Diamonds or Zircons (Practice Thread 3/25 - 3/31/2007) [Archive]

Isk8NYC

03-25-2007, 02:31 PM

Lots of jewelry advertisements in today's papers. I lose jewelry, so Cubic Zirconia is a better choice for me over Diamonds! LOL

Diamonds:
Back spins with foot behind, back scratch spins, forward scratch spins, sit spins, camel spins and -- camel-into-sit spins were great.

Waltz jumps, salchows were okay. Flips are the same.

Highlight of the practice was landing my loop jump for the first time in years! Did a bunch of tiny ones with the RFI3 entrance, then nailed them with speed and height on the LFO3 entrance. Must have landed 20 of them! Yayyyy!

Zircons:
Prel MITF - yucky as usual. :frus:
Toe loop - not great, but the advice was really helpful. (Thanks, Lov2Sk8)
Waltz-toe loop - non-existent. :twisted:

Skate@Delaware

03-25-2007, 03:44 PM

Diamonds: Well, we worked on the scratch some more today. From a t-stop on the line...they were a bit better and finally coming together more. We moved on to my combo jump which was good so she added a new jump: toe-loop but you pick in, turn to front, hop on that same toe-pick, then glide out on the other foot all with speed! 8O It's cool but will need some (lots) work.

Zircons: I'll place this here since it's not finished...the loop! She did say my jumps are much better than months ago, but what happened to the ones (2) I landed? Where are the rest? Yeah, I'd like to know the answer also!

So, my "new" exercise: waltz-loops!!! Did some and they were actually decent (her words).

Coal (i.e. premade diamonds): this was my 2nd to last lesson of the season :cry: !!! After next Sunday, I go away for vacation and miss the rink closing and spring show. When I return there will be no ice. I did tell coach that I would like to take an occasional lesson from her over the summer and she said ok. Maybe once a month would be good. I will be skating twice a week on the fake ice (for show) and the plan is to hit the real stuff 1-2 times a month. We will see!!!

lov2sk8

03-25-2007, 09:09 PM

Glad I could help. I Hope I feel better next week. By the way the loops were great.

lov2sk8

03-25-2007, 09:40 PM

Team arthritis explains the toe loop well in hardly working....

Emberchyld

03-25-2007, 10:58 PM

Diamonds: Everything (hip, injury, even balance on my blades!) felt well enough to skate-- did a little bit of light stuff on Saturday night public skate out of fear of hurting myself, but didn't hold myself back today.

my loop-like jump :P is feeling more and more comfortable-- especially after I did an entire lap of the rink during public session today going backwards and just jamming my toepick in the ice and hopping up (my coach gave me this drill just to get me more comfortable with the whole toe-pick in the ice, leg crossed behind me motion).

My favorite moments of the weekend, though? My sister and her boyfriend went skating with me on the Saturday public skate and they told me today that I was "absolutely killing everyone out there" (they meant it in a good way, I found out...) with my skating. They said that my spins and jumps *snort* looked really cool and that every time I started spinning, they noticed that all of the little girls in the rink started gravitating in my direction. I reminded them that next to advanced skaters, I look like a rotating and jumping lump, but I took their compliments happily!

And my parents finally saw me skate (for a few minutes). They didn't seem too impressed at the time, but later in the day, when I mentioned that I was going to try to film myself skating so that I could actually see what I look like, my dad volunteered to film me himself. In the past, he would have just said, "Aren't you too old to be doing this stuff?", so I take it that he and mom were probably more impressed than they let on...

Zircons: Started learning power pulls today. Mine were more like wobbly 1-footed glides. Eeeew.

I really need to work on my timing on my XO, XO, mohawk, etc combo. I rush the mohawk way too much. :frus:

jskater49

03-26-2007, 08:39 AM

Zircons

The perimeter back crossovers from Bronze moves - maybe it's just that people are in my way and I keep having to slow down and get off pattern, but when I do three lobes, I'm not quite at the end of the rink and when I try to tighten up the lobes and do four, they don't quite fit either.

I was all excited about all the things we covered on Sat. I had done so well with holding my edge for a scratch spin entry and spun so much when she pushed my hip, I was sure I was close to getting them. They weren't happening. Probably not bending my knee enough and coming up for the snap too soon.

Salchow...I didn't ask her to draw it because I did have a picture in my mind but that really wasn't happenng either.

Diamonds - TOE LOOPS I think I'm going to love toe loops. I think I'm a person who prefers toe jumps. I'm thinking too, if I can get used to that feeling of having my leg crossed behind me, step behinds will be easier. We worked on toe loops for my ten minute lesson since I figured it best to go with what I was feeling comfortable. She said I was making a lot of progress, and then got me started on doing back outside pivots so I could feel more comfortable with my toe pick behind me.

j

Team Arthritis

03-26-2007, 11:28 AM

Crushed Zircon:
compressors went down 5AM Sat - on duty manager (Mr. Chuckles) didn't check them when he came in and ice melted out underneath us - not before I wrenched my back trying to do a sitspin in wet cement.

Then I stripped a thread (well really the hex hole) AGAIN trying to get my matrix blades off for sharpening - who's stupid idea was it to use ALUMINUM screws anyway, sheesh. Had to drill out the screw - NEXT!

Diamonds:
inspite of not sleeping much I went skating this AM and I was a Good Boy and followed Mr. Edge's advice and was vewy carewufoe and didn't hurt my frail decrepit body. BEST is that my wife went skating too and knee felt OK - first good skate for her since surgery in December!:)
Lyle

jskater49

03-26-2007, 12:15 PM

Very annoying Zircon....

A little boy who is 9 and a pre-pre skater and should no better decided he was going to goof off and lay on the ice and be stupid in the lutz corner. I cut off my half lutz 3 times because of him. I was whining about to my daughter and she says "Mom, just go, do not stop. He'll move or he'll get hurt" So he was laying on the ice in the corner hockey circle and I went for it. I didn't even look behind me. He was gone by the time I had jumped and was facing forward :twisted:

j

myste12

03-26-2007, 03:36 PM

Diamonds:
Managed to land double sals and double toes today after 3 days off because of a nasty cold/flu bug.

Zircons:
Did not land either double in the program, and couldn't spin for beans thanks to achey sinuses.

I have got to get healthy before Nationals!

dbny

03-26-2007, 03:51 PM

A little boy who is 9 and a pre-pre skater and should no better decided he was going to goof off and lay on the ice and be stupid in the lutz corner.

I have no problem telling kids politely but firmly that what they are doing is not allowed and is dangerous.

Diamonds:
I can still do Prelim power threes, and am allowing myself to pick up a (very) little speed on the R side. Managed a few one foot spins from T push, and just stepped into one after seeing my coach demo it for a tot. Got 3/4 of a rev on a backspin! Decided that I have to start working on Prelim spiral pattern, and skated it with free leg extended as high as it would go, but no spiral. In the past, I've had trouble maintaining speed on this move and with holding the edges. Today, it was smooth, like a knife through butter. Other than one bad push on the FI edges, it was perfect. I think this is all the work on pushing that is now paying off. I'm making slow but sure progress on not wimping out on the FI threes. By about RFI three number 4, I'm no longer tapping my free foot down first. My stamina is definitely increasing. I was warmed up before I got worn out today!

Zircons:
It doesn't feel like a zircon to me, but I know it is: I need to stop trying to one foot the backspins, and work more on doing the two foot spin with the backspin approach so I can find the correct balance point. I'm in too much of a hurry to get this spin.

BIG SPARKLY TEN CARAT DIAMOND:
For the first time in almost two years, I am really enjoying skating and working on moves and spins. The fun is back!

jskater49

03-26-2007, 04:24 PM

I have no problem telling kids politely but firmly that what they are doing is not allowed and is dangerous.

Normally I would, but it's club ice, his mom was skating on the ice too (she tends to be a hockey circle hog herself, but at least she's working and not goofin off) and I find when dealing with club people, it's best to just smile and be nice to everyone. I was hoping she would eventually say someting to him herself. Funny how they'll accept you mowing down their child more than you saying something to them :roll:

j

Skate@Delaware

03-26-2007, 05:04 PM

Normally I would, but it's club ice, his mom was skating on the ice too (she tends to be a hockey circle hog herself, but at least she's working and not goofin off) and I find when dealing with club people, it's best to just smile and be nice to everyone. I was hoping she would eventually say someting to him herself. Funny how they'll accept you mowing down their child more than you saying something to them :roll:

j
We have this issue sometimes on our club ice-have you tried mentioning it to one of the club officers? Sometimes the indirect approach is better, especially if you can get others to mention the same thing...then it looks like a safety issue. Then they might mention it to the mom who is responsible for his behavior. If your club is like mine, she agreed to obey the rules.

We had something happen at our club, my daughter (yup, my little princess) did something that ticked others off (standing on the ice chit-chatting. Mentioned to club officer, then to me...Of course, I had it out with her! She does NOT stand on the ice chit-chatting any longer (I'd rather skate and not have to pay attention to her but I am responsible for her, even tho she is 17).

jskater49

03-26-2007, 05:47 PM

We have this issue sometimes on our club ice-have you tried mentioning it to one of the club officers? Sometimes the indirect approach is better, especially if you can get others to mention the same thing...then it looks like a safety issue. Then they might mention it to the mom who is responsible for his behavior. If your club is like mine, she agreed to obey the rules.
.

You know, this was so unlike this kid - he tends to be a little clueless about those around him, but this goofin off was a one time (I hope) annoyance to me. Otherwise I would take the indirect route, although I have found sometimes you have to almost run into people for them to figure out that they need to pay attention.

Speaking of the indirect route, recently the junior board was asked (by a confidential source) to develop a "parents code of conduct" policy. Made me wonder (no actually I think I can guess) what prompted that idea ...8O

(am I missing the wink smiley?)
j

doubletoe

03-26-2007, 07:05 PM

[QUOTE=Isk8NYC;315153]
Highlight of the practice was landing my loop jump for the first time in years! Did a bunch of tiny ones with the RFI3 entrance, then nailed them with speed and height on the LFO3 entrance. Must have landed 20 of them! Yayyyy!

Wow, congratulations!! :D :bow:

doubletoe

03-26-2007, 07:08 PM

LilJen

03-26-2007, 07:19 PM

Hi, all. . . Back after a week off.

Diamonds: Good lesson today; we worked on jumps and spins, which we hadn't done in a while. Got one decent (squared takeoff, secure landing) waltz jump and a decent toeloop. Hey, I'd been working on toeloops by myself, just for kicks, and the coach didn't laugh me out of the rink. I consider that a triumph : )

Cubic zirconia:
-Rink management changed synchro schedule at the last minute yesterday, so we all scrambled to make it to synchro practice in time. I had intended to use the free practice time (the girls' teams practice just before us and we're allowed to use whatever space is free for warmup & practice), but that didn't happen.
-I SUCK at spinning. Somehow I can never stay square. If it's not a shoulder out, it's a hip dropping or an arm going wacko. I'm wondering if I will ever get that one-footed spin; it's the only thing I don't have for the adult pre-bronze freeskate test. I know that I need to be patient and keep slowly practicing but being patient on this one is tough.
-banged my knee on the boards doing a little salchow exercise. I am such a klutz!!
-First competition on the 17th went, well, unevenly. I *did* get out there and more or less performed the required moves, but nerves did me in and I rushed and stumbled a bit (3rd of 3; and now I am Borg). Still, dd was excited that I got a trophy.
-Half-flip still feels *very* unnatural, as does the salchow. Wed. practice will have to incorporate many of these in the journey to it all becoming more natural.
-Rink #2 is finally down, as they've been threatening for a while. Ultimately this will be a good thing, but it means that ice will be ever scarcer as the (apparently) heavily monied hockey folks take up ice time from us (apparently poor) figure skaters. For a few months, at least.

FallDownGoBoom

03-26-2007, 09:33 PM

Diamonds: Got the toe loop, again and again and again. It's a fun little maneuver. Tra la, tra la la la la. Note to self: Forget the big ol' three-turn entrance. It takes too long and by the time you tap, Miss FallDownGoBoom, you've forgotten what goes where. Instead, simply push, glide slowly on the back outside edge, tap, hop, land -- two or three times in a row. At the end of the skate, try again with the entrance.

Zirconia: That ... that ... that THING.
The one with the right knee bent and the left boot on the ice.
That is not a lunge.
At best it is a desperate cry for help. At worst it is an indictable offense. Either way, it's a sad little maneuver that ought never to be rolled out in public again.

jazzpants

03-26-2007, 11:56 PM

Diamonds:

Saw a kiddie skater that I haven't seen in QUITE a while. (I know her and her dad the best since they've both skated with me, but the mom knows me too!) Glad to see that she's doing well in school and is planning for college. :D
Loops and flips were there beginning of session...
Zircons:

...but disappeared as the session wore on... :frus: Well, at least the flip did. The loop stayed around a little longer, luckily for me...

The saddest part... this is the very last Sunday I will be skating at my weekend rink. I said my goodbyes and "see you later" to those I suspect are not going to be following me to my home rink. :cry: (I'll try to at least make it to Oakland once in a blue moon, but can't guarantee anything...)

Diamond in the rough:
Was playing around with the footwork that primary coach gave me on Thursday. Was find until the VERY VERY end where I'm doing something that remotely looks like a one foot turn out of forward cross strokes. Could do them at slower speed, but faster speeds....yeah, RIIIIIIGHT!!!! :roll: (The worst part is that I wanted to do brackets there, but don't quite have the brackets yet going from BI to FO edge. :oops: I only have the FO to BI ones.)

jazzpants

03-27-2007, 12:03 AM

Diamond:
Seems there a HUGE promotion over at my rink for "Blades of Glory" too, since our movie theatre is nearby. Don't know if I could make it to the premiere though, since I do have a workout commitment to keep. ;) (Read the Parlor to see why I want to keep my commit...) ;)

The funny part of this whole promo thing is that a couple of the kids at the front desk decided to dress up as the two pairs guys and did this funny routine where they both go around on the ice hand in hand. Oh, I wished I had my camera for blackmail materials for one of the kids!!! :twisted: :lol:

Loop, sit spins, backspins, one foot spins were all there. Making some progress on the back sit but not that much...

Zircon:
Flip disappeared until the very VERY end, and then I landed one clean and called it a day!!! :P :lol: :twisted: No camels!!! :frus:

kateskate

03-27-2007, 04:20 AM

Diamond
Passed my level 6 compulsories and level 5 free dance so still a little happy on the back of that! Found everything incredibly thrilling and funny this morning as a result.
Axels are progressing. We reverted to a standing still exercise to get me to drive the FO edge and it was a little better.
Programme was nice apparently. Even the artisticky bits - Whoa!
I am apparently ok at variety 2 of Russian stroking - and a comment of 'ok' from dance coach must mean it is spectacular
Change foot sits are my new fave spin :)

Zircon
Camels spins went all funny today. I must have used up all my good camel spinning for my test yesterday.
Axels are STILL not correct. I can now do it correctly (ish) from standstill but as soon as I do it from back crossovers or a mohawk I lose the timing and forget to drive forwards. The extra speed throws me I think - I'm not scared of the speed but I think I rush everything and don't drive the edge because I feel a little out of control.
Double salchows had no height. Coach joked and asked was trying to do them as near to the ice as possible.
Blues Choctaw - laughable. I get into the correct position off the FI and have my feet correct but then let my shoulders go and have a nice outside-flat-wobble-outside edge exit.
Tango OD is so underrehearsed it was hilarious. I forgot large portions of it.

Rob Dean

03-27-2007, 07:03 AM

Diamonds: I signed up to test the swing dance on the 6th of April, and it isn't worrying me....much.

Zircons: I could/should have signed up for the Fiesta Tango as well, but I seem to have an unshakeable mental block regarding the mohawk. I can do it solo without mental anguish, but having to coordinate with a partner seems to be freaking me out. If my arms are in position I can't find the inside edge, if I've got the edge I'm hunched over, etc.... Having decided not to test it until June, I think I'm giving it one more lesson and then putting it away for a week or two while I work on something else. Does that sound sensible, or would you continue to beat on it?

Rob

jskater49

03-27-2007, 07:08 AM

Diamonds: Got the toe loop, again and again and again. It's a fun little maneuver. Tra la, tra la la la la. Note to self: Forget the big ol' three-turn entrance. It takes too long and by the time you tap, Miss FallDownGoBoom, you've forgotten what goes where. Instead, simply push, glide slowly on the back outside edge, tap, hop, land -- two or three times in a row. At the end of the skate, try again with the entrance.

That's what I was doing especially since I do the LFO 3 turn and change feet, I have to think about changing my feet and it can get confusing. I also was putting them on the back of my waltz jump and noticed my waltz jumps were better because I wasn't freaking out about the waltz jump - they were just a way to get to the toe loop!

j

Mrs Redboots

03-27-2007, 07:24 AM

Zircons: Found I'd lost my little bag of costume jewellery - must have left it in the changing-rooms in France. Hope someone has found it and handed it in; I must e-mail them to find out.

Back to work this morning, trying to get decent swing rolls and chassés in waltz hold with me going forwards (as in the Swing Dance). We find this far harder than with me going backwards, for some reason.

Also worked on end pattern of Fiesta Tango, which doesn't work to the music. I realised, afterwards, what we were doing wrong (we weren't turning our upper bodies to face up the rink), but wish the coach had seen it.

In my private practice, I was doing 3-turns round the hockey goal, and found, to my amazement, that whenever I thought I was at the top of the circle, I wasn't, but was at about 11:00 or 1:00 (depending on which foot I was doing). When I finally managed one at the top of the circle, it felt as though I'd held my edge round 3/4 of it.

Diamonds: Managed to do a Swing Dance without being warmed up! Did some good exercises once the Husband had gone.

Sonic

03-27-2007, 07:33 AM

Diamonds:

I HAVE a backspin. Okay, so I can't cross the foot yet, but I seem to have the actual spinning bit down.
Coach is very pleased with loop and camel spin - to the point where he wants to incorporate them into my programme
Left back outside and inside threes are becomming consistent

Zirons

Dances were all pretty poor last time I tried any of them
Flip - the saga snores on. Ten months and counting.....

jskater49

03-27-2007, 07:33 AM

dbny

03-27-2007, 09:37 AM

In my private practice, I was doing 3-turns round the hockey goal, and found, to my amazement, that whenever I thought I was at the top of the circle, I wasn't, but was at about 11:00 or 1:00 (depending on which foot I was doing). When I finally managed one at the top of the circle, it felt as though I'd held my edge round 3/4 of it.

Oh ,my gosh that is my worst problem with power threes for my Bronze test. I even tell myself "hold it hold it hold it, now turn" and I think I've done such a good job, look at the tracing, it's way before the top :frus:

My DH came up with a great way to work on this while trying to help me do any three turns at all. Position yourself at the boards to the left or right of any of the broad lines, with the distance to the line being the radius of the half circle you want to skate for your turn. Now do your turn exactly on the line. I'm always surprised that I turn early, but this exercise helps me judge where to turn, and it's easy to check your tracings.

Isk8NYC

03-27-2007, 09:52 AM

Diamonds:
Introduced the "Rule of 10" to one of my pre-teen students. Whenever I ask her to do ANYTHING to the right/CW direction, she literally skates away and tries to convince me to work on something else, which wastes lesson time. She did 10 side toe hops last night and each one was better than the last. When I asked her to "go the other way," she counted them out, one by one. Painful to watch, but effective. My second student showed up wearing a tiara. It was her 7th birthday - so cute! She was soooo chatty and giggly, I finally asked if they had cupcakes in school for her birthday. Yep - sugar rush! They were on their way to McD's for dinner (her choice). I told her to get milk or juice instead of soda. The poor parents!

Did a couple of little loops, both entrances. Okey-dokey.
Practiced edges and spirals.

Zircons:
Pulled that shoulder again practicing the loop.
Now the pain is more below the shoulder socket, in the arm.

Laura H

03-27-2007, 01:17 PM

Diamonds-

Arm Position? What arm position?

Had my group lesson last night, a good portion of which was devoted to the instructor correcting our arm position for the waltz jump (darn waltz jump!! every time you *think* you have it down). ;)

Then, my DS joins us for public session and DH and I are both telling him to watch his arms (he has awesome jumps but is really sloppy about his arm positions - a constant source of nagging from both us and his coach). Anyway, we get this priceless quote "first I have to get the feet right . . . then I will worry about the arms!!" (aha!!! now we understand!!). Not that I'm not totally sympathetic to his situation (his coach admitted the same) but we quickly explained to him that one does actually affect the other . . . LOL!

Ina Bauers and Spread Eagles - finally my tendency to turn out my hips PAYS OFF - we've only done these a couple of times & the instructor showed them to us again - I actually DID them!

Shoot the Duck - uh huh, that's right, a real honest-to-goodness shoot the duck pulled off by me during the public session - DS was trying to bully me into doing a sit spin ;) and said "it's just like a shoot the duck" (um yeah, which I have never been able to do!) but I tried again, keeping in mind everything I know about body positioning for the sit spin - and it worked! (DS - "hey! that was low enough!" :?? ). now . . . just to translate that into a spin! :frus:

Zircons- spins felt WEIRD last night . . . didn't push it too hard . . . maybe they'll be back next time!!

myste12

03-27-2007, 01:35 PM

Diamonds:
I believe coach and I have finally figured out why my double toe is so uncomfortable. I had the skating foot turned over so that it was almost on an inside edge when I picked. Tried a few singles and one double while thinking about a really solid outside edge all the way through the take-off, and was instantly 100% more comfortable on the entrance. Now, if I can only keep that feeling everytime I try it...

Zircons:
Nasty cold/flu has left my sinuses and ended up in my lungs. I really wanted to run my freeskate today, but I could barely manage to make it through one jumping pass without cramping because I couldn't breathe. :cry:

tidesong

03-27-2007, 02:02 PM

Diamonds:
Well after watching my last practise program I decided that I will improve on that by focusing on 1) pointing my free leg on the landings 2) holding those spirals for the 3 seconds pleeaaase and to do the full beilman position... my half one looks really blah

So well, I managed 1) on the first jump and I managed 2) for my first spiral and I got into the full beilmann (with two hands and stuff but onyl held it for one second... )

I also realized that for flying sit, I have to straighten that free leg with probably about as much force and speed as I tuck it ... I have to try that mroe because it took me the whole sessino to figure that one out.

Zircons:
Everything else was bad. I have no idea why. Maybe because I wasn't watching inspirational skating videos the whole day, maybe I didnt sleep enough, maybe I didn't run through in my head well enough.

Anyways, so the ice was bad, there were alot more people on the ice today Including two pairs teams.. (yeah that usually makes me more nervous)

And the new skirt i was wearing was floating around too much and I didn't expect it to do that doh... so basicalyl it was shifting in the middle of my jumps and pulling my weight a round a little...

so i have been focusing on internal nervousness and practically didnt consider external distractions... have to think about focusing more now.

Also well my scrunchie holding my bun fell out after a hard fall and I wasted time picking it up, putting it on the sides before continuing my program but I was so thorougly distracted, and upset.. everything was messed up after... it took me the whole program to end before I realized I was just doing the wrong thing to give in after a mistake!!! Sheesh...

So well ... better next time XP

P.s. if my scrunchie falls out during competition (don't worry I plan to pin it down for that, I didnt pin it today :halo: ) am I supposed to go to the judges and get a restart so I can remove the scrunchie from the ice safely?

jskater49

03-27-2007, 02:04 PM

P.s. if my scrunchie falls out during competition (don't worry I plan to pin it down for that, I didnt pin it today :halo: ) am I supposed to go to the judges and get a restart so I can remove the scrunchie from the ice safely?

I've never seen that done, most everyone just makes sure they stay away from it.

j

jenlyon60

03-27-2007, 02:47 PM

Normally you just continue on, try to avoid the item, and retrieve it from the ice when you complete your program.

If the referee for the event sees it and deems it to be a hazard to the continuance of your program, s/he may whistle for you to stop and call you over and explain why the whistle. In which case, after the skater complies with the referee's instruction, normally the referee will advise the music player to restart the music from just before the point at which it was halted, and instruct the judges as to what to disregard and where to start judging again.

P.s. if my scrunchie falls out during competition (don't worry I plan to pin it down for that, I didnt pin it today :halo: ) am I supposed to go to the judges and get a restart so I can remove the scrunchie from the ice safely?

Mrs Redboots

03-27-2007, 03:54 PM

Oh ,my gosh that is my worst problem with power threes for my Bronze test. I even tell myself "hold it hold it hold it, now turn" and I think I've done such a good job, look at the tracing, it's way before the top :frus:

My DH came up with a great way to work on this while trying to help me do any three turns at all. Position yourself at the boards to the left or right of any of the broad lines, with the distance to the line being the radius of the half circle you want to skate for your turn. Now do your turn exactly on the line. I'm always surprised that I turn early, but this exercise helps me judge where to turn, and it's easy to check your tracings.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have trouble. I could have sworn, from what I could see (without looking down too much) that my body was at the top of the circle.... perhaps I lean forward even more than I think I do!

jenlyon60

03-27-2007, 04:44 PM

It's very common. And even more so on the back 3's.

sk8pics

03-27-2007, 04:47 PM

Diamonds: I signed up to test the swing dance on the 6th of April, and it isn't worrying me....much.

Hey, I'm coming to that test session to watch a friend skate, so maybe I'll get to see you skate, too! Good luck!

As for me, not skating, but I can walk without limping most of the time now, and just the other day I found that I can walk all the way up and down stairs in my house without the cane and stepping down with each foot alternating! Hooray! Just in time for surgery to remove the screws from my ankle!:roll: Actuallly, it will be 3 or 4 weeks before that happens, so I'll just try to get stronger. They did tell me I could skate, but not while I'm on the blood thinners...:frus:

dbny

03-27-2007, 04:57 PM

On the subject of trouble with three turns, I saw a woman doing a FI three at the boards, touching her free foot lightly to the ice just before the turn, and holding the FI edge until she was almost at the wall. This is so exactly what I do that I took a chance and asked her if she was scared of the FI threes. She was, and now I know I'm not the only one to fear them and do that annoying little toe tap first.

As for me, not skating, but I can walk without limping most of the time now, and just the other day I found that I can walk all the way up and down stairs in my house without the cane and stepping down with each foot alternating! Hooray! Just in time for surgery to remove the screws from my ankle!:roll: Actuallly, it will be 3 or 4 weeks before that happens, so I'll just try to get stronger. They did tell me I could skate, but not while I'm on the blood thinners...:frus:

Congratulations on being able to do the stairs as usual again! It won't be too much longer now before you're back on the ice.

Diamonds:
Power threes are still there! Made myself do the Prelim FXO and BXO patterns as if I were testing. Now that I have hope with the three turns, I'm going to get the patterns I can already do as solid as possible. Again skated the Prelim spiral pattern without the spirals and still got around, although the ice being pretty chopped up, it wasn't so easy as yesterday on clean ice. Got 5 revs on a one foot spin from T push, and "Ta Da", got a full rev twice on my brand new backspin.

Zircons:
Power threes are still painfully slow, and I had to slow down my good side to get it working. Bad side was recalcitrant, but was actually smoother than good side once I have it going. Caught the BO edge on one backspin attempt, which did scare me a little, and was a reminder to take it easy. Not sure if I actually did 10 FI threes on each foot, so I must start counting or I know I'll stop too soon. Even if I can get the going one at a time from the wall to the wall, with a nice sized lobe, as soon as I try consecutive ones on the line, as in the test pattern, I wimp out. Part of the problem is getting a proper push for the next one.

Emeralds:
The young coach who has been teaching a tot on the public session I go to on Tue & Thurs turned out to be Sydne Vogel (http://www.foodfit.com/fitness/archive/getMotivated_aug01.asp)! She was quite nice, and we skated around and chatted a while. She's now 27 and is pre-med at Brooklyn College, on her way to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Of course she still floats effortlessly across the ice.

Skate@Delaware

03-27-2007, 06:33 PM

I managed to hit the freestyle session today, if only for an hour but it was a good hour as this session is typically empty!!!

Diamonds: Spins are finally working, if I relax and concentrate. Managed to do the exercise coach gave me and knocked out 5 that centered for about 5-6 revs before traveling. Backspins-managed to hit about 2-3 revs on the ones I did. Waltz jump is good if I slow down and concentrate. New toe-loop combo is cool as is the other combo jump.

Zircons: loops. no news there. Waltz-loop combo...I'm only getting around 1/2 way on the loop part of it and flat-footing the landing. Of course, I was tired because I was out all day....but that's only an excuse not a good reason.

Someone suggested going into the harness for the loop...that's not really an option. My coach does not believe in the harness PLUS my rink closes on the 15th of April...So, unless I can do this somewhere else, it ain't happening!

I have the application for the adult seminar at Mt. Pleasant in June. I might take a private lesson this year and hit spins and the loop. Maybe. We'll see.

tidesong

03-27-2007, 09:27 PM

@jskater49 and jenlyon: ok thanks, I guess its different because I was on a rather crowded session in practise so I was afraid someone else would trip over it, but in competition I should be fine since I know where I dropped the scrunchie. So I just keep skating unless the referee blows the whistle yah... ok cool.

Mrs Redboots

03-28-2007, 05:57 AM

On the subject of trouble with three turns, I saw a woman doing a FI three at the boards, touching her free foot lightly to the ice just before the turn, and holding the FI edge until she was almost at the wall. This is so exactly what I do that I took a chance and asked her if she was scared of the FI threes. She was, and now I know I'm not the only one to fear them and do that annoying little toe tap first.You certainly aren't! And what is even more annoying is when you can do them absolutely perfectly (well, not quite, but you know what I mean) with your hand just resting lightly on that of your coach, which is what happened to me today. But can I do them without? You guess!

Diamonds: Had a really good lesson today, breakthrough on why I cross my legs so badly - we think I'm trying to cross them too high; I should just think of my calf touching my shin. And worked hard on stepping to forward and keeping my weight in the right place. Coach also explained about turning at the top of the lobe - he said that when your eyes tell you that you're in the right place, it's time to prepare the turn, not time to do it! By the time you're ready to turn, you will be in the right place!

Zircons: The afore-mentioned inside 3s. The fact that I can turn relatively good BO 3s with my foot on the heel of my skating foot, but not with it in front, which is what you are supposed to do for this test.

@jskater49 and jenlyon: ok thanks, I guess its different because I was on a rather crowded session in practise so I was afraid someone else would trip over it, but in competition I should be fine since I know where I dropped the scrunchie. So I just keep skating unless the referee blows the whistle yah... ok cool.Although if you were doing a programme run-through during a lesson, your coach should probably have gone and picked it up for you, to save you having to stop. That's what mine would have done.

Skittl1321

03-28-2007, 06:57 AM

Diamonds: Lesson went well yesterday. Program is getting better. Apparently my jumps are leaving the ice (well my salchow, half-flip and waltz, which are my program jumps and I'm working on the most) which is more than I expected. I did a few really good one-foot spins.

Zircons: Once again I got sick on the weekend. Apparently I carry all my stress throughout the week and manage to get ill every Sunday because of it. So Sunday is no longer my skating day. The LTS director told me that because I'm helping LTS now I can get into public and freestyle sessions free, it originally was just public, so I think I'll give the wed. afternoon freestyle session a try. I'm scared of freestyle still, and its immediatly after work so I won't get a chance to take a break and have a snack, but its ice time and we'll see how it goes.

Other Zircon- why can't I do a scratch spin yet? I'm getting 5-10 revolutions on the one footed spin, depending on the entrance, but I can't seem to get the fan entrance to crossed leg at all!

Rob Dean

03-28-2007, 07:03 AM

Hey, I'm coming to that test session to watch a friend skate, so maybe I'll get to see you skate, too! Good luck!

I'll be the only adult (and only man) among a swarm of little girls on that test block, so I'll be easy to spot. :) It seems like everybody and her sister decided to test the preliminary and pre-bronze dances this session.

For yesterday:

An unexpected diamond: As mentioned in "Sneaking Out of Work", I went out to the public session at lunch at the local rink yesterday. There were no kids in rental skates using "walkers" at all, and most of the mere dozen or so people were practicing figure skating. I think the ice guard had the only pair of hockey skates out there. It felt like a freestyle session, at half the price.

Zircons: I just wish that I could figure out what the problem with the fiesta is. Tomorrow I bite the bullet and use both coaches (primary and back-up) at once, one to skate with and one to watch--since whatever the problem is, it seems to be caused by partnering issues, and that's one bit where your lady coach can't see what you're doing. :frus:

Son has school functions in the afternoon all week, so he requested to skate a couple of mornings. It takes me a good while to warm up at the 0550 session, but it's otherwise not a bad way to start the day.

Rob

tidesong

03-28-2007, 07:11 AM

Although if you were doing a programme run-through during a lesson, your coach should probably have gone and picked it up for you, to save you having to stop. That's what mine would have done.

It was during an "ice time" where coaches weren't allowed on the ice.

Isk8NYC

03-28-2007, 12:37 PM

sk8pics - Good progress, hang in there! You'll be back on the ice before you know it - have fun at the test session.

Rob Dean[/B];315548]I'll be the only adult (and only man) among a swarm of little girls on that test block, so I'll be easy to spot. :) It seems like everybody and her sister decided to test the preliminary and pre-bronze dances this session.Too funny! Thanks for the laugh Rob, and have a great skate at your t-e-s-t session. (It's a four-letter word, donchaknow?)

Zircons:
The usual imperfect crossovers are slooooowly improving. Now the back ones are killing me - I'm terrified of hitting the wall on the Prel bxo circles. It's really a mental block more than a skating skills block.

I did do the transitions correctly. (YAY - I can move my head and body separately again!) When I pointed it out, my coach laughed and said, "That's right: once you've fixed one thing, I move onto others!" LOL

Loops - not keeping the free foot in front enough. sigh.
Humorous moment: It's comical to see someone hit their foot loudly against the wall, but hold their shoulder in pain. LOL

Prel MITF spiral patterns - THUNK!

Diamonds:
Waltz jumps are improving, have to square the shoulders a bit more on takeoff.

Managed to squeak out a few good waltz-toe loops. Too bad I need waltz-LOOP for the next test.

Scratch spins - getting better at the position; had to switch from keeping the left shoulder back (CCW) to keeping the right shoulder back. Very different feeling, might explain why I've been on such a deep outside edge. Managed to get out of a few, but not many.

Sit spin - Coach made me admit that the sit spin was faster if I go in lower at the start. Yes, it is - there, I've said it publicly.
But I still like my upright-to-sit spin, though. (Is that a valid combo?)

jskater49

03-28-2007, 12:38 PM

Diamonds

Toe loop scoming along quite nicley, I'm definately doing most of the turning on ice, with little air time, but I've got the technique down. Is it cheating if I pick more behind my left leg so it's easier to cross in front when I draw it back?

Ever since I started working on toe loops, my waltz jumps have improved.

My program's been upgraded..where I did a half lutz, a couple of step behinds then half flip- it's now half - lutz, mazurka, half flip. You know what the hardest part of that sequence is - the darn 3 turn before the mazurka!Why do you have to be going backward to do a mazurka anyway?

And my waltz jump toe tap is now waltz toe-loop-toe tap

Working on moves, I think I did 3 lobes, but they were big enough that they covered the length of the rink.

Zircons - worked on power 3s... I just do not want to hold that edge long enough to put the turn on top of the lobe.

dusted off the 5 step mohawk -- bwahahahaa..they aren't zircons - they are cheap glass!

j

j

Isk8NYC

03-28-2007, 12:44 PM

Is it cheating if I pick more behind my left leg so it's easier to cross in front when I draw it back?Maaaaaaybe; which way do you turn - CW or CCW?)
Why do you have to be going backward to do a mazurka anyway?#10. Because there's more of a chance of planting a "nosey posey" patch if you do it from a forward edge.
#9. The stand-still one isn't as interesting. (I feel like David Letterman)
#8. It's a starter exercise for more involved jumps.
#7 - anyone?

jazzpants

03-28-2007, 01:16 PM

Diamonds:
Did waltz jumps - finally got back my kick thru.
Loop and Flip made its appearance this morning! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!! :bow:

Zircons:
Lutz entry.... ummmm... :oops:

Funny note of the day:
Secondary coach asks "So how's your personal training coming along?" I told her the assignment that he asked me to do, which was to measure my resting pulse rate. (Take a pulse in the morning right after I wake up.) When I got to bed and did it on a test run (so I can find my pulse, which is ridiculously difficult for me to find... am I really alive there??? 8O ), it was at 60. I also woke up in a cold sweat and my nerves were really shaky (it's always that way on the days that I have to get up to go to my lesson...) The pulse rate? 66!!! 8O (I think I better tell my trainer that I want a do-over since I did wake up with nerves shot up to Hades b/c of secondary coach.) :twisted: :lol:

Needless to say, secondary coach thought it was funny that I wake up in fear of her for our lessons. She's glad that I'm pretty healthy given my pulse rate, but said that her resting is pretty bad. When she told me hers, I said "OMG! That's higher than mine AFTER I'm done working out!!!" 8O 8O

dbny

03-28-2007, 01:39 PM

worked on power 3s... I just do not want to hold that edge long enough to put the turn on top of the lobe.

dusted off the 5 step mohawk -- bwahahahaa..they aren't zircons - they are cheap glass!

How is your Choctaw (the step forward)? I've recently found (since I've only recently been able to do it at all :roll:) that getting a real push there helps a lot in placing the three properly. I'm still a bit early on the R, but the left is really bad, as that is the one where I have the most trouble with the Choctaw.

Since I'm working on Prelim, not Adult Bronze, I don't have to torture myself with the 5 step yet, although I have in the past. I'm not going to go back to it until I have more confidence on the LFI Mohawks. Have you tried just doing each side by itself on a circle?

Today is my rest day, back to practice tomorrow and then lesson on Friday. Time to hit the Nordic Track, barf.

jskater49

03-28-2007, 01:43 PM

Maaaaaaybe; which way do you turn - CW or CCW?)

Okay I'm trying to imagine the clock...um...I jump the direction most people jump - I pick with my left foot, draw the right foot back , crossing in front of the left before I kick forward...seems easier to do that if the picking foot is already a little behind the right foot. If I shouldn't do that, I'll stop before my coach scolds me in my next lesson! That will teach me to get bright ideas on my own!

(Why a mazurka needs to be done from a backward edge..)

#10. Because there's more of a chance of planting a "nosey posey" patch if you do it from a forward edge.
#9. The stand-still one isn't as interesting. (I feel like David Letterman)
#8. It's a starter exercise for more involved jumps.
#7 - anyone?

I know, I know...because Joelle needs to work on her 3 turns?

j

Derek

03-28-2007, 01:57 PM

Definitely a zircon week ...

Normally Monday is a lovely focussed day, clean ice, other than a few holes from senior practice beforehand, and less than a dozen skaters for three lovely hours. This week though, we were beset by a group of 'large' gentlemen, I presume from the building site next door. A couple of them could skate, the others were seriously out of control, and one even barged through a friend and I, as we were stroking around and chatting.
Today transpired to be disappointing too. As I approached the rink, I saw what appeared to be hundreds of school children outside the rink. Well the session is called 'schools out' and is primarily targetted for that purpose. I forgot this is the last wednesday before the school holidays, anyhow they hit the ice like a nest of baby spiders. To compound the problems, there had been a cooling plant failure, and the ice was mush. The rink was just about holding -3C, and there was a film of water on the ice. Even the paint markings for the hockey had started to bleed out ... so nothing adventurous was tackled today.
No more wonderful ice now until after the Easter school holidays, I will have to employ myself in other ways ... at least I have a 5 day leisure trip to Luxembourg for the Easter week :)

jskater49

03-28-2007, 02:03 PM

How is your Choctaw (the step forward)? I've recently found (since I've only recently been able to do it at all :roll:) that getting a real push there helps a lot in placing the three properly. I'm still a bit early on the R, but the left is really bad, as that is the one where I have the most trouble with the Choctaw..

For me, it is the mohawk itself...I rush it, like I rush my 3 turn I want to get it over with...I need to just work on holding an edge - particularly on my right foot. I've been told, I actually do the rest of the moves pretty well, but ya know, actually doing the mohawk, kind of crucial..

Have you tried just doing each side by itself on a circle?.

Oh yea, I spend more time on the circle than on pattern :roll:

Sigh. I just keep reminding myself that if I want to get any further in dance or freestyle, I have to be able to do mohawks and 3 turns :frus:

j

Rusty Blades

03-28-2007, 02:18 PM

DIAMONDS! I have a WEEK OFF! Woohoo!

After taking to the ice for the first time (in 36 years) last January and skating my a## off for 14 months, I skated in the Canadian Adult Championships and came in 1 point behind the Bronze medalist (in Pre Introductory Interpretive). I also passed my Pre Intro test. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

As a reward, coach gave me the week off. April 2 we start the preparations for the 2008 competition 8O

(Remind me why I am doing this? Oh yea, it's "fun".... :roll: )

dbny

03-28-2007, 02:31 PM

For me, it is the mohawk itself...I rush it, like I rush my 3 turn I want to get it over with...I need to just work on holding an edge - particularly on my right foot. I've been told, I actually do the rest of the moves pretty well, but ya know, actually doing the mohawk, kind of crucial..

Er, you mean Choctaw, right :?: : BI to FO. Holding that BI edge was crucial to me too. I was doing the pattern across on a line muttering out loud "hold it, hold it, hold it, NOW" :lol:.

Isk8NYC

03-28-2007, 03:13 PM

Toe loops coming along quite nicely, I'm definately doing most of the turning on ice, with little air time, but I've got the technique down. Is it cheating if I pick more behind my left leg so it's easier to cross in front when I draw it back?
Okay I'm trying to imagine the clock...um...I jump the direction most people jump - I pick with my left foot, draw the right foot back , crossing in front of the left before I kick forward...seems easier to do that if the picking foot is already a little behind the right foot. If I shouldn't do that, I'll stop before my coach scolds me in my next lesson! That will teach me to get bright ideas on my own!Because your first post said "behind my left leg" I wasn't sure which direction you jumped. For reference: this is a CCW jump. I take it you spin that way, too?

Yep, sounds like a cheat: you're turning part of the jump on the ice, then jumping forward like a waltz jump. (Which explains your waltz jump's improvement: more practice! LOL) Some people refer to this as a "toe waltz" for that very reason.

If you check last week's practice thread, someone had some very good tips for the toe loop.

jskater49

03-28-2007, 03:29 PM

Yep, sounds like a cheat: you're turning part of the jump on the ice, then jumping forward like a waltz jump. (Which explains your waltz jump's improvement: more practice! LOL) Some people refer to this as a "toe waltz" for that very reason.

If you check last week's practice thread, someone had some very good tips for the toe loop.

No, I understand that I'm turning on the ice and that's a cheat, I'm still trying to get the technique down, my question is about where I pick, since I need to draw the leg back so that it crosses in front of the other leg, it's easier if I start by picking in crossed behind. I wondered if that was a good idea.

I should probably just wait till I have another lesson, I never can explain or understand these written explanations.

j

Isk8NYC

03-28-2007, 03:35 PM

I teach this jump with a straight-back pick, not a "cross-behind the right foot" pick. Think "pick, pull, and pop" - I think the pick-behind gets all tangled up.

There are lots of skaters who hate the toeloop because it's so hard to resist pre-rotating the takeoff! There are several ways to pre-rotate the takeoff, and the reason they are so hard to correct is because they are so unconscious that you don't even realize you're doing it. Here are the big no-no's I've learned:

1. Turning your head during the 3-turn
This is currently my favorite mistake on my double toeloop entrance! Last week I finally learned to go into my 3-turn pretending I had a neck brace on, so that I could not move my head or shoulders during the 3-turn. I finally realized that if I have to look and re-focus to see the side of the rink I came from before picking, that means I turned my head during the turn. If I automatically see the side I came from as I exit the 3-turn, it means I managed to keep my head still.

2. Opening out the picking side shoulder on the 3-turn exit
Again, the neck brace image helps on this, but extend it a little further down to include your picking side shoulder. Shoulders should remain at 10:00 and 4:00 going into the 3-turn and coming out of it, assuming you pick with your left foot. And make sure your picking side arm is still in front of you when you feel your pick going into the ice.

3. Picking behind your skating foot
Whenever I think I'm picking straight back, I look at my ice marks and invariably find that I actually picked with my picking foot crossed behind my skating foot. It's hard not to do! My coach always says, "Pick at 7:00 or 8:00" and now I see why. When I try to pick somewhat to the outside instead of straight back, I find that my pick finally ends up happening straight back. Apparenlty, most skaters have this problem.

4. Making the 3-turn too round
Just like the flip, the toeloop works better from a straighter 3-turn. It helps to push out to the right of the line, do a long, straight entrance edge, then do the 3-turn to the right of the line, pick before or right on the line, and only cross the line on your landing edge. (This pattern works great for the flip, too.) But make the exit edge very short and pick before rising up from the 3-turn. You never want to pick from a straight skating leg.

5. Turning forward on the toe before jumping
This is usually a result of doing one of the other no-no's, but it can also just be from spending too much time on the toe (another one of my favorite mistakes!). If you don't pop up quickly when you pick, the foot will start to pivot on the ice and you'll end up with your foot facing forwards on takeoff. That is technically a toe-waltz jump (or in the case of a double toeloop, a toe-axel). Neither counts as a correct toeloop.

jskater49

03-28-2007, 03:37 PM

Er, you mean Choctaw, right :?: : BI to FO. Holding that BI edge was crucial to me too. I was doing the pattern across on a line muttering out loud "hold it, hold it, hold it, NOW" :lol:.

No, I really mean the mohawk. The forward step isn't a big issue for me. It's the forward inside mohawak. Really :) Should have had that mastered in basic 6 (back when in the dark ages when basic skills only went up to 6)

j

Team Arthritis

03-28-2007, 04:16 PM

Hey thanks for the toeloop lessons 2toes and ISK8NYC, they sound just like my coach! My toes are starting to get more flow but when I simply try to do a waltz toe I get all stiff and lurchy and lose my draw. This is especially troubling because I've only recently been able to get draw on my toeloop. ANy thoughts? Looking at coach imitating me it looks like I'm turning my upper body into the turn, ie no draw because my shoulder check goes out the window.

Also any thoughts on how to flatten out my RFI3?
thanks
Lyle

dbny

03-28-2007, 05:12 PM

No, I really mean the mohawk. The forward step isn't a big issue for me. It's the forward inside mohawak. Really :) Should have had that mastered in basic 6 (back when in the dark ages when basic skills only went up to 6)

j

We are talking about two different moves :lol: :lol: :lol:! My first comment, about the Choctaw, was referring to the power threes. Now I see you are talking about the 5 step Mohawk :idea:. Duh:roll:

jazzpants

03-28-2007, 05:36 PM

Step 1 - Head towards wall
Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)
Step 3 - Head straight up
Step 4 - Head dialog towards direction but away from wall (towards the axis)
Step 5 - Head towards the axis line.

(At least, this is how I think of it when I do the 5 step mohawks anyway...)

And yes, the mohawk is easy to do but HARD to master!!! When I was doing them in the past, I was either wide stepping or hopping the mohawk. It took me AGES to finally get it down to the form where it was acceptable for Bronze Moves and I'm still working on making it even BETTER now. (Sad that I will no longer see my Ice Dancer Guy skater at the weekend rink to show him if I'm right or not since the weekend rink is gone now. :cry: He highly contributed to my getting the FI mohawk done right.)

jskater49

03-28-2007, 06:11 PM

We are talking about two different moves :lol: :lol: :lol:! My first comment, about the Choctaw, was referring to the power threes. Now I see you are talking about the 5 step Mohawk :idea:. Duh:roll:

Oh yes. Choctaw in 3 turns is a problem for me as well, I don't quite finish the crossover I'm in such a hurry to get going on that 3 turn and I think that is part of the reason my turn is not at the top.

Now I'm thinking the forward step in the 5 step is let's see a mohawk????

j

xofivebyfive

03-28-2007, 06:15 PM

Diamonds!- I'm finally allowed to skate again! YES! I did a loop for the first time in 3 months and it was really good. My camel spin was fast and centered as were the sit-backsit and back scratch. My coach also assured me that I was doing the toe loop right despite its gross ugly feeling. I also learned how to fix my free leg on my flip/lutz/loop jumps. I had been jumping so that I would probably develop a wrap leg if I didn't change what I was doing. She told me to point my foot and engage all of the muscles in my leg instead of letting it just hang there and go with the flow. And what do you know. She was so excited because it was apparently much better. Oh man, I love skating.

doubletoe

03-28-2007, 06:55 PM

Isk8NYC

03-28-2007, 06:56 PM

Thanks to Isk8NYC, everything I was going to say to answer your questions is already in the post above, LOL! Push out to the right for the 3-turn entry, pretend you have a neck brace on, and pick at 7:00. :)It was just so complete and well-stated.

doubletoe

03-28-2007, 07:01 PM

It was just so complete and well-stated.

Aww, thanks. :) I spend so much on lessons that I figure I should try to take good notes, LOL!

dbny

03-28-2007, 07:34 PM

Now I'm thinking the forward step in the 5 step is let's see a mohawk????

j

Agreed :D.

jskater49

03-28-2007, 07:46 PM

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????:?: :?:

j

mikawendy

03-28-2007, 07:53 PM

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????:?: :?:

j

I was wondering about that, too. Is it computer-programmer-speak? :lol: :lol:

phoenix

03-28-2007, 08:13 PM

Diamonds: did a semi-decent program runthrough today. I need to work on the beginning, which has gotten ignored too long due to my grave concern about the rest of the program!! I saw a girl doing a cool warmup exercise & tried it. It's hard, but really good--it's rocker/choctaws, bracket/3's & power pulls all wrapped into one! I can only do it very slowly yet, but will keep playing w/ it.

Zircons: Czech crystal, actually, glueing on my dress tonight. I've broke down at the last minute & decided I wanted sparkles for AN! Can't afford Swarovski right now, but these look really good, very flashy, for much less. I didn't get a ton of them, but I think they do add something. Hoping I will be worthy of them!!

jazzpants

03-28-2007, 08:19 PM

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????:?: :?:

jIn what context? "Head dialog" is usually conversations that goes on in my head to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do!!! :lol:

icedancer2

03-28-2007, 08:22 PM

In what context? "Head dialog" is usually conversations that goes on in my head to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do!!! :lol:

Well, you use the word head in several ays in your post - "head dialog" now makes sense. But head up? (step 3) That means you keep your head up or... that you head uprink (as in "head for the hills!")!

A lot of head talk there...:lol:

Emberchyld

03-28-2007, 08:33 PM

8O 8O Now I know what I'm doing wrong on the toeloop! But... but... how do I get all the way around without the cheat? 8O 8O

Diamonds:
Pretty coal-y today. My spirals felt nice (and look like a nice 90 degree arabesque).. now I need to get more comfortable with leaning forward to go towards a nice... hmm... 150 degree spiral?

3-turns are much better. What I find funny is that, since my coach has had me working on a the toe loop with a RI3 entry, my inside 3s have become much nicer and cleaner than my outside 3's... funny how that works, huh?:D

Ahem... and toe-waltzes :lol: are getting more comfortable

Coal:

Spins-- ARGH! My spin was sooooo broken today, and when trying to work on my (nonexistant) entry from crossovers, I wrenched my poor, bursitis-ridden hip (ilop-something... uhm... inner hip), forcing me to cut back drastically on the rest of the freestyle session.

And a non-skating lump o' coal: I have a coworker who is such a lazy, untrustworthy, idiotic #@$@$ who has been assigned to my project for the past few months and who makes me not want to come into work in the morning (and I love my job-- he's ruining it!). Even though his title is higher than mine, my boss has now assigned me to baby-sit him and make sure that he does his work (meaning that I then have to stay late to finish mine, while he goes gallivanting off having done nothing all day!). I soooooooooooooo didn't want to leave the ice today and dreamed of staying on freestyle all day! /end rant (sorry, I HAD to get this off of my chest!)

jskater49

03-28-2007, 08:44 PM

Step 1 - Head towards wall
Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)
Step 3 - Head straight up
Step 4 - Head dialog towards direction but away from wall (towards the axis)
Step 5 - Head towards the axis line.

I thought you were talking about my actually head facing the wall...now I'm thinking you just mean - entrance edge is toward the wall, but when you get head dialog towards direction ... I'm kind of lost. No that' s a lie. I'm not kind of lost. I'm totally lost.

My problem is that for the mohawk as soon as I start that edge, I wanna put my foot down...way before the rest of my body is ready to turn and I end up with an ugly scraping two footed mess!

j

jazzpants

03-28-2007, 08:52 PM

Well, you use the word head in several ays in your post - "head dialog" now makes sense. But head up? (step 3) That means you keep your head up or... that you head uprink (as in "head for the hills!")!

A lot of head talk there...:lol:Oh, I see....

It means "head towards" the wall or the axis line. (The direction you're going towards is probably a better description.)

Here, I drew a little diagram...

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4821/893/400/235610/5%20Step%20mohawks.jpg

(Of course, keeping in mind that you need to be on an edge, you need to curve the straight lines a bit... but that's the general idea you should be going for in the placments of your steps...)

sk8pics

03-29-2007, 06:03 AM

Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)

I think you mean diagonal here, not dialog. Right?

Isk8NYC

03-29-2007, 07:10 AM

I think you mean diagonal here, not dialog. Right?I've skated with her; she definitely DIDN'T mean dialog - she doesn't hang out on the ice like I do!

Sessy

03-29-2007, 08:29 AM

Lost both my toeloop and my salchow during lesson yesterday! 8O Considering they're the jumps I've had the longest and that I have to test them in 2 weeks, that was NOT a good time. Had them back by the end of the lesson (problem is with the way I go into the 3-turn, I keep the arms too high - I tense up my shoulders and the whole balance of the jump changes) but I'm positively spooked now. 8O
WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS ON TEST? :cry:

On the other hand, I did some of the best spins I ever have yesterday. I got 6 (slow and scratchy) revs on a camel and I did a sit spin so centered that it had scratched a deep little circle in the ice! :lol:

I'm also able to say, with some hesitation, that my lutz seems to be back to stay (it was there and gone and there again for a long time), and it's somehow easyer than my flip. I've no idea why, it just is although I'm pretty sure I'm taking off of a flat instead off an outside edge (pretty sure I'm not taking off an inside edge though, I've felt myself switching edge at the last possible moment twice and it feels very different from what I'm normally doing). Tried to get our group trainer to check it out yesterday but she was too busy with people who have to test and aren't able to do things for their test yet, and she'd spent time on my toeloop and sal already so I didn't really feel like I could ask for more really.

phoenix

03-29-2007, 09:12 AM

but I'm positively spooked now. 8O
WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS ON TEST? :cry:

Look at it this way: now you know how to fix it! If it happens on the test, & you have to re-skate it, now you know what causes the problem so you can fix it on the fly.

Besides, you are now more aware of what causes the problem, so you have 2 weeks to build the new, correct position into your muscle memory.

jazzpants

03-29-2007, 11:27 AM

I think you mean diagonal here, not dialog. Right?Yes, I DO mean DIAGONAL!!! LMAO!!! (NOW I know what the confusion was!!! :!: :frus: :lol: BIG thank you to sk8pics!!! :bow: ) And yes, I really did pass this Bronze Moves test. And yes, both sk8pics and ISk8NYC saw me practicing 5 step mohawks just before I took the test so they can vouch for me that I know how to do the move. However, they can't say that English is my first language. :lol:

Hope the little JPG chart I did write up help a bit better.

doubletoe

03-29-2007, 02:55 PM

Yep, sounds like a cheat: you're turning part of the jump on the ice, then jumping forward like a waltz jump. (Which explains your waltz jump's improvement: more practice! LOL) Some people refer to this as a "toe waltz" for that very reason.

Hmm. . .maybe THAT's why my axel has been so inconsistent lately! I stopped practicing the double toeloop after realizing it was a toe axel and deciding I didn't want to further ingrain the bad habit, LOL!

dbny

03-29-2007, 03:01 PM

Diamonds:
Managed to do both sides of the Prelim power threes. Slid out on B power pulls, but kept it together and kept going. I must get those blades sharpened! Still having fun with Mrs Redboots F cross stroke exercise.

Zircons:
Pretty much everything else. DD called from Australia at 5 AM in a total meltdown, and it took me about an hour to get back to sleep, then older DD called from BF's house at 9 AM to ask for a ride home. My scheduled wake up time was 10, but I gave myself another half hour and had to rush everything, so got to the rink tired. Did not do any FI threes! FO threes still not checked properly and I'm feeling frustrated with them again. Did no one foot spins, and caught the BO edge on several backspin attempts.

Sessy

03-29-2007, 03:33 PM

Look at it this way: now you know how to fix it! If it happens on the test, & you have to re-skate it, now you know what causes the problem so you can fix it on the fly.

We don't get to re-skate the tests, it has to be right straight away on our tests. :cry:

herniated

03-29-2007, 03:39 PM

Diamonds: Managed to do two good programs run throughs today. With help from my friend 'Advil' :lol: And I my coach said the axel is getting better and... the sit spin, back sit is getting lower!!:) Yeah!

Zircons: Did the 'Clash of Death', I think Sonic coined that phrase on a previous thread? It means while you are doing back cross overs your blades clash together producing a very painful fall - usually. But, I didn't fall just stumbled very ungracefully. And couldn't remember what leg I took off on for the axel. That provided a very funny moment for me and my coach.:oops: And now, I need another Advil/ibuprofin. Uuggh!

doubletoe

03-29-2007, 03:46 PM

We don't get to re-skate the tests, it has to be right straight away on our tests. :cry:

As long as you do a practice session somewhere on the day of your test, you should be able to identify if you are making that mistake again and fix it before your test. Give yourself some technique cue words to tell yourself as you go into the jump and that will remind you. :)

jazzpants

03-29-2007, 05:20 PM

Diamond:

Landed 3 out of 4 flips today! :)
Backspins are okay according to Jay. Now he wants me to just lift my knee up and then push out of the spin to a glide (still on spinning leg!!!) EEEEEK!!!8O (I tried to tell him that it's difficult b/c I'm not really spinning on a TRUE BO edge. :roll: )
Did loop at where I'm supposed to do them in the program. At first I couldn't land them clean but I finally got them landed clean on the last 2 tries... :bow:Zircon:

But I still have a LOOOOONG way to go to get the loops consistently at the speeds that I normally skate. :frus:
Jay wants me to alter practicing my FS program so that I do a flip instead of a salchow at the beginning of the program. YIKES!!! 8O 8O 8O

Skate@Delaware

03-29-2007, 06:56 PM

This is for last night, i didn't post because I was tired and have a migraine (still do, whatever)

zircons: spin exercises are really depressing!!! I can't blame my lack of spins on anything but bad technique/procedure.....but it's getting me down!!!! For every 10 attempts, I can manage 1 good spin...

Jump combo was so-so. Had to keep bailing, as kids were zinging all around!

Diamonds: practiced back-3's...two-footed, of course! Very interesting!!!

Then, although it was hubby's night for lesson, my passing comment about giving him "laps from hell" to his coach caused her to create an exercise for the both of us (to help him increase his speed):
Lap 1: swizzle to end, crossover around end, alternating crossovers back down to her (where we showered her with shaved ice)
Lap 2: Alternating crossovers, crossovers around end, hubby does back crossovers back down to coach, again repeat with shaved ice!
I asked her if she felt like a puck in a hockey game !!!!
Lap 3: Synchronized stroking with TOES POINTED!!!!!! at speed, of course!
It was fun!!!

My lessons are finished, he has two more weeks of lessons. Then the rink closes for the season, not to reopen until September.

dbny

03-29-2007, 09:37 PM

Did the 'Clash of Death', I think Sonic coined that phrase on a previous thread?

More commonly known as the "Click of Death". It's often just a little click you hear before you crash.

Diamond:

Landed 3 out of 4 flips today! :)
Backspins are okay according to Jay. Now he wants me to just lift my knee up and then push out of the spin to a glide (still on spinning leg!!!) EEEEEK!!!8O (I tried to tell him that it's difficult b/c I'm not really spinning on a TRUE BO edge. :roll: )
Did loop at where I'm supposed to do them in the program. At first I couldn't land them clean but I finally got them landed clean on the last 2 tries... :bow:

Congratulations on those flips and loops! I have to tell you that I have a friend who has a beautiful backspin, except that it's entirely on the FI edge. Now the good part is that when she exits the spin, it's on the spinning foot, clean BO edge, just like Jay wants you to do. Go figure.

Mrs Redboots

03-30-2007, 05:51 AM

Zircons: Tried to remember the steps we do at the beginning of our free dance, but couldn't.

Diamonds: However, we think we have it sorted now.

Zircons: But the Husband totally can't remember what we did next, you'd think he never did the dance before in his life! I know what we did, it was just the details that escaped me.

Diamonds: After he'd gone spent a long time practising various things, and especially stepping to forward, which is coming silently now! Whether it will in hold, I don't know.

Zircons yet again: Back 3-turns with the foot in front - I simply can't get my weight far enough back when I bring my foot in front, and I can feel exactly what I'm doing wrong, it's so frustrating! I suppose more knee-bend is what's wanted. Must ask the coach next week.

Sessy

03-30-2007, 07:14 AM

zircons: rink's compressor (cooling system) is busted.

Sessy

03-30-2007, 07:16 AM

As long as you do a practice session somewhere on the day of your test, you should be able to identify if you are making that mistake again and fix it before your test. Give yourself some technique cue words to tell yourself as you go into the jump and that will remind you. :)

There's no practice session. We only have ice once a week for an hour now, most rinks are closed here already, we're lucky to even have that. For a while it looked like we'd not be able to skate for a month before taking this test.

As for cue words, I sorta have some.... Haha. My lutz and flip only work if I actually whisper "Check..." (Sessy picks, jumps, lands) "...the sucker." (Sessy tries to keep her free leg from swinging all the way back and pulling her off her landing edge). And if my loop were a dog, it would think its name was the f-word. On my sal, I often think low-low-HIGH (for the last part of the leg swing and the takeoff) only for the toeloop and waltz I haven't got anything actually.

jskater49

03-30-2007, 09:50 AM

Diamonds

Worked on Bronze Moves in my lesson today

Back perimeter crossovers...I got in on pattern, 3 lobes and they were big enough to cover the length...I tend to rush the crossover...need to hold them longer and I've gotten in the habit of flattening out the last one in order to make it to the end...if I hold my crossovers better, I can cover the ice without flattening the last edge

Power 3 Turns - these started out as zircons but by the end of the lesson I was feeling much bettter, we made a lot of progress. Same thing -- hold my crossovers, especially the last edge ...I was stepping too soon and of course that was causing my 3 turn to be off pattern. I was also twisting myself all up so that I really had no control over the 3 turns. No wonder they were scary for me! Coach told me to think of my swing rolls - that I am very good at moving my lower body and keeping upper body stll on swing rolls- do the same thing on the crossovers...did that and all of a sudden felt much more control of the 3 turns.

Zircons - okay so there's still not much "power" in the power 3s but now that I've got some control that should come.

More annoying zircons - I've always been the one to defend the kids and say how much I like skating with kids, but lately they are so naughty! Today, two girls working on their show duet - they end their program doing splits on the ice. Fine...BUT GET UP AGAIN....Had to interrupt my 3 turns AFTER coach told one of the girls to please move (she was laying on the ice posing)...then it happened again but this time I did the "EXCUSE ME" and kept going. I try to avoid yelling "excuse me" (in fact I don't believe I"ve ever done it because it sounds rude to me) but I was tired of getting out of their way when I'm the one in a lesson, doing moves and they are laying on the ice.

I'm also really tempted to play music and do my moves so that I can have the right away on my moves...

j

Rob Dean

03-30-2007, 11:34 AM

Diamonds: I had both of my coaches at once yesterday working on my fiesta tango. Not only was it instantly obvious to the disengaged coach what I was doing wrong, it turns out that the problem is made much easier to handle by adopting an alternative (if somewhat less flamboyant) arm position, so I will be ready to get back to this after a little break. The willow waltz wasn't too bad in the lesson either.

Zircons: None for a change! Like jskater, the sudden realization that it really was position and could be addressed rather than being completely a mental/fear issue on my part made any little irregularities completely negligible. (Now let's hope it can be repeated...)

Rob

doubletoe

03-30-2007, 12:43 PM

There's no practice session. We only have ice once a week for an hour now, most rinks are closed here already, we're lucky to even have that. For a while it looked like we'd not be able to skate for a month before taking this test.

As for cue words, I sorta have some.... Haha. My lutz and flip only work if I actually whisper "Check..." (Sessy picks, jumps, lands) "...the sucker." (Sessy tries to keep her free leg from swinging all the way back and pulling her off her landing edge). And if my loop were a dog, it would think its name was the f-word. On my sal, I often think low-low-HIGH (for the last part of the leg swing and the takeoff) only for the toeloop and waltz I haven't got anything actually.

I was doing the same thing on my (double) toeloop entrance. Now I have a cue word for the LFI edge I do just BEFORE the 3-turn. On that LFI edge, I tell myself , "Settle" which means to relax my shoulders and arms and set them into the proper position (left arm at 11:00, right arm at 3:00, both relaxed, level to the ice and slightly rounded), and also to really settle into the ice with good knee and ankle bend. It helps a lot!

coskater64

03-30-2007, 01:17 PM

Managed to live through the week, just have my yoga class left and then therapuetic message, which much to my dismay has no scented candles just mobilizing my hip, which is ... painful!

Monday jumped, later had incredible pain... okay more pain than usual. Anyway made myself skate tuesday did well just no jumps at all, rested wednesday other than yoga and pilates (active rest) is what that's called. Thursday leg seemed better, did some really nice dances, especially tango (silver) and got some of my Jr moves going. Today skated program clean 2x but decided to work on spins, working on flying forward upright, yoga comes in handy for leg position, so overall a pretty good week, still not crossing foot on doubles even though they are much better on land than on ice. Can actually manage pointe without the bar, ankles seems to be getting stronger, unfortunately I was hoping for the hip.

Oh well, that's life.8O

phoenix

03-30-2007, 01:45 PM

Zircons: Oy--taped my program today. I definitely don't deserve my sparkles on my dress! Why do we look so different in our minds than in real life? :frus: I've been really thinking about extensions, but didn't see nary a one on the tape!

Diamonds: Coach wanted to focus on speed, so we went through piece by piece & found places where I can get more push & flow. Ended up having to move my start position a lot farther down the ice, to make room once I got to the corner because I was going so much faster...so that's good. Need to keep working on that. And extension. And posture!!! Oy.

Sessy

03-30-2007, 05:40 PM

I was doing the same thing on my (double) toeloop entrance. Now I have a cue word for the LFI edge I do just BEFORE the 3-turn. On that LFI edge, I tell myself , "Settle" which means to relax my shoulders and arms and set them into the proper position (left arm at 11:00, right arm at 3:00, both relaxed, level to the ice and slightly rounded), and also to really settle into the ice with good knee and ankle bend. It helps a lot!

Thanks doubletoe! Your advise is always gems! :)

Diamonds: found a concrete basketball field a few minutes roller-skating from where I live. Concrete is okay for roller skating, asphalt is not, I was looking for a concrete field for a while already but as always it took some asking around to actually find one. I tried some flips and toeloops. I'm only doing a half a flip on the (much heavyer) roller skates on which I need to do jumps from mohawks instead of 3turns because they're cheap ones and the wheels are solid and not like on real roller skates. However, I'll take even half flips for now considering I only did a 20 minute session to get used to them again. I got a full revolution on my spot from an outside mohawk!!! Okay it was sort of two-footed, but my weight was over right so that's just from getting used to the roller skates.
I know I need to rest to recover from my anckle injury in summer but at least I'll be able to practice some edges and presentation! I'm always looking down on the mohawks and such. And build some muscle at least. My back crossovers were really nice compared to what they were last summer. I can get a lot of power in them if I practice them on roller skates through the summer. Oh and best part, just roller skating there I'm already warmed up for the skating! I'm seriously thinking if I shouldn't roller skate to my ice skating rink in winter now... I'm always feeling 1 hour sessions are just enough for me to get warmed through and not nearly enough to train my fullest.

jazzpants

03-30-2007, 07:26 PM

doubletoe

03-30-2007, 09:05 PM

I take it that the advice also goes well with my FO3 entries to the flip too? :D (I'll have to try that and see if I get more consistency with the jump, since I tend to rush the entry to that jump...)

I hadn't thought about it, but yes, I would think so! The edge before the ones that "matter" actually matters quite a lot!

CaraSkates

03-30-2007, 09:19 PM

I almost never post on here but this was a pretty good week so why not?

Zircons
Still cheating the axel...I need to switch my weight in the air, not on the ice. I cross AFTER I come down, not in mid air. Sitspin was bad tonight, not the awesome low fast thing it was being Tuesday and Wednesday. Worked on Pre-Juv MITF...hate power pulls, the rest of the test is ok.

Diamonds
Passed Preliminary MITF yesterday! There was a tense moment when the judge called me over at the end of the test (they didn't call the people before me over) but she just wanted to tell me it was a pleasure to judge my test. Lowest mark I got was 2.6 and the passing average is 2.5 :D
Layback was good...Camel Sit was good eariler in the week and the first move on Pre-Juv MITF only needs a little work according to MITF coach. All in all, mostly a Diamonds week.

Sessy

03-31-2007, 05:40 AM

I can't even jump my flip without a lfi edge before the rfo for the 3-turn if I'm doing it from a 3-turn.

Isk8NYC

03-31-2007, 08:08 AM

Passed Preliminary MITF yesterday! There was a tense moment when the judge called me over at the end of the test (they didn't call the people before me over) but she just wanted to tell me it was a pleasure to judge my test. Lowest mark I got was 2.6 and the passing average is 2.5 :D Wonderful - Congratulations, CaraSkates

Diamonds:
Sit spins - no real traveling, but I just couldn't get down low enough while wearing chino pants.
Scratch spins - yay! Very little travel, and I controlled the speed well.
Back Scratch spins - okey-dokey. I'm getting pretty good at keeping the free leg behind for the first couple revs, then bringing it forward. Guess the control's coming back. Still not comfortable with the arms yet - I still like the free side shoulder back more.

Waltz Jump, Waltz-toe-loop, toe loop - all okay.
I'm working on height and form with these jumps.

Zircons:
All that glitters is NOT gold. I recorded a few spins since I had the ice to myself. Never as nice as you think, fortunately, I was off-camera once or twice. LOL Still, it's a good training tool.

Tried a few loops, but gave up when my students arrived.

tidesong

03-31-2007, 08:17 AM

Zircons:
Still working through those pre-competition jitters... I was watching the events today because my event is tomorrow... and when people started throwing out their jumps I started getting nervous thinking about mine.

Diamonds:
Everytime I got a bad mental image of falling or messing things up, I quickly countered it with a good one (with all the good technique things I know I can do and have to keep in mind)

And tomorrow is my competition! I'm competing in Adult Ladies Gold! I had a very very sweet and short nice 5 minute practise after the events were done and the rink not yet opened to public. I hit my axel and double salchow twice straight off the bat, and then went through my other spins and jumps. My flying sit I did twice iirc also was to my liking. And then I went and did a messy axel and popped a salchow :halo: Anyhow, I know I got distracted after all that goodness, silly me. I felt it was enough and I couldn't afford to tire my muscles the day before competition so I left the ice in a pretty good mood. Plus my friends were all there and being so positive and helpful.

jskater49

03-31-2007, 10:29 AM

Diamonds
Passed Preliminary MITF yesterday! .

Congratulations:bow: :bow: :bow:

Diamonds - Had my LTS Artistry in Motion class today. Have I mentioned how much I love this class:D

We have two adults (we're about the same level, I can do a little more) a 9 year old pre-pre girl and a little 6 year old from basic skills, that I'm not really sure why she's in the class, but she's having fun--technically this is for for skaters past fs 2 but then I probably shouldn't be in either

We went over edgework and footwork today. - she gave us an easy sequence - mohawk crossovers -2 foot turn for those not comfortable with mohawks -- I did my easy mohawk on one side and 2 foot turn for my bad side but I'm going to practice this with both mohawks. The pre-pre girl got brackets and turns - slips, spiral, lunge, 3 turn, mazurka. Then each of us had to add arm motions to a section. I got the 3 turn and mazurka so I just put my hands on hips for 3 turn and one arm in the air for the mazurka. We all brought music that we are eventually going to choreograph a program to but today we had to do the footwork to everyone's music. Mine was Dean Martin's "Marshmallow world" I want to do a solo to it in this year's holiday show. The sequence went really well with the music.

I'm going to try to remember to practice the mohawk back crossovers - they are fun and good way to make me do mohawks.

j

dbny

03-31-2007, 12:51 PM

Congratulations, CaraSkates

Diamonds:
Hit one really good, 5 rev one foot spin from T push in my lesson, and we ended the work on it after that. I started flattening the BI edge on the Choctaw in the Prelim power threes, felt it, fixed it, and skated both sides very nicely in my lesson (still on the blue line). FO threes on the line are very close to being checked properly - I've got the shoulders!

Zircons:
I'm starting to feel a little fear of the one foot spin from T push . Gotta banish that or it will hold me back. Position on backspin entrance needed corrections; I was letting my L shoulder rotate past my L hip. Still not doing the power threes with any speed, but coach showed me how to double foot the scary parts so I can start letting the speed happen and practice the pattern down the length of the rink.

doubletoe

03-31-2007, 06:07 PM

Terri C

03-31-2007, 06:48 PM

Diamonds:
Yesterday, finally a lesson with Primary Coach. We went over the elements for the Bronze freestyle test, which I hope to re- take for the 5th time (4 retries before Adult MIF) in May. We still need to tweak the loop and backscratch some, but I'm confident that I can pass the test this time. Ran program after lesson, as the public session I was on turned itself into a freestyle session.
Today went to another rink to skate the 8am freestyle and there were 4 ADULTS on the ice, including myself. It was so nice to share the ice with adults for a change.
Did my program again, and the stamina is getting better.

Now for the big huge diamond.....
I WILL BE GETTING BACK TO MY NORMAL WORK SCHEDULE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO AND WILL FINALLY BE BACK TO SKATING ON A REGULAR BASIS!!!

Another diamond..
Got a new computer, complete with high speed Internet and signed up for Ice Network- I have died and gone to heaven!

Zircon....
Backscratch and loop refused to cooperate today...
Was delayed in getting high speed internet, because the cable company didn't take out all the filters!

Rusty Blades

03-31-2007, 07:13 PM

Diamonds: Oh, did I mention I passed my Pre Introductory Interpretive test at the Adult Championships last week? Well I DID! My very first ever competition and first ever test (at the over-ripe age of 57 - LOL!) I was also only one point behind the Bronze medalist in my category :mrgreen:

Zircons: Having passed Pre Intro means I will have to compete one level higher next time 8O

I figured I would "crash" after the competition . . . yup . . . After busting my britches for 14 months (since I first took to the ice) and skating up to 8 hours a week (except last June), I thought I would suffer whiplash when it was all over . . . yup :roll: Today is the first day since a year ago January that I have had absolutely free and uncommitted. It is a dreary, cool, and overcast day and I have ZERO energy or zip. I feel about as gray as the weather :cry:

Diamonds: Spring School starts on Tuesday and my coach suggested I do a local competition in August so I imagine my spirits will perk up when I get back on the ice and start working on a new program.

CaraSkates

03-31-2007, 07:56 PM

Diamonds: Oh, did I mention I passed my Pre Introductory Interpretive test at the Adult Championships last week? Well I DID! My very first ever competition and first ever test (at the over-ripe age of 57 - LOL!) I was also only one point behind the Bronze medalist in my category :mrgreen:

Yay! Good for you! I started skating a little less than three years ago at the age of 14. Actually that was one of the questions from the judge at my Prel MITF test, how long had I been skating. Holding out on testing Preliminary Freestyle till I land the axel and double sal...still cheating both on two feet.
I am in a MITF group class but at the moment there are only two of us in the class and we both just passed Prelim moves (tested at the exact same time! both got complimented too!). So our MITF coach congratulated us (she doesn't take us to test sessions), hugged us, let us tell her about the test for two minutes then it was onto Pre-Juvenile.
Thanks everyone for the congratulations! I really like MITF. Can't wait to skate on Tuesday and work on them some more!

Skate@Delaware

03-31-2007, 08:44 PM

Debbie S

03-31-2007, 10:09 PM

just a quick little post...just got home from my rink's 2nd annual Basic Skills competition....I worked as a runner and man, am I WIPED OUT!!!! There from 9:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.!!!!!!! Sounds like my day. Except that our Basic Skills comp was only 9 to 4, and I ended up only "running" until about 1, so I got to watch most of the FS events. It was my first time helping out at a comp, and it was interesting to see how the results get entered and tabulated with the accounting software. And the kids generally skated well, so most left happy.

tidesong

04-01-2007, 03:10 AM

Good luck tomorrow, Tidesong! Trust that your jumps will be there tomorrow when you need them. And it doesn't matter whether you land it in the warmup or not; you can still land it in your program! :D

I kinda did the opposite... I think I landed my first ever double salchow in the warmup. Then i fell in the program. But I (think I) rotated it, so I'm happy with that bit at least. Still have yet to see the protocols.

Anyways... I got a whopping 30 points 8O I think the judges were being reallly lenient (throughout the whole competition) but I'm happy. 8-)

(I don't believe I can get anything close to that if it were an international.... is it me or judges just love to give out marks at home? lol)

As for placement I got second out of three people and its an improvement from last years three out of three :D

edit: the program component scores were given a factor of 2 instead of 0.8 no wonder the scores seemed lenient. I take back my comment about leniency.

Isk8NYC

04-01-2007, 08:45 AM

Congrats to all the competitors and testers out there!

Diamonds:
Decent Prel MITF spiral sequence and power three's. The double-insides are helping.
Crossover Circles - I do believe I've got the idea now - there's a set place for the actual cross that keeps me from hitting the wall!
(Although, I watched a test session where the skater had to skate the pattern on center ice. As if we didn't have ENOUGH to remember. LOL)
Threes on the line were better, moreso on one side. :roll:
Waltz/Toe/Waltz-Toe were good.
Started beating the sit spin into submission. Sat on my butt a few times forcing it lower and lower.

Zircons:
Didn't try more than a handful of loop jumps.

I've choreographed too many programs in the last few weeks - I keep repeating elements and mixing up the routines. LOL

I think my blades need sharpening again - keep sliding sideways on my right heel. Checked my calendar and it doesn't make sense.

CaraSkates

04-01-2007, 12:23 PM

Crossover Circles - I do believe I've got the idea now - there's a set place for the actual cross that keeps me from hitting the wall!
(Although, I watched a test session where the skater had to skate the pattern on center ice. As if we didn't have ENOUGH to remember. LOL)

When I took Pre-Pre MIF I watched my friend and another girl I kinda know test Prelim MIF. It was single paneled so they were on the ice together. The girl I kinda know requested to do her crossover circles in the center. My friend did hers at the end, around the two hockey circles. This was only almost a problem as she and my friend came close to hitting when they would pass each other.
So, when another friend and I were working on these, our coach made sure we could do them at either end or in the middle. Once again, the test was single paneled but this time the judges specified that we would be at either end!

jazzpants

04-01-2007, 03:08 PM

Another diamond...
Got a new computer, complete with high speed Internet and signed up for Ice Network- I have died and gone to heaven!YEEEE HAWWWW! A good day at work and a nice computer with high speed Internet to watch Ice Network!!! :bow: :bow: :bow: (Jazzpants needs a new computer. She has her DSL though...)

Diamonds:

Have both flips and loops with me at my last skate at my weekend rink (and despite the fact that I was having "women's issues," if you get my drift... :x )
Spins were decent including surprisingly the camel spins. I also had some pretty decent tries at a back sit. And I found a hip hop/dance song that the city girls wants to shake their booties and dance to on ice... but I can top THAT -- I had the footwork! :twisted:
Was at a memorial skating show for a fellow adult skater and skating judge that recently passed on. It was a very touching tribute... and my primary coach was one of the performers. One of the adult skater's mom (who was sitting next to me...) says "The next time you see Jay, would you tell him "hello and that she's so happy to finally see him skating again." (You guys going to AN in Chicago... don't worry! If you watch the Master's Men Interp, you'll get to see his program too!!!) :DZircons:
I was at the VERY last session for the weekend rink. It's now officially CLOSED!!!! I gave the ice a good pat before I left the ice patch... and took a SLEW of videos and pics. And with that, a fond farewell (hopefully not for good though) for Berkeley Iceland (http://www.saveberkeleyiceland.org/). :cry: :cry: :cry:

WannabeS8r

04-01-2007, 06:03 PM

Diamonds:

- Smooth and mostly fast camel spin - pretty rare for me, I have no clue how I managed that. :lol:
- Landed all my single jumps through flip cleanly most of the time; lutz still missing.
- Got 2 rotations in my back sit!
- Nailed 99% of the scratch-change-scratch spins I've tried.
- Almost got the hang of the outside spread eagle, and leaned back more in the Ina Bauer.
- Layback; 3-4 rotations while looking at the ceiling, and leaning back (a lot of traveling though!).

Zircons:

- Traveled a lot on scratch spins, though they were very fast.
- Struggling with lutz, kept doing a half-lutz instead of a full one.

Skate@Delaware

04-01-2007, 08:08 PM

Sounds like my day. Except that our Basic Skills comp was only 9 to 4, and I ended up only "running" until about 1, so I got to watch most of the FS events. It was my first time helping out at a comp, and it was interesting to see how the results get entered and tabulated with the accounting software. And the kids generally skated well, so most left happy.
What do you mean SOFTWARE?????? We did all the tabulations BY HAND!!! then one of the guys left (I'm like WHAT????) then an hour later the girl left and that left the 14-year old and ME and I DON'T DO MATH (I have had a math learning disability since middle school)....8O ....it took me 15 minutes to do EACH PERSON'S SCORE because I had to do it twice to make sure I got the same number....and I was tired!

math sucks ;) but my daughter does high level algebra! isn't that weird?

but i got to watch my daughter's spin event, but not her interp event :cry: ; my son medaled silver for his NHL hockey event so that was cool!!! They used a radar gun for the "fastest shooting" event!

dbny

04-01-2007, 09:52 PM

As for placement I got second out of three people and its an improvement from last years three out of three :D

Well done!

I DON'T DO MATH (I have had a math learning disability since middle school)....8O ....it took me 15 minutes to do EACH PERSON'S SCORE because I had to do it twice to make sure I got the same number....and I was tired!

Get yourself an inexpensive calculator! I do math, but use the calc on my PC all the time. It's easier.

Debbie S

04-01-2007, 10:44 PM

What do you mean SOFTWARE?????? We did all the tabulations BY HAND!!! Yikes! Your rink didn't get a USFSA accountant? He set up shop (meaning there was a table for his computer and printer, and a chair, etc) in the pro shop and I would bring him the score sheets from the judges, and he would enter the numbers. He used the USFSA accounting software and had everything programmed (I guess it's the accountant who prints out the starting orders and the judging sheets with the names and the elements on it), with a separate file for each event, and he would enter the numbers from each judge for each skater in a grid/spreadsheet format and the software would tabulate the results and he would print out the sheets. He signed them and then I took them to have the referee sign off, and then I'd post them on the wall. Actually, there were 2 copies of each generated, b/c he would keep a copy for his records along with the score sheets.

It was a challenge when posting b/c I'd have 2 copies for several events (but would post just one), plus I'd have score sheets from events that I'd picked up while having the ref sign the result sheets from the previous events, so it was a lot to juggle. I dropped the score sheets once while trying to tape papers at a place on the wall above my head, but fortunately they fell into 1 big pile that I could easily pick up as kids and parents gathered around me to check out the latest results. I was relieved in the afternoon by 2 sisters that I skate with who have helped out at comps previously, and they had running down to a science. :)