Labor or Leisure (Practice Thread 4-10 September, 2006) [Archive]

Sonic

09-04-2006, 05:03 PM

Labor

I know where you're coming from, Terri C.
Sadly, everything was a labor this evening.

No progress so far with programme music.

The ice was really bad tonight (as mintypoppet will testify)

Skated for about 45 mins on the tea-time patch. I got new boots on Saturday and I'm trying to break them in.

What can I say..OOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
My feet were absolutely killing me.
I've been given these orthopedic footbeds to put in my skates/shoes. The left skating boot is fine, but think I'm gonna have to admit defeat with the right one and leave the footbed out.

I'm feeling fed-up at the mo. The cost of the boots has left me skint for the rest of the month, the right foot is still not better so no jumps still. Everybody at the rink seems to be making good progress but me...I WILL hang in there, I'm determined to keep at it, but I have days (like today) where I just feel like quitting....:cry:

Sorry people, hopefully will be a bit more positive tomorrow - get the self-pity out of the way tonight lol!

S xxx

jazzpants

09-04-2006, 06:41 PM

Labor:

Most of my flips and loops are two footed.
The ice... the YB rink is getting ready for ice maintanance and they're doing just dry cuts, so ice is dry crap this afternoon! (Should be okay next week when ice maintanance is done and they start building back up the ice. Hopefully there will be NO DITCH when I come back on the ice next Monday! :evil:Leisure:

Had some really close loop and flip landings where I land on the correct foot and stayed landed for a millisecond... Seems to help when I keep my landing foot across until I have just landing and then come out.
I guess I'll know whether my newly sharpened blade is doing well once I'm actually on nice SMOOTH ice instead of SLUSH!!! But it's nice to finally get my blade sharpened (after how many MONTHS!?!?!) *sigh* :roll:

DallasSkater

09-04-2006, 07:25 PM

Sonic: Sorry about the boots. Sounds very frustrating. I wish you speedy break in time and a wonderful and successful next session!

Labor: Arrived at the rink today to discover that everyone and their uncle decided today was the day to skate! OMG it was soooo busy. Discovered only 2 people on freestyle ice but arrived too late to sign up and it was the last session of that. Why did I not think to ask if they might offer freestyle ice on a holiday?

Had my skates sharpened today and that also makes me feel shaky with trying anything too ambitious. There was no room to be ambitious anyway!

Leisure: The holiday weekend afforded me wonderful opportunity to skate everyday. My one footed spin as really come along. I owe the progress to this board and the tips given on the threads. I discovered just how far up on the blade the "sweet spot" is and it made a world of difference in revolutions. I had consistently 6-8 on a one footed...even out of a cross over! Can't wait to show my coach this progress as she has been gone for a competition. Right shoulder is behaving and staying put! Hope it stays!

New semester of skate school starts for me on Wednesday. Taking 3 classes. Realized the only other thing I count down days to start is a vacation. Validates reasons I am willing to put so much effort and money into this. We will see how my feelings may change when during this semester we are doing a Christmas show. Last year an adult who took LTS with the kiddies (like my classes will be this time..reached top of adult offerings) performed in the show. Their song was Grandma got run over by a reindeer. Guess who was Grandma...she said her role was to skate out there and get run over! I am worried....lol. Surely they can be more creative ...right? (gulp). giggle.

Skate@Delaware

09-04-2006, 07:50 PM

New semester of skate school starts for me on Wednesday. Taking 3 classes. Realized the only other thing I count down days to start is a vacation. Validates reasons I am willing to put so much effort and money into this. We will see how my feelings may change when during this semester we are doing a Christmas show. Last year an adult who took LTS with the kiddies (like my classes will be this time..reached top of adult offerings) performed in the show. Their song was Grandma got run over by a reindeer. Guess who was Grandma...she said her role was to skate out there and get run over! I am worried....lol. Surely they can be more creative ...right? (gulp). giggle.
Well, that's the life of a "show skater!" And as an adult sometimes you get fit into the roles as needed. This past spring, I played the lovely Miss Gulch (Wizard of Oz)...bike and all. Not a glam role or anything but it was as fun as I made it....I was also a poppy that made Dorothy fall asleep...hmmm one evil role after another. Should I worry about being typecast? Maybe I should stop yelling at my kids in front of the director 8O or I'll never be a snowflake in Nutcracker!!!!

Good luck getting a good role!!!

Rusty Blades

09-04-2006, 09:11 PM

Labour: (<---Canadian spelling :roll: ) Tonight was the start of Fall Skating School - new rink but back with my winter coach. After two and a half hard busy weeks off the ice (MAJOR construction!) I wasn’t sure what would still be there and what would be gone! The session started out less than encouraging. All the forward basics were still there but it took most of the first hour to get the backward edges and stroking to come together.

Leisure: Everything DID come together in the second hour and my coach had me do a little of everything up to Three Turns but I was feeling a bit rusty and pooped by then so she introduced me to the back Mohawk instead. Ok, this is one turn that is going to come easy for me 8-) At the end, my feet were killing me and my muscles were sore (especially the muscles for backward!) but it was a productive start. :mrgreen:

Best of all, I am back on the ice and this is the beginning of the long haul through to next spring and hopefully my first competition and a major one at that!

DallasSkater

09-05-2006, 08:13 AM

Skate@Delware: my new best friend aspires to be a snowflake! giggle. Very cool that you have had the opportunity to reframe evil roles to be fun! Will try to adopt your attitude!

Rusty: Welcome back to the ice. I bet this week will go better now that you had that session. Hmmm sounds like I need to adopt some of your style as well. I am worried about being run over and you are setting your eye on the prize of a major competition! I wish you much luck with that wonderful goal. (I am hoping for a little local competition where I might not stand out as much as an anxiety ridden competitor!..giggle).

Mrs Redboots

09-05-2006, 08:50 AM

Labour (British spelling, as well as Canadian - and, I think, Australian.....): I don't think the Husband really wanted to skate this morning! Difficult to remember we have one of the most important competitions of the year coming up all too soon.

Our coach decided to change the step sequence of our free dance. So whatever happened to "simple steps, done well", I'd like to know.... I think we can do it, but Husband was getting very confused - so was I, for that matter, but not to the point of "Oh, am I stepping to forwards there, not doing a 3-turn?" Sometimes, when he is confused, he thinks a 3-turn is 360 degrees, not 180! I said he could do a back 3-turn there if he wanted to.....

Leisure: Our coach was delighted to learn that we'd actually won the Dutch Waltz, and made us show him our new start (he flatly forbade us to do the one we'd done at the Mountain Cup, which he said he hadn't seen before and didn't like), and then to do a pattern of it, after which he said he supposed he saw why we'd done well, which is great praise from him!

After Husband left, I did a couple of run-throughs of my dance moves, which were okay, but only okay. Better than they were, I think; we will see what tomorrow's lesson brings forth.

Rusty Blades

09-05-2006, 09:19 AM

Oh yea, congratulations Boots! Well done, both of you!

Thanks Dallas! I am, by nature, someone who never feels "good enough" and thinks "Just one more (whatever) and I'll be ready." So I set my sights high right from the start and only have ONE goal to achieve. After that, everything else will be easier! (Now isn't that strange psychology! LOL!)

quarkiki2

09-05-2006, 09:37 AM

This is actually frommy Saturday lesson, but work was crazy yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to post.

