Triumphant March or Funeral Dirge June 2-16

[SkatingOnClouds]

My turn to start the thread then Jazzpants.

For me it is all Funeral Dirge

Off ice nursing an injury. I did something to a hamstring weeks ago, then fell heavily twice on the same sore spot. It had got to the stage where last week anything I did wrong was agony. I finally saw sense and took myself off the ice and off to a physio. Took some treatment to get the pain back to the source injury, stop all my butt muscles being in spasm. It's going to be another week at least, but realistically another 2-3 weeks. :cry:
Extremely frustrating as I feel I was progressing so well in regaining my elements.

I also had the worst ever blade sharpening experience. Never again. I have sent them away, I can only hope they can be made useable again. At least while they are gone I cannot be tempted to set foot on the ice.

The only Triumphant March part for me is watching my daughter. She has now passed her Novice 1 test in Aussie Skate, and will compete at that level at the State Championships at the end of the month. I feel really proud watching her progress.

[Rusty Blades]

Funeral Dirge This has been the first week of a 5-week layoff between Spring Skating and Summer Skating :cry: going into withdrawl! No ice :x Have to survive 4 more weeks with only my off-ice exercises.

Triumphant March It hasn't rained in 24 hours, no rain in the forecast for the next 48 hours and my rink excavation has dried up enough to work on it again so I took today off to (hopefully) finish the bulldozing before the rains turn it into a pond again. At least it is "skating related"! :roll:

[flying~camel]

Triumphant march:

I found a camel-back camel-back sit combo spin! Now I just have to work on getting it faster with more revs :P

I also figured out why I'm not getting my knee through on my axel attempts: instead of bringing the knee through then jumping, I've been jumping and trying to bring the knee through at the same time. Now that I've got it figured out in my head, I'll have to see if there's any improvement on the ice!

Funeral dirge:

Nothing this week! :P

[Skate@Delaware]

Triumphant March: Ok, I'm cheating and putting this in for yesterday's skate. It's been 2 weeks since I've been skating (sounds like an intro to "skaters anonymous"). It took about 10 minutes this time to feel comfortable on the ice (much better than the 30 minute last time!)...

Ran through all my moves from stroking, edges, crossovers up to the waltz and salchow, with most doing great and even was off my toepick on back crossovers! Ran into some old friends, made a few new ones at my "summer rink" which is always nice! There were about 20 people there, most working on either dance, hockey, or moves. Some were just there for the public skating.

I felt really good because towards the end my scratch spin resurfaced! And i even tried a few back 3-turns which I haven't done in a year....

Funeral Dirge: My legs were shaking by the time I got off the ice!!! Yikes! I'm getting out of shape from lack of skating....I need to squeeze in another session at least.

PS-I'm going to change into my Coronation Aces when I return from my seminar this Sunday.....so I probably won't be able to skate right for a while....should be interesting!

[quarkiki2]

Hey Skate@Delaware -- what are switching out of? I just removed my heinous MK Club 2000's for a pair of Aces last week. There wasn't a huge adjustment -- I've been on them twice with no falls and no tripping over the toepicks. My "spin" left a tracing as big as a quarter -- for three revolutions, LOL! I only have a couple of 1/2 jumps -- flip, lutz, loop and a two-footed toe loop, but they were OK, too. My turns were much more effortless, though I still find a way to drop my free foot. Gotta work on that!

I was convinced that I was going to stumble all over my toepicks the first six times I was out on the ice, but my coach laughed and said she didn't think I'd have as much adjustment as I was anticipating. Gues she was right, the stinker! My CCW back crossovers were a little scratchy, but when they got fully warmed up, I realized that I was FINALLY solidly over my RBO edge and that because of that, I was skating faster and dragging my left toepick a smidge to slow down. Once I figured that out, I did OK.

[Skate@Delaware]

Hey Skate@Delaware -- what are switching out of? I just removed my heinous MK Club 2000's for a pair of Aces last week. There wasn't a huge adjustment -- I've been on them twice with no falls and no tripping over the toepicks. My "spin" left a tracing as big as a quarter -- for three revolutions, LOL! I only have a couple of 1/2 jumps -- flip, lutz, loop and a two-footed toe loop, but they were OK, too. My turns were much more effortless, though I still find a way to drop my free foot. Gotta work on that!

I was convinced that I was going to stumble all over my toepicks the first six times I was out on the ice, but my coach laughed and said she didn't think I'd have as much adjustment as I was anticipating. Gues she was right, the stinker! My CCW back crossovers were a little scratchy, but when they got fully warmed up, I realized that I was FINALLY solidly over my RBO edge and that because of that, I was skating faster and dragging my left toepick a smidge to slow down. Once I figured that out, I did OK.

I can only hope I do as well with my switch....I'm going from Comets to Aces....8.5" rocker to 7.5 (i think).....stay tuned!!! thought about taping it and airing it for the old-time comedy show....(although my skating is comic enough):lol:

ETA: I'm going to try them for a month or two and see how they work out, since I only skate a few times a month....I will try to skate about 4 times in June, and squeeze some extra time in July. I really hope they work out! I am hoping they help my spins a bit more. My jumps are good (well, as good as they are going to get for me)

[doubletoe]

Oh, God. . . Did it have to be this particular wording this week?

I skipped 3 days of skating this week because my beloved kitty--whom I've had for 14 years--died early Tuesday morning. DEFINITEY funeral dirge. :cry:

I was back on the ice this morning, but a little spacier than usual, which I guess should have been no surprise.

[doubletoe]

I can only hope I do as well with my switch....I'm going from Comets to Aces....8.5" rocker to 7.5 (i think).....stay tuned!!! thought about taping it and airing it for the old-time comedy show....(although my skating is comic enough):lol:

ETA: I'm going to try them for a month or two and see how they work out, since I only skate a few times a month....I will try to skate about 4 times in June, and squeeze some extra time in July. I really hope they work out! I am hoping they help my spins a bit more. My jumps are good (well, as good as they are going to get for me)

Actually, it's just a 7' rocker, so that's an even bigger difference. But once you stop rolling forward onto your toepicks, you'll probably get several more revolutions on all of your spins right away. Just remember to push your heel down really hard on your jump landings, since you'll feel like your heel doesn't want to come down. ;)

[doubletoe]

Triumphant march:

I found a camel-back camel-back sit combo spin! Now I just have to work on getting it faster with more revs :P

I also figured out why I'm not getting my knee through on my axel attempts: instead of bringing the knee through then jumping, I've been jumping and trying to bring the knee through at the same time. Now that I've got it figured out in my head, I'll have to see if there's any improvement on the ice!


Hey, that's a great spin combination! Any tips on getting more power on the transition into the back sit? Is it just a matter of having more momentum on the flying camel, or is there something you can do during the change of position that helps? I make it about half the time, and the other half, I don't have enough momentum getting into the reverse sitspin and I end up falling back on my heel and sitting down. :frus:

[LoopLoop]

Hey, that's a great spin combination! Any tips on getting more power on the transition into the back sit? Is it just a matter of having more momentum on the flying camel, or is there something you can do during the change of position that helps? I make it about half the time, and the other half, I don't have enough momentum getting into the reverse sitspin and I end up falling back on my heel and sitting down. :frus:

Back camel into back sit is the first part of my combo spin. Try to keep your free hip lifted as you flip over from the camel to the sit, and keep your shoulders and back locked into place until you're ready to snap into the sit position.

[jazzpants]

I skipped 3 days of skating this week because my beloved kitty--whom I've had for 14 years--died early Tuesday morning. DEFINITEY funeral dirge. :cry:

I was back on the ice this morning, but a little spacier than usual, which I guess should have been no surprise.:cry: :cry: :cry: (((doubletoe)))

I know what you're going thru. I had a similar thing happened to my neighborhood kitty (aka "Stalker Kitty") and I miss him very VERY much! :cry: :cry: :cry:

Triumphant march: My secondary coach is quite happy about my moves, though not perfectly happy with it! She sees that there's power though she wants even MORE power on the forward power 3's. The 5 step mohawks are good on the second try and my back crossover to BO edges are pretty good again.

And to throw in a bit of incentive... I'm going back to NYC again!!! :mrgreen: And yes, I'll be back to see my wonderful coach at Chelsea Piers again, so I am really working on improving my extension so he'll see that I've been paying attention to him. :P

Funeral Dirge: Well, it's sorta in a coma... my scar on the knee still looks gross, so I think I'm keeping the bandage on for a while. :x (Hey, at least the hockey guys will think I'm KEWL b/c I have this big 'ol ugly scar now...)

[doubletoe]

LoopLoop, thanks for the tip! I'm going to pay attention to the free hip and see what's going on there

Jazzpants, thanks for the e-hug. :) When is your MIF test?

[flying~camel]

Hey, that's a great spin combination! Any tips on getting more power on the transition into the back sit? Is it just a matter of having more momentum on the flying camel, or is there something you can do during the change of position that helps? I make it about half the time, and the other half, I don't have enough momentum getting into the reverse sitspin and I end up falling back on my heel and sitting down. :frus:

When I drop down into the back sit, I give myself a little toe push to get more speed ;)

[looplover]

so far, I will try to turn it into a march!

dirge

Sometimes as an adult skater I feel 'in the way' of the really high level kids and then I skate like absolute crap, and that happened this morning when I ran thru my program and it was atrocious...was nervous and horrible even though these high level skaters have aways been really nice to me, and I'm mid level myself. Grr, it's not them, it's me.

march

My sit spin was nicely centered despite my still screwed up left arm, it just needs to be lower and faster.

[TwirlGirl10]

Funeral- I still don't have my new skates. My fitter said it would take 2-6 weeks and its been 4. I want them sooooooooo bad!!!!!!

Triumphant March- I LANDED MORE THAN 1 DOUBLE FLIP TODAY!!!!!!!!! this is the 1st jump that I have learned that I have not landed within the week of learning it! It was awsome i landed a few a quarter cheated but I also landed some CLEAN!:) :) :)

[mikawendy]

Oh, God. . . Did it have to be this particular wording this week?

I skipped 3 days of skating this week because my beloved kitty--whom I've had for 14 years--died early Tuesday morning. DEFINITEY funeral dirge. :cry:

I was back on the ice this morning, but a little spacier than usual, which I guess should have been no surprise.

doubletoe, {{{{{hugs}}}}} to you. That's so hard to lose a beloved pet.

[doubletoe]

When I drop down into the back sit, I give myself a little toe push to get more speed ;)

Which toe pushes, and how??

[Skate@Delaware]

Doubletoe,
Sorry to hear about your kitty :cry: . I cried for a long time when mine died (he came into my sewing room, laid down and died....). Every so often I call the other cats "Rocky"......


and thanks for the tip for landing heel-down with my new blades. I'm sure I will only forget to do that a few times ;)

[Terri C]

Today was a major Funeral Dirge:
Had first lesson with Primary Coach since she's retuned from the PSA Conference. What she tends to do when returning from conference is get pickier and break down everything. She broke down the forward power perim stroking and left me with orders to not skate it on the big axis until she sees a consistent LFI edge following the right over left forward crossovers.

It does not help that our compressors in the rink we skate in are broken and since the rink owner is out of town, will not be fixed for a week or two!

Spins- now that Primary Coach is back, the sit has gone back into hiding!!

BTW- doubletoe- I'm sorry about your cat. Muffin and I send condolences.

[e-skater]

Oh, God. . . Did it have to be this particular wording this week?

I skipped 3 days of skating this week because my beloved kitty--whom I've had for 14 years--died early Tuesday morning. DEFINITEY funeral dirge. :cry:

I was back on the ice this morning, but a little spacier than usual, which I guess should have been no surprise.


Sorry 2toe......We used to have four pets. Two cats died after quite long lives, one dog at 13.5, and our last doggie is now 14.5. I'm still not really over losing our first dog. The cats died much longer ago, and I still miss them. I would be foolish to say "I understand how you feel", so let me say I understand how I felt, and my heart goes out to you. :cry:

To make this post thread worthy :), despite my various dirge-like skating elements, I was planning to test AB Freeskate in 9-06, "shooting for it" per coach. This week, after lesson, coach told me I'm testing in 7-06. 8O So, guess that's sort of "march". In a sick way, of course! :twisted:

[e-skater]

[QUOTE=jazzpants
Funeral Dirge: Well, it's sorta in a coma... my scar on the knee still looks gross, so I think I'm keeping the bandage on for a while. :x (Hey, at least the hockey guys will think I'm KEWL b/c I have this big 'ol ugly scar now...)[/QUOTE]

Oh yeah, Jazz, they LOVE the war wounds and battle scars! :lol: Show it with pride!

[Isk8NYC]

((DoubleToe)) Sorry about your beloved cat.

Triumphant March:
Did some power skating today with a huge crowd. It's so nice to actually skate.

Coolest move: forward power pulls into a RFI three into backward power pulls. (Well, I impressed myself and the elder statesmen of the crowd!;) )

Got to try out some power cords - very cool tools to use in teaching alignment and body position. They also had these little ankle "socks" with a pressure-sensitive noisemaker in them. The theory is to teach kids how to cross their feet properly on jumps, which results in a cow moo, a monkey sound, or a chime. I can just imagine a freestyle session filled with these noises!

Funeral Dirge:
I strained my right knee two weeks ago, teaching lunges to a new student. Like an idiot, I tried to keep up with the off-ice workshop I went to yesterday. As a result, my knee was KILLING me last night, so I was very careful today.

After traveling in a pack during the power skating workshop, I stood out of the conditioning on-ice workshop and just took notes. They were really moving, and it was really crowded for the first few exercises. Interestingly enough, the pack size shrunk as the exercises went on! In the end, only the demonstrators were left!

[Debbie S]

This week, after lesson, coach told me I'm testing in 7-06. 8O So, guess that's sort of "march". In a sick way, of course! :twisted:Good luck, e-skater! You can do it!

My condolences on your kitty, doubletoe.

[aussieskater]

(((doubletoe)))

Triumphant march

The CCW spin is coming, at last. So are an exercise we got on Thursday: RFO 3turn, step forward onto LFO edge then immediate LFO 3turn etc etc. I managed the turns OK, but the sequence was supposed to travel down the rink, and I over-rotated the turns so they went in a rather messy circle :P I gather it's about checking the turns...

Just started learning the 3turns in the European Waltz (it seems we call them European 3's down here): whee! what fun! (Now about the checking of each turn... We ended up going ever-faster in an ever-shrinking circle...and wondered why we got dizzy. The power of centrifugal (?) force! 8O )

Coach gave us the choreo for another 2 seconds ( :) ) of our first baby FD. At the rate we're learning it, it will take 12-18 months to even get it laid out...

Funeral dirge

Alternating twizzles are bad, bad, bad: I suspect thanks to the lack of proper checking!

Do you get the idea that checking is a problem??

[techskater]

[QUOTE=doubletoe]
I skipped 3 days of skating this week because my beloved kitty--whom I've had for 14 years--died early Tuesday morning. DEFINITEY funeral dirge. :cry:

Oh, I'm so sorry doubletoe! That has to be really hard to take.

[flying~camel]

Which toe pushes, and how??

The left toe (I'm a CCW spinner) and it pushes when I drop out of the camel right before I hit the sit position.

[mikawendy]

Triumphant March--
Got some good moves practice in today (full session of moves) and Thursday (1 1/2 sessions of moves, then some FS, then stroking class). I've been working on my stamina by doing double run throughs of the entire set of Bronze Moves, then doing half-patterns of the stuff that most needs fixing up. That and the warm weather and the dehumidifier being off at the rink = much sweat!

Saw a skater doing her program today and she had a really neat jump combo in it: walley-1/2 loop-double flip! Looked very cool and had an interesting rhythm to it.

Funeral Dirge--blister on my foot. bleah.

edited to add: Also Funeral Dirge--the RBI-LBI power pushes in the power 3s (and also in the perimeter back crossovers). I don't think I'm getting enough power. Transferring left to right works better (and I hear a "crunch" as I do it) but going from right foot to left foot is not working well....

[SkatingOnClouds]

Oh doubleToe, I am so sorry to hear about your kitty, I know how heart-breaking that is. I feel really bad for my choice of thread title now.

For me, more Dirge, because still off ice, my injury doesn't feel any better after a week without skating, my skates haven't come back from their emergency hospitalisation, and I am so missing skating.

I notice my initial post had the Triumphant March of my daughter passing Novice 1 in Aussie skate, well, yesterday she passed Novice 2.

Being the rinkside skating mum instead of on ice skater is a totally different experience. Interesting, in its own way.

But I can't wait to get back on ice.

[Mrs Redboots]

<<<Doubletoe>>> So sad, always, to lose a pet.

SkatingOnClouds, well done your daughter!

We were back on the ice today, but I don't think we did very much. Husband had his lesson, and if he'd run through his programme at the Mountain Cup the way he did today, he'd have won, no question! But he didn't, so..... He also worked on his Willow Waltz solo. Oh, and he played around with a catchfoot spiral and just about managed it - but aren't you supposed to use opposite arms?

I did the best length of back cross-cuts I've ever done; such a pity the coach didn't see it.... oh well.

[plinko]

It's all bad: dum dum dum, dum DE dum, dum DE dum (Darth Vader music from Star Wars)

My summer rink closed, without warning and explanation. The doors are shut and no one knows what is going on. My skater friend who was the part time zamboni driver hasn't been paid. It was owned by a numbered company and he doesn't know who to call. It had been empty lately because the hockey league moved elsewhere. Sigh.

I've three other places to skate, all involve driving, one has the worst ice mountains I've ever seen so is practically unskateable, the other is the rink rat palace in the Mall, and the third is the very expensive private club. No joke, it would cost me $50/hour to skate there (ice + mandatory coaching).

But, my coach doesn't want to see me until September. "Take the summer off". I'm too old, too much to catch up on, too much to remember how to do to be able to take that much time off. I took off a summer two years ago and then spent three weeks relearning everything. I need to skate at least once a week.

Someone quit at my workplace and I have to fill the hours because no one else can. So, for the next while, talking about ice is stupid anyway because I'll be WORKING ALL THE TIME!

And finally,

I sat down and watched my competition videos from the previous year. In order. All at once. Went and bought beer. That didn't help. Ah geez, at least my hair was good.

Good things: ( to the tune of Liberty Bell March, John Phillip Sousa)

Went to the fabric store and got samples for next year's costumes. Pretty!! That's a sure fire fix for when I'm depressed, is a trip to the fabric store.

[e-skater]

<<<Doubletoe>>> So sad, always, to lose a pet.

Husband had his lesson, and if he'd run through his programme at the Mountain Cup the way he did today, he'd have won, no question! But he didn't, so..... He also worked on his Willow Waltz solo. Oh, and he played around with a catchfoot spiral and just about managed it - but aren't you supposed to use opposite arms?

I did the best length of back cross-cuts I've ever done; such a pity the coach didn't see it.... oh well.

Hmm, came up with a dirge for myself this week by reading your post. I must have been blocking it from my mind to remain sane! :lol:

You mentioned your husband worked on his Willow Waltz solo. Oh, my coach just showed me that dance three weeks ago. I think trying to skate it is supposed to make my remaining two Pre Bronze dances easier. LOL!!! DOUBLE DIRGE for me! My "Willow Waltz" is definitely, at this point, a comedy routine! I take about 1/2 of the ice for the pattern. :roll: NOT! :P

(re the catch foot spiral, I've seen it done both ways.......)

[Debbie S]

Triumphant March:
Attended a great adult skaters' seminar today. It was good to see LoopLoop and to finally meet Skate@Delaware. The atmosphere was very nice, with great instructors, and I got some good feedback on my jumps from the Dartfish (video program) coach. I was also able to get a couple of run-throughs of my program in during the open practice sessions.


Funeral Dirge:
My feet are killing me! And I'm skating 2 sessions tomorrow. I really can't skip it, b/c Mon and Thurs are my skating nights, and there's no other ice that's convenient on other days, so I hope my feet feel better tomorrow.

[Thin-Ice]

despite my various dirge-like skating elements, I was planning to test AB Freeskate in 9-06, "shooting for it" per coach. This week, after lesson, coach told me I'm testing in 7-06. 8O So, guess that's sort of "march". In a sick way, of course! :twisted:

congratulations e-skater! That IS march-worthy! Good luck on your test! Is it early or late July?

And doubletoe, I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. It is so hard to lose a fur-kid.

(We had a bad scare with one of our house-rabbits this week... but fortunately she's doing better now.)

[sk8pics]

Hi Debbie,
Hope your feet feel better! That's my one problem with these all-day seminars, my feet always kill me by the end of it!

As for me, eh, I suppose my skating is going okay, neither a funeral dirge nor a triumphant march. Some progress on moves, some on jumps, but we're not working on my interpretive program at all, so I'm not sure when I'll compete again. This is a bad time of year, with rink schedules changing, for scheduling, so it doesn't help my progress any.

Happy skating everyone.

[Mrs Redboots]

LOL!!! DOUBLE DIRGE for me! My "Willow Waltz" is definitely, at this point, a comedy routine! I take about 1/2 of the ice for the pattern. :roll: NOT! :P Sounds exactly like mine! Although I haven't danced it for a very long time, not seriously, anyway.

[Skate@Delaware]

Triumphant March: Went to the adult seminar yesterday and met LoopLoop and Debbie S, as well as many other adult skaters. Had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things and had my waltz and salchow analyzed by Dartfish....It was soooo much fun! Everyone was sooo nice! My husband and I are planning on attending next year.

It's nice to attend a seminar like this, it is great for motivation, seeing other adult skaters of all different talents and abilities!

Funeral Dirge: I am still beat! Not used to skating all day! And I never realized you could have soooo many things wrong with a waltz jump, but you can! I knew it was messed up now I know what to fix!

Now that it's done, I can swap out my blades!!!! I get to skate on them in 2 weeks so I'll let you know how it goes....think i'll wear my pads just in case.

Should make for an interesting summer, at least!

[e-skater]

congratulations e-skater! That IS march-worthy! Good luck on your test! Is it early or late July?

(We had a bad scare with one of our house-rabbits this week... but fortunately she's doing better now.)

Glad bunny's better :) .

Thank you for the well wishes. Test is 7-12-06. It's one of those situations where I feel ready, and my coach knows I am as ready as I can be at this point. I have to try it now. I'm going in fighting for everything. If I get a retry, I get a retry. At least I will know where I stand with these skills.

My evil coach sprung an impromptu run through on me today. :twisted: I had only been on ice for about 10 minutes, and had done no freestyle whatsoever, not to mention any other significant warm up! Yikes. I didn't get the backspin, but fought for everything else and completed the elements. It was not the best I've done, and not the worst. It's the first time she's ever complimented me on my "sit spin". I guess it might be getting nano-millimeters lower. :roll: Let's get out those calipers which take measurements which are not noticeable to the naked eye!!!! :P

[Terri C]

Triumphant March:
Coach has me slowly working back onto the pattern for Forward Perim stroking and the Backward one as well.

Funeral Dirge:
The ice still sucks- if it's not better in a week, I'm going to talk with management AGAIN!

[Mrs Redboots]

Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. We were doing a really awful Dutch Waltz this morning, far too slow, no ice-coverage at all, don't know what was wrong (although I suspect that Husband was trying not to push himself so hard as he's still chesty after our cold). Anyway, Husband kicked my feet out from under me, as is his wont on such occasions, and I ended up hard on my left buttock. Owwwwwwww. Also hit a nerve, and my leg went dead and painful all down to my feet, so I had to get off the ice for several minutes. That bit didn't last long, and thankfully, thankfully I didn't hit my tailbone, but my left buttock and thigh are really painful.

Plus it hurt to bend my knees for the rest of the morning, and with an hour's worth of lessons coming up, this was not good! But we managed. Spent a lot of time working on the changes of hold in our free dance, which was good, as a lot of that is partnering skills, which is our weak point. And changed the choreography at the end very slightly, too. But I was thankful not to have to be lifted more than once!

And between lessons, we had fun sketching out a very silly piece we will do for the Roland Hailston Cup at the Lambeth Festival at the beginning of July - I can see most of the work on it will be done on the day of the competition, as we do need to keep working on our free dance between now and then, but no harm in having a play with something different. We're skating to Tom Lehrer's Poisoning Pigeons in the Park and I shall borrow some decoy pigeons from my father, but not sure how best to make use of them yet! I'm going to have lunch with the parents next Wednesday, so will pick them up then.

[BatikatII]

Dirge:
First time back on the ice after my holiday and my boots - which were new just a week or so before my holiday - were feeling horrible.

Jumps had just disappeared; no loop, no flip.

Coach worked on them with me for the whole lesson - no point trying to run through my programme when I can barely land a 3 jump at the moment. He was fairly convinced most of the problem was psychological but he did agree to look at the position of my right blade again and together with his careful coaching this seemed to do the trick as by the end of the lesson..........

March:
................Loop and flip returned!!!! Yay!

Now just 3 weeks to make this programme competition worthy. I dont think I will be retaining the cup I won last year somehow!

[Skittl1321]

Dirge- I still have no ice. I'm worried that I'll forget everything I've learned since I'm still a pretty low level, and I need practice. The good news is I start Basic 5 lessons next week, but the bad news on that is it's only 4 hour long lessons total. Then my skating for the summer is over. That's just horrible.

March- Went to visit the house we bought in Iowa. I am (walking distance) approximately 10 minutes away from the rink. If I drive it's about 2.5 minutes. Now I just have to find a job to pay for skating :) (and hope that I can get skating into the schedule)

[Thin-Ice]

My evil coach sprung an impromptu run through on me today. :twisted: I had only been on ice for about 10 minutes, and had done no freestyle whatsoever, not to mention any other significant warm up! Yikes. I didn't get the backspin, but fought for everything else and completed the elements. It was not the best I've done, and not the worst. It's the first time she's ever complimented me on my "sit spin". I guess it might be getting nano-millimeters lower. :roll: Let's get out those calipers which take measurements which are not noticeable to the naked eye!!!! :P

Well if you can do it with only a 10-minute not-really-a-warm-up, you should be fine for your test! I love it when coaches say something nice about an element that feels like it has stalemated. And I use a microscope to see the difference in my sit-spin level. 8O

[Isk8NYC]

March- Went to visit the house we bought in Iowa. I am (walking distance) approximately 10 minutes away from the rink. If I drive it's about 2.5 minutes. Now I just have to find a job to pay for skating :) (and hope that I can get skating into the schedule)Ten minutes? I love it! I don't know what you do for a living, but I'd check out the rink and see if they have any positions open. Most rinks have office staff, cashiers, pro shop jobs, available if they're open year-round.

[Skittl1321]

Ten minutes? I love it! I don't know what you do for a living, but I'd check out the rink and see if they have any positions open. Most rinks have office staff, cashiers, pro shop jobs, available if they're open year-round.

Definetly something I've thought about if I can't find a professional position (right now I'm an editor). But I'm a little worried about mixing work and play- other than maybe teaching LTS- which I'm not yet qualified to do.

[doubletoe]

Oh, don't worry about the subject line! What were the chances, right?
Anyway, I'm starting to "march" again after losing my kitty a week ago. Over the weekend, we adopted an irresistible 7-week old kitten and that has cheered me up a lot! The downside is that I had to skip my morning session today because of the new kitten (can't leave her alone yet). . .

[flo]

triumphant:
Taking time off. I just got back from helping my parents pack to move, and still haven't had a chance to unpack completely from France.
Congrats to all in Germany!
Next up: Giving my "new" Harlicks another try. I can't wear the "new" Jacksons for more than 1 and 1/2 sessions w/o blisters.

[blisspix]

Dirge - well I took off the last month as I was in Portugal for work, and will be flying to the US next week for a month so not much time for skating in between.

Today was just ok. Decided to finally lace up to the last hook on my skates, as I've had them a year and they were starting to feel a bit too comfortable otherwise.

Triumphant March - very little I'm afraid!

