Flavorful or Bland (August 6 to August 12) [Archive]

TimDavidSkate

08-06-2007, 10:11 AM

Flavorful:
Skated 3 days in a row 8O I managed to jump fully all three days (I usually just stroke around and do up to a loop on summer days)

Loop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYSMKOZU3dQ)

Flip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=louofOu8UFs)

Lu/Lo/Lo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlS6KG8p6u0)

Lu/Lo/Lo/TL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-v_PM9tuY)

Flying Camel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEax3p_jJZ0)

CAMEL + SPLAT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtiZQwbc4YA)

Bland:
Still no axel :frus:
And I know this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ws_CjeI8h4) and this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj6J89wOc_U) - will not cut it!!!

liz_on_ice

08-06-2007, 10:40 AM

bland - only one practice between lessons this week, bleah.

flavorful - more modest improvement on the backspin and salchow. back pivot and back spirals also coming along. No huge leaps in ability, just the slow steady gains that will get me there eventually. Feels good though.

Petlover

08-06-2007, 11:29 AM

Flavorful - I was 4th out of 5 in my Orange Blossom freeskate this past Saturday, which was a major accomplishment (I usually finish last) - also one judge had me in 1st place. This morning my jumps were wonderful.

Bland - Nothing - I am still excited about my skating this past weekend!

Laura H

08-06-2007, 11:33 AM

Flavorful:

Actually getting TO skate on Saturday was nice (we went to the beach last week instead) and the ice was in wonderful condition and not too crowded.

Had some decent Salchows (which of course none of my family witnessed) along with some not-so-decent ones too.

Forward upright spins were decent. Still working on a good lean into the edge on the entrance . . . when I actually DO it, it makes SUCH a big difference in the centering.

Bland:

slipping off my blade about 15 minutes into the session and THUD on my left hip. Yeesh. Guess I was overdue for a fall anyway, but it didn't help much with the confidence level!!

spinny Salchows - hold the darn check, already!! :frus: But at least I'm starting to realize what it SHOULD feel like, I'm going to count that as a minimal improvement.

backspins - why am I such a WIMP on these?? grrrrr . . . I worked on these some, but they're still scary . . . ugh.

blackmanskating

08-06-2007, 01:53 PM

Flavorful: Today was a good day of skating considering it was a Monday. I didn't have a lesson today but I did a few run throughs of some of my elements and they were good for the most part.

All my singles were good through Lutz. I fell on my single axel the first time I attempted it. I landed it the other 3 times. It was probably just a fluke.

Axel - Loop combo was good.

My double toeloop improved. It's still not good yet but I actually landed it a few times. I gotta polish the take-off though. I don't collect myself up into the jump. As soon as my pick touches the ice, I spring off of it to avoid doing a toe-axel. It makes it almost feel like a double loop instead of a toeloop because I never put any weight on my picking foot. I'm working on it.

My double flip was good. Slight cheat on the landing because it's a little underrotated. But at least I can tell when it is cheated.

Double Sal was good too.

Bland: I guess the only thing bland about today was my MITF. It's getting better but it is not where I would like it to be. But my basic skating is improving. I am finally starting to look like skating is effortless instead of looking like I am trying.

BlackManSkating

jazzpants

08-06-2007, 04:01 PM

Flavorful:
WOW!!! I actually either had a break thru or I got really lucky... I got a little bit more speed going into my loops and flips. My loop in particular. It's getting close to how fast I'll be skating into the loop. :D

Footwork is looking nicer now. I added a (what I hope to be) lunge with free leg curled pose to put in place of this "I'm a little tea pot, short and stout" pose that primary coach originally had me do and then took out b/c it took too much time off the end of the program. The footwork is definitely gonna be kick*** when I get it all perfect!!! 8-)

Bland:
Having trouble trying to get my sit spins even lower (I want a legs parallel to the ice sit spin!) and I'm hesitating on getting down lower on those back squat to make it a back sit. Shouldn't be afraid though... it's not like my butt's that high off the ice. And oh, no camels yet!!!

RinkRat321

08-06-2007, 04:10 PM

Flavorful
-Landed double loop in my lesson :) it might have been a bit cheated but my coach was still really excited for me
-Most of my MITF test elements are really improving
-did a bunch of decent flying camels
-flying sit spins are getting better.

Bland
-I cannt get the hang of alternating 3s. i know i'm making them much harder than they really are.

*JennaD*

08-06-2007, 05:13 PM

I had apretty bland day today...but I guess it's because Ihavent skated in about 10 days! My axel was only half present today...and I found out that my dance coach left me in to test my American on friday but pulled me out for Harris...which I am really mad about because I was stressed enough about it...and spent TONS of time practicing it...and found out that as of this morning, I was out:frus: :frus: :frus:

coskater64

08-06-2007, 06:16 PM

Flavorful: Skated for first time in new boots (hinged) and new blades, same old pattern 99 k pick... have had nightmares about constantly falling forwards or just massive ankle wiggling and not enough strength in legs to manage. Well, turns out went very well, boots are a stock size and only modified at heel to make AAA not A/B. Very comfy, really light, they weight nothing about 30% of my Harlick's, skated for 1 1/2 hours not a blister to be found so comfy. Coach loves that I bend at my ankles now, sit spin is better as is back sit.

Bland: Doc P says second hip surgery within year. This will be the replacement, another year of rehab and this time no jumping for 6 months minimum. Skipping secitonals may go just to watch nationals, sigh....:roll:

Terri C

08-06-2007, 07:10 PM

Flavorful:
My spins are back- hooray!!
Had a okay runthrough of my freeskate and compulsory moves programs today.

Bland:
It was hard at some points in practice today to just skate- there were quite a few clueless little ones and quite a few coaches teaching today.
Makes me wonder what ice time will be like come fall, when it's all afternoons and no mornings.

doubletoe

08-06-2007, 07:27 PM

ibreakhearts66

08-06-2007, 10:35 PM

flavorful- came so so sooo close on my double loops. it was really frustrating me actually. no major ankle pains. usually about every other jump is accompanied by a fall, a swear word, and a few thoughts as to whether I'm going to be able to walk after this. i did a really nice broken leg sit

bland- freakin flying sit. slammed my elbow good and hard, definitely saw stars. couldn't get a good CE back sit. no double sals today. only really tried one, but decided my ankle would rather I not...

Mrs Redboots

08-07-2007, 09:10 AM

Bland: Doc P says second hip surgery within year. This will be the replacement, another year of rehab and this time no jumping for 6 months minimum. Skipping secitonals may go just to watch nationals, sigh....:roll:
Oh Leslie.... poor old you. But you will still be able to dance, once you're past the first being-terribly-careful six week period, no?

Flavourful: Not a lot!

Bland: Willow waltz.... I don't know if my coach just doesn't know how to correct it, or what, but he doesn't help! Step sequence in free dance - it wasn't that broke, so why did we try to fix it?!

jazzpants

08-07-2007, 12:12 PM

Bland: Doc P says second hip surgery within year. This will be the replacement, another year of rehab and this time no jumping for 6 months minimum. Skipping secitonals may go just to watch nationals, sigh....:roll:Oh, no!!! :cry: Is this the last of the hip surgeries? I hope you do make it to Adult Nationals to watch... if nothing else, to watch me make a spectacle of myself at my Bronze FS debut! :roll: :P :twisted: :lol: :giveup:

Flavorful:

Well, not as good as Sunday but the breakthru so far is holding on the loop at least.
Back sit is at least spinning. I'll take that. (Had a fellow adult skater watch me and though I was making progress on the back sit.)
Boy, can I get speed on my entrance to the salchow and waltz jumps!!! WHEEEE!!! :DBland:

Too bad the majority of the salchow and waltz jump attempt had to be aborted in fear of running over some poor soul on the ice. 8O
The flip was :frus: Can't land it clean and go faster at the same time. Well, more like I have to adjust my speed so that I don't go into it really sluggish, but at the same time not too fast. I did left the flip at a clean landing one though.
Back sit: Primary coach sneaked up behind me while he was in between lessons to tell me that I need to sit lower on the back sit. (Please tell me something I don't already know... :roll: )
No camels. :frus:
Tried to do the straight footwork sequence but the public session was so crowded that I could go all the way thru the length of the rink at speed w/o running over another skater. Of course, this is supposed to be a social skating session for me, so I had to end it. (Well, social in the sense that I do get to talk to people and help out the beginners, but not so much that my primary coach doesn't come up to me and say "Less talking, more skating!!!" :twisted: )

*JennaD*

08-07-2007, 05:36 PM

jazzpants, you're so lucky!!! I get speed and freak out and slow down to do my jumps haha

Flavorful: I landed a double sal today! I think it was 1/4 turn cheated ,but I still landed it and surprised my coach (who told me that she didn't think I would land a double sal before the end of the summer-HA HA:P ...now of course, that was just ONE double sal...who knows if it iwll ever happen again!! lol)

my dance was also pretty good...my dance coach was thrilled but my partner was not...lol but my partner did mention to my coach that I was very easy to dance with...meaning I've come a long way because he used to have to pull me everywhere because my 3turns messed up my pattern badly!

Bland: test day...on...friday...this is my 4th time trying my American waltz...:frus: :frus: :twisted: :frus: :frus: :roll: :giveup: :frus: lol

SynchroSk8r114

08-07-2007, 05:45 PM

Bland: test day...on...friday...this is my 4th time trying my American waltz...:frus: :frus: :twisted: :frus: :frus: :roll: :giveup: :frus: lol

Good luck! I know how hard you've been working on that dance! :D

I'm testing my Paso and Starlight Waltz next week for the first time, and I've hardly partnered them yet. I think I had one lesson with my partner back in mid-July and all we worked on was the Starlight, which was...um, difficult to say the least only because of that one arm position switch toward the end of the pattern. Apparently, the Paso's quite easy to partner, but we'll see...I have my lesson tomorrow morning. Expect updates! :lol:

Terri C

08-07-2007, 06:02 PM

Flavorful:
Had a good lesson with Coach today that produced clean runthroughs of compulsory moves (after two tries!) and then a clean freeskate program!!

Bland:
Have finally figured out why I despised compulsory moves events. They are too hard to practice. It's one thing when you're doing your free or interp program with music, because then everyone knows it's your music and move for you. But with no music for compulsories, that is tough.

doubletoe

08-07-2007, 07:16 PM

sk8tegirl06

08-07-2007, 07:31 PM

Flavorful: Moves are about 95% there, if only I could get the hang of RO3s my waltz 8 would be lovely. Lots of spin work, scratch, sit, and back 8O

Bland: Doing backward shoot the ducks on left AND right foot 8O Not as bad as I thought but still scary with much more advanced skaters on the same session, not knowing where they were at the time.

Mixed:Only 1 more lesson till school starts :cry: But once school starts I can skate almost everyday instead of 2x per week. :P

Skate@Delaware

08-07-2007, 08:07 PM

Wow!! The Jackson hinged boots look like they must be heavy, but I guess not! Is this a new lightweight model or have they always just been lighter than they looked?
Yuck about another hip surgery. :?? So, like, you can't even jump on the "other" leg? :roll:
I think the 2nd generation boot is lighter and a bit more improved. That sucks about the surgery!!!! Maybe your rehab period will be shorter!
jazzpants, you're so lucky!!! I get speed and freak out and slow down to do my jumps haha

Flavorful: I landed a double sal today! I think it was 1/4 turn cheated ,but I still landed it and surprised my coach (who told me that she didn't think I would land a double sal before the end of the summer-HA HA:P ...now of course, that was just ONE double sal...who knows if it iwll ever happen again!! lol)

my dance was also pretty good...my dance coach was thrilled but my partner was not...lol but my partner did mention to my coach that I was very easy to dance with...meaning I've come a long way because he used to have to pull me everywhere because my 3turns messed up my pattern badly!

Bland: test day...on...friday...this is my 4th time trying my American waltz...:frus: :frus: :twisted: :frus: :frus: :roll: :giveup: :frus: lol
Congrats on the double-sal!!!!! Good luck on your test!!!!
Flavorful:
Had a good lesson with Coach today that produced clean runthroughs of compulsory moves (after two tries!) and then a clean freeskate program!!
Bland:
Have finally figured out why I despised compulsory moves events. They are too hard to practice. It's one thing when you're doing your free or interp program with music, because then everyone knows it's your music and move for you. But with no music for compulsories, that is tough.
I can't tell when someone is doing their moves either. Maybe I'll suggest to the club that they get a turn to wear the orange vest-why not? We can play "stock music" for them.....maybe you can suggest it to your rink?

doubletoe

08-07-2007, 09:14 PM

Unfortunately, our rink has a policy that freestyle skaters have right of way over ice dancers and those doing MIF. Do other rinks have the same policy?

I love the idea of doing them to music and wearing the colored belt, LOL! You'd probably have to break it up into 3-4 minute segments, though, to make it the same length as standard FS programs. ;)

*JennaD*

08-07-2007, 10:17 PM

Yay!!! Was that the first double jump you ever landed?

Yup!!I'm so happy :):):)

Rusty Blades

08-08-2007, 04:25 AM

Worse than Bland: Coach asked me last week to make a list of my elements (for choreography) so I did that yesterday morning - pretty abysmal! :cry: So that put me on a downer for the rest of the day.

Flavourful: When coach looked at the list she said I was too hard on myself and moved some things from “so-so” to “good” and some other from “pathetic” to ”so-so”.

Bland: Practiced Upright Spins and back outside edges. Some spins felt half descent but I can't seem to get beyond 1-1/2 revolutions.

Flavourful: In lesson, coach said my 1-1/2 revolution spins were actually 2-1/2 revolutions! (Seems I don’t count so good when the world is a blur!) WOOHOO, only 1/2 revolution from being a REAL spin!

liz_on_ice

08-08-2007, 05:29 AM

Yup!!I'm so happy :):):)

ooooohhhh :bow:

congrats!

Mrs Redboots

08-08-2007, 06:51 AM

Well done JennaD! And also well done Dianne - wish my spin was as nearly 3 revolutions. Our couples' spin is, mostly.

Flavourful: Have re-re-rechoreographed our step sequence, and I think maybe this time it's going to work.

Bland: But you wouldn't think so, the way we skated it.... oh well, practice, practice and more practice, and at least we got to run through it to the music.

kateskate

08-08-2007, 08:06 AM

Flavourful
Axels are making progress having restarted from scratch. I've lost rotation but I feel I have a better take off and air position.
I beginning to realise speed is my friend and often things work better with more speed.
Back camels are making progress

Bland
Twizzles have gone a little since coach wants me to do them with my arms above my head.
Compulsories feel rather shakey. I feel like I am always trying to chase the music. That RFO crossroll on the foxtrot just looks awful. And back runs for the 14 step are just yucky. Not enough edge.

blue111moon

08-08-2007, 08:27 AM

Flavorful: not much. I did get the skates on, which, considering how sore the tendons are, is pretty much of a miracle.

Bland: Another week of blundering through the Dutch Waltz. It think I have the steps down but the icky music we have forit only messes with my head. I did manage to do a nice couple patterns to the music for the European which is a tad slower and has a very clear beat.

And then we started the canasta - ick. Ick. ICK! Must be my Polish genes that don't like Latin rhythms. :) Not that the music we have for it is particularly Latin-flavored but it does nothing for me.

The chances of my testing dance are less than nil. It is sooooooo not my thing. But it's better than not skating at all. I guess. Maybe. :) :)

blackmanskating

08-08-2007, 02:16 PM

Yup!!I'm so happy :):):)

Congrats JennaD!!!! :bow: Isn't it a wonderful feeling??? 8-)

BlackManSkating

Scarlett

08-08-2007, 02:45 PM

Congrats JennaD!

Flavourful:
-Landed a couple of clean waltz-loops. Of course, my coach was not there and it was not my normal rink so I have no witnesses :twisted:
-Loops were clean.
-Flips were rotated and on foot but had absolutely no flow.
-Managed to do clean runthroughs of all the preliminary dances.

Bland:
-Sit spins!!!!
-Crowded public session with tons of school kids on rental skates.

jazzpants

08-08-2007, 04:17 PM

Congrats on your double sal, JennaD!!! WOO HOO!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Flavorful:
Landed a bunch of loops at speed today.

Bland:
Also missed a bunch of loops today. Had to go back to doing them at slower speeds to get the feeling back and land them clean again. :frus:

I guess this is a Flavorful but really... it's weird!!! 8O

Secondary coach had me trying for a waltz-loop, which I never EVER gotten before. After making sure that I check on my waltz jump, it was a bit easier for me to get closer to landing the waltz-loop and I did land 2 this morning. One after about 2 tries and the last one right at the end. "WHEW!!!" Right?

WRONG!!! :twisted:

Next comment: Since now you can land a waltz-loop, let's see you try for an AXEL now!!! WTH!?!?! Is she kidding me??? 8O 8O 8O I have no CLUE how to even start on an axel. I told her that I don't even HAVE a lutz yet! Her response was "So? No time like the present to start learning the axel now!" :roll: Even others demonstrating it to me didn't help me much. We ended up doing a walk thru a "half axel" near the wall so at least I have *some* clue what to aim for.

A fellow Adult Silver Ladies III skater at my rink said "Welcome to the world of PAIN!!!" Yeah, no kiddin'!!! 8O :cry: :giveup:

(Okay all you axel and above skaters: How do you get started on this axel business so that at least I can rotate a half revolution in the air and do a half axel at least??? I have no clue how to start working on rotating in the air even!!!) :giveup:

xofivebyfive

08-08-2007, 05:29 PM

I LANDED MY AXEL! completely rotated, no cheated landing really real axel! LKJSLKJFLSKJDLFJSLJFD 8O

jazzpants

08-08-2007, 05:36 PM

I LANDED MY AXEL! completely rotated, no cheated landing really real axel! LKJSLKJFLSKJDLFJSLJFD 8OCONGRATS to you!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

(Any Vids for prosperity??? Maybe you can answer my question on my post above yours??? ;) :P )

Rusty Blades

08-08-2007, 05:39 PM

Not "bland" - down right BITTER: Everything sucked today! Even my “bread & butter” moves, the stuff I can ALWAYS do wasn’t there. I just felt totally weak and the old knees had no strength. Maybe I am coming down with something?

Oh well, we cut today short, I’ll have a long soak in a hot tub tonight and we’ll have at it again tomorrow.

Flavourful: I brought my coach’s skates home to sharpen - my first potential customer!

xofivebyfive

08-08-2007, 06:18 PM

CONGRATS to you!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

(Any Vids for prosperity??? Maybe you can answer my question on my post above yours??? ;) :P )
Thanks! Unfortunately I don't think my mom taped that particular try which always seems to be the case. I do the best sitspin of my life and she was taking a break and missed it. haha it happens all the time. Hopefully it wasn't a fluke though and I'll get it on camera when/if I do it again.

Scarlett

08-08-2007, 06:29 PM

Congrats FivebyFive!

jskater49

08-08-2007, 07:34 PM

Bland - got to the rink, forgot my skates and had to go home so basically missed the freestyle session. Got back in time for power class. When she had them go to the line, do jumping jacks, then back, then back to the line and do sit ups on the ice, I decided to just stroke back and forth.

Took the Moves class. It was pretty much a waste for me. She had us do cross strokes, which my forward are not technically correct and I can't even do them backward. We spent a long time doing shoot the ducks which was a waste for my daughter and the other novice skater, was probably good for the two prelim skaters learnning sitspins and a waste for me because aint no way, no how I am getting down there and/or getting my leg out and even if I could, which I can't, I'd never get back up.

Flavorful She had us hold our spirals for as long as we could and I actually surprised the coach by holding it on my good leg for almost one lap of the rink. I surpassed even the young'uns with that. I may not have the prettiest position, but I can hold an edge!

j

doubletoe

08-08-2007, 07:53 PM

I LANDED MY AXEL! completely rotated, no cheated landing really real axel! LKJSLKJFLSKJDLFJSLJFD 8O

YAY!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: Trust me, you will NEVER forget that moment. :D
I always like to ask this, just for those who are still working on the axel: What was it that got you to actually land it this time? Did you do anything differently? What were you thinking when you did the jump?

icedancer2

08-08-2007, 08:17 PM

Bland: Had my last lesson with my coach before taking my Bronze Moves test this Sunday. She had good little corrections for all of the Moves and lots and lots and lots and lots of corrections for my crappola Power 3s on the right side - sometimes I wonder if she's just lost in the details or if it really needs to be the way she says it should? I think I could practice the same damn thing for another 5 years and never get it, because it's been 5 years since I started working on this move and it is worse than ever. The other Moves are good, maybe even above passing average, so why are we trying so hard to get this one side of one Move to be passing?????????????????

That's why I like her, though - she won't put you out there until she thinks you can do it. Everyone else has told me I should have taken this test a LONG time ago...

More bland: because I have to judge also on Sunday they are putting my Moves test between a Junior Moves and a Novice Moves, which means my Moves will look crappy just because the judges will have been looking at these strong (younger) skaters... AND they didn't put the two adults who are testing on the same warm-up - the other Adult (A Silver Moves lady) will be skating almost 2 hours later than me. We had hoped that we would be on together beccause there is almost nothing weirder than being out there with a bunch of little kids (she will probably be on with the little kids - I will be on with the big kids...). So, arg, arg, arg, arg...

Flavorful: Only 5 more days until this test is over with and I can think about something else!!!!!

*JennaD*

08-08-2007, 10:40 PM

(Okay all you axel and above skaters: How do you get started on this axel business so that at least I can rotate a half revolution in the air and do a half axel at least??? I have no clue how to start working on rotating in the air even!!!) :giveup:

I hate axels!!! hehe Ok I don't know if I should be giving advic e here...considering that my axel is quite on and off...lol but what helped me get it was to first do lots and lots of waltz jump-backspins, making sure that you snap really quickly into the backspin. Then, my coach made me do a bigger waltz jump witha bit more rotation and landing in a tight backspin. My coach made me do this a few times, then made me get morea nd more rotation on my "waltz jump" so that it eventually became an axel (sorta...it took a while to get used to the feeling...then I had a falling phase where I could just NOT pull out of hte jump...which I am sort of in now...:frus: lol)! hope this helps! good luck!

xofivebyfive

08-08-2007, 11:52 PM

YAY!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: Trust me, you will NEVER forget that moment. :D
I always like to ask this, just for those who are still working on the axel: What was it that got you to actually land it this time? Did you do anything differently? What were you thinking when you did the jump?
Hm.. first my coach made me do waltz jump, then backspin, then waltz-backspin. then waltz-backspin but only one rotation spin then check out, then waltz-backspin pulling in faster.. and then I have no idea how it happened. I remember thinking engage my arms(up then in) and jump outside the circle and remembering that I need height so jumping up and just snapping into position while still in the air.

