few days and go to Paris... Paris in the springtime!! It's all a very embryonic dream at the moment. Depends on if my tax refund is big and Stormy's game!! :)

Skate@Delaware

01-26-2006, 08:15 AM

Skating Pro: Where???

Tottering Celebrity: Did 2 program run-throughs; they were ok; although my shoulders have been hunched up (musclespasms!!!) so I really, really need to get my massage scheduled (mom's never have time).

Backspins: I'm not getting it (what's new?) so we tried it (again) from a 2-foot spin and coach discovered some "errors" that were preventing or hindering it: left hip creeping to the front, left shoulder also, left foot too far in front messing up my balance.:giveup:

Loop: Fear of getting on that edge is holding me back, so she had me try something new--waltz-loop! And, guess what? It was mucho better!!! So, that's my homework. I'm to stop when it gets sloppy, though (my philosophy also).

Sit spin: I'm getting lower, but bailing out of it when my balance starts to go-I'm not trusting myself to find balance once it gets wonky...

There was a BIG problem with the ice last night-everyone was falling (myself included-i fell 4 times)!!! My daughter fell right on her knee and it swelled up a lot; her lesson was cut short because of it. She went to school but may have to go to the nurse for more ice treatments!

Skate@Delaware

01-26-2006, 03:04 PM

Hi! It's me again!! After waking up with a migraine, I thought I would still go skating after work (my short day).

Just tottering: Went to public session for some more torture (practice). Worked on: back pivots for program; waltz-loop (finally clicked after a while of doing waltz-loops and loops) but still not 100% (ok, not 50% either but it's more than 25%); sit spin (ugh!!) I'm all over my blade on that-I know it's a balance issue but it's going to take tons of trying to get feeling comfy.

Left early to visit the people at motor vehicle department to re-do my van (it passed). Have to lose my plate frame, tho' as it covers the sticker :roll:

mikawendy

01-26-2006, 09:08 PM

It's been forever since I've posted here, probably because I've been working to regain all the ground I lost being off the ice to have Milo...

Hi, quarkiki2! Glad to see you posting again! :D

Mrs Redboots

01-27-2006, 05:51 AM

Husband has a cold, so went to the rink alone this morning.

Tottering Celebrity: Seemed to take simply forever to get going, and I'm sure I must have spent most of the first hour propping up the barrier! Yet I do know I did almost all my exercises, although perhaps not very much of some of them! :(

Would have liked Husband there to warm up with! If nothing else, our warm-up drills really do get us moving on the ice.

Later, I ran through my new Interpretive, but it's not very good. I mean, I'm not very good! It's fun, but I'm all too aware of how infinitely better I skate with a partner..... it's just not much fun to do when I know I'm so awful. Maybe I'll not bother this year.

The ice wasn't great this morning - it was okay, but it's been better. And not a sign of any celebrity, tottering or otherwise, all week. :( And the manager, who we all thought had been sacked, is back, and nobody is happy about that, either! :( :( :cry:

Skating Pro: My skates, having been resharpened, are so much better and the "skiddiness" of my left skate has almost completely gone. To my relief!
I suspect that's partly why I felt so slow and clunky today - they were very sharp, to the point that I nearly cut myself when I took them off!

And even though I'm moaning away, I still had fun and stayed a full two hours, so.... and did enjoy all my favourite exercises!

Skate@Delaware

01-27-2006, 08:29 AM

Annabel-you and your husband seem pretty well matched as far as partnering goes.

I'm having doubts skating with my husband :frus: :frus: :frus: . He just doesn't seem to either get it or want to extend his strokes to glide longer, or go for a deeper bite on the ice for that stronger push. I have to take baby-strokes and I still out-pace him.

It's very frustrating. I get mad, he gets mad and i feel like just rolling him along anyways:twisted: .

Does anyone have any suggestions that would help him as far as this goes? Maybe some tips? I'm pretty sure it is a security issue and he might be a bit timid to go faster.

My other question involves the Dutch Waltz-the 2 edges before the first progressive, how much of an extension should there be on the free leg? I'm not sure and having a harder time where the free leg should be on the one on the inside (left leg) for the right edge. It goes left forward outside, then right forward outside edge-this part is awkward....

flo

01-27-2006, 09:34 AM

Hi Skate-at Del. Put the focus on power and not speed. Many times all it takes is for one or both partners to actually slow the pace af the strokes and as you said extend them. By doing this you will actually have more powerful crossovers, need fewer and will gain the speed, but controlled.
I would start by counting the strokes out for you both and making sure the first and second steps of the crossover are even. Then you can also work on the reach of the second step.
If he's a real beginner, it may take a while before he's comfortable with this.
I'd also do this side by side without holding on, then with holding. A good drill is to do simple left-right stroking down the length of the ice and then do crossovers at the ends.

Whatever you do - enjoy!

sunshinepointe

01-27-2006, 01:20 PM

Celebrity Stupid cold has prevented me from doing any spins and what spins I do are very off centered. Also for some reason my right leg is super owie....feels like a tendon above my ankle on the outside got pulled. I noticed this a week ago but didn't pay it any mind. Today when I was working on some basic jumps it was killing me so I backed off and didn't bother jumping for the rest of the day.

I hate the 3 turn pattern on the pre-bronze MITF. Just thought I'd share.

The waltz 8 pattern still has me confused too - the counts don't seem to be a "waltz" - can anyone clarify what they should be. Right now my coach has me holding the right outside edge for 4, 3 turn, pushing back on the left foot outside edge for 4, then stepping on the forward right outside edge for 4 back to center. Aren't waltzes done in a 1-2-3 pattern? Maybe it's a waltz because it's in 3 parts but the count is different? I don't see my coach for another week and I don't want to practice it wrong, any tips?

Pro I spent some time working on forward crossovers today and I think I made some progress. The "one push-pick up" method was just too weird so I really concentrated on using the underpush and not pushing with the toe and it helped a lot with flow and stability. I worked the crossovers in both directions - at first the clockwise were terrible but with time I think they'll get better. My thing is that I hope they let us warm up stuff before testing because my crossovers need a good 2-3 laps around before they start to even LOOK like crossovers. Backwards crossovers weren't too bad but more scratchy than usual. Perimeter stroking was okay, I practiced in both directions. Edges were better, but I still need to not be so snaky on the back outsides.

I think I might bring the video camera in a couple of weeks to tape how my MITF look because right now I can't believe my coach when she says I should be ready to test in a couple of months. Either she's smoking something or I'm being WAY to critical.

jenlyon60

01-27-2006, 01:32 PM

Remember, Pre-Bronze is Pass/Retry and is supposed to be treated as an encouragement test.

Having said that, though, if your elements are close to what your coach or other coaches think is Adult Bronze or standard track Preliminary standards when you're doing them in a training environment, that will ensure that if the dreaded nerves kick in, you can still skate them at or above passing standard.

waltz 8

RFO for 3 counts, RFO3 on 4th count and hold on RBI for 2 counts (1st third of circle), LBO for 6 counts (2nd third of circle), RFO for 6 counts at which time you should be at your center. Repeat on other side with LFO (3 counts), turn LFO3 on on 4th count hold LBI for 2 counts, then RBO for 6 counts, then step forward LFO back to center for 6 counts.

Hope this helps.

You should be able to basically find your center (not as precisely as on the figures version of this exercise, but not be way way off) and the BO-FO mohawk/step forward, you should definitely be on an edge (so that the overall circle has some semplance to a circle, not a nice half-circle on one half and the other half looking like half an eg.

sunshinepointe

01-27-2006, 03:05 PM

^wow....when you explained the counts like that what my coach showed me makes so much more sense. My biggest problem is the BO-FO transition but...I'll work on it.

Thanks!

Mrs Redboots

01-27-2006, 03:19 PM

Annabel-you and your husband seem pretty well matched as far as partnering goes.Sometimes! Other times... well...

Does anyone have any suggestions that would help him as far as this goes? Maybe some tips? I'm pretty sure it is a security issue and he might be a bit timid to go faster. I had this problem, and I was getting incredibly frustrated. Because I knew that he could go faster, and so could I, but somehow, when we skated together it got slower and slower until it was like skating through treacle. Finally coach said that I needed to push, and he needed not to hold back, and that helped - and then one competition we discovered that half the problem was that he tended to tighten up his shoulders when nervous.

Now when we do our warm-up drills we really do try to go as fast as possible, especially when we are just stroking round. Usually one side of fairly quick strokes, then the second side we really get down in the knee and go for power.

