Clean or Cheated 10/8-14 [Archive]

doubletoe

10-09-2006, 04:06 PM

Thanks, everybody. :)
Well, I think that the fix for the "takeoff-psych" may depend on the jump. It does for me, anyway. My reason for the takeoff psych on the double toe is that it's the first jump where I really have to cross my legs in the air, and that is still out of my comfort zone (on the double sal, the free leg is in front, but not really crossed; same with the axel). What got me through my double toe takeoff-psych was this:
1. Make sure my takeoff is perfect. Do lots of singles and listen for the gap between the sound of my takeoff and the sound of my landing. That way, I know what the timing is and I know how much time I have in the air to do the rotation.
2. Once the takeoff is right, don't worry about what to do once I'm up in the air. Just think, "Land!" and my body will just take over and get me backwards and ready to land. It's weird, but I now understand what my coach meant when he tried to tell me, "Go for the landing."

But I have had lutz takeoff-psychs before, and what worked for me on that was just to change the entrance. If I got weirded out by the back crossover entry, I'd do the mohawk-crossover entry so I didn't have to deal with that long back outside edge and over-think it. Fortunately, I now do it from an outside spread eagle so I also don't have to sit on that long back outside edge and over-think. It has now been so long that I did the back crossover entry that last time I tried it, I psyched myself out and couldn't do it, LOL!

Terri C

10-09-2006, 06:16 PM

Landed 5 double sals in a row, then, after skating 2-1/2 hours, started working on double toes. To my surprise, I landed the very first one, and the second one and the third one and the fourth one! I ended up landing 12 out of 20 attempts, which is the best I've ever done. I am thrilled that I'm finally breaking through that "takeoff-psych" rut I was in for so long on that jump

Way to go!!
Didn't do much in the way of jumps today- my practice was more moves focused.
Feeling a lot better about this test than I did on Saturday during my online rant. I have come to the conclusion that I need to focus on my test and no one else, and other than the power threes, this test has the "kick a$$ potential" I want.

Cheated:
Loop was not there today at all!

Tessie

10-09-2006, 06:43 PM

Clean - back on the ice after a summer hiatus. It all came back and no falls!! A beginner adult skater told me she thought I was a pretty skater and she enjoyed watching me. I was pleased.

Cheated - Little did she know that I am a struggling adult, stuck on free skate 4 was practicing the things I don't struggle on such as back cross overs, back edges and waltz / toe. :o

doubletoe

10-09-2006, 06:53 PM

Way to go!!

Feeling a lot better about this test than I did on Saturday during my online rant. I have come to the conclusion that I need to focus on my test and no one else, and other than the power threes, this test has the "kick a$$ potential" I want.

Thanks, Terri.
And I'm so happy to hear you are showing those moves who's boss! :mrgreen:

Casey

10-09-2006, 07:02 PM

As usual I think I'll reverse things to be contrary... ;)

I MUST have been cheating...:

...but I have video to prove it! I took my camera along today, and first thing, decided to film a scratch spin. Then I watched it, realized that the lighting from that angle sucks (don't point camera towards windows) so you can only see the lower half of my body clearly, but the spin was not only perfectly centered, but it attained THIRTY-FOUR revolutions!! watch and see! (http://kc.sk8rland.com/video/2006-10-09/casey-spin-1-34rev-well_centered.mpeg)
Worked on edges and 3-turns for a couple hours (gah, I need to do this a lot more often...) After that worked on back power pulls and strived for power and the ripping sound and a stationary upper body...did surprisingly well and was able to pull a LOT of acceleration and speed out of them. Would have videoed but the battery ran out (and I've lost the charger :( ).

Phew, a clean escape!

How does one overrotate a waltz like this (http://kc.sk8rland.com/video/2006-10-09/casey-waltz_jump-1-overrotated.mpeg) and not die? I dunno, but I'm glad I didn't.
Everything else was pretty off today...more evidences here (http://kc.sk8rland.com/video/2006-10-09/).

Oh, and I fancified my website at http://kc.sk8rland.com/ :)

doubletoe

10-09-2006, 07:07 PM

Wow, that's amazing, Casey!
Unfortunately, when I click on the link, I get the picture of the empty rink, but nothing else when I press Play. :(

Casey

10-09-2006, 07:11 PM

Wow, that's amazing, Casey!
Unfortunately, when I click on the link, I get the picture of the empty rink, but nothing else when I press Play. :(
maybe try right-clicking it, saving it somewhere, and then opening it with some other program like realplayer or quicktime?

flying~camel

10-09-2006, 07:14 PM

Clean:

Both of my programs at Buckeye over the weekend!

I skated up to Silver in compulsories and took 2nd out of 3! I also skated my 1st ever interp and took 2nd out of 3 again!

This gives me hope that I will get out of the cellar in Bronze!

Cheated:

I skated 2 hours this evening, but, since my body was still tired from the weekend, I really wasn't able to do anything.

I don't skate again until Sunday, so I should be completely back to normal by then!

pennybeagle

10-09-2006, 10:00 PM

Ok, I posted this on another thread too, but I am so happy about this one that I'm telling everyone I know...

Clean:
PASSED the Intermediate Moves, by all three judges on the panel. Two judges actually gave me some extra points. 8O After 2.5 years, I can kiss the stinking power circles, the evil brackets in the field, and the diabolic back power threes good bye and good riddance!!
(Of course, pennybeagle's coach says "well, you can keep working on those power circles for the junior moves." ...and pennybeagle thinks, "uhm.... what junior moves???")

Also clean... landed my first ever axel combo in a competition at Buckeye. Of course, I proceeded to have a 30-second celebratory brain fart right after that during which I partially missed a flying camel and completely popped a lutz combo into a half-lutz and nothing else...but only coaches care about things like that ;)

Cheated:
Decided against my better judgement to go skating this evening even after the long weekend competition and test session. I think I spent more time socializing than skating, so that was a practice session (not) well spent, but oh well.

Debbie S

10-09-2006, 10:45 PM

Congratulations, pennybeagle! And flying~camel! And way to go with the moves, Terri! And congrats to doubletoe on your...well...double toe! A girl I skate with landed her double toe clean for the first time tonight - must be something in the air. :)

Clean:
Well, the ice was much better at my weeknight rink tonight than it was on Thurs. The end is no longer blocked off and is now skateable - actually, the end areas seemed to be the smoothest places, probably b/c the maintenance people had to spend the most time fixing them.

Had a lesson on my program with my program coach/choreographer tonight. Boy, do I have a lot of work to do before HC. I've added some new elements and they need a lot of fine-tuning. But I did have some success with the change sit. I need to work on strengthening my right leg to be able to hold the sit position longer.

Cheated:
Flip still needs major work - among other things, the timing isn't quite right yet - that takeoff psych problem - lol. I'm also losing a lot of speed on my footwork.

Actually, everything tonight was a bit of a struggle, b/c I attended an off-ice conditioning class held upstairs from the rink before the FS sessions. After all the running, jumping, and stretching, my legs felt like jelly. Plus, I was winded. Yikes, I am waaay out of shape. I will definitely be sore tomorrow.

jazzpants

10-09-2006, 11:43 PM

CONGRATS TO PENNYBEAGLE!!! WTG!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Clean:
Well, the ice was much better at my weeknight rink tonight than it was on Thurs. The end is no longer blocked off and is now skateable - actually, the end areas seemed to be the smoothest places, probably b/c the maintenance people had to spend the most time fixing them.Yeah, now you can finally skate the ENTIRE rink instead of just sections of it! (Nice to be back at that rink, huh?) :mrgreen:

Clean: Backspins, sit spins, one foot spins

Slightly Cheated: Waltz jump, toe loop, salchow. I'm now working on kicking thru higher on the waltz and the salchow and the toe-waltz that is my toe loop. Should be interesting fun...

Really cheated:

The ice!!! Oy vei! It was already slushy by the time I got on the ice and the session was only in session for like 15 minutes! Geez!! 8O :roll:
Still working on loops. My brain was mush by the end of the session as was the ice!!!
Nearly killed myself trying to land clean on the flip. I was all twisted up and had to push out w/the free foot to get myself out of it. AI YI YI... 8O
Lower back was hurting again but on the spinning side tonight! Tried for a camel... mind was willing but the body wasn't. :cry:

Sonic

10-10-2006, 01:21 AM

Hey, great news on the Double Toe, Double Toe!:D

Cheated

Where do I start? Just blogged....

Clean
Back spin and Salchow.

Yes, you heard right. Back spin and salchow, of all things.

I had my free skate lesson yesterday tea time, and coach was really ripping into my poor technique on a number of things. The thing is, though, whereas a couple of months ago I would have been devastated and hated myself for being a crappy skater, instead I am just more determined to go back to the drawing board and work really hard to correct things.

I think someone mentioned on another thread about the skating 'biological clock' - the pressure one puts on oneself to make progress. This is exactly what I have been doing; always telling myself I 'should' be better, 'should' do this, 'should' do that.

I've finally come to realise that it doesn't matter if I'm not competing by next summer, and I'm still trying to perfect a waltz jump, what does matter is that I love skating and if I have to re-learn the more simple elements before I move on, so be it.

So instead of stepping off the ice mortified, I stepped of the ice smiling. Now I'm not putting pressure on myself it's like a great weight's been lifted...

