Spring sunshine or winter showers (14-20 May)

[Mrs Redboots]

Just so Dianne doesn't have to start the thread. And it's so cold here - I'm taking my winter coat to Estonia.

[Rusty Blades]

Ok, it is cool, rainy, and windy here ergo this week's title.

I got my Proflex boots Saturday and had a chance to try them out today.

Sunshine: Absolutely AMAZING! Wonderful knee bend with lots of lateral support. Like 10 minutes to get used to them and marvelous improvements in most of my basic elements, especially back edges!

Rain: I am going to have to really work on building up my knee muscles! I didn't realize how much I was "leaning on the tongue" in my other boots to help support the knee bend!

I LOVE my new boots!

[Mrs Redboots]

Ach, I knew that would happen - I just started a thread (with almost exactly the same title, for similar reasons) just so you wouldn't have to, too late, too late! I'll get Isk8NYC to delete it!

[Rusty Blades]

ROFLMAO!

Thanks Boots, now we have two - LOL! 8O

[jazzpants]

Ummmmm.... too late! (But almost the same title too!!! LOL!!! :lol: )

[Mrs Redboots]

I've asked for this one to be deleted, so let's all post in Dianne's when we have skated. For me, that's not until tomorrow.

[doubletoe]

Sunshine:
Landed some awesome double loops on the floor yesterday! My coach had taught me a very specific setup for the double loop on the ice and made me promise to practice them on the floor, simulating the same setup as he showed me on the ice. For some reason it set me up just perfectly and I had perfect air position, never went off axis and landed on one foot with control. They were just 1/4 under-rotated, but that doesn't worry me because the gliding takeoff edge on the ice would probably give me another 1/4 turn.

Rain:
So why am I still having trouble landing my axel? Arrghh!!

[Isk8NYC]

Threads Merged (More interesting that way - LOL!)

[Rusty Blades]

Oh thank you ever so much Isk8NYC - now I am REALLY confused - LOL!

[Bill_S]

Showers: Looks like my coach is leaving. I'll miss her because she's from the older figures school of training, and it shows. There isn't another coach around here that compares overall.

One big bummer is that full-time coaches are not permitted here. It's a university rink, and all coaches must be currently enrolled college students, and they work part-time. We have some talented skaters, but no one compares to my former coach for "the whole package" of style, skill, and the ability to communicate.

Oh, and I almost forgot... the other coaches don't want to arise early to give 6 am lessons before work.

Sigh...

[Terri C]

Sunshine:
Ankle is holding up on all my jumps! Had some killer air time on a loop today.

Showers:
It's Test Week for me and yes, I'm having the out of body experience we all get when dealing with nerves, along with having cows and kittens on the forward scratch and sitspins. Was reintroduced to the evilness of step 4 on the eight step mohawk sequence when not done properly- my butt and back of my neck are a tad sore!

[chowskates]

Sunshine:
Landed some awesome double loops on the floor yesterday! My coach had taught me a very specific setup for the double loop on the ice and made me promise to practice them on the floor, simulating the same setup as he showed me on the ice. For some reason it set me up just perfectly and I had perfect air position, never went off axis and landed on one foot with control. They were just 1/4 under-rotated, but that doesn't worry me because the gliding takeoff edge on the ice would probably give me another 1/4 turn.

AWESOME!!! Care to share what the setup is?

[chowskates]

Sunshine:
- Ran through my program twice in lesson without anyone getting into my way!! - Setting off for Tallinn tonight... So excited!!! (yes, still excited even though this is my 4th time going there!)

Rain is forcast in Tallinn... and the temperatures are so low! BRR!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Practiced a lot of nothing tonight because all of my students were there on time! Unbelievable!

Sunshine:
One foot spins in both directions. I amaze myself.
Pre-Prel MITF (teaching) were very nice - edges and crossovers and strokes, oh my!

Came up with a new drill for practicing back edges - swizzle across a hockey line then GLIDE around and back. Performed to hummable circus music - I had the first student pretending to be a trapeze artist. Whatever works, right?
(Now, if only I could get her to stop switching from outside edges to inside edges mid-way across the rink. Sigh.)

Showers:
Five more days until the Show is over and I can actually skate for myself.

I *HATE* the stupid side-toe-hops at 90 mph in alternating directions that someone snuck into the choreography at the last minute. I was practicing them tonight and I'm afraid I'm hopeless. My feet don't move that fast or change edges/directions in the blink of an eye. I think I'll just "swish and two-foot turn:, hoping no one will notice I'm faking. One of the other coaches said we should each have our own mini-solo - that can be mine!!! ROTFLOL

A Little Sprinkle Never Hurt Anyone:
I've been trying to coax one of my students into joining the group lesson program. Her brother already skates in it, but she only takes privates and doesn't really practice! When I start working on something hard with her that she doesn't want to learn, she literally skates away and does something else. Grrrrr. (The key is to threaten to tell her mother. LOL) I figure a few friends might encourage her to work harder and give her someone to have fun with that isn't old enough to be her mother! *snicker*

Tonight, I taught her the entire program for one of my show groups. She could everything but the lunge. One of the kids from that group came over and practiced with my student. Now, the skater's thinking about groups. That would be good for her, at least temporarily.

[peanutskates]

showers: really hurt the bone at the top of my bum, first by crashing it into the wall, then falling on top of it :(
no jumping cuz my skates are rubbish and I'm not confident enough in them

sunshine: officially (as in, got the booklet signed) passed all of bronze and most of silver (3/4) plus some dance steps.
learnt outside mohawks
got a fairly good forward spin!!! now to get at least 4 revs. to pass gold...

[jskater49]

Sunshine

I actually felt some improvement in my right mohawks. My problem is that I don't like to do things I'm not good at and so I never get any better at them and just making myself do those mohawks even though they were terrible is what I needed to do. In fact, I felt like I was doing so well on the mohawk I was actually able to spend some time on improving the rest of the 5 step--like keeping my feet together because when I was concentrating solely on the mohawk I've been wide stepping like crazy.

Showers

Its' been weeks since I've done by program to music so I ran through it once and oh my I stumbled my way through just about every element -- after I had done them so nicely solo and even in the non-music run through - but the good news is that I did everything and ended on time. Last time I ran through it I was late

My daughter drives me crazy. She's getting into her before competition stress and starts this "I can't do anything" whining. And nothing I say helps. If I say something encouraging, I'm stupid and don't understand. So usually I just shrug and say "Your'e right, you are terrible at this. Do it anyway." That doesn't go over so well either :roll:

Someone in my church died while I was at the rink, so I went right over to their house when I came back, and boy was I glad I was wearing pants, not a dress. I'd have felt pretty silly.

j

[Rusty Blades]

Snicker! I was at the rink at my normal time (early!) waiting around in the lobby (unusual!) since my coach and I were going to start with some off-ice work. When the other coaches and skaters came in, everybody panicked - "What's wrong???" - if I was standing around the lobby there must be something wrong in the arena! Change your habits every once in awhile - it throws everybody else into a panic! :P

Sunshine: Started with my coach off-ice working on jumps, takeoff, rotation, and landing. Ok, 2-footed jumps are not bad - good height and EASY 1/2 rotation (1 rev. shouldn't be too hard to get) - one-footed jumps not so much height - barely getting 1/2 rotation. (Where's where I could stand to loose a bunch of weight!!!)

Coach is going to pass me some info on jump training but is concerned I will push myself too hard too fast - I promised I will take it easy, just gi'me gi'me gi'me!!! I WANT TO JUMP 8O (When I started 15 months ago, I thought I would never jump - now I am chomping at the bit!)

Moved to on-ice (in my new Proflex) and ran through a bunch of moves so my coach could see how the Proflex effects my skating

Sunshine: Coach's comments "... nicer knee bend, nicer line with the free foot, looking good."

Finished out my session doing a bit of everything with LOTS more knee. THIS is the way I should have been skating from the start! I didn't like the new style of boots because I didn't have the freedom of movement I had in my 1966 boots but, with the Proflex, I have that movement back. Too bad they are so expensive and a bit clunky looking .....

Rain: Without having the tongue of the boot to "lean against" in the knee bends, I am finding a whole new group of muscles that need to be strengthened!

[Petlover]

Sunshine: My loop was darn near perfect this morning!

Showers: Really nothing, everything felt pretty good for once.

[jazzpants]

Spring:

In my loop jump! It's not too bad!!! :D
Back sit: Okay... it's the best I could do currently... which isn't saying much but it's getting there.
Footwork for my program! It's getting there... nice lobes, good speed... the RFO3 entrance is kinda scary b/c it's FAST going into it. Am trying to figure out a way to not glide 2-foot going into it. :?? But I think primary coach should be happy.Winter:

My flip jump!!! I guess it's still off for a looooong weekend. It could be b/c my right quad is STILL sore from Friday night. My trainer should be proud that I can beat myself up like that!!! :P :lol:
Sit spins, camels, RBO3's: Same reason.Geez, you think that maybe I should have rested and not skate until the right quad stops hurting maybe??? ;) Darn, AOSS!!! :twisted: :P :lol: (Okay, I also had to give primary coach his birthday gift! He was officially a GROUP IV skater as of last Sunday!!! :P :lol: )

[doubletoe]

AWESOME!!! Care to share what the setup is?

Sure! :) It's very simple, but strangely effective when done properly:

- Start from a standstill on a hockey circle, do one R/L (CCW) crossover on the circle, with your left arm in front and right arm at 4:00
- Push off onto a LFO 3-turn (with that same right toe push you use on the 3-turn entry for a flip jump), keeping the left arm in front. Hold the LFO edge for a count of 3 before turning.
- On the 3-turn exit, hold the LBI edge for a count of 3 and let it start taking you inside the circle.
- Step down onto a RBO edge and hold it for a count of 3, letting it take you further inside the circle on a tighter curve.
- Loop jump. The jump should end up being right in the center of the hockey circle.

Of course it's not easy to simulate this accurately on the floor, but somehow, just walking through the progression of "edges" set me up great, even on the floor.

[Mrs Redboots]

showers: really hurt the bone at the top of my bum, first by crashing it into the wall, then falling on top of it :(
no jumping cuz my skates are rubbish and I'm not confident enough in them
OWWWW! Been there, done that, far too often, and it hurts for at least three weeks afterwards. Sympathy!

And congratulations on getting signed off on your Bronze Passport.

Someone in my church died while I was at the rink, so I went right over to their house when I came back, and boy was I glad I was wearing pants, not a dress. I'd have felt pretty silly.

jI'm sure they'd have understood. We once stayed rather later than we meant to on a day when Sunday patch was extended due to no classes and ended up in church in our skating kit - I wasn't preaching that day, just as well!

Meanwhile, for today:

Sunshine: Skating with BlueIIIMoon, who is staying with another friend for a couple of days before Tallinn. Acted as Native Tour Guide afterwards, we had a lovely day!

Rain: (Which it did!) Was badly out of routine as Husband is away on site visit. So forgot my banana and muesli bar, and as I didn't have any money on me had to bum a quid off my coach to go up to the coffee bar & buy a banana! In my skating kit, so being looked at by all the commuters.

Then I get back to the rink and realise that I'd totally forgotten to put my contact lenses in and was still wearing my glasses! I did take them off for my lesson, but then wore them while bumming around the rink afterwards chatting!

Honestly, could you be more forgetful?!

[tidesong]

Hmm doubletoe thats interesting, sounds like a diminishing circle exercise... and VERY similar to some of the triple loops take off I've seen now that I visualize it o.O

Spring sunshine:
got the 5 axels and 5 double sals at start of practise (regardless of how perfect they are yeah...if I ever get 5 perfect soaring ones you know I'll mention it :P)
no idea what:
double toe is still progressing I think :P There's a bit more appearance of the land and fall types... I don't know why my jumps like to go through these stages but here it is again with the double toe. coach is now starting to get me to snap... but I said that I never consiously snap for my axel and double salchow so I really don't know HOW to snap and so we worked on some walk through exercises which doesnt really seem to be translating to the air but we'll see today... I can't actively concentrate on everything I have to do at the same time... so I've been trying to run through in my head so some of it comes out in auto later.

[Sessy]

Sure! :) It's very simple, but strangely effective when done properly:

- Start from a standstill on a hockey circle, do one R/L (CCW) crossover on the circle, with your left arm in front and right arm at 4:00

Opposite arm position to the natural way you to ccw crossovers, right? Kind of like for the spin right? Speaking of the spin I wonder if this'd work for the spin as well, for centering it, especially the backspin... After all you end up in the middle of the circle right? That's centered... Went and did this on the floor a moment ago and you're right I was way where I was supposed to be, especially that right shoulder that tends to come forward on my loops.

[Mrs Redboots]

Sunshine: Ran through everything for Tallinn, some of it not great (Fiesta, in particular), but some of it not at all bad. Also ran through our free dance, which we don't need in Tallinn, but had to show it off to BlueIIIMoon, didn't we?!

Rain: I have to pack! Yuck. Okay, so that's not skating, except that I have to pack my skates. And my dresses. And all the other things one needs for competition. And for six days away.

Sunshine: I think we have WiFi set up on the laptop now, so I may be able to post news from Tallinn and possibly the Mountain Cup (not sure if there is WiFi at Le Diamant, does anybody know?).

I have also bought a 512 k memory card for my camera - I now have more high-quality photos available on it than I had poor-quality (well, actually reasonable quality, but not so great for printing) before. Who knew memory cards had got so cheap? I wish I had known before the wedding.... Very frustrating!

Well, hope to be posting from Estonia - we're off before sparrow-fart tomorrow.

[Rusty Blades]

RAIN: I DON'T SKATE TODAY! :cry:

(Me? Over-dramatic? Naw.....)

After skating Monday morning and Tuesday morning it simply doesn't feel right not skating this morning.

How long does it take to recover from A.O.S.S. ? :roll:

[Skittl1321]

Sunshine I was able to skate today- my leg is still bothering me, but I got through my lesson. During independent practice my spin wasn't the worst thing in the world. And after my lesson my coach showed me how to do a 2 foot spin without making any dragging noises. (Silly 2 foot spin- but it's on the pre bronze test.) He also determined I was ready for PB freeskate test. Silly MITF!

Rain Horrible pain in my jaw. I took 3 advil about 30 minutes before I skated, so it was mostly gone for the lesson, but I'm quite miserable. Plus my leg is still bothering me quite a bit.

Skating related rain PB MITF! For the crossover circles I have to relearn backward crossovers because I learned them without lifting my 2nd foot off the ice. Coach wants me to pick up the foot. 3-turn pattern- I can do the 3-turns, It's that darn weight shift. And those two moves were the entire lesson.

[Thin-Ice]

RAIN: I DON'T SKATE TODAY! :cry:

(Me? Over-dramatic? Naw.....)

After skating Monday morning and Tuesday morning it simply doesn't feel right not skating this morning.

How long does it take to recover from A.O.S.S. ? :roll:

Are you sure you WANT to recover from AOSS? What would you do with all your free time, "spare" money and engineering creativity? What would you even talk about?:lol:

[Rob Dean]

Are you sure you WANT to recover from AOSS? What would you do with all your free time, "spare" money ....

I had a happy lesson with my back-up coach yesterday, working on that troublesome fiesta tango plus a few things that were more fun, and that's about what I said to my son on the way home: "What do people who don't ice dance do for fun?" You can extend that to cover the freestylers, of course. :)

Sunshine: The Monday night program dance session went well this week; I've been troubled by the fiesta for some time, and I made it through all patterns of both of them on Monday's lineup, once with each of my coaches. Add that to yesterday's lesson and it's been a pretty good week so far--with two more lesson sessions on schedule for the week.

Rain: Well, the fiesta still isn't where I'd like it to be, and the pro-am is coming up in just over three weeks, so I'm in crunch time on lessons and won't discuss the budget. 8O There are some clouds on the horizon, too, as I intend to sign up to test the APB moves on the 22nd of June and that work has been on the back burner for the fiesta crisis...

Rob

[Isk8NYC]

How long does it take to recover from A.O.S.S. ? :roll:You've been assimilated - it never goes away.

[jskater49]

Sunshine

Compulsary and spins programs are shaping up nicely. Coach said my lunge was awesome and you know, I do have a nice lunge--I used to add the qualifier "for a woman my age" but I can do a nicer one than many young uns.

She said I've really added a lot of speed and my half lutz is "huge". I'm sure she means relatively speaking ;)

She says next we are going to add head movements and "attitude" okay....

Showers

Waltz jump is still awkward - what happens is that I wind up too tight and hooked that it's very difficult to turn my body around for the jump. So we worked on me visualizing the circle and knowing when and where I'm going to jump so I'm on a nice edge, but not so tight. It is helpful to know where to put the jump - before I just jumped whenever I felt like it and never ended the program in the same place.

Spirals - The ugly truth I have to face is that the only way I'm going to improve these is off ice work. :giveup: My back is not down far enough and my leg is not straight. She worked with me bending over on two feet so I could know how it is supposed to feel to get my back flat. I would get that better and then my leg would be bent. When we went to the boards, I could straighten out my leg so at least we know I can do it. It's just hard to work on both -- we decided to first work on straightening the leg because that's what people (i.e. judges) notice the most --and then add the flat back when I can straighten my leg without thinking about it.

1 minute left in the lesson and I showed her a toe loop that was pretty much in slow motion. She left me with the advice to stretch my left arm out in front and imagine a string streching between my left arm and picking leg.

j

[doubletoe]

How long does it take to recover from A.O.S.S. ? :roll:

The same amount of time it takes to recover from puberty! :lol:

[doubletoe]

Spring Sunshine
This morning as I was warming up on the floor before putting my skates on, I landed a fully rotated double loop!!!! Woo hoo! I was noting my position on each takeoff and landing, and for what may have been the first time ever, I actually landed facing the exact same direction as the takeoff. My axis stayed firmly over my right hip and I landed comfortably on one foot, without the left foot tap down I often used to get before. Now I just need to get up my confidence enough to do it on the ice, which, in theory, should be easier because I'll actually have an edge.

Just a Little Overcast
I had a little trouble with my LBI and RFO catch foot spirals this morning. Although I ended up fixing the LBI, I can see that the RFO is going to be a challenge for awhile. It was easier when I did it on a flat, so I'm going to try to get it solid on a flat or slight outside edge first, then gradually increase the curve of the edge until I can do it on a round outside edge.

[Rusty Blades]

The same amount of time it takes to recover from puberty! :lol:

ROFLMAO!

Thanks, I needed that - been a rough day but now I can go home snickering

[chowskates]

Sunshine: I think we have WiFi set up on the laptop now, so I may be able to post news from Tallinn and possibly the Mountain Cup (not sure if there is WiFi at Le Diamant, does anybody know?).

As of last year, Le Diamant did not have wi-fi. I'm not sure if that has changed this year.

The hotel we are at in Tallinn does provide free wi-fi :-) And the weather today in Tallinn was beautiful and not too cold.

- Chow
(posting from Estonia)

[doubletoe]

ROFLMAO!

Thanks, I needed that - been a rough day but now I can go home snickering

Thanks, heh heh. I haven't recovered from puberty yet, either. ;)

[Isk8NYC]

Well, I'm sort of in my second (or third?) childhood; does that count?

Nothing else to add, except that I'm going to completely fake the footwork for the skating show ending. I just can't get my feet to do alternating double toe taps in four days. Just hope the DVD guy misses it, so I don't hear about it later...FROM MY KIDS! LOL

[cecealias]

Sunshine: Skating on Miami Beach!

Winter showers: winter what?

[looplover]

Sunshine: omg wicked fast spins at this one rink I went to on Sunday. UH not centered but, well, they were speedy as I traveled along. Loops are really consistent now. Am feeling confident with all FS4 stuff except the flip.

Showers: Well have only been skating once a week since I moved and I need to get my butt up at 5 a.m. and get to a 7 a.m. freestyle session. Laziness + night owl. Did not do a flip at the public session I went to and I have to do flips every time I skate to get over my weird toe jump mental issues. Have no coach but have to get that together soon. Miss the people at my FL rink SOOOOO MUCH.

[tidesong]

sunshine:

layback was so good during lesson...

double-toe is really coming along I think... the snappy thing appears to be working a bit better now. i have to remember the snap is a snap not a BREATHE-BANGSNAP I just gotta bring the hip in. Not up not down just in. That's what I'm getting now.
Then the right arm goes through scoops up for elevation... the hip reminder makes me think of ballet when the ballet teacher said that the jump is in the hip, just bring the hip up and it will be nice and light, instead of trying to jump with the upper back.
And again got a few suspected landings, just gotta do it infront of coach so I can find out if they are correct... I'm just still not entirely sure how this jump should feel lol....

I was able to snap AND bring my knee up (action on two different planes) so I was quite happy with that. Just realized how used I am to kneeing in


not sure:

camel is slightly, marginally better (it seemed to go ok but I didnt feel rock solid confident like on my layback), worked on backspin too, which is now starting to worry me that my boots may be too narrow for my feet because when I was trying to improve my posture on it I could feel my little toe pressing into the side painfully... aka I should really think of trying the other brand of boots??

winter showers:

coach says I'm improving alot on two sessions a week and thinks I should go for a third
glasses flew off my face during layback... gotta get contacts(have to get them anyway but now I think I have to get them sooner than later...)
everything costs $$$$$$ decisions decisions decisions

[Rusty Blades]

Big black thunderstorm! Hockey players overextended their ice time again tying up the rink and delaying the start of figure skating 20 minutes - this is getting to be a habit with them. Have they NO IDEA just how much of a b#t@ch an old figure skater can be when deprived of her ice time? :evil: Indeed, this is "death wish" territory 8O - LOL!

Day #3 in the new Proflex boots and still building up those muscles that haven't been used - never realized how much I was leaning against my boots until I switched to boots that don't push back!

Sunshine: In lesson today we worked on extending the backward glides ("Get the free hip UP!"), and getting more extension and toe-point of the free leg in the jump/spin exit position. Coach asked if I could get up on the picks easier - I can - and I surprised myself by doing a "toe pick side step" sequence (fairly quickly, controlled, and comfortably) - gee, I couldn't do THAT before - now it's easy :mrgreen: Worked a bit on spin entry; coach said "Now we need the exit." so I did a nice one! (Surprised myself on that one to ;) ) Then we spent some time at the boards and worked on the "reach back and pick" for the toe jumps (toe loop in particular) - gee, I was able to do that to (sans the airborne part of course)! :mrgreen: And coach left me with a print-out of off-ice exercises that I can do to build up the muscles I need for jumps. I love surprising myself even more than surprising my coach 8-)

Time to make sure the health insurance is up to date .... going to be leaving the ice voluntarily before long ....

[Petlover]

Sunshine: omg wicked fast spins at this one rink I went to on Sunday. UH not centered but, well, they were speedy as I traveled along. Loops are really consistent now. Am feeling confident with all FS4 stuff except the flip.

Showers: Well have only been skating once a week since I moved and I need to get my butt up at 5 a.m. and get to a 7 a.m. freestyle session. Laziness + night owl. Did not do a flip at the public session I went to and I have to do flips every time I skate to get over my weird toe jump mental issues. Have no coach but have to get that together soon. Miss the people at my FL rink SOOOOO MUCH.

Looplover, I really miss you. Your coach and I were talking the other day, and it's tough without you, you are so much fun!

Sunshine: Went over the improvements that coach wanted for my spotlight program (to Maniac) this morning. Coach added some cool detail, and it's actually coming along well!

Showers: Sad, but true! Coach now calls me "Joey", I too have a habit of leading with my head and sticking my butt out. Okay, my butt is big enough that it sticks out on its own anyway. Anyway, I'm really working on it, and one day coach will no longer call me Joey :)

[doubletoe]

Day #3 in the new Proflex boots and still building up those muscles that haven't been used - never realized how much I was leaning against my boots until I switched to boots that don't push back!

I hadn't thought about that! Which muscles are they? Shins? Quads? Both?

[sk8_4fun]

rain: Its thursday and I dont get to skate until tuesday, I'm with Rusty blades, Got AOSS REAL BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cry:

Sunshine had areally good lesson today, and hope to sign off Silver Passport in dance on tuesday:)

[Rusty Blades]

I hadn't thought about that! Which muscles are they? Shins? Quads? Both?

Muscles in the calf - don't know what they're called but I know where to find them! 8O

Go into a DEEP knee bend, get your backside WAY down there and hold it until you start to feel it.

Rock your weight forward toward the toes and hold that - when you start to feel it in your calves, that's one muscle or muscle group.

Now rock your weight back to your heels and hold that - that's the other one.

(ROFL! I can just picture all the forum people squatting in front of their monitors trying this :roll: )

In conventional boots, I was using the tongue and the back of the boot to rest my weight on - don't work in Proflex!

[jazzpants]

Winter Showers:
Still trying to land either the loop or the flip at fast speed. It's at a better speed than before (i.e. crawling slow) but it's still slow consider what I'm supposed to do in my footwork. 8O Was also driving primary coach bonkers b/c he wants things at certain places and it changes with each week!!! :roll:

Spring Sunshine:
I actualy got to run thru the program again and the last runthru so far actually came out pretty well, even though I was still stumbling along! :halo: :lol: After my lesson, I was playing around with the camel and I managed to get the hook around and get started on a camel.... :D

Spring Showers:
Problem with that is that shortly after about 2 revs, the whole spin falls apart. I have to get a lesson with secondary coach again to get the rest of this spin right. :lol:

[Emberchyld]

Sunshine: In lesson today we worked on extending the backward glides ("Get the free hip UP!"), and getting more extension and toe-point of the free leg in the jump/spin exit position. Coach asked if I could get up on the picks easier - I can - and I surprised myself by doing a "toe pick side step" sequence (fairly quickly, controlled, and comfortably) - gee, I couldn't do THAT before - now it's easy


Rusty, now you're making me crave the ProFlex boots! One thing that drives me crazy about "normal" skates is how constrained my poor little ankles are!

But I've got so long before my shiny boots need to be retired!

[jskater49]

Cloudy IT"S TOO #*(^%!!!! early!

I really didn't put my heart into anything and I kept relacing my skates. I'm so funny about how my skates have to feel- they cannot be very tight around my foot or my foot cramps but I if they aren't so tight around my ankle they they are practically cutting off the circulation, I don't feel secure. I really need to get over it.

I usually have a moves lesson today but coach was at a PSA thing. I've decided that toe loops are like mohawks--I just have to do them, even if they are crappy.

j

[Isk8NYC]

Showers:
I am so tired, stiff and sore from staying up late working on stuff at the computer and not exercising.

Spirals were very low and slow.

Sunshine:
I had an HOUR to kill on the ice during groups yesterday because of no-show private lessons. 'Tis the Season! Practiced for sat's show.

Sit spin was great, don't have time for a change-sit, so one is all I can do.
Managed to do about 3/4 of the toe-walking sequence. Have to work on it more this afternoon.

Did a few split jumps, just because there was empty ice lanes. Not bad, but I don't get enough SPLIT on them.

Summer Sprinkle:
I decided against getting the bodywave I wanted - that's a risk, but I am getting a haircut Sat AM right before the show. It will be nice to SEE where I'm going - LOL! How bad could a haircut be, right?

[phoenix]

Showers: I am still off the ice due to hip flexor injury. Today I'm missing my 3rd lesson in a row. No pro-am competition for me in June--don't know when I'll be back on the ice & won't have time to practice. I've even been teaching from the boards in my shoes, because even that small amount of movement involved in teaching made it flare up terribly.

Sun: There is a ray of hope! I am feeling much better, & have discovered that walking agrees with the hip so have been doing a lot of that. Yesterday put my skates on for 5 minutes as a test--was okay, and no flare up afterwards. I could tell I'm no where near ready/strong enough to actually *skate* yet, but it felt so nice to be gliding around a little! I get another 5 minutes tonight after teaching.

[jenlyon60]

Spring Sunshine: I skated a few minutes yesterday for the first time in 2 1/2 months and since my orthopod/PT said I could resume skating. not much, a couple of 5-8 minute segments over a 45 minute freestyle, doing your basic forward edges etc.

Winter Showers: Boots HURT because they were so dried out. Especially on right inside ankle bone. Even with bunga pads. Think I need the round makeup sponges instead.

[Rusty Blades]

I'm so funny about how my skates have to feel- they cannot be very tight around my foot or my foot cramps but I if they aren't so tight around my ankle they they are practically cutting off the circulation, I don't feel secure.

I can't have "tight" in the foot either or I get excruciating pain in my foot, absolutely debilitating! In my previous boots, I would lace the eyes very loosely, tie a bow, and slip the loops of the bow over the bottom hooks and pull out the slack, then tie the free ends of the lace over the hooks as tight as I wanted. That made sure the bottom part of the laces didn't tighten up while I was skating. That might work for you to.

One thing that drives me crazy about "normal" skates is how constrained my poor little ankles are!

I hear ya! When I started skating again (January '06) I was appalled by today's boots - they are HEAVY and as stiff as steel - I call them "Iron Maidens"! - compared to good boots from the 1960's. Because I couldn't get descent knee-bend, I ended up only lacing the bottom 2 hooks and even that I laced very loose. That probably contributed to spraining my ankle last August and certainly was a major factor in it not healing fully since then. Now my ankle feels better when I come off the ice than it did before I went on .... maybe my therapist can get my ice time covered as "therapy" - LOL!

[jazzpants]

Good to hear the toe walking sequence is doing well.

Summer Sprinkle:
I decided against getting the bodywave I wanted - that's a risk, but I am getting a haircut Sat AM right before the show. It will be nice to SEE where I'm going - LOL! How bad could a haircut be, right?If it's with a person that you know and trust, negliable. If it's not... ummmm...

Smart move on the body wave though

Cheers,
jazzpants, who has her share of horror stories about haircuts and her one bad perm experience.8O

[Isk8NYC]

Good to hear the toe walking sequence is doing well.Yeah, now I have sore ankles from it, but I'm going back to practice again this afternoon, before my private students get there. We've been keeping the pro number a surprise but last night's off-ice practice was witnessed by one of my little group skaters. I made her promise to keep the secret and bribed her with a chocolate bar. LOL

If it's with a person that you know and trust, negliable. If it's not... ummmm...
Smart move on the body wave though
I haven't had a regular hairdresser in years. Whenevr I find a good one who doesn't take 3 hours to cut my hair, they leave the shop within a year. This woman is the owner and was recommended by someone whose opinion I trust. Plus, she took a half-page ad in our skating show program, so she'll have a vested interest in my looking good.

My BFF had a perm done about 2 weeks before my wedding. There was a mixup - instead of vaseline for the cotton, the operator used hair relaxant for black women's hair. My BFF ended up with second-degree chemical burns all around her hairline. I kept thinking about that when I was making the appt. Nah, not worth it.

I spent part of this morning gathering up all of the Show/Competition stuff into a little hamper. (It's easier to carry stuff.) New tights, bodysuits, steamed/hung the girls' dresses (which were found on the floor of their closet) and most important, CLEAN UNDIES! LOL I just need to pack my makeup/sewing kit along with the bobby pins and safety pins I bought yesterday. Then, clean everyone's skates.

[doubletoe]

Cloudy IT"S TOO #*(^%!!!! early!

I'm so funny about how my skates have to feel- they cannot be very tight around my foot or my foot cramps but I if they aren't so tight around my ankle they they are practically cutting off the circulation, I don't feel secure. I really need to get over it.

j

I don't think you're the only one who is particular about that. ;) I find that tight in the toes, a little looser in the instep and tight in the ankles gives me the best support without cutting off circulation. There's a vein that runs right over the top of the instep and when I lace up too tight through the instep, it cuts off circulation and makes my feet cramp. I also feel insecure if mine aren't tight in the ankles, but as long as they are laced tight and there's an offset 2nd hook, I can leave the top hook undone so I still get enough my ankle bend.
BTW, how long have you had your boots? When I find myself relacing all the time (especially my landing boot), it means my boots are starting to break down.

[jskater49]

I don't think you're the only one who is particular about that. ;) I find that tight in the toes, a little looser in the instep and tight in the ankles gives me the best support without cutting off circulation. There's a vein that runs right over the top of the instep and when I lace up too tight through the instep, it cuts off circulation and makes my feet cramp. I also feel insecure if mine aren't tight in the ankles, but as long as they are laced tight and there's an offset 2nd hook, I can leave the top hook undone so I still get enough my ankle bend.
BTW, how long have you had your boots? When I find myself relacing all the time (especially my landing boot), it means my boots are starting to break down.

I also leave the top hook unlaced.

I've had them a few years but I don't think they are breaking down, I don't skate enough or hard enough for that. I probably need new laces - I like the cotten ones that make it impossible to get your skates off but at least they stay put!

j

[Emberchyld]

Spring Sunshine: Class was great today... we tested last week, so it was all new elements all the way. It was so much fun that even when I couldn't even move (or ended flat on my butt), I was laughing and grinning.

She ran through our list of elements and had us at least TRY a little bit of everything--
Finally got BI edges... took me long enough.
BI 3's were a breeze (amazingly enough)
Even the waltz-toe loop combo wasn't as scary or messy as previously.

And I sucked up the courage to ask my LTS coach to coach me for next year's Adult sectionals in artistic interp... now I just need to get all of the info (since she's never done an adult comp), pick the music... WHEW! I can't wait to play with the "big kids"!


Showers:
The salchow is evil. I just know it. We only just started today and I already fear it!

I keep doing forward spins when we're working on backspin... why can't my brain wrap around "It's a different spin, dummy?"

And on a semi-non skating thing... I'm living in a half-injured state and need to push myself for my ballet recital at the end of June since we only have a few weeks. Unfortunately, I'm worried that I might push myself through the performance even if I'm stil injured... and the Ice House adult camp is the week after! :frus: I don't want to be injured for that! *sigh*

[jenlyon60]

I have almost always only laced 3 sets of hooks on my skates. My previous 2 pairs I had cut lower and made with only 3 sets of hooks. This pair is cut lower in back and has 4 sets of hooks, but I only lace up 3 sets.

I also like my boots laced barely snug across the forefoot and then relatively tight in the ankle. I have never been able to lace like the folks I see who take the lace hook and pull for dear life (like they're lacing a mid-1800s corset). My feet would go numb or painful instantly.

[WannabeS8r]

This one's for yesterday. May 19th. There was a lot of sunshine. ;)

I've landed all my jumps - toe, loop, flip, lutz (okay, except a little stumble once on a flip), even the salchow (my nemesis)! But I didn't have a lot of flow in the landings many times, I hate when this happens. I was having a bad jumping day, even though I've attempted an axel twice and landed one (two footed and cheated by 1/2). The other one was so un-axel-like that I am not classifying it as an axel, even. This video has one of the attempts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC7Ray8o7lw I am trying to jump around which is not good, and I don't think I am using my arms at the same time with the legs. I have to do more waltz/backspins and pull in.

Spins were very fairly decent today, I admit it. I loved the sitspins! Some of them were sooo low and centered, I even surprised myself. I looooove spinning now. Aint that surprising? I used to absolutely hate it. Backspins are still FAR from okay, though.