Of course, most people would not see much difference between our top speed and that of the hour hand on a clock, but it feels fast to us!

My other question involves the Dutch Waltz-the 2 edges before the first progressive, how much of an extension should there be on the free leg? I'm not sure and having a harder time where the free leg should be on the one on the inside (left leg) for the right edge. It goes left forward outside, then right forward outside edge-this part is awkward....As in most dance steps, your free leg should be as extended as you can possibly make it. Don't forget, the idea of the introductory steps (and those two edges aren't part of the dance, the judges don't start marking you until the first edge of the progressive run) is to get up a bit of speed so you can do the dance with the requisite amount of power and flow. So you really need to get down in the knees and extend as much as you can to gain that speed.

We're just beginning to be able to fill the rink with the Dutch Waltz, which pleases us. Of course, then we'll be told we're far too flat.... but dances are Like That - first you can't fill the rink, then you can, so you're made to deepen your edges so you can't again, and so on ad nauseam!

jenlyon60

01-27-2006, 05:38 PM

^wow....when you explained the counts like that what my coach showed me makes so much more sense. My biggest problem is the BO-FO transition but...I'll work on it.

Thanks!

You have to do the same transition on the 5-step mohawk sequence in Adult Bronze/Pre-Juv.

And on those tests (and definitely on Pre-Juv), if the FO edge goes straight almost immediately, or takes awhile before it curves to finish the lobe, it will definitely receive negative comments.

sunshinepointe

01-27-2006, 07:17 PM

^ my coach refuses to let me even attempt the test if that transition isn't perfect...she says it's so annoying seeing people "fake" it. I have a feeling that I have a lot of work cut out for me with this testing business 8O

Skate@Delaware

01-27-2006, 07:37 PM

Skate@Delaware

01-27-2006, 08:08 PM

Thanks for all your help, everyone!!!
We went to public skate before class and practiced a few laps of just stroking around in waltz position-it was really nice! That's one way to keep together-holding on like that!

Skating Pro: Tonight's group class was actually pretty good-we worked on back edges and jumps. Coach noticed a "problem" with my free leg on the salchow (more of a lazy wild leg thing-it's sort of out to the side like in a layback position instead of back).

Tottering Celebrity: Re-visited the toe-walley....which will take some re-learning, but I like it much better than the toe-loop (it's my better 3-turn) and I managed a few that didn't feel too bad.

I couldn't really spin that great today (again-migraine) but did one 10-revs!! I know it was 10 revs because it traveled, but not too much, and I didn't bail out, I was able to cross my leg and put it all the way down to the ankle (only get that 1 in 50).

Spent the last hour at work watching my Physics on Ice video.....very interesting. Don't know why he says the back arm must be higher? I did the knee bend-rebend thing on my edges---whoah!!! Freaked me out!

Ok, off to finish my ice cream (great for migraines)

dbny

01-27-2006, 08:10 PM

My biggest problem is the BO-FO transition but...I'll work on it.

There are two things that helped me with that. First, don't rotate until 4 at the earliest. Second, as you step forward, point your leading hand and look at where you want to go, that is, your starting point for the next circle.

if I pushed any harder I'd have a baby!

Too funny! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tottering Celebrity:
What with having bronchitis for about 6 weeks, terrible tummy trouble for another 3 weeks (1 wk and a repeat of 2 wks), and spending all my time coaching and not skating for myself, I've been so discouraged that I haven't even been reading these threads. I really felt that everything was falling apart and that I was losing skills at a record rate. Also, since I still don't have a coach, there has been no one to push me. On top of all that, the problem with my L foot is still there. DH and I both looked at it barefoot, on one foot, and we could both see the heel area collapse inward, which the R does not do. I'm not sure any skating boot can fix that, and need to look for a specialist MD.