S xxx

vesperholly

10-10-2006, 03:36 AM

How does one overrotate a waltz like this (http://kc.sk8rland.com/video/ice_skating/2006-10-09/casey-waltz_jump-1-overrotated.mpeg) and not die? I dunno, but I'm glad I didn't.
Er, sheesh! You've got to get that free leg in front during the jump! I'm surprised you didn't kill yourself too. 8O You've got great speed and excellent lift to the jump, but the wide-swinging free leg pulled you completely off your axis. That left hip is so far behind there's no chance of checking that properly.

That spin was great.

doubletoe

10-10-2006, 12:19 PM

Er, sheesh! You've got to get that free leg in front during the jump! I'm surprised you didn't kill yourself too. 8O You've got great speed and excellent lift to the jump, but the wide-swinging free leg pulled you completely off your axis. That left hip is so far behind there's no chance of checking that properly.

I still haven't been able to see the video clip :frus: but based on this description, here's a great exercise you might find useful:

Stand on the floor with your feet shoulder width apart and your shoulders directly over your feet ("star" position). Keeping your feet where they are, rotate your torso 1/4 turn CW so that your right foot is now in front and your left foot is in back, and you are squarely facing front. This will be your 1st position in the air, right after you take off and bring your free leg through to the front. Now, still keeping your feet in the same spot, rotate your torse 1/4 turn CCW so your torso is once again in star position (squared over your hips and your shoulders are over your feet). This is your 2nd position in the air. Notice only your torso rotated; your feet and legs stayed in the same place. Now rotate your torso another 1/4 turn CCW so that you are facing the same direction as your left leg. This is your 3rd position in the air. Once again, notice your legs stayed in the same place the whole time; only your torso rotated. Now put all your weight on the right foot, lift the left foot and scissor the left leg straight back to get into landing position. This is the only time a leg moves, and it scissors straight back, right next to the other one, no arc at all. Now try to do each of these positions sequentially in the air. At the height of your waltz jump, you should be in the middle position (body in star position and torso facing north if you took off facing east).

doubletoe

10-10-2006, 12:23 PM

Sonic, awesome attitude! And don't forget, when your basics are solid, you are more likely to zip through the next levels quicker instead of hitting a plateau and having to re-learn everything. It's a good investment. :)

CLEAN
Well, to follow up my best double jump practice ever, this morning I had my best Intermediate MIF practice ever! I stepped on the ice and immediately started on the power circles, then,with no further warmup, I went straight to the dreaded back power 3's and nailed the whole pattern--both ends and both directions--without screwing up! Wow!! Then I had my MIF lesson and finally got my coach to verbalize what I need to do to stop getting stuck on my back outside brackets (a problem I've had forever). I finally got an answer out of her that made sense, so I'm hoping that will be the final breakthrough that makes all 4 sets of brackets equally consistent.

CHEATED
I stillo need to work on the back double 3's a little more to make sure I wait long enough before the first turn and bend deeply before every turn so I don't jump any of them. But I have almost a month before I test, so I think I can nail those and the BO brackets by then. :)

jazzpants

10-10-2006, 02:12 PM

Re: Casey's overrotated waltz... 8O 8O 8O (GOOD LORD!!!)

Terri: Glad you're feeling better about your moves...

F~c: Don't worry! You'll be out of the cellar in Bronze at AN soon enough... if I was in your age group, I will probably take over the cellar instead. :roll: :P

Clean (well almost):
My run thru of my Bronze FS test program. Secondary coach wants to see it to spot things to work on besides the loop! I landed everything and did all the spins and jumps...all but the loop!!! :roll: :frus:

Cheated:
Didn't take too long... I have to work on the flow, the stroking (vs. stepping) thru my program and extension!!! :oops: (But good to know now!!! Boy do I need to practice that program to music more often! 8O )

We also had to rework my push-out on my backspin b/c of the rules for testing. I heard that, for standard track test anyway, there needs to be a definitely push out to BO edge or a step crossover to BO edge after all spins! I was doing step crossover to FO edge in my program!!! (Okay, you judges out there! Is this true? I've never heard of this before...)

e-skater

10-10-2006, 03:18 PM

Way to go!!
Didn't do much in the way of jumps today- my practice was more moves focused.
Feeling a lot better about this test than I did on Saturday during my online rant. I have come to the conclusion that I need to focus on my test and no one else, and other than the power threes, this test has the "kick a$$ potential" I want.

Cheated:
Loop was not there today at all!

Terri, the loop *will* be there! Good job on moves work. Nice to see you are feeling way better about testing these. And a congrats to flying camel, that's great. Also to Pennybeagle. Wow! You guys are doing good things with your skating!

My lesson is tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. Perhaps I'll have something to add that's clean or cheated. ;)

Rusty Blades

10-10-2006, 09:36 PM

Awe all you "advanced" skaters and your fancy moves! Poor ol' me just struggling to get the basics :giveup: ;)

Clean: Nice light session, fast ice, but COLD rink! (Now I know why everybody wears two pair of tights with a skating dress - BURRR! I'm cold in places that shouldn't oughtta be cold!)

Worked extensively on RFO3s (out of back Mohawk) - getting the turn ok (usually) but working on the check and coming out on balance. LFO3s still don’t have a good snap turn. Worked a little on the Left Forward Mohawk - don’t quite have it yet.

As a break from 3-Turns, I worked on backward stroking (coming REAL nice!) and back edges. RBO isn’t bad, LBO is improving a lot! Back Inside edges work ok. Maybe back cross-overs before long?

Cheated: After 1:15 and all the work on RFO3s, my sprained ankle was getting pretty sore. I guess next session should focus on LFO3s and forward Mohawks and give the bad ankle a rest. It'll probably mean a continuation of physio-therapy, but that's ok - I like being pampered :mrgreen:
.
Winter Storm Watch in effect, heavy snow, reduced visibility but fortunately the roads are still warm enough that they weren’t icy.

When I mentioned competing in the spring to my coach, she said "We'll talk." Oh oh, don't like the sound of that - it usually means she's going to let the air out of my baloon! :(

Sk8pdx

10-10-2006, 10:29 PM

Cheated:
Waltz jumps slept in this morning and just would NOT take off. ...and mine are little nerdy hoppy things as they are already. Camel spin at 06:30 :( is not the same as Camel spin at 14:30 :).
I went to the gym only to find that my kickboxing class was cancelled. :evil: so instead, I did some abs exercises, stretching and free weights to bide the time (so that when I skate pairs someday, I will be ready for those press and star lifts!)

Clean:
Had a great lesson today! Coach and I worked on falling sit spin exercises. She was like 8O at some progress being made. Also worked on program elements for our upcoming holiday show: Waltz -tap toe, Salchow -toe loop, (almost) layback spin, back spirals to fwd spirals, bauer, back outside pivot, and footwork. Interconnecting steps seem less wobbly. We hope to add a falling leaf, or half loop or :roll: loop.

doubletoe

10-11-2006, 12:13 PM

Ah well, it had to come to an end at some point, right?

CHEATED
Well, I just plain SUCKED today! My flying camel is still AWOL and I had a hard time in my program, only completing 2 out of my 3 spins, skipping both the axel and double sal, slowing to a crawl at the end of my spiral sequence and finishing after my music (a -1 deduction in competition). Blechh. I felt OLD this morning! No energy. :(

CLEAN
Boy, this is a tough one this morning! The only things I can think of are that my forward crossovers into the spread eagle-lutz-loop-toeloop were smoother and stronger in practice this morning. I don't remember if I managed to replicate it in my actual program or not. . .

LilJen

10-11-2006, 02:59 PM

Cheated:

-Fast hockey guy with zero control over his skating on the session today. He's a runner doing some cross-training, so he was jetting around the rink as fast as possible, in attempts to look like a speed skater. Despite his lengthy infomercial to me about how he'd had his sharpener flatten the skates, he really didn't know how to skate. Obviously strong, but he came VERY close to hitting me and several other skaters. GRR!!
-Forgot my socks today so had to skate barefoot. HOLY BLISTERS, BATMAN!! Owwww. I bailed after an hour. From this time forth I will simply carry along, always, the official practice dress and tights I am too wimpy to wear, because given how absentminded I've been lately, I'll need them sometime. And too bad for those who will see me in a skirt and think I might actually know what I'm doing, because I don't really!!
-It dawned on me last night that I'd left my hard guards on the boards on Monday. Didn't even realize it until last night.

Clean:
BI edges are improving. Also, 3-turns are steadier. . . my waltz 8 still looks like some sort of mutant vegetable though.

Question: Does anyone else think that the Bronze moves look easier than the Pre-Bronze moves?? I really think the PB 3-turn pattern and waltz 8 are harder than anything on the Bronze test (all of which, strangely, looks like stuff I can actually do, right now). Am I just weird?

jazzpants

10-11-2006, 03:04 PM

Question: Does anyone else think that the Bronze moves look easier than the Pre-Bronze moves?? I really think the PB 3-turn pattern and waltz 8 are harder than anything on the Bronze test (all of which, strangely, looks like stuff I can actually do, right now). Am I just weird?Looks can be deceiving!!! Trust me on that one!!! :roll:

(Sounds to me like you're well on your way on working the Bronze Moves too!!! :mrgreen: )

doubletoe

10-11-2006, 04:54 PM

Looks can be deceiving!!! Trust me on that one!!! :roll:

(Sounds to me like you're well on your way on working the Bronze Moves too!!! :mrgreen: )

Doing them is pretty easy. Doing them perfectly on pattern and to the level the judges want to see them is about 500% harder. That's the annoying thing about MIF!

e-skater

10-11-2006, 05:06 PM

Clean: After seven attempts at "opening up the loop", I finally landed one my coach said was "getting the idea". LOL!

