Spring ahead, Fall back: April 3rd - April 9th [Archive]

Mrs Redboots

04-04-2006, 06:18 AM

JennaD and Mercedeslove: congratulations on your respective achievements. Jenna, which dance test was this?

Dianne: So sorry to hear you're poorly; I had that last week and it's a right bummer. Hope you feel better soon. At least you felt well enough to skate!

As for me:

Spring Ahead: I really am back now! Skated for nearly 3 hours this morning (with breaks), as it turns out there are tests tomorrow (of course, Coach1 forgot to tell us!) so I won't be skating then. Might go down and watch them, but it is the week we go dancing at another rink in the evening, so not skating in the morning is not important.

So I had an hour's worth of lessons this morning. Started with our couples' lesson, in which we ran through the Dutch Waltz and the Canadian Cha-cha non-stop, with no break between. This is because the coach had got into the queue for the music and the person ahead of him put on a European waltz (the music to which we dance the Dutch Waltz in this country), so we went anyway. We also did a Swing Dance at the slow American tempo (which has some advantages and some disadvantages), and walked through our free dance, but not to the music. Coach helped us with the start of it.

In practice between the lessons we did such a fast spin that I couldn't bring my free leg in. "That was way outside your comfort zone, wasn't it?!" said Husband, rudely but truthfully. But brilliant - it was high time he was getting off if he was to catch his train, and I wanted to leave it on a high note, so we didn't try again!

In my solo lesson, I got the coach to help me choregraph the middle section of my programme, which he says he doesn't like, but in the end he didn't change much, only where I was looking. I then ran through my dance moves, but they weren't very good (out of practice and tired!), and then some exercises to help improve my flow across the ice and my shoulder movements. And finally we worked on some double 3s, as it annoys me that I can't do them. Only, of course - Laws of Skating again - I did a perfect one, and then couldn't repeat it!

Fall Back: Coach not exactly complimentary about my extension on the Swing Dance, or, indeed, on the Dutch Waltz. Plus our cha-cha wasn't just so good - we were together on the slaloms, but losing speed on it. We can both gain speed on them when we do it solo, so we really must work on the partnering. Had a big problem with one of the turns in the free dance, needed to walk through that several times. Actually, lost my LFO3 completely for a while in the early part of the morning, so we did a circuit of 3-turns round each other in each direction. LFO3 returned, all the better for having gone AWOL, but the push on my RFO3 vanished and has yet to return. I can turn the thing, but not push into it. Maybe I never could.....

VegasGirl

04-04-2006, 06:40 AM

Fall back My two foot spins suck. I get so dizzy and I travel like you would not believe. If I get too much speed I fall. The whole three turn into it makes it worse. My left side isn't my strongest. :-( Any tips?

Why don't you try a different entry?

Fall back Still no new coach and none on the horizon.

Spring Forward My Ina Bauer combination is becoming pretty solid, Salchow is getting better... I'm not regressing due to the fact that I haven't had a lesson in 2 months! :cry:

Isk8NYC

04-04-2006, 07:20 AM

My two foot spins suck. I get so dizzy and I travel like you would not believe. If I get too much speed I fall. The whole three turn into it makes it worse. My left side isn't my strongest. :-( Any tips?First, make sure you're spinning in the right direction. I can do 1- and 2-foot spins on either foot, but CW makes me dizzy if I spin too fast! (I do all of my advanced spins CCW, my "natural" way.)

Second, after you make the three-turn, bring your legs together and stand up straight. You should feel like you're spinning on the inside edge with one foot going forward and one backward. Try to stay on the balls of your feet, so you hit the "sweet spot."

Third, someone suggested a different entry. Try using that 3-turn and pretend that you're a matador. Hold the "cape" off to the side as you enter the 3-turn, then swing! it across to avoid the imaginary bull.

Finally, try a different arm position. This has really been helping me with my spin-challenged students: start the spin normally, then bend your elbows and bring your arms in to "hug" your waist. Place your right arm to the front across your tummy and your left arm behind in the small of your back. You should look like a matador who's just gone "Ole'"! Doing this with your arms tightens the spin, making it faster. It also improves your posture so you stand up straighter without wobbling.

Best of all, that matador entry/spin works wonders with the beginning group skaters for shows. They rarely miss the spin!

Good luck.

Fall Back: I now remember why I didn't pursue ice dancing. I stink at it! I tried a Canasta Tango (sans music) and I couldn't remember the steps. I skated about with the book for a while, but that wasn't helping. Finally, I just faked it. Ah, well. It's good for me, right?

Spring Ahead: Figures look really good and have been helping with strengthening my MITF practices. Have to find out when there's a test session scheduled, maybe I can take the Freestyle as well.

quarkiki2

04-04-2006, 09:04 AM

OK. So spinning is better the faster you do it. I get it. I even get how to do it faster. But when I try, I chicken out. Bawk Bawk Bawk... I also get how to do a toe loop, but freak out a bit after picking and don't really transfer the weight correctly, therefore, I end up doing a very lovely 1/2 toe.

I am working myself to really GO for things... After competition this weekend -- don't want to damage the team's chances because I got excited doing a spin and zamboni-ed myself. So, come April 15th, the new aggressive Quark will take the ice.

Actually, I just think Saturday was an off day all around. There were extra skaters on the freestyle (yay -- I know they'll keep it on the schedule if it's well attended). And, through no fault of her own, a clockwise skater I've never seen at the rink before was throwing off everyone else's patterns because she was practicing jumps in the opposite corners from what we're used to. With the other lessons on the ice (including a pairs team), it was hard to find enough room to work on anything that required more than my body space. I was watching carefully, though, and every time the high freestylers went to the boards to talk with their coaches, I quickly ran through my edge patterns and such. Was unable to practice the waltz-8 because I simply didn't have the room. Plus, it was a bad three turn day for me.

Worked on forward power threes in my MIF class and am getting the weight change right -- from the ankle and not the bum and my rhythm is good. Actually, I also get the choctaw when I place it correctly and don't wait too long. Now, if only I could do the turn on one foot, grrrr!!! My MIF instructor is always surprised that I understand so much about the edging and can very accurately talk about it, yet cannot quite do it. He's convinced, though, that when I DO get it out of my brain and into my feet that my technique will be very clean. We'll see...

Skate@Delaware

04-04-2006, 01:01 PM

Spring ahead: ran thru my program 5 times today.....it will work if I ditch the back pivot after my toeloop and tack it to the end of the sit spin (gives me and ending position anywho). Not terribly winded or anything. I like it!!

Fall back: we will see what my coach thinks of it when I skate it for her tomorrow night....

jazzpants

04-04-2006, 03:30 PM

Fall back:

Still not enough room to do much in the way of Bronze Moves to pattern. :x
Still have issues with power 3's on the RFO side. *sigh* We'll see what other magic my secondary coach can do to fix this one...
Loops isn't there... :x
Spring Ahead:

What little of the 5 step mohawk that I did looked okay. I tried to make an effort to extend and stretch. Hubby thought for someone who's been skating for over an hour, I still looked "fresh" on the ice. (Meaning that he saw that it wasn't much of an effort for me now...) Of course, I have to show it to the secondary coach tomorrow morning! :twisted:
Flip was there!!!

Mercedeslove

04-04-2006, 04:28 PM

Thanks to everyone who offered advice and support. I will definitely keep this in mind next time I hit the ice, (hopefully it won't be on my butt). Lets also hope the whole being dizzy after the spinning will soon pass and be something I don't have to deal with.

dbny

04-04-2006, 04:42 PM

Fall Back:
Didn't get to my usual Friday empty public session because I was too worn out from running all over with my out of town guests, and eating way too much with them. OTOH, I heard later that the session was crowded with a bus load of out of control kids, one of whom was carted off in an ambulance with a possible broken leg 8O. Blades are seriously dull and I'm slipping a bit, which makes it very hard to work on those things that lack confidence for in the first place, such as the F Power Threes Choctaw :x. Monday freestyle was sooo crowded that I couldn't skate any patterns to completion. Two kids actually had a collision, and both were in lessons at the time. No one was hurt, but was an indication of how crazy the session was. Boots were insane. Too tight or too loose. They simply do not fit and I can't wait until I can get new ones.

Spring Ahead:
Worked on FO and FI threes, and actually made a little progress. I've been focussing on the fact that the turn will happen on its own if I have my shoulders, hips, and weight in the right places and simply raise my knee. I actually got my RFO three to happen again, in spite of my foot/boot problem.
F power pulls came around near the end of the session. I seem to require a lot of warm up before I can really do them right. B power pulls are much easier for me, but I wasn't able to complete even one length of them due to the crowd. Reminded my self that I was once working on the Fiesta Tango, and did a bit of it, surprising myself with an easy change of edge on the swing roll.

mintypoppet

04-04-2006, 05:22 PM

Spring forward:
I've been learning the Dutch Waltz (thanks Mike!)

B 1-foot slaloms are easier and faster than forward ones. Working out my balance on the B xovers seems to have helped a lot.

Tried backward crossrolls in an attempt to work out the stepping onto a BO edge needed by open FO mohawks. The good news is that I can sort-of back crossroll, which is something I've wanted to be able to do for ages.

Fall back:
The bad news is that I think my open FO mohawk may well be a closed FI mohawk: my weight is still definitely not right.

Spent the session crashing into and unintentionally ignoring people: the end of a cold has left me deaf in one ear, so I keep thinking people are coming from the wrong direction. Should be all better by next week, I hope.

Skate@Delaware

04-04-2006, 08:39 PM

Spent the session crashing into and unintentionally ignoring people: the end of a cold has left me deaf in one ear, so I keep thinking people are coming from the wrong direction. Should be all better by next week, I hope.

I hope you get better soon! I'm almost deaf in one ear and to those that don't know it they think I'm very rude and that I ignore them. If you are behind me talking, I can't hear you at all! Just the way it is!

tidesong

04-04-2006, 09:15 PM

Spring ahead:
Landed axel from simple footwork, landed some nice double salchows (albeit.. still no where as consistent and I want them)
Did one fairly good back sit-forward sit combination with alot less recentering than usual.

Fall back:
Double loop underrotated, double toe ... might be working out better... still cautiously optimistic
Right palm kept hitting various bumps in the ice all right in the same spot as a result I have a tiny little painful bruise right in the middle of the palm, whereas the left palm is saner and the whole thing just aches a little.
"Split" jump just not getting air time at all.

cassarilda

04-05-2006, 02:52 AM

Went along to the Coffee Club this morning... a group of mostly women who get taught basic, and some more advanced movements....

Spring Ahead:
The best thing? We get the ice ALL to ourselves!!! It was lovely.. AND the ice was actually nice-ish (still awful, but better) today, someone had put some water down to make it smoother... So it was nice for about an hour.

There is an Australian version of Dancing on Ice coming up, and there was a 'celebrity' there - from Kath and Kim, Kimmy's husband.. the actor who plays him... poor thing looked really nervous because he was doing his audtiion tape and one of the coaches was helping... he did very well though, considering I think he's never had lessons before.

The lesson we received from the coffee club was good. Some stroking, and footwork, some dance steps, and some things that I of course couldnt do, but it was good fun... we had to do some hockey glides (sidewards lunges I call them), with using our arms like ballet!! I got a few nice comments from the coach for that... YAY! My ballet and dance lessons have paid off!! I actually felt like I was leaning into them nicely, so its all good.

Then it was two foot turns, which arent really a problem, but still get a bit sticky... and then tried some twizzles!!! BY the end of the session, I had managed to do 1.5 twizzles... I was very impressed with myself! :)

Ive found out something interesting though.... I tend to grip with my toes when I skate... which is bad when I need to lift up my toes for things like twizzles, turns and spins...

SPINS... :) After Sunday, when I was practising doing my sidewards lunges and then swinging the free leg around, I found a sort of balance, and managed about 2 rotations on one foot.. which I was very happy with... I had more false starts than anything else, fell over a few times, BUT I managed a spin! YAY!

I was told by Christine to think about pushing the ball of my foot into the ice when I turn, and lift my toes.. this is when I realised that I grip my toes... at least now I am aware of it, I can try to fix it!

My mohawk control pattern is going very well, and whilst I still have to remember to open up my hips for the actual mohawk, I am staying on the edges longer and my pushes are smoother/neater and my backward outside edge, before going into the next mohawk is actually controlled, and I am leaning back into it a bit, which is good... So I am gliding backward outside edge, leg extended BACK and I can turn my head/torso to see when I am going.. VERY happy!!

I also did some stretches which are getting better, and against a barrier, my side splits are about 1.5hands (the distance from the line of my feet to my body)... getting better!

Fall Back:
We did some backward crossovers in the class, and I took myself off to practise them by myself... I can do them, but I have to practise on a bigger circle, and from a 3-turn or some such, not from a standstill like currently.

I had to clarify something with my backward stroking, what edge (BO), and I have to lift my leg forward more and get my balance better, and I think I just have to DO it and forget about falling over as thats what I am worried about... falling backwards... So yes, I need to bend more and lift front leg and stay on the edge.

SO... all in all, a good session!

One major bad thing... it took me over 1.5hrs to get home.. bah! :frus:

sunshinepointe

04-05-2006, 03:25 PM

Well not too many notes to report because Beth was unable to make it to the lesson. But I did figure out some stuff on my own, so I’ll comment on that.

First things first, my new ankle padding/wrap system worked out well. I think I wrapped the wrap a little too tight around the arch so after a couple of minutes my feet were screaming. I needed to rewrap, retie etc. Once I made a couple of adjustments I was feeling much better and proceeded to do some moves in the field type stuff, namely the waltz 8 and the 3 turn pattern. What I don’t understand, is why my 3 turns in isolation are so nice and smooth, and then in the pattern then get all scratchy. Even when I do a RFI to LFO just by itself it’s fine, but if I worry about placement and try to make them big and whatnot it doesn’t work. The heck? The waltz 8 was okay, but the outside edge coming back to the center of the circle was skidding today. I’m assuming it’s something I’m doing technique wise because my blades were just sharpened. I did notice when I sit back in the heel a lot more I tended to skid less but I still had a problem with the edge going into it. Meh.

After that I worked on spins and jumps. On the backspin I was really snapping into it and it was giving me good speed. One girl working on her intermediate moves came over to me and said mine is better than hers. Then she did a backspin and hers was SO much better than mine, but I still felt good with the compliment. I didn’t really work on sits or camels much today, but I did give a solid effort at both at least a couple of times. At one point during the practice I did a PERFECTLY centered scratch spin. Sadly there was no one there to witness but I just stared at it incredulously for a good five minutes lol.

I moved onto jumps, and I figured I would just go right after a waltz jump. The first one had a scratchy landing, but I told myself to focus and I went and did another one and it was great! Whatever waltz mojo I had last week was still there - yay for good technique lol. I don’t know if I was getting good height by my free leg was at least somewhat coming through and my edges into and out of it felt secure. I think part of it was stabilizing the edge going into it but also my ankles felt more stable being wrapped. I kept doing them, trying to make them even bigger and I did feel as if I made some headway. Feeling nutty I tried some waltz-loops and I’m getting the idea of how to land from the waltz to be set for the loop but it’s not there yet. If I do a big waltz jump the loop isn’t set, but from a baby waltz I’m okay. I also did some nice salchows and toe loops today…worked on loops and loop-loop combos from RFI3 and the same girl that complimented my backspin said that I should be doing them from crossovers because I know what I’m doing. I went and did one, but it was way skiddy and off kilter and I told her that ever since I learned it from RFI3 from XO’s it’s just been garbage. She wanted me to try a loop without bringing my arms in and I told her she lost her mind, but I think I might actually try that since it’ll keep me from pre-rotating too much, a problem I’ve been having. I then moved onto flip exercises - picking and jumping off the toe but without the rotation. That part I can do fine, it’s when I throw the rotation in that everything goes haywire. I also tried picking into the flip and doing backspins but my backspins were way up on the toe. Guess my weight isn’t where it needs to be still. I can’t believe that I DID have a flip and now it’s gone. Well, I suppose I never really had it if my weight wasn’t totally right and my leg wasn’t crossed, but I wasn’t afraid to JUMP, whereas now I am. I feel like I’m learning it all over again. LE sigh.

I’m still on cloud 9 about my waltz jump. I’m going to charge the camera tonight and possibly do a videosession tomorrow out of sheer curiosity. Not sure if I’ll tape MIF stuff or not because right now it’s regressed because of the new boots/blades but…maybe I’ll do it for the heck of it. Can’t hurt.:twisted:

jazzpants

04-05-2006, 03:34 PM

More forward power 3 torture...

Fall Back:

Well, not torture... that's next week when my secondary coach dons on her skates to chase me around again! :twisted: Maybe discomfort is the right word? I'm trying to do the choctaw to RFO edge. Got more stretching and exercises to do that I'm certainly going to hate. :frus:
Wishing I would be... falling back to BED that is!!! :twisted: http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/g025.gifSpring Ahead:

Starting to look better towards the end of the lesson. It's not perfect but at least I am crossing my legs on the back crossovers part and I still managed to step to the RFO edge. Meanwhile I"m still practicing my LFO side too, so I could keep up with building a nice steady and strong climb on the power part of the move. "After all, these is POWER 3's you know..." :roll:
Back crossovers to BO edge. Straigth leg, but still needs more turnout and extension. We'll cover that next week.

flo

04-05-2006, 03:41 PM

Spring ahead: Started working on double loops last night.
Fall Back: yes, I did.

NickiT

04-05-2006, 04:51 PM

Spring Ahead
I had a lesson today which went pretty well. My coach had me run through the NISA level 3 elements as she's keen to put me in for the test later this year. I did a really good multi-rotational backspin and managed to come out of it well too! Camel and camel-sit were good. Change-foot sit was good. Also landed two really nice lutz-loops.

Fall Back
Having to skate on a busy-ish patch with kids and skate mums sat on the side. I just feel so self-conscious. I know I'm spoiled having a quiet daytime patch to skate on during term-time, but I've got used to that now. However I didn't skate too badly considering. I had to do my programme though and didn't feel very relaxed at all. I'm not used to having teenagers flying past or even at me, and when I went for my lutz-loop and saw two girls in the corner I kind of changed my mind at that point of no return so landed it on my backside.

Nicki

Leda

04-05-2006, 04:54 PM

spring ahead: My spiral is getting alot higher and I can finaly do edges! :D

Fall Back: I fell and rammed my knees up against the walls of the rink. Now I have a big bruise and my knee is a bit stiff.:cry:

Tessa

04-05-2006, 04:57 PM

Spring ahead: back on ice after 2 week hiatus. Landed a proper loop/loop! Landed the flip 90% of the time (free leg position is still a little iffy). Back spin was great, back sit was okay.

Fall back: oh my lord the camel spin is just not happening. I took an amazing splat trying it again and again and again.... layback is just so difficult. Hardly worked on any MITF.

Sort of good news -- my rink added a Saturday freestyle from 9 - 10 am. I have a hard time getting my big butt out of bed on weekends before 11 am, but I talked to the skating school director and she said last week only 3 people were there, so that is some motivation to get there until the session gets discovered by the rest of the world.

doubletoe

04-05-2006, 05:56 PM

doubletoe

04-05-2006, 06:00 PM

Spring forward:
- Almost done choreographing my new program, and actually skated it through today (although with only single jumps and a waltz jump placeholder for the axel).
- Got help fixing the 3 spots on my Intermediate MIF where I was getting stuck, and they got much better!

Fall back:
- No, but fell forward! On my chin! :frus: It happened in my Sunday practice, and I had to cut my practice short and go to the emergency room for stitches. Blecch.

mikawendy

04-05-2006, 08:43 PM

Padded bicycle gloves! :D I like Pearl Izumi brand. They saved my palms from becoming completely black & blue when I was just starting to land my axel and was going through a "land it, then fall straight back on my palms" phase, LOL!

doubletoe, I have a pair of the fingerless bicycle gloves. I've always been afraid to wear them on the ice, though, because the palms have a sort of rubberized surface texture, and I'd be afraid of not sliding along the ice but my hands getting stuck instead. Is that not really a problem though? (If so, I could put them to use immediately. I went out on the ice to warm up the other day and was *trying* to do powerful quick back crossovers and promptly fell a** over teakettle, and my hands smacked down in the process....

Rusty Blades

04-05-2006, 09:03 PM

Spring Ahead: YAHOO! From my journal:

After some initial putzing around getting my laces right, I did a little more work on my LFXO and getting my hip around for a RFXO (which is getting ever closer) before switching to backward sculling. Before the end of the session, my backward balance was getting a lot better. With better balance and a half-a@@ed one-foot backward stop, I was feeling a LOT better backward. Not quite up to backward edges yet but I was able to skate backward and get my head around to see where I was going without losing my balance (which I couldn’t do before). All in all a VERY encouraging skate! I feel that I am still on target to have all my edges before fall.

Fall Back: None! :halo:

I LOVE progress! (At my age, I can't afford to wait :roll: )

Skate@Delaware

04-05-2006, 09:06 PM

Spring ahead: program going well! Coach liked my changes, added her own. Spiral sequence good as was back spiral and everything finally fits the music. AND the good thing about being last in lessons is: most of the little kids have left the ice and gone home to bed (we are talking half!) so it's fairly clear. She also liked my dress (purple sparkly).

Fall back: sit-spin progress has disappeared. It sucks. I will work on it Friday. Not sure if my mega-gym workout today had anything to do with it sucking so bad today (did squats and legs today....) I'm very tired!

sk8guy71

04-05-2006, 10:08 PM

crossovers

*shudder*

:frus: :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus:

dbny

04-05-2006, 10:17 PM

Spring Ahead: YAHOO! From my journal:

After some initial putzing around getting my laces right, I did a little more work on my LFXO and getting my hip around for a RFXO (which is getting ever closer) ....

Fall Back: None! :halo:

I LOVE progress! (At my age, I can't afford to wait :roll: )

Congrats on your progress! Just for clarity, by RFXO, do you mean CCW or CW? I am never sure if you are referring to the crossing foot or the direction of travel.

WhisperSung

04-05-2006, 10:53 PM

Spring Ahead: I got back into it after a week off after AN. I landed 9 out of 10 double lutzes today at open skate before work, and I'm working on remembering to fix the wrap on my double flip and axel.

Fall Back: My landing hip HURTS. Not so much from jumps but from my stupid layback spin. It aches continually when I try to raise it up for laybacks and spirals. I have no hip turnout, and it protests every time I attempt turn-out. My mother wants me to go to the doctor and make sure it's not arthritis (since it runs in our family very early on). I don't need arthritis at 22, thank you!

My lutz landings weren't very smooth. I need to fix them a smidge.

tidesong

04-05-2006, 11:45 PM

Padded bicycle gloves! :D I like Pearl Izumi brand. They saved my palms from becoming completely black & blue when I was just starting to land my axel and was going through a "land it, then fall straight back on my palms" phase, LOL!
Maybe I could just stuff something into my normal gloves... and yeah .. the land it, then fall straight back on my palms... thats the perfect description for my double toe loop attempts haha. I dont understand why but for my axel and double salchow if I fall, it tends to go on my bottom/thigh (least pain), for double toe i hit my palms and double loop (oww) I hit nearer my tail bone. And its pretty consistent the way I fall when I do those things wrongly.

I am going to have to get my blades sharpened, theres only one person in this country that I know of with any experience with sharpening blades... and he isnt that great, but he has sharpened my blades before and I could still skate on them... but I had to go through a rough grabby edge adjustment time... Some people mail their skates overseas for sharpening but I cant sit and wait 2 weeks or more without my skates I'll go crazy!

@Whispersung: thats great consistency on the double lutz... how do you try and fix your wrap? I can barely cross my legs in the air as it is but sometimes I do end up wrapping them instead of crossing them :(

Rusty Blades

04-06-2006, 01:47 AM

aussieskater

04-06-2006, 07:56 AM

I hope you get better soon! I'm almost deaf in one ear and to those that don't know it they think I'm very rude and that I ignore them. If you are behind me talking, I can't hear you at all! Just the way it is!

I'm with you there, S@D. Deaf as the proverbial post in the right ear and not much better than 50% in the left. So if you want me to hear you, then (a) stand in front of me (so I can lipread - so much easier for everyone), or (b) at least stay on my left side. And note to Coach - screaming "Extend" from across the rink (or from behind me) ain't gonna work...I *really* cannot hear you! (Selective deafness notwithstanding. :) )

Not much point posting here this week as it's all "fall back": with a little one home sick, I haven't been able to get to the rink at all this week. Hopefully I'll make it tomorrow. I have been hitting the gym each day for a cardio workout though, with the aim of (eventually) improving my fitness, from the "gasping for breath after 3 laps" level. :roll:

quarkiki2

04-06-2006, 08:57 AM

Spring Ahead: Last Synchro practice before ISI Nationals this weekend -- I am skating well and feeling pretty confident with my performances in both the compulsory program and the free program. Made an adjustment to an intersection in the compulsory program that seems to help my line get into a pinwheel a little more smoothly. Hit all of the footwork in both programs, feeling very energized and excited to get out there and skate.

I'm not sure (nor do I really care) how we'll place, but I am looking forward to seeing some great skating. My goal is to really attack our programs and skate them as strongly as I can, especially our free skate because we didn't skate that particularly well last year.

Fall Back: I've got some teammates with some strong cases of nerves right now. One tripped over her toepick in our warmup and took a hard fall to her knees (ouch!) and another is having costume issues. I think both will be fine by the time we get there, but it was a little raw last night (Isn't that always the case for last practices??).

dbny

04-06-2006, 11:06 AM

Dbny: What works is CCW, right foot over left. What don't work is CW 'cause I tend to "lead with my right hip" and have to rotate my hips CW to get the left foot out in front.

I hope I am using the right terms; I always thought LFXO was going to the left.... ?

PS: Thanks!

Glad I asked, because I took it to mean LFXO = Left foot crossing over Right. The correct terms are actually CW and CCW. Thinking about dance diagrams, LFXO etc may be used there, but I'm pretty sure it means L foot. My CW were the worst and more difficult at the beginning, but I worked so hard on them that they are now a lot more comfortable than the CCW! The thing that really helped me with them, and I now do it on the CCW to warm up, is to slide the crossing foot over without picking it up at all. Be sure to stay well down in the knees for this one.

Rusty Blades

04-06-2006, 11:27 AM

Good point dbny- I should change my terminology to CWXO and CCWXO - it's more clear.

My only problem with CW cross is that I naturally "lead with my right hip" so I have been working on rotating my hips to CW to get my left foot up front. It is working but takes some practice.

One does not realize how natural some things become until you have to do it different!

For example, cross your arms in front of your chest, then take note of which arm is on top. Now cross your arms with the OTHER arm on top 8O See how "unnatural" that feels!

coskater64

04-06-2006, 03:08 PM

spring ahead: double jumps that I left in luggage in Dallas have returned. Bauer 2 toe is really solid...today:roll: . 2 sow is getting better, and coach decided to work on flip 2 loop which is getting very close. Jr moves look on the mark but we'll see later this month.

Fall back: Hip feels strange, and while right leg is working 100% better, luckily we see the doctor 4/24 so maybe he can give some advice. Kilian fix the outer edges mess up the choctaw location, lacking symmetry:cry: and speling skils8O

sunshinepointe

04-06-2006, 03:30 PM

No lesson again today - but I knew this already because my coach is out of town for Synchro Nationals. Amazingly the waltz jump is still there, and dear lord I was able to do 3 in a row a couple of times without a problem. Could this mean my waltz jump is consistent and getting better? It certainly feels a heck of a lot better so here's to hoping!

All other jumps and spins were fine - not much change on any of that. Waltz loop combo is coming along smoothly, but I still prefer a salchow-loop....loop-loop is very inconsistent still. Spins were alright - scratch was centered although sloppy position. Camel is getting better - still having a hard time adjusting to the new boots for that spin only as I tend to pitch forward on these skate more than I did the Jacksons. Sit spin was okay, but a little travelly. Camel-spit was actually better than the camel or sit in isolation. Sit-backsit was NOT my friend. Backspins were the surprise - my backspin magic from yesterday stuck around and I was able to do a couple of REALLY good ones - they were nice and fast and admittedly a little scary. If I wasn't so afraid of it I could hold onto it longer and not chicken out, but that spin makes me so nervous so I'm afraid to pull in fast.

I touched on my MIF a little bit when I got there - did the waltz 8 pattern and my 3 turn pattern. I also worked on some crossovers, but not really. I fiddled with the FI3/Cross front/BI3 thing around the circle too. Everything seemed a little better but I wasn't sure. I actually brought the video camera to tape - I REALLY wanted to see my waltz jump - but for some reason it wasn't recording. I was really disappointed, but maybe I'll try again next week if I can get it to work. :frus:

That's it for me - my wraps and such are still working for my feet, but skating or 2.5 hours today started a blister in my heel...so now another place to tape up, sigh. The things we do to our bodies for skating :roll:

kiwibabe

04-06-2006, 05:25 PM

Spring ahead I did my first waltz jump ever, I'm so excited, its really tiny but I guess the only way is up. My back outside edges are looking good.

Fall back My husband reckons my waltz jump looks like a 3 turn, well I have to start some where ...

Skittl1321

04-06-2006, 06:22 PM

Spring Ahead Learn to Skate started this week! I am starting in Basic 4 after being evaluated by the skate coordinator. I already knew all the Basic 1/2 stuff from teaching myself, and she taught me all the Basic 3 stuff in our half hour lesson and most of the 4 stuff as well. She said I did the Basic 3 stuff well enough to be considered passing, so I would start in Basic 4. It's a nice class, 8 adults and evenly split between the 2 levels. 2 just starting Basic 3, 2 repeating Basic 3, 2 starting Basic 4 and 2 repeating Basic 4. The instructor was very good about making sure everyone was working on something at their level and about making the best use of our quadrant of ice. (We did a ton on the hockey circles, I thought we would wear them down.) My only issue is that for this lesson at least we were told to work on things, and then she would do it, and then we would be expected to do it. Most of the time she would give us corrections, but when we were split by level she would often be teaching the level 3 skill, leaving the level 4s to ponder exactly how she made the backwards stroking (eek) or 3 turns (eek!!) work. I assume the next lesson will be more in depth. I hope at least. But at least now I have an idea of how to do a 3 turn and can start practicing it! I think 3 turns, backwards snow plows and backwards stroking are the only things standing between me and passing the level, so hopefully I can do it in 6 lessons.

Fall Back I hurt my ankle in ballet 3 weeks ago and while it doesn't hurt on a dailybasis it appears that skating is a trigger to make it start hurting. Today it is throbbing. Which means no skating tomorrow. If I don't get practice time, I have no hopes of mastering the skill. I will be able to go to my lesson next week, but will be out of town for Easter, which means no practice time then either. Hopefully this is enough recovery time. It seems like it should be better already. I've been resting, icing etc since I hurt it.

If anyone is interested in a good detailed account of my lesson it can be found here. If you visit, please comment :)
http://skittl1321.livejournal.com/1210012.html?mode=reply
(I keep the journal mostly friends locked, but since I don't have a blog the skating entries will be made public)

jazzpants

04-06-2006, 11:59 PM

Spring ahead:

Power 3's on LFO3 is fine! He has not many complaints about it. "Good speed", he said.
He loved the flow and edge of the perimeter forward crossovers.
Back crossovers to BO edge. He wishes for more extension but he's happy with it otherwise.
5 step is fine. Primary coach was particularly proud that when he was skating the end pattern alongside with me and screaming directions that 1) I didn't lose my head and 2) when there's another hockey guy skating alongside with me and trying to go faster, I kept going and past the guy!!! Poor hockey guy was perplexed b/c he thought I was trying to compete against him going faster. Coach came up to hockey guy to tell him "Actually, if this was last year and she skated alongside with you, she would have freaked out and stopped. :roll: " Back handed compliment, but a compliment nonetheless. I'll take it! :mrgreen: (The purpose of 2) was that when I'm skating in a public session with crazy kids around me, I'm supposed to keep going and stay as close to the pattern as possible. His method of motivation is to say "You're a better skater than all these kids!!! You should be able to skate around them and move past them if needed. )Fall back:

Power 3's on RFO3 side is still kinda iffy. Now his complaint is "You either do a good RFO3 but you don't do back crossovers well, or it's the other way around!!!" :frus: I did managed to slow it down on the RFO3 side so that I get get a more steady RFO3 side. He was happy with my last set power 3's on that side, even though it was a bit slower, but since I usually go faster on that side anyway, the speed wasn't so bad at all...
He might loved the flow and edge of the perimeter forward crossovers, but he sure hated the fact that there's NO EXTENSION!!! Did another one. Flow and edge not as good but at least there is extension. Gotta go juggle some balls on that one.
Perimeter Back crossovers - Actually, except for the side step to my LBI edge (it's curving in and all but the R foot is coming up a little too ahead of the L foot...) he seemed happy with it. Nice flow, speed, obviously pushing on the BI edge, back crossovers at end patterns were much better... now I have to adjust the pattern a bit so it looks even on both sides. :frus:

WhisperSung

04-07-2006, 12:28 AM

Doing this twice, since I just had my first lesson since I got back from AN.

Spring ahead: Landed a lutz-double loop (it's a warm-up for double lutz but I rarely land it with any consistency. . .probably why my double lutz sucks so much) on my first try with my coach!

Explained my goal of skating two days a week at my home club from 7-8a.m. and 9-10a.m. Coach thinks I have a very good shot at getting a monitor position from 8-9a.m. which would essentially pay for 2 of the 4 sessions. Thinking about doing 2 20 minute lessons a week instead of 1 30 minute.

Coach ok'ed me skating in state this year and seems open to the possibility of attempting Championship Masters at mids.

Have moves coach who agreed to work with me again. Novice moves here I come!

Fall Back: Expressed to my coach my desire to relearn my double axel, triple toe loop, and triple salchow (I had them somewhat consistently when I was in my early teens) only to be told they'd be too dangerous and they're jumps for people who skate way more than I do. Sigh. I have videos of my triple salchow being only 1/4 underrotated, and I'm so comfortable with it that it doesn't worry me at all to think I might get injured on it. My landings are all soft. Double axel and triple toe are another thing. . .I just wish she would've agreed to work on them with me. Maybe once I get my summer schedule put together and start skating more consistently.

Oh, and all this ice and these extra lessons might just be a little too expensive for my meager just-out-of-college budget. :??

Mrs Redboots

04-07-2006, 06:21 AM

Spring forward: Lovely practice this morning. Did my Dance Moves better than I've ever done them! Husband ran through his free programme to the music, and fairly obviously got lost in the middle, so he's beginning to see that it's actually important to do it to the music, especially with only five weeks to go.

In our warm-up, we actually got round without fighting, largely because I kept reminding him to relax his shoulders, and it makes life soooooo much easier when he does! We also did our runs round the circle exercise, and it transformed the anti-clockwise-in-reverse-kilian when he held his right arm a little further forward.

We ran through three of the four dances we are to do at the Mountain Cup and our free dance - yes, there were mistakes, but at least we are picking up on them!

After Husband had left, I ran through my Interp, which is coming-along-nicely, and then wondered what to do for the next hour, since I didn't want to go home until 09:30 because of the traffic. So I had a play with turns, and spent quite a long time listening to the beastly slow USFSA Swing Dance music and trying to do my Mohawk round the circle in time. Nearly succeeded, too! Got my back x-rolls fast enough to be way outside my comfort zone!

Fall Back: Have just realised we forgot to practice the Canadian Cha-cha, and we really do need to practice our slaloms!

Couldn't check one of my BI3s, but I now can't remember which one! My double 3s and 3-bracket-3s are pretty dire, but at least beginning to happen!

Doing a final run-through of my dance moves, I got the dread "click of death" on the cross-cuts, and down I went! Second time it had happened that day - first time was on back crossovers, but luckily I wasn't going fast enough and didn't fall on that one.

Going into the lift in our free dance, I must have been over-tense and stressed my back again, as the muscle that hurts if I do, does hurt!

But on balance a really good practice.

vesperholly

04-07-2006, 03:33 PM

Spring ahead
Today, I landed not one, not two, but THREE axels one foot, fully rotated... then fell down. :) But I don't care! One foot and rotated!! A zillion times better than anything I've done in the past few months - they're usually 1/2 to 1/4 short and two footed. I changed the setup a few weeks ago, and I'm really concentrating on staying down in my knee until my free leg kicks through. My friend that I skate with on a regular basis, who has seen me struggle with this for two years, was like 8O "you're gonna land it!!"

My camels have also been excellent this week, really consistent which is an improvement. I have been holding my right arm back on the entrance as long as possible, and that seems to work very well. I was even able to do one decent camel-back camel three days in a row.

Dare I say that the working out on my elliptical is helping my skating? :D

Fall back
Junior moves aren't showing much progress - choctaws very slow and don't come close to filling the rink corner to corner; I can sort of do the power pull-rockers, but the right side is very scrapey and I barely get past the middle line.

Lutzes were very wonky today. I couldn't get a good pick and kept landing flat footed. Odd. I am still nowhere NEAR a double toe. I hate that jump.

beachbabe

04-07-2006, 05:12 PM

spring ahead: worked alot on MIF and it paid off. My choctaws are doing wayyy wayy better and bi 3 turns are so much better. Double toe, sal and single axel are being pretty consistent since I have stopped doing working on thema ll the time. I used to try and do a sequence of abt 5 double sals ina row and coach saw me and practically yelled at me that i was asking for an injury, so now I just do 1 or 2 at a time and I land them soo much better.

fall back: still only landing about half of my double flip attempts. I don't think my butt bruise will ever go away lol:lol:

mikawendy

04-07-2006, 06:35 PM

Spring ahead
Today, I landed not one, not two, but THREE axels one foot, fully rotated... then fell down. :) But I don't care! One foot and rotated!!

Woo-hoo! Good for you, vesperholly!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: :D

Skate@Delaware

04-07-2006, 07:38 PM

Spring ahead: last group lesson of the season. We hit the camel again and I think it's going to be a nice spin. Skated on the public session before lessons and ran through my routine 2 times-sweet! Didn't decapitate any kids doing my back spiral :twisted: (I was tempted, however)... Reassured another skater who was competing tomorrow that she will be fine-told her to pick 5 of her best elements and when she hears the music, listen for good spots to put them in (she is doing interpretive). I think she will do fine if she does that, without getting overwhelmed or distracted. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to put 5 things in 1:30 of music, I skated my routine for her, which has more than 5 things. She was fine after that.:lol:

Fall back: yup, the sit spin. Coach politely reminded me that I started working on this spin last April (yeah, and?)....:frus: Whatever. It is better than it has been but it still is not a sit spin (I can sit but my balance goes crazy and I fall over or I can balance on my blades but then can't get all the way down-catch 22). I'm supposed to have it tomorrow, but at this point in the game, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it!

doubletoe

04-07-2006, 07:57 PM

doubletoe, I have a pair of the fingerless bicycle gloves. I've always been afraid to wear them on the ice, though, because the palms have a sort of rubberized surface texture, and I'd be afraid of not sliding along the ice but my hands getting stuck instead. Is that not really a problem though? (If so, I could put them to use immediately. I went out on the ice to warm up the other day and was *trying* to do powerful quick back crossovers and promptly fell a** over teakettle, and my hands smacked down in the process....

Nope, I never had a problem with that. And you can always put your fears to rest by simulating a fall--getting on your hands and knees on the ice and pushing forward to see if your hands slide. But trust me, if you have momentum from a fall, they will. ;)

doubletoe

04-07-2006, 07:59 PM

Maybe I could just stuff something into my normal gloves... and yeah .. the land it, then fall straight back on my palms... thats the perfect description for my double toe loop attempts haha. I dont understand why but for my axel and double salchow if I fall, it tends to go on my bottom/thigh (least pain), for double toe i hit my palms and double loop (oww) I hit nearer my tail bone. And its pretty consistent the way I fall when I do those things wrongly.
:(

I put a gel disk inside each glove, right over the palm. :)

SkatingOnClouds

04-08-2006, 04:01 AM

I also use fingerless bicycle gloves which I bought recently.
They are perfect for me, as I hate woolly gloves and the fingers covered. And yes, the gel pads are an extra bonus, as I have discovered. Rather butch looking, but practical.

Springing ahead: since putting a thin cork lift under the heel of my innersoles, I have found the sweet spot for spins consistently. Finally got the balance point right, after my high-heel Altamura boots.

Backspins are coming along nicely, and as a result, change foot spins are possible.

Falling back: may be on the sweet spot, but totally unable to centre a spin.

Jumps are highly variable. Still can't get a flip happening, but got to work on getting a more controlled entry.

Life is good though. My 8 year old daughter just passed her Aussie Skate Basic 2 test today. Proud and happy for her.

Skate@Delaware

04-08-2006, 10:02 PM

Spring Ahead: In-House competition is done. Everyone did well notwithstanding some drama involving my 10-year old hockey boy (who was giving me a hard time this morning)-due to pre-comp jitters. Once I turned him over to the assistant coach, he was fine. Daughter did well in her events (freestyle 4 and spins). I did fine in mine (however...see complaint below). They did run behind about 30-45 minutes, which I don't think was bad. And, although it wasn't on the schedule, they did offer 2-minute warm-ups for each group AND each group with over 6 skaters was split in half so each group of 3 or so got a 2 minute warmup. Sweet!

Fall Back: I paid for practice ice for son, which he used a whole 15 minutes then left because he said it was too crowded (he was right) and too many "stupid little girls" (bingo). My spins were really bad due to serious sinus congestion.....and I never did get that sit-spin. Even though my program was good (I will get the official word from my coach either tomorrow or Wednesday), I was entered as a Bronze level. The sit-spin was a required element. With that spin totally sucking (not even looking like one-really bad), I still placed first (again, this comp I was against the book as I was the only entrant). My coach told me not to worry about it, however, it still bugs me as it was a required element and I totally missed it. I don't want "gimme's" awarded when I do bad because I'm the only entrant.:frus: Or am I just being too particular and should I just shut up now????