Skating Pro:
Just being on the ice every day to teach pays off, even if I never do anything more advanced than demo crossovers a couple of times a week. This week, I finally felt well, and started to do power pulls in the spare moments between lessons. Surprisingly, the F are feeling pretty good, and the B are back to where they used to be, which was not bad at all. I caught my toepick on the F power crossovers, but didn't fall. It made me realize that I had gotten lazy and sloppy, so I fixed that right away. Today DH and I went skating for ourselves for just an hour on a fairly empty public session, and I was able to work on a few things. F threes, both O and I are coming back :D! I even managed a few RBO threes before getting too scared to continue. Best of all, after our analysis of my L foot problem, I decided to try a one foot spin (from two foot) and focus on my foot and ankle. I was able to get three or four revs, and not fall in to the R, which is what had been plaguing me. It looks like it was the #$@%* foot all along! I may make one more visit to Klingbeil and show Don what my foot is doing. Maybe if he sees the problem in the bare foot, he will be able to do something with the boot. I definitely have to bring a gift, he has been so patient with me, and so nice, and really tried hard to fix that L foot problem, and never charged me a cent for any of the four or five visits.

Skate@Delaware

01-27-2006, 08:47 PM

There are two things that helped me with that. First, don't rotate until 4 at the earliest. Second, as you step forward, point your leading hand and look at where you want to go, that is, your starting point for the next circle.

Tottering Celebrity:
What with having bronchitis for about 6 weeks, terrible tummy trouble for another 3 weeks (1 wk and a repeat of 2 wks), and spending all my time coaching and not skating for myself, I've been so discouraged that I haven't even been reading these threads.

If you count (out loud if you have to) it will help you with where you need to be....

I'm sorry you've been sick! It seems like EVERYONE has been sick with one thing or the other. If you've been on antibiotics and can tolerate yogurt, it might help your tummy. Sometimes the antibiotics kills all the bacteria in the gut and causes tummy problems.

Glad to hear you made it out to skate for yourself. Take care and don't wear yourself out!

dbny

01-28-2006, 01:17 PM

I'm sorry you've been sick! It seems like EVERYONE has been sick with one thing or the other. If you've been on antibiotics and can tolerate yogurt, it might help your tummy. Sometimes the antibiotics kills all the bacteria in the gut and causes tummy problems.

Glad to hear you made it out to skate for yourself. Take care and don't wear yourself out!

Thanks. I haven't been on antibiotics. The GI thing seems to have a life of its own and I'm taking Prevacid for it. You're right about everyone being sick lately! It's really amazing how many people were sick over the holidays. Three of the four in my family were sick, and I think just about everyone I know also had some kind of bug.

Mrs Redboots

01-29-2006, 06:23 AM

Tottering Pro: As we got on to the ice this morning, something went "ouch" in the back of my left knee - think I've got a minor pull or something there. It's a bit sore now, I must put some ibuprofen gel on it, I think. But not (yet) sore enough to stop me skating - tomorrow is a rest day, so I hope it will heal up a bit then.

Husband now back on the ice after his cold, but as it's his solo lesson day, he wanted to spend most of the time on his free skate programme, not unnaturally.

And when we did get together it was pretty dire, too. The first lift we tried, something went funny and we ended up on the ice in a tangle of arms and legs - unhurt, thankfully, but jolly cold! And when we tried to do our step sequence to the music, it just won't do.... trouble is, this music divides into four, not into three like our old music did, so we haven't quite got time. I don't want to spend half the music on the step sequence, but that is what seems to be happening right now.

Skating Celebrity: Nothing, really. Just slow and awful, as usual - don't know why I bother, really; I can't skate, never will be able to.... but I still love it, isn't it silly?!

samba

01-29-2006, 09:08 AM

Tottering Pro: As we got on to the ice this morning, something went "ouch" in the back of my left knee - think I've got a minor pull or something there. It's a bit sore now, I must put some ibuprofen gel on it, I think. But not (yet) sore enough to stop me skating - tomorrow is a rest day, so I hope it will heal up a bit then.

Ouch that's the muscle I keep pulling, now got what the doc describes as a "bakers cyst" no cure, just got a name.

Skating Celebrity: Nothing, really. Just slow and awful, as usual - don't know why I bother, really; I can't skate, never will be able to.... but I still love it, isn't it silly?!

What a porky pie!! Oh yes you can skate and very well too, many have seen you.

--------

Tottering Celebrity:
Got on the ice and fell on my first two jumps.

Skating Pro:
It could only get better from thereon, took it easy and managed to do both free and dance lesson and stayed on the ice for 1 full hour with no muscle strains, which is a milestone for me. After that I did the shopping and went into a coma for about 3 hours.

Skate@Delaware

01-29-2006, 11:34 AM

Skating Pro: not really, but a sewing pro-managed to chase everyone down for measurments (yup, it's that time again)....which set off a small avalanche of little girls chasing me down asking if they needed to be measured 8O . Had to announce "NO, I'm not ready to measure anyone else yet."

Worked on the back pivot for my routine. It actually is starting to come together! I remembered to look over my arm!

Tottering celebrity: rink was cold and I forgot my 2nd cup of coffee...my part wasn't being choreographed and I forgot the practice fabric (no big deal, as they didn't need it today but I feel bad anyways). I worked on spins which was better since I'm without a migraine (yay!) and the toe-walley (but had no energy).

Might skip this afternoon's adult skate, as I'm fairly tired (from the migraine) and need to recuperate and get my workshop in order. And, I got my badges from my ISI tests, so I can think about where to put them on my skating jacket.....now to find my USFSA badges....

batikat

01-29-2006, 11:51 AM

Tottering celebrity: quite literally today at the rink as they filmed a bit of 'celebrity fit club' on a quarter of the ice this morning. Quite funny to watch them tottering around in their protective helmets and blue wellie skates. Not that I recognised any of them - well maybe two in the end I'd even heard of so not exactly major celebrities here:lol:

Of course it meant that the real skaters weren't allowed to play their music for programmes at all. I didnt actually go on the ice myself - just watched daughter in her lesson.

Earlier in the week my skating pro moment was a lovely sit spin - fast , low , centred and I even got my knees almost close together and one decent loop and one lovely salchow toe-loop while our top skater's music was playing - it seemed like great music for jumping.

Ran through programme which I'm debating on changing now I have a new coach - this went fine without the music, though I nearly fell off my spiral in shock when 'top skater', who normally appears to believe no-one else should be anywhere near the ice - actually apologised to me for getting in my way.
8O Wonders will never cease!

mikawendy

01-29-2006, 11:51 AM

Tottering Celebrity:
What with having bronchitis for about 6 weeks, terrible tummy trouble for another 3 weeks (1 wk and a repeat of 2 wks), and spending all my time coaching and not skating for myself, I've been so discouraged that I haven't even been reading these threads. I really felt that everything was falling apart and that I was losing skills at a record rate. Also, since I still don't have a coach, there has been no one to push me. On top of all that, the problem with my L foot is still there. DH and I both looked at it barefoot, on one foot, and we could both see the heel area collapse inward, which the R does not do. I'm not sure any skating boot can fix that, and need to look for a specialist MD.

Oh, dbny, <<<hugs>>> to you. I hope your tummy and foot etc. are feeling better soon!!!

sk8pics

01-29-2006, 03:56 PM

Skating Pro Had a good practice and run through today in my lessons, and wore my new dress for my new interpretive program and got a high-five from my coach. I feel pretty ready and I still have a week to go before the NYI, so that's a change of pace. My coach really had nothing to say on parts of the interp, so that was really good because he usually finds something to pick on.

Of course, I too am sick! Nasty cough which has left me with no voice really. My coach seemed to think that was a good thing, :roll: :lol: :lol: Anyway, I feel fine thanks to the antibiotics but I still sound terrible. I can't take the cough medicine before I skate because it might make me dizzy, which is so NOT what I need, LOL!

Oh, I also got a compliment from one of the skate-moms, who told me she'd been watching me for 6 weeks or so and thought I had really improved! That was nice of her.

Good luck to everyone with all their stuff, even if it's just recovering from an illness!

slusher

01-29-2006, 04:43 PM

Skating Pro:
I'm in this weird twilight zone, where I'm the slowest skater on my club session (senior bronze kids) but when I skate an adult public, I fly around everyone else. So, today was a flying skating day!

I taught steps to the preliminary dances to a couple of adults, it's always gratifying to introduce an addiction to someone else.

My big toe loop showed up, and I had some fun for a while doing toe loops and toe walleys, they do feel different (inside/outside) edge, but what I learned is that really with my toe loop, after I turn the 3 I'm really on a flat so it's a toe-flat. That wasted a good 30 minutes being persnickety about ice tracings! I like publics because my coach would tell me to get a move on, and sometimes I like to be really cerebral about things.

Tottering Celebrity:
Spins have gone on vacation and didn't leave a forwarding address. They're twizzles I'm travelling so much. I need to find my spin guru guy.

I've also overcommitted myself in the sewing department, I didn't quite realize that the competition that I'm making all these costumes for is, gulp, in two weeks and I haven't even measured one girl yet, let alone have found fabric. It was worth going skating today though, I needed the relaxation and have more energy to go back to lycra land.

jenlyon60

01-29-2006, 06:00 PM

Terri C

01-29-2006, 06:05 PM

SKATING PRO: PASSED my Tango by all 3 judges. Guess I need to change my sig block.

Tottering Celebrity: Didn't pass my American Waltz (but we weren't particularly surprised at that... we put it out more as a "sure, why not, since we're going to be up there")

Way to go on the Tango!!!
Our club had a program practice today, since I'll be doing the New Years Invitational next week and the kids are competing the week after that.
Save for the end of my program, I'm ready for next week! I've never been this calm approaching a competition.

dbny

01-29-2006, 08:38 PM

SKATING PRO: PASSED my Tango by all 3 judges. Guess I need to change my sig block.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Debbie S

01-29-2006, 08:47 PM

Congratulations, Jen!!!! :D :bow:

Where did you test, btw?

phoenix

01-29-2006, 08:58 PM

Great job Jen!! Getting all 3 judges is always SO gratifying. :bow: :bow:

mdvask8r

01-30-2006, 12:44 AM

ALRIIIIGHT JEN!! Congrats! Congrats!

jazzpants

01-30-2006, 02:48 AM

WOO HOO!!! CONGRATS!!! WAY TO GO, JEN!!! :mrgreen:

NO MORE TANGO!!! http://degiorgi.math.hr/forum/images/smiles/666.gif

Go have yourself a Tango CD BONFIRE!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/teufel/d010.gif

Thin-Ice

01-30-2006, 03:59 AM

http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/waltz8.jpg
As you can see (and as I found out learning this also) there is no waltz to this at all 8O but there is a cadence to it. Pay attention to the count and be sure that both side are ending up the same size (I mess that up) and that you turn the three at about the same area. This move requires a really, really strong check!!!

Actually the "Waltz" part of it is that everything is done on the waltz downbeat, either 1 or 4. As explained above it's Stroke-2-3, Turn-5-6, Change foot-2-3. Start body rotation on-4-5-6, Change foot-2-3-4-5-6.

Thin-Ice

01-30-2006, 04:05 AM

SKATING PRO: PASSED my Tango by all 3 judges. Guess I need to change my sig block.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!:) :) :)

jenlyon60

01-30-2006, 04:44 AM

I trained the dance for testing for the better part of over a year. The 1st and 2nd times I tested it, the consistent comment was "needs more flow", so then over the summer we did nothing but power and flow drills. Then in October we worked the dance again and I tested again in October but had a very bad day (FELL during the test).

So we went back to the power and flow drills until 2 weeks ago at which time we started doing Tango again...Memo to phoenix: the lots of drills method of training dance definitely seems to work.

Besides the American Waltz, then it's onto my nemesis dance...the Rocker Foxtrot. Nasty little dance IMO.

jenlyon60

01-30-2006, 04:44 AM

Congratulations, Jen!!!! :D :bow:

Where did you test, btw?

Skating Club of Wilmington

vesperholly

01-30-2006, 03:38 PM

Besides the American Waltz, then it's onto my nemesis dance...the Rocker Foxtrot. Nasty little dance IMO.
Congrats! I think the Tango is absolutely the hardest of the three Silvers. I hate the Rocker too. Yawn. :giveup:

jazzpants

01-30-2006, 04:32 PM

Skating Pro:

Camel and camel sit are happening! :D
I was fooling around with a new arm position for sit spin. Really cute!!! And I actually got a good review of my sit spins from someone who taught me this hand position too!!!
Did get to the rink early enough that I got maybe about 15 minutes of moves practice.Tottering Celeb:

Too many kids on the ice!!! :evil:
The Zamboni is messed up again! When I came in, they didn't even do a normal surfacing. They did a DRY cut instead!!! YIKES!!! 8O And even after the 2nd surfacing (where they didn't do a dry cut) the ice was crap again 15 minutes into the session! :frus:
Loops and flips didn't happen 'til I was really warmed up and that took, oh, 45 minutes!!! Why? B/c the heater to the rink was BROKEN!!! It was FRIGID when I got to my weekend rink and took forever for my lower back and legs to get warmed up to feel how much I've been bending my knees and keeping my back straight. 8O