[phoenix]

Triumph!! I had an awesome lesson today (finally!!)....all we did was good ol' exercise drills, which was just what I was in the mood for. And coach & I kind of cleared the air after the last few weeks of butting heads & glaring at each other :roll:

Dirge: The approximate tempo of my straightline footwork....comment today from coach: "Could you skate ANY slower? Because I don't think it's possible." Tomorrow I need to really crack down my footwork, which unaccountably has gotten WORSE since last week, even though it's all I've worked on! :frus:

[looplover]

March: had good solid flips and loops this morning, sit spin was low...fell on a t-stop. GREAT! :D

BUT

DIRGE

turns out my shoulder strain from a three turn fall a month ago is a humerus fracture (showed up on MRI) and I am off the ice for a month, cannot do my first competition ever at my rink which I have been working toward for over a year.

dirge dirge dirge

Oh well. Better let it rest and heal than make it worse and be out of skating forever.

dirge

[Kevin Callahan]

Funeral Dirge:

Limited ice time, annoying hockey punks, tiring commute.

Triumphant March:

Trying out a new coach, changing clubs, renewing USFSA membership.

[Terri C]

Triumphant March:
Secondary coach had me do moves on the LONG AXIS TODAY!!!
And they are getting better!

Funeral Dirge:
Freakin left power threes have no power and the kids had limited places to spin because we still have bumps!!

[jazzpants]

Funeral Dirge:

I hope my coach at Chelsea Piers will have mercy on me when I have my lesson with him soon... cuz my extension on the first step of the 5 step mohawks is still non-existent, according to my secondary coach. Well, I take that back... mainly on the RFI mohawks. The LFI mohawks aren't as bad. All the other steps are getting there now, including that dreaded 5th step that the critique judge had commented on. But I need good extensions on the RFI mohawks too, especially on the very FIRST step! (And I *know* he and I HAVE worked on that last Christmas... DOH!!! :oops: )

Triumphant March:

The rest of the extensions on the 5 step mohawks are looking great!!! And other than that little "Oops" mentioned above, I really am looking forward to working with my Chelsea Coach coach again! :D

[Rusty Blades]

Funeral Dirge: I have been going absolutely NUTS with no skating since May 27!!!!!!!!

Triumphant March: Yesterday I couldn't take it anymore - I have 1 hour ice time next week and 2 the week after - I rented the whole damned rink!!! I might even invite a few of my friends.

(If there is no opportunity, MAKE ONE!)

[mikawendy]

Triumphant March: Had a great time at the skating seminar on Sunday (except for the sore feet from so much skating, including about 5 run throughs of Bronze Moves!). Nice program, LoopLoop! (Though I don't envy you on that footwork sequence!) And good to see you again, Skate@Delaware!

Funeral Dirge: camel spin is on again - off again.

[phoenix]

Funeral Dirge: I have been going absolutely NUTS with no skating since May 27!!!!!!!!

Triumphant March: Yesterday I couldn't take it anymore - I have 1 hour ice time next week and 2 the week after - I rented the whole damned rink!!! I might even invite a few of my friends.

(If there is no opportunity, MAKE ONE!)

A group of us adult skaters here used to do that--all got together & pitched in for ice time. We'd buy late night ice to save money, on a Friday or Saturday night....midnight skating is lots of fun! There aren't many of us left anymore still skating, but that was a great time.... :P

[Mrs Redboots]

All the other steps are getting there now, including that dreaded 5th step that the critique judge had commented on.Isn't the 5th step just a slide chasse, though (sorry, my computer is fighting me on accents, which it does sometimes)? If what we were shown at the Mountain Cup camp is the same as what you are working on, that is the easiest step of the whole thing! I find....

Dirge: Couldn't even get out of bed yesterday, never mind skate - something (possibly the fall) knocked me flat on my back. Sigh. A bit better today, but I don't think I'll be going to dance club. Just hope I can skate in the morning.

[jenlyon60]

Yes the 5th step of the 5-step mohawk sequence is the slide chasse onto the FI edge.

The 4th step is the one I usually see with the most problems.... If that 4th step (the "BO-FO mohawk" or step-forwards) is clearly a flat on almost every repeat of the pattern, I will generally mark that MIF (the 5-step mohawk sequence) below passing average.

Doesn't mean the skater fails the whole test, just that that particular exercise was executed below passing expectations. Especially because by Pre-Juv (or Adult Bronze) the skater has had to do that step-forward/mohawk in other exercises (e.g. the Waltz 8).

I realize that Adults who tested pre-bronze MIF before the realignment of moves won't necessarily have been exposed (training-wise) to the Waltz 8 MIF, but the BO-FO mohawk/step-forward is a fairly common step... in other parts of skating, generally used as the prep steps for a Waltz jump, for example.

[Debbie S]

the BO-FO mohawk/step-forward is a fairly common step... in other parts of skating, generally used as the prep steps for a Waltz jump, for example.And you know, I never had problems doing that step when it involved a waltz jump or a salchow, but in practicing MIF, it was hit or miss for a long time. Same thing with back crossovers - I could do them (relatively) powerfully and with minimal scratching when I was setting up for jumps and such, but on the MIF patterns, it was a mess. I always wondered why I could do things in the context of FS practice but when the same things were called MIF, it all went south! :oops: :roll: :lol:

[jenlyon60]

And you know, I never had problems doing that step when it involved a waltz jump or a salchow, but in practicing MIF, it was hit or miss for a long time. Same thing with back crossovers - I could do them (relatively) powerfully and with minimal scratching when I was setting up for jumps and such, but on the MIF patterns, it was a mess. I always wondered why I could do things in the context of FS practice but when the same things were called MIF, it all went south! :oops: :roll: :lol:

I think it's part of the sport!

I have the same issues with different things (intro-3's for dance being a prime example). Out of context (like doing a rolling start w/o music) they work great. Throw in "standing with the coach and having the actual dance music start" and my brain freezes and forgets how to do the turns.

[Summerkid710]

March: I finally saw the light on my running three's clockwise on novice moves. My right shoulder had always felt stiff and coach helped me to figure out I had to let it go to rotate into the next step. FINALLY, IT MAKES SENSE! Coach said it looks completely different. It has the right rhythm now.