Dance test target date is 1/07. Coach says she even thinks I could pass in November, but she wants more out of me, so.......I guess that's getting "cleaner". ;)

Slide chasse's done correctly down the length of the rink, with NO PUSHING! :mrgreen:

Cheated: All those little glitches.....in the dances. And in the new things coach tried to show me today, one of which was the "inside slide chasse" pattern. Which was fun, but when you barely have a LBO three, and do not have it at speed....EEEEK! This had to look laughable, but I enjoyed working on it. Also the cheated bracket work. Just call me the "bobbing bird" on the forward outside brackets!

e-skater

10-11-2006, 05:10 PM

But I have had lutz takeoff-psychs before, and what worked for me on that was just to change the entrance. If I got weirded out by the back crossover entry, I'd do the mohawk-crossover entry so I didn't have to deal with that long back outside edge and over-think it. Fortunately, I now do it from an outside spread eagle so I also don't have to sit on that long back outside edge and over-think.

I'm struggling with just learning this jump. Aside from the timing issues I have, the worst is just what you mention. It's that long back outside edge. For one thing, I go pathetically slow, which I know doesn't help, but I feel like I must understand the technique first, then build speed. Kind of a vicious circle I guess. When I don't have either technique or speed! LOL!
But, I do find that while I'm forever coasting backward on the LBO edge, I just think and think and think and really block myself by the time I get to the pick in.....

I'm wowed by how you enter the lutz from an outside spread eagle. Would love to see that!

LilJen

10-11-2006, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by jazzpants
Looks can be deceiving!!! Trust me on that one!!!

(Sounds to me like you're well on your way on working the Bronze Moves too!!! )

Posted by doubletoe
Doing them is pretty easy. Doing them perfectly on pattern and to the level the judges want to see them is about 500% harder. That's the annoying thing about MIF!

Yep, more than likely mine are pretty sloppy. . . once coach gets a look I'm sure they'll all get ripped apart. For now, though, working on pre-bronze, and I believe 3 of the 5 moves are currently passable.

sk8pics

10-11-2006, 06:32 PM

Well, I went to my lesson tonight not expecting too much since my cold is trying to stage a comeback (I need a smiley for beating something off with a stick, LOL), and amazingly enough, it was all:

Clean Had a good lesson on decent ice and didn't fall over any of the little kids. Jumps were good, and I negotiated a temporary change in my program with my coach so I feel better about the whole thing. We did two run throughs and they were pretty good. On the second one, I think it was, with regard to one of my spins, my coach said it was "the best spin I've EVER seen you do, ever!" :mrgreen: They were all good, but he said that one was exceptional. Those of you who know me and know how rotationally challenged I am will understand what a big compliment this was. Anyway, so it was all good and Friday we'll go back and also review my interpretive program, which I haven't skated since February, so won't that be fun?!8O

Thanks for all the well-wishes when I was sick! Good luck everyone who's competing or testing soon!

Terri C

10-11-2006, 06:39 PM

Doing them is pretty easy. Doing them perfectly on pattern and to the level the judges want to see them is about 500% harder. That's the annoying thing about MIF!

Hear, hear, doubletoe!
Today primary coach and I did work on a couple of moves, then some freestyle. Secondary coach is enjoying a lovely honeymoon in Hawaii (she got married in NY on Sunday).
Power threes- adding a introductory step ( I was doing 5, now it's 6) and gettngi the first three on pattern. While the back crossover portion was great, the threes were placed too early. Need to pay attention to shoulders.
Did work on intro steps afterward and was able to place the three on pattern!

Five Step mohawk- coach finally discovered what was driving her crazy on my LFI mohawk- I was not pushing into it enough and was on a flat. After some work on it at the boards, I finally got the idea.
Spins were good, as were jumps.

Cheated:
Too crazy a freestyle session with Regional bound kids and beginners.

jazzpants

10-11-2006, 07:02 PM

slusher

10-11-2006, 08:26 PM

Clean:

Oh ho ho ho, santa came early and must have left some flips in the building because mine showed up!

Cheated:

First, the ice is terrible, the resurfacer broke and is stuck outside the building. This rink doesn't have the best ice to start with so it got snowy and chewed up just like a Sunday afternoon public skate. I gave up on working on skills as I was getting stuck in the ruts. (edited, I wrote "rust" , heh heh, some times it sure feels like I've rusted to the spot)

Second, they've changed the ice schedule again, I could either quit my job and skate or continue working and not skate. I've already changed my work arrangement once for skating based on the "final" schedule previously published. (is there a super pissed off smiley?) :frus:

edited: of course I could quit my job and skate but would have to give up rent and food let alone pay the ice bill

Skate@Delaware

10-11-2006, 09:23 PM

Clean: me at the rink!!! Yay, I went skating today (doc didn't say anything about not skating, just said take it easy)....Did some alternating crossovers and worked a bit on the pre-bronze 3-turn thingy...very slow it's ok.

Cheated: I've been warned by the skating director "No hockey career for you!" and to stay off the hockey skates until after the spring show (we lose ice then). Oh well. I did run through some elements, spins were WEIRD!!! and some jumps which were really sloppy. Ran through my program (first with headphones and it was ok) but it was really weird and I was way off. Tried again but bailed when I saw hubby fall. He was ok-it was the click while doing crossovers.

I'm having hate issues with the toe-loop! I keep straightening up when I pick and then it's no good! It's not so much of a toe-waltz but I don't like the fact that I'm not really vaulting as much as I used to. I need some serious bent-knee time on this jump! Knowing what I'm doing wrong is one thing-trying to fix it is something else!

Spinning was fun tonight! After I finished one runthrough, and after I did a 2-foot spin at the end....I had to wobble my way to the boards and hold on for dear life! I thought I was going to puke and everything was going up and down! stupid labrynthitis thing! I hope it clears up soon!
ETA: oh yeah, I did go to the chiro AND the massage therapist today...they fixed me up really good! I do feel much better. The chiro advised me to take it easy for a day or two (i.e. no more falling on my face). So I didn't fall today-that's good!

Rusty Blades

10-11-2006, 09:35 PM

Clean: Being kind to my right ankle, I stayed away from RFO3s and worked on LFO3s and forward Mohawks. I am FINALLY getting the step in the forward Mohawks (both ways) and just need to find my balance coming out on the backward edge. I also did more work on backward stroking.

In lesson tonight, we worked on forward stroking and added cross-overs around the end of the rink, both ways. We also did some backward stroking with emphasis on longer backward glides.

Cheated: DAMN the rink was COLD, extremely COLD! I just couldn’t get completely warmed up and loosened up. It was so cold my legs were shivering for the first half of the session. Stroking to try to warm up only created WIND CHILL! I am going to add a pair of ski pants to my skating bag for the next "arctic rink" I encounter! I love my skating dress and the freedom but when I am chilled to the bone it interferes with my skating worse than pants!

Cheated: My coach said, earlier this week in an email, that there was something we need to talk about in person regarding my competitive asperations. Since it took me a long time to get her on-side with my plans, I was afraid she was going to pull the plug! (Drama queen here - let's assume the worst and fly into panic mode!)

Clean: What we needed to talk about was she doesn't feel that I have the conditioning or endurance to "take my skating to the next level". (I guess she was afraid I would take it badly and that's why she wanted to talk about it face to face.) Ok, no problem! It is about time I buckled down and got serious about the off-ice part of this sport! Anything for skating! (Though I did suggest she bring handcuffs and a muzzle for Saturday since I will have quit smoking by then and may not be fit company for awhile!)

doubletoe

10-11-2006, 09:54 PM

I'm wowed by how you enter the lutz from an outside spread eagle. Would love to see that!

LOL, okay, here you go. . . I had a spread eagle-lutz at about 1:40 into this program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzbGYcv1zmc

I originally started doing this entrance so I could practice my lutz on crowded sessions without that unnerving blind entrance (since the coach who originally taught me the lutz never thought to teach me the mohawk-crossover entrance. :frus: )

By the way, you NEED speed on the lutz. It's just impossible to do without it, in my experience. Even on the mohawk entrance, you need speed and deep knee bend, and a nice straight mohawk. It might help you to practice the flip from a RFI mohawk to get the idea of a long, straight mohawk from speed.

quarkiki2

10-12-2006, 08:42 AM

Clean: Well, we did three run-throughs of the Synchro program tonight. Missing two skaters, so the circle footwork was on wicked edges and FAST. I'm pleased because we've never done run-troughs this early in the season. We have a habit of getting stuck on one part of the program and working it to death and never quite getting enough practice on the end or doing enough run-throughs before cometing. Well, this year we're not competing until Februart, so we have oodles of time to get comfy with the entire program.

Cheated: Somehow managed to click blades with another skater -- I was leaning in to her on time with the music, she was two beats ahead and started her back crosses and crossed into me. Somehow I did a crazy hop thingy that had me landing forward, still connected to my backwards-moving line, then I squeaked out a bracket and rejoined the footwork as if nothing happened -- except me leaving my heart thumping on the ice where we collided. This was, of course, right after another skater bumped my bum in a blind intersection. Because, clearly, there was a target tattooed on my back, lol.

