Soar like an Eagle, Stink like a Skunk! Practice May 7 to 13 [Archive]

Rusty Blades

05-07-2007, 10:48 AM

Oh, it's ME again! The disadvantage of skating on a Monday morning - I have to think about thread titles. Since spring has arrived on the prairies and I saw an eagle overhead this weekend and I also know the skunks are out, lets try this one 8-)

Stink! My gawd the ice was cold, hard, and frosty today! It was SLOW and deep edges didn’t feel secure ...

Soar! .. but there were only three of us on the ice plus two coaches .... did I mention how much I LOVE these early morning sessions? :mrgreen:

Stink! Was really stiff and a touch wobbly to start out a Monday morning ....

Soar! ...but everything started coming together eventually. Practiced a whole lot of back outside edges on the circle and backward glides with the free foot behind (Ahead? In-advance-of?) i.e. the “landing position” and the back outsides are improving leaps and bounds :halo:

Stink! Spins weren’t working AT ALL! (not enough coffee yet?) :roll:

Soar! Coach commented that my back outside edges are improving quickly :halo:

After lesson, on the cooling off, I did a couple forward laps of the rink just to stretch out and push a bit. When I came off the ice, my competition coach commented that I am WAY faster than I was a couple of months ago. Really? That’s nice :mrgreen:

Skittl1321

05-07-2007, 11:00 AM

Stink Like A Skunk Well after a lousy lesson last week, I'm on the injured list for awhile. I have no idea what I did to my leg, but it was hurting during my lesson last week, and has continued to keep hurting. It's not the muscle, as I can't stretch it in anyway. I think I pulled/strained either a tendon or a ligament. I have a constant dull aching pain on the side of my lower left leg (near the calf, but not the calf- also not shin splints) that occasionally upgrades to a incredibly sharp pain. After icing/advil for a week I called my primary care (a NP). She is not at all concerned that it might be a blood clot, as there is no swelling or discoloration- and she said my level of pain is too low. So I'm not going in, but I can't skate. Hopefully I can take my lesson next week (which will be two weeks off)- but until then, rest I guess.

skatingdoris

05-07-2007, 11:28 AM

Stink Like A Skunk:

Hi Skittl1321 - sounds to me like you've got yourself a bit of tendonitis. I have that in my peroneal tendon (outside of the leg, in that dippy bit just behind and above the ankle. the pain runs up the outside of my leg). I took a few weeks of skating in january and it went away, but its back again now and driving me do lally tap. I think I got it from bad picking technique on flip/lutz and its just never been allowed to heal properly. :x

more skunks:
I managed to tear a ligament in my ankle last night, its all swollen up and is starting to go a nice purple colour. so thats me off skating for the next few weeks :cry:. fed up of not being able to walk an having to hop to the bathroom and back.

Skittl1321

05-07-2007, 11:33 AM

Hi Skittl1321 - sounds to me like you've got yourself a bit of tendonitis. I have that in my peroneal tendon (outside of the leg, in that dippy bit just behind and above the ankle. the pain runs up the outside of my leg).
Hmm.. that sounds like where the pain is in my leg, but nothing is bothering me in my ankle- but I think the peroneus tendon runs a good portion of the leg. I have tendonitis in both of my feet (strangely, not achilles tendonitis like most dancers, it's the top of my feet through my ankles) and I cannot run at all because of it, the pain is a bit different- but generally when I aggrevate those it's unbearable and swollen because I aggrevated it. I can't remember what the first onset was like (that was in 1994)- maybe it was more similiar to what I'm feeling in my leg now. Just what I need, more tendons that bother me. Hopefully it will go away with rest, and I can not do whatever caused it in the first place- it doesn't seem like I skate enough to have a habit that aggrevates it, and it really started just suddenly.

BTW- Hope your ankle gets better. There certainly seem to be a lot of injuries going around.

flo

05-07-2007, 02:37 PM

Soaring: I've never been able to do this much with new skates. Still trying to take care of the spot where the leather meets the elastic cuff. The best yet has been smoothing the wax ear plugs over the seam and topping it with tape. It lasts until the heat of the foot melts it. I'm going to try silly putty and the grey artist's erasers. I do wear a bunga type sleeve already. Anyone have this problem with dance boots?

I'm not going to do the Chesapeake Open, as their interpretive event is billed as "that's entertainment" and is described as more of a light event with props. My new program is pretty serious. A friend is entering the silver ladies event and hoping that there will be some competition and the event is not cancelled. So I think my next one will be the Peach or Halloween.

aussieskater

05-07-2007, 06:05 PM

Still trying to take care of the spot where the leather meets the elastic cuff. The best yet has been smoothing the wax ear plugs over the seam and topping it with tape. It lasts until the heat of the foot melts it. I'm going to try silly putty and the grey artist's erasers. I do wear a bunga type sleeve already. Anyone have this problem with dance boots?

Yep, DH's new boots have an elastic dance scallop in the back, and rubbed him raw until I took a couple of BandAids, cut them up to fill the gap, then used black Duck Tape (really strong fabric tape, in case it's not called that over there) over the whole. He says it's worked like a dream - and there's no more raw part on his leg, so I guess he's right!

Bill_S

05-07-2007, 06:25 PM

What stinks: not being able to skate! After our rink closed for the season, work and a homeowner's springtime tasks have me too busy to make the 1-1/2 hour drive to another rink.

Make that a double stink!

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/critters/skunks-and-eyes.jpg

doubletoe

05-07-2007, 06:35 PM

Soaring like an eagle:
- Catch foot spiral is already acceptable, after just a week of working on it!
- Actually made good progress on the Y backspin; I got halfway into position before losing it. I figure if I can get halfway there after just a week, it's probably possible to get it all the way there within 6 months. :)
- Landed three double salchows right out of the box, after several weeks of not trying any. :D

Stinking like a skunk:
- I was hoping I'd have the same luck with the axel after taking a break from it for several weeks, but I was more freaked out over it than ever! My waltz-loops were fine, so I think the axel spazz-out is mostly mental at this point. I am so sick of losing this jump and having to get it back five times a year. :frus:

Dancing like a turtle:
My Intermediate MIF. I'm getting through them, but they sure aren't looking polished yet.

Terri C

05-07-2007, 06:51 PM

Soaring like a eagle:
My test program on lesson today! I rebounded from a crappy opening backscratch to skate the rest of the program clean! I'm slowly discovering the beauty of clean elements when you take your time and don't rush.

Stink like a skunk:
The ice and the crowd. I braved myself another run through in the session after my lesson was over. I was setting up for the loop and as I turned from a RFI3 another skater almost backspiraled right into me! Then I had to yell at a couple of kids to get out of the lutz corner as I was setting up for a half lutz!

jazzpants

05-08-2007, 12:48 AM

Skittl1321: I definitely agree with the tendonitis thing. i had that when my old boots started wearing down... How old are your boots? In any case, I really suggest a lot of rest and no ice for a while (except on the foot, of course.) Get well soon!!! :cry:

Bill_S: LOVE the skunk pictures.... LOL!!!

Le PEW de Skunk:
My Club Ice was filled to capacity b/c of YB's rink closure!!! I had to wait a half hour before someone left early and I took the spot and skated the last 40-45 minutes of the Club Ice session!!! That's 23 skaters (most of them pre-teen to teenage girls!!!) NOT including the coaches!!! :twisted: (Le YIKES!!! 8O ) Too bad the nearby alternate weekend rink was closed Monday nights too! :frus:

Back squat spin is still squatting, never mind not staying on the BO Edge and I still have to get a BO edge on my regular one foot backspin!!! I am REALLY FRUSTRATED with this one here!!! :x :frus:

Eagle:
Oh, well! Better a little bit of ice than NO ICE!!! And I got in my practice this time in front of secondary coach, including some really good high waltz jump JUST FOR HER to see!!! :twisted: And of course, the student that is working with her at the time was working on an axel. Coincidence? Or am I trying to get inspired myself to get myself out of "boc boc boc" mode and get started on learning an axel??? (Stay tuned...) ;)

Making some progress on a camel spin. We'll see if it eventually becomes an "actual" camel soon!!! ;) Sit spins and one foot spins are there. Still working on the footwork for my program too but looking better. LBO3's and RBO3's are there tonight too!!! WOO HOO!!! :bow: (Hey! Who says this almost 40 year old can't keep up with the young'ums on spins and jumps??? I'm spinning... but really fighting hard to stay in a spiral position but I think I did managed it.)

chowskates

05-08-2007, 03:15 AM

Stinking like a skunk:
- I was hoping I'd have the same luck with the axel after taking a break from it for several weeks, but I was more freaked out over it than ever! My waltz-loops were fine, so I think the axel spazz-out is mostly mental at this point. I am so sick of losing this jump and having to get it back five times a year. :frus:

Goodness, why does that sound so familiar???
Anyway, congrats on your double Sal!

- Chow

jskater49

05-08-2007, 08:23 AM

I don't know about these extremes...I don't stink but I don't particularly soar either!!

My daughter has a half flip in her footwork in her new program and she coudln't remember how to do one so I got to show her!

So who makes up the rules for things like spin events in competitions? Like who's bright idea is it to allow 1:30 for a spin program that consists of a 1 ft and a 2 ft spin, but a compulsary which requires two jumps, a spin and a spiral is only 1 minute? My spin program is about 35 seconds. I better make sure my ending pose is very secure, because with my luck, I'll have to wait while a prelim skater finishes her 1:30 minute program on the other side of the rink.

So for my compulsary, you can do a spiral or a lunge. My really nice lunges have come back and look much better than my spiral so I'm considering putting that in instead of a spiral BUT....if I keep the spiral, I will work on my spiral more so that it will become nicer. I shall ask my coach's opinion on the matter in my lesson tomorrow.

Oh I lied --my mohawks really do stink.

j

flo

05-08-2007, 08:29 AM

Thanks Aussie skater. Duck (as I call it - quack) tape is a wonderful thing. We once used it to fix a heat exchanger on boat! I'm convinced that with duct tape and bungee cords you can fix anything.

Thanks!

Mrs Redboots

05-08-2007, 10:05 AM

I'm convinced that with duct tape and bungee cords you can fix anything.
Who was it who said "If it doesn't move and should, use WD40. If it moves and ought not, use duct tape."

Stinking like a polecat (we don't have skunks in this country): Maybe we should have put some on my husband's spin this morning, which was travelling so far I think he earned air miles!

Tried to dance to the USFSA music - not a success! I actually rather like the Swing Dance being that slow, but it takes some getting used to.

Forgot the steps in our free dance! Then Husband did. Oh well...

No lessons this week (all we need before competition!) as coaches on holiday.

Soaring like an eagle: We got the free dance right second time of trying.

I think this is a positive not a negative - our shoulders really need work! It's positive because I'm only just beginning to notice this problem, so I assume that it is only now that our overall skating is getting good enough that it is a problem!

We have a two month summer gap (and about 50 miles on the motorway!) between Bracknell and Bristol, so plan to ask the coach to focus on that with us then.

Petlover

05-08-2007, 11:33 AM

Bill S., loved the double stink skunk picture!

Soaring - Finally! 2 great one foot spins for coach! Yesterday, I found a kind of bounce back to forward rhythm that works well for me. Coach really liked it, so I'm going to keep it and continue to work towards a great spin.

Stink - Coach asked me to demonstrate a bunny hop for another student - okay, I've never liked the bunny hop, and have not done one for a few years. It didn't work, coach had to pull over another of her students to demonstrate. Guess what coach and I worked on for the first 10 minutes of my lesson!

doubletoe

05-08-2007, 11:49 AM

Goodness, why does that sound so familiar???
Anyway, congrats on your double Sal!

- Chow

Oh, thanks, Chow! I'm relieved to know that a skater as good as you keeps losing her axel, too! :roll:

Rusty Blades

05-08-2007, 09:01 PM

Well, really STRANGE session tonight .....

Soaring! After a year's struggle to try to re-learn the basics of skating and a couple weeks of REALLY trying to get my backward edges, they just started to really flow tonight and feel SOOO comfortable.

In lesson, coach commented on the improvement in the back edges. :mrgreen:

We went back to (two-foot) spins and I was attempting to hit them both ways (CW & CCW). Coach asked which way I used to spin and I told her that the basic jumps and spins I could do both ways but that was 36 years ago! Right now my right 3-Turns are stronger than my left so I suspected clockwise might be the easiest. She suggested I try a RFO 3-Turn and step onto a LBO edge - which I did and it felt quite comfortable. It is a good thing I have NOT been practicing 1 revolution jumps off the ice or I would have been so tempted to turn that into a Salchow 8O (A Sal is everybody's first jump, isn't it? LOL!)

Stinky! I don't skate again until Friday :cry: Oh well, I guess that gives me time to wax the kitchen floor and start working on that 1 revolution jump :roll:

phoenix

05-08-2007, 10:22 PM

Soar: I skated yesterday for 25 minutes, & I knew I needed to take it very easy (pulled hip flexor)... I intended to just play a little, so decided to learn the steps to the Midnight Blues. Figured that way I wouldn't skate full out (by any means), & would just be kind of walking through.

Stink! Well, it was too much fun, & I like the steps that end in the bauer (which, yes, hits the affected muscle), so when I did get off it was pretty sore. I've resolved not to skate again until possibly Friday, when I'll decide if I'm going to take a shot at a lesson. I probably should take another solid week off (& coach may enforce that), but I miss skating so much!! I miss my coach too, which is kind of weird because we're not 'friends' off the ice, & don't really have contact other than skating/lesson related.

tidesong

05-08-2007, 10:26 PM

Soaring

Double toe still isn't dead, I guess you can call it progress... still a very iffy jump for me :P (always in the uh... did I rotate that or not? feeling when I land it)

Double sal and axel are ok. Didn't manage to get 5 each early in the session, think I bailed out after 3 each and decided to give up and work on double toe..

Working hard on the shizuka COE spiral... killing my leg muscles...

Managed a good LBI beilmann spiral... counted up to 4 missisipi too! haha. (and now I read the new rules I better start practising LBO instead...)

And did a LFI normal catch knee spiral but I managed to pull it into a split! (or feels like how it feels as a split on land... hahaha) On the ice... I never did that before... maybe I will be able to do it again.

Tried outside edge camel, it actually feels a bit more under control now, friend said I hit one round... can't believe I'm doing this things...

Stinky:
Still nursing the bruise from last week... thankfully there are these things called knee pads. I love them. :P

Did a nice low layback spin and then fell over and somehow although I fell on my hands and side, my head hurt like it got hit with a migraine... I don't understand... but it stopped soon enough...

chowskates

05-09-2007, 03:31 AM

Oh, thanks, Chow! I'm relieved to know that a skater as good as you keeps losing her axel, too! :roll:

LOL... I used to say that I cannot jump when, on take-off, I can see where I'm going to fall!

chowskates

05-09-2007, 03:41 AM

Soar: double toe
Landed quite many *clean* ones this week. I'm fully convinced that the (double) toe is an easy jump once you get it - but it really plays hard-to-get!

Stink: axel
managed to lose my axel halfway through lesson on Monday. Still can't figure out how it can just disappear in the space of 5 minutes! :frus:

I asked a friend to video my 2T - on the first one I tapped the free foot down, on the second there were people in the way. My friend said, "that wasn't good, go do some more." I landed the next two *nicely* and the zamboni came on. Later I found that my friend did not get the two that were landed! :x

jskater49

05-09-2007, 08:40 AM

I'm going to try not to whine about getting up at 3:30 am anymore, but I just want to mention that the first day is pretty good, today it starts to go downhill and Friday I expect to be worthless....anyhoo

stinks - I pretty much could not jump or spin today

soar - so I shared with my coach my thinking - my lunge is better than my spiral so I should do that in my compulsary...but if I keep it in I will work harder on my spiral. Then it strikes me I have this 35 second spin program that is allowed up to 1:30 - why not put the crappy spiral in the spin program where it doesn't count but I'll practice it and do the nice lunge in the compulsary where it does count??? My coach said she liked my thinking.

Before my lesson I placed the spiral in the spin program and worked it out so I ended up where she had me start and she was surprised I had figured that out. "I did take your choreography class in Artistry in Motion" I reminded her and she said she's not used to students thinking for themselves.

Oh but we had fun with the spin program, not the spins themselves...but the in betweens...it's full of chasses and swingrolls, forward and backward. I told her this was getting pretty close to being a dance and she didn't want any part of being a dance coach. Another compliment "Your assest is that you get good speed and flow over the ice so let's show that off"

Then we worked on toe loops and I actually did jump pretty high for one of them. Now I feel like when I do the jumps competition I can go out there and at least show that I know the basic tecnique of the jump, even if I don't actually do a real uncheated one. As you know, when it comes to competition, I always have other goals than winning;)

j

Mrs Redboots

05-09-2007, 09:25 AM

Total, utter, dead-fish stinky: All right, who nicked the RFO3 turn from my Willow Waltz? Please give it back, now. I have to compete the thing in a week!

Soaring: Uh - we skated?

And the ice was nice and empty.

liz_on_ice

05-09-2007, 10:52 AM

Stinking: Salchow. Still. I am such a chicken about committing to that mid-air weight shift. I double-foot the landing every time. :frus:

Soaring: my half-lutz, after my coach got me to extend the picking leg properly. Learning something new - namely the back pivot. I wouldn't say the move soars, I barely got halfway round before the zamboni started to run us over, but I felt like flying just from knowing I'm going on to more advanced moves.

Petlover

05-09-2007, 11:24 AM

Stinking: My second salchow, no check, no control, almost into a spin instead of a salchow.

Soaring: My third salchow, and the salchow in my Freestyle program were great and felt great - that check after the LFO 3 turn makes all of the difference! Also, falling leafs felt wonderful and coach loved them.

phoenix

05-09-2007, 12:21 PM

Total, utter, dead-fish stinky: All right, who nicked the RFO3 turn from my Willow Waltz? Please give it back, now. I have to compete the thing in a week!

I didn't take yours, but you can borrow mine as I'm not using it at the moment. It's pretty good, provided you remember to step on a really good true edge going into it....and don't look down.

doubletoe

05-09-2007, 12:23 PM

LOL... I used to say that I cannot jump when, on take-off, I can see where I'm going to fall!

Yeah, I don't much like jumping into the void, either, LOL!

doubletoe

05-09-2007, 12:27 PM

chowskates

05-09-2007, 12:46 PM

I asked a friend to video my 2T - on the first one I tapped the free foot down, on the second there were people in the way. My friend said, "that wasn't good, go do some more." I landed the next two *nicely* and the zamboni came on. Later I found that my friend did not get the two that were landed! :x

I apologise, my friend *did* get the two that were landed, I just wasn't patient enough to wait for the entire video to run :P (I hadn't realised he just didn't stop the video)

So, I put it up at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RgRSGYlF3k

Cheers,
Chow

chowskates

05-09-2007, 12:50 PM

Any tips on doing a non-cheated toeloop takeoff and getting the transition to the landing hip in the air? I can cheat the takeoff and get a nice snap with the right hip, but if I pop straight up without pivoting on the toe, I get stuck. :roll:

Erm... I think it there has to be a pivot on the toe - about 1/4 rev :roll:

I notice I still pick around too much... and I don't straighten my legs in the air... ARGH!!!

liz_on_ice

05-09-2007, 12:56 PM

Yeah, I don't much like jumping into the void, either, LOL!

I had an instructor back when who used to say "Don't watch the ice, it will be there when you need it."

Mrs Redboots

05-09-2007, 12:57 PM

I didn't take yours, but you can borrow mine as I'm not using it at the moment. It's pretty good, provided you remember to step on a really good true edge going into it....and don't look down.

Thank you, Deb; I should love to borrow yours! I have a feeling that reminding the Husband he needed to practice these dances solo was a mistake (from that point of view); I'm quite sure he was on a different place on the ice.

Rob Dean

05-09-2007, 01:25 PM

I'm quite sure he was on a different place on the ice.

Sorry to hear you're having a bad week. I wouldn't want to Willow in front of either you or phoenix, but it was my high point for the week, as I managed to get through one at the social dance meet on Monday for the first time. Still standing at the end was about all I'll say, and the same for the fiesta--but that's an improvement on the previous week. :)

Rob

LilJen

05-09-2007, 02:35 PM

Stinky
-Yesterday was to be my first official test and I had visions of passing nicely (pre-bronze moves). . . alas, broke the left ankle last week. I had a moment of sighing regret yesterday morning.
-Still not allowed to put weight on the injured foot; still unknown whether I might have unusually breakable bones for my age and whether it would be an utterly stupid idea to go back to skating (and since I'm a CW skater, doing jumps that land on the injured leg). . . .

but

Soaring
-Cast came off, staples came out, and dr said I am healing well. My foot and ankle look revolting (still puffy, large incisions on each side of ankle, and very black & blue), but now I have only steri-strips and a bootie thing and I can WASH MY FOOT!! Boy, does that freedom feel good. Plus, the x-ray of my new "bionic" parts (a plate, about 1/2 inch by 3 inches, plus several screws) looked kind of cool. And I have a scooter to propel myself around, as a substitute for the klutzy crutches.
-My club has been sooo sweet. One friend called me in the hospital and sent a bunch of hot cocoa, and I hear the "purple heart award" (for anyone injured on the ice) is on its way to me in the mail. We adult skaters may be a very tiny contingent of our club, but we're very nice!

THANK YOU to everyone for your kind wishes and advice last week after my injury. I was initially quite devastated--seeing as the fracture dashed all my grandiose plans for the moment. I'm coping well, though; I am now off to soak my ugly Frankenstein foot!

phoenix

05-09-2007, 03:24 PM

...Still standing at the end was about all....

Rob

The TOP goal of ice dancers everywhere!! :bow:

tidesong

05-09-2007, 09:42 PM

After all this confusion I had about the double toe loop, I think I'm getting it... you have to pivot BUT the right heel has to lead for it to be "proper"

Soar:
Had one beautiful double salchow in lesson. It was like the mental image of zhao throwing shen was playing in my head when I did it... if that makes sense hahahah.

Stink:
Of course I didn't hit another one like that for the rest of the lesson :P

Other semi... soars:
Most of my other stuff are ok. Hit my 5 axels and 5 double salchows before lesson...
Getting the rotation on double toe loop more easy now. That "impossible" heel leading take off for the double toe is.... actually happening.... 8O
Spirals about same as yesterday
Didn't fall on laybacks today but still got a bad headache after trying... maybe it will be better next week.. lol
Tested the LBO beilmann... its possible for me to do it... lol

chowskates

05-09-2007, 11:00 PM

Soar:
Had one beautiful double salchow in lesson. It was like the mental image of zhao throwing shen was playing in my head when I did it... if that makes sense hahahah.

It must be that one I saw - very nice! :)

peanutskates

05-10-2007, 01:36 AM

Skunk: Uggh. Where to start? Well, my boots and blades are dying. And I've got 4 more sessions before I get new ones. After practice, my feet and ankles hurt, plus I think my boots are like a size too big...
Practice wasn't very good too. I flitted around practicing different things before I realised I wasn't getting anywhere and focused on my spin. Salchow was non-existent, I kept slipping on the edge and had no confidence in even taking off.
To add to that, my waltz jumps were at best, average. What?? Toeloop non existent also. So no jumps, really. And at the end, I couldn't even do a forward teapot!!! 8O

Eagle: BUT, after deciding to focus on my spin, I did get it centered and (sometimes) did get quite fast revs (around 2, lol). No space to practice the BI edge before the curve, so I just did the curve. And spirals were quite good too. Barrel rolls were still there too.
2 girls just below my level asked me to show them the forward spin. Apparently, it "sucks less than theirs". achievement? LOL

Mrs Redboots

05-10-2007, 05:21 AM

Still standing at the end was about all I'll say, and the same for the fiesta--but that's an improvement on the previous week. :)
Indeed, clicking your partner's blades on the change of edge and landing on the ice in an undignified heap is a variation all too well-known to me. Including in competition.

The TOP goal of ice dancers everywhere!! :bow:Yes, if I can just get through our dances in Tallinn better than I did in Le Havre (although we did what, for us, was a fantastic Willow there, very pleasing), then I'll feel ready for the Mountain Cup!

Scarlett

05-10-2007, 05:53 AM

Soar like an eagle: Been having wonderful skating dreams.

Stink like a skunk: Have had a crazy week and won't manage to get anywhere near a sheet of ice until my lesson Saturday. :roll:

sk8pics

05-10-2007, 05:57 AM

Stinky
-Yesterday was to be my first official test and I had visions of passing nicely (pre-bronze moves). . . alas, broke the left ankle last week. I had a moment of sighing regret yesterday morning.
-Still not allowed to put weight on the injured foot; still unknown whether I might have unusually breakable bones for my age and whether it would be an utterly stupid idea to go back to skating (and since I'm a CW skater, doing jumps that land on the injured leg). . . .

but

Soaring
-Cast came off, staples came out, and dr said I am healing well. My foot and ankle look revolting (still puffy, large incisions on each side of ankle, and very black & blue), but now I have only steri-strips and a bootie thing and I can WASH MY FOOT!! Boy, does that freedom feel good. Plus, the x-ray of my new "bionic" parts (a plate, about 1/2 inch by 3 inches, plus several screws) looked kind of cool. And I have a scooter to propel myself around, as a substitute for the klutzy crutches.

Congrats on gettin gyour cast off. I wore a boot for around 7 weeks after my ankle break and surgery. Please be very careful because of not being allowed to put weight on your injured leg. Even though I was never in a cast and was allowed to move my foot around, because I couldn't put weight on it for so long, my calf muscle wasn't engaged in anything and I got a blood clot. Watch for pain in your calf. In my case, I had no sharp pains but I was generally achy. My first clue came when a couple of pieces of the clot broke off and went to my lungs, resulting in serious pain in my back and not being able to catch my breath and breathe properly!

BatikatII

05-10-2007, 07:08 AM

soar: Did some pretty good jumps today -even managing all my singles in combination with a loop. Probably down to being incredibly focused. And this in turn due to having been very upset at yesterday evenings skate club committee meeting. Unfortunatley one of the coaches decided to come along and was incredibly rude and obnoxious to myself and other members of our club's publicity team who were actually trying to be helpful and hadn't even censured him for riding roughshod over the publicity rules and skaters feelings but were trying to move things forward to prevent similar problems happening again and improve the service we gave. Upshot was I quit, so am free to enjoy my skating.

skunk: a certain coach! Not mine who was lovely thank goodness.

jenlyon60

05-10-2007, 07:29 AM

SOAR: Cleared to gradually resume skating. "graduated" from PT today.

Iceskater72102

05-10-2007, 09:34 AM

Emberchyld

05-10-2007, 11:30 AM

Stink: I don't know if it's allergies or a head cold, but I can;t breathe, so, in addition to all of my injuries, I stayed off of the ice for this, too

But

Soar: Sucked it up today and went to the rink anyway for about 25 minutes of the freestyle session

1. That wierd pop/pain hamstring pull thing? I have no idea what happened to it, but it actually went away, way too fast for a hamstring injury. Maybe it was the icing and stretching or it was just a minor pull, but it went from not being able to walk to being able to do everything (that I already can do) on the ice.

2. Worked only on scratch spin and BO3s today. Something about having my entire head feel like it's filled with mucus must be good for my spins because why they still stunk like rotten eggs, I was immensely better today than I've ever been. 3s were easy and there was a little bit of the scratch in the spin.

Maybe being sick keeps me from thinking too much?

Stinky: Tests are coming up, so the freestyle ice was packed. I felt like a lump as poor sick me kept trying to dodge out of everyone's path. Eventually, all of my energy dispersed, my nose reached maximum stuffiness, and I left, clutching my box of tissues.

Petlover

05-10-2007, 11:39 AM

Soaring: My loop worked, and my salchow felt great! I have tomorrow off, so will be able to skate a double session.

Stinky: Traffic on the Howard Frankland (Frankenstein) bridge really lived up to its name today! I was in such a good mood when I left the rink, and so frustrated by the time I got to work.

Isk8NYC

05-10-2007, 11:41 AM

SOAR: Cleared to gradually resume skating. "graduated" from PT today.Congrats!
Hi everyone! I'm new to posting here but have been reading threads for a while. I finally thought I'd post on this thread.Welcome!

Emberchyld: It's allergies. Take an allergy-decongestant after you get home. (No DUI, please)

Stinkin':
Since my back still hurts a bit, we stuck to MITF patterns instead of freestyle elements.

Pre-Prel Power Threes - better on the pattern than on the line, but I keep forgetting to pull my feet together before stepping forward. (I did do the end pattern correctly - yay!)

Fwd Outside threes on the line - pfffftthhh! Still struggling with a clean step forward. Grrr.

Soaring:
Crossover circles were much better than last week. I put lambswool pads under the arches of my insoles and miraculously, the foot cramps eased up and now I can push and point without pain! (Still working on that right knee, though.)

Fwd Inside threes on the line - much better; need to PUSH more. No touchdowns!

Spiral pattern - I was told it would 'totally pass.' Even the insides; guess the double-inside patterns are working!

Mrs Redboots

05-10-2007, 12:29 PM

SOAR: Cleared to gradually resume skating. "graduated" from PT today.

Who-hoo!!!!

Congratulations.

doubletoe

05-10-2007, 02:25 PM

Hi everyone! I'm new to posting here but have been reading threads for a while. I finally thought I'd post on this thread.

Soar: My double loops are all the way around, over my right side, and on my right foot! I just have to stand up on them.

Stink: My double sal has pretty much disappeared for the week. I don't know what's happening but maybe I'll be able to fix it today.

Hey, that's awesome about your double loop!! But yes, sometimes getting one jump makes you start messing up on another one. Maybe keeping the right shoulder back on your double loop takeoff has gotten you in the habit of doing the same thing on the salchow takeoff. Remember, on the salchow you need to let your right shoulder and free leg come forward and square up with your left side as you reach the end of your takeoff edge.

doubletoe

05-10-2007, 02:30 PM

After all this confusion I had about the double toe loop, I think I'm getting it... you have to pivot BUT the right heel has to lead for it to be "proper"

Getting the rotation on double toe loop more easy now. That "impossible" heel leading take off for the double toe is.... actually happening.... 8O

Hey, congratulations on your soaring "Shen" double sal in your lesson, LOL!
Now can you help me figure out that double toe? ;) I understand the pivot-type takeoff with the right heel leading because that's how I takeoff when I do a mazurka. . . BUT that keeps the right side of my body opened out once I leave the ice (ahem, like a mazurka), and keeps me from getting backward over the right hip in the air to get rotation. Any hints on getting that transition and getting that snap into rotation?

Terri C

05-10-2007, 06:58 PM

Soar like a eagle:
Primary coach offered me a lesson, since she was waiting for another student. With a test coming one week away- that was a no brainer!
Jumps were good and I didn't let another skater who was in my backscratch spin spot for program bother me- I did it anyway!

Stink like a skunk:
I could not do a scratch or sitspin today to save my life.

Really, really stinky: Later in the session:
Went up for a loop and landed completely rotated, but on the toepick with my skating foot rolling over to the right. Yeap I twinged my ankle again on the loop! Will not skate tomorrow am as planned and will only skate one hour up until next week's test session. I really really hope that the work I've put into the last month and a half doesn't go out the window, due to injury. :cry:

tidesong

05-10-2007, 09:17 PM

Hey, congratulations on your soaring "Shen" double sal in your lesson, LOL!
Now can you help me figure out that double toe? ;) I understand the pivot-type takeoff with the right heel leading because that's how I takeoff when I do a mazurka. . . BUT that keeps the right side of my body opened out once I leave the ice (ahem, like a mazurka), and keeps me from getting backward over the right hip in the air to get rotation. Any hints on getting that transition and getting that snap into rotation?

I'm not sure if your problem is same as mine, but I was keeping my upper body way too stiff for the double toe (I was trying to rotate my legs but leave the body behind (being afraid to prerotate)), my coach told me to let it move together with the leg and arm, so that its not 100% straight up but leaned naturally with the edge and moving with the pivot... my observation is that the whole body and arm and leg should move together and the angle between the body core and both the upper arms should not change significantly on the horizontal level.

That helped me to not open up while keeping the heel lead, but my habit of swinging my arms around too much is making me go over to the right side too quickly creating too much unresolved forces that my pivoting toe cannot cancel out so I'm still falling even if i'm rotating. (So I'm not really understanding the snap into rotation part yet)

doubletoe

05-10-2007, 09:29 PM

I'm not sure if your problem is same as mine, but I was keeping my upper body way too stiff for the double toe (I was trying to rotate my legs but leave the body behind (being afraid to prerotate)), my coach told me to let it move together with the leg and arm, so that its not 100% straight up but leaned naturally with the edge and moving with the pivot... my observation is that the whole body and arm and leg should move together and the angle between the body core and both the upper arms should not change significantly on the horizontal level.

That helped me to not open up while keeping the heel lead, but my habit of swinging my arms around too much is making me go over to the right side too quickly creating too much unresolved forces that my pivoting toe cannot cancel out so I'm still falling even if i'm rotating. (So I'm not really understanding the snap into rotation part yet)

Sounds a lot like me! I'm so afraid of letting my head and right shoulder come around for fear of pre-rotating! But it sounds like you are a little ahead of me on this, so please share your insights as you progress! :)

jazzpants

05-10-2007, 11:58 PM

Soaring:
Spins are getting there. Primary coach is STILL trying to get me to "go for the gold" on that back sit and at times it is getting close. Camels are much better now... well better for me anyway...

I also landed most of my loops and my flips clean.

Stink:
The traffic getting to Oakland! Took a good 45 minutes just to go from downtown SF to the ENTRANCE to the Bay Bridge alone!!! :frus: Thankfully, primary coach was very patient (and got my message). :bow:

Soaring again (Foodie alert!!!)
Got some pretty decent BBQ at Chef Edward's BBQ (http://www.chefedwardsbbq.com/) nearby to bring home for dinner! I'm having it right now! :yum: It's not "Big Nate's (http://www.bignatesbarbeque.com/)" caliber when it comes to BBQ, but their variety of sides beats "Big Nate's" hands down. :bow:

chowskates

05-11-2007, 04:13 AM

Sounds a lot like me! I'm so afraid of letting my head and right shoulder come around for fear of pre-rotating! But it sounds like you are a little ahead of me on this, so please share your insights as you progress! :)

I had much problem with this too, but what eventually worked for me was when my coach told me to "jump out of the circle". IOW, the free leg doesn't exactly pull around the pick like a pivot, but pushes through (and I have to think "out").

In fact, my coach once said that the double toe is similar to an Axel once you have taken off - once the R leg (CCW rotation) kicks through, everything else is just like the Axel. Now, my retort to that is: given the sorry state of my Axel these days, I'd rather it *not* be like the Axel!

Regarding the "pivot", reaching back for the pick-in may feel like a pivot, but you don't really stay on the L toe, so its not a real pivot, but a toe-assist...

Anyway, I stuck together a few of my not-too-crappy 2T in this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3860597433275678699&hl=en

Also, I found a clip of Yagudin "explaining" the toe loop on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lgb7RlKT0

- Chow

Mrs Redboots

05-11-2007, 05:50 AM

Stink:
The traffic getting to Oakland! Took a good 45 minutes just to go from downtown SF to the ENTRANCE to the Bay Bridge alone!!! :frus: Thankfully, primary coach was very patient (and got my message). :bow:
If I remember rightly, isn't there a BART station right by Oakland rink? Maybe public transport would be a quicker option.

As for us.

Soaring: I know I've skated this morning! One might train fewer hours in the run-up to competition, but it's certainly more intense!

Stinky: Willow. I am quite, quite, quite sure that it's Husband, not me - he's changed his position (I know he's been working on that edge solo), and I simply can't do the 3-turn where he tries to put me. I am not having a problem in our free dance, and we are going far faster than we do in the Willow, so it has to be him-not-me.

Hope to goodness it fixes itself before next week!

jskater49

05-11-2007, 08:08 AM

Soaring

Well, coasting more like but the smell is not bad....

Moves lesson - back edge landing position is looking good but she wants more power...I'm just coasting..but hey what do you expect at 5 am????

Back crossovers, finally they are on the right edge, on pattern but guess what she wants? MORE POWER

Beginning to smell a little better but it aint Estee Lauder

Sigh mohawks. I was getting very frustrated because I seem to be making absoulutely no progress here..but we did make a tiny fraction of progress. So I rush the right mohawk. When I try counting, I just count faster. So SHE counted and wouldn't you know, I held it to her count...also I was leaning forward and putting my foot down on the heel rather than instep...so stand up straighter, push my hip forward, free leg back, bend the knees, hold the edge, instep...and it was a little better. Then she says maybe I should work on being a little smoother instead of just clunking my foot down...I gave her a look that made her quickly say "but for now - just work on doing what you did just now and I'll be happy"

More soaring...

Usually it takes 45 minutes of skating and lots of warm ups to pull off a waltz jump. Today I just started with my compulsary and the waltz happened.

My moves are so far away from being ready to test it's hard to stay motivated.

j

Emberchyld

05-11-2007, 11:14 AM

Stink, stank, stunk: The maybe allergy/maybe cold is definitely a cold now (because it rained and everyone else feels better while my coworkers all have agreed that I look like poo).

It was "raining" in the rink today, and we had some lovely ice bumps all over the place.

Reguardless, I'm amazed what feeling like cr@p has done for my skating.

Soaring: Skated (with a tissue in hand) fairly well today (it helps that I stuck to stroking, crossovers, scratch spins, and BO3s-- with a few waltz jumps thrown in... I'm getting obsessed with trying to get that !@$%#%@ scratch spin!). Scratch spins are starting to get to the scratch part, and the entry for CW has finally clicked. I can get into the spin nicely CCW but completely go out of control after that, while CW is hard to get into, but once I'm in it, I stay nice and centered.... too bad I'm too chicken to wrap my leg every time in that direction!

Actually SAT into my back crossovers... what a difference! Even my waltz jump felt better, and didn't have my usually characteristic toepick scrrraaatch as I turned to go into the jump. Hmmmm.... methinks that apparently my coach does know something :bow:-- if only my brain would accept that immediately!

Oooor, maybe I'm jsut hallucinating from the lack of oxygen going to my brain.

cecealias

05-11-2007, 12:59 PM

Soar like an Eagle!: I rarely post here, but last week I really felt like I did indeed soar like an eagle in Fort Washington, MD. On my visit, I did some kick ### super fast spins, and jumps. There were only two kids at that rink. They were pretty good skaters themselves, learning their flips and loops, but 20 min into the session their mouths had dropped to the floor.

They were screaming "do it again! I wanna see you do that flying camel! Axel!! Double loop!!" After all these years, I'm like "Really? I'm that good?", cause nobody over here ever tells me that. 8O

And "OMG, she thought you were Michelle Kwan, cause you skate so good!" 8O Whoa. At least I feel like all these years of hard work paid off. I was a Star! :D

Stink like a skunk!: Airports and Jet lag suck, period.:giveup:

jazzpants

05-11-2007, 01:53 PM

If I remember rightly, isn't there a BART station right by Oakland rink? Maybe public transport would be a quicker option.
There is... but part of my run to Oakland includes a run for a HUGE batch of food from the BBQ place nearby that I was supposed to bring home to me and hubby for dinner. Kinda hard to carry that and my skate bag home too. :??

(Jazzpants still soaring from the camel spins that she did last night! Primary coach definitely noticed a difference from the last 1.5 weeks. Secondary coach definitely earned her money during the camel spin lesson! :bow: )

peanutskates

05-11-2007, 01:53 PM

congratulations cecealias!
I felt a little like that when 2 girls asked me to show them the one foot spin. but I was just learning it, and it was still rubbish (however, apparently "sucked less than" theirs... so that was cool. I'm such a sucker for being asked to demonstrate... :roll:

Sessy

05-11-2007, 01:55 PM

really stinking (on rollers): fell on CROSSOVERS? The flu must be worse than I thought! I thought I was dizzy this morning, but then I thought I must've imagined it, but apparently the flu really is messing with my balance. :x At least the new elbow padding (self-made) is working like a charm (unlike those bought ones that wouldn't let me bend my elbows properly).

peanutskates

05-11-2007, 02:14 PM

sessy, i'm curious as to how you made the elbow pads? what materials did you use?

Sessy

05-11-2007, 07:21 PM

I cut up really long socks - almost stockings. I cut the toes off, then I cut them a little above the anckle, cutting off the feet, and I cut the rubber bands on top off. You get four pieces this way.
The 2 foot parts, with the heel, really stay nicely over the elbows, where as the other 2 parts nicely stay over the knees. Originally I had kept it at this - for roller skating, cuz you break your skin when you fall there, and it's too hot to roller skate in long pants and sleeves. However, I've banged my elbow for the gazillionth time and I'm banging it on everything all day it seems - seems being the key word, cuz it just hurts to touch or even put down on a table and it's been this way for a while. I decided it's time for protection therefore. I padded the "sock" protection I had.

Now as for the padding - sponges! The rubbery kind.
I cut them in half to make them thinner, because I didn't want huge padding, I positioned the whole thing rightly on my body, made sure it was perfect even when moving around, pinned the whole thing and stitched it on by hand with flexible stitches (as in, you wanna go a little zig-zag, else the threads will rip when you try to stretch the thing).

I discovered it might be a good idea to cut up another pair or something today for inner paddings so you don't sweat straight into the sponges - icky feeling, really.

The sponge invention is thanks to my group class coach. :lol:

doubletoe

05-11-2007, 08:52 PM

I had much problem with this too, but what eventually worked for me was when my coach told me to "jump out of the circle". IOW, the free leg doesn't exactly pull around the pick like a pivot, but pushes through (and I have to think "out").

In fact, my coach once said that the double toe is similar to an Axel once you have taken off - once the R leg (CCW rotation) kicks through, everything else is just like the Axel. Now, my retort to that is: given the sorry state of my Axel these days, I'd rather it *not* be like the Axel!

Regarding the "pivot", reaching back for the pick-in may feel like a pivot, but you don't really stay on the L toe, so its not a real pivot, but a toe-assist...

Anyway, I stuck together a few of my not-too-crappy 2T in this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3860597433275678699&hl=en

Also, I found a clip of Yagudin "explaining" the toe loop on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lgb7RlKT0

- Chow

Thanks! My coach was recommending picking closer to the skating leg so that it doesn't take so long to get the weight onto the toe and leave the ice (I have been told that I spend too much time on the toe and that's why it prerotates by the time I leave the ice). It looks like you don't pick very far back and don't spend much time on the toe.
I actually have that ISU jump video but never watch it, LOL! But the slo-mo of his toeloop takeoffs did catch my attention in one regard: He picks with his foot turned out a little, on a diagonal. My coach tells me I pick that way when I do a Mazurka, and even though the foot is turned almost 90 degrees on the pick, it doesn't turn any further. I wonder if that picking technique actually helps prevent pre-rotating on the toe. . .?

chowskates

05-12-2007, 03:49 AM

I actually have that ISU jump video but never watch it, LOL! But the slo-mo of his toeloop takeoffs did catch my attention in one regard: He picks with his foot turned out a little, on a diagonal. My coach tells me I pick that way when I do a Mazurka, and even though the foot is turned almost 90 degrees on the pick, it doesn't turn any further. I wonder if that picking technique actually helps prevent pre-rotating on the toe. . .?

My coach also said to turn out the toe when I pick. I reason that it would let you pick in on the side of the pick so the most you can turn is 90deg, as opposed to having the topmost pick in the ice (like in a real pivot) which will allow you to turn much more.

black

05-12-2007, 04:48 AM

Monday morning - overslept 8O , but it was a bank holiday so no rushing back for work - yay!! 8-) One of the coaches asked if I was entering any competitions this year and that I ought to. :?? One of the very good skaters at our rink whom I've never spoken to commented on my progress. :D

Went back to see parents during the week so no early skates, however I did skate on Wednesday at Bristol. It was the first time my parents have seen me skate which was nerve racking to start with (I didn't fall) and they were quite impressed.

Back friday evening for Ice Skate Club - a little busy but good. Jumping/cross stepping sideways on toepicks down the entire length of the rink (60m) is difficult! (and embarrassing) Also practiced backwards crossovers keeping both blades on the ice - try it, you get loads of power!!

techskater

05-12-2007, 05:05 AM

My coach also said to turn out the toe when I pick. I reason that it would let you pick in on the side of the pick so the most you can turn is 90deg, as opposed to having the topmost pick in the ice (like in a real pivot) which will allow you to turn much more.

The picking foot turns out so you don't inhibit your ability to rotate by that picking foot.

Terri C

05-12-2007, 12:58 PM

Soar like a eagle:
All my jumps, even with a cranky right ankle! I wore a Ace brace to protect it.
Test program runthrough- 99% clean- the sitspin was the culprit on this one!
Did manage to do a decent sit in my mock "reskate" situation!

Stink like a skunk:
While warming up spins, could not do a forward scratch or sitspin to save my life again. Had a big time butt splattering fall on the sitspin. Right now, my lower back and left wrist hurt more than my right ankle and that was my main cause of concern for taking my test on Friday!

Scarlett

05-12-2007, 04:53 PM

Soar like an Eagle:

Loops were on today. I landed every one I tried. Now I'm learning the crossover entry which is far more difficult.
5 step mohawk is progressing nicely and will probably be the strongest move on the bronze test which I will take sometime close to never.
Back spins were fast and didn't require that I use my passport due to the distance I typically travel.

Stink like a Skunk:

I was at a new freestyle session where I was the only CW skater and had tons of people hanging out in the lutz corner. They were very nice when they realized what I was doing (or attempting) but it took a long time and a lot of aborted attempts for everyone to cross my path and then realize it.
Sit spins...Why? I went down hard on one and have the biggest bruise on my butt. I'm afraid of what it is going to look/feel like tomorrow.

Sessy

05-12-2007, 05:56 PM

Coming saturday mom's taking her first figure skating lesson since last year, when I had my first skating lesson. :lol: I'm accompanying her. Maybe I'll get some ice too. Though probably no one will let me jump in a class for people who just learned the 3-turns. But I'm just glad to get ice time in any form or shape.
Also I'll be looking at that rink (since it stays open all year) for a club that might let me get like a secondary membership or something, just for the summer or maybe not just for the summer, but then at least in a way that I can combine the lessons with those I'm already having.

Terri C

05-12-2007, 06:38 PM

Sit spins...Why? I went down hard on one and have the biggest bruise on my butt. I'm afraid of what it is going to look/feel like tomorrow.

Was there a "sitspin bandit" on the loose in the VA/DC area today?
I too had a butt busting fall on a sit and my butt hurts already!

Isk8NYC

05-12-2007, 07:32 PM

Was there a "sitspin bandit" on the loose in the VA/DC area today?Well, he wasn't in NYC - my own sit spins were "on" today, plus I taught one of my students a baby sit spin. She held it for 2-3 revs on the fifth try! (Very high hip, though)

Soaring:
All spins were good, but the "open spin" was really dead-centered.
Spirals - Very strong.
Crossovers, Edges & Turns - Very good.

Stinkin':
Haven't jumped in a while, so I felt like a 90-pound weakling! LOL
Managed a few waltz and toe loop jumps. Crummy salchows, though.

One more week to the Show, then my schedule gets verrrry quiet. Good news is that there's more ice time this spring/summer, so I can get my tush moving on the Prelim tests. Bad news is that another student told me she's taking the summer off. Someone else wanted that time slot, but I feel like the kid will lose skills this summer. Too bad - she's gotten up to scratch spins and half-flips.

Mrs Redboots

05-13-2007, 06:48 AM

Soar:

Husband landed a flip in his programme that would have been called! First one I've seen him do. His upright spin is nearly mended.
My RFO3 in the Willow is back. Long may it stay!
We did a good run-through of our free dance in our lesson, although there is a lot to work on in terms of togetherness.
Began to choreograph our "very silly" programme - not yet anything that can translate to the ice, though.
Stink:

Husband won't be doing a CUsp in his programme, after all, just a Usp. And his camel spin is broken. However, both his spins are better in his programme than in isolation.
Trying to organise this week's lesson - Husband is away on a site visit until Tuesday evening, and there's a problem with the coaches on Wednesday. Think it may work out all right; if all else fails, I'll have to drive Coach1 to where he needs to be.... Or work with Coach2, but she may be booked. Oh well, it'll sort itself.

Emberchyld

05-13-2007, 04:23 PM

Soar: Passed Freestyle 1 today and thanks to two weeks straight (and I don't even want to know how many hours) of practice, my BO3s were actually clean enough and strong enough to pass.

My LTS instructor called me "very funny" because of my ability to spin both ways... and it was a fairly good spin day... must be all of the mucus still stuffing up my head.

So, we started on some elements from Freestyle 2-- not too bad, but that darn backspin is going to drive me batty, I know. Helps that my coach doesn't spin CW and since CW is my stronger direction I need to wrap my head around that way before I can try CCW.

Stink: I passed only by the grace of my instructor, though. I only managed two out of the required 3 revs on my scratch spin (CCW and CW... I tried both ways to eke out as many revs as possible! CCW-- better entry and easier to cross my foot in front, but dreadfully uncentered, CW-- bad entry, sometimes that foot doesn't cross , but I'm fully centered and can get a bunch of revs out). She signed the paper with a little star next to scratch as something to improve.

Backwards inside edges. Eew. I can't get any push whatsoever.

Illness may give me better spins, but pulls all of the energy out of me.

WannabeS8r

05-13-2007, 07:55 PM

Oh. My. God.

There was NO ONE on ice today. For the 1st hour. WOW. It was heaven. I was at a public session but no one came to the first half, so even the rink guards and cones weren't there. I was making up programs here and there, and going nuts with my MP3 player. Then after 10 minutes of warming up, I decided to do my jumps. Sadly, that was a bad idea. I am supposedly still a bit sick from the Wednesday-Friday fever, and I was very weak at jumps. The loop was *fairly* decent, but that's because it's my strongest jump normally. Loop/loop was a no-no because my legs couldn't stand that, I kept landing on two feet. Flip was consistent quarter percent of the time, which is awful (on usual days it's like 99% consistent), and lutz, though on a clean outside edge and rotated, barely left the ice. That's that. I also did some axel prep in hopes of trying an axel, and waltz/loops were okay, waltz/backspin a bit messy. I still tried it one. Guess what?

I landed it. Except, cheated by 1/2 and step out on landing. I was exhausted.

Spins were decent, though. Scratch was fine, but traveled a bit. Sitspins were actually rather nice! Centered even, and with SPEED. Like, real speed, and everything around me was almost as blurred as it was in the scratch spin. However, I was so tired I kept collapsing as I exited out of each spin. Camel is horrible, I can hold the position for 3 rotations, no more... then I just break at the waist and finish off with a scratch. Ah well. We'll see what I do next week (with a COACH :giveup:).

jazzpants

05-13-2007, 09:13 PM

Eagle:

Back sit is doing well.
Footwork to program is doing well.
My existing jumps are fine up to about the loop.Skunk:

Flips are not there today! (I guess it decided to take the weekend off.)
Forward spins are CRAPPY today b/c my right quad is still sore from my workout this week and in particular Friday night. OWWWWW!!! 8O (Ironically, I didn't have a session with Hunky Trainer, but he wanted me to push myself on my own on Friday nights. I did a good job of that myself. He should be proud... :P :lol: )
Ice was NOT resurfaced the ENTIRE 1.5 that I was there. It was CRAP when I got on and was even WORSE when I got off. :x :frus:
Even though the session was kinda empty, there were a bunch of city kids who are just getting into my way wherever I go. If I go to the middle, they FOLLOW me. If I go on the corners they start hanging around the same corner I'm at. And I know they're following me b/c they were mimicking my arm gestures from my footwork the few times I was able to get around them. :x :frus: