Cool Breezes or Sweltering Heat: Lessons & Practices 8/14

[dbny]

Hmm, looks like we forgot to start a new thread this morning!

Cool Breezes:
Haven't got to skate more than twice in the past five weeks, but when I got on the ice Sat to give a lesson, I still felt balanced and smooth. Maybe I've finally reached a point where my comfort level won't go to H*ll when I've been off the ice a while. B power pulls were not bad on L leg.

Sweltering Heat:
Right hip has been so painful for the past week that I didn't dare power pulls on R leg. I'm now taking 600 mg ibuprofen twice a day. I've also finally found glucosamine without chondroitin and started taking it regularly.

[Mrs Redboots]

I've also finally found glucosamine without chondroitin and started taking it regularly.Thread hi-jack alert, sorry! My cousin, who is a GP, says that 4 out of 5 people find glucosamine helpful, but you need to take a hi-dose tablet (at least 1,000 mg) daily. Chondroitin has not been proven to be of any use. We both take it regularly now, and find that it really does help!

Skating in the morning, and our couples' lesson; I'll post all about it afterwards.

[dbny]

Thread hi-jack alert, sorry! My cousin, who is a GP, says that 4 out of 5 people find glucosamine helpful, but you need to take a hi-dose tablet (at least 1,000 mg) daily. Chondroitin has not been proven to be of any use. We both take it regularly now, and find that it really does help!

Thanks, I knew all that, but it doesn't hurt to repeat it for the benefit of others. I'm taking a 1,000 mg tab twice daily. I can't tolerate chondroitin anyway! Hoping I'm one of those who responds to glucosamine.

[Hannahclear]

Cool Breezes:

Landed the axel! Er in the harness with a cheat. But hey, beggers can't be choosers.

Started going over the basic mechanics of the double salchow. Coach thinks it will be easier for me.

I'm READY for my Bronze test. I am. I will believe this and skate like I am ready.

Sweltering heat:

I'm developing a head block thing regarding LBO 3 turns. I know I can do them, I did them on Thursday of last week. But today I went right back to collapsing on the attempt. Bah!

[doubletoe]

Thread hi-jack alert, sorry! My cousin, who is a GP, says that 4 out of 5 people find glucosamine helpful, but you need to take a hi-dose tablet (at least 1,000 mg) daily. Chondroitin has not been proven to be of any use. We both take it regularly now, and find that it really does help!

Skating in the morning, and our couples' lesson; I'll post all about it afterwards.

I notice my knees start making creaking noises whenever I've stopped taking glucosamine for more than 2 days. Which reminds me, I need to take mine, LOL! Thanks!

[doubletoe]

P.S. I think I remember reading some study result that concluded that Glucosamine + MSM is actually even better than glucosamine, although it said nothing about chondroitin. Some biochemist on a thread about a year ago (not sure if it was this board) said the chondroitin molecule is too large to be absorbed into the human body, so I haven't bothered with it since reading that. I take 1500 mg per day of glucosamine, though.

[Laura H]

Okay . . . just got in from my group lesson and 1 1/2 hours add'l practice . . . whew!! We spent a good bit of time on spins and the entry from backward crossovers.

Cool breezes - the one foot spin is getting more and more secure for me. And by the end of the public session, I was starting to get the hang of the entry from the crossovers. There was a more advanced adult skater in the public session who was nice enough to TRY to show us the entry - of course it looked a whole lot easier when she did it!! But watching her go through the steps really helped me to see what we are SUPPOSED to be doing. 8O And there weren't very many people in public session tonight . . . plenty of room to practice - yay! I even got to run through my small selection of jumps (waltz, ballet, half flip and I even tried a few toe loops - :halo: fun!!).

Sweltering heat . . . well, I can get through the entry to the one footed spin BUT ONLY when no one is watching - eek!!! It never fails - as soon as the instructor looks my way - I choke big time! :frus: Oh well, I have a whole lot of information about what NOT to do. ;) Seriously though, it is starting to feel much more natural. I will say the public session FLEW by tonight . . . I love having something new to work on.

Oh yeah, and I really, really need to get my skates sharpened. Whole lotta slipping and sliding going on tonight!! I did speak to the instructor who takes skates out to be sharpened from time to time (to the GOOD guy - not at the rink - shhhhhh!) and she thinks we can get it done next week. Can't wait!

[miraclegro]

Cool Breezes: Limited practice time, plus head infection and sciatic nerve has slowed me down....but....today in my teeny tiny window of time, i FINALLY got the footwork leading up to and including my lutz. Now my nerve has improved on tackling it moreso!

Sweltering heat.....dodging all the kids who don't understand freestyle protocol, plus working through sciatic nerve issues.

[Hannah]

Cool Breezes: I got a 3-turn! Four times in a row!

Sweltering heat: That was after about 15 minutes of failing to get a 3-turn. THEN the group lesson ended. I considered begging the Zamboni driver for a few extra minutes... :roll: I'll go back tomorrow morning!

[mikawendy]

Congrats on the 3-turns, Hannah! I remember when I first started working on 3 turns in group lessons--they felt TERRIFYING! But after a while it got better.

[beachbabe]

cool breezes- my leg seems to have gotten better since the mysterious tendonitis which seems to have been caused by nothing in particular.

sweltering heat- had a nightmare getting my jumps back after only being able to do moves for like 4 weeks b/c of the pain.

I thought I'd lost my axel- nvm my doubles. But by the end of the sessions I was landing my axel again and double toe and sal. Lost my double loop and flip again- hope it won't take too long to egt them back or i'll never start working on lutzes again.

[jazzpants]

Sweltering Heat:

The ditch is getting LONGER STILL!!! Can't wait 'til September since it will be our annual ice maintanance schedule.
No clean landing on loops!!! :frus:Cool breezes:

Starting to look like I'll be doing a flip in my when I test Bronze FS program! I landed a lot more flips than loops tonight, especially around the middle of the session when I was warmed up enough.
Everything else is stable! My footwork for my program is pretty fast tonight for some reason. I had another "skating niece" that I haven't seen in a while and I have to give her a reason to be impressed!!! And she was impressed, thank goodness!!! WHEW!!!
I calmly took the rest of the time doing whatever I can of Bronze Moves and started on Silver Moves.
Forward Power Pulls aren't bad...
Forward cross strokes are pretty good. Then again, for me having stuff be this easy usually means there's a CATCH!!! :twisted:
Practicing my alt 3's. It's still not passable for prelim yet but the 3's are getting better and smoother. Jay would be QUITE surprised when he sees it! He suspects that I won't be able to do a RFI3 since there's not much I do with a RFI3. What he doesn't remember, of course, is that a LOOONG time ago I was starting on an artistic program that had a FAST RFI3 in it... and I have been practicing FI3's and FO3's a lot just before I took the Bronze Moves test. (See? I'm trying to "really skate" here!!!)
Still have my better power 3's from Sunday. (Now why couldn't I do THIS one on the test!) :frus:

[SkatingOnClouds]

Cool Breeze:

I passed my Aussie Skate Dance 1 and Dance 2 tests. This is a bit of a laugh actually. Aussie Skate is the skate school stuff which precedes the ISA tests in Australia. I passed my prelim and bonze back in 1984, my coach at that time got me to take the Aussie Skate tests so I could sew the badges on my jacket to promote the newly started Aussie Skate program at our rink. To come back 22 years later and take an Aussie Skate test feels a bit weird. Plus I am just not into dance. Well, I could be, if only I could convince my husband to join me.