Right now there are only four spots in the program where I'm feeling iffy -- the blind intersection (this was OK until the bump, grr), the circle footwork (only when we're skating at speed, otherwise it's fine), a little bit of turny footwork coming out of our pairs spiral (my partner was in borrowed skates, so I'm not counting last night's practice as indicative of our ability), and the bracket in the straight line footwork sequence (also fine when not at speed).

kateskate

10-12-2006, 08:58 AM

NickiT

10-12-2006, 10:11 AM

Clean
Bizarrely I am good at the hard exercises in the field moves - I can do the Choctaws and the brackets better than the double threes. And coach even said I do them better than 12 yr old (the best skater at our rink) - but only those 2 exercises. Yay. Even back outside double threes (both ways!!!) were much much better.

Am getting the hang of the test dances - 14step and willow waltz - with a partner. And when I say getting the hang of I mean understanding in my head where I should be even if my shoulders and feet don't quite get it yet.

I've been loving skating this week - even more so than normal. Had a really fun practise on Monday - did all my jumps and spins and it felt nice!!!! And again on Tuesday. :D

Cheated
No jumping or spinning until these field moves are done. L. Back inside double threes are are the sticking point (right foot only) but unfortunately they appear in 3 of the 6 exercises - forward outside double threes, back inside double threes and the double Mohawk step.

Dance teacher has been messing my lessons round a little. He overslept on Tuesday so I went on Wednesday as well and today he cancelled in favour of tomorrow. A little annoying as I would like one normal morning start especially since work is so busy at the moment and I'm not leaving before 8.30pm at the earliest.

Also managed to do the Mohawk in the willow waltz pretty much on my teacher's foot yesterday. I'm sure my blade is supposed to be on the ice not on his boot. Whoops!

Good luck with your field moves test. I daresay I passed my inter bronze years ago but sort of got stuck on these horrible bronze ones. I actually took a year out of doing them then my coach left so I didn't attempt them with new coach for months and have kind of given up on them. I found the choctaw exercise not too bad - it came and went - but the double threes were terrifying. I had so many painful falls from them. I decided I'd go for the new equivalent level 5 exercises instead, only to find that the backward double threes are done in a straight line alternating down the rink....eeek. I sort of got used to doing them in a figure of eight! So I definitely won't be testing before the old system goes out!

Nicki

Emberchyld

10-12-2006, 12:18 PM

Clean

Last week my instructor decided that I was way too advanced to continue on in Adult 2 (USFSA LTS) and made me test out into Adult 3-- my favorite was when he tried to make my backwards snowplow stops look decent by telling me to do backwards crossovers into them-- his reasoning: "the tester will be so impressed that you have backwards crossovers that she might not notice how shaky your stops are." :D I finally got the stops down right before the tester came over, but that had me giggling for a while (skater subterfuge! Look flashy and shiny and maybe they won't notice me landing on my butt!)
So this week... Backwards edges and progressives!

We had a substitute instructor, so she had the joy of introducing me to progressives ("Do you know how to do progressives?" Me: "Huh? Pro-whats?" Instructor demostrates "See, easy!" Me: Jaw open, squeaky voice "Uhm... can I go back to Adult 2?")
It was nice when I was working on the progressives and the instructor commented on how fast I managed to pick them up (at least clockwise), and asked me if I really only started skating as an adult, because I was picking things up so quickly. It was kind of nice to hear (especially since I felt like I was about to take a huge dive at any moment and felt clumsy and awkward on the ice trying to "progress")

Cheated

Please tell me why I can do so well in lessons and then when I go to practice during public skate, I can barely keep upright? Sometimes I feel as if I've never skated before when I get out onto that ice.

And backwards edges.... ugh. A million times scarier than forwards edges-- I know they'll get easier, but until then I'll spend most of my time terrified that I'm going to flip over backwards and crack my head open!

Isk8NYC

10-12-2006, 01:06 PM

Please tell me why I can do so well in lessons and then when I go to practice during public skate, I can barely keep upright? Sometimes I feel as if I've never skated before when I get out onto that ice.Because the ice is rougher, the crowds are distracting, and you're secretly afraid that someone's watching you. Keep practicing. The ice won't get better, but the other two problems grow smaller as you gain skills and confidence.

Clean:
I've been working on my edges and turns whenever possible, mainly because that's what I'm teaching. I force my way through a lot less now, and I think it's because I've been practicing them as figures on my own as well.

Cheated:
I normally spin/jump CCW, but I have a student who is a ClockWise skater. She's really very sweet and I've worked hard to "translate" my instructions for her without making mistakes.

I demonstrate a lot of the things in my direction, then "fake" them in hers. I did a really crummy upright spin and waltz jump in her direction! Still, it's a useful skill to be able to "go both ways," right?

doubletoe

10-12-2006, 01:35 PM

Cheated
No jumping or spinning until these field moves are done. L. Back inside double threes are are the sticking point (right foot only) but unfortunately they appear in 3 of the 6 exercises - forward outside double threes, back inside double threes and the double Mohawk step.

I don't know if your back double 3 pattern is the same as ours, but on the RBI double 3's we start at 12:00 on the circle, do the RBI 3 at 3:00, then the RFO3 between 4:00 and 5:00 (after checking the exit of the RBI 3). For me, the trick is to wait until I can see where the 2nd turn will be before executing the first turn (the RBI3).
Here's what seems to work for me:
1. Face into the circle until you hit 1:00 or 2:00, then bend the knee, turn head to look over your right shoulder, and pass arms so that you're now facing outside the circle.
2. Bend deeply, then continue to look over right shoulder until you can see where the 2nd turn will be. That means you have actually reached the 3:00 point, at which point it becomes easier to execute the turn with control.
3. RBI 3-turn.
4. After exiting RBI3, switch arms so you are hugging the circle (facing into the circle).
5. Bend deeply, then execute RFO3.

This has made these much less scary! :)

Hannahclear

10-12-2006, 02:39 PM

Clean:

Well....nearly clean. My program that is. First nearly clean runthrough yesterday. Two footed the flip and didn't make the combo, but I did everything else, even the second lutz, which is at like 2:01. I love this new program so much. The gym has helped me alot too, because I'm not nearly as tired as I used to be when skating a program. So much more work to do, but I'm planning on skating up to Silver in January. I'll try and stay out of the cellar! :lol:

Cheated:

My axel! And two footed. But it is getting better.

Struggling to add a back sit to my back camel. At least the back camel is more consistent now. Slow though.

e-skater

10-12-2006, 04:54 PM

LOL, okay, here you go. . . I had a spread eagle-lutz at about 1:40 into this program:

By the way, you NEED speed on the lutz. It's just impossible to do without it, in my experience. Even on the mohawk entrance, you need speed and deep knee bend, and a nice straight mohawk. It might help you to practice the flip from a RFI mohawk to get the idea of a long, straight mohawk from speed.

Hey, thanks! If you don't hear back from me for quite a while, it's not because I didn't watch it and have comments, it's because *it will still be downloading via dial up*. :evil:

Thank you for the tips. My coach is pushing me to go faster, but she also recognizes that I can just "go fast" if I have no idea what to do.....so.....:oops:

Skate@Delaware

10-12-2006, 06:05 PM

And backwards edges.... ugh. A million times scarier than forwards edges-- I know they'll get easier, but until then I'll spend most of my time terrified that I'm going to flip over backwards and crack my head open!
I remember having these issues...now my husband is going through this. It will get better!

Clean: Skated not once but twice today!!!! I'm really zonked out but feeling pretty good! Spins were really much better-got a centered 10 revolution spin and some fairly centered 6-8 rev (they were better this morning, fair this afternoon). Ran through my program and all my "stuff" that I've been given to do. Actually managed to do the 3-turn pattern on clean ice on the afternoon session....helps being able to see the shape of your lobes and try to get them even (a little trick-I turned around at the end and skated over them).

Did some very nice back spirals in the afternoon session...hip-height and fairly straight (i.e. not curly-curvy!). I have one in my program and it has been messing me up for my toe-loop...I'm way off for where it's supposed to be but not as far as I was weeks ago.

Cheated: That darn toe-loop! I'm going to have coach help me on this...it's really bugging me! I focus really hard on it and when I jump it, boom, do the same stupid mistake (pick in then straighten up my legs and jump)! It's starting to affect my sal-toe combo (sloppy, sloppy). Did some dance stuff but not any complete patterns. I'm a week behind (missed on-ice for the cha-cha due to my little accident).

Trivial question of the day: how much knee-bend should you have on outside mohawks? Obviously more than I've been putting into them!!! Yikes! I saw my reflection in the glass and looked like a skating zombie with those stiff legs!!! No wonder I'm having issues! At least having open shoulders is 50% of the battle!

kateskate

10-12-2006, 06:31 PM

I don't know if your back double 3 pattern is the same as ours, but on the RBI double 3's we start at 12:00 on the circle, do the RBI 3 at 3:00, then the RFO3 between 4:00 and 5:00 (after checking the exit of the RBI 3). For me, the trick is to wait until I can see where the 2nd turn will be before executing the first turn (the RBI3).
Here's what seems to work for me:
1. Face into the circle until you hit 1:00 or 2:00, then bend the knee, turn head to look over your right shoulder, and pass arms so that you're now facing outside the circle.
2. Bend deeply, then continue to look over right shoulder until you can see where the 2nd turn will be. That means you have actually reached the 3:00 point, at which point it becomes easier to execute the turn with control.
3. RBI 3-turn.
4. After exiting RBI3, switch arms so you are hugging the circle (facing into the circle).
5. Bend deeply, then execute RFO3.

This has made these much less scary! :)

Thank you:D

I will try. The FO-BI double threes are done in half lobes down the side of the rink, the BI-FO double threes are done in two circles each way making a figure of eight, and the BI threes in the mohawk step are done after a closed mohawk cross in front in half lobes down the side of the rink.

I panic and try and turn before I've even got an inside edge and before my shoulders etc are in the right position - so I will definitely try your exercise.

jazzpants

10-12-2006, 06:59 PM

Clean

All spins for Bronze FS.
Last camel attempt was about 2-3 revs and extended until the last rev. :frus:
All jumps except for loops and flips... well sorta... I have one loop that is borderline clean. Actually I had a BUNCH of them today that was borderline clean... (Still working on arms, doubletoe... and funny... Jay suggested today also to check out quicker too!!! :lol: :twisted: )
Primary coach finally likes *something* about my toe loop!!! He says that when I'm not doing my obvious "toe-waltz"-ing, the toe loops actually looks more "explosive" and higher! :mrgreen: Of course, he then says "Why can't your other jumps be like that??? :evil: " LOL!!! :PCheated:

Most of my landings on loops and flips!!! Flips are probably gonna be the next jump that he's gonna be going :frus: and crazy over. (Yeap, fully rotated... just not cleanly landed...) Have to work on arms so it's not wall over my shoulders when I jump again. (Yes, I was trying the same tip re: arms for loops for the flip too... feel different for me...)
Most of my camel attempts!!! :frus:

kateskate

10-12-2006, 07:14 PM

Cheated

:frus: :frus: :frus: Can't skate tomorrow - dance lesson cancelled AGAIN. I can't even go in and skate as there will be no other teachers on the ice and so I won't be allowed on to practise.

This is the 3rd time this week that my lesson has been moved/cancelled.

Clean

Nothing as I can't skate tomorrow and I'm sad:cry:

doubletoe

10-12-2006, 07:23 PM

Thank you:D

I will try. The FO-BI double threes are done in half lobes down the side of the rink, the BI-FO double threes are done in two circles each way making a figure of eight, and the BI threes in the mohawk step are done after a closed mohawk cross in front in half lobes down the side of the rink.

I panic and try and turn before I've even got an inside edge and before my shoulders etc are in the right position - so I will definitely try your exercise.

Do you also do your RBI 3 at 3:00 on the circle, then do the RFO3 between 4:00 and 5:00 on the circle?

DallasSkater

10-12-2006, 08:41 PM

Skate@Delaware: Glad to hear you are feeling better and getting to skate. Do take it somewhat easy! eeek.

Rusty: Wondering if maybe setting your expectation for a smaller event like an ice show or smaller competition might satisfy that competitive spirit of yours while you build endurance. You have such a great attitude about the chat! WTG!

Emberchyld: Congrats on being advanced up a level. Interesting that you do better in class than alone. I tend to do better in my own practice sessions as I have time to warm up and no pressure of being watched. You will likely do well in performing with that experience!

Isk8nyc: Impressive that you can go both ways...I clearly have a "preferred side" and just cannot translate well to the other.

Doubletoe: Very nice program! Thanks for sharing it.

Kate: Sorry about your ice situation. That sounds frustrating.

Clean: Had my bridge class yesterday and got to skate at lunch again today! Had a different coach for the spin portion of class and that really helped to have his perspective. He assured me that what I think is too toe picky in a one footed spin is actually correct! He looked at my tracing and said that it was normal. He also was helpful in tips to entering from a backward crossover as I tend to not get more than a few revolutions from this. It is like I am so concentrated on getting my center that I fail to get enough push or something. I had a few more revolutions with his help! He also had us do them from a large forward semi circle which I had not done before but think I will practice.

Although I am still struggling with the salchow, I was able to get 2 decent small ones out of a million attempted today! Can't wait for my lesson tomorrow as I would like my coach to evaluate my toe loop attempts. I think I am doing it somewhat right! I want to have Jazzpants explosive ones but will have to settle for just rotated and resembling one for now!

Feeling good about my commitment to practice real basics at least 10-15 minutes of every practice. I feel like I have those skills back. Will not let them slide again. I was so concentrated on learning freestyle that I was not taking time to "skate" or practice anything other than spins, jumps and edges.

Cheated: Ballet class feels really non productive for me. It happens right after the bridge program and I am bored in it. I spend my time thinking about going home! I did pay for it but have considered skipping! I would like more emphasis on the arms that would help in skating programs but it seems to be more about actual ballet moves...Geez, why would I expect something else!? giggle. One cute thing is that when I started with the little girls that range in ages from 7 to about 11, they would scramble to not be my partner in the two by two lines we have to form for some of the movements....they are now fighting on who gets to be my partner! LOL. I felt so honored!

Still taking me considerable time to feel my skate legs anytime I get on the ice. I just think I take longer than anyone else! I know I should go with what feels right for me. It is hard when I only have limited time for skating though. I am doing more off ice warm up but that does not really seem to have any impact on me feeling the ice when I get on. My feet stop hurting about 10-15 minutes after I am actually skating. I have tried different strategies to reduce the time to no avail.

All spins are traveling big time again. I do not feel it when I am spinning. Not sure what I am doing that is creating a road trip!

Very frustrated that I have absolutely no ability to spin one footed on my right foot. I am trying to learn the scratch spin...<sigh>
Hope my coach will help with something I can do to address this problem. I do not remember learning the one footed on the left foot being such a big problem. I at least could spin a tiny bit to begin with and then just had to find the center. But this is like I can't do it at all!

skate practice time tomorrow before my lesson so a tad more time to work on it!

mikawendy

10-12-2006, 08:56 PM

All spins are traveling big time again. I do not feel it when I am spinning. Not sure what I am doing that is creating a road trip!

Travelling can happen for all sorts of reasons, but usually when my spins travel, it is because the position of my hip changes between when I enter/hook the spin and when I pull my free leg in. If I drop my free side or push my leg too low to the ice on the entry (which pulls my free hip down), then it tends to make my hips move when I pull in for the spin and then I travel.

Next time you have a class, you could ask your instructor to take a look. I usually can't feel that I've travelled when I spin either....

Debbie S

10-12-2006, 09:00 PM

Still taking me considerable time to feel my skate legs anytime I get on the ice. I just think I take longer than anyone else!Are you comparing yourself to kids? Adults usually take longer than the kids to warm-up - I think it's a combination of our joints being creakier - lol - and us realizing that it's good to really warm up our muscles before we throw ourselves into things. I always do stroking and crossovers, forward and backward and in both directions, before I start jumping or spinning.

Very frustrated that I have absolutely no ability to spin one footed on my right foot. I am trying to learn the scratch spin...<sigh>
Hope my coach will help with something I can do to address this problem. I do not remember learning the one footed on the left foot being such a big problem. I at least could spin a tiny bit to begin with and then just had to find the center. But this is like I can't do it at all! Um, do you rotate (jumps and spins) counter-clockwise or clockwise? If you are learning your scratch spin on your left foot and that is your natural direction (CCW), then a spin on your right foot is a back spin (meaning you "back into" the spin rather than doing a FO 3-turn into it). Back spins are very challenging to learn and probably a bit beyond your ability at this point. Have you learned BO 3-turns yet? If you're not working on a back spin in your classes, I would stop and wait until you reach that point in your lessons - you don't want to develop bad habits by trying to teach it to yourself.

Sk8pdx

10-13-2006, 12:38 AM

Cheated:
had a nasty battle with toe loop today. Dunno why, I was just beginning to like the darn jump. After the 3 turn, the free foot was just swinging around too much instead of "through" in a sense. Anyway, good thing Coach was there to help fix it.

Clean:
I Revisited the Loop again with my Coach after taking a mental break from frustration and letting it go for a while. Now that I have a different frame of mind, I think I will have better results. I think in my earlier attempts, I was just trying to rush everything and forced it to peak too early. I am sure we have all gone through at least 1 or 2 jumps that have been a source of angst. For me it has been loop. Having gone through this process with loop, I can be better prepared to take on Lutz...axel...doubles.... when the time comes. ..and everything is beautiful in its time. :)

Rusty Blades

10-13-2006, 04:32 AM

Still taking me considerable time to feel my skate legs anytime I get on the ice. I just think I take longer than anyone else! I know I should go with what feels right for me. It is hard when I only have limited time for skating though. I am doing more off ice warm up but that does not really seem to have any impact on me feeling the ice when I get on.

I know EXACTLY what you mean! And I thought I was the only one like this! I see everybody doff their guards, step onto the ice, and skate away. Me? I feel like if I tried that, I'd do a face plant right there at the gate! It doesn't matter if I skated the day before or not for a week - I still need to take a few minutes to get used to my blades and the ice. I usually just do some backward pivots to reassure myself that yes, my blades are still there, yes, I can stand up on these things without falling and breaking my neck (yet), no, the ice isn't going to splinter and swallow me up. I have tried the "step and go" technique and I CAN do it - it just doesn't feel good.

So, lest anyone think I am a wuss for standing there at the boards when I first step on, doing sissy little pivots, I tell them that I am paying homage to the Ice Gods and thanking them for the opportunity to skate. It gives them something different to wonder about :mrgreen:

kateskate

10-13-2006, 04:43 AM

Do you also do your RBI 3 at 3:00 on the circle, then do the RFO3 between 4:00 and 5:00 on the circle?

I try to. My problem is I turn when my foot is at 3.00 but my shoulders are leaning off in their own little circle somewhere else at the same time and then the FO 3 tries to turn at 3.00 aswell! I can see how your way would be less frightening.

I also find though when doing them on the circle I feel that I am spiralling inwards and the circle is getting smaller. I think that is because I whip the second turn and don't control it.

I'm grateful for any suggestions

What is your back inside double three patterns for your field moves tests over there?

Sonic

10-13-2006, 07:58 AM

I Revisited the Loop again with my Coach after taking a mental break from frustration and letting it go for a while. Now that I have a different frame of mind, I think I will have better results. I think in my earlier attempts, I was just trying to rush everything and forced it to peak too early. I am sure we have all gone through at least 1 or 2 jumps that have been a source of angst. For me it has been loop. Having gone through this process with loop, I can be better prepared to take on Lutz...axel...doubles.... when the time comes. ..and everything is beautiful in its time. :)

I can certainly relate to that.

Long story short, I *had* a loop and flip, I was rotating them and landing them, but had this issue, particularly on the flip, with the free leg being in an ungainly position. So this week it's back to the drawing board as it were, and I trying to 're-learn' them.

Not easy, but like you say, I'm sure I will be glad that I will have learned to do the other jumps 'properly' by the time it comes to Lutz...and possibly Axel (if and when I get that far).

S xxx

Terri C

10-13-2006, 11:29 AM

Clean:
I had today off (will be working tomorrow) and went to the rink for the empty 9am public session. When I went to pay the public session rate, the manager asked if I had my freestyle punch card :?? . I got it, gave it to her and she took a half hour off and then told me that I could skate the public as long as I liked!:o :D How's that for GREAT customer service!!!??
So with one other person out there ( a hockey guy who steered clear of me and left after a hour) I skated two hours of literally non stop moves (okay I took time off for some spins).

Forward perim is much better, am no longer cutting the corner on the end patterns!!!
Back perim is taking up more ice!!
Back crossover to back outside edge is good as always.
I have this cool free feeling when I do the five step mohawk.

Cheated:
I spent a good part of this session working on and feeling like a slave to power threes. Still having a hard time with getting the first three on pattern.

The best part about this session is that I was able to stop and look at the patterns and concentrate fully on technique without being worried about getting in someone's way.

Skate@Delaware

10-13-2006, 11:41 AM

Still taking me considerable time to feel my skate legs anytime I get on the ice. I just think I take longer than anyone else! I know I should go with what feels right for me. It is hard when I only have limited time for skating though. I am doing more off ice warm up but that does not really seem to have any impact on me feeling the ice when I get on.
This will improve as your overall conditioning improves. When I first started skating, it took me about 45 minutes before I felt easy on the ice. Now it's down to a few minutes; I have incorporated an off- and on-ice warm-up into my routine.

What is your off-ice warmup? What is your on-ice? What are you doing for conditioning in your non-skate days?

Your ballet class sounds like fun! I wish there was one I could go to (my local dance studio doesn't have a class at a convenient time for me, although she did say I was welcome to attend as an adult-it's a beginner class).

Raye

10-13-2006, 02:21 PM

Clean:
The best part about this session is that I was able to stop and look at the patterns and concentrate fully on technique without being worried about getting in someone's way.

Way to go Terri. :bow: :bow: :bow:

Isk8NYC

10-13-2006, 03:07 PM

I took a long lunch and got in 30 mins of skating this afternoon. (For $3, not bad, huh?) I spend more time driving to the rink than I spend on the ice! LOL Better than nothing, especially with only four people on the ice!

Clean:

Conned lov2sk8 into helping me figure out some footwork I've been wanting to master for the Basic 8 class. Everytime I ask one of the hs/college coaches to demonstrate it for me, they do it at 90 mph! Thanks, lov2sk8!

I started working on jumps for the freestyle tests. My knee's feeling pretty good, but it's been so long since I've jumped that I have no grace whatsoever. Still, I can stick the landing, even on the half jumps, without pain!

Cheated:

I really have trouble skating on this rink. It's very hard ice and the base is sand, not concrete. I make a lot of noise and every edge rips into the ice!

Spins were a misery. I can never center them at this rink, even my two-footed ones! LOL Still, I did a couple of decent sit spins.

I really have to start taking lessons one of these days.
I'm such a slacker.

e-skater

10-13-2006, 04:21 PM

Forward perim is much better, am no longer cutting the corner on the end patterns!!!
Back perim is taking up more ice!!
Back crossover to back outside edge is good as always.
I have this cool free feeling when I do the five step mohawk.

Cheated:
I spent a good part of this session working on and feeling like a slave to power threes. Still having a hard time with getting the first three on pattern.

So glad you could get an empty session for some quality practice. And focus! It's great when you don't have to constantly look over your shoulder to watch for other skaters.

Great on the 5-step. I loved that move, and found it's kind of like a dance.

As for the power threes, with the exception of most adults who skated as kids, I think power threes are the bain of our existence! Keep at it, Terri. It sounds like you have some strong moves, which will do well for you at test time.

DallasSkater

10-13-2006, 04:51 PM

Debbie: yes, I do three turns typically well. However, I did only recently discover that my left inside 3 turn is only good if I have just placed the foot...in other words not as strong if I have glided for a bit first. I am working to correct that as I am doing 3 turns on the semi circle for edge work. And yes, the right foot spin is a back spin for me. I am being introduced to it by my coach. She was not very helpful today as I explained why I had so little progress on it from last lesson...giggle. I think it is just going to take a lot of time. It helped to hear you say that it is difficult because it is a back spin. I am just going to attempt it over and over until something clicks!

Skate@Delaware: Good thought but I do not think it is my endurance or body condition. I am a gym bunny! giggle (Ok,,minus the great body that should be associated with this level of gym time!). I take very advanced step aerobic classes literally 7 days a week. (Even on my skate days..which I know is bad) My endurance is excellent. I do some cross training with spin classes, kick boxing and occasionally tread classes. I have been doing this for over 2 decades. I weight train as well but it is not my favorite. I have let some of the more routine stuff of weight training slide since skating as it wears my muscles down too easily on a skating day. We do step/lift classes, and muscle step classes. All the classes end with abs and stretching. I just cannot believe that is why I am taking so long for me.

My lack of skate legs is more that I don't feel comfortable over my blades and my feet are hurting me for the first 10-15 minutes. The rest of my body is fine. It is just weird to me. Not sure if I am even explaining it right as my feet hurt but not too bad. My skates actually fit well and are quite comfy

My typical on ice warm up is forward stroking a few minutes while feet are really achy, followed by cross overs all directions, edges all directions, three turns all edges and a few two footed spins from pivots. Usually by the time I get all this done my feet don't hurt anymore. I have some really sucky spins as my center is really off for the first few attempts but I find it again after about 3 or so spins. I think it is because I am too new to spinning.
I see people, even adults, who pretty immediately have balance and their skills from one session to the next... That is why I think it is something about me!!!! giggle.

Today in my lesson I was tested for ISI freestyle 2 and passed! woohooo...apparently freestyle 3 has the salchow in it...oh no! giggle. That did not go so well today. Another thing that is going to take a while!

Have my power stroking and freestyle classes tonight...so I am about to head back! eeek.

doubletoe

10-13-2006, 05:15 PM

I try to. My problem is I turn when my foot is at 3.00 but my shoulders are leaning off in their own little circle somewhere else at the same time and then the FO 3 tries to turn at 3.00 aswell! I can see how your way would be less frightening.

I also find though when doing them on the circle I feel that I am spiralling inwards and the circle is getting smaller. I think that is because I whip the second turn and don't control it.

I'm grateful for any suggestions

What is your back inside double three patterns for your field moves tests over there?

Yes, we start at 12:00 on the top of the circle, do the first turn at 3:00 (assuming RBI) and the second turn between 4:00 and 5:00, so it sounds like the same basic move.
It sounds like you are not controlling the rotation on the exit of the BI3, which is probably a shoulder problem, which probably means you are swinging your arms around.
Referring to my step-by-step back double 3 post from the other day: You start at 12:00 Facing into the circle and "hugging" the circle (if on RBI, that means your left arm is back, right arm forward, and face looking into the circle). Stay in that position until 1:00 or 2:00, then turn your head gently to look outside the circle (over your right shoulder), followed immediately by passing your arms gently and close to your hips, so that now your right arm is back and left is in front and you are facing outside the circle.
Now bend, get on the ball of the foot, and wait for 3:00 or until you can see where the 2nd turn will happen. Now do your RBI 3-turn but just turn your body 180 degrees while WHILE LEAVING YOUR ARMS IN THE SAME PLACE. That means when you come out of the BI3, your left arm is still pointing in the direction of travel while your right arm is still pointing in the direction you came from, but now your body is facing forward so you're looking at your left arm.
Only after you have exited the RBI3 in this checked position--without moving your arms--do you actually switch your arms to prepare for the RFO3. Pass your arms again, gently, low and close to your hips, so that now your right and passes to the back and your left comes to the front. Now you are once again "hugging" the circle and facing inside the circle. Now bend the knee, get on the ball of the foot, and do the RFO3.

I hope that helps somewhat! :)

Raye

10-13-2006, 05:21 PM

Today in my lesson I was tested for ISI freestyle 2 and passed! woohooo....
WAY TO GO:bow: :bow: :bow: CONGRATULATIONS

doubletoe

10-13-2006, 05:21 PM

Now do your RBI 3-turn but just turn your body 180 degrees while WHILE LEAVING YOUR ARMS IN THE SAME PLACE. That means when you come out of the BI3, your left arm is still pointing in the direction of travel while your right arm is still pointing in the direction you came from, but now your body is facing forward so you're looking at your left arm.

Oops! I said that part exactly backwards! I meant when you exit the RBI3 turn, your RIGHT arm is still pointing in th direction of travel while your LEFT arm is still pointing in the direction you came from, and you now see your LEFT hand in front of you! I was about to seriously confuse you, LOL!

kiwibabe

10-14-2006, 01:36 AM

Cheated: I entered my first competition doing free skate on Thursday. The level was for those who had not sat any tests yet. I freaked out until I got on the ice. They only gave us a two minute warm up, which was really tough.

Clean: I made it through the program without falling over and finished it ok. I got second place!!!!!!! I actually bet someone, there were only 3 people in the level, my husband, myself and another lady. My husband won, I got second and the other lady got third. I was completely shocked, I had psyched myself up to come last.

Cheated: The weird thing now is that everyone who asks sounds shocked that I actually bet someone .... Don't know what to make of that.

Sonic

10-14-2006, 03:19 AM

Hey congratulations kiwibabe. First competition - mega nerve-wracking or what lol!

Maybe the shocked reactions are because people were surprised (in a good way) that you did a competition? When I did my first one back in June people were like 'You're doing a competition already?' I guess it's because non-skaters visualise olympic-level skating when they hear the word 'competition'.

S xxx

Skate@Delaware

10-14-2006, 06:34 AM

Congrats kiwibabe!!!! Are you going to enter more competitions????

DallasSkater: Congrats on passing your level 2!!! Now we are both on the same level of ISI skating!!! Have you started working on the footwork for level 3???? It's really :twisted: , not really but I get confused...once I get it, coach will pass me....

As far as your not feeling comfortable on the ice right away, maybe that will soon pass. I still need time, some days are worse than others (there are days when I just can't "get" the feel of the ice under me). Man, I'm not the gym bunny you are! I'm a wuss when it comes to working out...I hate aerobics classes...prefer the treadmill, free weights (mostly so I can look at the guys :D ), and stretching on my own.

DallasSkater

10-14-2006, 07:09 AM

Raye: Thanks!

Kiwibabe: A huge congrats for confronting your first competition and for your placement! How fun that you did better than you anticipated!

Sonic: I think that is true. When I have mentioned my skating to my non skating friends the discussion seems to go to how many triples can you do? giggle. I went to a party recently and even people I did not know were trying to give me their email address to get invited to the Christmas Ice show of LTS program that my partner mentioned I was in! eeek. I spent too much time trying to say .....the show will be silly and not even close to what they are expecting! giggle.

Skate@Delaware: I have not looked at the level 3 foot work yet. My coach showed me the spin foot change thingy that level 3 will have and mentioned the salchow as one of the jumps. I will have to see everything. I will look soon. I also am interested in starting the pre bronze MIF stuff as I imagine it will take me a very long time. I have a feeling level 3 will be a lot harder for me since it already has things in it that I am struggling with now. How close are you to taking the level 3? Seems like you are way ahead of me in your skill level.

Clean: classes went well yesterday. My coach was the sub for the power stroking and did a nice job using MIF patterns for us. It was fun but boy do I suck at power pulls...mine are more like whimp curves! giggle. I do not have good control but it is a new thing for me. I was delighted to at least get the motion.

Cheated: Freestyle class had us doing jumps and spins. all my jumps were pretty pathetic...I think I was pretty tired by the time I hit that class so did not get to maximize the coaching on these. I did a one footed spin totally on the the toe.... the instructor literally rolled her eyes which did not help! Maybe she was tired too?

techskater

10-14-2006, 08:18 AM

Clean: classes went well yesterday. My coach was the sub for the power stroking and did a nice job using MIF patterns for us. It was fun but boy do I suck at power pulls...mine are more like whimp curves! giggle. I do not have good control but it is a new thing for me. I was delighted to at least get the motion.

Dallas Skater: Power pulls are easiest when you use skating knee and ankle bend in concert with one another. I used to skate figures when I was MUCH younger and these are sort of taken from the serpentine figures on the 1st and 2nd test (forward and backward serpentines). I learned the figure as a rise up/set down action in the knee and ankle for the change of edge with the arms and free foot to stabilize the circle. When I came back to the ice, my coach taught me the power pulls and they were easy to pick up because of that foundation from before. If you have a coach that used to skate figures, have them teach you the basics to the serpentines to help get the concept down. It'll really help.

Cheated: Double loop! Why can't I stay in to the end on this jump and just check out in my program? I am opening up after 1 1/2 revs and breaking at the waist. Oh, well, next week is double loop week in lesson. I am sure it's probably a minor correction like the double toe a couple months back.

Clean: The rest of my program. Of course, it's a week after competition, but it's been clean in lesson (sans the double loop - coach wanted only a single there) and again today with the changes in the footwork and transition elements from yesterday's lesson, including the jump sequence at the 1:45 mark and the second Axel at 2:04. :D Novice MIF are also steadily improving. Coach said they are coming along on Wednesday, just need to improve the perimeter moves (1 & 2) some and the B-3-B thing. I said another year on them from now (we've been working on them since April) and she said sooner!! Yahoo!!

Thin-Ice

10-14-2006, 08:48 AM

(snip) Lest anyone think I am a wuss for standing there at the boards when I first step on, doing sissy little pivots, I tell them that I am paying homage to the Ice Gods and thanking them for the opportunity to skate. It gives them something different to wonder about.

I LOVE this!!! Maybe that's what I need to do before I begin throwing my body around on the ice! Pay homage to the ice goddesses and gods!

Thin-Ice

10-14-2006, 08:53 AM

Today in my lesson I was tested for ISI freestyle 2 and passed! woohooo...apparently freestyle 3 has the salchow in it...oh no! giggle. That did not go so well today. Another thing that is going to take a while!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! And you said you were afraid you weren't going to make much progress in this sport! Look at what you've accomplished in your short time on the ice! Hurray and on to FS3!!!

Thin-Ice

10-14-2006, 09:24 AM

(snip) Great on the 5-step. I loved that move, and found it's kind of like a dance.

Me too! I was always looking for music I could skate the 5-step mohawk sequence to! It probably didn't hurt that my coach had a mental block about what that was called and always said "go do that dance-step thing".:)

e-skater

10-14-2006, 05:11 PM

LOL, okay, here you go. . . I had a spread eagle-lutz at about 1:40 into this program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzbGYcv1zmc

Loved your program--the whole thing. Inspiring. Thank you for providing the link. Janet

doubletoe

10-14-2006, 06:12 PM

Thanks so much, E-skater! I appreciate that other people can see past those little awkward moments that make me cringe everytime I see my programs on video, LOL!

DallasSkater and Kiwibabe, CONGRATULATIONS!!! :D

Rusty Blades

10-14-2006, 06:18 PM

Clean: Worked extensively on froward Mohawks and LF 3-Turns with lots of forward stroking and some backward stroking. No breakthroughs but steady progress on the turns.

Cheated: My right ankle was still bothering me with all the turns. Having had the flu the previous day left me feeling weak in the knees but had a good session anyway.

Sk8pdx

10-15-2006, 01:48 AM

Cheated:
well, I actually went roller skating today. Totally odd. :?? I could barely move. and once I got momentum to actually move, I couldn't figure out how to stop for crying out loud! :P I only could tolerate an hour or so. how I craved a 3 turn into back cross overs. Everything that my body has learned to adjust to perform naturally on ice, went out the door. I missed my custom Harlicks too. (evil rental skates!:evil: )

Clean:
at the end of the days session, I did manage to accomplish cross overs. still a very wierd sensation...

Casey

10-15-2006, 03:30 AM

Well it's certainly been an up and down week.

I feel pretty good though, because I skated every day except Thursday.

On Monday after the last skate I posted on this thread about, and after ballet class, I went to the roller rink for the evening adult session...They must have replaced the wheels on the rental rollerblades because they felt flatter - I think before the front and back wheels had worn down more so there was a small bit of a rocker, if not much. Maybe it was just that I had been on ice earlier that day. But after a while I felt kind of bored in what I could do, and so I traded them in for a set of quad skates, which I tried before and could not skate on. I still couldn't, but I persisted. I finally figured out the dynamics and it wasn't too long before I was racing around doing forward and back crossovers, mohawks, spread eagles, and even back hydroblades. I did not attempt any jumps on them though... A funny thing is that quad skates seem to get more respect at the roller rink...I'd done all the same stuff and more on rollerblades, but when I managed it on the quads, a bunch of guys on quad skates started cheering me on.

