"Into the Ice" or "Jello Knees" 8/28 - 9/3

[doubletoe]

In anticipation of my first big competition of the season this week, I figured I'd start the thread, "Into the Ice" or "Jello knees". If you've tested or competed, you know what I mean! ;)

Into the Ice
I finally got my skating back to normal yesterday after being "off" for a week due to a strained back. Even the double salchow came back. Whew!

Jello knees
My competition time is at 10:00pm this Thursday and I'm normall in bed at that time! I'm used to getting up at 5:00am and skating early in the morning. We'll see if I can stay awake until the end of my program. :roll:

[SkatingOnClouds]

My competition time is at 10:00pm this Thursday and I'm normall in bed at that time! I'm used to getting up at 5:00am and skating early in the morning. We'll see if I can stay awake until the end of my program. :roll:


Good luck for the competition !!!

I know what you mean, I think my body gets used to skating at a certain time of day. I much prefer to skate in the morning. Wednesday night sessions, when I have my lesson, I am way too tired, especially after a day at work.

Any chance of your getting ice time one night this week to get used to skating late?

[Mrs Redboots]

We, too, have a competition on Sunday, so a most appropriate thread title.

Jelly knees: I think our free dance gets worse and worse! Coach keeps finding different bits to take apart, and it doesn't seem to have come back together again yet! Bit late, I think.... oh well. He also demanded to look at our Dutch Waltz, and decided he didn't like our start - we have been doing, side by side, a LFO edge followed by a RFI twizzle, and then pushing on to the LFO edge again. But he said we didn't match, and took too long to get any welly, and so on and so forth. So we spent the rest of our practice working on that, and on our spin which is also rather pants. I think we're now going to do a LFO3, RBO, LFO. But the Husband, for some reason, has trouble remembering to do the back outside edge (this is true almost anywhere we do a 3-turn followed by a step to forwards, we have one in our free dance and it's the same story), and keeps stepping to forward too quickly. Plus he doesn't check his 3-turn properly and is apt to do more than 180! Well, we'll see....

Into the ice: However, the coach did say we had about 5 revolutions on our spin, although the Husband wasn't too sure he believed him! It's too slow, though, and we need to learn when to pull against one another.

In my private lesson - coach is taking tomorrow off so I had both lessons today - the Dance Moves have actually started to get a bit better! Yay! I shouldn't say that, as they'll probably vanish again smartish, but they really were much better. Back cross-rolls still not held quite far enough, and cross-cuts not quite on edges, but they are coming.

[samba]

But the Husband, for some reason, has trouble remembering to do the back outside edge (this is true almost anywhere we do a 3-turn followed by a step to forwards, we have one in our free dance and it's the same story), and keeps stepping to forward too quickly. Plus he doesn't check his 3-turn properly and is apt to do more than 180! Well, we'll see....

I'm sure he must be my long lost brother!!



Into the ice: However, the coach did say we had about 5 revolutions on our spin, although the Husband wasn't too sure he believed him! It's too slow, though, and we need to learn when to pull against one another.

Well done, speed will come, dont know when but it will.


In my private lesson - coach is taking tomorrow off so I had both lessons today - the Dance Moves have actually started to get a bit better! Yay! I shouldn't say that, as they'll probably vanish again smartish, but they really were much better. Back cross-rolls still not held quite far enough, and cross-cuts not quite on edges, but they are coming.

Excellent.

[doubletoe]

Good luck for the competition !!!

I know what you mean, I think my body gets used to skating at a certain time of day. I much prefer to skate in the morning. Wednesday night sessions, when I have my lesson, I am way too tired, especially after a day at work.

Any chance of your getting ice time one night this week to get used to skating late?

Thank you! :) I am actually a night person by nature, but I have to skate early in the morning out of necessity. The result is that I am now too tired to skate well at night, but too stiff and "out of it" to skate well early in the morning, LOL! Having said that, I actually skated my program surprisingly well on the 6:30am session this morning (whew!). Now I'm going to start "time-shifting" in anticipation of my 10pm ice time Thursday night. Tonight I'll stay up until 11:00, then tomorrow I will try to hit a public session somewhere in the evening. I'm planning to sleep in on Thursday, even though it means going to work late. Hey, we have to have our priorities, right? :)

[Mrs Redboots]

I'm sure he must be my long lost brother!!Next time we get a chance, you can dance with him!!!!

[samba]

Next time we get a chance, you can dance with him!!!!

I think it would be hilarious!!:lol:

[Skate@Delaware]

Mrs. Redboots, your husband reminds me of mine...he likes to fault me for skating too fast because he is trying to remember the dance steps and it slooooows him down. So, I have to call out the steps AHEAD of where they happen so he can be ready AND I have to lead because he hasn't learnt how.

At least our ballroom classes are over...I was starting to look for steel-toed dance shoes!!! (ouch!)


Mrs. Redboots and Doubletoe-Good Luck at your competitions!!!!

[jazzpants]

Mrs. Redboots and Doubletoe-Good Luck at your competitions!!!!Ditto here!!! Go kick some ICE BOOTIES out there, you guys!!! (And doubletoe, I know the necessity of having to skate at early morning FS sessions well! The problem is... I'm such a ZOMBIE out there at my 7:45am session that I wonder whether I'm a safety hazard for the other skaters... 8O :lol: :twisted: )

Jello Knees:
My loops and flips are STILL not there for primary coach to see!!! Primary coach jokes (?) to DH that I'm "obsessing about the jump." But when I come back off the ice, primary coach says "I don't understand. You had your loop last year! What happened???" (DUH!!! If I knew what it was, wouldn't we ALL be fixing it now??? :roll: :frus: )

(Actually, I am fixing it now with secondary coach. My hunch tells me she's got something up her sleeves!!!) :twisted: 8O

Into The Ice:
Got a few pretty decent "almost camel" with speed. ("Almost camel" meaning I'm spinning but now I have to get free leg high and torso further down into the spiral position..) Primary coach witnessed it and cheer on!!! Of course, he THEN had to try and top me by doing a better camel and camel-sit in MY direction too and rag about how HIS camel in my direction is better than mine! :roll: :P (HATE HIM!!! :twisted: )

[Sonic]

Good luck for the comp, doubletoe!

Into the ice
Went to a great bbq with 3 skating friends from the rink on Saturday evening. Stayed up all night chatting - not only was it great to be able to talk about skating with people who understand and are interested, we put the world to rights a bit too!

Dance lesson this evening was quite successful - coach finally says dances are starting to look presentable. Still need loads of work on posture, leg position on swing rolls....the list goes on. Did manage a respectable prelim waltz - the work on my back edges has obviously paid off.

Spins - my sitspin is still not very low BUT it is centering quite nicely and I'm consistently managing 4-5 revs.
Yesterday on my free skate lesson coach said camel and crossfoot spins are progressing very nicely. Too be fair, spins should be getting better being as I can't work on much else free-skating wise at the moment.

I have arranged a fitting for new boots on Saturday. Hopefully having boots that no longer cripple my little right toe will stop the foot problem flaring up.

Jello knees
Started learning Ina Bauer and fan spiral....oh my god....what can I say...yeah right, maybe with about a year's practice!

Jumps...don't even go there. Managed a salchow, a couple of waltz jumps and one extremely pathetic loop, but I have to be sensible and face it. Can't practice jumps until foot is better.:giveup:

I'm so frustrated...in bad moments I feel like giving up!

[Sk8pdx]

"Jello Knees":

Jumps...don't even go there. Managed a salchow, a couple of waltz jumps and one extremely pathetic loop, but I have to be sensible and face it. Can't practice jumps until foot is better.

I'm so frustrated...in bad moments I feel like giving up!
I am right along with you there, Sonic. The sun still shines, even when it is raining. You just cannot see it.

Today my coach and I analyzed what was going wrong with my loop. I am landing on a RBI edge then trying to force an outside edge and the knee is not over the toe. this is causing the strain in my muscles around my ankle all the way up to my knee. This all because I landed it once and wanted to be sure it was still there and it wasn't. :frus: grrrrr. Coach perscribed no jumping for a week, lots of Ibuprofen, cold and heat packs for 20-30 minutes, and we will see if that will help reduce the stress. I will need to relearn loop to undo my bad bad bad habits. I want it so bad that I force it. I have decided to take a week or 2 off of skating. This will allow me time evaluate other skating things too.


"Into the Ice":
During my "Jump Plateau" I am working in spins. I'm seeing more improvements in riding the entrance edge and centering them. I love camel spins they are coming along nicely. Working on Bronze MIF (Power 3s on the Left side are getting quieter and more solid),and silver MIF too. In Silver MIF, I don't quite understand why the USFS put a pre-preliminary move (forward right and left spirals) in with a bunch of Pre-Juvenile/Juvenile moves. must have been an afterthought. oh well, I digress... maybe they designed it so I have LOTS of time to get my free leg up there high enough:lol:

[Rusty Blades]

Jello knees Been off the ice since August 17, the end of "summer school", and don't go back until September 5th, the beginning of "fall school" - I MISS SKATING! WAAAA! 8O (Also had to install a new "deep well" 'cause of drought conditions this year - $$$$$$)

Into the ice I get to skate again in a week's time! (And with the new well, there wont be any shortage of water for the new backyard rink. I am taking bets that we will have the warmest winter EVER in Manitoba!)

[SkatingOnClouds]

Jello knees
Started learning Ina Bauer and fan spiral....oh my god....what can I say...yeah right, maybe with about a year's practice!

What is a fan spiral :?:

[doubletoe]

Good luck for the comp, doubletoe!
Thank you! If nothing else, at least the dress will look good! :D

Started learning Ina Bauer and fan spiral....
I can give you tips on the Ina Bauer if you like. What's a fan spiral??

[doubletoe]

"Jello Knees":


I am right along with you there, Sonic. The sun still shines, even when it is raining. You just cannot see it.

I have decided to take a week or 2 off of skating. This will allow me time evaluate other skating things too.

"Into the Ice":
I don't quite understand why the USFS put a pre-preliminary move (forward right and left spirals) in with a bunch of Pre-Juvenile/Juvenile moves. must have been an afterthought. oh well, I digress... maybe they designed it so I have LOTS of time to get my free leg up there high enough:lol:

I hope your ankle gets better soon! As for the spirals, I think they put them on the Adult Silver test so that adults with flexibility problems weren't barred from competitive skating from the start (especially men, many of whom have a heck of a time passing that move because they can't even get their free foot to hip level).

[jazzpants]

Hope your ankle feels better, SK8pdx!!!

As for the spirals, I think they put them on the Adult Silver test so that adults with flexibility problems weren't barred from competitive skating from the start (especially men, many of whom have a heck of a time passing that move because they can't even get their free foot to hip level).Except around where I skate!!! The men have MORE flexibility than the women! :evil: :x

Take me for instance... I have absolutely NO flexibility whatsoever, particularly on hip flexors and lower back!!! It's a struggle for me JUST to turn my foot out so I at least I have STRAIGHT legs!!! Most of the adult male skaters at my rink have gorgeous spirals and a couple can do Y-spirals even!!! Soooo envious of them!!!

[techskater]

Fan spiral - start with the leg out to the side and keep it at hip level while moving it to the standard position - like a fan opening.

[tidesong]

Into the Ice:
Completed 4 days of seminar without injury! Spins are on a good roll.

Jello Knees:
Jumps are still wonky, cant wait for lesson to practise them.

[icedancer2]

Jello knees: this is apropos because just today I decided never to test Moves again. I don't like the way I skate when I test by myself, like on Moves, the whole thing is total jello knees (and heavy legs) -- who needs it???

Into the ice: Practicing an exercise I learned for the Killian that is literally completely down in the knees, ankles, feet, ice -- over and over again.

Ditto with exercises for the Paso.

Pre-Gold dance test: here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NoVa Sk8r]

As for the spirals, I think they put them on the Adult Silver test so that adults with flexibility problems weren't barred from competitive skating from the start (especially men, many of whom have a heck of a time passing that move because they can't even get their free foot to hip level).My impression was that it was a "gimme" move: they put this "easier" element on the silver moves test so that skaters could get extra points to make up for the seemingly harder moves.
In fact, if it weren't for the spiral move (and the nice judges who gave me 2.9s on them 8-) ), I never would have passed silver moves. BI 3-turns are the Brussel sprouts in the moves family! :evil:

[doubletoe]

My impression was that it was a "gimme" move: they put this "easier" element on the silver moves test so that skaters could get extra points to make up for the seemingly harder moves.
In fact, if it weren't for the spiral move (and the nice judges who gave me 2.9s on them 8-) ), I never would have passed silver moves. BI 3-turns are the Brussel sprouts in the moves family! :evil:

For a lot of women it ends up being the gimme move, but not for men (and some women, especially those who never took ballet). I know a guy who is a phenomenal athelete and is already landing clean double flips even though he started skating as an adult. He just took his Silver MIF test and made a point of getting all of his moves above passing so that he could pass even if they didn't pass his spirals (which barely cleared his hips, as hard as he tried)!

[doubletoe]

Hope your ankle feels better, SK8pdx!!!

Except around where I skate!!! The men have MORE flexibility than the women! :evil: :x

Take me for instance... I have absolutely NO flexibility whatsoever, particularly on hip flexors and lower back!!! It's a struggle for me JUST to turn my foot out so I at least I have STRAIGHT legs!!! Most of the adult male skaters at my rink have gorgeous spirals and a couple can do Y-spirals even!!! Soooo envious of them!!!

I know!! Those Silver guys from your area are aliens from outer space, I'm convinced of it! They put us all to shame!

[Thin-Ice]

In Silver MIF, I don't quite understand why the USFS put a pre-preliminary move (forward right and left spirals) in with a bunch of Pre-Juvenile/Juvenile moves. must have been an afterthought.

Originally the Alternating Inside Edge and Alternating Outside Edge Spirals from Preliminary Moves were on the Gold Test... so the Straight Line Spirals were a preparation step for Gold Moves. But a lot of the skaters who started as adults and never took dance classes were hung up on the Pre-Pre Spirals, they decided to eliminate the Alternating Edge Spirals from Gold.. and just kept the Spirals on the Silver Test.. which became a "gift" for some skaters.. and something to keep working on for others.

[Thin-Ice]

BI 3-turns are the Brussel sprouts in the moves family! :evil:

I LOVE this! (And completely agree. Can you tell what's keeping me from taking my Silver Moves test?:roll: )

[mintypoppet]

Went to a great bbq with 3 skating friends from the rink on Saturday evening. Stayed up all night chatting - not only was it great to be able to talk about skating with people who understand and are interested, we put the world to rights a bit too!

And next time, when your foot's better, you can join the rest of us on the ice the next morning and whinge about being too tired :halo:

Into the ice:
GAM finally came through and replaced my boots. Consequently, I have RFO edges for the first time. This means that swing rolls, FO mohawks, R one-foot slaloms and a whole host of other things are finally working. I am one very happy bunny :D

Jello knees:
Breaking in new skates... ouch.
My spins have disappeared completely, but I guess they'll be back once the boots have had a bit more use.

[Mrs Redboots]

At least our ballroom classes are over...I was starting to look for steel-toed dance shoes!!! (ouch!)Very ouch! We did a Latin dance course once... never, ever again!

Mrs. Redboots and Doubletoe-Good Luck at your competitions!!!!Thank you.

Into the ice: Rink was empty this morning, with everybody being at the NJS. Only two other people when we arrived - both middle-aged men, needless to say. In fact, most of our practice was just us and couple no 3, and another man. As couple no 3 are skating against us at the British Adults, we were able to share their music, and ran through several sequences of both the Dutch Waltz and the Fiesta Tango. Think the DW was a lot better than yesterday! Still need to think of finishing our edges, though. Fiesta okay, but we must watch the RFO xroll edge - we're far too apt to flatten it off. And of course the end pattern isn't what it should be (but I think is the best of a bad lot from Streatham!).

Jelly knees: Then we put the music on for our free dance, but, alas, come the lift, and he drops me splot on my arse - and wrenched my wrist slightly. No damage, but it aches a bit. I thought at first I'd banged my tailbone, but luckily not.

However, we were able to have another run-through and this time all went well - to the point that I was afraid he'd lifted me too high again, as at Bracknell. But it seems to have been about right. Let's hope we can do it like that on Sunday!

[Careygram]

Into the Ice: Passed Intermediate moves, no longer using behind to land as much, actually using foot.

Jello Knees: Passed Intermediate moves--those novice moves are a b*tch! Actually expected to be consistent with landing gear. These coaches are so NEEDY.

[e-skater]

Jelly knees: Then we put the music on for our free dance, but, alas, come the lift, and he drops me splot on my arse - and wrenched my wrist slightly. No damage, but it aches a bit. I thought at first I'd banged my tailbone, but luckily not.

However, we were able to have another run-through and this time all went well - to the point that I was afraid he'd lifted me too high again, as at Bracknell. But it seems to have been about right. Let's hope we can do it like that on Sunday!

Annabel, THE BEST to you in your competition! Wish I could see it!

[slusher]

Into the Ice: Passed Intermediate moves, no longer using behind to land as much, actually using foot.

Jello Knees: Passed Intermediate moves--those novice moves are a b*tch! Actually expected to be consistent with landing gear. These coaches are so NEEDY.

Oh congratulations for passing!

I like the coaches are so needy line, I think I'll use it tonight.


Into the Ice

The ice is back in town and we're starting pre-season tonight.

Jello Knees
I have my first lesson with my dance coach tonight. I haven't done dance with a partner in six months.

However, having not done dance with any sort of effort in a long time, I'm doomed! I've been practicing my patterns on public ice and they're teeny!

[sarahg]

Into the Ice

Both the RFO and LFO 3 turns are finally beginning to come together. My perfectionist coach was almost happy with a couple that I did for him, although he is trying to get the LFO more shallow and so had me doing them along the line of the middle hockey circle: can't say that many of those ones actually worked, but at least when I'm off this line they have come together :)

My continuous forward outside edges were also a little stronger, I just need to work on a getting a higher free leg with better turn out ;)

My CCW back crossovers were getting smoother, coach just wants me to hold the outside edge glide for slightly longer before doing the cross.

Jello Knees

My CW back crossovers are an utter disaster. Other than the fact I can actually do a cross, nearly everything else is wrong with them. I need more lean into the circle, more facing into the circle, more knee bend, my left hip to actually lead, more glide, less toe pick etc etc. The list goes on and on :roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Into the Ice: Passed Intermediate moves, no longer using behind to land as much, actually using foot.

Jello Knees: Passed Intermediate moves--those novice moves are a b*tch! Actually expected to be consistent with landing gear. These coaches are so NEEDY.Many, many congratulations! Onwards and upwards....


Annabel, THE BEST to you in your competition! Wish I could see it!This isn't really the one to watch - it's only a warm-up for the British Adult Championships, which are at the end of September. Should be good fun, though.

[Careygram]

Thanks Mrs. Redboots and Slusher.

I like that "coaches are needy" thing too. I think they forget that we're paying them. I also like to say "hey, that thing you told me to do with my foot? You know THAT thing? It actually WORKED". :lol:
Such a comedienne....
Have a great week everyone!

[Debbie S]

Congratulations, Careygram!

Originally the Alternating Inside Edge and Alternating Outside Edge Spirals from Preliminary Moves were on the Gold Test... Really? I didn't know that. They must not have been on the test for very long - when I started to pay attention to the adult moves track (about 3 years ago), I remember that Novice move being on Gold (which was removed last year) but not the Prelim spirals. Hey, if they were still on the Gold test (maybe in place of the brackets?), that would increase my chances of passing (yeah, I know, I'm weird...:oops: ).

today I decided never to test Moves again. I don't like the way I skate when I test by myself, like on Moves, the whole thing is total jello knees (and heavy legs) -- who needs it???
I'm sorry your testing experience didn't go as you hoped, but don't give up! Each time testing gets easier - hey, I'm still working on that! :) (Did you get helpful feedback from the judges - this was Bronze moves, correct?)

Into the Ice:
My coach gave me exercises to do for loop, flip, and lutz. My loop technique is less than desirable, so now that I am finished with the Bronze tests, we are working on fixing the problem. Also worked on moves - BI 3-turns are getting better, (very) slowly but surely. Practiced change-foot scratch and sit spins and had some success.

Jello Knees:
Power pulls! Also back cross rolls - can't get off my toepicks!:frus: And still no flip, but I'm hoping the exercises will help - it's not so much the jumping, it's the timing on the takeoff.

[LilJen]

Into the Ice:
-Introductions to power 3s, half flip, salchow today, among other things. Cool!!!
-Coach hadn't seen me do a waltz jump and said it looked "not too bad" and "at least I was leaving the ice." : )
-Rink Ambassador/Everyone's Dance Partner introduced me to a couple of patterns today. Not that I can remember what the silly dance was called, but it was basically 4 progressives (L/R/L/R), then four alternating steps w/chasses, then four alternating steps with cross rolls (and I said, "so that's what a cross roll is"). Cross rolls don't roll at all! And there I had the Dance level 1. (Not to say I was particularly graceful about it, but the fact that I can remember it now bodes well, because I can practice!)
-Only about a half dozen people on the midweek afternoon ice, now that school is back in session!!!!!

Jello Knees:
-Power 3s are. . . definitely strange. I can understand why people say they're evil. I think it's the edge change after the 3-turn that gets me. Definitely something to work on over the next several weeks.
-Just got more chapters for this idiot book I'm working on (I'm a freelance editor) and there's probably no way I'll get to the rink next week to practice! (HAVE to get to the Friday am early session--last Friday night's public was frightening!
-Suffering major maternal guilt over the fact that I'm playing hookey from work and dd is in daycare while I"m prancing off to the rink to pretend I"m Dorothy Hamill. I guess it won't be so bad when dd is in kindergarten next year, 'cause at least I won't be blowing off daycare funds (and time with dd) to go skate. . .

[Thin-Ice]

Re: Alternating Outside & Alternating Inside Spirals:

Really? I didn't know that. They must not have been on the test for very long - when I started to pay attention to the adult moves track (about 3 years ago), I remember that Novice move being on Gold (which was removed last year) but not the Prelim spirals. Hey, if they were still on the Gold test (maybe in place of the brackets?), that would increase my chances of passing (yeah, I know, I'm weird...:oops: ).

Yeah, they were on the very first Gold Moves test.. I think they stayed just the first year.... because the difficulties for many of the guys became quickly obvious. Or it's possible they were just on the first draft of Gold Moves.. I just remember a couple of the guys I skated with then complaining about them as they were preparing for the tests. Kind of like how Gold FS used to require a double jump... things were very fluid at first.. since no one really seemed to know what most adults could realistically be expected to do in a short amount of time. I'm pretty sure I'll never have to worry about ANY Gold test!

[Mrs Redboots]

Into the Ice: Ran through everything on the ice this morning, all pretty good. Well, for us - if I went into detail about what could have been better, I'd depress myself, so I won't!

Jelly Knees (actually, sore ones, not jelly ones!): One of our opposition has very sore knees at the moment and is having trouble bending them, which is seriously impacting her skating. Which is a great pity - we want to beat them, sure, but not because she's in pain! Oh well, we shall see on Sunday.

[Skate@Delaware]

I'll put this under "Into the Ice" altho I'm not on the ice yet. Got a call from my coach last night...lessons are scheduled!!! The rink opens up on Tuesday and lessons start (for hubby and daughter) on Wednesday night. My lessons start on the following Sunday. So, it's the same drill as last season...what are my goals, hopes, and aspirations for this coming season??? What do I hope to accomplish by the end of the season and what is the major thing I want? Of course, it all has to be within the scope of her teaching ability so I can't ask to be able to skate like Michelle Kwan or anything like that :lol: .

On the other hand, I did mention that I am feeling my age (shhh! don't tell anyone I said that) because for the first time EVER with this crappy weather, my knees have been aching. It sucks. So I'm glad I agreed to tone down my skating for the upcoming season (to 10-15 hours a week instead of 15-20). I am in pursuit of quality not quantity.

[Skate@Delaware]

Sorry for the double post....

[LilJen]

Holy cow, Delaware, you're able to skate that many hours in a week?? I'm lucky if I get to the rink twice for about 1.5 hours each. . . I'm jealous!

[Skate@Delaware]

Holy cow, Delaware, you're able to skate that many hours in a week?? I'm lucky if I get to the rink twice for about 1.5 hours each. . . I'm jealous!
only when the season runs...now summer is a different animal and then my skating drops down to almost nothing (maybe 4 hours a month).

If you want more hours, be a show skater....and say "sure" to everything the director asks you, that way you end up in multiple numbers. It's free ice time, extra training, etc......

All kidding aside, I am lucky to get that many hours. Now if my skating actually improved so I'd have something to show for it...:roll:

[doubletoe]

only when the season runs...now summer is a different animal and then my skating drops down to almost nothing (maybe 4 hours a month).

If you want more hours, be a show skater....and say "sure" to everything the director asks you, that way you end up in multiple numbers. It's free ice time, extra training, etc......

All kidding aside, I am lucky to get that many hours. Now if my skating actually improved so I'd have something to show for it...:roll:


I can't imagine how your body can handle that many hours per week. :bow:
My knees would fall apart. :(

[Debbie S]

Hey, how was your comp, doubletoe? This was the Golden West, right? You probably got to see some great skating from the kids (as well as the adults)!

Practice Thurs night was mostly exercises and moves, so a lot of it was Jello Knees, but I'm hoping to be more "Into the Ice" tomorrow. :)

[Terri C]

Today was all Jello Knees:
For whatever reason, I just couldn't get into the groove today.
Apparaently we had a visitor named Ernesto here that took my electricity away from 4:30 yesterday morning to 12:30 this afternoon. Trust me, it took a lot of adjusting to.
I also had pain in my right heel when landing jumps and attempting loops. I'll consult with Primary Coach about this when I have lesson on Wednesday.

Also, we found a sign in the penalty box that read:
"To those that enter the penalty box, please clean up after yourselves, especially the LTS and freestyle skaters." 8O :x

I then went to the front desk and complained. The rink operations coordinator told me to bring her the signs, which I did and she promptly threw them in the trash. She said something about she doesn't know who put the signs there, but I think she knows more than what she's letting on...:roll: :??

[faeriefall]

Into the Ice

I get to skate again! The rink is finally opening after it's summer vacation! Found that I can still do the splits and my Off ice Axel is better than ever so hopefully this year that jump will be consistent and I can work on doubles o_0

Jelly Knees

I need new skates and the funds to buy them are stretched very thin...Maybe If I ask nicely before christmas I can have that be my present...
:bow: pleeeeeaaaaaaaasssssssseeeeeeee Mommy?:bow:

[Skate@Delaware]

I can't imagine how your body can handle that many hours per week. :bow:
My knees would fall apart. :(
Well, considering that I wasn't athletic AT ALL when I was younger, maybe that has saved my knees (and I will be 45 in a few months)!!! As far as the number of hours, remember, it's not all at an aerobic break-neck pace...it's just the time on-ice doing my "stuff." Although, there are days when I can barely crawl off the ice (especially after long hard show practices or triple run-throughs of my program).

Darn, now it doesn't sound as dramatic ;)

[SkatingOnClouds]

Into the Ice:

A good couple of practices this weekend. Worked hard and felt I made progress on some thing, particularly my spins.
For the first time I did a loop which felt like I think a loop should feel. Haven't been able to repeat it to the same feeling, but it's a good start.

Realised how much better my edges are these days, in general and back edges in particular, thanks to my patient coach keeping me at them even though I get bored with them. Even my back spirals are getting more confident.

The work on small jumps the other week is paying off. I had a breakthough on salchows today because working on the 1/2 salchow showed me how much more I need to bend my knee to get a real spring. Need to work more on this and apply it to my full salchow.

Jello Knees:

Missed my lesson during the week because I had a cold. Hate to miss a session, especially my private lesson.

Still struggling with flips. I've been working hard on getting the entry right, and I can get it right when I practise jumping straight up without any rotation, and with the half rotation of the 1/2 flip. As soon as I try the full rotation, I start scraping the toe pick on my take-off edge, am unbalanced and it just isn't working. Goodness knows how I am ever going to get this jump right. It is so frustrating because it used to be my favourite jump 20+ years ago.

Also still doing a string of tiny 3 turns instead of backspins. It feels like a spin, even looks like a spin, but it ain't spinning. My coach helped me make some improvement today, at least I got a couple of circles happening, but it's slow going.

Oh well, that's the weekend over, back to the real world tomorrow. Husband is in a foul mood, :roll:

[SkatingOnClouds]

Into the Ice:

A good couple of practices this weekend. Worked hard and felt I made progress on some thing, particularly my spins.
For the first time I did a loop which felt like I think a loop should feel. Haven't been able to repeat it to the same feeling, but it's a good start.

Realised how much better my edges are these days, in general and back edges in particular, thanks to my patient coach keeping me at them even though I get bored with them. Even my back spirals are getting more confident.

The work on small jumps the other week is paying off. I had a breakthough on salchows today because working on the 1/2 salchow showed me how much more I need to bend my knee to get a real spring. Need to work more on this and apply it to my full salchow.

Jello Knees:

Missed my lesson during the week because I had a cold. Hate to miss a session, especially my private lesson.

Still struggling with flips. I've been working hard on getting the entry right, and I can get it right when I practise jumping straight up without any rotation, and with the half rotation of the 1/2 flip. As soon as I try the full rotation, I start scraping the toe pick on my take-off edge, am unbalanced and it just isn't working. Goodness knows how I am ever going to get this jump right. It is so frustrating because it used to be my favourite jump 20+ years ago.

Also still doing a string of tiny 3 turns instead of backspins. It feels like a spin, even looks like a spin, but it ain't spinning. My coach helped me make some improvement today, at least I got a couple of circles happening, but it's slow going.

Husband is in a foul mood, :roll: so I'm hiding on the computer.
Oh well, that's the weekend over, back to the real world tomorrow.

[samba]

Into the ice:
I wish

Jello Knees
Rink open date is now mid September, boo hoo:cry: I have a serious case of non-skating syndrome.

[Skate@Delaware]

Into the ice:
I wish

Jello Knees
Rink open date is now mid September, boo hoo:cry: I have a serious case of non-skating syndrome.
That SUCKS!!!!!! I feel for you!!!:cry: :cry: :cry:

[singerskates]

Who on earth has ice this weekend (Labour Day weekend)? Everything is shut tight around here. No ice available. Besides it's my last chance before the regular schedule takes over to spend time with family members.

I start back up on the ice on September 6th, 2006 with my skating club. I may have ice with the City of Windsor, ON Canada during the public adult day ice (Tues.) where they let us do whatever we want on the ice so long as we look out for the other skaters and don't do stupid things. But I'm not sure if the city adult plublic ice will start up in September or in October. I do however plan on using the city ice in addition to my three days (Wed., Thurs., and Fri.) of club ice to train. I'll be on the ice on Sat. too but not for my own training. I'll be program assisting on CanSkate (not sure about our StarSkate session if they need me on Sat.) I will be program assisting on our StarSkate on Wed. and Thurs. for sure.

We still have a few spots open for StarSkate (upper CanSkate and upto passing Prelim) and our General Session (working on Junior Bronze/Adult Silver and up) at Club Tecumseh http://clubtecumseh.tripod.com but we are filling up fast.

[Skate@Delaware]

I don't think ANYONE has ice this weekend and there is virtually NONE tomorrow!!!! It's going to be few and far between to get any skating done! My rink opens officially on Tuesday and will charge more to boot!!! Thankfully, daytime sessions are still 1/2 price....

[mikawendy]

I don't think ANYONE has ice this weekend and there is virtually NONE tomorrow!!!! It's going to be few and far between to get any skating done! My rink opens officially on Tuesday and will charge more to boot!!! Thankfully, daytime sessions are still 1/2 price....

Ice World in Abingdon, MD, will have freestyles tomorrow from about 5:30 to 8:30. (I'm not going as I already had plans with DH)

[Skate@Delaware]

I'm planning on some sewing and cleaning up (after our construction crew) and doing some video editing......because we will be skating on Tuesday, possibly hitting BOTH session 8O (and again on Wednesday for two session back-to-back). Yeah, can you say "pass the ben-gay?"

[techskater]

We have ice here in Chicago. We had 2 hours today before hockey took over and we have at least 2 hours tomorrow. It helps that one of the adults here opens the rink and will also make the ice and close up tomorrow.

[Terri C]

Here in Chesapeake VA (we're in the sticks, skating wise) we will have freestyle from 2-6pm tomorrow! There was freestyle ice offered even in the Ernesto midst the other day, though I heard the ice wasn't very good.

[Skate@Delaware]

Here in Chesapeake VA (we're in the sticks, skating wise) we will have freestyle from 2-6pm tomorrow! There was freestyle ice offered even in the Ernesto midst the other day, though I heard the ice wasn't very good.
Hey at least it's ice!!! It's like here when the weather is snowy and otherwise crappy..as long as the state has not declared a state of emergency, the rink is OPEN!!! So, off we go! Schools may be closed and we may be the only morons on the road. Usually we have the whole rink to ourselves! Last time, we got to skate for over 3 hours; it was like a huge private party.

[Terri C]

Hey at least it's ice!!! It's like here when the weather is snowy and otherwise crappy..as long as the state has not declared a state of emergency, the rink is OPEN!!!

Interestingly enough, Virginia was under a state of emergency.
Didn't matter though

[mikawendy]

Interestingly enough, Virginia was under a state of emergency.
Didn't matter though

I once met an ice dancer who said she found the only rink in the DC-MD area that was open the day after Hurrican Isabel...

[Sk8pdx]

"Into the ice"
... er.. "off of the ice" is more like it....I am enjoying a much needed break away from skating. I traveled away for the holiday and there is not a rink to be seen for at least 4 hours in each direction. The ankle is feeling much better! :)

No jello knees, just enjoying some "skating peacetime". 8-)

[Skate@Delaware]

Yeah, sometimes you have to take a break and do other things...rest up, heal up, spend time with the family, and get the house in order (yeah, right).

[Mrs Redboots]

Into the Ice: One Gold, one Silver, at Bristol

Jello Knees: Sadly, the Gold was a walkover, as our opposition had to withdraw due to injury. And Husband skated a really poor Willow Waltz (solo), I was quite ashamed of him! His solo Fiesta was good, though.

Into the Ice again: We skated really well, though, as a couple - I was so pleased. We won the Dutch Waltz (only the usual two couples due to the withdrawal of Couple No 1 from our rink), and taking a dance off of Other Woman and her husband is still rare enough to be a great pleasure. She was injured, too, but still skated - and she and her husband skated an absolute corker of a Fiesta Tango, I've totally never seen them skate it so well. She said it was because she relaxed and didn't try too hard, which could well be right. No way could we match it - but we tried to, and skated it better than we normally do.

Free dance was okay - good to be able to skate it in public and some things were great, the lift worked, we got through it. But the spin died two bars before it should have, and at the end he kicked me and we slowed to almost a stop in the teapot, and I messed up the end steps anyway. Still, we got through it, and hopefully have overcome our block on it. A pity we had no opposition, though.

[mikawendy]

Into the Ice: One Gold, one Silver, at Bristol


Congratulations, Annabel! :D

[kateskate]

Into the Ice: One Gold, one Silver, at Bristol

.

Well done. Are the results posted anywhere? And pictures?

[Mrs Redboots]

Congratulations, Annabel! :D
Well done. Are the results posted anywhere? And pictures?Thanks for the congratulations - but two default medals aren't really all that clever! Still, we were pleased to have won one dance.

I don't think the results would be up yet - have just checked, and no, they aren't. And I think the official photographer was a film person, not an internet one - we didn't have any official photos taken, but a kind friend took some podium photos which I have posted here ( http://mrs-redboots.sk8rland.com/pictures/?s=Bristol+2006) and I don't mind sharing with the world, as they are rather flattering!

[samba]

Thanks for the congratulations - but two default medals aren't really all that clever! Still, we were pleased to have won one dance.

I don't think the results would be up yet - have just checked, and no, they aren't. And I think the official photographer was a film person, not an internet one - we didn't have any official photos taken, but a kind friend took some podium photos which I have posted here ( http://mrs-redboots.sk8rland.com/pictures/?s=Bristol+2006) and I don't mind sharing with the world, as they are rather flattering!

Lovely pictures.

Wouldnt say flattering because you really do look good, just not unflattering like some that we all have and try to keep hidden, also you did win one dance against a strong couple, so well done.

[Debbie S]

Still, we were pleased to have won one dance.Well, congratulations on achieving a personal victory! :)

Nice pics!

[Isk8NYC]

Congratulations to Annabel and Robert! Well done!

[Clare]

I don't think the results would be up yet - have just checked, and no, they aren't. And I think the official photographer was a film person, not an internet one - we didn't have any official photos taken, but a kind friend took some podium photos which I have posted here ( http://mrs-redboots.sk8rland.com/pictures/?s=Bristol+2006) and I don't mind sharing with the world, as they are rather flattering!

They are great pics :) I am super pleased for the 2 of you, especially that your Dutch Waltz went so well.

Clare

[Skate@Delaware]

Congratulations!!!! Very nice pictures!!! Love the dress!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

Congratulations!!!! Very nice pictures!!! Love the dress!!!Thanks - that's just a cheap disco dress from the local discount clothes shop! It works..... I rather love it, too.

[jazzpants]

CONGRATS TO MRS. REDBOOTS on her FIRST PLACE in Dutch Waltz!!!! YAAAAAY!!!!

http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/musik/a040.gif

[e-skater]

Into the Ice: One Gold, one Silver, at Bristol

Jello Knees: Sadly, the Gold was a walkover, as our opposition had to withdraw due to injury. And Husband skated a really poor Willow Waltz (solo), I was quite ashamed of him! His solo Fiesta was good, though.

Into the Ice again: We skated really well, though, as a couple - I was so pleased. We won the Dutch Waltz
Free dance was okay - good to be able to skate it in public and some things were great, the lift worked, we got through it.

ANNABEL! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

Loved reading this post. So happy for you! And the dratted lift! You guys did it!

Plus, skating better than you usually do in the Fiesta "Tangle" is very good!

Congrats again!

[Terri C]

Mrs. Redboots,
A gold medal is a gold medal!! Congratulations and enjoy!! :D

[Mrs Redboots]

Thanks, all! :oops:

[mtj4500]

Thanks, all! :oops:

Yes, very well done for the Dutch Waltz and the Free Dance - we were all holding our breath for the lift ;) .

Mike

[Mrs Redboots]

Yes, very well done for the Dutch Waltz and the Free Dance - we were all holding our breath for the lift ;) .

MikeI know you were - I heard the applause when it came off. How did you two do in the other couples compulsory class (which I'm so glad we didn't enter!)?

[mtj4500]

I know you were - I heard the applause when it came off. How did you two do in the other couples compulsory class (which I'm so glad we didn't enter!)?

We were extremely pleased to come third overall with a second place for the Riverside Rhumba (I think our outfits must have distracted the judges eyes from my footwork or something!).

Mike

[mintypoppet]

(I think our outfits must have distracted the judges eyes from my footwork or something!)

Can't think why! :halo:

The more pertinent question is, was the second place because of the outfits or in spite of them? :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

We were extremely pleased to come third overall with a second place for the Riverside Rhumba (I think our outfits must have distracted the judges eyes from my footwork or something!).

MikeWell done! The Riverside is not easy, and that was mostly fairly exalted company.... and, at that, the Swing Dance isn't easy, either.