Anyway, the only thing left this week is show practice and rehearsals.....

cassarilda

04-08-2006, 11:41 PM

Spring Ahead:

OMG!! The ice was actually DECENT today!! For the first 45mins anyway :roll: someone has obviously had enough and has spent some time flooding it... it doesnt go up as much at the edges anymore, even though it does feel like gravel, but I tend to stay away from that section so its ok ;)

BUT!!! I managed some back crossovers in the group... yAY!!! Couldnt do too many because I have a larger step than the younger kids in my group, so I had to keep stopping so I didnt bash into them! BUT I crossed over!!! YAY!!!

Forward crossovers werent too bad.. they arent smooth glides... they are steps, BUT Im stepping over, so its a start.

Im getting more power in my stroking YAY!

3-turns and mohawks, no probs still... my forward twizzle (just 1 :lol: ) is ok..

Ive noticed I have trouble putting weight onto one of my feet/sides so I need to work on that.. its affecting everything.

Spins... Ive stopped clenching my toes by focussing on lifting my toes UP and pushing with the ball of my foot when I spin.. I think I made it to 3 or 4 spins today on one foot!! :D yay again! And I actually felt centred which is a first! :)

ummm I was taught another two control patterns by a lady there... one based on 3-turns, the other is another mohawk one... which is good because I started grumbling that I needed something new to practise ;)

My backward stroking is actually zig zagging across the ice, which is good.. probably not on the correct edge but *shrug* at least Ive got the movement. :D

Fall Behind (not much really... :D ):
I experienced "THE CLICK OF DEATH!!" :lol: it was on a backward crossover in the public, and I fell on my ###... and it hurts.. but Im fine! :D

Class... I should have skated yesterday because he taught the class things like cross rolls and backwards etc etc... I was there taking photos, hence why I know... today was just the normal stuff (if he wasnt there I could still run through everything he teaches us)... kinda annoying.. but I suppose it cements the basics in my head :D

There were two little kids today who were crossing through the centre and one was almost hit twice by a flying blade as someone went into a spin and didnt see her... she was a the perfect height too that it would have hit her in the head.... She just wasnt paying attention... I pulled her aside and explained to her not to do it and why,... she nodded, then went off and did it again... I think one of the coaches grabbed her though, because the next time I saw her she was skating with her mother (who I dont think wanted to get on the ice at all)...

The other kid was looking over his shoulder, pushed off forwards still looking away and again almost went into this girls blade (she was already in the spin... stoopid boy :frus: ).

SO.. that was todays... all in all, not bad! :D my legs are sore, which is good, and it always happens after I do crossovers, so at least I know I was working. :)

tidesong

04-09-2006, 03:37 AM

spring ahead:
got some pretty good flying sit spins in lesson... these things seem to improve all the time during the off season and promptly disappear when competitions start rolling around... i wonder why :giveup:

fall back:
the ice was flooded wet, and scratchy in the places it was drier... I was trying to do double toe loops in lesson around these other kids having lessons on crossovers... I kept worrying I'd hit them and kept having to give up attempts when they skated too far out from the intended circle. It was madness but with 4 coaches squeezing into 1/3 of a rink 1/2 the olympic size... theres only so much you can do.

I was working on flying sits and then we went on to flying camels, and due to those taking up more space... I kept nearly crashing into people so much my coach gave up and said ok lets work on jumps instead... lol... first time this has ever happened actually, I hope hope hope the hockey people stop for their summer break sooner, I'm about to go mad.

The guy i pass my skates to for sharpening was going on in the same vein everytime he sees me about my inconsistent jumps and bad posture... I know these things... I'm trying hard to practise them but when the ice is bad and crowded and theres no space to do things in the little time I have on the ice, I'm satisfied with the minimal improvements I made, then someone comes along and asks why I'm not hitting them 100% it just makes me feel so disillusioned and unaccomplished. I'm trying hard here to let myself enjoy this sport the way I like it and trying not to think about all the bad stuff like the lack of ice and lack of good ice and lack of ice TIME at all and I get happy even when I land one more jump today than last week, regardless of percentages of landing. I'm just so holding out for some kind investors and a new rink. And yeah being reminded of all the things that are bad in skating just isnt a happy idea. sigh.

AW1

04-09-2006, 05:22 AM

Spring Ahead:
Someone commented to me today how much I'm improving in all of my skating. I was chuffed :P As I was at Synchro today I was focusing on all sorts of stuff but the coach was pleased with my progress which I was pleased with.
Fall Back:
Was trying to do 3 turns and for the life of me I cannot get them. I don't know what it is. On my left foot when doing it I seem to create a heap of snow, which I don't think is supposed to happen. On my right foot this doesn't happen. What I kind of don't get is when/how to turn and it just goes all wrong :cry:

Also got a phone call today while I was at skating to say that my uncle had been found dead in his car - he had gone out early in the morning and not returned home by this afternoon and was found where he'd gone this morning. Sad considering he was only 66 and had no real evident medical problems (except arthritis). So that kind of put a dampner on the rest of my session.

Mrs Redboots

04-09-2006, 09:27 AM

Spring ahead: Well, well, well, Mr "You-have-to-admit-I'm-a-better-skater-than-you" was having a really bad skate day!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: Makes a change. Fell twice in his programme, and missed his salchow, and double-footed his loop! Of course, the fact that he hasn't had his blades sharpened for at least six months and very probably longer doesn't help, either. But that will be rectified on Wednesday, since our coach is going to the sharpener then. I want mine done, although the right one doesn't really need it. The left one does, though. Hope that will last until after the Mountain Cup, and maybe even Bracknell.

I had a good practice - I am definitely getting a semi-reliable LFI/LBO double 3, and I might even put it in my artistic if it is still working on Wednesday, it makes more sense. Didn't run through the complete programme, only that bit - it's a bit too crowded on a Sunday to risk a back spiral straight down the middle.

The Husband and I worked on Canadian Cha-cha and Swing Dance to the American music, and I was interested to note that when the proper Swing Dance music came on, we had improved no end! Maybe doing it half-speed does have its advantages. We also did a Dutch Waltz when that music came on, and at least one Fiesta, and, of course, our free dance. Which went really well. The first run-through we missed the lift, because I mistimed the thing, but the second time we got it, only he only did one rotation. All the same, it was tidier than usual, and the step sequence went better, as did the ending.

Fall Back: My spin has gone totally walkabout! And I'm not the only one. Husband has a Pathetic Parallel (which is actually a lot better than his Sad Sit), but can't come out of it properly, but several of us were complaining this morning that we couldn't spin - I think there must be a spin-eating monster out there.....

samba

04-09-2006, 12:24 PM

Spring ahead: Well, well, well, Mr "You-have-to-admit-I'm-a-better-skater-than-you" was having a really bad skate day!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: Makes a change. Fell twice in his programme, and missed his salchow, and double-footed his loop! Of course, the fact that he hasn't had his blades sharpened for at least six months and very probably longer doesn't help, either. But that will be rectified on Wednesday, since our coach is going to the sharpener then. I want mine done, although the right one doesn't really need it. The left one does, though. Hope that will last until after the Mountain Cup, and maybe even Bracknell.
Come on Annabel are you sure you didnt just run a coin over them for him, tee hee.