Spins, finally getting some centred. And I did some decent flips. A skating acquaintance told me I was landing flips still in the jump position instead of following through with the landing. :lol: Probably because I have been landing so few of them there was a delayed "OMG I landed it" moment before finishing it off. They went better once I committed to the follow through before waiting to see if I was actually going to land it.

Sweltering heat?

Frustrating practices, too many people, not enough ice.

[BatikatII]

sweltering heat (though more like the power outage of last week)

I can't skate - I've hurt my back (not through skating) - disk injury - can't enter British Adult Champs. Don't even know when I'll be able to get back on the ice.

Feeling very miserable:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Mrs Redboots]

I can't skate - I've hurt my back (not through skating) - disk injury - can't enter British Adult Champs. Don't even know when I'll be able to get back on the ice.

Feeling very miserable:cry: :cry: :cry:Oh no! Oh, I am soooooo sorry to hear that <<<Batikat>>>. How on earth did you do that?

Miserably hot and sweaty: As for me, I think - I hope - I'm in the darkest-hour-is-just-before-dawn stage, as I had the worst skating day ever, I think. Coach was doing his usual thing of blaming me for all that was going wrong in our dances (hello??? When the judges are saying it's Husband?????), so, of course, it's all my fault I can't do what I'm meant to be doing when I'm being pulled off-balance..... sheesh. "Oh well, if you bent your knees/pushed harder/whatever" say Husband and Coach, but why can't they understand that I can't push when I'm off-balance. And at the very end of the session, just before Husband went off to work, I finally managed to get through to his head that I can't get on a left outside edge when he is pulling me over! At least, I think I did......

To be fair, the coach did say that it was both of us in the Fiesta, and did correct Husband a bit, but after we were working on our step sequence for our free dance, I just felt so down I felt like giving up altogether!

Cool breezes: However, what saved the day from being a total disaster was that a dear skating friend came in - she has been off the ice for a couple of months due to having to have a really major operation and most of her insides taken out and rearranged. It was fantastic to see her, and she looked really well, and, best of all, is planning to come back on the ice on Friday! So that cheered everybody up, including all the people who are getting stressed about the NJS competition in two weeks!

[Hannahclear]

Sweltering Heat:

Well I wouldn't call it sweltering, but I felt that my runthrough today was rather uninspired. I completed all the elements, but some were a bit shaky. Funky entrances to sit and back scratch. My back scratch is one of my strongest elements, so I wasn't happy about that. I mean, it was all there, but I just felt it was mediocre.

*Shrug*

Moves coach called over to me today that I was picking in with a bent ankle for my lutz. He never comments on freestyle, so it must have been pretty funky. Eeek. Glad he spoke up, I think I corrected it. Will have to mention to FS coach.

LBO 3 block

Cool Breezes:

I'm getting the forward cross strokes pretty easily and improving slowly. That's nice. My other 3 turns besides evillle blocked one are improving bit by bit. My alt forward insides are fantastic now, because I do this as a warmup to practice my axis.

We worked on back crossovers a bit today. There's always more work to do on crossovers. It was nice to return to something that I can actually do.

My salchow is getting much more comfy and has more oomph to it now. I think it's just a confidence boost hearing my coach say she thinks I can get a double and that it will be easier for me than the axel. I did some 3 turn take offs into a backspin. Was able to repeat what I did in the harness yesterday. Backward takeoffs are so much easier!

[Terri C]

Sweltering Heat:
For yesterday's lesson, it was the RFO3. Primary coach took it apart and has me working on it from the short axis.
For today, it was a crowded session, couldn't do moves until the end.

Cool Breeze:
Did a nicely centered sitspin for Primary Coach yesterday on lesson.
Did a shacky but fought for sitspin for Secondary Coach today.
Moves, except the #1 Hated Move for Bronze Moves testers, were fairly good.

Now for the cool, cool breeze:
The loop is on it's way back and I FULLY ROTATED BUT TWO FOOTED LANDINGS ON FLIPS TODAY!! :D
I want the flip!! Jazzpants, you may not be the only one doing a flip instead of loop for their Bronze free test (whenever that happens for me!)

[Sk8pdx]

Hey Terri C, When are you testing?

Sweltering Heat:
Was in loop heaven on Sunday's public session, then today, nothing. They must have slept in. oh noooo...where did they go?:?? Loops must be my more nocturnal creatures I guess because they sure don't bode well with morning freestyle sessions.:cry:

Cool Breezes:
Coach looked at Bronze moves today. she thinks I could test in September. 8O only I will be gone the weekend of the test. (she should have waited to say that until *after* the power 3's) Had an awesome off ice class today. For 2 hours we worked on a lot of quad strenth, jumps, rotation, balance, flexibility. I can hardly walk since my legs feel like jello. :)

[Mrs Redboots]

Sweltering Heat: Not as bad today - I have to admit, I wish it had been a little warmer in our rink this morning, but I soon warmed up! But it was a better skate day. Discovered the reason why we couldn't do the revised steps in the free dance was because the husband wasn't swinging his free leg back on the swing roll..... men....

My own lesson was mostly on dance moves and back crossovers. Coach told me what I was doing wrong on the clockwise ones, but unfortunately I already knew what was wrong - it was correcting it that I was having trouble with! Ah well....

Cool breezes: Beginning to get some sort of flow into the dance moves. We did a lovely Dutch Waltz, although the timing went off at the end of the second pattern, but when we did it again we both concentrated and got it right! Fiesta not too bad, either. Could still be a lot better, though.

[Terri C]

Hey Terri C, When are you testing?

Definitely moves in December, possibly free also if everything looks good!

[blue111moon]

Cool Breezes: still spinning well. :) Coaches say that I have finally achieved the greater-than-90-degree knee bend on my sit position and am holding it for the required three revs. Change foot and back spins are coming along again and not painful for the first time since The Big Trip.
Yucking the free hip under seems to be helping on centering issues.

Sweltering: Jump landings are still painful and loop jumps do not happen at all. I'm using a glucosamine/MSM spray for the tendonitis, which seems to help a little. It would probably help more if I used it the recommended four times a day, but I can't remember to bring the bottle to work with me so I'm lucky if I get three squirts - and usually it's only two.

It also doesn't help that I got eaten alive by mosquitoes Monday night while walking the dog and the itchy spots sting like mad when the spray hits them.