Here's a video of all of my attempts excluding the actual axel. That unfortunately was not on the tape. :(

http://youtube.com/watch?v=C-NIAC4Wzig

ibreakhearts66

08-09-2007, 02:05 AM

flavorful: got to skate 3 days in a row! woohoo! this is like a record for me in years.

double loop is so freakin close. it is so much better after coming back from my surgeries, but because it is so much more powerful, it's harder to land, if that makes sense. but ah i am fully rotated no problem, but my ankle just can't take it! i have to be the first person my coach has ever TOLD to land a jump on two feet...

got to the rink at 10am today and didn't leave til 4 :) i was active that whole time, doing off ice, on ice, or just running around with the 10 year olds.

bland: my ankle is so bad. its getting hard to walk. but i dont wanna stop skating! i'm thinking about not going to soccer tomorrow and giving it a break for a few days...

my double sal disappeared in the afternoon session. i was probably pretty tired by that time, but it was still annoying to have been landing them nicely in the AM then be hopeless in the PM.

AND i think i pulled a hammy. :giveup:

Sessy

08-09-2007, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by jazzpants View Post
(Okay all you axel and above skaters: How do you get started on this axel business so that at least I can rotate a half revolution in the air and do a half axel at least??? I have no clue how to start working on rotating in the air even!!!)

Granted, didn't get mine yet but what we were doing in class was like... First, do waltz jumps that get as much height as possible instead of as much distance as possible. Then, get on a circle with your takeoff edge (lfo for ccw), glide the circle until you feel your blade starting to wanna flip over to an lbi edge, at that moment kick through and up (not around) and jump as high as you could. Then snap the feet together in the air. Land 2-footed (after a few tries I was just standard landing on my right foot only, even though forward - but some get the full 1,5 revolution before they learn to transfer their weight) and then ride it out with a 3-turn.

Salchow-loop helps too. Although in my case, learning the axel helped my salchow, not the other way around.

Laura H

08-09-2007, 08:08 AM

My hockey player DS had power skating class yesterday and there is a freestyle session before that, that figure skater DS has been going to - so I took off work a little early and went along for the ride . . . and the freestyle . . . this was my first *real* freestyle session (I've been on once before with DS at an early a.m. freestyle, but there was only 1 other skater on the ice, so it really wasn't very crowded!!). It was fun!! There weren't any really high level skaters (i.e. doubles, etc.) so I just kept an eye on everyone and was able to practice without too much of the "abort!! abort!!"

Bland: backspins were .. .. ok. I'm trying a 3 turn entrance with a lot of effort to keep the free leg back until the "snap" - seems to have promise - I just need to practice it about a million more times. (boy I cannot WAIT til our home rink reopens!!). Salchows . . . not too pretty but at least I did make it off the ice most of the time :roll: . . . after reviewing some video of the session before this one, I do see a few things to work on . . . funny how it's so obvious on video and so hard to comprehend while on-ice!!

Flavorful . . . scratch spin was SWEET . . . every now and then I mess up the entrance and ABORT ABORT . . . but mostly I am able to get a nice stable entrance and I'm actually bringing the free foot all the way across and down now! 8O

Laura H

08-09-2007, 08:11 AM

Congrats xoxo!! My DS is still kind of hit & miss on the axel . . . he is ALMOST there, but has a bad habit of breaking at the waist . . . eek! Can you say crash & burn!? 8O

Mrs Redboots

08-09-2007, 08:59 AM

I LANDED MY AXEL! completely rotated, no cheated landing really real axel! LKJSLKJFLSKJDLFJSLJFD 8OWell done!!!!!

desabelle

08-09-2007, 10:02 AM

Bland: First week back on the ice after being off for 2.5 years due to a knee injury. I had a good friend film my sister and I on her cell phone just to get a feel for what needed to be worked on, and I must say my jumping technique has gotten extremely sloppy, and my flying spins are utterly disturbing right now. I feel like since I hurt myself I hesitate before going into my jumps, during my jumps and I don't have enough speed or drive to really get into the air.

So the plan for this next week is to work on my singles, focus on my shoulders during my air position and landing, work on tidying up my feet a little, and maybe adding some height and speed into my jumps as I get more comfortable.

Flavorful: Out of the 10 axels I attempted, 4 were clean, 2 were landed with a dropped shoulder (causes the funniest looking fall ever!), 2 were cheated by 1/2 a rotation, and 2 were popped. I really wasn't expecting to land them at all so I was extremely pleased!

My edges and footwork were pretty decent, and had good technique and speed so I was pretty happy about that as well. I'm thinking of maybe taking my diamond dances this year if all goes well. :)

Rusty Blades

08-09-2007, 10:15 AM

dbny

08-09-2007, 12:13 PM

Bland (may cause indigestion): After listening to all the coaches whimper and wine about not being able to find a competent skate sharpener I opened my heart - or rather my workshop - and offered to sharpen for coaches only. If everybody likes my work, maybe I will open the doors to serious skaters to.

(said with a feeling of foreboding 8O )

For a moderate fee, I hope!

Flavorful:
After not being able to skate at all while on vacation the past two weeks, I got on the ice yesterday and felt great. Didn't do a lot, as I'm still getting used to the new boots and blades, but got a few good one foot spins, some nice F and B cross strokes, and generally a decent work-out. L blade is better, but still not perfect.

Bland:
Being in a hot tent for two weeks must have caused the padding to slip in my R boot, because the outside ankle area is now pressing on my ankle. Klingbeil is closed until Monday, or I would have gone in this AM for an adjustment :x.
That 1/4 inch difference in blade size between my new ones (shorter) and my old ones seems to make backwards a little off balance. I just have to get used to it. Had to skate on the hockey rink because there were over a hundred people on the public session. Hockey ice is HARD, and I slipped off a few edges, even on freshly sharpened blades. Guess I don't weigh enough to counteract the hard ice :lol:.

Rusty Blades

08-09-2007, 12:29 PM

For a moderate fee, I hope!

Not "moderate" at all, more "high end" for sharpening. It just happens to work out to the same hourly fee that coaches charge.

(With the amount of time and care I put in to a sharpening I will NOT do it for peanuts!)

dbny

08-09-2007, 12:53 PM

Not "moderate" at all, more "high end" for sharpening. It just happens to work out to the same hourly fee that coaches charge.

(With the amount of time and care I put in to a sharpening I will NOT do it for peanuts!)

Oops! I was missing the ;) next to "moderate". Funny how it happens to be the same rate that coaches charge :lol:.

Rusty Blades

08-09-2007, 12:56 PM

Funny how it happens to be the same rate that coaches charge :lol:.

Strange coincidence, isn't it ;)

doubletoe

08-09-2007, 01:03 PM

First week back on the ice after being off for 2.5 years due to a knee injury.

Out of the 10 axels I attempted, 4 were clean, 2 were landed with a dropped shoulder

That's AMAZINGLY good for being off the ice for so long! Are you kidding me?! 8O Congratulations! :D

Isk8NYC

08-09-2007, 01:10 PM

Rusty Blades

08-09-2007, 06:22 PM

Flavourful: Was feeling a lot better than yesterday but still a bit weak.

Worked on upright spins (yet again) and Waltz jumps (at the boards).

In lesson we did more Waltz jumps, footwork, upright spins, and sit spins.

Actually had one sit spin ALMOST come together.

After lesson I went back to upright spins - actually had a couple come together really well and feel controlled - even coach commented on some “nice spins” :mrgreen:

Bland: That's it for this week - not back on the ice until Tuesday.

{Coach was also happy with her sharpening and head coach said she’d like me to do her skates to.}

Bill_S

08-09-2007, 06:28 PM

{Coach was also happy with her sharpening and head coach said she’d like me to do her skates to.}

Be careful or soon you'll have the whole rink banging down your door for a good sharpening!

*JennaD*

08-09-2007, 07:04 PM

Flavorful: Landed a double sal or 2 today...and a few axels!!! Another coach who I know told me how much my freestyle has improved over the summer!!:)

Bland: no skating until like Sept. 8...:frus: :frus: and of course....how could I forget...my dreaded dance test is tomorrow!!! eek...I hpe its the last time I ever have to do the American Waltz!!!

Terri C

08-09-2007, 07:34 PM

Jenna,
Good luck tomorrow!!

Flavorful:
Did my first off ice lesson with Secondary Coach- I thought I was going to die!! :lol: 8O

Bland:
The reason behind the impromptu off ice lesson:
We had such hot, hot HOT weather and high humidity here that the rink was so fogged up that it was difficult to see your hand in front of your face, much less everyone else. We tried everything from getting everyone to stroke so the fog would lift to getting another zam cut, whick lifted the fog for oh, 5 minutes or so.
So we all get back on and it starts to fog up again and then with a passing thunderstorm, the ceiling of the rink began to leak. It was then that Coach called it quits for the day and other coaches cancelled their lessons before her because of the fog.
Out of concern for my own safety, I got off the ice after the second fog set it and asked for a off ice lesson.

jazzpants

08-09-2007, 07:39 PM

Good luck, JennaD!!! Keep us posted on your dance test!!!

Bland:

More changes to my choreography for my FS program!!! One of the changes is my entrance to my sit spin! AUGH!!! It's NOT gonna be fun!!! (I prefer the windup method of going into a spin, but primary coach wants it changed so that I can step right from landing a jump combo (LBO edge) straight to a (RFO edge) forward sit spin! 8O ) Thank goodness he left the footwork part alone at the end... well, except now I have put in a lunge with free leg curled in at the end of the footwork. He also squeezed in a FO spiral at the beginning of the program! Geez!!! :roll:
Can't land loop or flip still in program. :frus:Flavorful:
I did a final runthru with all the changes... and it looking like at least the flow is working out fine, even though I didn't land the loop or the flip jumps. But I guess the difference now is that I wore the FS session program belt. (I usually don't have to do that for coffee club... but I needed to b/c the last time I ran thru the program I keep getting into people's way when I did the footwork sequence. This time around, I had no one around me and went right thru the middle w/o incident. Primary coach is MUCH happier with the timing of the program elements this time around!!! :D

Skittl1321

08-09-2007, 08:08 PM

Be careful or soon you'll have the whole rink banging down your door for a good sharpening!

If it gets to be too much to handle she can just "accidentally" shave off a toepick ;)

doubletoe

08-09-2007, 10:42 PM

More changes to my choreography for my FS program!!! One of the changes is my entrance to my sit spin! AUGH!!! It's NOT gonna be fun!!! (I prefer the windup method of going into a spin, but primary coach wants it changed so that I can step right from landing a jump combo (LBO edge) straight to a (RFO edge) forward sit spin! 8O )

It's okay, Jazzy! I had to do the same thing in my program this year but it ended up not being as hard as I thought. :) The trick is to land the jump combo, then turn your head to look in the direction of the spin (over your right shoulder since you spin CW) and then step down, bend the knee deeply and push around into the spin. You can do it! :D

mikawendy

08-10-2007, 12:02 AM

(For Thursday)

Bland: Had a moves lesson tonight in which we worked on the "bad side" the whole time. That was interesting! But actually, for my "bad side," it was pretty good, even though it was way slower and less steady than my good side.

Flavorful: Stayed for two sessions, so I didn't get drenched in the two downpours that we had in our area.

Rusty Blades

08-10-2007, 06:20 AM

If it gets to be too much to handle she can just "accidentally" shave off a toepick ;)

BAW HAW ha ha! I wouldn't DARE! I have to skate with these people 8-) Besides, I am charging 2x the going rate in this area and bill it as "the best care possible for your blades".

blue111moon

08-10-2007, 08:27 AM

Flavorful: Another session on the Dutch Waltz and I actually think I have it engraved into my memory. I'm now working on making the steps fit the pattern into the rink, which means basically that I can't PUSH any step other than the swing rolls because, if I PUSH, I go too fast and it distorts the pattern.

Bland: I really dislike dance. :) It's better than not skating at all, but, please, God, let my tendons heal quickly, so that I can get back to my normal skating.

Mrs Redboots

08-10-2007, 09:20 AM

Flavourful: I think we have finally got a step sequence that works for our free dance (for those of you who saw it at the MC, we have made it harder, rather more side-by-side with crossings, since the other adults at our rink all had crossings in theirs).

Bland: But it needs an awful lot of practice.... oh well, hard work, here we come!

Emberchyld

08-10-2007, 12:00 PM

Flavorful: Well, my coach had me run through my jumps earlier this week and was very happy-- after ages of drilling with Team Emberchyld for a salchow or a proper toeloop, she gave me the okay sign on the toeloop (whew!), and said "Well, you finally have the salchow. It's a little too spinny, but at least it LOOKS like a salchow" :D

She also noted an immense improvement in my moves... but then took it back when she realized that I had finally sharpened my skates:roll: and that was why I could finally skate properly

Bland: I went skating last night feeling just a bit off (don't know why), and could't keep off of my toepick or heel the entire time, or catching my edges, or overall majorly bad skating. After two BAD falls (and onto my right wrist both times), I called it quits. I was already suspecting some sort of uncoordination when I ran over my own foot with my skate bag...

I woke up this morning with some sort of stomach flu-y thing, so now I know why I was a mess! This is the last time I skate when I feel a bit off.

blackmanskating

08-10-2007, 01:53 PM

Amandaskategirl

08-10-2007, 02:04 PM

Flavourful

- I feel like I am getting back into skating after not being able to go very much over the last few months.

- My double loops have been working fairly well.

- I can now do change foot sit spins most of the time.

Bland

- I still cannot do an axel

- Camel spins still don't want to work for me.

doubletoe

08-10-2007, 02:37 PM

Flavorful: I posted earlier this week, but I was so happy with my skating today that I had to post again. Today I landed the best double-lutz I have ever done!!! Finally they are starting to clean up. My "double" axel is coming a long and it's getting better. My first moves and FS test happens on the 25th of Aug. I am so nervous but I'm really excited.

Bland: Sit spins have officially become my nemesis!! I can't seem to do them well. I can do a pancake position because my leg is crossed under me. But as soon as I extend my leg out for a regular sit spin, I fall to the back of my blade or I lean to far forward and my free leg hits the ice. I just don't get it. :frus:

BlackManSkating

Wow!! I would love to be a fly on the wall when you take your freestyle test and "accidentally" do a double lutz instead of a single! :lol: You need to post some videos so we can all oooh and aaahh over your jumps! :D

That is really perplexing about your sitspin, though. :?? What you're describing sounds a little like what happens to me sometimes on my back sitspin, so I'm wondering if it might help to try getting your free leg extended more on the entrance edge. When you push out onto your entrance edge, bend the skating knee very deeply, keep your lower back really stiff and arched and extend your free leg way back behind you and locked out straight. Let it stay so far behind you that it follows you like a tail and practically crosses behind the skating leg. When you swing it to the front, keep it strong and extended straight so it works like a pendulum. Keep the arc of the swing low, level and smooth. Turn the free foot out when it gets to 2:00 (10:00 if you skate CW), then let it come all the way in to hit the spinning leg without slowing down. I hope it helps somewhat (I know how nerve wracking it can be to have a test coming up when you've got something that isn't working right!).

kateskate

08-10-2007, 02:57 PM

Flavourful
Since I went back to the drawng board with axels, they have been progressing well. And I think I actually landed one with my new improved take off and rotation position. Yay! Couldn't replicate sadly. Hopefully tomorrow.:D
Compulsories were a little better and my free dance was pretty good (in that I managed both twizzle sequences without putting my foot down or breaking at the waist)
Off on a skating holiday on Sunday - 2 weeks of skating skating skating Yay!!!!!

Bland
RFO on the foxtrot is killing me. How can such a seemingly easy thing be so hard. Dance! :roll:
Change foot sit spins although better still have a bit of a flying free leg issue.
And I was having a clumsy day. Can't tell you how many times I tripped over my own feet.

liz_on_ice

08-10-2007, 06:55 PM

bland - practiced in a public session so I could bring DD too. She had fun though, so it's worth the knee-high aggravation.

flavorful - My first decent toe loop. I really caught some air for the first time on a single. I could feel the pause at the top of my trajectory before I started to land. Oooooh I love that feeling! 8-)

dbny

08-10-2007, 08:58 PM

Flavorful:
Met liz_on_ice and her DD today at that public session! Liz also did a beautiful spiral, which she didn't mention.

Last night it dawned on me that my new boots and blades suddenly felt great! I finally once again had confidence when I got on the ice. All my stops were there except for the hockey stop (more later), no more pronation, and very little scraping of the L blade. Got on the ice today still feeling it, and did some great demo FO threes in the lesson I was giving (when they better be great!). I really think these boots have fixed my major problems with LFO edges and LFO threes.

Bland:
That hockey stop :roll:. Came in towards the boards to get my water bottle, did a snowplow stop, switched to hockey stop, went back on tails of blades, grabbed boards with left arm and eased myself down, since the fall was inevitable. Now have lovely huge bruise on inside of L elbow. OTOH, worked the hocky stop a bit more, and have it back now! DH had a worse time, having forgotten that he got his blades sharpened at the same time I got my new skates, and had not skated on them since. Poor guy got on the ice and took two splats on his first time around. Got more cautious, but finally caught his blade in a groove in the ice (or so he thought). It was that almost-splat that made him suddenly remember the fresh sharpening. He wasn't hurt, so we both had a good :lol: about it all.

Scarlett

08-10-2007, 09:31 PM

So Blackmanskating...What are you testing? Up to Silver Free ?:halo:
You'll do great.

*JennaD*

08-11-2007, 11:52 AM

Terri C

08-11-2007, 12:21 PM

jskater49

08-11-2007, 02:04 PM

Bland: I failed my American Waltz for the fourth time ahhhhh!!!! My partner told me that I did a really good job and it was the best American test I had done and my dance coach told me that it was "fair" (which is a huge compliment coming from him...he told me I should have passed)...my freestyle coach (who sees me dance sometimes) was also really suprised that I failed...along with all my friends at the rink!! The worst part is, I have had this judge before and she marked me basically the same way as the last time I have had her, and I have improved SOOOOO much since then:cry: :giveup:

Bland-er: no skating til september:x

My condolences. My daughter failed her American and her Rocker the other day. The worst part was her coach thought she looked great. She's never failed a dance test - dance is her thing. I had a bad feeling not from watching her dance cuz it looked fine to me ...but just you know, bad feeling. After she did the test dd and her coach are going on and on about how now they are going on to the pre-gold (this would have been the last of her silvers) and blah blah blah and I said "Um not to be a downer but let's get the results first" It was singled panelled and that is the bummer about single panels. She didn't say much and what she did say was, I'm sorry if I sound like a skate parent but even coach agreed, was ridiculis "dance looked unsure" DD always looks sure and confident, her upper body makes dance coaches weep - yes I'm bragging but it's true. Coach is like "I don't even know what to tell you to work on" DD just shrugged - she hadn't been working on them that long - I think she wasn't as down in her knees as she usually is but I also think we tested in an area where everyone does the standard track and dd was the only solo test and you know people, including judges have their biases about that.

All this to say, is you probably were great. I'd try to find a test session where it isn't single paneled so you aren't dependent on the opinion of one judge.

j

*JennaD*

08-11-2007, 04:02 PM

Damn, that sucks!! Been there and still doing that with the Bronze freestyle!
Did your coach talk to this judge as to what they were looking for vs what you were doing? Maybe you need a different judge next time.

I don't think so...they were both kind of upset after we got my results lol

jskater49, I know how your daughter feels! The first time I failed dance, I failed my American and harris tango at the same time...its quite frustrating...and annoying when you don't really know what else to work on because the dance seemed so ready to test and pass! I would LOVe to test where the judging wasn't single panneled...but I live in Canada and I'm not sure that exists? Or at least not where I skate...I have never seen more than one judge judging dance here! which sucks...:giveup: lol

jskater49

08-11-2007, 04:15 PM

I don't think so...they were both kind of upset after we got my results lol

jskater49, I know how your daughter feels! The first time I failed dance, I failed my American and harris tango at the same time...its quite frustrating...and annoying when you don't really know what else to work on because the dance seemed so ready to test and pass! I would LOVe to test where the judging wasn't single panneled...but I live in Canada and I'm not sure that exists? Or at least not where I skate...I have never seen more than one judge judging dance here! which sucks...:giveup: lol

Lately all her dance tests have been single paneled so I think they are doing that more and more- it's cheaper I suppose. I just think when you get to higher level dances and they get pickier, but different judges are pickier about different things, it's more fair to have 3 judges.

j

*JennaD*

08-11-2007, 05:09 PM

Lately all her dance tests have been single paneled so I think they are doing that more and more- it's cheaper I suppose. I just think when you get to higher level dances and they get pickier, but different judges are pickier about different things, it's more fair to have 3 judges.

j

Definitely.They are WAY pickier at higher levels...and your test can be affected by their mood/ attitude on that day, etc. My coach once told me that she did not get along very well with a certain judge, and as a result, that judge often failed her students (which is not too professional ... lol and doesn't happen too often I don't htink, but still!!)!

dbny

08-11-2007, 05:16 PM

Bland: I failed my American Waltz for the fourth time ahhhhh!!!! <snip>The worst part is, I have had this judge before and she marked me basically the same way as the last time I have had her, and I have improved SOOOOO much since then:cry: :giveup:

We remember the judges, but they probably don't remember us, as they judge so many skaters. I think before a test, a single panel judge should be given a copy of the previous test if they were the one to fail it. Does the word "fickle" sound right?

My condolences. My daughter failed her American and her Rocker the other day. The worst part was her coach thought she looked great. <snip> I'm sorry if I sound like a skate parent but even coach agreed, was ridiculis "dance looked unsure" DD always looks sure and confident, her upper body makes dance coaches weep - yes I'm bragging but it's true. Coach is like "I don't even know what to tell you to work on"

It almost sounds like this judge didn't want to pass her but couldn't find anything really wrong and was grasping at straws. :x

Flavorful:
It's official, my new skates are worth their weight in gold!!! Skated on a public session this afternoon with DH. After some warm up three turns, felt enough confidence on both FI and FO threes to try the new Adult Pre-Bronze three turn pattern, and was able to do it on both sides. Prelim power threes also were working and with more speed than usual. If I had known how much my old skates were holding me back, I would have gotten new ones two years ago :frus: :frus: :frus:.

Bland:
Nothing except that I had to get up early this morning after not sleeping well, and work for an hour and a half. Only did the public session because DH wanted to go to see his co-worker who has had a few lessons with me and said he would be there (he was). I'm totally pooped!

Debbie S

08-11-2007, 09:37 PM

we tested in an area where everyone does the standard track and dd was the only solo test and you know people, including judges have their biases about that.I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's (and JennaD's) tests. Maybe she should consider doing the regular standard track instead of the solo. Then her tests at this level would have to have 3 judges on the panel.

Unfortunately, I've heard about that situation (where the coach has no idea why a test didn't pass and doesn't know what to tell their student) happening with MIF tests, too. The consensus is that sometimes, a judge just decides that a test isn't ready, b/c of some minor thing they see, and they just fail the test. And yes, it's quite aggravating - esp when you are talking about the lower levels, b/c a kid can get really discouraged.

Jenna, I guess Canada does things differently, but here in the U.S. the only dance tests (assuming they are the partnered variety) that can be single-paneled are Preliminary and Pre-Bronze (first 2 levels). It's that way with MIF and FS tests, too. Usually, a single-panel situation works in the skater's favor, b/c the judge feels more responsibility for the result and doesn't want to be the bad guy, unless they absolutely have to. But then again, if your single judge is very tough, that can work against you.

desabelle

08-12-2007, 12:59 AM

Judging in Canada is single panel all the time unless it's a competitive test.

Definitely.They are WAY pickier at higher levels...and your test can be affected by their mood/ attitude on that day, etc. My coach once told me that she did not get along very well with a certain judge, and as a result, that judge often failed her students (which is not too professional ... lol and doesn't happen too often I don't htink, but still!!)!

I agree on this, some judges are more particular about certain things as well. Like certain judges will always comment on knee bend and flow, and others are sticklers for timing. One test day a judge failed every single gold dance taken because the unison on the extension wasn't exact. Just depends on the judge, and the judges mood that particular day. The judge/coach problem is more common then you think though, which is pretty ridiculous!

Better luck next time on the American! Once you get through it your senior silver dances will be a breeze!

Mrs Redboots

08-12-2007, 05:46 AM

Bland: I failed my American Waltz for the fourth time ahhhhh!!!!Oh, bad luck - and also to Jskater49's daughter - miserable for both of you, especially as the judge(s) seem not to have looked at the same thing as the coaches.

Judging in Canada is single panel all the time unless it's a competitive test.As it is in the UK for anything Level 6 and Under. To give you some standard of comparison, that is (for compulsory dances) European waltz and Foxtrot, and (for free) Axel-double-toe.... You need a full level six (Moves, Elements and Free, or Moves, Compulsory Dances, Free Dance and Original Dance) to train as a judge, and it's preferred for coach training, too (you can train with fewer tests, but it takes a lot longer).

As for us:

Flavourful: The first half of our step sequence is okay now. Riverside Rhumba okay, I think, although we need a lot more power on the restart.

Bland: The second half isn't what it should be. Nor is our Willow Waltz.

jskater49

08-12-2007, 07:15 AM

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's (and JennaD's) tests. Maybe she should consider doing the regular standard track instead of the solo. Then her tests at this level would have to have 3 judges on the panel.

.

We did consider her testing some of the dances standard, just to get that experience since she wants to coach but she's going to be a senior in high school this year, we want to at least get her tested solo up to her gold dances and hopefully at least to Novice freestyle, she hasn't totally given up trying to get as far as senior moves (if she can pass her novice moves!)...there's just not a lot of time left. There is no one to practice with for a partner and we'd have to travel pretty far to find a test session where they provide a partner. Never mind the cost to start over with standard test. More feasible to test in an area most of the testers are doing solo.

She just sees this as a challenge to get those dances so good nobody can have any good excuse not to pass her.

j

icedancer2

08-12-2007, 05:52 PM

jazzpants

08-12-2007, 06:18 PM

HOOORAAAAY, icedancer2!!! CONGRATS to YOU!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Sorry about your tests, jskater49's DD and JennaD!!! :cry:

Bland:

My jumps have gone to hell again. Can't feel my legs that well today. Just felt tired and weak. :cry:
Trying to get lower on the backsit... GRRRR!!! :frus:
Flavorful:

Well, my camel spins are okay for once and my footwork is pretty steady. (Now why oh, why is it easy for me to do footwork and spins??? Jumps are supposed to be easier on the legs...)
My Chinese spirals are a tiny bit better! At least the skating leg is straighter.

singerskates

08-12-2007, 06:40 PM

Flavorful: I passed my Bronze Moves this morning - by two out of three judges and so now I am happy! Actually I was happier before I got the scores -- at least it was finally over!!

Whoo-hoo!!:lol:

Bland: Wondering why the heck I am testing anyway - one of my friends commented that I shouldn't have passed as she knew I could skate better than that! Why do people say things like that anyway???

Strange.:roll:

What the? Just because you may not have skated as well as you usually do doesn't mean you should have failed. To me it means that even on a bad skate day, your skating is decent.

singerskates

08-12-2007, 06:41 PM

looplover

08-12-2007, 06:51 PM

Yay to IceDancer2! Sorry to JennaD!

Bland: left blade is loose and came loose again during practice. It was very loose during my pre-bronze moves test and I didn't know that until afterwards. Put screwdriver in skate bag and will get that taken care of soon. I hope.

Trouble getting 3 crossovers at end of moves pattern.

Left practice early, very crowded on ice, many teenagers with headphones. Better than last week when people had folding chairs on the ice and were trying to hold on to them...

Flavorful: Other than my crossover problems, the moves are pretty good and I'm much more confident with these than I was with prebronze. Which is weird but I've been doing variations of these in ISI for a long time as either warmups or as part of footwork so that is why. Had a centered scratch spin today. Decided I'd love to go all the way through gold moves if possible some day but realized that would require me to pass silver freestyle...oy vey

jskater49

08-12-2007, 06:58 PM

Flavorful: I passed my Bronze Moves this morning - by two out of three judges and so now I am happy! Actually I was happier before I got the scores -- at least it was finally over!!

Whoo-hoo!!:lol:

Bland: Wondering why the heck I am testing anyway - one of my friends commented that I shouldn't have passed as she knew I could skate better than that! Why do people say things like that anyway???

Strange.:roll:

Congratulations! Who hoo.

This was a friend who said you shouldn't pass? Eh. Nobody skates as good as they can on a test. But your not good as you can was good enough to pass and that is something!

j

jazzpants

08-12-2007, 06:58 PM

What are Chinese spirals? Please describe.They're another term for catch foot spirals.

And my day yesterday was MUCH MORE "flavorful." I went to watch some skating at the Sillicon Valley Open yesterday. OMG!!! I had elite skaters and coach galore yesterday. I was trying to watch skating and Justin Dillon and a bunch of his friends came by and sat at this big round table facing the glass (but BLOCKING MY VIEW of the ice!!! GRRRR!!! :x :P )

So I went looking for a seat and somehow I mumbled out loud that I was looking for a place to sit where I can eat and watch the Novice Ladies event when a male voice said "There's a chair right in front of you there! Grab it! That table too!!!" The male voice was.... Rudy Galindo!!! :P :lol: (The service really sucked though... took forever to get a menu... and took TWICE as long just to get my pizza!!! :evil: :x ) But it was kinda interesting (and weird) sitting across from Rudy (who was at the next table and also watching the Novice Ladies event too.)

And it gets better folks... I was heading towards the Ladies room and recognized this older white haired gentleman. We noticed each other and he smiled and I said "OMG!!! Are you who I think you are?" He said "Well, who do you think I am?" I said "I think you're Frank Carroll!!!" He said "Then I must be who you think I am then!" :D Very VERY nice man!!! And later on in the day I got a picture with him to prove that I wasn't dreaming or lying about this.

The Senior headliners at SVO, I think, are Bebe Liang and Nicholas LaRoche!!! (Though I see Dennis Phan as an up and coming Sr. guy who I expect to see on TV pretty soon... if not this year, maybe next year!) I also got a picture of me with Bebe... she's such a lovely young lady!!! :D Nicholas and I talked briefly... and I mentioned one of his fellow skaters that he skates with... Braden Overett (whose Pirates program I just LOVE!!! He made me a fan the night he skated that Pirates program at Skate SF!!! :bow: ) He mentioned that Braden won "Choreography of the Year" for that program! (TOTALLY deserved it!!! It was just a gorgeous program!!!) And oh, Nick's triple axel is OMG HUGE!!! 8O :bow:

Needless to say... I'm still in 7th heaven from yesterday!!!

icedancer2

08-12-2007, 07:38 PM

Congratulations! Who hoo.

This was a friend who said you shouldn't pass? Eh. Nobody skates as good as they can on a test. But your not good as you can was good enough to pass and that is something!

j

That's what I figured. I felt great getting off the ice because it was over, and as a judge, I would have passed me. If I had felt it wasn't passable then I wouldn't have tried it and if I had really skated ultra-crappily, to a level that I myself would not have passed (being a judge) and it passed, then I wouldn't trust that the judges were being honest, so really, it was a passable test IMHO:halo: .

Thanks for the accolades everyone. I think most people on here know that I have been working on these moves FOREVER and that I can do lots of things that are much harder than the things on this test, BUT there were a couple of things on this test that were an absolute nemesis for me and I just had to take it and get the darned thing over with!!

That being said, the one move that was my biggest nemesis, Power 3s, did not pass by any judge, but the rest of the test was good enough for the pass (I wouldn't have passed me on my Power 3s either, I'm afraid).

Enough of Bronze Moves! On to the Silver! Or better yet - finishing my pre-Gold dances!!:bow:

dbny

08-12-2007, 08:41 PM

Flavorful: I passed my Bronze Moves this morning - by two out of three judges and so now I am happy! Actually I was happier before I got the scores -- at least it was finally over!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Debbie S

08-12-2007, 08:52 PM

Congratulations, IceDancer2! Sheesh, that's some 'friend' you have. Don't pay any attention - give yourself a pat on the back - you earned it!

Decided I'd love to go all the way through gold moves if possible some day but realized that would require me to pass silver freestyle...oy veyUh, you don't need to pass Silver FS to work on Gold MIF. MIF tests are separate from FS tests. You need to pass the MIF test to take the FS test at any particular level, but you do not need to pass FS tests at any level to take and pass an MIF test, just the prerequisite MIF test.

My goal is to (someday) pass Gold MIF (if I ever pass Silver) and at this point I don't plan on taking any more FS tests (I've passed through Bronze). Technically, I could pass all the way up to Senior MIF w/o taking any more FS tests.

looplover

08-12-2007, 09:09 PM

Uh, you don't need to pass Silver FS to work on Gold MIF. MIF tests are separate from FS tests. You need to pass the MIF test to take the FS test at any particular level, but you do not need to pass FS tests at any level to take and pass an MIF test, just the prerequisite MIF test.

My goal is to (someday) pass Gold MIF (if I ever pass Silver) and at this point I don't plan on taking any more FS tests (I've passed through Bronze). Technically, I could pass all the way up to Senior MIF w/o taking any more FS tests.

Nice! Thanks! that makes it a much more attainable goal :lol: (I still want to take and pass Silver FS...but I dunno)

Scarlett

08-13-2007, 05:16 AM

Congrats IceDancer2!

Mrs Redboots

08-13-2007, 05:47 AM

she hasn't totally given up trying to get as far as senior moves (if she can pass her novice moves!)...there's just not a lot of time left.

Sorry, I don't understand why there isn't a lot of time? Or is she one of those who plans to give up completely when she goes to college? Even if she does, she can always take it up again later, if she wants to. My DD only gave up when she went to university as there wasn't a rink near enough to make regular practice feasible. As yet, she hasn't taken it up again, but you never know....

Flavorful: I passed my Bronze Moves this morning - by two out of three judges and so now I am happy! Actually I was happier before I got the scores -- at least it was finally over!!

Whoo-hoo!!:lol:

Bland: Wondering why the heck I am testing anyway - one of my friends commented that I shouldn't have passed as she knew I could skate better than that! Why do people say things like that anyway???

Strange.:roll:

Congratulations on your pass, but how very rude of your friend! With friends like that, as they say.... As long as you skated to passing standard, and you say yourself that you know you did, that's all that matters!

jskater49

08-13-2007, 08:17 AM

Sorry, I don't understand why there isn't a lot of time? Or is she one of those who plans to give up completely when she goes to college? Even if she does, she can always take it up again later, if she wants to. My DD only gave up when she went to university as there wasn't a rink near enough to make regular practice feasible. As yet, she hasn't taken it up again, but you never know....

Basically, the money from me runs out when she goes to college. Actually social security cuts off when she's 18 in May. I can't pay for college and skating. She does plan to coach but she's not going to be able to skate as much as she does now. And as a beginning part time coach she'll be lucky if it covers her own ice time. She isn't giving up - but these are the goals she would like to accomplish by the end of next summer - so adding starting testing dance from scratch is kind of on the bottom of the priority list.

j

Petlover

08-13-2007, 11:29 AM

Congratulations Icedancer2!!!!!!!!!

doubletoe

08-13-2007, 01:41 PM

The Senior headliners at SVO, I think, are Bebe Liang and Nicholas LaRoche!!! . . . And oh, Nick's triple axel is OMG HUGE!!! 8O :bow:

What's SVO? Nick was on my FS session last Sunday and I thought his skating was absolutely gorgeous (and yes, huuuuuuge, beautiful jumps!), but didn't know what competition he was practicing for. . .

jenlyon60

08-13-2007, 02:18 PM

Silicon Valley Open

blackmanskating

08-13-2007, 02:21 PM

So Blackmanskating...What are you testing? Up to Silver Free ?:halo:
You'll do great.

My coach decided to just do pre-bronze Moves and free this skate while we take some time to put the finishing touches on my freestyle program for Bronze and Silver. The Pre-Bronze free doesn't require music. I'm going to take the same free program from Bronze Free and extend it for the silver free and the Gold free. That way I am not memorizing 4 different programs and I can focus more on my program for nationals. That's the plan. There is another test session in September where I'll be doing all Bronze and Silver MITF and FS. And if I am up to it, I'll go for Gold level after that. I recently became a member of Gardens FSC so that I don't have to pay guest fees for when Bowie and Columbia FSC sponsor test sessions. I guess they have a mutual agreement thing going on between the clubs. That's 30 bux more in my pocket so I'm not complaining.

BlackManSkating

TimDavidSkate

08-13-2007, 02:33 PM

My coach decided to just do pre-bronze Moves and free this skate while we take some time to put the finishing touches on my freestyle program for Bronze and Silver. The Pre-Bronze free doesn't require music. I'm going to take the same free program from Bronze Free and extend it for the silver free and the Gold free. That way I am not memorizing 4 different programs and I can focus more on my program for nationals. That's the plan. There is another test session in September where I'll be doing all Bronze and Silver MITF and FS. And if I am up to it, I'll go for Gold level after that. I recently became a member of Gardens FSC so that I don't have to pay guest fees for when Bowie and Columbia FSC sponsor test sessions. I guess they have a mutual agreement thing going on between the clubs. That's 30 bux more in my pocket so I'm not complaining.

BlackManSkating

Yeps, joining a club is always good when youre testing so you dont have to pay extra. I tested under Bowie too years ago :halo: Hopefully you have a better test session than me :bow:

jazzpants

08-13-2007, 03:23 PM

What's SVO? Nick was on my FS session last Sunday and I thought his skating was absolutely gorgeous (and yes, huuuuuuge, beautiful jumps!), but didn't know what competition he was practicing for. . .
SVO=Sillicon Valley Open in San Jose, CA

I'm hoping that he will also do Skate San Francisco too... both him AND Braden!!! Bring Dennis Phan up here too!!! We need the entertainment up here!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

liya_skatergirl

08-14-2007, 05:16 AM

flavorful competed on my first competition today. won silver.
bland was almost late because of HORRIBLE traffic. also, my costume got messed up in the end, and i entirely forgot to do three more strokings at the end of my program, hence i ended with music still running and horribly adlibbing!

Mrs Redboots

08-14-2007, 08:22 AM

Basically, the money from me runs out when she goes to college. Actually social security cuts off when she's 18 in May. I can't pay for college and skating. She does plan to coach but she's not going to be able to skate as much as she does now. And as a beginning part time coach she'll be lucky if it covers her own ice time. She isn't giving up - but these are the goals she would like to accomplish by the end of next summer - so adding starting testing dance from scratch is kind of on the bottom of the priority list.

j
Makes sense! In one way our system works against people funding their way through uni by working as a coach, since you aren't allowed to start training until you are 16, and it does tend to take more than two years (three, if you take a gap year) to qualify as a Level 2 coach, so not many skaters would qualify in the time available, always assuming they had a full level 6 and could go with the lower level of mentored hours.

I do know at least one person funding her way through a PhD by coaching, though.