Labor: The choctaw into my almost-a-scratch scratch spin. I have to stop thinking so hard about it and just put my stinkin' foot down!!! Back cross rolls. These are fine with a partner or in a line, but sucky by myself. I don't like BO edges and stepping from one to another is awful. Grr! Tensing up so much on my toe loop that I'm actually causeing myself to NOT jump. Same with salchow. Walkthroughs are perfect, but when I intend to jump I tense my shoulders and freeze every time. Blech!!!

Leisure: Started choreographing my program. I've settled on Billy Joel's Vienna for the music and have the first fifteen seconds choreographed. I'm doing this myself, which makes my coach laugh because she sort of assumed I would, even though I asked her to help me -- there's too much dancer in me, I guess, and I love choreographing dance. She figures that I'll do just as well as she will with the choreography, but said she'd watch and help out if I get stuck or miss a skill. Of course my darn choreograher put in moves that I don't do particularly well yet... thanks! I start with a right swing roll with a change of edge, RFI to LBO choctaw, LBO three, RFI three, two back crossovers into my almost-a-scratch spin. I can do the swing roll and change of edge well, the rest, not so much. But my intention for a program was to force myself to do these skills up to speed and in time with music (since my internal metronome won't let me skate off the beat), so I think that's an OK start.

Also leisure: I have a 1-revolution jump! For some reason, I have a consistent half loop. I also have a half flip and half lutz, but no waltz jump, toe loop or salchow. Coach laughed at me again for this -- who on earth gets the half loop as a first jump?? Got foot crossed for one scratch spin, too.

Decided that I'm doing well enough with the footwork in Synchro that I didn't need to show it during the lesson. This is the first season that I'm completely confident that I can do everything in the program without drilling the footwork beyond running through it a couple of times when I practice alone. Yay!!

Skate@Delaware

09-05-2006, 01:34 PM

Labor: RINK IS FINALLY OPEN!!! THE ICE IS HARDER THAN DIAMONDS!!!!! Sorry for shouting but I was excited to skate at my home rink (finally) and of course you forget that they turn the compressors on all the way for the first week or so. Which makes doing anything exceedingly difficult! Talk about having a time finding your ice legs!!!! Took about an hour before I felt somewhat confident...and then I only tried waltz jumps. They were crappy. I didn't worry about it too much tho. Couldn't do mohawks. They just didn't happen at all.

Leisure: Worked on the little things: partnering with hubby and helping him with his basic stroking, spinning, and swing rolls. He is having a hard time with the "bend your knees" and "don't look down" concept. He did manage some 2-rev spins. I managed some decent spins, thanks to the hard ice. There were only about 10 people on the ice; a mix of kids (homeschooled), hockey, freestyle skaters working on "stuff" and our ice dancers....it was fun!

quarkiki2: I can do the 1/2 loop but cannot for the life of me land a plain vanilla loop!!!! I have a mental block for some reason. Hang in there, you will get it!!!

Diane: I started skating in shows so I would get used to skating in front of people when I finally started competing...it has helped. But it will get easier the more comps you do.

Sonic

09-05-2006, 03:59 PM

Labour (Brit spelling :lol: )
Feet are sore. Felt very down when I stepped onto the ice for the tea-time session. Skated for one hour, then hung around for the evening session for the dance interval.
What can I say...my Dutch Waltz was okay, but everything else total and utter rubbish. I am so embarassed, I don't know whether I can bring myself to skate on the one next week, let alone join the ice dance club...:cry:

Leisure
Managed a few jumps - didn't dare attempt flip, but almost managed a few loops.
My spins are returning again, after the disasterous attempts yesterday! Managed a few decent spins, and a few half decent CENTRED sit spins.

Well, I'm a crap dancer, a weak jumper....but if they bring in a 'spinning only' discipline into figure skating I'd be okay!:P

S xxx

mintypoppet

09-06-2006, 06:10 AM

It's said that trying to think of happy things when you're sad is difficult, and vice-versa. And I'm tired and grumpy, so here's the...
Labour:

Nerve pain still happening, and getting progressively worse. My podiatrist won't touch it again until my new boots break in properly, but it's making it painful and frustrating to skate, and there's no obvious solution in sight. RFO edges aggravate it, and L swing rolls feel as though the leg's about to explode. Rather annoying.

Sonic and I are sulking through new-boot-pain and unknown-foot-injury-pain together.

Leisure:
Did the Dutch Waltz in hold, and still remembered the steps. It's the only dance that seems to be completely ingrained in my brain at the moment.

Someone asked me how to do a teapot, so that must have made an impression - hardly the most elegant move though.

Going on holiday tomorrow, so I'll be off the ice for a week. I'm not sure that walking or sightseeing constitute rest, but I guess it'll use a different set of muscles. I'll be climbing the walls by the time I get back though.

Mrs Redboots

09-06-2006, 07:10 AM

Labour: Today's skate was awful. Coach changed our step sequence yesterday - for the most part, only the hold. But can the Husband remember the steps now that the hold has changed? You guess! I kept telling him that it was exactly the same steps, but somehow 3-turn, back outside swing roll is beyond the bounds of possibility for him to remember.... sheesh....

Then my private lesson was pretty pants, too. Cross-rolls reasonably okay, but in the cross-cuts, and back skating generally, he seems to want me to do several totally incompatible things at once - how do I bend my knees and raise my hip at the same time? I think we got thoroughly fed up with each other by the end of the lesson.

Leisure: Coach did say my back crossovers had improved......that's something, I suppose.

e-skater

09-06-2006, 05:27 PM

Labor:Getting back into the Swing Dance and Fiesta Tango. If I could possibly "roll" any more edges, I could probably roll a cigarette with my blades! We spent a great deal of my precious 45-minute lesson for the month on swingrolls and chasse's. It was good work, but definitely falls into the "Labor" category. Though the light, however dimly, did come on after several passes. Now for that mohawk which begins the Fiesta end pattern. Perhaps a couple months of work on leaving the shoulders in place, moving only the hips. :frus: The rest of the Fiesta is ok though. The Swing is getting better. We have no test session in October, so coach says she I'll have to test these in November then. Then there was the brief "labor" on power pulls. Yep, definitely a weak side here. :twisted: And the "good side" is not that good!

Leisure:A couple of elements my coach is trying to get me to learn. A backward hydroblade and (gasp!) a Charlotte. Neither of which I can do yet. She literally pushed me down to the ice while also holding me (she gets a Gold medal for how she can do these things.....) in a back hydroblade. What a strange, but fun, feeling. Next was the Charlotte, done crosswise on a hockey line for now. Yikes! I will not be attempting this by myself any time soon.8O 8O 8O As slow as we were going, with her hanging on to me, looking ( or trying to look ) at your knee while going backward and seeing the ice going by....I don't know.....it was only leisure because I knew I probably wouldn't fall!!! LOL!

jshbo724

09-06-2006, 05:51 PM

Leisure: Started out normal with some waltz-loops, loop-loops, and flips were good. I was happy that today was a jump day. Cause last Wednesday I landed my axel for the first time out of the harness!!!!!! I was so excited, that I fell pretty bad on it Friday, LOL and got a small injury. But I was back today and guess what? Axels from standstill were pretty much consistent!!!!!!!!!! I was soooooo excited. I'm so happy to get this. I've been working on it for about 2 months and I really want to put it in my comp. program if possible.

Labor: Started getting REALLY tired after about 15 minutes after doing axels so I started falling more, hitting my knee to the ice, saving my body with my elbow, which hurt really bad after 2 times of doing it, LOL. Plus my stomach hurt, didn't have time to eat before skating.