Still I will perservere. I think I have convinced one ot the mothers to join my Adult Learn-to-skate class in September. She took the form last night anyway and talked about her husband getting her new skates as a gift.

[Rusty Blades]

Zis where we're s'posed to be :oops:

From yesterday:
Drizzle Another day where nothing worked well at the beginning of the session :cry:

Sunny Day But started coming together by the second hour. Focused almost entirely on backwards: stroking, inside edges, and outside edges - back outsides are really starting to come together!

[jazzpants]

Sweltering Heat:
First lesson on loops with secondary coach in a LOOOOONG time... WE were working on BO and BO3 edge exercises that forces me to lean and curve into the BO edge. The point of the exercise is to rely on my edge (not my shoulders or arms) to go into the jump and NOT fall onto the outside of the curve prior to the jump.

A small bit of Cool breeze
After going thru that exercise for a while, secondary coach asked me to try for the loop again and I landed the very first loop!!! I didn't land the second one, but at least it's more to her liking on the takeoff. She told me to keep practice the BO edge exercise that she gave me! We'll see if this works...

[icedancer2]

Cool breezes: Generally the weather in Portland this week has been all cool breezes!!

Skating-wise things are looking up: my coach commented on "how I used to skate" (bad posture) but now of course she wants it brought up a notch (there is always more!). Dances are starting to feel stronger again and dance elements are coming back. Figures are flowing better, but will I ever be ready to take the Silver Figures test? Who knows?

Did a WHOLE pattern of the Killian with my dance coach AT SPEED this week -- never did that before! We both lived through it. He said, "Let's do this" and I was like, "Oh, no, not at speed" and he just said "C'mon", grabbed my hand and we just did it!!

Ice was good at the main rink this week.

Sweltering Heat: Bronze Moves. Power 3s and 5-step Mohawks.

Why can't a Silver dancer do these darn things???

[Debbie S]

The point of the exercise is to rely on my edge (not my shoulders or arms) to go into the jump and NOT fall onto the outside of the curve prior to the jump.Sounds like the exercise my coach had me doing last night. :) ;) I've been landing the loop, but I've got some bad habits.

Cool breezes:
Did the loop in my run-throughs, except for one when I was blocked by some skaters who apparently didn't think my shouts of "Excuse me" applied to them. :twisted: But then I landed it right after the program ended as my "reskate". The sit spin is a bit better - worked on that in lesson. I also feel like I'm covering more distance on the salchow.

Sweltering heat:
The rink was its usual Tuesday night zoo. I was blocked or cut off a couple of times during my run-throughs, but I was able to get 2 in during each session (one was during lesson). My backspin disappeared during my lesson, made a brief appearance during run-through, and then never came back for the rest of the evening. My problem isn't the spinning - it's the exit. My coach pointed out that the actual spin has improved - lol. But of course, none of that will matter on test day if I stumble out of it. I must be leaning too far on the BO edge b/c I kept falling over to the right (I spin CCW). I'm very :frus: b/c it's been so consistent for the past couple of weeks. Why do my elements always leave when a test or comp is coming up? :roll:

[doubletoe]

My backspin disappeared during my lesson, made a brief appearance during run-through, and then never came back for the rest of the evening. My problem isn't the spinning - it's the exit. My coach pointed out that the actual spin has improved - lol. But of course, none of that will matter on test day if I stumble out of it. I must be leaning too far on the BO edge b/c I kept falling over to the right (I spin CCW). I'm very :frus: b/c it's been so consistent for the past couple of weeks. Why do my elements always leave when a test or comp is coming up? :roll:

Your coach might shoot me for suggesting this, but there's a nice little cheat I use on the backspin when I don't have enough control on the RBO exit. I just bring the left foot all the way down (still crossed over right), then step down onto my LBI edge and exit on the LBI edge instead, pushing off onto the RBO edge afterwards.

[jazzpants]

Your coach might shoot me for suggesting this, but there's a nice little cheat I use on the backspin when I don't have enough control on the RBO exit. I just bring the left foot all the way down (still crossed over right), then step down onto my LBI edge and exit on the LBI edge instead, pushing off onto the RBO edge afterwards.Ha HA!!! My primary coach wants me to do exactly this actually!!! :twisted:

[Debbie S]

Ha HA!!! My primary coach wants me to do exactly this actually!!! :twisted:Yeah, that's what I end up doing when I mess up on the exit. But is that allowed in the test? In my neck of the woods, I've been under the impression that the judges expect an exit on the spinning foot. Maybe Jenlyon or Ellyn could chime in here? :)

[Rusty Blades]

Sweltering Heat Something weird going on with my left knee today! On forward stroking, at maximum extension, just as my foot comes off the ice and the force goes from compression to tension, there was a mild pain, just like when you “pop” a joint. Absolutely no problem with anything else, so I avoided forward stroking with my left foot - which made me look kind of funny going down the ice riding on my left foot and pushing only with my right! :roll: Oh yes, and I was my coach's only skater this afternoon so I had her undivided attention for 45 minutes of each hour - oh joy!

Cool Breezes The ice was in better condition today and I could actually do a deep edge without shaving the ice! It was a good day for everything coming together. Backward outside edges were coming nicely, insides were so-so, and backward stroking was really starting to strengthen. My coach said she could see I was much more comfortable as I no longer needed to use my arms to balance on the backward stroking and glides. :mrgreen:

In the second hour, I suggested turns - since I know my coach has been chomping at the bit to get me into 3-Turns! - so we worked on 3-Turns and ended up with the beginnings of Mohawks. :bow:

. . . not bad for an old broad . . .

[LilJen]

Sweltering Heat:

-Yet more bruises to add to my collection today. . . what IS it with me? Born on a Tuesday, yet strangely lacking in grace (especially when I forget to look up and pull up my ribcage).
-DH is balking at the idea of getting up early (8 isn't that early is it?) so that I can catch the early early session once a week (he'd need to get dh to preschool). . . I understand, he's a night owl, but once a week?? please, honey, please??

Cool Breezes:
-Learned in earnest how to do consecutive BO edges today, real, true outside half circles. Okay, I *was taught* how to do them. I had a few decent half circles and a lot of crummy ones. Anyway, they were surprisingly satisfying--felt like figures.

Rusty, I hope your knee feels better!

[Terri C]

Sweltering Heat:
First lesson on loops with secondary coach in a LOOOOONG time... WE were working on BO and BO3 edge exercises that forces me to lean and curve into the BO edge. The point of the exercise is to rely on my edge (not my shoulders or arms) to go into the jump and NOT fall onto the outside of the curve prior to the jump..

My loop lesson had me turning the RFI3 and getting the free leg in front, and spinning, all starting from a standstill. Then, it was repeated with actually jumping the loop. While my loop is not back to where it was, it got better than what I had been contending with all summer.

[sk8pics]

Nice empty session today for practice and then my lesson, so it was pretty much all Cool Breezes:

The new program is pretty much done and some of it is actually beginning to feel okay. We worked at length on the footwork today and I did it twice to the music and kept up pretty well! 8-) Must mean it's too easy, but we'll see... Also the beginning is coming along and I can skate that pretty much to the music, too. 8-) 8-) Only a couple of terrifying parts. Of course, we haven't put the jumps into the runthroughs yet, so we'll see what happens. And my salchow has returned from its journey to parts unknown, so that was nice, too. And I am getting the hang of spinning with my arms out, which my coach seems to think will go with the choreography :roll: and we'll see about that, too!

So it was a good day in spite of the indigestion I've had all day!

Happy skating to everyone!
Pat

[Skate@Delaware]

I hope everyone who has been under poor health returns robustly!!!!!

I haven't been skating lately...just can't seem to get to the rink and we only have one week before the kids start school (yay!) so maybe Sunday. But I will say it's been

Cool Breezes: as I've been visiting with a massage therapist for my upper back (auto accident) and leg (problem hip). After talking with him (and getting a great deep-tissue work-out) he suggested we also incorporate myofascial something...He says he can do something to loosen up the tendons that hold the femur in place which will stretch it all out, then help re-align with less pain. I'm willing to give it a try. He did say my stretching has worked great so far (did some range of motion and it has improved).

Sweltering Heat: the waiting for my new skates is driving me crazy!!!! I know it will take a while but I hate waiting!!! I don't think I will get them in time to break in for Halloween....Even if I got them at the beginning of September I don't think 2 months is enough time. Oh well.

[SpaMama]

I don't skate (dd does) and this is a little OT, but i just want to say


SWELTERING HEAT!!!!!!!!! :giveup:

Absolutely no cool breezes around......................


I am done with the 104 in Dallas! No relief in sight! My head is baking!
Although I thank God everytime we walk into the rink that my kids don't play softball!

Spa Mama

[DallasSkater]

Rusty: Sorry about the pop! eeek. But wanted to say...once you learn 3 turns they start putting them everywhere! giggle. beware. You are well on your way to the Adult Nationals now!

SpaMama: I hear you! I think I am dying! Trying to clear schedule at work to at least get a small ice session in tomorrow. Usually it is just that I like to get the additional skate time, but this time it is to have a bit of time to not feel like I am melting! The temp of my pool water is 98 degrees! ick!

[Sk8pdx]

Sweltering Heat:
My legs and buns are aching terribly from yesterdays off ice training. I could hardly do anything during todays practice session. I was completely unfocused today.:cry:

Cool Breezes:
For DallasSkater and SpaMama, you are welcome to come visit anytime! In the northwest it was 76 and partly cloudy today. My favorite kind of weather. :P

[Thin-Ice]

My backspin disappeared during my lesson, made a brief appearance during run-through, and then never came back for the rest of the evening. (snip) Why do my elements always leave when a test or comp is coming up? :roll:

First rule of skating: whenever you are approaching a BIG event (test/first lesson in a long time or with a new coach/competition) all your elements will "play shy" and hide.:lol:

Actually my coach has a real theory about this.. you start thinking about how important this big event is.. and you stiffen up.. and that changes your timing.. so everything is different than how you practiced it.. so you have a harder time with things.

Try telling yourself you've done these things 100 or 1000 or 10000 times.. and you can still do them, then just go do them the way you normally do. Just because someone is watching or you're wearing rhinestones on a dress or your hair is up and you have extra make-up on doesn't mean the jump/spin/footwork is different -- if you don't do anything differently than what you do it practice.

OK, enough theory.. now if I could just DO the backspin in the first place!!! Could I borrow yours while it's on vacation.. so I can see what a backspin really feels like? Then maybe I could replicate it on my own!:lol:

[Hannahclear]

Skated a really long public session today. Usually I don't stay more than an hour, but I stuck around today.

Snuck in a program run through at the very beginning. Fell out of sit spin and had to redo end of program due to traffic, but no biggie. I don't think I'll do that on my test and that's what a reskate is for after all! :D

Spent the majority of the time working on silver 3 turns. Only one set (forward and backward turns). I did all four varieties dozens of times. Really hard, focused basic work. Not very high on energy usage but high on self discipline not to just move on and have some fun. They really got better. Even the dreaded LBO 3 turn. I was able to do it by the end of the session. All the others as well. Axis still needs more work but I can do them all. Want to be able to show Moves coach next Tuesday that I CAN do these.

[Sonic]

Well, got back from sunny 'Vegas yesterday. First time on the ice for a couple of weeks this eveing...

Cool breezes
- skated for 1 hour and foot is not hurting!
- I've got most of my jumps back: Waltz jumps acctually had some height, salchow consistent, managed a few decent two loops, landed about 6 loops - not a great running edge but full rotation
- upright spin pretty good - well centred

Sweltering heat
- flip has totally gone. About a month ago I was just about landing maybe 3-4 per session. Now I'm not even close, it's TOTALLY gone
- I'm losing my sit spin again. I was getting it consistent before, even though not very low. This evening it was all over the place (literally!)
- oh yeah, and how could I forget to mention - BL***Y SHOOT THE DUCK!
I'm still not even close! What's even more sickening is our mintypoppet has a PERFECT shoot the duck...

Shoot the duck? I feel like shooting something lol!

S xxx

[jazzpants]

Sweltering Heat:

Ice is crap. It's dry and slushy today. I tried doing the drill that secondary coach gave me and I literally felt like my blade was stuck to the ice!!! :frus: (Yes, the ditch is still there too!!!) :roll:
Could not do the loop to save my life. I really need some time to play around with some of those drills from yesterday before trying it again and this drill is awful to do on dry slushy ice!!!Cool breeze:
Waltz, Waltz-toe, Toe loop, Salchow is fine...

[Sonic]

Sweltering Heat:
[LIST]
Ice is crap. It's dry and slushy today. I tried doing the drill that secondary coach gave me and I literally felt like my blade was stuck to the ice!!! :frus: (Yes, the ditch is still there too!!!) :roll:


Only one thing worse than dry slushy ice, and that's wet ice. I find dry, slushy ice a nightmare for spinning, and hate wet ice for jumping, because I get scared of falling over.

S xxx

[SpaMama]

[Cool Breezes:
For DallasSkater and SpaMama, you are welcome to come visit anytime! In the northwest it was 76 and partly cloudy today. My favorite kind of weather. :P[/QUOTE]


Thanks, Dallasskater and I just might take you up on that! I am not kidding - it just seems relentless! it was what, 95 degrees at 10pm last night? 30plus days over 100 is a bit much! Today when we walked into the lobby I was half tempted to do a swan dive onto the ice myself...............

Spa Mama

[DallasSkater]

Sk8pdx: another 104 today. Cannot even imagine what 76 feels like anymore! But it does sound nice. You are so lucky right now! But I understand that you guys get rain 150 days a year so I will have opportunity to tease you later!

Cool Beezes: I got to skate for about 2 hours today! Since school just went back into session, I had the ice with only about 3 others for most of that time! Public ice no less! Was able to work on everything for my lesson tomorrow uninterrupted! I was mostly improved in my crossover into a spin which I have struggled with for several weeks now. One footed seems to be trying to center a bit more in several attempts. Two footed from back cross overs are now there more than not and fully centered! Finally!

Had a few better height waltz jumps and half flips by the middle of this practice too!

Sweltering Heat: I am really growing tired of the axis with outside 3 turn. I have to place a foot down to change edges too many times and it is frustrating me to no end. I tried to have my coach show me what was wrong as I have no problems with 3 turns but when I do this on the semi circle it is like I cannot successfully move outside to inside 50% of time. She did a try this, try that with a bunch of things but it has not helped. My inside to outside were harder on the axis only when I learned but doing great now. I am not always able to turn exactly on the half though. I think I have done these a million times and they now bore me to tears! I know they are important so I will keep trying.

Jazz: so sorry about your ice situation. That sounds so tough especially for your level of ability! I cannot imagine a ditch even for my level.

[Rusty Blades]

Sweltering Heat: It was THE LAST DAY of Winnipeg Summer Skating School! :cry:

Cool breeze: I took a couple of boxes of chocolates in today for all the coaches and a little gift for my summer coach.

Left knee was fine today. We did a bit of everything in the first hour and lots of backward stroking. In the second hour we did mostly 3 turns, enough to know my right 3-turns are going to be better than my left, both inside and outside 3's. A bit more practice and I might be able to do 3's without putting my free foot down. We finished up the second hour on Mohawks - ok, LOTS of practice needed there to!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to Jocelyn for a wonderful summer season. There were lots of laughs and giggles, a few scary moments, and a very productive summer. All the best Sweetie - you

[DallasSkater]

Spa Mama: no swan diving until you at least waddle on the ice in beautiful blue boots! giggle. I must have missed you there today! Are you signing up for LTS this semester? Feel the pressure? lol It is such a relief to get on the ice right now after even walking from the parking lot!

[doubletoe]

Yeah, that's what I end up doing when I mess up on the exit. But is that allowed in the test? In my neck of the woods, I've been under the impression that the judges expect an exit on the spinning foot. Maybe Jenlyon or Ellyn could chime in here? :)

Well, FWIW, that's how I exited my backspin when I passed the backspin requirement on my Bronze FS test, as well as the combination spin on my Silver FS test and combination spin on my Gold FS test (I even managed to win Nationals at Silver with that exit, LOL!). Come to think of it, I've never exited a backspin on the spinning foot in any test or competition! :roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Sweltering Heat: My back cross cuts were horrible! It is physically impossible to do these wretched things - you have to put your foot down in front of you, on an outside edge, with your knees bent, and keep your hips forward and your shoulders back! I get about half way down the rink like that and then I find I've lost the posture and grind to a halt. On the positive side, they are better than they were - if I could do a reliable length of them as they are now, I'd be pleased. As it was, ended up cross and backachey.

I cannot do the length of the rink in four pushes when stroking backwards. Mind you, nor can't the Husband (oh good!), but, rather alarmingly, we don't seem able to do it in waltz hold when we do our chasses & swing rolls in our warm-up. I'm sure we could if we set our minds to it!

Start of our step sequence was pretty dire, too - we found out we simply were not able to do swing rolls in foxtrot hold. Substituting cross-roll swings works a lot better! But we ran out of time before we could run through the thing to the music - we have to compete it in a fortnight, and I don't think we've done it to the music once since the end of June! Help!

Cool breezes: Back cross-rolls do seem to be coming along, though. I know I'm not holding them quite as long as I should, but they do appear to be improving. I think.

We did a reasonably reasonable Fiesta Tango, and a Dutch Waltz which we realised we needed to take to pieces and do a step-by-step of the bit in the bottom right hand-corner, but once we'd done that, it was fine. It was basically about getting the LFO/RFI run in the right place on the lobe; once we had that, the rest followed.

[aussieskater]

We did a reasonably reasonable Fiesta Tango, and a Dutch Waltz which we realised we needed to take to pieces and do a step-by-step of the bit in the bottom right hand-corner, but once we'd done that, it was fine. It was basically about getting the LFO/RFI run in the right place on the lobe; once we had that, the rest followed.

If that's the corner I think it is (the quick run to the long barrier after the 2 SRs?), then we were having a problem at the same place. Unless we finished that run pretty much perpendicular to the long axis, we would run out of room across the end. But if we got the curve of the run right, I ended up ahead of hubby and he had no hope of coming around the end. Turned out I was trying to push to the barrier, when I needed almost to push right at DH and he had to curve hard to the barrier, bringing me with him.

[Sk8pdx]

....I am not kidding - it just seems relentless! it was what, 95 degrees at 10pm last night? 30plus days over 100 is a bit much! Today when we walked into the lobby I was half tempted to do a swan dive onto the ice myself...............Spa Mama

Swan dive? or Belly flop? ....hmmmm maybe we could use that for next weeks lessons and practices theme. :P

[Sk8pdx]

Sk8pdx: another 104 today. Cannot even imagine what 76 feels like anymore! But it does sound nice. You are so lucky right now! But I understand that you guys get rain 150 days a year so I will have opportunity to tease you later!

yeah, that is why our gardens are so lush and green and colorful -- Even in the summertime. Plus the drinking water here doesn't taste like moldy dirty grass.:yum:

Also we have the mountains and the coastline as points of reference other than the big tall "Pickle" building in Downtown Dallas. :lol: I don't mind the rain at all. It comes down in a small drizzle or a mist on most occasions (in fact, we know you are visiting if you are using an umbrella). instead of bucket loads like it does in the South.

[LilJen]

Forgot to add to the cool breezes from the other day: Coach was very supportive and didn't look at me like I was insane when I mentioned wanting to work towards pre-bronze testing. She proceeded to rattle off the items on the MITF and FS tests that she could remember off her head and said, "well, we'll have to start working on some jumps." I still think the spins are going to be a doozy. I just get too dizzy.

Sk8pdx: It has been my aim for the last few years to get back to the cool(er, mostly) NW, where I grew up. This hot, humid Midwestern climate does not agree with me!

[DallasSkater]

Sk8pdx: LOL on the pickle building...I forgot that is what you called it. (I had no idea that Portland's rain produced such rectangular cucumbers! ) Moldy dirty grass uh? giggle. With a little lemon it is at least mostly organic! You need to come visit us not in the throws of our summer's worst! And you need to come free from less than cooperative lazy coworkers! How is the job search?

Cool breezes: Today in my private lesson I actually completed 4 revolutions on a one foot spin out of cross overs *pinch* !!!! I did not believe it but my coach assured me that was what I did and we looked at the tracing. Nicely centered and no traveling! (We won't mention that I could not do it again! lol). Learned a 1/2 lutz and a dance sequence that will be required on the next level of testing. (I thought of Mrs Redboots! lol) . My flip is now looking good consistently! Skated over 4 hours today! Whew, what a great escape from our heat!

Sweltering Heat: My waltz jump to toe tap to another waltz is just pitiful! I had this down from a bunch of practice last weekend but could not do it with height or good form for my coach! May have to move my private lesson time to a public session. The good news is that school is back in session which means there are few people there even for public sessions but the bad news is that it is a luck of the draw for who shows up for those! The rink is doing funky things with the freestyle slots and it is messing with my personal schedule...ugh! My back is sore every time I do jumps and I wonder how this old lady is going to fair as I advance in expectations of skills...eeek!

Have a great weekend!

[SpaMama]

Dallasskater, we must just miss you, we get there at 3:45 every day. Boy are the after school freestyles crowded (compared to the times we came summer), you are wise to come earlier!

It is a wonder you arent all sick with going from the extreme heat to the cold to the heat all the time.

Congrats on the spin!

SpaMama

[Sk8pdx]

Sweltering Heat:
I can't seem to get enough knee bend and height on simple waltz jumps. My salchow even sucks today. Why does it seem when I focus on practicing backspin my salchow goes to Hades. :frus: (I know it is because I'm not checking out of the 3 turn and holding...:giveup: )

I am still recovering from the aftermath of tuesday's off-ice training session.

I know I am doing something terribly wrong with loop jump. The outside of my right ankle is killing me. (again not enough knee bend and I am sure that my ankle is taking the brunt of the landing instead. ...PLUS it is cheated.:halo:

Cool Breezes:
This morning as I was supposed to have a moves lesson but coach got stuck in LA last night. spins were traveling and I couldn't hold the entrance edge for my life. Then when I returned this evening I had my blades sharpened before Club Session. WOW what a difference it made. Centered spins and everything was awesome. even the Power 3's in Bronze moves were stellar!

LilJen: I was born in Oregon, raised in Northern VA. Quantico was my back yard. I know about how humid and icky "sweltering" can be. I miss the song birds though and the "lightening bugs" in the summer time. They don't have those in Oregon.

DallasSkater: I might need your services to evaluate what it is I really want to do. Do you match job types for peoples' different psychoses? I will PM you with my address and you can send me the bill.:P

[Mrs Redboots]

If that's the corner I think it is (the quick run to the long barrier after the 2 SRs?), then we were having a problem at the same place. Unless we finished that run pretty much perpendicular to the long axis, we would run out of room across the end. But if we got the curve of the run right, I ended up ahead of hubby and he had no hope of coming around the end. Turned out I was trying to push to the barrier, when I needed almost to push right at DH and he had to curve hard to the barrier, bringing me with him.I think we all have problems there. Don't forget that the first edge of the run has to be going out to the centre of the rink, and the LFI bit needs to be at the top of the lobe. We found once we got that right, the rest was okay.... I think. It usually is....

[Terri C]

This is from yesterday afternoon, since the minute I got online last night, I was on chat with some forum folks..... (you guys know who you are ;) )

Cool Breezes:
There was a test session being held at another area rink today so the freestyle was empty. The regular girls were there, but they were helping with scoring hockey games during a tournament.
I started with 10 minutes of figures (just forward and outside edges and outside 3 to center figure), then did the entire Bronze moves test and was able to do full patterns with only 2 other skaters on the ice!!
Went on to spins and then jumps.... where the loop is coming along!!

Sweltering Heat:
While working on figures and my power threes, I've noticed that my RFO3 is flatter than any Aunt Jemima pancake!!
Spins were quite a battle.
Worked so hard on loop that my back was hurting a bit and it took a LOT of inner strength to work on flip.
Towards the end of freestyle, a official with the hockey tournament came out and did some stroking and stops, etc. The little girl that I was sharing the ice with asked me "is he supposed to be on the ice?"
I told her "Hockey is king here at this rink and there's only two of us, so it's not a issue as long as he stays out of our way" (which he did). I'm willing to bet he wouldn't have ventured out if there were a boatload of kids doing doubles!

Another thing.... I'm so sore this morning between the skating and the lap swimming I do on non-skating days... that I'm taking today off and resting!

[doubletoe]

SWELTERING HEAT
For the past week I've kept messing up the timing and pattern of the step-out from my crossovers into the first spiral of my spiral sequence in my program run-throughs. Considering this spiral sequence is worth the same as 3 jumps, I really need to stop messing it up. :frus: I also keep missing the axel just before those crossovers into the spiral, even though I nail it in practice just before skating my program. What the. . .? :??


COOL BREEZES
I skated another 45 minutes yesterday morning after messing up in my program. Even though I wasn't able to skate my program a second time and redeem myself (they don't play music on the 2nd freestyle session), I spent 5 minutes practicing double sals at the very end of the session and landed two clean ones. Considering that I kept landing them cheated for the past month for no apparent reason, this made my day! The only thing I did differently was to curve my RBO edge more immediately preceding the 3-turn entry to the salchow, and voila, clean landings. What an insane sport this is!

[Emberchyld]

These things overshadowed anything technical this week :D :

Cool Breezes: Last night's public session was relatively uncrowded, beautiful ice, and I spent most of it fighting against a boot that was either too tight or too loose no matter what I did and two footed turns in a counterclockwise circle that refused to work with me. But two little kids on the ice just made my day:

1. A little 3 year old out for his second time on the ice who singled out a few of us adult skaters as his "favorites" and would toddle up to us as best as he could (holding the little sled) to say hi (or plop onto the ice so that we would help him up) or demonstrate the "bad fall" he had when he hit his head on the ice. And whenever his mom asked him if he wanted off of the ice, he would shake his head so hard, he'd end up on his bottom on the ice. You couldn't help but grin when that little smiling face toddled up to you. :D

2. One of the kids from LTS who came up to me when she saw me working on my spiral and started asking me about how I "got so good"... She's only been skating for a month and I told her how she probably will be so much better than me when she's skated as many months as I have. Next thing I know, she was asking me for help on her backwards wiggles and swizzles and one footed glides and snowplows and I spent the last 40 minutes or so of the public session giving her the same tips that my teachers had give me (my favorite was telling her to pretend that she was a hula dancer for the wiggles... we did a little hula song with the arms... :lol:) She had everything, she just needed someone to explain it to her in a way that helped her put it all together. It was fun just doing all of the basics again and breaking them down! At the end, I had her mom and the mom of another LTS skater impressed by my patience (and I think her mom needed a break!) and willingness to help in a public session where you normally just try to fend for your life and ignore the lower-level skaters around you.

Those two kids took what started out as a frustrating skating session and reminded me of why I love skating-- I walked out of that rink grinning and really greatful for the pure joy of skating.

Sweltering Heat: The rink that I skate apparently doesn't realize that many adults _work_ and (unless they made a mistake in the schedule, which is what one of the teachers suspects) don't have any classes that start after 5 during the week. This will force a few of us to find a new rink (the one that I might go to has classes that I would prefer not take because of the overcrowding of the ice). :cry: We're trying to complain, but unless it's a mistake, there's little to no chance that the schedule will change. *sigh* And I really like this rink (well, except for the management, now), too!

[Skate@Delaware]

Cool Breezes: Skating tomorrow, and it will more than likely be the 2nd to the last session at my summer rink...because my home rink will be opening up on the 5th of September!

And now for a totally SHAMELESS PLUG: for those that may be passing through the area on their way to the shore, skater from my rink will be having a show on our portable, synthetic ice surface at one of our area shopping malls!!! I've seen the show (at our state fair) and it is very nice! I'm not sure if it's going to be the full (30-minutes worth) show but it should be almost the full surface (modified to fit the area of the mall).

see: http://www.skateatthefair.com/ for details on times and the place.

I have yet to skate on this stuff.....

Sweltering Heat: Training on the spinner really BITES!!! I must be really uncoordinated because I can't even make it one way around without falling off.....so much for my grandiose plan of achieving that darn backspin, let along the sit spin :frus: . I did find another exercise/stretch for my ultra-tight hamstrings....oh the pain!!! It is slowly working though. Time will tell if it's all worth it ....and still no application for Halloween Classic OR SKATES!!!!! i hate waiting!!!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Cool Breezes

I took the twins skating and was immediately "flat left", so I worked on spins and MITF. I managed a decent three-turns-on-the line pattern!

Sweltering Heat

Went skating on Friday with Renatele. Struggled with pretty much everything, but I had a wonderful time chatting with friends.

[Skate@Delaware]

Cool Breezes

I took the twins skating and was immediately "flat left", so I worked on spins and MITF. I managed a decent three-turns-on-the line pattern!

Sweltering Heat

Went skating on Friday with Renatele. Struggled with pretty much everything, but I had a wonderful time chatting with friends.
Yay for you!!! I think my moves have regressed....

I'm sure my first week of skating at my home rink will be all stuggles....AND catching up with those I haven't seen all summer (and I consequently won't get as much skating work done)!!!

[DallasSkater]

Sweltering Heat: I had my group lesson yesterday. They were running behind due to hockey and then did LTS without a recut of the ice. My class follows two others so the ice was a total mess! Then I tried to stay for practice after during public but still no cut! Left frustrated after a 15 minute talking to myself. No luck in getting a "tude" adjustment. After such a great skating day on Friday...yesterday seemed a total waste of time.

I went back for the public session last night. Way too crowded to do much. Seemed that no matter what I tried, my body just would not cooperate with my intent! Some adult that was taking pictures of her kids on the ice came rink side to get close. She asserted "Show off" as I was attempting a one foot spin that was not even show worthy! She kept giving me dirty looks as I could see her in my peripheral vision from time to time. I was not in the way of her kids. Egads! how rude! I just ignored her but again had visions of just freezing my own pool this winter! giggle. People....I swear!

I attempted to sign up for the next semester of skate school. I am just continually shocked at the lack of professionalism and organization and was unable to sign up due to disagreement in the staff about the price of two classes I selected. Need to wait until the skate director returns to find out how to do this. In the interim, I have now debated which two classes I should actually take. I just need to commit! lol.

Ok enough whining for now...Hope today's session is better. A new day.

Cool Breezes: Well, I thought I would not have one to post. But, I discovered with a little thought that I did have one pleasing moment at the rink yesterday! (Am I PMSing or what?) I spoke with SpaMama at the rink and she asked me to contact her soon as she would skate an afternoon public skate session so she can try skating! Another adult skater will be infected! Ahhhh, the spread of this disorder is so satisfying! giggle.

Just watched Skate@Delaware's video of an exbitition in January. I feel inspired! Will have to download the others later.

[TwirlGirl10]

Cool Breezes: I PASSED MY JUVENILE FREESKATE AND FEILDMOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swealtering heat: really need to start working on double lutz for regionals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

Cool Breezes: I PASSED MY JUVENILE FREESKATE AND FEILDMOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swealtering heat: really need to start working on double lutz for regionals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, wow, congratulations!

As for us, we had really quite a productive skate this morning. The only real sweltering heat was that I still can't do my back cross-cuts comfortably. And no morning ice next week due to hockey school. :roll:

Cool Breezes: The Husband is beginning to realise that he, too, is not really comfortable with backwards stroking, which partly explains why we have some difficulty still. However, we ran though everything to the music today, and didn't do too badly. As always, our Fiesta could have been better, and our free dance is still pretty awful. But they're no worse than they have been, and probably a great deal better than last year. Bristol is a fortnight today.

[SpaMama]

[Cool Breezes: Well, I thought I would not have one to post. But, I discovered with a little thought that I did have one pleasing moment at the rink yesterday! (Am I PMSing or what?) I spoke with SpaMama at the rink and she asked me to contact her soon as she would skate an afternoon public skate session so she can try skating! Another adult skater will be infected! Ahhhh, the spread of this disorder is so satisfying! giggle.

Did I really say that? I guess you have it in writing now huh? :lol:

Spa Mama

[sk8pics]

Well, the rink was packed today and really it wasn't that fun, but I cut my practice time in half (and saved money and frustration that way) and then I had a lesson that turned out to be really good. My salchow is truly back and feeling good; I guess it had a nice vacation.:roll: And I practiced pieces of my new program and got some more of it to work. My coach was properly impressed and happy about the progress I've made, and I do think I'll be able to skate this thing pretty soon with all the jumps. Last piece of the program has a half flip with an insane entry. I can do a half flip, but not the way my coach wants me to. We'll see. He's been helping me, holding my hand, but it's way scary. We'll work on it on Wednesday, and I'll try to work on it again myself in practice tomorrow.

So, it started out Sweltering and turned out Cool Breezes. Also got to say hello to Skate@Delaware.

Happy skating everyone!

[Skate@Delaware]

And, once again, I missed seeing sk8pics salchow!!! Guess I'll have to wait until HC to see it! There was an insane couple on her session....public was a walk in the park compared to her session-no hockey boys!!!! This is one of my last sessions at The Pond for the summer as we get ice on 5 September. Thinking ahead to when I start skating at my home rink-I will miss everyone up north!!!! And I know when I start running through my program...I'm a gonna be in trouble!!! slow, tired, way behind my music....yikes!!! and i forgot how to do the drunken sailor part!!!

Cool Breezes: Pretty much ran through everything and did manage some good height on my waltz jump (I'm nitpicking that one to death). Lisa was there and showed me her way which was basically kneeing it. My was has been swinging the leg through. I tried both ways. Interesting! Waltz 8 was revisited but blades were skidding a bit (dull....).

Hubby and I worked on stuff together and things for our routine. There is a part of our routine where he was supposed to skate via back crossovers to me (around the center) and grab my hand and we both take off doing back crossovers. This did not happen and we switched it to fwd xovers. After many attempts and looks to make the Italian Olympic Ice Dancers look tame, we finally achieved it!!! We have yet to attempt the side-by-side spirals....one thing at a time!:twisted:

Sweltering Heat: Ok, overall, I'm basically happy with my summer progress as I haven't really regressed too much. I am disappointed that the sit spin and back spin haven't shown up to stay. I did toy with the camel today and was almost in position...briefly...sort of. My salchow was sloppy, a lovely older ice-dancing gentleman told me it was because I wasn't holding my check after the 3-turn. He was right...that darn should kept creeping forward! Urgh!!! Did a few more which were a bit better. Moved on to loops. Managed to do one where I very briefly toe-tapped with the left foot. All the other attempts were all landed fully on the left foot :frus: . I think part of the problem is I'm not springing up enough, and i'm not looking over my left shoulder, and i'm not lifting the left leg (duh!). I'm soooo close on this one!

[doubletoe]

Cool Breezes: I PASSED MY JUVENILE FREESKATE AND FEILDMOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swealtering heat: really need to start working on double lutz for regionals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EXCELLENT, Twirlgirl! :D

[dbny]

Cool Breezes: I PASSED MY JUVENILE FREESKATE AND FEILDMOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


CONGRATULATIONS!

[Sk8pdx]

Congratulations,TwirlGirl10!!! Way to go!

Sweltering Heat:
We got our 90 degree weather back for a while. Skating is such a great way to keep cool. I got on the ice today and saw a friend of mine visiting with someone new. As I stroked towards them to introduce myself, my legs weren't quite under me yet. As I was slowing down, (yes, I had forgotten I had my blades sharpened and I was about to be abruptly reminded...)I caught an outside edge on a hockey stop, (wierd phenomenon???) tried to correct it by stepping forward on my left foot and fell on my knees then flat on the ice. totally embarrassing!! :lol: I see the bruise getting larger on my knee as I am typing this.

Cool Breezes:
After making my grand entrance, I was able to concentrate on scratch spins. 1, Centering them; 2, actually bringing my free leg around forward. I am excited for skating camp to begin this week and I will get a little diagnosis on my loop jumps. It will be fun!:)

[jazzpants]

For both Saturday and Sunday, they're pretty much similar...

Sweltering Heat:

Spirals suck!!! Yes, folks! The easiest of the Silver Moves... and yours truly have a hard time with them!!! I looked at my leg position and I can barely get them to hip level, never mind turn my foot out or make it "well extended." Geez, I have being stiff like this... :x :frus: (Seeing chiro Wed. will as least make the spirals a bit less painful...)
Couldn't do much jumps. I think I OD'ed on the pilates and cardio! My legs and my lower back just didn't feel like jumping. (I'm going back to my chiro on Wed. again to continue my treatment. (Seems that the fall I had on the stairs about a month ago had something to do with it... well, that and I haven't done jumps in a LOOOONG time and I'm trying to get back into it. (Okay, not totally true on the jumps... I mean I could LAND a waltz-toe, toe loop, and salchow... it's just technique's kinda rusty and sloppy at the moment. Can still do the jump though...) I landed NO FLIPS cleanly today and only one Saturday...Cool Breezes:

... but I did land two loops cleanly though (as in two clean loops a day)... :mrgreen: Still, it's out of about 10 actual loop attempts. Seems secondary coach's homework for me is working, but I still gotta keep plugging away at it.
Spins are there...
Footwork for Bronze FS program still there
Bronze Moves are still there.
Playing around with power pulls. Back power pulls can be better. Then again, I'm afraid to try them w/o learning how to look behind me... 8O Forward power pulls are better by comparison, but I don't think secondary coach would be happy with them.
Still practicing FI3's and FO3's on the line (ala "alt 3's in Prelim Moves") at the moment.

[aussieskater]

I think we all have problems there. Don't forget that the first edge of the run has to be going out to the centre of the rink, and the LFI bit needs to be at the top of the lobe. We found once we got that right, the rest was okay.... I think. It usually is....

Thankyou so much for that tip, Mrs R - that made an appreciable difference today... :lol:

[Skate@Delaware]

Cool Breezes: I PASSED MY JUVENILE FREESKATE AND FEILDMOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

[jazzpants]

YAAAAAY, TwirlGirl10!!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Sorry I missed your post... I was just quickly getting my post in first before I forgot everything... and given how senile I am... :twisted: :P :lol:

[Skate@Delaware]

jazz, you can't be more senile than me.....I'm first!!!! and given that my kids go back to school on wednesday and are driving me CRAZY add that to the basket.....if I didn't have a job I'd be totally gone....:giveup:

[flying~camel]

A bit late, but...

Cool Breezes

The footwork in my Bronze FS/Silver compulsory program is getting so much stronger! I can now do the RBI rocker without putting my foot down about 95% of the time.

New coach gave me some tips on my loop & salchow which have made them much bigger and more secure. :P

Sweltering Heat

In my first lesson with my new coach, I didn't exactly skate as well as I normally would because I was a bit anxious. It's been a while since I had to go through the new coach adjustment period. :??

[jazzpants]

jazz, you can't be more senile than me.....I'm first!!!! and given that my kids go back to school on wednesday and are driving me CRAZY add that to the basket.....if I didn't have a job I'd be totally gone....:giveup:S@D, I've been already gone (mentally) LOOOONG before I started skating and I don't have kids!!! (However, I do have a husband so I guess that's bad enough, huh?) :twisted: :lol: :P :giveup:

[Skate@Delaware]

S@D, I've been already gone (mentally) LOOOONG before I started skating and I don't have kids!!! (However, I do have a husband so I guess that's bad enough, huh?) :twisted: :lol: :P :giveup:
Yeah, sometimes they are WORSE! or they are the surrogate child....:giveup:

[tidesong]

Cool breezes: Back from competition in skate asia and did better or same than expected.
Rotated two double salchows (at least) ... hop out and two foot on one and plain fell on other.
Landed two axels: one by itself for artistic and one in combination for freestyle
Did my best flying camel in competition yet (4 rounds... looong way to go need more rounds but still happy about this) First time doing I-spin(side split spin) and it was successful, first time doing camel-layback-back sit spin in competition and accomplished that twice although camel needs more rotations.
Skated on a proper olympic sized rink at last and it felt great... no more bothering about the walls! (although back to small rink again now)
Landed a double loop in practise.


Sweltering heat:
Footwork needs to improve. Edge + speed....
Shenzhen was so hot I thought I had a fever half the time I was out in the sun. I love the rink but I'm glad I'm home now.

[Mrs Redboots]

Yeah, sometimes they are WORSE! or they are the surrogate child....:giveup:Yeah, but at least you don't have to do an "eyes, hair and teeth" day and all the back-to-school shopping for them, and still find out on the first day of term that they forgot to tell you they'd grown out of their tracksuit (or whatever).....

Although you do have to double-check that they have absolutely everything they need for their competition.... especially their bow-ties and cummerbunds, which are apt to get mislaid.