Santa's Presents or Lump of Coal (Practice Thread Dec 24-31th 2006) [Archive]

Petlover

12-26-2006, 11:29 AM

Rusty Blades, be very careful, strep throat and bronchitis/pnuemonia are happening to a lot of people. If your throat stays sore for more than a few hours, you should go to the doctor and get antibiotics! Stay warm, and feel better soon!

Santa's Present:
1 foot spins are starting to work really well, hooray! Fiesta Tango cross behind also was better. Only 2 other skaters this morning, so I was able to really work on dance and edges.

Lump of Coal:
Coach is on vacation for a week, so no lessons, boo hoo!

Skate@Delaware

12-26-2006, 01:55 PM

I'm still running out of energy, so I will take another day off from skating...meanwhile the clock is ticking till my next competition.

I will hit the rink tomorrow and pace myself (i.e. not kill myself by getting it all done in 2 hours) and just work on a few elements at a time (like those new jumps).

I miss skating (haven't been since the 15th) but my body has really been messed up lately and I do need to recuperate!!!

Finished the last of the antibiotics, swelling in throat is slowly going down. Although the fast-strep test came back negative, it sure did look like strep with the white patches....hmmmph.

LilJen

12-26-2006, 02:42 PM

***sending out get-well vibes to Delaware, Dianne, and others***

Today's rink: Union Arena, Woodstock, VT. One sheet of ice. Very crowded, which is to be expected the day after Christmas, not to mention we got a couple inches of snow overnight to cover the previously bare ground. The ice must have been very soft, or the skaters particularly harsh, because about 15minutes after a (really excellent!!! Good Zamboni guy!!!!) resurface, it was all chopped up again. By the end of session there were practically snowballs all over the place. Oh, and forgot to add: Excellent snack bar. I did not sample it but the smell of popcorn was delightful and very tempting!

Lump of Coal:

Well, due to the crowd, no way could I do much in the way of moves practice or dance patterns. Plus an unfortunate number of sweet but skill-free dads hauling their kids around made things a bit treacherous.

Santa's Presents:

Did manage to practice cross-rolls and those *&*#$ cross-behinds in the Rhythm Blues when I got a small opening. AND. . . this rink actually changes direction every half-hour! Hooray from a CW skater! Plenty of good waltz jumps, too crowded for Salchow attempts (yes, even at center ice).

And I actually managed about 3 revs on ONE FOOT before falling out of a spin. This is a first. My fw pivot stinks, but if I just go into the spin from a kind-of 3-turn (reminder: ask coach to show spin entry at next lesson) it goes much more smoothly.

Forgot to add my genius lump of coal: My forward trip-splat-slide right at the end of the session. I'm sure I earned all KINDS of respect for that move. . . . Sigh. . .

jazzpants

12-26-2006, 03:23 PM

Get well, Rusty Blades!!!

Santa's Presents:
NYC coach asked me to try doing brackets. I looked at him like he had two heads! :twisted: First along the wall and then out on the ice with him holding my hands. I got it on the wall, but when I went out there, I sorta had it and sorta don't.

He then had me try double 3's and back power 3's. Again, I was thinking "Are you CRAZY!?!?!" I've never tried it!!! 8O Sorta had it on one side but not the other.

I got to see HelenC on ice again after my lesson. Boy, do I wish I had her loop!!! :P We left the rink together and talked about my NYC coach and the "Skating's Next Star" show. I found out about the show WRT to at least one of the other contestants that, well, knowing about it made everything fall into place.

I had an excellent (for me anyway) sit spins after the lesson on video! :mrgreen:

Lump of Coal:
Last day of lesson with Emanuele for the year, since I'm going back to San Francisco in a couple of days! SOOOOOO heartbroken!!! I'll miss him soooo much! :cry:

TimDavidSkate

12-26-2006, 05:36 PM

ummm... I dont know how to categorize this but so far it has been:
roast pig (skin), ham, chicken, rice and beans, merengue, flan, ginger bread, Dunkin D's pastries, Starbucks, Candy canes, more candies, shrimp, jello, beef, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, red bull, white rice, and chinese tea :halo:

Emberchyld

12-26-2006, 07:55 PM

Santa's Presents: After an off-ice demo of a waltz jump by my coach as a preview of what I have to look forward to, and some impatient "what the heck, why don't I try it anyway" jumping at the boards on my own, I finally had the courage to try a waltz jump in the center. And after a few pseudo jumps, I shamelessly asked for help from some of the other skaters.

So, on Christmas eve, Santa brought me a waltz jump (kind-of)! It's far from perfect or even consistent, and I get about... oh, four inches off of the ice, max, but it's so much fun to fly!

Also, a nice, empty Christmas eve session was a great present.

Lump of Coal: What I feel like after all of the food (if you consider cookies food!!!!!) that I've eaten over the past few days.

Also, all of those little itty hockey brats that filled the ice today, breaking every rule, smashing into me and some of the other skaters, knocking a few people down, and not even getting so much as a "watch it" from the skate guard. And the guy who was so busy looking at his blackberry that he didn't even see me right in front of him (my arm STILL hurts from the 200+ pounds of person smacking into me and knocking me onto the floor).:roll: I can't wait until the holiday skaters hang up their skates.

jazzpants

12-26-2006, 09:18 PM

Skate@Delaware

12-26-2006, 09:35 PM

Also, all of those little itty hockey brats that filled the ice today, breaking every rule, smashing into me and some of the other skaters, knocking a few people down, and not even getting so much as a "watch it" from the skate guard. And the guy who was so busy looking at his blackberry that he didn't even see me right in front of him (my arm STILL hurts from the 200+ pounds of person smacking into me and knocking me onto the floor).:roll: I can't wait until the holiday skaters hang up their skates.
Honey, you gotta learn to do the ole' "hip check" move....then sweetly say "oh, my goodness, are you ok?" ;) The bigger they are, the more embarassed they get....and tend to leave you alone!!! (actually, I've only had to hip-check a few people, I prefer to quietly skate near them and in a voice only they can hear, threaten to put my toepick through a very vulnerable body part if they skate near me again):twisted: works 99% of the time...

hope you are not too bruised up!

Team Arthritis

12-27-2006, 08:26 AM

[QUOTE=Emberchyld;302314]Santa's Presents:
So, on Christmas eve, Santa brought me a waltz jump (kind-of)! It's far from perfect or even consistent, and I get about... oh, four inches off of the ice, max, but it's so much fun to fly!

QUOTE]

http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/jumping0018.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)
Hurray! you are flying!!!!!
Lyle

Rusty Blades

12-27-2006, 09:41 AM

Congrats on the Waltz jump Ember!

Food? I am staying away from all that (or at least trying!) My doc is going to look at my blood sugar again in a week or two and I will have to explain my chocolate addiction and lack of will power. The A1c test should NEVER be done right after the holidays! :giveup:

Lump of Coal: My sore throat turned into a plain ordinary raging COLD that has really knocked me out. I didn't even skate on my backyard rink yesterday 'cause I can barely keep my balance off the ice.

Santa's Presents: There was one extended family from the neighbourhood who dropped by and skated for awhile - about 9 of them - and had a great time. They ranged from age 65 to age 3 - and the little girl was on figure skates for the first time in her life - WOOHOO! - I am helping to contribute to the addiction!

I picked the perfect week to get sick! - all the rinks are closed, no lessons until next week, and things at the office are dead quiet - so my timing is perfect :mrgreen: I am taking the time to pamper myself, rest, stay warm, and get well. Come Saturday it is back on the ice and into the countdown for the competition.

To all who are not feeling well - GET WELL SOON! To those who have overeaten - IT SERVES YOU RIGHT! 8O Baw haw ha ha! ;)

TimDavidSkate

12-27-2006, 09:44 AM

Dick Button and Peggy Fleming (http://www.dancesisterdance.com/myvid/index.php?v=6fc4b7157db41)

this made my day :lol:

Emberchyld

12-27-2006, 10:11 AM

Honey, you gotta learn to do the ole' "hip check" move....then sweetly say "oh, my goodness, are you ok?" ;) The bigger they are, the more embarassed they get....and tend to leave you alone!!! (actually, I've only had to hip-check a few people, I prefer to quietly skate near them and in a voice only they can hear, threaten to put my toepick through a very vulnerable body part if they skate near me again):twisted: works 99% of the time...

hope you are not too bruised up!

:lol: I still need to work on the whole staying upright from that-- I was happy when I managed to keep from falling when one of the little goons smacked into me! :bow: I must learn from you, Skate@Delaware, you are now my goon-intimidating hero! :bow:

I have started to learn the "I'm not stopping so you better get out of my way" when someone thinks it's cute to park themselves where I was skating (usually the same little goons who think it's cute to imitate those of us in the center)-- that usually clears them out pretty quickly.

Hurray! you are flying!!!!!
Lyle

Wel... kind of! Continental and US Airways won't be making offers for me anytime soon.:halo:

Tessa

12-27-2006, 04:59 PM

Lumps -- back threes. :frus: As usual. Session was crowded so I didn't get (read *have*) to practice other moves patterns.

Presents -- Santa has left me an upright scratch spin that isn't travelling to Mexico! Yeah Santa! Now, Santa, I want my layback.

TimDavid -- loved the dancing!

Ember -- way to go on the waltz jump!

icesk8eprincess

12-27-2006, 08:16 PM

:lol: cannot WAIT to see all these NEW things in your lessons on Tuesday mornings!!!!![QUOTE=jazzpants;Santa's Presents:
NYC coach asked me to try doing brackets. I looked at him like he had two heads! :twisted: First along the wall and then out on the ice with him holding my hands. I got it on the wall, but when I went out there, I sorta had it and sorta don't.

He then had me try double 3's and back power 3's. Again, I was thinking "Are you CRAZY!?!?!" I've never tried it!!! 8O Sorta had it on one side but not the other.

jazzpants

12-27-2006, 09:06 PM

:lol: cannot WAIT to see all these NEW things in your lessons on Tuesday mornings!!!!!Har har har!!! Yeah, RIIIIIGHT!!! :roll: You want me to TRY a bracket??? LOL!!! :twisted:

See 'ya on Tuesday!!! :P (You *MIGHT* get the low-down on my wonderful NYC coach... if you are who I think you are....) ;)

Skate@Delaware

12-27-2006, 09:32 PM

Santa's Presents: actually made it to skate today (although I bailed on going to the gym). Only skated lightly but my stamina was still low. The session was very light and I could have done anything I wanted...just had no energy. Worked on the new jumps and they are doing well (not great but that will come in time-maybe).

Did some nice waltz jumps and some good salchows!!!! Looked at my tracings and I'm holding the back edge on the salchow (yay!).

Worked with hubby on spins and waltz jumps. :frus: He has such a block on these...he is soooo afraid of falling it's holding him back!

Lump of Coal: spins are traveling!!!! I wish I knew why! I need a detailed analysis of them to figure out why (hmmm, dropped hip? shoulder? what?????) I look at my tracing and things look good until I pull in....then it starts to travel. Don't know if the labrynthitis is still affected it, I do get dizzy every now and again (but not when I spin).

DressageChica

12-27-2006, 10:45 PM

Prezzies:

Sal Loop, Loop Loop, Flip Toe, Flip Loop, Layback-ish, Choreography for new program

Coal:

Flying Camels, Camels in general, Lutz is still inconsistent

Axel....who knows?

Mrs Redboots

12-28-2006, 06:32 AM

Har har har!!! Yeah, RIIIIIGHT!!! :roll: You want me to TRY a bracket??? LOL!!! :twisted:No, dear, we want you to do a bracket, not just try one! You will - if I can (and I can - BI ones, anyway, which are the easiest), anybody can.

As for me, Presents: Just being back on the ice. Husband and I worked hard in our various holds, getting used to it again.

Lumps of coal: Wretched dance moves.... the cross-rolls are okay, but the cross-cuts are still not there. I can do the things if I stroke into them, but you have to do them from back crossovers, and I do find it so hard to get my weight in the right place, then end up lurching forwards and that's the end of that! grrrr.

Tried to finish off with a lap of backwards Russian stroking, but couldn't work out if I was doing it right or not. Will ask coach next week.

jazzpants

12-28-2006, 09:24 AM

No, dear, we want you to do a bracket, not just try one! You will - if I can (and I can - BI ones, anyway, which are the easiest), anybody can.But have you done FO to BI ones alternating down the line??? That's what NYC coach tried to get me to do against the wall and when holding onto my hand. And of course, he has just GORGEOUS edges and footwork... and thinks everything's easy!!! If only I can skate half as beautiful as he does... *sigh* :roll: (Those of you that have watched "Skating's Next Star" or have seen him skate in person know what I'm talking about...)

Isk8NYC

12-28-2006, 09:42 AM

Took the twins roller-blading yesterday at Woodbridge (http://wcc.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/index.html) to try out their gifts from Santa. I borrowed an old pair of my oldest DD's rollerblades. One of the twins is a natural - she was whizzing around, skating backwards, turning front-to-back-to-front! The other preferred the carpet to the rink flooring! I loved the DJ and lights/music - why don't we do that at ice rinks?

I think rollerblading must really strengthen your knee position for ice skating - straightening up was difficult in those boots. Of course, you can't really point your foot, but you can bend your ankles. Nice off-ice training exercise/warmup.

I skated forwards fine and with speed; managed to cross over slightly around the ends. Then I decided to try skating backwards a bit, but I couldn't figure out how to stop and ended up on my knee. Nice bruise there, now. DD's thought it was funny because I also couldn't figure out how to get up safely with one knee!

Afterwards, we ate at the nearby Wegman's and I talked them into going ice skating. We stopped at the outdoor rink in Menlo Park (http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/parksrecreation/icerink.asp), but their session was ending. (Who does a one-hour ice cut? Maybe they're not using a resurfacer?!?!)

Taking a page from LilJen's Roving Rink Reports: We ended up at a crowded holiday public session in Warinanco Park (http://www.unioncountynj.org/parks/iceskatingschedule.html). The crowd thinned out after they called for the rental returns. Very nice covered, but open-air, ice rink a bit rundown and dirty for mid-season. Too bad the fireplace wasn't lit in the warming house - it's charming.

Bring guards: the rubber matting has gaps with concrete underneath. The ice has leaves and feathers embedded in it, but they do ice cuts every hour, so the ice is well-maintained. (And colorful!)

I skated at a Club there (now defunct) so, I'm sentimentally blind. The kids love going anywhere new.
Wore my new skates, which I'm still breaking in and retying every 15 minutes.

Lump of Coal:
Couldn't center spins, especially back spins.
Mohawks are really difficult in stiff skates! 8O
Didn't try jumps.

Santa's Presents:
MITF were okay, as long as I didn't tie the skates too tightly.
Three-turns are much stronger, probably because of the support.
Managed some scratchy brackets, counters, and rockers.
Crossovers are really strong; much smoother and controlled.

Best present: My knees only hurt today because of the roller rink fall.

TimDavidSkate

12-28-2006, 10:28 AM

Taking a page from LilJen's Roving Rink Reports: We ended up at a crowded holiday public session in Warinanco Park. The crowd thinned out after they called for the rental returns. Very nice covered, but open-air ice rink, a bit rundown and dirty for mid-season. Too bad the fireplace wasn't lit in the warming house - it's charming.
Bring guards: the rubber matting has gaps with concrete underneath. The ice has leaves and feathers embedded in it, but they do ice cuts every hour, so the ice is well-maintained. (And colorful!)

Awes, when did you guys go? and when is the next time? hopefully I get to meet you guys :halo: Im skating at Warinanco on Sunday 1pm to 5:30

Isk8NYC

12-28-2006, 10:33 AM

Awes, when did you guys go? and when is the next time? hopefully I get to meet you guys :halo: Im skating at Warinanco on Sunday 1pm to 5:30It was late - 4:30pm after the ice cut. I updated my original post with the link to Warinanco's schedule. They're on a holiday schedule this week, so check the times before you go; I'm sure the AM sessions are less crowded.

BTW, Woodbridge (http://wcc.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/html/public_schedule.shtml) was empty yesterday from 11-12. (School break schedule - I think their groups are on vacation.)
We roller-bladed instead of ice skating, but both rinks had sessions at the same time.
It didn't start getting crowded until noon.

TimDavidSkate

12-28-2006, 10:43 AM

Yeh the adult figure skater groups skate on the 10:30am sessions. 8-)

Im not too fond of Woodbridge, due to its smell :roll: It always made me light headed and dizzy at that rink.
I only skated there twice. It was because I had to do a christmas exhibition :o

Isk8NYC

12-28-2006, 10:46 AM

Awes, when did you guys go? and when is the next time? hopefully I get to meet you guys :halo: Im skating at Warinanco on Sunday 1pm to 5:30
Ice skating yesterday was a spur of the moment decision. During christmastime, I keep my skates in my car because of house space limits. My DH refers to it as the "Skate Mobile." I had (4) helmets, (6) pairs of ice skates, and (3) pairs of rollerblades. Nine pairs of skates, a new record for my car! ROTFL

I don't know about Sunday - it's New Year's Eve and we have a celebration planned.

TimDavidSkate

12-28-2006, 11:03 AM

Ooooh yes, I forgot :halo: oops, I guess I have to skate on Saturday instead at 10:30 to 3:00

Petlover

12-28-2006, 11:33 AM

Lumps - still 2-footing the landing on loops.

Presents - At least the free leg is up and in the correct position on the loop jump finally! and the 1 foot spin off of 1 foot is getting better and better.

Mrs Redboots

12-28-2006, 12:53 PM

But have you done FO to BI ones alternating down the line??? Yes; I can do them on one foot (the right, I think), but not on the other. They are also great fun to do 2-footed, especially with a partner: you stand facing your partner and hold your hands up to his at shoulder level, and then you both do them on two feet down the line. Good waist-whittler, and leaves a lovely pattern on the ice!

I loved the DJ and lights/music - why don't we do that at ice rinks?They do, here. On evening public sessions, at any rate.

LilJen

12-28-2006, 01:55 PM

Today's rink: Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, NH. Decent standard-sized rink at a residential school (presumably of the upper-crust, college-prep type). Adequate Zamboni job just before I stepped on the ice and I was the first to start slashing it up. It was QUIET, too, and I so appreciated the lack of bad radio-station music (forgot the mp3 player, naturally; oh well). For the first several minutes of the session, as I tried the bronze power stroking moves, I could hear some nice rips on some edges.

Presents: consecutive edges are feeling increasingly secure. And I managed multiple (albeit sometimes interrupted and sometimes merely marking steps due to the crowd) runthroughs of all three prelim dance patterns. I think I have rhythm blues memorized now, hooray!

Coal: The rink got very crowded very quickly with lil hockey players--population about 2/3 half-pints under 4 feet, 1/3 hockey parents. It was a game of dodge-em, and there was no way I was going to get any waltz 8 practice in with kids slashing through the middle of the rink in every direction. Bleah!! Plus, I couldn't duplicate my spinning success of the other day.

Terri C

12-28-2006, 03:00 PM

This is for yesterday and today:

Santa's Presents:
All of my single jumps are back, including the pesky loop!
Starting to get comfortable with parts of program.

Lump of Coal:
Forward scratch spin and sitpsin are giving me fits- the muscle memory on them is either completely gone ( the sit) or not quite back yet (forward scratch). I'll address this with Coach on Saturday.

Isk8NYC

12-28-2006, 05:29 PM

Today I was conned into taking one of the twins' friends ice skating at my home rink. Fortunately, the kid was a natural, taking to the sport right away even though she was a first-timer! Plus, they met other kids they knew which meant I could skate! (I had no lessons scheduled.)

Best Present:
New skates are actually starting to break in nicely! It was very crowded, so I made sure to wear my boot covers - actually saved the skates from two gashes! The left boot is less stiff than the right one, but that's because I do more R/L crossovers than Left over Right, plus the sit spins help a lot. ;)

Santa's Presents:
Spins - managed a decent couple of back- and sit-spins. Did two camels that were so-so, but recognizable.
MITF/Footwork - Excellent attempts at the threes-on-the-line. Need more time and space to practice these, though.
Love the three-turn exercises my coach "assigned" and I actually figured out how to do them properly by NOT keeping the leg behind.
Jumps - Jumped for the first time in my new skates. Waltz, toe taps, one-foot waltz jumps all okay. Flip is ugly and underrotated, but my split jump is actually better with these skates. Didn't really try a loop - just the double three practice drills.

Lump of Coal:
Spins - Back spins were better by the end of the session, but my right boot's too stiff to manage a sit-change-sit.
Jumps - Can't get the lift for a loop, barely managed a controlled half-loop.

TimDavidSkate

12-28-2006, 10:28 PM

Skated at Nyack, NY ~ Pallisades Mall Ice Rink tonight. After their hockey foolishness, they did not bother to do the ice.
So I had to wrap my left boot 6 times and my right one 15 with duct tape. The ice was of course crap and hard. I took my time as usual.
I was happy with my session tonight. I managed to do all my jumping passes. Of course with the occasional head fart.
I didnt bother spinning since I was afraid to splat on the ice and scrape myself.

Sk8pdx

12-29-2006, 12:09 AM

Lumps:
Had a moves lesson today. There is so much I need to work on for Bronze MIF. Patterns are off, 3 turns suck...:giveup: :roll:

Presents:
Went skating yesterday at the mall rink. Finally did a perfect scratch spin for the first time ever.:D
8O wow! even on mall ice.

kateskate

12-29-2006, 06:42 AM

Lumps
Teacher failed to show again and as there was noone else in I was not allowed to skate. Very frustrating

Did have a lesson on Wednesday though.

The new level 7 field moves are hard - the rocker choctaws (currently intersilver) were done at snail's pace and in more of a square than a circle. I really need to work on them.

Spent a lot of time looking at the tracings for back inside brackets - I have too much of a hook on the first part. Not really sure how to eliminate this.

I miss free skating - have been having only dance lesson for a while as free skating teacher is away.

Presents
I had a forward outside rocker breakthough. I've never been able to do one of these mainly because I was taught them incorrectly by an old coach who told me to swing my free leg through like a three jump and then swing it behind me on the turn. Result was a swingy american three with a change of edge after the turn. With proper instruction I finally understand how to do these now.

Choreographed more of my tango - I really like how its going and I got a comment of 'Good girl' for the inside 3 cross in front back change of edge three turn bracket.

14 step was much better - teacher said it was good, looked a little shocked and said it was 'never like that!' Lets hope it stays!

Terri C

12-29-2006, 09:38 AM

Lumps:
Had a moves lesson today. There is so much I need to work on for Bronze MIF. Patterns are off, 3 turns suck...:giveup: :roll:

Remember on the power threes to push into the edge, then wait, wait WAIT until you are on the downside of the lobe before you turn!!!

My Presents:
Jumps are all consistent!

Coal:
Forward scratch and sit spins! Plus, I mistook my rink for a rink in Siberia, it was miserably cold this morning.

Clare

12-29-2006, 03:24 PM

From last night's lesson-

Santa's Presents: Backward crossovers are finally starting to feel smoother and show some actual improvement. Even the CWs were working which is only just shy of a miracle given how poor they were last week. Coach was happy and so was I :)

Lump of Coal: CW forward crossovers seem to have turned into a bit of a scratchy mess- ick.

Clare

doubletoe

12-29-2006, 04:39 PM

No, dear, we want you to do a bracket, not just try one! You will - if I can (and I can - BI ones, anyway, which are the easiest), anybody can.

I find the forward inside ones to be relatively tame as well, especially the LFI for CCW skaters or RFI for CW skaters.

doubletoe

12-29-2006, 05:01 PM

Santa's Presents
- Time to skate, and lots of it! Due to our office closure this week, I've already skated 7 hours since Tuesday, including 3 hours today. :) Finally, time to work on stuff I normally don't get around to, as well as time to work on something until I really get it right!

- I figured out a fix for the change of foot on my camel-sit/backspin, so now the whole combo spin is kicking butt! Finally! (My camel spin came back with flair last week and it's been strong and consistent ever since!)

- For the first time, I tried an axel from a RFI 3-turn setup and I nailed it! It was the best axel I've landed all week, so I'm now thinking I may change the entry in my program, since I've been having so much trouble with it.

- In my lesson today, we spent 25 minutes on the harness working on my double toe. I made a breakthrough and managed to stop pivoting on the toe on takeoff, so that I was doing proper double toes instead of toe axels. Now to do them off the harness without losing that technique. . .

Lump of Coal
- What happened to my flying camel? I couldn't do one to save my life today! Splat, flop, flip! How utterly embarrassing! I'm going to decide it was a temporary fluke and that it will magically reappear next time I skate.

- I've only landed one clean double sal all week (yesterday). The only ones I didn't fall or touch a hand down on today were 1/4 turn cheated. . . which should technically still count, but nobody's going to go out and look at my ice marks to see that was only 1/4 turn cheated, so I can't risk doing it unless it's completely clean. Arrghh.

LilJen

12-29-2006, 05:52 PM

Pressies: A lovely hour at a very uncrowded rink with similarly minded adults. Ran through all prelim dances. All consecutive edges holding steady; CW crossovers needing some more practice time but still more or less on acceptable.

Coal: 3-turns were just way off today. Spins still suck. Maybe I"m not a CW spinner? Hell, I don't know; I can't spin in either direction!!

Mrs Redboots

12-30-2006, 06:44 AM

Santa's Presents:

Unexpected lesson from Coach2, as she was free.
Back cross-rolls passable, according to her.
She reckons I should do the cross-strokes from back stroking, since they work best like that.
Ice fairly empty.
Lumps of coal:

Back cross-strokes definitely not passable, except just possibly if I enter them from stroking, "And if you have the kind of judge who fusses about the entry, you won't pass anyway!" how true, how true!
Last skate of 2006! :cry:

Terri C

12-30-2006, 12:46 PM

Santa's Presents:
After struggling all week with forward scratch and sit spin, guess what showed up on lesson today?! 8O :D
Had a okay runthrough of test program on lesson as well. Well it was better than last week's when I either fell or bailed on every element.

Lump of Coal:
Today's session was the most crowded it's been all week. The neighboring club is having a test session next Friday and now everyone is getting their skate on and practicing. Plus the sessions today (11-1:50) were later than the ones all week (7am-9:50).

Rusty Blades

12-30-2006, 03:38 PM

Lump of Coal: Christmas Day I woke up with a terrible cold that really knocked me out for three days - even today I felt a little shaky on the ice. Needless to say, I didn't skate much over the holiday. :cry:

Santa's Presents: But I did manage to hang in for 2 hours today and work on a bit of everything with only one stumble.

Lump of Coal: Only twenty two lessons and twenty two practices before my first competition! YIKES!

Lump of Coal: One of these days I am going to discover the missing element that I need to FINALLY do forward 3-Turns and forward Mohawks . . . . but today wasn’t that day :cry:

Santa's Presents: On the other hand the back inside 3-Turns were working today and that is something I have never practiced because my back Mohawks are fine. Sometimes I am a puzzlement, even to myself :roll:

Santa's Presents: At least I have a program I can skate, even if I have to hide the 2-footed turns from the judges by burying them in the choreography 8O LOL!

Sk8pdx

12-30-2006, 09:31 PM

Presents:
Courtesy of IceDancer 2:bow:, had a moves critique for bronze MIF. It went pretty well. (though, I would not have passed "myself" on todays skating performance).

Remember on the power threes to push into the edge, then wait, wait WAIT until you are on the downside of the lobe before you turn!!!
I got this part down, my problem is holding the back edge after the 3 turn long enough and not stepping out off of my axis too early. Coach sees it, judge confirmed it, Sk8pdx has to fix it. Plus I don't have enough power to compensate for nervousness yet. gotta work on that too.

Inching towards progress on backspin and flip jump today in "Jump & Spin" class. My old coach is giving me lots of insights on how to correct my "forward" back spin and gave me exercises to work on for flip.

Coal:
After skating, went home feeling so dehydrated, fatigued and nauseous. :(
I think I'm coming down with the flu. I have actually been feeling icky for a few days, able to function ok, but just not quite feeling 100%. So I folden in half with my kitty and crashed for a long days nap. 8-)

Skate@Delaware

12-31-2006, 01:48 PM

Lump of Coal: haven't skated much lately...was going to skate yesterday but still felt crappy and tired. Woke up this morning feeling of a migraine coming on (or still dehydrated-hard to tell which since they feel the same at the beginning). Still having bouts of dizziness.....which sucks!!!

Sant'as Presents: I've gained back 2 pounds (of the 7 I've lost while sick). And tonight we skate in the New Year!!!! I will take it easy, though. Can't have a relapse. Going to do a few of my new jumps and footwork and see how things are, have some fun, eat some good food!!!! Counting down to my next competition, which is on the 15th of January!!!!!! I'm not ready but I'm going to have fun anyway.

Sonic

12-31-2006, 02:54 PM

I am going to end 2007 on a positive note, so:

Lump of coal:
My back cross rolls are still cross-'flats'!

Santa's Presents:
I am ending 2007 with...

...3 medals from beginner's competitions
...5 forward dances
...a sit spin that now sits! :D
...a camel spin
...a cross spin with usually 10+revs
...three jump, salchow, toe-loop, loop and very very nearly flip

S xxx

Rob Dean

12-31-2006, 06:15 PM

Lump of Coal: My last lesson for the year was on Friday; as of that lesson we had spent 9 of the last 10 20 minute nominal lesson blocks on APB moves...and I'm not signing up to test them any time soon. :( I'm sick of them, and I'm frustrated enough to have been pretty surly by the time we were done. (I apologized as soon as possible after the lesson--it's not my coach's fault that certain moves are taking me much more practice time than others.) The troublesome moves aren't going to be needed in dances at this level or the next, so, no lesson time on moves for at least a week! As a result of the time sunk into moves, I've not done much with polishing the pre-bronze dances or learning the bronzes, so that's been a bust too. Did I say I was surly? :sigh:

Presents: The high point of the week was finally getting my son's joint dance lessons scheduled with his occasional partner, so at least there was something amusing to watch.

Next lesson: Tuesday--and I'll stick to the fun stuff to improve my outlook this week.

Rob

Skate@Delaware

01-01-2007, 09:02 AM

Tried to skate in the New Year...but it was a bust! We arrived at the rink and started getting ready at 9 pm, found out they would not let us on the ice until 9:30 (hey, we paid for 3.5 hours of SKATING!!). To make matters worse, they changed the way it was being billed and instead of a "family event" where kids HAD to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, kids were being DROPPED OFF!!!:x It ended up being a late-night public session with tons of hocky!!!

After saying words to the skate guard AND director(s)....they skating calmed down a bit, but after the first 30 minutes of skating, I was almost knocked down 3 times!!! I finally told one boy (who knocked into me twice) that if he knocked into me again, I was knocking him down when he wasn't looking!!!

At 10, I was thoroughly disgusted...packed up and left. My family stayed until the end.

I'm not going next year, and I told the director that we WOULD NOT BE BACK NEXT YEAR because of the poor way it was run!:x

jazzpants

01-02-2007, 12:44 AM

Since my skate was on New Year's Eve... I'll enter here....

Santa's Presents:

Had room on the ice at my weekend rink for once so I decided to show up!!! Geez, it's nice to see (most of) my weekend rink's friends! I miss the comaradarie there!!!
Spins are there.
Am inching my way to a back sit thru a FI3 entry.
Camel came back to the Bay Area with me (either that or it never came on the trip!!!) Either way... YAAAAAY!!! Glad it's here with me now!!! :D
Well, I getting ONE bracket so far... the RFO bracket. I sorta am starting to get the LFO bracket too!Lump of Coal:

As for going from a forward sit to a back sit method... :roll:
Had two clean landings on the flip by accident... and then it never came back again! GRRRRR!!! :evil: :frus:
No clean loop landings!!! This is REALLY buggin' me here!!! I just hope this will be the year I actually WILL get that freakin' loop landing clean! I want to come back to NYC the next time with a clean loop landing to show my NYC coach! I did come close on ONE of the attempts in that I did land on the landing foot first, but it wasn't stable enough to stay on that edge and I had to touch down b/c of it. My aim now is to land with the free foot crossed over in front and UP!!!
BI brackets (which is the other half of my new bracket exercise...) didn't want to happen, even when I'm at the wall. Partly it's b/c my feet doesn't want to be on the back of the blade and partly b/c the ice near the walls were completely demolished and there was NO WAY IN HELL I could get any edge on it. But I'm determined to get this exercise!!! When I get it, I will videotape it and send the video to my NYC coach! :)