Overall I'm just excited about my axel!!! YAY!! :D

doubletoe

09-06-2006, 06:08 PM

Leisure: Last Wednesday I landed my axel for the first time out of the harness!!!!!! I was so excited, that I fell pretty bad on it Friday, LOL and got a small injury. But I was back today and guess what? Axels from standstill were pretty much consistent!!!!!!!!!! I was soooooo excited. I'm so happy to get this. I've been working on it for about 2 months and I really want to put it in my comp. program if possible.

CONGRATULATIONS!! I will never forget the first time I landed an axel. I still remember the actual date it happened. It is a big deal, and it is the bridge to double jumps.

In the weeks following my first axel landing, I remember I went through a phase where I had bad falls and bruised myself up a lot, so be careful. If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid a lot more attention to my body position on my takeoff edge and just *not* take off if it didn't feel 100% right. That's what I do now, and I never have bad falls on the axel anymore. Here's a good checklist before you leave the ice:
- Lead with your chest, which is lined up over your takeoff knee
- Takeoff knee is lined up over your takeoff foot toes.
- Shoulders back a little, especially your landing side shoulder.
- Free leg bent and hanging in sort of a neutral position under your hip, not extended way behind you like a landing edge.
Those are the main things. And if you can do a controlled waltz-loop, you are probably in the right position on takeoff and will probably be fine on the axel. :)

Terri C

09-06-2006, 07:16 PM

Everyone was laboring away at my rink.. school is back in session and the rink across town is closed so the freestyle was crowded.
Moves were simply not going to happen, so Coach and I went the freestyle route.
Spins were good, except she still wants the sit lower :roll: and I forgot how to do the backsit. Then again, the backsit is still rather new to me.
Jumps were okay, Coach picked at the salchow, telling me to stretch the three turn longer.
Loop is slowly starting to come back- just need to keep working on it.
As the session thinned out, I worked on moves.

jazzpants

09-06-2006, 07:36 PM

Labor:

No lesson this week... I'm at my alternate weekend rink today b/c my home rink is under ice maintainance and probably is being painted and the pipes are being fixed as we speak.
My loop and flip... maybe I should wait 'til after my ice maintainance is done and I get a lesson again. :roll:
Backspin... eh okay... not great....Leisure:

Had PRIVATE ICE for a good 10 minutes and the rest of the hour was maybe up to about 5 people on ice... Nice!!! :D
The newly sharpen blades are working out well... I am able to hold off taking off just a tad longer on the loop, so it's not too bad (and this is on very smooth ice.)

NoVa Sk8r

09-06-2006, 08:09 PM

... my home rink is under ice maintainance and probably is being painted and the pipes are being fixed as we speak.It better be ready when I'm there next week!

jazzpants

09-06-2006, 08:55 PM

It better be ready when I'm there next week!Yeah, no kiddin'!!! I REALLY miss my lessons already!!! :evil: :frus:

The website says that it should be opened by Saturday (http://www.skatebowl.com/) for normal business... and I know in the past that it has NEVER been late on length of time for ice maintanance. And if anything, I know the rink manager well enough to know she won't let it be late!

You should have ice by the time you come into town! (PM me and let me know which FS sessions (http://www.skatebowl.com/htm/yerba_buena_freestyle.htm) you're planning on going to...)

Skate@Delaware

09-06-2006, 09:05 PM

Labor: Spins...generally sucked. The ice is soooo hard that you just can't get an edge on it. Although I did manage a few but nothing to get excited about. Tried some waltz jumps, which were scary on the landing because I felt as though my blades were skidding out from beneath me...I'm going to attribute this to poor posture (instead of the ice) as I felt that my shoulders were not back enough. Salchows...toe-tapping again....I will get them back. Backspins were "interestingly not happening" although I squeaked out a one-rev. My first lesson on Sunday will be a major review!!!

Leisure: Just to have home ice again is nice! It was good to see everyone and catch up. The talk of the rink seems to be hubby's new boots (jackson pro-flex hinged boots) and everyone was expecting to see him in them. Not yet...hopefully we will get the call soon that our boots are in!

I'm tired!!! I've skated 5 hours in two days time.

DallasSkater

09-06-2006, 09:30 PM

Labor: Attended my first session of the bridge program tonight. 12 people enrolled ....I am the oldest at 44...the next oldest...my fear realized...turned 11 today. giggle. Interesting that we had 5 instructors for this class! Then I learned that part of this program is off ice. Following each 40 minute session we are to report to the BALLET room for 30 minutes of BALLET! I know this is supposed to be a good thing as I am not graceful and this might help but I think I deserved some psych me up for it time! I never imagined that I would take ballet...but ballet with kids...OMG!

Leisure: As shocking as all this was.... I loved every minute! giggle. Should be an interesting semester....2 more classes later this week. Learned my stroking instructor will be a guy who I have always wanted to have as an instructor and my freestyle class is being taught by my private coach.

The humbling process has begun!

SpaMama

09-06-2006, 09:57 PM

Rusty Blades

09-07-2006, 02:46 AM

Way to go Dallas!!!

At the local club I joined last winter (to get more ice time than my "adult group" in the city) I think the oldest coach was maybe 30 - I was 56 8O THAT felt strange! And being out-skated by 7 year olds, well, that's humbling. One of the almost-teens asked me how old I was and then remarked, in astonishment, "You're OLDER than my Father!" Thanks kid! - LOL!!!

Skate@Delaware

09-07-2006, 09:47 AM

Dianne, I'm a LOT older than my coach....old enough to be her mother! She thought it would cause a problem at the beginning and asked if I had a problem with it; my answer "no" still stands true today. I have a lot of respect for my coach and we get along well in the student-coach relationship. She has now become coach to my husband and daughter.

We have several people in my club that are older. One of our skaters is 71!!! He is a beginner but I would say almost pre-bronze...he is working on his jumps and spins. He also skates inlines during the summer.

But, I love the look I get when i ask one of the younger girls how to do something....like the evil bunny hop or 1/2 flip. They think it's a hoot to show the "old lady" how to do stuff!!!

RE: Halloween Classic-My coach did ask if I had a support group in case she can't make it up there for the competition....I think I can securely say YES! She just wants to make sure I don't freak out and have someone to say a few words to me before I hit the ice. I'm sure I can find someone. I gave her the application so she could look it over; I'm reviewing my music to see what the timing of it actually is as she would prefer that I skate no-test this one time (but she would be ok with me skating pre-bronze also...we need to wait and see how my skating is going).

Mrs Redboots

09-07-2006, 10:48 AM

Leisure: Wednesday evening's dance sessions (once a month) at Alexandra Palace are definitely leisure skating! Great fun, although the ice there is a bit weird and wonderful. We enjoyed ourselves, although after 90 minutes in the morning, 90 minutes in the evening was too much and I got off with about 15 minutes to go.

In the break, we watched our friends go through their new pairs routine, and their side-by-side step sequence was awesome. I know if Husband and I had tried, it would look like we just randomly happened to be in the same ice-rink.

We worked a bit on our step sequence, and thankfully, the new holds are working now. Don't think our idea for the end is going to work, though, will have to tackle that in the morning.

flying~camel

09-07-2006, 11:59 AM

Labor:

With it being the first week of fall ice and regionals just around the corner, the Wednesday night freestyles were completely packed. It was near impossible to squeeze in a camel spin without taking someone out! :??

Last week, we found out that the coach who was replacing our coach who moved away was also leaving, as she had found a full-time teaching job.

Thankfully, I had already gotten myself set up with another freestyle coach to work with as a secondary coach. She has now become my primary coach. My club also hired 2 new coaches, so I'm taking dance from one of them.

Leisure:

I had my first dance lesson in 10 years with one of the new coaches and it went pretty well. We worked on the swing & cha-cha, both of which weren't nearly as scary as I'd remembered them. Maybe I'll actually test them in this lifetime. ;)

I also ran through the footwork sequence from my compulsory & freestyle programs at the end of the session when my legs were nearly jello and was able to get through it without putting my foot down at any part. As long as my nerves don't get in the way, I might actually have a really kick a$$ footwork sequence. :)

Sonic

09-07-2006, 03:34 PM

Labor
Breaking in new boots! :frus: My ankles are red raw and I have a nice scab on the right one.
But...

Leisure
Right foot is feeling better than it has done for quite some time!

On my free skate lesson Tuesday tea-time I was a little shaky. Having only skated for 20 mins the previous day in my new boots, I struggled a bit but by the end of the lesson had my spins back and even managed a few jumps. Stayed on for the evening, made a total fool of my self on the dance interval but did manage a fairly low, perfectly centred sit spin.

Wednesday morning was my dance lesson. Wasn't expecting much but suddenly, as if by magic...suddenly started feeling more relaxed and confident, I skated quite a good (for me) Dutch Waltz and my coach remarked on the improvement. So feeling a lot more positive about ice dance, though it's gonna be one heck of a lot of hard work for me to even do the simple dances well.

Funny how this sport seems to go... you have a move down then lose it, then the opposite happens - it's like you're getting nowhere then suddenly something comes together. I have a love-hate relationship with skating, as I do with my man:

ie - can't live with 'em, but certainly couldn't live without 'em!:lol:

doubletoe

09-07-2006, 04:41 PM

Sonic, are you wearing gel ankle sleeves? If not, go out and get some right away! Your poor ankles will be so much happier. :)

Sonic

09-08-2006, 07:43 AM

Sonic, are you wearing gel ankle sleeves? If not, go out and get some right away! Your poor ankles will be so much happier. :)
Thanks doubletoe! Anyone any idea where I can get these?

S xxx

Rusty Blades

09-08-2006, 07:59 AM

Last night was session #2 of "Fall Skating School".

Leisure In the first hour, despite being tired 15 hours into a long day, everything came together fairly well. I even started flirting with the forward Mohawks again. In the first lesson, my coach worked on my "form" and technique in forward stroking (heel push) and I found myself with WAY more speed than I'll ever need - downright scary, someone my age and size going THAT fast 8O

Labour By the second hour I was fading fast! Most of my body had already gone home to bed - LOL! Anything resembling "snap reflexes" was long gone, as were the back Mohawks and most of the 3-Turns.

After a 20 hour day, the bed sure looked good!

sk8pics

09-08-2006, 08:23 AM

Sonic--
You can get bunga pads for your ankles from online stores that sell skating equipment and so on, or probably the pro shop at your rink.

TimDavidSkate

09-08-2006, 08:53 AM

Labor: Just starting to prepare for my Silver MIF test.

Leisure: 8O

Mrs Redboots

09-08-2006, 09:02 AM

Sonic--
You can get bunga pads for your ankles from online stores that sell skating equipment and so on, or probably the pro shop at your rink.If Sonic's rink had a store, which I don't think it does....but how about these (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BUNGA-PADS-ANKLE-SLEEVE-SKATE-COMFORTABLY_W0QQitemZ130019998824QQihZ003QQcategor yZ4939QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)?

Mrs Redboots

09-08-2006, 09:04 AM

Duh, quite forgot I was in the relevant thread!!!!

Leisure: Husband and I finally got our step sequence sorted out, and (I hope) finalised. It does depend on what the coach says on Tuesday, though, as I discovered that he can do a really good drag (lunge, to those used to American skating terms). I can't! So we have agreed that after the Mohawk and step to forwards, I will do a 3-turn and then he will go down into a drag and I'll either do a back spiral (which I can get higher if I'm leaning down to him) or else strike some sort of attitude.

Only snag is, this makes the end of our step sequence almost identical to the steps just before it starts, where we do a Mohawk, step to forwards and I do a 3-turn into waltz hold.... hmmmm, need to work on that.

Labour: After he'd gone, I worked and worked and worked and worked on my back cross-cuts, but I have no way of knowing if they are any better or not. Coach never praises, only criticises, so I don't know whether they are as bad as ever, or improving, or what. I did feel I was on a bit of an edge some of the time, though, which has to be an improvement.

Rusty Blades

09-08-2006, 09:51 AM

P.S. Oh yea, I forgot - even with my back Mohawks and primative 3-Turns, my coach says we are starting next week to develop some footwork sequences, "Even if it needs some two-footed turns." She said it's time to start developing "speed and flow" for my Interpretive program next spring. I guess she really HAS come on board with my competitive dreams - I THINK that's a good thing? :lol:

phoenix

09-08-2006, 10:07 AM

Coach never praises, only criticises, so I don't know whether they are as bad as ever, or improving, or what. I did feel I was on a bit of an edge some of the time, though, which has to be an improvement.

Mrs. Redboots, they wouldn't keep criticizing if they didn't think you could keep improving. My normally totally critical coach had been very positive lately ("not bad" being his highest form of praise), and I was getting very suspicious! I actually asked him last week, "So am I actually improving or have you just given up?" :lol: He said I've improved.

And then today he was back to his usual disgusted-with-me self ("I do not understand why you cannot do these simple things"), so I felt better. Sick, I am sick. :??

Bunny Hop

09-08-2006, 11:16 AM

Labour (British spelling, as well as Canadian - and, I think, Australian.....):

Yes, it is also the Australian spelling, EXCEPT for the Australian Labor Party. Don't know why! Didn't know it was the Canadian spelling as well - does Canada generally follow English spelling (e.g. metre, colour)?

Better say something relevant to the thread now, so I don't look completely off topic:
Labour: Both coaches trying to get me to do backward edges. Very hard work - at this stage don't know if I'll ever stop putting my foot down.

Leisure: Off to the Iced Energy show in Nottingham tomorrow. Can't wait!

doubletoe

09-08-2006, 02:51 PM

Mrs Redboots

09-08-2006, 04:12 PM

I think it's just us Americans who don't spell the English way. Apparently, we hunted the U's to the brink of extinction along with the buffalo, which is why you never see any U's in "color", "humor", "labor", "favor", etc. . . ;)Actually, I thought it was that Noah Webster, of the eponymous dictionary, couldn't spell!

Mrs. Redboots, they wouldn't keep criticizing if they didn't think you could keep improving. Oh, I know... but there are times it is disheartening, especially when there is a deadline as if I don't get these test-ready before the end of the year, and pass them by 1 March, then I will miss out as the system changes then and there is no way I can pass the new moves. So I get very disheartened. I just wish he'd just say "Those are much better, but....", it would help.

kateskate

09-08-2006, 05:16 PM

Leisure

Just got back from 2 weeks of skating in Oberstdorf and it was fantastic. Was on the ice for four 50min sessions a day. So amazing. I hope I improved. Everyone has said I've got a lot faster. Spins are better and so is axel although it still does not look how I would like it to look.

I feel my skating and edges etc have improved. I may not beable to do any more elements but I think the quality of my skating is better. And I did a not bad double cherry too! Wasn't rotated but was on one foot!

And my compulsories feel better. Even though I had one very confusing fiesta tango day. As the 2 weeks wasn't with my usual dance coach, I did feel at times as if I had too much information in my head and so I didn't know what I was doing. Its tough having more than one coach on the same thing. At least free skating was with the same person.

Labour

My home rink is too small! I've been spoilt with a big rink for 2 weeks. I can't fit my compulsories in now. I suppose that is a good thing.

My free dance felt dreadful today. Need to work harder. There is only one other competitor in my solo dance category at the British which is a shame. There are 10 in my free skating which is scaring me. Need to work hard over the next 4 weeks.

Have a mental block about right double back inside 3s. I've managed to scare myself with them. They freak me out. And I had many frustrating lessons witht the double back outside 3s. I really really want to do my bronze field moves before the changeover. Coach says they are not far off. Hmmmm Double forward 3s outside and inside are okish. The double back threes inside and outside on my left foot are ok - its the right foot that is dire. Mohawk steps are ok but I don't have any speed so I look a little stationary. Choctaws are surprisingly not bad and I thought I would find them the hardest. And brackets will be ok with work.

doubletoe

09-08-2006, 06:41 PM

Wow, what a wonderful week you've had! I hear Oberstdorf is beautiful. . . Sigh. . .

Yes, the RBI double 3's can be pretty disconcerting at first. I was actually just practicing mine this morning after not doing them for awhile and had to remember all my tricks. The most important things are to WAIT longer before the turn, keep the knee deeply bent, and watch what you're doing with your head and arms. Here's the timing that works for me:
(1) When you reach 2:00 on your circle, turn head to look over right shoulder
(2) Right after turning your head, pass your arms low, near the hips, so left comes to front and right comes back
(3) Reach 3:00 on your circle
(4) Execute BI3-turn
(5) Bend knee and switch arms (left front, right back) so your chest faces inside the circle
(6) Pass 4:00
(7) Execute FO3-turn.
(8) Bend and extend free leg back.

I hope this helps! :)

LilJen

09-08-2006, 08:12 PM

doubletoe, Oberstdorf *is* beautiful. Visited there years and years ago, climbed a mountain, got woken by cows being taken out to pasture, used my German (whee!!).

Labor:

No skating this week! I was feeling too crummy and on a very tight deadline for a project. I am SO ready to go next week and work on the jumps my coach started me on last week.

Sonic

09-09-2006, 05:45 AM

I should really go to Obersdorf...apart from skating, I really would like to use my German lol!

S xx

DallasSkater

09-09-2006, 06:57 AM

Leisure: Attended my private lesson and two new LTS classes yesterday!
In the private lesson was re introduced to the salchow. It was presented to me too early a few months ago but I think I am ready for it now. I was able to get the basic hang of it.

Power stroking class was just awesome. Five of us enrolled including one other adult. A great coach assigned and already can see this is going to be a very helpful class. It totally ruined my form in basic stroking and crossovers all sides but I can't wait to have good form and the power at the same time! I was totally impressed by the instructor's ability to communicate blending humor, professionalism and his obvious skill. (You know I whine about the lack of such at my rink). He had a style for the adults and a very kid friendly one for the younger members.

Freestyle class was huge! There had to be over 20. One other adult in this too and I was relieved...(remember my fears for the Christmas recital!) This adult is a major roller skater and had only been on ice skates recently 5 times. He was able to do elements already as apparently he did similar things on roller blades. I was impressed that he was as good as he was considering his limited ice experience. They divided us into two groups and switched between two coaches. I am a bit worried about this class as I appear to be the most advanced student in this particular group. I watched the next level positioned next to us and feel they are too advanced for me so I will stay put. Have to wonder if it will be more like a practice session than as helpful as previous classes have been. Additional time and supervision on my spins and jumps thus far will not be a bad thing.

Labor: Took two MAJOR wipe outs. One was attempting the salchow...ouch, ouch, ouch! and one was just during a practice time when I completed a 1/2 lutz just fine...but turned to skate out of it and just did not pick up my toe or something and did a near face plant...double ouch, ouch ouch. Sitting here trying to decide if I am going to my step aerobics class this morning as I am sore and have bruises on both hips. Question how effective my skate practice can be today. Seems to take me about a week to really recover when I hit hard.

Funny how there always seems to be a millisecond that I realize I am going to fall and I can have a whole conversation with myself on the way down...it primarily goes..."You are too old for this!" and "this is gonna hurt!" giggle. Sometimes my perception of it goes so slow that I even have time for "this time you are going to break something!" lol

techskater

09-09-2006, 08:51 AM

Mrs Redboots

09-09-2006, 09:01 AM

I should really go to Obersdorf...apart from skating, I really would like to use my German lol!

S xxWell, there's always the ISU Adult competition held there, this year the first weekend of half-term! No real details as yet, but we know when it will be.

Kateskate, I am deeply envious!

Terri C

09-09-2006, 01:30 PM

Labor:
Will my loop jump ever come back? It comes, stays around for a practice/lesson or two then mysteriously dissapears!

Leisure:
Made it a point to work extensively on moves today, since Wednesday ( the last time I skated) was such a zoo. Secondary coach took notice ("you're really moving around today") :D .
Club was able to neogtiate a cheaper price with the rink for club ice.

Debbie S

09-09-2006, 03:32 PM

It's a lot easier to work on generating more power than it is on correcting form. How would I know that? :roll:Probably the same way I do - lol. I completely agree with this - when working on Bronze moves, I really focused on trying to go faster and faster, but then I ended up being scratchy and on flats when I was supposed to be on edges. By really focusing on the proper way to do things, I found that I got faster w/o even realizing it - I would think I was moving slower, but I was actually moving faster b/c I was getting more mileage out of fewer strokes.

Leisure:
After skating on semi-crazy sessions Tues and Thurs night, this morning's sessions were quite calm, esp the second one. I'm getting really close on the flip - when it's fully rotated, it's 2-footed and when it's landed on 1 foot, it's a little cheated. I am also getting close on the lutz - I worked on the exercises Tues in lesson and then my coach had me start trying to rotate it. 8O I got close but aside from it being 2-footed, my coach said I'd changed my edge. But now that I'm at least working on the setup, actually landing it doesn't seem so far away.

Had a semi-breakthrough on the camel on Thurs, but today, it just wasn't working. I did have some success with sit spins and getting lower - in fact, on one, I fell (I learned falls are less painful when you're closer to the ground - lol). I guess that's a sign of success? :)

Labor:
The camel today, plus the change-foot scratch and sit spins I've been working on. In fact, even the solo backspin wasn't there today. But hey, I'm not testing or competing in the near future, so I'm sure it will come back.

The 8-step mohawk and power pulls are going to be the bane of my existence on the Silver moves test. My feet just don't want to move in the right direction. :frus:

DallasSkater

09-09-2006, 04:47 PM

[QUOTE=DallasSkater]Leisure:
A great coach assigned and already can see this is going to be a very helpful class. It totally ruined my form in basic stroking and crossovers all sides but I can't wait to have good form and the power at the same time!

DallasSkater-if you work on your form, the power will come. It's a lot easier to work on generating more power than it is on correcting form. How would I know that? :roll:

yes tech...that is why I was struggling with it...the exercises he had us doing was to correct form totally to generate the power. I think I just wrote it weird or something. Sometimes when I am given something new...I lose form for the first couple of attempts and then have to put it back together.

Labor: I woke this morning with congestion and cough. Oh no! Since I am so limited in practice times I can make this week, I went to the rink anyway. I am also sore from my falls yesterday. Giggle. Not a great combination for a skater. Was basically going to take it easy and just work on my spins. I lasted an hour with little accomplished.

Leisure: The rink was basically empty for this public session. There is a festival this weekend drawing many away from the rink. This was no time to be sick! Spins have really improved. I am able to now get a bunch of revolutions on a one footed spin though I sometimes still cheat and get too high on the blade for the toe pick! lol. However, it is so satisfying to see how much spins have improved in general. More times than not I am able to spin on the correct part and stay centered! I am thinking another week of concentration may do it!

Went to a dance store after the rink to find my "ballet shoes" for the class on Wednesday. Felt very weird in there as it was mostly little kid stuff. Found the silly little things on clearance. I had them show me some that were not on sale as I was concerned I would be getting "cheap ones" But they all look about the same...like two little piglets hanging off the end of my legs! lol (with a tiny bow ---no less). Oh woe is me to have to take ballet at this age! I could have just worn slippers or something. There is not much to them which I was assured is what you are supposed to want. Well, I never dreamed I would be skating at this age and fell madly in love with it...maybe ballet will be similar! Maybe I will develop an irresistable urge to wear a tutu and point piglets! It could happen!

Rusty Blades

09-09-2006, 05:14 PM

Well, I never dreamed I would be skating at this age and fell madly in love with it...maybe ballet will be similar! Maybe I will develop an irresistable urge to wear a tutu and point piglets! It could happen!

ROFLMAO! Welcome to the club Dallas! Insanity loves company 8O :roll:

Labour: I hadn't planned on skating today - I was supposed to be attending the Provincial championship in my other sport and attempting to defend my Ladies First place standing for the fourth (or is it fifth?) year in a row. Last night I got an email from the lady who organizes Fall School telling me that everyone was at a seminar and I would have the ice pretty much to myself today 8O Damn! Do I go and defend my title in my other sport or do I skate? I tossed and turned half the night before skating won. I guess I am truly addicted! (I would love to have been a fly on the wall at the other competition when the competitors showed up and found out I wasn't entered!)

Leisure: There were only seven skaters on the ice for the first hour, and only three of us for the second hour so the ice was wonderfully open. It was a great chance to practice all the things that are difficult to do on crowded ice and I ran through my whole repertoire (such as it is!): forward stroking, glides, edges, cross-overs, backward stroking, glides, and edges, 3-Turns, back Mohawks, and then experimented with stringing turns together. With so much ice and so little worry about running over someone, it was an excellent time to work on finesse. It was an extremely productive two hours and I have no regrets at passing on the other competition. Now, if I can continue to work my fail feathers off and carve out a niche for myself in adult skating . . . . 8-)

xofivebyfive

09-09-2006, 05:54 PM

Leisure: YAY I can finally finally do a freaking scratch spin. After months of watching the little kids have horrible jumps and posture but are able to spin so easily, I can FINALLY do what they can do.

Labor: Ummmm.. Just bad blisters because I skated on the public session for about.. 2 hours. I lost track of time.. usually I'm only on the ice for about 45 minutes. And after the zamboni came out.. my edges kept slipping out from under me, and I leaned backwards and almost fell a lot.

jazzpants

09-09-2006, 08:56 PM

Labor:

Unfortunately my weekend rink was CROWDED as HELL!!! :evil: We all thought it might be b/c school started, which I think is possible. But I think it's the COLD weather too! To make things worse, I'm not going back to the weekend rink next weekend b/c there's TEN (count 'em... TEN!!!) birthday parties at the weekend rink next week! There's NO WAY IN HELL I'm showing up then!!!
*sigh* the even sadder part was this notice regarding my home rink (http://www.skatebowl.com/). :cry:

All Ice Skating has been cancelled.
We are closed for our annual ice rebuilding and plan to reopen on Thursday, September 14th for all of our regular programs! Please continue to check here on our website or call 820-3532 for updates!

Apparently the refrigeration system has more problems than they thought. Whatever caused the ditch seems to also be the reason why my home rink is now closed. I went by there this afternoon (my gym and pilates class is right is a block from the rink... ;) ) and all that's there is concrete and some water puddles.

It was a pretty depressing sight for this ice skater, needless to say!!! :cry: (Sorry, NoVa! I know you were looking forward to skating at my beautiful rink... but all beautiful things need maintenance to stay that way.)

Leisure:

I did managed to do my jumps at the weekend rink... and I came very close to landing my flip clean this afternoon. (It was landed but it landed to a grinding hault and I had to step out to move again...) :evil: But it's progress in my book, nonetheless.

Debbie S

09-09-2006, 10:50 PM

Oh, that's too bad about your rink, Jazz. The rink that I skate at during the week has been closed for maintenance all summer (well, they didn't need all summer to redo the ice, but they decided that since use is lighter in the summer, they would just reopen in the fall) and was originally supposed to open this past Tuesday. It's reopening has been pushed back twice and the "new" date is this Wednesday. I sure hope it's open by Thursday, b/c I have a lesson scheduled then. :frus:

techskater

09-10-2006, 04:43 AM

Jazz-you could consider it a much needed break after passing the Bronze moves. Sometimes everyone needs a break!

Skate@Delaware

09-10-2006, 07:22 AM

Jazz-sorry to hear about your rink. Once it re-opens it should be better than ever...no ditch!!!

Leisure: went skating yesterday at the "invitation only" Learn-to-Skate invitational skate. It was very nice....lights dimmed down, funky music played, not too crowded!!! Ice is still very hard but it didn't matter too much as we were there just to play and not do too much hard work.

Labor: finding the boy hockey skates. Our "pro" shop only has a Bauer measuring stick, he wears Eastons...and they take 2-3 weeks to come in. It starts Saturday. Guess it's time to trek up north to The Pond today. I know they carry tons in stock AND they were having a sale. I just hate having to spend the day doing this (although I love my son) as I was hoping to shop for a new washer and dryer.:giveup:

Mrs Redboots

09-10-2006, 07:36 AM

At least it's only four days, Jazzpants - it could have been for three weeks!

Leisure: Skating this morning was okay - Husband had his private lesson and was busy working on his free programme, but we still managed to work together for about 45 minutes, and we think we've finally got the end of the step sequence sorted. Coach2 saw it (after we'd shamelessly nicked a pose from our Junior couple!) and said "Oh, that looks nice!" which was nice of her since she was teaching someone else at the time. So that should work, just needs a bit of practice. Good.

Labour: Not that there is much time - three weeks today we'll be on the second day of the Adult Championships, and if the time-table is like last year's, All Will be Over for us, at least, for me.... we'll have to see what the time-table is doing. Help!

jazzpants

09-10-2006, 11:32 AM

At least it's only four days, Jazzpants - it could have been for three weeks!Yeah, but it's been already closed since last Monday night!!! :frus:

Okay, it's not like I don't get ANY ice though. I've been going to other rinks (my weekend rink and my alt. weekend rink.) But I really do miss my crowd and my coaches... wait... that's a good thing, right??? :twisted: :lol: :P (Just kidding! I miss my coaches and my lessons especially...) :cry:

You'll do fine on the Adult Championship, Annabel! And sorry to hear about your regular rink delay in opening, Debbie! That sucks!!! :evil:

slusher

09-10-2006, 01:49 PM

[I ran through my whole repertoire (such as it is!): forward stroking, glides, edges, cross-overs, backward stroking, glides, and edges, 3-Turns, back Mohawks, and then experimented with stringing turns together.

well let's see, with that combination of skills you could do the dutch waltz, canasta tango, baby blues,rhythm blues, cha cha, swing, fiesta tango (how are you with cross behinds? ) and with a good partner and a RFO3, willow waltz. Maybe even 10 fox, how's your LFO3?

I'm wondering if you've been introduced to skills yet? Nothing like figures, but having done figures makes them that much easier.

As for myself,

Labour
Have been taught all the patterns for junior bronze skills. I sort of knew them but didn't pay attention before. Now I'm paying attention. I'm two footing all the turns, that's par for the course, by the time test day rolls around in the spring I'll be on one foot. It drives my coach crazy, I can do back 3's on one foot, but not when I have to do them in a pattern. Too many things to think about. The back swing change outside 3's are simply impossible. The skills coach is more optimistic than I.

I also had time with the choreographer, my new interpretive has a twizzle series. Ugh!!! Triple Ugh!! Because it's like a dance sequence, twizzles in both directions. One direction, okay, the other direction... :giveup:

Leisure

I'm really enjoying doing dance again. REALLY enjoying it! I even liked the nasty cross-roll exercise. Obviously I've been away from skating too long. I don't have clearance to jump again yet, but I don't care, it's all good!

plinko

09-10-2006, 02:39 PM

edited, didn't quote properly...

edited again... dang laptop....

would like to know what the cross roll exercise is?

Skate@Delaware

09-10-2006, 03:49 PM

Labor: the whole lesson thing...being the first one up...being 40++++...:frus: At least the rink wasn't 40 below. Headed towards the ice walking with my coach and she brings up (again :roll: ) the "off-ice warm-up" issue....I guess I should actually start doing these things. After all, it does take me longer to warm up and if I'm up first why waste the first 5-10 minutes of valuable lesson time warming up? So, after we discussed it, she brought up the "what do you do when you get on the ice when you are by yourself issue?"-thing....so I told her what I normally do: 1/2 slaloms, swizzles, bad alternating crossovers, edges, scratchy back crossovers, then jumps and spins.

She gave me an alternative to the bad crossovers I had been doing-I need to bring my arm across my body more and really deepen my lobes 8O ...uh huh! So I did a few of them and really, with the arm crossing in front, I was able to get better control and with the deeper lobes you pick up some speed!!!

Back crossovers were different. I was still tentative on those...not getting on that outside edge but she wants me to use the whole end of the rink (if possible) and then glide on one foot half-way down the rink....is she looking down the road to bronze stuff???? maybe.

We worked on mohawks, as mine were "broken" over the summer. My "check" had checked out. Once I had it fixed, we added speed. Then she had me do them alternating feet, with a crossover in between (sort of like my routine). Ta-Da!!!

Spins were actually ok so I wont go into them. Salchow and sal-toe were ok as long as I didn't rush the 3-turn...so she was ok with them also.

Hit the backspin...That will be slowly making a comeback. I don't know where it went over the summer. I wish it would come back. I miss it!!! We didn't even get to the camel.

We did discuss competitions and my routine. I said I was ok with no-test or pre-bronze level...whatever it works out to be. I have a lot of work to do but she said she knows I will work hard and not wait until the last minute. She said she might tweak my program a small bit. As far as the ISI comps, she might have me test freestyle 2 and skate artistic 2. Whatever that means.

So the rest of my ice time was spent sweating it out working on this stuff...I did bits of my routine and I do have tons of work. But, like last year, it will all come together!!!

DallasSkater

09-10-2006, 04:10 PM

Rusty Blades: Admit that you want piglets too! giggle. What is provincial championship...which sport? Your decision to skate was exactly what I would have done. The insanity continues to spread.

Jazzpants: Sorry about the rink having so many issues. However, I clicked on your site and have to say....What a beautiful place! It just looks so open and inviting! Hope that this fix will be the last!

Skate@Delaware: I cannot imagine a rink closing for summer. Would they just not have enough people? How nice to have private LTS ice. I wish my rink offered that! A son in Hockey? Oh no...you did not properly influence him! giggle.

Mrs Redboots: It seems you get to skate near daily! You are so lucky!

Slusher: Very cool that you reframed for Rusty which dances her skills would support!

Fivebyfive: Congrats on the scratch spin! I have that next. It has been introduced to me but I thought I really needed to just have a regular one footed spin down first.

Labor: Still too congested and low energy for getting much done at the rink. Feeling pressure as I really want to keep up with the 3 classes and private coaching though doing that really introduces a lot at once! Did not have lungs well enough to do much practice on the stuff from power stroking class. Too sore and breathing issues interfered with any attempts to practice jumps. I am surprised at how conscious I am that this semester will end in a Christmas recital. I just keep thinking I am so not ready for a public display. Trying to be positive about it and just think "snowflake" as my new best friend on here thinks that is the ideal role in such a thing!

Leisure: One public session is all that is offered on Sundays. It typically makes for a rather busy rink but again today the crowd was thin and reasonable. Spent most of my time trying to lose the cheating toe on the one footed spin that occurs 40 % of the time now even when I am concentrated. I am so pleased that there is no evidence of dropping my right shoulder which had plagued me for too long. I think I dropped that nasty habit! Practiced edges with 3 turns. There is something very serene in just doing those. A bit of stress management or something.

Skate@Delaware

09-10-2006, 05:57 PM

Dallas, we did have him try figure skating...and he just got bored! He likes the action of hockey, which I can understand. Add to the fact that he did "toepick" and hit both of his knees the first night of lessons (they were working on 3-turns and toe-loops which I had brought him up to speed on) and he was a bit of a poor sport about the rest of the session.:x

I have to find my "piglets" as we now have a new off-ice class starting up!!! I find classes that incorporated dance very beneficial...I never had dance as a child and still have 2 left feet at times and poor lower/upper body integration (sometimes my brain doesn't even engage properly when I skate!) 8O

And as far as our rink staying open for the summer...it would be a wonderful thing, they keep talking about it. The first step would be to extend the season a week or two in each direction. They are also talking about getting "studio ice" for the summer, which would be cheaper. The rink building is used for another purpose (FFA/4H) during the Delaware state fair (for almost 2 weeks), so relocating them would be a challenge. There are a lot of things to consider. Although, every summer during the fair, they receive hundreds of inquirys as to when is the rink open for public skating...that should tell them something.

For the first time this summer, they had shows (and skating) on the artificial ice. I'm told it went over very well during the fair. It was all kept low-key as far as the lessons went because the surface is very small. They also had a show at our local mall which was also positively received. Most people in my state don't even know we have a rink down here :frus:

Rusty Blades

09-10-2006, 06:04 PM

Slusher: Dance just doesn't grab me right now. My first objective is enough basics to do a good Interpretive by next spring. Since I am getting a bit old to be competitive in Freeskate (unless they change the requirements for us old-timers and eliminate the jumps from the lower levels), I already told my coach I'd like to do Skills and continue advancing in Interpretive.

Dallas: My other sport is "Cowboy Action Shooting", an old west flavour shooting competition. Don't worry, I wont be wearing my guns on the ice 8O Piglets? I am not going there! My coworkers are still in stitches over ME wearing a "tutu" (as they refer to a skating dress)!

Sk8pdx

09-10-2006, 07:38 PM

Labor:
I still cannot sit spin.
Trying to get more height on simple jumps (waltz jump, salchow)they still seem like such nerdy hoppy little things.
Bronze MIF, 5 step mohawk and alt back XOs/ BO edges need lots of work.

Leisure:
Camel spin is cool
never really thought I would say this, but I am beginning to like my toe loop. There HAS to be something wrong with it if I am starting to like it???? Maybe I am just becoming less afraid of it.
Tried a victory stand position today while gliding forward and didn't trip. The height of my free leg is slightly above the waist but my goal is to get it at least to my shoulder level. and then.... try it spinning :lol: :lol:
In Bronze MIF, power 3s went nicely today. I am gaining more confidence.
Very quiet public session since we just had a competition.

jazzpants

09-10-2006, 09:32 PM

Labor:

Home rink is still under repair and quite quiet. :cry: But it's the weekend so I'm at my weekend rink instead.
Did a lot of loop drills and tries for the loop. I also did a lot of tries for flips as well. Not one flip but...Leisure:

Landed ONE STINKIN' LOOP clean! ONE!!! Okay, it's nothing compared to how many I two-footed... but this made my day!!! :mrgreen:
Did some backspin drills that my secondary coach wanted me to do. I guess I'm making progress b/c the correct part of my left foot was hurting afterwards from pressing around that area! :twisted: :lol: :P
Rest of spins are fine. Camels are making progress again. (Have to REALLY concentrate on the spin entry someJazzpants: Sorry about the rink having so many issues. However, I clicked on your site and have to say....What a beautiful place! It just looks so open and inviting! Hope that this fix will be the last!Usually YB is just as beautiful as you see it on the website!!! Nice to be able to look at the window and see the sun shining in (though the rink does have shades for those days when the sun is shining in to the point of being annoying.)

We usually go thru ice maintanance around this time... but usually it's for 5 days at most and usually it's 4. This particular time, it's unusually long b/c of some repairs that they have to do to the freezing system.

I guess the good part of that is that when it FINALLY opens again, I will finally get to enjoy beautiful ditch-free and "smooth like buttah" ice again that I've always known YB for!!! :D (Plus, if it does open on Thursday like the website says, I'll at least have my lesson with my primary coach this week.)

quarkiki2

09-11-2006, 09:32 AM

Had a good practice on Saturday monrning, even if the session was a little busier than normal. Our rink just installed a harness, so that sort of cut into space that we were using. One young man working on a double axel and oh-so-close to landing it. Had our usual two ice dancers and our pairs team, plus about 5 preliminary-juvenile freestyle skaters and a coach giving moves lesson to two pre-pre kids (yelling way too much, IMO, not mean, just LOUD).

So that left me a little corner where I practiced the opening to my program (without music, of course) and added some chorepgraphy to the next part. Wasn't going to play my music on such a busy session and had my headphones, but wasn't going to wear them, either. Until the session ended and the more advanced skaters got off the ice -- they were supposed to do a cut, but didn't, so I ran off the ice for my MP3 player as there were only two other skaters on the ice and they were young, small and (surprise) slower than me.

My opening choreography works and will force me to actually get into my almost-a-scratch spin a little faster -- I tend to wait forever before stepping onto the LFO edge. Once I do, it's fine -- almost crossed, but a consistent 4-5 revolutions, yay! I've been practicing going into the spin from two crossovers as that's how it works out with the music (Billy Joel's Vienna).

Decided to take my coach's advice and NOT do a ballet jump-1/2 flip combo, but do a 1/2 loop-1/2 flip combo instead. If I ever choose to compete, I'll have to make a change as I'm only allowed one skill from a different level in ISI (FS2 -- I think the 1/2 loop is FS4). So I practiced this combo. I'm not in a great position to start the 1/2 loop, so I practiced getting more over the RBO and trying to get my left foot in front on the same curve so it's prettier and more obvious that it's a 1/2 loop and not a wierd step. Checked my tracings and I AM taking off backwards and landing backwards, so was happy about that. Putting the 1/2 flip after makes me check the 1/2 loop a little better. Now, if only I could jump high enough to slide a plate under my blade instead of a sheet of paper...

Surprised myself by turning a LFO3 one one foot at speed out of my spin exit and into back crossovers before my weenie jump combo. Added all of this to the choreography and the only thing NOT on one foot is the LBO three, but it's close and, as always, works better when I'm paying attention to my arms and not my feet. So I might NOT look like a doofus if I perform this in front of people...

In Synchro last Wednesday, I surprised myself and left my team in the dust. Never thought THAT would happen. We were minus the two fastest skaters, but this may not be a good thing as they are on either side of me during the cha-cha -- which is where I took off. Not REALLY my fault as I was in the front line and the back lines are suppsed to keep up to me since I can't see them. Coach told us to use our edges, so I did. Also had speed issues in our straight line footwork sequence -- cross rolls forwards, then backwards. Coach told us to push, so I did. And then I slowed myself down when we turned from forwards to backwards to get back in line. My back cross-rolls stink to high heaven, but they apparently get more flow anyway as I again ended up about four feet in front of the team after one push. Slowed self down again before lunge, but picked up more speed on the single chasse before the lunge. The other end of the line was asking if they could do a cheater push into the lunge and I was putting on the brakes, LOL! I've never had to figure out how to slow down for Synchro before, so this is entirely new to me. I'm sure things will even out as more people remember the choreograpy, but it sure was fun to fly for a while!

Skate@Delaware

09-11-2006, 10:28 AM

Dallas: My other sport is "Cowboy Action Shooting", an old west flavour shooting competition. Don't worry, I wont be wearing my guns on the ice 8O

My riding instructor (from waaaay back) does this and she is AWESOME!!! We see her picture in the local show paper all the time. It's a great sport!

Mrs Redboots

09-11-2006, 11:52 AM

Mrs Redboots: It seems you get to skate near daily! You are so lucky!

We normally skate four mornings a week (out of six available ones; we could also skate in the evenings on four days, but don't normally do so), then there is Dance Club on Thursdays (which I don't often go to - these old bones get tired!) and Figure Club on Tuesdays, which Husband tends to go to to practice his free skating. He doesn't get as tired as I do.

My other sport is "Cowboy Action Shooting", an old west flavour shooting competition. Don't worry, I wont be wearing my guns on the ice 8O Well, I expect we'll be seeing you play a cowboy on the ice, no? Interp is great fun, especially if you can be funny.... which I can, only I can't skate so well. And am totally uninspired at the moment for next year, so may take a year off unless my coach comes up with something great.

singerskates

09-11-2006, 12:56 PM

Lovely Leisure: It was great to be back on the ice again since last spring even though I was stupid enough to visit the Michigan State Fair with my allergies and asthma. I had a sinuse flare up that got badly infected this past week. I saw a doctor, got the meds, took them and now I'm fine. What was funny while I was skating sick was that even though my middle ear was a mess, I had the most centered spins of those on my session even though everyone else was healthy. I wasn't totally centered but close enough.

Labour: My middle ear was through me off in the air when I jumped making my landings land on an inside edge until Saturday at the end of the StarSkate session on which I was program assisting when I tried a waltz jump to see if my middle ear was better. Spins were Ok while I was in them Wed. and Thurs. but as soon as I checked out of them, my head killed and then I felt dizzy.

Labour of Love: I was program assisting on all of the StarSkate sessions and also the CanSkate session this week. The kids were happy to see me back and I made each thing I had the kids revue fun. Like when I had the CanSkate kids doing half sit two footed glides, I had them playing cars making the sounds. The StarSkate kids remember me from last years CanSkate and want to spend time with me even when I'm trying to get some of my own skating in because my General session on Wednesdays got cancelled making me do my skating on their StarSkate session. It's a had thing to balance, program assisting and doing your own training on the same session.

Friday's ice was cancelled do to the fact that the program director's brother and friend of mine was rushed to the hospital bleeding from the neck down suffering from coliteis. My friend is a skater/coach who was from the Kitchener area.