Dirge: Only three weeks before my first triathlon and I haven't really practiced the swim part yet. It's only a half mile. :mrgreen:

[phoenix]

Dirge: Only three weeks before my first triathlon and I haven't really practiced the swim part yet. It's only a half mile. :mrgreen:

I'm doing the swim leg of a team triathlon in early July......and haven't trained yet either! We can drown together.....8O

[jazzpants]

Isn't the 5th step just a slide chasse, though (sorry, my computer is fighting me on accents, which it does sometimes)? If what we were shown at the Mountain Cup camp is the same as what you are working on, that is the easiest step of the whole thing! I find....Yes, it's a slide chasse! It's easier to do, but not that easy to master. (Well, I shouldn't say "dreaded"...I dread the 1st step more than anything else. The judge didn't like it though, which is why it became the dreaded move.) To get the extension needed for that last step, you need to go from bending forward on the 4th step to sitting back to the 5th step ("sliding" as you shifted your body transition.) and extending far. (Sorry, hard to explain, easier to demonstrate...) Obviously, sitting back is quite scary and you really need that free foot extended out to balance sitting back. But what ultimately fixed the 5th step problem for me was fixing the 4th step. My feet from the 3rd to the 4th were not closed together and I end up "hopping" to the 4th step. With that fixed, the 5th step was fixed along for the ride!!! :D

[LoopLoop]

Nice program, LoopLoop! (Though I don't envy you on that footwork sequence!) And good to see you again, Skate@Delaware!

It was good to see Mika, Debbie S, and Skate@Delaware at the seminar on Sunday! And Mika, thanks for the compliment on my program. The footwork is the hardest part! I'm hoping that the judges agree that "panic" is a valid facial expression for that section of the program. ;)

[BatikatII]

triumphant march;
think I worked out why my Loop wasn't working. I simply wasn't bending down in the knee before take-off and so I was rising as I was turning on the RBO edge and therefore slipping off that edge. And the reason I wasn't bending is the fact of my boots still being new and stiff so it's harder to bend.

Was able to do alternate waltz 3's and alternate 3 jumps and even managed to do my alternate (i.e both ways) salchows and toe-loops today so things are improving slowly.

Dirge:

Still haven't been able to run through my programme and the competition is now just over two weeks away - 5 lessons left.

Also I now have blisters on the sides of my legs where the top of the boots have rubbed - owwwwieee!

[Skate@Delaware]

It was good to see Mika, Debbie S, and Skate@Delaware at the seminar on Sunday! And Mika, thanks for the compliment on my program. The footwork is the hardest part! I'm hoping that the judges agree that "panic" is a valid facial expression for that section of the program. ;)
I can't recall if all of your music "allows" for it, but just planting a smile on your face will cover a multitude of sins! (take it from me...it's something I learned to do for the shows). If your music is more somber, try a different expression (like a sad smile) and just keep it, and not let it go, that way you don't get the "panicked look". What I did see of your routine looked very nice!

Good Luck with it!!!!

[Debbie S]

LOL, Loops, about the "panic" expression on footwork! Tonight, I worked on my program with the coach who did the choreography and was taken to task for looking down during the footwork sequence. :oops: Comment of the evening: "The ice is not going to open up and swallow you whole if you don't look at it!" :lol:

Hey Jazzpants, if you read this, please clean out your inbox! :)

[jazzpants]

Hey Jazzpants, if you read this, please clean out your inbox! :)No, I'm not reading this... I'm replying to it!!! :twisted:

It's clear now, BTW. PM away here! :P But don't expect a reply 'til 'oh probably Saturday night since I will be in transit all of Friday and Saturday I will be skating and having some good healthy food with dbny, ISk8NYC and whoever else plans to join us at Staten Island... :D

[Mrs Redboots]

To get the extension needed for that last step, you need to go from bending forward on the 4th step to sitting back to the 5th step ("sliding" as you shifted your body transition.) and extending far. (Sorry, hard to explain, easier to demonstrate...) Of course, much easier for us dancers as we're well used to it! It's really hard to do without sticking your bum in the air! But for me the worst step in the move is the LBI edge on the RFI/LBI Mohawk, which I can't do properly!

Friday's practice (mostly neutral!): We've lost our Dutch Waltz! Of course, as a result of the fall on Tuesday.

At least I'm back on the ice today, although it still hurts to sit on the loo, and also to walk up and down stairs. Skating hurt at first, too, but then I got used to it.

So we ran through our Dutch Waltz several times, and it improved, but it is so not what it was at the Mountain Cup. Plus Husband has forgotten all Xavier's corrections.... sigh...

The Fiesta Tango, however, was the best we'd ever done it. Well, one of the best. Except that Husband forgot all the corrections we'd been given on Tuesday, but luckily realised he had, so we did it again and it was okay. I don't think we're getting the edges we got with Xavier, though, all the same.

Free dance okay, except, guess what, yet again..... Husband forgot the corrections! Plus he forgot we'd changed the choreography at the end. But apart from those little things.....

Had a bit of a play with the thing for the Roland Hailston, but it's difficult to choreograph with the music cutting out on and off (as we were playing it through both earphones, and I had loaded the mono version I'd made; must change that) and Husband saying "But what are you doing now?" when I don't even know myself. I had a walk through it after he'd gone and I think I know roughly what is when, so we will walk through it at home, if we remember.

Then he went, and I ran through my artistic with no problems (don't expect any - it's competition-ready, just needs keeping up to the mark), and my dance moves. Which annoyed me because they were so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o much better than they were in my lesson; why can't I do them like that in front of the coach?

Then worked on stroking a bit and spins a bit and the inter-Bronze changes-of-edge a bit.

Several of us have birthdays this week, and someone had brought in a cake today; I arranged with the other two (married couple) who both have birthdays this week that they would bring in their cake next Friday, and if I bring one in at all (I might!), it'll be on Tuesday. And so it goes.....

[sk8pics]

No, I'm not reading this... I'm replying to it!!! :twisted:

It's clear now, BTW. PM away here! :P But don't expect a reply 'til 'oh probably Saturday night since I will be in transit all of Friday and Saturday I will be skating and having some good healthy food with dbny, ISk8NYC and whoever else plans to join us at Staten Island... :D

Wait, are you going to be in Staten Island some time this weekend? Where are you guys going to be? Maybe I'll drive up!

[Isk8NYC]

Since Jazzpants has announced her arrival this weekend in the great borough of Staten Island, I'll extend an open invitation to any SkatingForums members who want to join us for a "meetup." (I'm blowing my cover here! LOL)

We're skating at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion (http://www.thepavilion.org) Ice rink on Saturday from 1-3pm, then we're going for a quick bite to eat at the Better Gourmet Cafe (http://www.justeatbetter.com) on Victory Blvd. Both places are pretty easy to get to from the West Shore Expressway (Route 440).

Anyone needs more info, give me a PM since Jazz is in transit.

[blue111moon]

March: Got my still-swollen left foot into the boot without major pain and actually managed to do salchows and toe loops and upright spins without pain. The jumps weren't high because of a fear of pain upon the the landing, but I did them.

Dirge: Foot is still swollen which, two weeks after the injury, is Not a Good Thing. If it's still swollen on Monday, I'm calling my doctor. Maybe it really is more than just a sprain.... :cry:

But I'm down to skating only four hours a week for the summer anyway, since ice time outside of working hours is tough to find without a lot of driving. So maybe my body will have a chance to heal itself. And it's not as if I don't have tons of other stuff to do.

I also promised Fearless Leader (travelling coach) that I would do the ankle-strengthening exercizes he claims Yagudin does (although not the 3000 reps!) every day in hopes of preventin a repeat of the spraining. Actually, all I have to do is avoid all stairs for the rest of my life and I'll be fine... :lol:

[Debbie S]

Since Jazzpants has announced her arrival this weekend in the great borough of Staten Island, I'll extend an open invitation to any SkatingForums members who want to join us for a "meetup." (I'm blowing my cover here! LOL)Too bad my friends don't still live in Staten Island - I could invite myself for the weekend - lol! Have a great time, guys! Hopefully, Jazzpants and I (and other SkatingForums members that I haven't already met) will be able to meet up at AN next year! :P

Back to working on my backspin......

[flo]

Triumphant - I think my knees have recovered from all the dancing at MC and I'm looking forward to hearing the stories from Germany. Still no skating - probably back to it this weekend.

Mika:
Have a great day tomorrow!!!!!!

[Skate@Delaware]

Just realized if I'm to skate on Sunday I'd better swap my blades before then....i've been sooo busy I almost forgot!

And I can't remember if they have been sharpened or not, although I think they were just out of the box, so that's something else to take care of (I might stick with the 7/16" roh).

At least I know were my pads are!

And, I had a humorous thought, when my husband goes for his boot fitting, I might have my feet measured to see if my boots are ACTUALLY the right size for me (wouldn't that be funny if they are STILL the WRONG size after all these tries?)

[doubletoe]

March:
I just got the fabric samples for my new dress in the mail and they couldn't be more perfect! I designed this dress myself because I couldn't find anything ready-made that fit my music, then I commissioned a skating dress maker to make it for me, and she picked the perfect materials. It's going to cost me an arm and a leg, but that will just make me work harder on my program to make it worth the money. . . right? :p
This morning I did my first program run-through with all of the new "interpretive" movements and connecting moves. I temporarily blanked out in one or two spots, but other than that, it wasn't too bad.

Dirge:
Haven't been practicing my spins or jumps for WEEKS because I have been too caught up in trying to nail down this choreography! As a result, my camel spin is crappy and I missed the axel takeoff in my program this morning. I haven't even tried a double sal in almost a month, and I'll need it for my competition next month. . .

[jazzpants]

Well, since I skated on Saturday, it goes in this week...

March:

Got to NYC okay.
Got to Staten Island with little trouble (the little part being a delay b/c of an unplanned visit to my in-laws BEFORE I meet dbny for our trip to Staten Island.)
Got the pleasure of meeting and skating with dbny and her DH, ISk8NYC...and sk8pics!!! (My surprise guest...she saw my post about going to Staten Island and drove all the way out there to NYC to skate!!!) 8O :DDirge:
Beginning of the first half of the public session was WAAAAY too crowded for me to skate my patterns.

More Marches:
After the announcer mentioned that the birthday party attendancees to go to the party room for cake and sodas, a good 2/3's of the rink disappeared, leaving me with some amount of room to do my moves. Though... one of the moves I'm still nervous about doing moves b/c one section of the cones made it quite narrow for me to get thru. Obviously I didn't want to barge in on that small middle section where the lessons are going on, including dbny and ISk8NYC both in the middle of their lessons. 8O (sk8pics was probably watching me and thinking "Must be the water from California, b/c this jazzpants girl's CRAZY for going thru that crowd anyway..." :lol: Trust me, the FS session where I bashed my knee recently was probably as crowded as than that public session...before the announcer mentioned on the loudspeaker about cake and soda!!! :twisted: )

dbny got a good video of my sit spin. Not too bad...though obviously I still wished it was lower. But they all agreed it was definitely a "recognizable sit spin."

Best part... the food!!! We ate at this place (http://www.justeatbetter.com/) where they serve very healthy food and I loved the food and the place!!! They have health shakes made with soy milk, which definitely bodes well with MY dairy allergies!!! :P