I had a good practice - I am definitely getting a semi-reliable LFI/LBO double 3, and I might even put it in my artistic if it is still working on Wednesday, it makes more sense. Didn't run through the complete programme, only that bit - it's a bit too crowded on a Sunday to risk a back spiral straight down the middle.

I Still cant do it, I keep trying but I'm terrified of it.

Fall Back: My spin has gone totally walkabout! And I'm not the only one. Husband has a Pathetic Parallel (which is actually a lot better than his Sad Sit), but can't come out of it properly, but several of us were complaining this morning that we couldn't spin - I think there must be a spin-eating monster out there.....
Oh that monster, he visits my rink on a regular basis and he just loves me, but you can keep him if you like?

Leda

04-09-2006, 01:40 PM

spring ahead: YES! My instructor finally taught me how to do spins! :twisted:

fall back: so far I can only do 2 rotations.:frus:

Mrs Redboots

04-09-2006, 02:04 PM

fall back: so far I can only do 2 rotations.:frus:Which is about as many as I can ever do - and at least 1.50 revolutions more than I was managing today! sigh....

Leda

04-09-2006, 04:48 PM

Which is about as many as I can ever do - and at least 1.50 revolutions more than I was managing today! sigh....
can you do a one foot spin or two foot?

Skate@Delaware

04-09-2006, 08:14 PM

Leda:
I must tell you---stick it out and don't give up! When I first started learning to spin, I did find that 2-foot spins were really easy (I had done them in my youth way back). However, when we started learning 1-foot spins....

There was one time I went to the rink and was the only person there for the whole session (really a waste of good ice on such an un-talented skater). I spent the whole time doing (or trying) 1-foots! By the time the session ended, the whole surface was covered in spin curliques!!!! All from me!!!

My coach at the time saw me...just shook her head and went about her business.

That was 2 years ago and I still remember how hard I tried!

So, keep trying and work at it. Be sure to ask us question about spinning because we have all been there!

sk8guy71

04-09-2006, 09:09 PM

crossovers.

bahhumbug :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus:

jazzpants

04-10-2006, 12:29 AM

Fall back:

Went to weekend rink to find a very broken Zamboni. (Flat tire!!!) Ice was CRAP this afternoon!
Landed no loop jumps!
Did one try of the backspin and felt a slight pull and twisting feeling on my lower back. Decided to stay away from the backspin for today.
Worked on prelim spirals... see above note about lower back! :roll:Spring ahead:

It's not crappy enough that I couldn't skate on it and there aren't as many skaters this afternoon I managed to get thru my moves.
I think I'm starting to get that RFO3's side now. And I did the LFO3's side just to make sure that I still have that side, so my power 3's should be better by the next lesson.
Back crossovers are stronger! We'll see how much stronger though. :twisted:
I'm still working on making FI mohawk so tidy you'll need a microscope to find flaws. Right now, it's tidier, but you can still see the lump of dust under the rug.:lol: (Meaning that the FI mohawk isn't as quiet as I would like, though I am bringing the foot in...)
Landed all other jumps up to and including the flip. Decided to call it a day after flips b/c I had to meet a friend for tea afterwards. (I just don't get why I can do the flip but not the loop! But hey! I'll take the flip!!! :twisted: ) The lutz is not too far behind now too. I just have to get the feel of reaching back further and picking on a consisent basis and I should have it. I hope to get my moves out of the way to see if my hunch is right.
Did some spins and they were okay.
I feel very confident with my Bronze Moves today. I hope to get this beast out soon enough. Of course, I'm strongly thinking of finding a local judge to look at my moves unofficially to confirm.
Worked on prelim alt 3's.... getting there.

Mrs Redboots

04-10-2006, 04:21 AM

can you do a one foot spin or two foot?One foot. Back when I was learning, two-foot spins weren't taught. Actually, I wasn't taught to spin until much later in my skating career, as when I first began to learn, I was very firmly told that Adults Danced, they did not Jump or Spin! Thankfully that is no longer true (it never actually was, although the majority of adult skaters danced back then).

Mind you, my so-called change-foot spin is apt to be 2 revolutions on one foot, one on 2 feet and one on my right foot.... but it's coming, slowly.

(I just don't get why I can do the flip but not the loop! But hey! I'll take the flip!!! :twisted: )Some people do find toe jumps easier than edge jumps, end of. Did you find the cherry flip - sorry, toe loop - easier than the salchow?

Skate@Delaware

04-10-2006, 08:53 PM

Some people do find toe jumps easier than edge jumps, end of. Did you find the cherry flip - sorry, toe loop - easier than the salchow?
Unless you are me....I find the salchow easier than the loop (which I don't have yet) and the toe-loop (only because I'm 3-turn-challenged at any speed above a crawl)...but I can do a mean toe-walley!:??

jazzpants

04-10-2006, 08:58 PM

Some people do find toe jumps easier than edge jumps, end of. Did you find the cherry flip - sorry, toe loop - easier than the salchow?Initially when I was learning them, yes. But right now, my salchow is about the same as the toe loop/cherry flip in crappiness!!! :twisted: (Well, with the sal slightly ahead on technique...)

vesperholly

04-10-2006, 09:35 PM

Hooray, I hit the one-footed, rotated axels again today! Six of them! My right shin below the knee is so bruised from falling on it again and again. At least my coach got to see it, makes it all worth it. 8-)

Video if anyone's interested:
Axel 1 (http://users.adelphia.net/~jdelmar/video/newaxel1.wmv)
Axel 2 (http://users.adelphia.net/~jdelmar/video/newaxel2.wmv)

Leda

04-12-2006, 11:59 AM

One foot. Back when I was learning, two-foot spins weren't taught. Actually, I wasn't taught to spin until much later in my skating career, as when I first began to learn, I was very firmly told that Adults Danced, they did not Jump or Spin! Thankfully that is no longer true (it never actually was, although the majority of adult skaters danced back then).

wow! one footed spin! thats realy good! =O

Leda:
I must tell you---stick it out and don't give up! When I first started learning to spin, I did find that 2-foot spins were really easy (I had done them in my youth way back). However, when we started learning 1-foot spins....

There was one time I went to the rink and was the only person there for the whole session (really a waste of good ice on such an un-talented skater). I spent the whole time doing (or trying) 1-foots! By the time the session ended, the whole surface was covered in spin curliques!!!! All from me!!!

My coach at the time saw me...just shook her head and went about her business.

That was 2 years ago and I still remember how hard I tried!

So, keep trying and work at it. Be sure to ask us question about spinning because we have all been there!
well I am only doing two-foot spins but I can still use your advice for it! Thanks! I just went skating yesterday and all I did was practice my spin. I didn't get more rotations but I sure didn't as dizzy as I used to!:)