On Tuesday I visited my old rink where I started. To my surprise, they've softened up the ice there to a tolerable level, it's no longer a 40 below brittle nightmare. It was pretty fun, but my old coach was there, and I felt bad about not having lessons in so long. I was a bit worried that ice skating would be challenging after the quad skating experience, but it wasn't in the slightest. All in all it was a pretty good night, but I didn't feel terribly proud of anything in my skating.

Wednesday, I started focusing on trying to fix my waltz jump. I didn't really make much progress as it seems the more I try to do it the way people say I should, the less successful the jump actually is. I found that the best suggestion was to go into it from cross rolls, and crossover from a RFO edge right onto an LFO into the jump. That keeps the right shoulder back a little more...I think I need to work on flexibility too in order to kick through with a straighter leg. I also had a ballet class on Wednesday and we did stretches and I felt embarassed because I was the least flexible person there.

By Thursday, my feet were kinda sore largely from the rental quads (I had worn thin socks) and because I still need to get my right skate punched out a bit where my anklebone goes, so I didn't skate.

Friday I skated about 4 hours, and it was a great skate. I didn't work as long on MITFs as I should have, but just skated hard to build up strength and endurance. I had a great time... A woman who just started working at the rink I was at asked me to do ice dance with her, saying that she knows the first nine compulsory dances and has passed tests for the first seven and would probably be able to comfortably teach the first six without a coach. I thought about it and figured it would be good for my MITF and learning control and learning to skate with a partner, so I accepted. So it seems I'll be starting ice dance next Wednesday. :D

Tonight, I went skating again, meeting an old skating friend of mine. My skating was downright awful - it was embarassing. I would go into a spin and either my skating foot would wobble (wtf?) or I wouldn't be able to get any speed from pulling in. The jumps I did barely left the ground and even basic footwork I tried...was sloppy and hard to control. I skated a good 3 hours but it was all crap.

Here's hoping that next week is a bit more stable.

Isk8NYC

10-15-2006, 08:46 AM

I appreciate that other people can see past those little awkward moments that make me cringe everytime I see my programs on video, LOL!I still have two DVD's from skating shows that I haven't watched yet. Just don't have the courage! Very nice program!

Clean:
Whipped through the new Adult MITF three turn pattern without problem this weekend. I guess practice does help.

Spins are no problem at my two regular rinks, both concrete based. Yet, I can't center at all on the sand-based one I actually skate on for myself! Go figure. (No pun intended)

I did a lot of spins this weekend, include a few nice little cross-foot spins, two camels, the obligatory sit spins and a really bad "starter" layback. I taught so many back spins that I made myself dizzy, both watching and demonstrating the three possible entries.

I was TEACHING jumps this weekend and I actually landed a crummy little flip while demonstrating. Between the back spins and the jumps, my knee and foot hurt, but THERE IS HOPE!

Spirals and lunges are fine, not as nice as S@D's, but above passing standard.

Cheated:
I really am footwork-challenged. My stumble-footedness is saddening.
It's now an official goal for this season: Improve footwork. MITF will help, if I can make time with a good coach. (I'm on my fourth request; we just can't get schedules to collide with free time. That's the downside to teaching skating.)

Dianne - Be careful skating after having the flu. Your muscles are like jelly, and falls have a different impact. That's how I hurt my lower back - a fall after being laid up with the flu. I feel that "compacting" every day. (What a lecture I got from the Doctor, too!)

slusher

10-15-2006, 10:46 AM

Cheated:

Dance lessons are just so humbling. I did not do a single dance at all, even though I wore my nice dance skirt (not the wrinkly thrown in the bag one) and was more than a minor bit miffed. Instead, we worked on swing rolls. Just plain old swing rolls. All by myself, no one to hang onto.

mmmmm, alright I do have a problem with my upper body position. I think I got the point now. I think dance guy was getting tired of shoving me into the right position all around the ice.

Had a serious discussion about freeskate vs dance. I do both although dance is a bigger focus and freeskate is more for my own entertainment. In my freeskate lessons we spend little time on body position, freeskate coach thinks it's quite good (should thank dance guy for that) but I do have a lazy shoulder and should have to think about it more when freeskating.

At least I didn't have to do the dreaded stroking exercise holding the rubber band out in front.

Clean:

It wasn't all bad. On open dance after I ran through all of the list until I got to the European which I can't do at all, even badly to attempt it out on the session, but felt that I had lots of flow and power today. And my skirt looked pretty 8-)

Sonic

10-15-2006, 10:57 AM

Slusher, you are soooo right about dance lessons being humbling. Obviously in free skating one needs to avoid bad habbits, but to a certain degree if you have say a minor issue with posture, you can get away with it.

In dance, if you have bad posture or bad habbits - they stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. I've been having dance lessons for a few months and am STILL having problems with swing rolls with the left leg (skating on the RFO).

S xxx

xofivebyfive

10-15-2006, 12:16 PM

Clean- MY LOOP! I'm so excited.. I was doing them and all of a sudden if just clicked and I landed one CLEAN. AND on one foot! YAY! I've been working on it for like.. 2 months!

Sonic

10-15-2006, 12:27 PM

Clean- MY LOOP! I'm so excited.. I was doing them and all of a sudden if just clicked and I landed one CLEAN. AND on one foot! YAY! I've been working on it for like.. 2 months!
Hey good for you xofivebyfive. Have you read the Loop thread - if you have you'll know why I was green with envy when I read your post (and I'm sure others will be too!)

S xxx

phoenix

10-15-2006, 01:14 PM

Ah, yes, welcome to it!!

Working on the basics will *never* go away; in fact, it seems that the more advanced you get, the more you need to work on the basic technique to make it stronger. The vast, vast majority of my lessons consists of basics exercises, I couldn't tell you the last time my coach asked for a full pattern of a dance (plain ol' forward inside edges & swing rolls are currently the bane of my existance!). But I finally get to work on more fun stuff too, like choctaws & things. I have a new rocker exercise that is tough but fun too. And the thing is, until your technique/posture are pretty da*n near perfect on the basic stuff, you'll never be able to do the higher level stuff w/ any speed or ease.

I don't know why, but I love it. :mrgreen:

Emberchyld

10-15-2006, 01:31 PM

Skate@Delaware

10-15-2006, 01:39 PM

Thank you to Isk8NYC, DallaSkater, and Skate@Delaware for all of the supportive words-- I've just gotten back from a business trip (with ice withdrawl!) and it was nice to see!

It made today's public session a bit less scary (great ice, backwards edges were eeeeehhh but I was able to kind-of hold them, progressives were much easier, and for the first half hour I was the best skater on the ice, so my ego was boosted a tiny bit <of course, everyone else could barely skate, but... I'll take it where I can get it!>)...
You are welcome.
Sometimes you need sessions like that to help stoke the ego a bit and make you feel better about your skating. It never hurts. I'm glad you feel better. We tend not to see the progress we are making because we are too close to the "source" but it is there. (that's why I look over my training log every so often so I can see how far I've come).

xofivebyfive

10-15-2006, 03:47 PM

Hey good for you xofivebyfive. Have you read the Loop thread - if you have you'll know why I was green with envy when I read your post (and I'm sure others will be too!)

S xxx
Thanks. I wasn't even doing anything differently. I was attempting and failing and then all of a sudden, boom. It worked. :bow: There were several adult skaters there that congratulated me because they were working on theirs too.

Skate@Delaware

10-15-2006, 06:00 PM

Clean- MY LOOP! I'm so excited.. I was doing them and all of a sudden if just clicked and I landed one CLEAN. AND on one foot! YAY! I've been working on it for like.. 2 months!
Congratulations! That is a hard one to get (I've been working on it for what seems like forever...). It's so nice to hear that someone has got a new jump/spin/footwork item under their belt!!!

Sk8pdx

10-15-2006, 07:12 PM

Hey good for you xofivebyfive. Have you read the Loop thread - if you have you'll know why I was green with envy when I read your post (and I'm sure others will be too!)

S xxx

xokivebyfive. Congrats! :bow: :bow: :bow:
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
~a loop-envious sk8pdx :P

jazzpants

10-15-2006, 07:56 PM

Count me in the "loop envious" club!!! LOL!!! :lol: :P :twisted:

Cheated:
Well, okay, one loop jump I did land clean for sure, but didn't has that much of a glide and I ended up having to step out to get out of being stuck. The rest of then are slighted cheated. And part of the reason was... my mind was not concentrating on doing the loop jump this afternoon! It's on DODGING little kids AND some adults!!! I swear the adults don't get the words "the center of the ice is for figure skaters only!!!" :x :evil: Half the time I was aborting my loop attempt b/c SOMEONE always skates thru my path where I'm able to actually jump!!! The other time I set up but instead of thinking about where my arms are, whether or not I'm bending my knees, I'm praying that there's no one coming up towards me from my blind spot. :roll:

Clean:
Program runthrough, though obviously I didn't exactly run the whole thing thru but more in bits and pieces of the program since I'm in a more crowded than usual public session. And times where I have to abort that part of my runthru since I get an EARSHOT of a very SCARED kid! (Don't like me going fast??? STAY OUT of the MIDDLE of the RINK!!!) :evil:

I am strongly thinking of going to my skating club's new Club Ice session where I will get smooth ice and at least skaters who have a CLUE!!! :frus: