Cut Ice or Uncut Ice (August 20 to August 26)

[TimDavidSkate]

Cut Ice- For the first time in weeks I didnt have any foot cramps when I stepped on to the ice... :P
http://www.sprinker.org/images/srcice01.jpg http://www.burleys.com/innovation/lafayette_01.jpg

Uncut Ice - Because of lack of sleep (3 hrs) I didnt jump properly all session 8O My leg kept tucking in (right leg) mid-air :cry:
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/468893/2/istockphoto_468893_ice_rink_texture.jpghttp://www.rinkrake.com/Graphics/rinklighting2.jpg

[looplover]

Great pics!

Cut ice: Best lesson/practice today that I've had in a long time - coach was very happy with moves and felt confident that I'd pass. I hope that's true. Worked on crossovers at the ends. Also did 3 decent flips today and 2 loops, woo hoooooo (flip is the one jump that sends me into mental spasms, but I was feeling good after working on moves so I forced myself to do 'em) :D

Uncut ice: Attemps at backspin were sad. I can do 3 or 4 revolutions but rocking back and forth and then I finally get close to going off the back of the blade, which freaks me out. :twisted: Sit spin was low today but slow as well. And TMI alert - wish my nose didn't run during sit spins. I don't think this adds anything to my artistic presentation. :x

[kimberley801]

Cut Ice: Practiced at a different rink and seriously had the best ice ever! LFI Mohawks were great - and finally not over rotating. BXO's are getting better and better (I hope!). Oh, and no falls :D

Uncut Ice: RFI Mohawks are lagging, as well as anything involving my right foot - CW FXO's, RFI and RFO edges... I wish my right side would just catch up with my left!:frus:

[dbny]

Cut Ice:
Everything! I love my new boots sooo much! Showed the adult pre-Bronze three turn pattern to a friend, which was impossible in the old boots - just too unstable. Tried the waltz-8, and did the best FO threes ever - again, it's the boots! I cannot believe what a difference these new boots are making for me. I am actually not afraid of putting some power and speed into the Prelim power threes for the first time ever.

[Terri C]

Cut Ice:
Another clean program runthrough for the freeskate!! I'm so excited about competing this weekend!!

Uncut Ice:
Clean program was done while my program was playing in the rink boombox with the volume on the boom box all the way up. Seems the darling hockey (cough, cough)players that had a tournament this past weekend turned up the rink sound system sooo loud that they blew the sound system out :roll: :x .
And all this the week before a competition for a lot of people.

[RinkRat321]

cut ice: tried a double double combo today ! (double sal, double loop) just for kicks. landed the double sal, but the landing was really swingy but i went for the double loop anyways. it was like half short which wasn't bad considering the terrible take off
-double flip & loop were good today
-hopefully getting new skates this week :D

uncut ice: haha lets just say the ice was pretty bumpy today..
-my lesson was really discouraging/boring. my coach wants me to be 'beyond prepared' for my test and its starting to get annoying.
-my skates are really starting to break down. i'm all wobbly in all my elements, and my skates get looser and looser all the time.
-spins are just weird. maybe its because my skates are giving me a lot of trouble, i really dont know.

[Mrs Redboots]

Cut ice: Most of the lesson was spent with the coach working on Husband's Foxtrot and me watching! I like lessons like that.....

Our step sequence is working okay now, we think. Needs practice.

Husband kicked me (by mistake, I hasten to add!) and I didn't fall over.

Uncut ice: Didn't get to practice the willow waltz or our free dance to the music.

I keep thinking I am getting worse and worse, but I suspect I'm just expecting that much more of myself.

I can't get enough power out of just one crossover, in those exercises where that's all you're allowed.

[liz_on_ice]

cut - toe loop, was coming along in practice, and got worked over well in lesson. Looking forward to cutting loose with these and having fun soon

bumpy - my proto-backspin is MIA, spent some of lesson time going over entrances again. Hopefully it will be on it's way back next practice. This (or rather the change-foot) is clearly the element that is going to make me bonkers before I'm ready to test FS3. Even my salchow is going to be good before I get this one. :frus:

[Scarlett]

Cut ice-
Managed to land a few decent waltz-loops and flips.
Dance run-throughs went well. Actually remembered the steps.

Uncut ice-
Couldn't spin today to save my life.
Decided the sit spin was a useless endevour and that I will be pre-bronze for life.
Took a couple of really nasty falls and have a bruise approximately the size and shape of Kansas on my left hip.

[Morgail]

Cut Ice
-I had a great time skating at the Wilmington Ice House in North Carolina the past two weeks! I drove an hour each way to get there...and I did that 5 times...I think I may have a skating obsession:lol: Here are some videos of me skating there (my mom was kind enough to do the taping):
Spins & Jumps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx68TJdDmQk
Silver Moves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QMZizxIY_A
(I had a little fun with Windows Movie Maker:D )

-Yesterday, I went back to one of my local rinks and had a great practice session. Moves were all good too.

-Not skating related, but I didn't gain any weight at all on vacation, even though I ate too much fried food, fudge, and ice cream. :) I'm pleasantly surprised.

Uncut Ice
-Next week I have to be a grown-up and start working full time again. I'm hoping this doesn't affect my skating time too much.
-Camel - argh - my legs won't be straight. I can do straight legs in a spiral but not in a camel. Also, I can't seem to get my leg up high enough.
-Flip has gotten a little spinny since I haven't had a lesson in two weeks. I worked on controlling it yesterday, and think I fixed it a little.

[icedancer2]

Cut Ice
-Silver Moves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QMZizxIY_A
(I had a little fun with Windows Movie Maker:D )

-

I took a look at these Moves and they look pretty good. The 8-step mohawk sequence is a little hard to see since the filming was from so far away and the rink looks HUGE!

the one thing that you do on the 8-step and I'm not sure it's really a problem is crossing the foot over on the first two steps... does anyone know whether this is allowed? I'm going to have to look into this...

Nice job!:bow:

[dbny]

the one thing that you do on the 8-step and I'm not sure it's really a problem is crossing the foot over on the first two steps... does anyone know whether this is allowed? I'm going to have to look into this...

Step 2 is a FXO.

[icedancer2]

Step 2 is a FXO.

Well, I just looked it up (by 263 of the 2007 rulebook) and it doesn't show it as a cross-over. When I looked at the Adult Moves videos both people doing it (one was Phillip D. ) were not doing a front "tucked-looking" cross-over but rather a bigger type of cross-over which is not really a cross-over. I think if you have a LOT of flow your feet should not cross-over in that neat tucked style which I have seen on tests (not something I would fail the move for but I would definitely comment on it because it affects the overall flow and look of the move).

Probably a moot point. Looks good Morgail!

[jazzpants]

Uncut:

I think I'm long overdue for a one week break from the gym and skating (well at least a few days... My legs are really tired and I just could not feel my legs well enough to get the feel and the timing for the loop and the flip! :frus: )
Back sit is still squatting.
Cut:

Not much... the camel is not that bad, but I still have a ways to go to get it to the point where it stays in position. (I saw myself in the reflection and it's almost there.)I think I should have stayed home on Sunday and rest my legs for one more day... :cry: But I had to drop off a check at the Skating Club's box Sunday and well, kinda hard to go to a rink and NOT skate!!! :halo: (kander, I know you're reading this. It took a LOT of willpower for me to not skate at the Sat. public session at San Jose! But I really, really needed to rest my legs.)

[sk8tegirl06]

Cut: all moves were really good, some will get better once I sharpen my blades. Jumps were decent, attempted salchow-toe loop combos 8O

Uncut: my last lesson at home before I go back to school. :cry: I am going to practice a few extra sessions this week, because starting the 19th I can't practice for about a week. Half lutz attempts were ehh. That and the back spin are the most awkward feeling elements.

[Morgail]

I took a look at these Moves and they look pretty good. The 8-step mohawk sequence is a little hard to see since the filming was from so far away and the rink looks HUGE!

the one thing that you do on the 8-step and I'm not sure it's really a problem is crossing the foot over on the first two steps... does anyone know whether this is allowed? I'm going to have to look into this...

Nice job!:bow:

Thanks! The camera is new & we hadn't yet figured out the zooming function for video. I think my 8-step mohawk looks better far away than it does up close:lol: The rink was normal-sized; my mom was taping from the far end of it. Very nice rink though - they really keep it in good shape.

Step 2 is a FXO.

Well, I just looked it up (by 263 of the 2007 rulebook) and it doesn't show it as a cross-over. When I looked at the Adult Moves videos both people doing it (one was Phillip D. ) were not doing a front "tucked-looking" cross-over but rather a bigger type of cross-over which is not really a cross-over. I think if you have a LOT of flow your feet should not cross-over in that neat tucked style which I have seen on tests (not something I would fail the move for but I would definitely comment on it because it affects the overall flow and look of the move).

Probably a moot point. Looks good Morgail!

Thanks! I've always seen them done at tests with a crossover on step 2. My coach wants a nice, neat crossover (as opposed to a wide, steppy one), but it is really hard to do a good one - especially on the second and third patterns when I've gained some speed.

[dbny]

Well, I just looked it up (by 263 of the 2007 rulebook) and it doesn't show it as a cross-over. When I looked at the Adult Moves videos both people doing it (one was Phillip D. ) were not doing a front "tucked-looking" cross-over but rather a bigger type of cross-over which is not really a cross-over.

Very interesting. My rulebook, which is older, also does not have the "XO" notation by step 2, but I have never seen it taught or performed any other way, and it is done that way in the PSA MIF videos. DD, who passed Juv MIF with a very hard panel of judges, skated it with a FXO. I do not believe you can get a push on step 3 if step 2 is not a crossover. I think what you are seeing is a progressive style crossover, which would be expected at Juv and Silver, not the beginner style "pick up your foot and cross it over" that is acceptable at Pre-Preliminary and Pre-Bronze.

[icedancer2]

Very interesting. My rulebook, which is older, also does not have the "XO" notation by step 2, but I have never seen it taught or performed any other way, and it is done that way in the PSA MIF videos. DD, who passed Juv MIF with a very hard panel of judges, skated it with a FXO. I do not believe you can get a push on step 3 if step 2 is not a crossover. I think what you are seeing is a progressive style crossover, which would be expected at Juv and Silver, not the beginner style "pick up your foot and cross it over" that is acceptable at Pre-Preliminary and Pre-Bronze.

I think we are talking about the same thing - you have to do a progressive-style crossover (or, well, you should* - see my previous comment about making a note of it on the comments but not necessarily not passing the move) - but I have seen on the Juvenile test some skaters who do a beginner-style "pick up your foot and cross it tightly and neatly over" which I think interrupts the flow.

I can't really see what Morgail is doing with her feet on those steps and like I said before, it is probably a moot point anyway. Carry on!

[Debbie S]

I think we are talking about the same thing - you have to do a progressive-style crossover (or, well, you should* - see my previous comment about making a note of it on the comments but not necessarily not passing the move) - but I have seen on the Juvenile test some skaters who do a beginner-style "pick up your foot and cross it tightly and neatly over" which I think interrupts the flow.In my experience, if your forward crossover in the 8-step is of the 'stepped over' variety, then the judges will definitely comment on and mark you down for that. My coach wants me to do the kind of 'progressive-style' crossover you are referring to, and to extend the free leg on each push, which is hard to do when you are skating quickly - that's one of the big challenges of this move. It's really like a fast dance.

[icedancer2]

In my experience, if your forward crossover in the 8-step is of the 'stepped over' variety, then the judges will definitely comment on and mark you down for that. My coach wants me to do the kind of 'progressive-style' crossover you are referring to, and to extend the free leg on each push, which is hard to do when you are skating quickly - that's one of the big challenges of this move. It's really like a fast dance.

Yup, kind of just exactly like the 14-step where the end pattern is just like the 8-step EXCEPT you don't have the back progressive part across the end pattern and you don't have to step forward.

It's also something like the Killian but with a 14-step or Foxtrot Mohawk instead of the Choctaw.

Another reason to do dance: It will help your Moves and vice-versa.

icedancer2, always out to promote dance despite what some may think...:) :halo:

[Rusty Blades]

Cut:Worked on upright spins and a few felt really well controlled and I am definitely hitting the entry more consistently. One or two sit spins almost happened 8-) Also did some back outside edges on the circle and a couple of what will one day be Toe Loops. Also worked on Waltz jumps and a couple of those showed promise. :mrgreen:

Rough: I had a slight headache when I got to the rink today and a MAJOR headache when I left! I guess that’s what an hour of spins can do :??

[Terri C]

Another development in the Week Before Competition:

Uncut:
Coach e-mailed me to tell that she has pink eye and was cancelling all lessons this afternoon to keep from infecting other people so close to competition. She asked if she could take me Thursday afternoon. I called her and told her that I have a hair appointment at 4:15 on Thursday. She told me to go to the rink and skate anyway, which I did.

So far we have :
Last Thursday- rink was sooo foggy we couldn't see each other
Monday- no sound system
Tuesday- cancelled lesson
Gee whiz, what is next??

Cut:
Only had one error in freeskate runthrough and that is a element I hardly miss.
For some reason, I'm not nervous about this weekend- at least not yet.

[Skittl1321]

Uncut Ice The ice at the rink was HORRIBLE today.

Biggest problem- there is absolutely no way I can do the PB backward crossovers around the outside of the hockey circles in just 8 steps. It takes me a solid 12. I'm screwed. The test is Sunday.

My right inside 3 is still eh (but I do it), otherwise my test is solid. I'm going to fail because of backward crossovers. (Actually does someone have a rulebook- it would be nice if I had one, but unfortunately I don't. On the usfsa adult page it says "4 to 6 are recommended" is that the same as required?)

Cut Ice
Everything else went fairly well today and my back/rib don't hurt too bad. Start in two weeks I'll take my lesson on Tuesday and then have Synchro on Wednesday and power/freestyle group lessons on Saturday. I'm nervous about Saturday because it's with kids and I have space issues- but the power class should be good for me.

[Debbie S]

Yup, kind of just exactly like the 14-step where the end pattern is just like the 8-step EXCEPT you don't have the back progressive part across the end pattern and you don't have to step forward.Um, by back progressive, are you referring to the 8-step, specifically step 7? Step 7 is NOT a back crossover, it's place-your-foot-next-to-other-foot step. In some form on MIF Common Errors I saw once (I think it's on the USFSA website and I think it's also in that PSA MIF manual), it is noted that steps 6 through 8 must be distinct steps. On step 6, the free foot picks up and then on step 7, it is placed down next to (inside the circle) the other foot, which picks up and then steps forward.

The PSA has a video set where each move is demonstrated (organized by test level) and there is a bit of commentary. These videos are a bit more correct, in many cases, than the Adult MIF videos posted on the USFSA website. I believe Rainbo sells the PSA videos, or you could ask your coach to order them for you through the PSA, where there is a small discount available.

there is absolutely no way I can do the PB backward crossovers around the outside of the hockey circles in just 8 steps. It takes me a solid 12.Just focus on having 2 equal pushes and really pushing with your edges, and getting a deep knee bend. Remember, the first push is like a swizzle pump - just push outward - and then on the second push (underneath) just focus on pushing the foot straight out to the side (underneath your skating leg), and pointing the toe. Keep your back straight (try not to lean forward, as that can affect your power - guess how I know this? ;) ).

[dbny]

Step 7 is NOT a back crossover, it's place-your-foot-next-to-other-foot step. In some form on MIF Common Errors I saw once (I think it's on the USFSA website and I think it's also in that PSA MIF manual), it is noted that steps 6 through 8 must be distinct steps. On step 6, the free foot picks up and then on step 7, it is placed down next to (inside the circle) the other foot, which picks up and then steps forward.


The dance term for step 7 is "Cross front", and the common error is to do a crossover instead.

[icedancer2]

Um, by back progressive, are you referring to the 8-step, specifically step 7?



Steps 4-6 might be considered a back progressive as it is a BO (step 4), BI (step 5) and BO (step 6), and then yes, step 7 is a cross front. That part of the sequence is just like the part of the Killian after the choctaw. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to explain myself.

AS we've discussed in previous threads a back progressive is not really that much like a front progressive as it never even resembles a cross-over of any kind that I know of!!

Clearer than mud, I know!!:giveup:

[Mrs Redboots]

Uncut: Slept badly, and felt rough and disinclined to skate (no, Coach2, I was not hung-over!). But as we'd booked 45 minutes of lessons, I had to. Solo lesson a complete waste of time; couples' lesson not much better.

Side hurts where Husband keeps smacking it going into the spin.

No "oomph" to help him into the lift.

Not a good day! Ah well, they happen.

Cut: Did the dance to the music and survived! It could have been a lot worse.

[Morgail]

Cut:
-Dances were decent tonight.
-Spirals were excellent:)
-Flip was good. 3rd try at lutz was good.
-Learned a trick to the outside mohawks to keep from scraping my toepick.
-We decided that I'm not going to test this month. This is a huge relief to me, since I'm not feeling very comfortable with some of the Silver moves right now. I'm glad I have more time to polish them up.

Uncut:
-Back cross rolls were awful tonight. Did a lot of work on them, and I think they were much better by the time I got off the ice.
-Need more speed on 8-step mohawk.
-Camel - this spin went all to h*ll while I was away. Spent a lot of time on fixing my arms, and I did a few good ones at the very end. I just have to remember to think about all the individual elements and the spin works much better. Legs are still bent though :frus:
-Skated way too long tonight. I have sore spots on my feet from where my too-big tights bunched up and rubbed on my ankles and instep, and I feel completely drained. Going to sleep well tonight:)

[kander]

(kander, I know you're reading this. It took a LOT of willpower for me to not skate at the Sat. public session at San Jose! But I really, really needed to rest my legs.)

I'm proud of your willpower :) How is your back holding up? Does the gym workout help? I usually skip gym sessions rather than skating sessions, although it should be the other way around. I just wish I skipped Saturday because..

uncut: tweaked my back again on a double loop
cut: scratch spins were centered

[jazzpants]

I'm proud of your willpower :) How is your back holding up? Does the gym workout help? I usually skip gym sessions rather than skating sessions, although it should be the other way around. My back is okay. I just didn't feel much of my legs though. I think I need to rest up my legs more! Resting is just as important as doing the workout itself... or at least that's what your trainer should be drilling into you...

Well, when I tweak my back, I usually ease off on exercises that may aggravate my back (usually core work), but it won't keep me from doing leg or upper exercises... or the elliptical trainer!!! :roll: I also do a lot of core work when I'm not injured, so it's actually helping me to not reinjure myself.

I also remember when I really screwed up my back I ended up adjusting my workout for a time by doing some swimming in the swimming pool. Of course, I ended up gaining back weight b/c of it, but it keep the weight gain to a minimum.

I just wish I skipped Saturday because..

uncut: tweaked my back again on a double loop
cut: scratch spins were centeredI should be asking you about how your back is holding up!!! Hope it's feeling better now... :(

Uncut: I am at the boards trying to learn FO mohawks... of course, the way secondary coach teaches it to me is totally different from what primary coach teaches me. :roll: :frus: (But I think I'll have a better chance at not having a "click of death" FO mohawk scenario if I do secondary coach's method, IMHO!!!) :giveup:

Cut: Almost started getting the dreaded FO mohawks at the end. Or at the very least, I was at least "checking" on the foot switch when I'm near the walls. There's hope for me yet to get the FO mohawks!!! :D (Of course, I have to go thru a few zillion tries before I get it...)

[Scarlett]

Cut ice -
Loops were on point today and the mystery of my inconsistent flip was solved. Apparently I was entering it with the wrong hand in front. Oops.
Bronze moves aren't as bad as I believe. Coach is pleased with the progress. I think we are 2 years out from testing them. He feels we are more like 3-4 months away from testing them.

Uncut ice-
Not only is my sit spin non-existent but it is taking my scratch spin and my back spin with it.
Where did my lutz go? Did somebody borrow it?

[Rusty Blades]

How about that! I was so excited that I forgot to post yesterday 8-)

Definitely CUT! Of all the gin joints in all the world.....

As I walked into the rink yesterday, I saw a young man partnering some of the dancers in preparation for tests on Friday - I knew they were bringing someone in. As I walked around the outside of the glass toward the coaches’ dressing room, I kept STARING at this young man and thinking, “That looks like ........ No, it can’t be.... What would HE be doing here?” (He lives half a continent away!) I continued staring and finally thought, “No, it’s my imagination!” and headed for the dressing room. As I passed by the bench, a man’s voice screamed “DIANNE!!!!” OMFG! It IS HIM! I dropped my skate bag and jumped over the bench - BIG HUGS at the boards, more exclamations of “OH MY GOD!” He said “I didn’t know YOU were here!” - I said, “This is my home club and my home rink! I didn’t know YOU were coming!!!” - More hugs!

It was one of my DEAR friends, a fellow "Rat Packer" (or was that "Brat Pack"?) from Adult Nationals!

We went out for supper and had a wonderful time last evening.

Uncut: I stayed out WAY too late last night and am paying for it today :roll:

Cut:Yesterday I worked on upright spins, sit spins, and Waltz jumps.

If I step into the upright spin from a standstill, I can usually hit a really good centre and I think the form is good (it feels good!). The rotation isn’t fast but I think I am close to the required 3 revolutions :) A couple of the Waltz jumps at modest speed weren’t too bad - I can ALMOST get the 180 degrees!

[jskater49]

Uncut Ice: Had a lesson for the first time in weeks. Since I'm competing in September we went through my program with music....first comment "Well I can tell you haven't skated this in quite some time"

Had to review the spin entry again...this time she told me not to try to get up until I see the boards and the visual cue was very helpful. And my spin in my program is exactly where I learned it so I will see the boards at the right time. I just get up too soon.

Lutz and mazurka are good but I am muscling the half flip so I have to work on gliding on two feet, then pushing on one foot and think only about the 3 turn. The jump is fine, it's the swingy flingy 3 turn.

And I asked her to help me with the tuck behind in the cha-cha- although she's not my dance coach, she's very good at breaking things down for me that I just can't get. She's got me working on just gliding on the two feet crossed together for a while because when I slam my foot down I lean way forward and she wants me to get comfortable on both feet before shifting.

Cut Ice - Power class. Different people. We did suicides and I was getting very discouraged because I was going as fast as I could and the other adult was just doing her power pushes so she could easily beat me with no effort and the 11 year old was beating me. I decided I was not going to be beat by an 11 year old who wasn't trying so I just hauled A and beat her by half the rink. Hmf. I may not be fast but at least I was working.

j

[jazzpants]

Cut Ice:
Overall flow of my FS program is stablizing and I'm pretty much where I should be in the program at the particular moments. I still feel a bit rushed but it's not that bad...

Primary coach says that if it stays this way all the way thru the end of this month that we'll start on my artistic program then!!! He just wants the FS to be especially good... (If icesk8eprincess is reading this... you know now...)

Uncut Ice:
Well, uncut ice!!! Or at least it seemed that way when I stepped on the ice.

Also, can't land any loops or flips! My body won't cooperate and won't let me land clean for some reason.

[blackmanskating]

Cut Ice: My MITF have improved a great deal in this past week. I have never felt this comfortable doing these patterns this fast. I can almost do them full speed. I like doing them that way because it makes the pattern huge and it makes it flow. It starting to look effortless. I wanna blow these judges away next Saturday when I test.

Double Axel take-off is starting to get a little easier for me. The muscle memory is finally starting to kick in. I'm starting to snap into rotation sooner instead of waiting until I get to the apex of the jump. My arms and free leg are finally working together. LOL

My flexibility improved by about an inch. Every little bit helps right? :roll:



Uncut Ice: Sit Spin still sux, double axel is still a quarter turn short when I touch down.


BlackManSkating

[Rob Dean]

I haven't posted on a practice thread in a while; outside life has been something of a problem lately, though I try to keep it off the ice.

Cut Ice: I'm signed up to test prebronze moves (finally) next Friday, and my coach says that she's happy about everthing except back crossovers, which she's sometimes happy about. So, at least the rest of the moves are going.

Uncut Ice: I'm also signed up to test my Fiesta Tango at the same session, which I knew to be marginal. I'm trying to adopt the proper frame of mind to try hard but not be too disappointed if I end up doing it again...and, of course, there's those circles of back crossovers to keep me busy this coming week.

Rob

[jskater49]

Cut Ice - I ran through my program without music and did my spin entry, waited until I saw the boards before coming up ....YAY. Of course, with the music, I rushed it...but we are getting there.

Worked my butt off in power. It was just me and the 11 year old who doesn't try. I think the prospect of being beaten by a 50 year old started to motivate this ultra mellow girl and we were racing doing swizzles - she didn't get much ahead of me. She kept ahead of me doing forward pumps and crossovers on the "circles of fire" but I got ahead of her doing them backwards. I also have better endurance.

I like having someone closer to my skating ability in power. When I was up against the Novice teenagers, there was no way I was going to get even close to them so I didn't really try. Someone closer to my ability gets my competitive nature in gear (even if it means kicking a 10 year olds butt) and I work harder.

Uncut Ice - I've been ordered to practice my program to music twice every session. Both times today I finished behind my music. Doing the spin with the crossovers entry takes a little more time but I think if I wouldn't take so much time with my waltz jump (I have to think about it for awhile before I'll jump) I could get it back on time.

j

[Mrs Redboots]

Uncut Ice: I'm also signed up to test my Fiesta Tango at the same session, which I knew to be marginal. I'm trying to adopt the proper frame of mind to try hard but not be too disappointed if I end up doing it again...and, of course, there's those circles of back crossovers to keep me busy this coming week.

Don't forget that the back crossovers will help you with the end pattern of the Fiesta - nothing like practising keeping your weight into the circle! Good luck! I shall be very jealous if you pass, my coach is doubtful that I will ever have this dance at passing standard. He could be right, at that....

As for us:

Cut Ice: We have diagnosed what I hope will be the final serious problem in our step sequence.

Uncut Ice: However, we have yet to solve it!

[Scarlett]

Cut ice-
Landed a nice waltz-loop and began a salchow-loop.
Starting to make progress on fixing the entrance to my back spin. This is of course after spending 15 minutes of a lesson on it.

Uncut ice-
Bronze moves- Power 3s (I suppose the judges really want power?) and 5 step mohawk are offensive.
Lutz is still MIA.

[liz_on_ice]

cut - entirely deserted 6am session this morning, I brought my video camera and aimed it at center ice to tape myself working on things. Kind of get a different perspective.

uncut- watching the video. :roll:

[Morgail]

Cut:
-I think I made real progress on fixing my back cross strokes today:)
-8 step mohawk was so-so, and 3-turns in the field were good.
-Sit spins and sit-change-sits were good. Layback attempt wasn't too bad.
-Jumps were all good. Flips were nice and I landed about 5 out of 6 lutzes:D
-Canasta Tango and Rhythm Blues were in good shape.
-Going to eat Indian food tonight! (okay, that has nothing to do with skating, but I'm excited!)

Uncut:
-Stupid camel spin. Okay, I did a couple that felt good, but the rest were sloooow and awkward and I'm sure my knees were all bent up. This spin is taking FOREVER to learn. It's taking longer than the backspin, and I felt like that one took forever.
-Re-aggravated the sore spots on my feet from Wednesday. I think I have a full-fledged blister on one ankle now. Need to find some band-aids so I can skate tomorrow...

[looplover]

Uncut: I'm starting with uncut cuz I had a less than stellar practice - moves are ok, probably passing but the ice is always so crowded that I've never been able to complete the whole pattern. More uncut: somehow I ended up registered for silver moves on the schedule and I hope I didn't accidentally check the wrong box or something and this can be corrected by next week! Emailed test person. Attempted backspins and continued to throw self off back of blade. Lame sit spin. Annoyed that blade keeps coming loose. PMSed. Quit smoking again cold turkey. Want chocolate. Grumble, whine, grumble :P :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :x

Cut: I think I fixed my crossover at end of the pattern issue with smaller yet faster crossovers (I watched people practicing power circles today and it helped me). Very motivated to pass moves because I am so sick of moves and want to get back to jumping and spinning! OK scratch spin today, OK waltz-toe.

[dbny]

Cut:
-Going to eat Indian food tonight! (okay, that has nothing to do with skating, but I'm excited!)


And I had Indian food last night! Yum!

Cut: I think I fixed my crossover at end of the pattern issue with smaller yet faster crossovers (I watched people practicing power circles today and it helped me).

I skated on a freestyle yesterday with 4 or 5 high level skaters and at first could not decide if it was motivating or discouraging. Decided it was motivating, and was able to ramp up my performance of several elements from watching them done at the higher level.

Cut:
I am comfy with Pre-Juv F and B power XO's, but find them boring lately. Per above experience, I tried them at (what for me is) breakneck speed, with small lobes and fast strokes. It was a blast! Also noticed high level skaters doing B cross strokes a bit differently than they are done on Juv MIF. Maybe someone here can shed some light on this. I imitated it successfully and enjoyed them that way, but don't know for sure if it's just a difference in style or something else. On the B cross strokes, instead of placing the free foot behind the skating foot, one almost does a swing roll in getting the free foot back. I found I gained speed doing them that way, but have never seen that done on a Juv MIF test, and it definitely not the way I was taught. May have to wait for a lesson to find out more.

Uncut:
Still cannot properly check F threes in the Prelim alt threes. L side of Prelim Power threes is not cooperating on the Choctaw. I positively feel deformed trying to do it. Where did it go? Was supposed to have a lesson yesterday on that freestyle session, but my coach called me as I was leaving, to say she hadn't heard yet if she was cleared to guest at my rink, so we had to postpone the lesson. Well, what's another week, when it's already been 6 or 7 :x. OTOH, it looks like she's going to be on staff at my rink. Of course, I would rather not have my lessons in the same rink where I work :roll:, but it will do for summers and other inconvenient seasons.

[icedancer2]

Uncut ice: Found out on Friday that my main rink is ending it's early morning freestyle sessions and will have hockey instead. They really want to be a hockey rink. It won't affect me directly because I rarely go to those sessions but a lot of the local adult ice-dancers and some of the competitive skaters use those sessions, plus my coach teaches a lot of lessons on the early-morning sessions.

She is close to retiring, but still she is disappointed, as usual, in the rink management. The basic problem is she is one of the only coaches who will teach on the morning sessions and so the sessions are really lightly attended, which is great for the dancers but not so good for the rink. The two "head-coaches" are basically part-owners of the rink but they do not skate on those morning sessions and they won't let any other outside coaches teach there because they think they are taking business away from them, which is totally ridiculous since those people wouldn't be taking from them anyway...

It's a pretty ridiculous situation, but it doesn't surprise me considering the dunderheads of management there. It's too bad because I like the rink, the people that skate there are friendly and it is usually not at all crowded in the morning. I guess we'll just have to see how it all sorts out.

Cut ice: Well, I hope to get a dance lesson tomorrow morning as this will be about the only time in the next months that I will be able to go to a dance session and hopefully my dance coach will be there and have time for me!!

[Morgail]

Cut:
-Had an a-ha! moment with my camel today. I told another skater how frustrated I was with it, and she said that remembering to look over her left shoulder helped her. My coach has said that millions of times, but I never remember it. So I tried it and - voila! - camel was so much better. I did 3 or 4 before the end of the session and they felt like they did a month ago (which was good!). Legs are still bent, but that's another story.

-I played around with the back camel and think I succeeded in getting my leg higher and getting more spinny than usual.

-Worked on back cross strokes and 8-step mohawk and think I did okay with the corrections I'm supposed to make.

Uncut:
-Nothing much - a good session!
-Except for the blisters which were angry even with band-aids and the Bunga gel disk thingys. Oh well - I'm not skating again until Wed, so they should have time to heal.

[xofivebyfive]

Cut Ice- I convinced my dad to take lessons! YES! :bow: I'm so extremely excited. Now he'll be able to understand how much work I put into my skating and be able to experience it with me.

[Mrs Redboots]

Uncut: My coaches normally arrive first on a Sunday, and they hadn't told anybody other than their skaters that they weren't coming in today, so we all had to wait outside for half an hour for a keyholder to turn up.

The ice was very busy once we were all on, and we didn't get to run through our free dance to the music.

Cut: Did manage to run through all our dance in bits, but not to the music.

[Morgail]

Cut Ice- I convinced my dad to take lessons! YES! :bow: I'm so extremely excited. Now he'll be able to understand how much work I put into my skating and be able to experience it with me.

That's great!! My mom skates with me sometimes & it's a lot of fun:)

[looplover]

Cut: pretty good practice for moves, I think I've fixed the crossover at the end problem though the second one feels awkward, therefore looks awkward. Oh that should go under uncut I guess. Well, it's better than it was.

Back perimeter crossover stroking is really fun at near-top speed!

Uncut: backspin, backspin, backspin. Starting next Monday, if I pass moves, this thing WILL be conquered.

[jazzpants]

Uncut:

Lost my FS program CD at Coffee Club last Thursday. Coach is making me another copy. I'll probably make two copies out of that at home and keep this new copy somewhere in my CD collection so if I lose one, I lose the copy and not the original that he made.

Cut:

BUT.... I did have my ARTISTIC CD with me!!! So we started on my new artistic program! :mrgreen: One skating judge and another older skating both were telling me that I need to "shake it" before they started shaking their booties too!!! And *sigh* yes, icesk8eprincess... there will be a wee bit of "shaky-shaky." (And I do mean a LITTLE bit!)

Oh, dear!!! Now why did I pick this music again? :oops: :oops: :oops:

Uncut:

Even though my program has a t-stop, I now have a HUGE incentive to start learning a "show stop" if I really want to bring it out. Oh, dear... 8O

Cut:

Well, I'm having a great time with this program already. I hope you guys like this new program when I debut it at AN as much as I'm gonna enjoy putting it together and doing it. It's gonna be a FUN program!!! Not intended to be comedic, but given how "booty shakin' " adverse I am... it's gonna look comedic!!! :oops: :P :lol:

A teenager gal came up to me after the session to tell me that she liked my program music. :mrgreen:

[kander]

So we started on my new artistic program! :mrgreen: One skating judge and another older skating both were telling me that I need to "shake it" before they started shaking their booties too!!! And *sigh* yes, icesk8eprincess... there will be a wee bit of "shaky-shaky." (And I do mean a LITTLE bit!)

You're skating to KC and the Sunshine band??? Disco rules! You sure it isn't Yani? ;)

[doubletoe]

Uncut:

Lost my FS program CD at Coffee Club last Thursday. Coach is making me another copy. I'll probably make two copies out of that at home and keep this new copy somewhere in my CD collection so if I lose one, I lose the copy and not the original that he made.

Cut:

BUT.... I did have my ARTISTIC CD with me!!! So we started on my new artistic program! :mrgreen: One skating judge and another older skating both were telling me that I need to "shake it" before they started shaking their booties too!!! And *sigh* yes, icesk8eprincess... there will be a wee bit of "shaky-shaky." (And I do mean a LITTLE bit!)

Oh, dear!!! Now why did I pick this music again? :oops: :oops: :oops:

Uncut:

Even though my program has a t-stop, I now have a HUGE incentive to start learning a "show stop" if I really want to bring it out. Oh, dear... 8O

Cut:

Well, I'm having a great time with this program already. I hope you guys like this new program when I debut it at AN as much as I'm gonna enjoy putting it together and doing it. It's gonna be a FUN program!!! Not intended to be comedic, but given how "booty shakin' " adverse I am... it's gonna look comedic!!! :oops: :P :lol:

A teenager gal came up to me after the session to tell me that she liked my program music. :mrgreen:

Yay!! Can't wait to see it! :D

[jazzpants]

You're skating to KC and the Sunshine band??? Disco rules! You sure it isn't Yani? ;)You CAN'T shake your booty to YANI!!! (Could you??? :?? :twisted: :P )

Nope, it's NOT KC and the Sunshine band... :P

[Rob Dean]

Cut Ice- I convinced my dad to take lessons! ... Now he'll be able to understand how much work I put into my skating and be able to experience it with me.

That should be helpful in a lot of ways. Get him to sign up here, too, for the encouragement. :) I skate with my son, who's 14. Of course, we started together, so it's always been this way, but he's happy that he doesn't get any complaints about length of practice sessions, etc. He also enjoys it when I need help and he's able to give it. (On the other hand, sometimes I have to chase him off to keep him out of my hair while practicing problem moves...)

Rob

[Scarlett]

Cut ice - Spins have returned from the abyss. They (forward and back) were actually centered. Sit spin is still offensively bad.
Loops and flips were clean

Uncut ice-
Lutz is still missing.
Bronze moves are evil.

[Skittl1321]

Uncut Ice Took my PB MITF test this weekend. I was so disappointed with my skating. I left the ice having to try really hard not to cry. I have never done a run through that poorly. I didn't think I was nervous about the test- I knew I could skate it well, but my body did not get the message and I was shaking so badly that there was no way. I touched my foot down on my backward outside edges (never do that), had poor lobes on my backwards inside edges (that does sometimes happen), touched my foot down on my first 3-turn on that pattern, and DIDN'T DO the entire forward crossover pattern! I started on the opposite foot from where I normally do and completely forgot half of the last 8. I got a reskate on that part- and by then I knew I had completely blown the test, so I skated pretty well there. I don't think my coach thought I would pass either- I came off the ice thinking I would fail- but if it was a definite retry, why would she let me reskate that? He said it was because I didn't finish the pattern she had to let me complete the test, and not to take it as a good sign.

Cut Ice I did actually pass with fairly positive comments. Either I got a "pity pass" because it was PB. Or the judge realized I was nervous as heck and gave me a bit of a benefit of the doubt. My waltz 8 was good, and except for a slight wobbly on the first CW stroke, my stroking not too bad. (The test is on youtube- username Skittl1321). My coach, also took a positive view once we had the results. I still just wanted to cry. I skate better than that!

Judge comments:
Forward Perimeter Stroking: Nice position, nice flow. CCW nice, CW nice slightly stiff.

Basic Consectuive edges: Nice Bilateral Skating
FO: steady edges, very neat (Steady? I was shaking like crazy!)
FI: Smooth edges
BO: A little stiff- neat (I set my foot down on the first one- the rest weren't too bad)
BI: pushes a little 2 footed (I don't think I knew they weren't supposed to be...)

Forward Crossovers: 3,5,4
RESKATE- nice neat strokes! Better Power!

Backwards Crossovers: 7,8,8,8 neat strokes

Waltz Eight: Good Symmetry, BO edge a bit short

Forward 3-turn pattern: little bit tight, but consistent flow. R-L a little shallow, L-R stronger (YEP! R-L is my bad side, that's why I do it first!)

[liz_on_ice]

cut ice - set of nice lofting waltz jumps, simply felt great, back spiral starting to feel secure on the edge

uncut - what happened to my forward spin? Did all the backspin practice just erase it?

[Petlover]

Congratulations skittle - good job!

Uncut - Ice was still bad, barely skateable, but at least it was skateable.

Cut - Coach brought her video camera, and my brand new salchow, edge, edge, loop jump routine is actually not too bad! We decided to put it in my program this week in practice and see how it feels.

[Debbie S]

Congratulations, Skittl! :bow:

BI: pushes a little 2 footed (I don't think I knew they weren't supposed to be...)The transition between feet (back at the axis) is a 2-footed push (with your previous skating foot, now your new free foot), but it's supposed to be quick. Perhaps you kept your pushing foot on the ice a bit too far into the lobe, so that's what the judge was commenting on. I have dial-up, so I can't really view anything on YouTube, so I can't see for myself.

[Skittl1321]

Congratulations, Skittl! :bow:

The transition between feet (back at the axis) is a 2-footed push (with your previous skating foot, now your new free foot), but it's supposed to be quick. Perhaps you kept your pushing foot on the ice a bit too far into the lobe, so that's what the judge was commenting on. I have dial-up, so I can't really view anything on YouTube, so I can't see for myself.

I'm sure that's what it is- I've really been concentrating on a deep knee bend (although I'm not sure my knees ever bent at all on the test) and a strong push- it was probably just on the ice for too long.

Thanks for explaining!

[quarkiki2]

So glad you finally posted your test results over here!

Congrats, Jessi!

[Skittl1321]

[QUOTE=quarkiki2;334438]So glad you finally posted your test results over here!

Congrats, Jessi![QUOTE]

Thanks :) If I passed the way I skated- I have NO doubt that when you're finally back on the ice you can pass- stupid 3 turn pattern or not.

[dbny]

I did actually pass with fairly positive comments. Either I got a "pity pass" because it was PB. Or the judge realized I was nervous as heck and gave me a bit of a benefit of the doubt.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you for posting the videos on youtube and for posting the judge's comments also. It wasn't a "pity pass", and the judges are used to skaters being nervous and can usually tell when that's affecting the skating. This is an encouragement test, so the benefit of the doubt is totally justified! You may have been shaking, but your edges looked steady to me too.

[jazzpants]

Congrats, Jessi!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Don't be too hard on yourself on the BI edge! It's probably the hardest of the 4 edges you have to do for that particular move element. Mine was "a bit small and shallow" when I took pre-prelim moves test and did that exact move (this was just before the Adult Moves test was in effect... soooo many moons ago!!! 8O )

It's an encouragment test. Given that, you looked stable enough to me!

[doubletoe]

Uncut Ice Took my PB MITF test this weekend. I was so disappointed with my skating. I left the ice having to try really hard not to cry. I have never done a run through that poorly. I didn't think I was nervous about the test- I knew I could skate it well, but my body did not get the message and I was shaking so badly that there was no way. I touched my foot down on my backward outside edges (never do that), had poor lobes on my backwards inside edges (that does sometimes happen), touched my foot down on my first 3-turn on that pattern, and DIDN'T DO the entire forward crossover pattern! I started on the opposite foot from where I normally do and completely forgot half of the last 8. I got a reskate on that part- and by then I knew I had completely blown the test, so I skated pretty well there. I don't think my coach thought I would pass either- I came off the ice thinking I would fail- but if it was a definite retry, why would she let me reskate that? He said it was because I didn't finish the pattern she had to let me complete the test, and not to take it as a good sign.

Cut Ice I did actually pass with fairly positive comments. Either I got a "pity pass" because it was PB. Or the judge realized I was nervous as heck and gave me a bit of a benefit of the doubt. My waltz 8 was good, and except for a slight wobbly on the first CW stroke, my stroking not too bad. (The test is on youtube- username Skittl1321). My coach, also took a positive view once we had the results. I still just wanted to cry. I skate better than that!

Judge comments:
Forward Perimeter Stroking: Nice position, nice flow. CCW nice, CW nice slightly stiff.

Basic Consectuive edges: Nice Bilateral Skating
FO: steady edges, very neat (Steady? I was shaking like crazy!)
FI: Smooth edges
BO: A little stiff- neat (I set my foot down on the first one- the rest weren't too bad)
BI: pushes a little 2 footed (I don't think I knew they weren't supposed to be...)

Forward Crossovers: 3,5,4
RESKATE- nice neat strokes! Better Power!

Backwards Crossovers: 7,8,8,8 neat strokes

Waltz Eight: Good Symmetry, BO edge a bit short

Forward 3-turn pattern: little bit tight, but consistent flow. R-L a little shallow, L-R stronger (YEP! R-L is my bad side, that's why I do it first!)

Isn't that a weird phenomenon? It happens to me a lot, too! I don't feel nervous and I don't think I'm nervous, but my body suddenly does strange, unexpected things! And it only happens in competition and on tests. Ugh! Just know that you are in good company and everyone skates at least 20% worse on tests. Judges know that, too. ;) Having said that, CONGRATULATIONS!!! :D

[looplover]

Congrats Jessi!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

That test is so weird. I did strange things too, including accidentally doing clockwise crossovers.

Cut: 1/2 of the pattern of all bronze moves are good!

Uncut: 1/2 are not so hot! I can't wait to jump and spin again! Enough with moves! I insist on passing this weekend, I simply insist!!!!!! I want to learn a proper backspin and do a lutz! :lol:

[chowskates]

Cut Ice I did actually pass with fairly positive comments.


Congratulations on your pass! The comments are indeed positive :)
I don't remember getting so many comments on my pre-Pre & Pre MIF tests (which I took before the Adult track started).

[Emberchyld]

Yay, Jessi!:bow:

Uncut Ice: Well, my PB moves are still pretty shaky or toepicky-- went to an empty morning freestyle and my coach and I couldn't help but hear all of the scratching! And now that I'm getting confident and faster on my 3-turn pattern, I've begun skidding on my right inside 3.

Spins are still on vacation. :frus:

Cut Ice: My coach tried to remind me that I've improved in leaps and bounds since she first saw me in LTS. Somehow, it feels like I'm regressing sometimes, but I think that's because I'm working on more...

Moves aren't as bad as I mentioned, though. Coach also said that I would have passed if I tested the way I've been skating these past two days. But then she also said that I had a lot of work to do on my own to make them perfect.

Now that I know that I only need PB to skate an artistic interpretive for the Halloween classic, my coach and I have started to play! This is both of our fortes and we now spend half of the lesson (after moves and some freestyle) working on the choreography for my program. If we don't have time to choreograph two programs, we're only doing artistic and then working on a freestyle program for sectionals. That way, if I don't pass Bronze this year, at least I'll have had one artistic skate. And, it'll be a way for me to "ease" into competition-- worry less about point elements and more about just getting me comfortable with ice and music and performing freestyle elements all strung together (does that make sense?). Anyway, we just stumbled onto a song that both of us loves, so it's been a lot of fun! Oh, the drama!:mrgreen:

[mikawendy]

Congratulations, Jessi!!!!

[sk8_4fun]

congratulations Jessi!!:mrgreen:

[Laura H]

Congratulations Jessi!!! And thanks so much for posting the videos for us to watch . . . it is VERY helpful for others working on those moves too (me included!!!). :D

[jskater49]

Uncut Ice
Cut Ice I did actually pass with fairly positive comments.

Congratulations!

I grandfathered and so never took the pre-bronze moves, but I did do the standard pre-pre which has similar moves. I put my foot down doing the back inside edges and when they didn't ask me to reskate I thought it was all over. Turns out the judge put her head down to write just as I did that and by the time she looked up I had picked it up already! You just never know...

j

[Rob Dean]

I did actually pass

Congratulations! :)

My turn on Friday...at least my back crossovers felt OK again yesterday. One more lesson Thursday and then it's on to the test.

Rob

[Skittl1321]

Congratulations! :)

My turn on Friday...at least my back crossovers felt OK again yesterday. One more lesson Thursday and then it's on to the test.

Rob

Good luck to you!

[je]

Cut ice: I have barely posted at this forum at all, and I think this is my first time posting on a lesson/practice thread, but I just wanted to share this with people who would understand:

I exited a backspin on one foot for the first time yesterday! Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, but considering that I started working on backspins back in 2003, it felt like a big deal to me. I think it's not unrelated to the fact that I'm beginning to land my loop jumps with a tiny hint of flow.

Johanna

[Skittl1321]

I exited a backspin on one foot for the first time yesterday! Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, but considering that I started working on backspins back in 2003, it felt like a big deal to me. I think it's not unrelated to the fact that I'm beginning to land my loop jumps with a tiny hint of flow.

Johanna

THAT'S FANTASTIC! I completely understand what an accomplishment that is. I ALWAY put my foot down before exiting a backspin, and when I do manage to "kick out" of it on one foot- I don't go anywhere, just kind of stop. Great job! And I too think backspin progress and loop progress are always connected!

[icedancer2]

Uncut Ice: Well, basically the rink I usually skate at. They have eliminated all of the early morning freestyle sessions and are sellling them to hockey. This doesn't affect me directly because I go to a later session (a "freestyle" that flows into a public morning sessions) BUT it will affect my coach who is one of the only coaches who teaches on these sessions (which is why the attendance is so low - there are only so many lessons she can teach in one morning!), and it will affect the Dance teams and competitive skaters getting ready for Regional and Adult Sectionals/Nationals who take lessons from her and/or train there.

So now the rink is becoming the true hockey rink it wants to be. The telltale signs have been coming for a while - the bathrooms are a mess (who needs to clean when it's just grubby hockey-people and their grubby parents? [no offense to hockey parents/people on this list, I am being sarcastic because, well, why wouldn't they want clean bathrooms?]), the ice has gotten crappier and the general atmosphere is just guys and sticks and smelly locker rooms. Not that it was ever nice - it is just an old hockey rink after all...

With a past that including figure skating, and lots of it. Oh and now the rumor is that they are also eliminating the Thursday night club session which has been in existence since the rink opened in the '60's and is the major source for the LTS skaters. If this happens there really won't be any LTS because the other group lessons at the rink don't really feed into the figure skating program/coaches - they are mostly for recreational skaters.

Arrggh. It is sad, really, but not unexpected.

Cut ice: Had a good lesson with my dance coach (at another rink) where we spent most of our time talking or just skating the dances together. It's been a long time since we had a lesson - I like it when we haven't skated together for some time because we usually end up working on partnering stuff and I don't have to do any solo stuff, which I am not liking these days...

[jazzpants]

YAAAAY, je!!! Congrats on your backspin and landing flow on a loop. (I'm still working on both of actually... :oops: ) And speaking of which...

icedancer2: I'm fearful of one of our Bay Area rinks turning into a hockey rink as well -- it got bought recently by the Sharks and at least ONE very high caliber coach has since left that rink to teach somewhere else b/c of the ownership issue and how it might impact the figure skating program there.

Cut Ice:

Back sit is getting better tonight! I did a regular back scratch where I was supposed to open my free hip and leg so the position look better and it did help in the turnout for the backsit. :mrgreen:
Camels are at least spinning more than 3 revs. tonight. I can't say much for the position though...
My sit spin directly from a jump landing (LBO edge to a RFO edge) is getting there!
I'm seeing signs of getting back my loop and flip mojo at the beginning of the session. Hmmm? Must be lower back/sciatica business again. (When my legs feels tired and weak, it's usually b/c of either my lower back or I overdid it at the gym on cardio.)
Got a "reverse direction" close to an hour after public session starts. Everyone HATES it when it's reverse direction... except skaters who jump CW directions like ME!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA :twisted: :mrgreen: :bow: I did a lot of waltzs and salchows during that 10 minute period. I also did them with some of my entrances to my FS program too! :PUncut ice:
Loop and flip disappeared at the end. Which is just as well... I was starting to feel "heavy" again. I almost killed myself on practicing my straightline footwork for my FS program trying to get the edge to curve even more so it would look "bigger." (Ice was crap towards the end.)

[xofivebyfive]

Cut Ice: Backspin is getting really good. I can hold my leg out for like 8 rotations before I have to pull it in and that used to be my record for the total backspin. My spirals are fantastic and nearly a split position. I'm so proud. :mrgreen:

Uncut Ice: I'm so used to doing camel-sit that my lone camel spin has suffered. I can get barely 5 rotations out when I do it alone. I can't seem to hold the edge and I wobble to the inside edge.

Here's a video from yesterday:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_SvRhGX2RLY

Can anyone help with my camel issue?

[Mrs Redboots]

Uncut ice: What we skated on tonight. Haven't skated on ice that slow for ages, but needs must as there's hockey school so no morning ice all week.

Cut ice: Did a fairly good Riverside Rhumba. Skated better than I expected to, as wasn't feeling very well.

[Terri C]

Haven't posted since I competed last weekend, so I'm catchin' up.

Cut Ice:
Had a great time at the competition and got the best of both worlds, the kids and parents from my rink and the adult skaters that I rarely get to see. I was able to catch up on two years worth of gossip.
Oh and the results: First in Bronze CM and third in Pre Bronze free.
Had first lesson with Primary Coach since the Stone Age (well a little over a month!)


Uncut Ice:
At first I didn't understand why I got third, except that my spins were crap if there at all. But my coach talked to a judge and I need more speed and height on jumps and uh yeah, have to get that sitspin lower.
So we started on that today.



Coach drilled me on kicking the free leg up on the waltz jumps and the salchow, as well as holding the second half of the three before taking off for the sal. Also really, really started working on camel- this is my "fraidy cat" spin.
But the best part was Coach getting me to do the power circles. Yes those power circles that are on the Gold moves test.
At first I was nervous, but after a bit I was like "Whee- get out of my way or I'll run you over!"

[doubletoe]

Haven't posted since I competed last weekend, so I'm catchin' up.

Cut Ice:
Had a great time at the competition and got the best of both worlds, the kids and parents from my rink and the adult skaters that I rarely get to see. I was able to catch up on two years worth of gossip.
Oh and the results: First in Bronze CM and third in Pre Bronze free.
Had first lesson with Primary Coach since the Stone Age (well a little over a month!)


Uncut Ice:
At first I didn't understand why I got third, except that my spins were crap if there at all. But my coach talked to a judge and I need more speed and height on jumps and uh yeah, have to get that sitspin lower.
So we started on that today.



Coach drilled me on kicking the free leg up on the waltz jumps and the salchow, as well as holding the second half of the three before taking off for the sal. Also really, really started working on camel- this is my "fraidy cat" spin.
But the best part was Coach getting me to do the power circles. Yes those power circles that are on the Gold moves test.
At first I was nervous, but after a bit I was like "Whee- get out of my way or I'll run you over!"

Congratulations! Sounds like you are making great progress! :D
I remember when I placed lower than I expected in a competition back when I was in Bronze and I finally found out it was because I was just skating really slowly that day. It was a big surprise because I hadn't even realized how slow I was. Your coach is brilliant to start you on those power circles. They work wonders! :D

[Thin-Ice]

Cut ice: I have barely posted at this forum at all, and I think this is my first time posting on a lesson/practice thread, but I just wanted to share this with people who would understand:

I exited a backspin on one foot for the first time yesterday! Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, but considering that I started working on backspins back in 2003, it felt like a big deal to me. I think it's not unrelated to the fact that I'm beginning to land my loop jumps with a tiny hint of flow.

Johanna

This is a HUGE deal! I've been working to do that for the last 6 years... and I still can't do it without knocking myself over (which my coach used to say was "impossible" until I did it three times in a row!:frus: ) CONGRATULATIONS! Any tips you'd like to share?

[Thin-Ice]

Uncut Ice Took my PB MITF test this weekend. I was so disappointed with my skating. I left the ice having to try really hard not to cry. I have never done a run through that poorly. I didn't think I was nervous about the test- I knew I could skate it well, but my body did not get the message and I was shaking so badly that there was no way. I touched my foot down on my backward outside edges (never do that), had poor lobes on my backwards inside edges (that does sometimes happen), touched my foot down on my first 3-turn on that pattern, and DIDN'T DO the entire forward crossover pattern! I started on the opposite foot from where I normally do and completely forgot half of the last 8. I got a reskate on that part- and by then I knew I had completely blown the test, so I skated pretty well there. I don't think my coach thought I would pass either- I came off the ice thinking I would fail- but if it was a definite retry, why would she let me reskate that? He said it was because I didn't finish the pattern she had to let me complete the test, and not to take it as a good sign.

Cut Ice I did actually pass with fairly positive comments. Either I got a "pity pass" because it was PB. Or the judge realized I was nervous as heck and gave me a bit of a benefit of the doubt. My waltz 8 was good, and except for a slight wobbly on the first CW stroke, my stroking not too bad. (The test is on youtube- username Skittl1321). My coach, also took a positive view once we had the results. I still just wanted to cry. I skate better than that!

Judge comments:
Forward Perimeter Stroking: Nice position, nice flow. CCW nice, CW nice slightly stiff.

Basic Consectuive edges: Nice Bilateral Skating
FO: steady edges, very neat (Steady? I was shaking like crazy!)
FI: Smooth edges
BO: A little stiff- neat (I set my foot down on the first one- the rest weren't too bad)
BI: pushes a little 2 footed (I don't think I knew they weren't supposed to be...)

Forward Crossovers: 3,5,4
RESKATE- nice neat strokes! Better Power!

Backwards Crossovers: 7,8,8,8 neat strokes

Waltz Eight: Good Symmetry, BO edge a bit short

Forward 3-turn pattern: little bit tight, but consistent flow. R-L a little shallow, L-R stronger (YEP! R-L is my bad side, that's why I do it first!)

CONGRATULATIONS! It sounds like this judge thinks you have enough symmetry and power and edgework to start working on Bronze. And of course you'll skate better... no one (well NEARLY no one) skates their best on a test!

[Sessy]

Not entirely related to my skating but this makes me smile anyway:

My mom's complaining the spins make her dizzy and the salchow scares her! (She's taking skating class too nowadays, she used to ice dance back in the times your skates reached to almost your knees, LOL!).


This makes me go all "AWWW" *melt* :bow: :lol:

[jazzpants]

Cut Ice:

Secondary coach did work on my getting my "show stop" Tried to get me to lean into the edge but it was quite scary doing it. Tried to learn a hockey stop to get me to lean more into the edge, which was also impossible... but it DID finally get me closer to getting the "show stop." :mrgreen: (Gotta keep practicing it though... I want it in my program!!!)

Did land a couple of loops on the warm-up. I'm happy to be getting back my "timing" again. :mrgreen:

Uncut Ice:

Showed off the beginning of my artistic program to satisfy secondary coach's curiosity.

[jskater49]

Uncut Ice

I skated during public ice at noon today because club ice doesn't start till next week. I hate skating in the afternoon - my feet are swollen and my skates are too tight. Give me 6 am ice. And these moronic hockey guys that think making a lot of noise with their blades actually impresses anyone.

I had a lesson and we just went through my program without music since I am competing in September. First thing she said was that even though my head is up, I'm sticking my butt out and leaning forward so she has me do the first half all over ahead sticking my pelvis forward and then says she wishes she had a video of before and after because I looked like a different person.

I have a section where I do two - basically the perimeter back crossovers from Bronze with arm movements and I'm having trouble on the left one so she had me concentrate on bending the knee and keeping my hips square. This move is tricky with two coaches because she is a strong believer in keeping your hips square and using your knees ... and dance coach and former coach more emphasize a twisting motion. DD had the same trouble when she went back to old coach to work on novice moves.

Worked on the waltz toe loop, mostly using my arms more effectively. Finallly accomplished something she was satisfied with.

Half flip - I do a half lutz, 3 turn, mazurka, then half flip and I am supposed to be working on a short two foot glide after the mazurka, then pushing on one foot and holding the glide, stretching and then doing the 3 turn for the half flip. I tend to muscle the whole thing. The 3 turn was still very twisty but at least I'm holding the glide better.

Cut Ice: My edge entry into the scratch spin is good enough that now we are working on using my arm more to snap into the spin and even try to get my leg in front.

Tuck behind for cha cha - just from working on keeping my feet together on the ice for awhile I have much more courage to pick up the foot and set it down again. Enormous progress.

And I got a call about one of my daughter's freestyle dresses I've been trying to sell. I brought five of them for her to look at and SHE BOUGHT ALL FIVE OF THEM and paid cash. That was very nice.

j

[je]

This is a HUGE deal! I've been working to do that for the last 6 years... and I still can't do it without knocking myself over (which my coach used to say was "impossible" until I did it three times in a row!:frus: ) CONGRATULATIONS! Any tips you'd like to share?

Naturally, I couldn't manage it again today, so I can't be too helpful, but I think the main thing is that I'm getting a better feel for really being over the spinning leg. For the backspin, the more successful ones have my weight further over on the little-toe side of body than it had been. Hard for me to believe that it's taken 6 years of lessons to start really understanding this concept, but I guess everything comes in its own time. I've also noticed it in dance--when I struggle with a 3-turn, it's often because my weight isn't over my skating leg.

Johanna

[Skittl1321]

Uncut Ice
The weather outside the rink today was horrible- very distracting to watch it get darker and greener outside the HUGE rink windows.

Cut Ice Great lesson today. Got the PB Freeskate settled. Worked on one foot spins and two foot spins. Decided on waltz jump, and then either toe loop or salchow- to be determined the practice before, so I'll work on both. Then we did a bunch of half lutzes in both directions, and some split jumps (hahaha). Then waltz 3s (CCW made me so dizzy) and coach showed me two figures- wow figures are hard!

[Terri C]

Cut Ice:
Getting lower on the sitspin and more comfortable with camel.
I've noticed that I actually like power circles- now if the rink were empty so I could really do them. Made more progress on improving salchow.

Uncut Ice:
My loop- ugh! I'll have coach look at tomorrow.

[SynchroSk8r114]

Cut Ice:
- Landed several clean double salchows (3 in a row, actually!) in my program - and they were in my harder of the two parts in the program to land! :mrgreen:
- Decent layback spins
- Several good, strong run-throughs of the Paso
- Good combination spin with at least 4 revolutions/foot
- Flowing, powerful Starlight where I fixed step #9's edge

Uncut Ice:
- Lots of little kids on the ice :frus:
- Had a flying camel that - um...accidently didn't fly and I overly stretched my hip muscle. Fine now though (thank God!) :oops:

[tidesong]

Cut:
Had good suspects for double toe, double loop, axel-doubletoe-loop
Landed one double salchow out of back 3 -turn mohawk back 3 -turn!!!... now the footwork into double salchow doesn't seem quite so impossible anymore
I think/hope I am FINAlly getting the idea on how to do crossovers... there is the break forward pose vs the bend but SIT pose. The sit one being hopefully the more correct one. I just really want my coach around to confirm it.
Had two attempts at layback-sidelay-catchfoot-beilmann with the last two in either one rotation or less each hahahah but its a start. I seem to have alot of problems maintaing my center from side lay to catch foot. that transition is usually where i lose it. and then i seem to always toe pick into the beilmann which leaves for no speed...

Uncut:
I need the tape for my knee... I seem to be straining everything else excessively to baby my knees. so now my whole leg aches... and I can't even half tell if its a ache from a pain from a whatever pain it is now... its so complicated... I'm so used to dealing with pain and my physio asks me so how does it feel? I find myself trying to cross analyze how I feel way in advance before I see her.

[mikawendy]

Uncut:
I need the tape for my knee... I seem to be straining everything else excessively to baby my knees. so now my whole leg aches... and I can't even half tell if its a ache from a pain from a whatever pain it is now... its so complicated... I'm so used to dealing with pain and my physio asks me so how does it feel? I find myself trying to cross analyze how I feel way in advance before I see her.

I hope your leg is feeling better soon. It may feel all muddly now to figure out whats is an ache and a pain to discuss with your physio, but the eventual upside is that it does make you more body aware to figure out where the pain is and describe it. So at least there's some small good in it, since body awareness helps so much with learning in skating...

[singerskates]

Uncut Ice:
I was late getting to the rink and only had half an hour on the ice, because I'm still getting better from my illness and my meds kept me sleeping way too long. Second session was taken up by a Test Session in which I wasn't testing.

Must remember to start yelling out while doing my program with my music playing, "excuse me, coming through" so the kids and coaches move out of my way, so I don't have to detour and leave things out (I left out my footwork today.) Didn't do my flip today because I was too pleased with my loop.

Cut Ice:
Made good use of the little time I had to practice. Because my skates are fitting better and I'm feeling better, things were really starting to click. I've finally got my corkscrew proper with my free leg crossed tightly at the ankles while spinning (got 12 revs easy out of it including infront of my coach). Strong jumps: waltz, toe loop, toe/toe combo, salchow.
Finally landed again after not doing so for more than two years on one foot: Loop (just have to remember to not lean forward and to bend my landing knee more so that I can run the landing out and not do a backspin instead)
Spirals were having a good time. But the RFO spiral, of the RFO/RFI CE spiral, didn't want to end and it made my RFI Spiral too short.

[dbny]

I did do the standard pre-pre which has similar moves. I put my foot down doing the back inside edges and when they didn't ask me to reskate I thought it was all over. Turns out the judge put her head down to write just as I did that and by the time she looked up I had picked it up already! You just never know...

j

This is exactly why, as my moves became more consistent, my first coach had me practice without stopping for mistakes and never showing a mistake in my face or with posture or gesture.

[littlerain]

Uncut:
- I haven't skated since last friday!
- I haven't accomplished all of my summer goals, nor did I follow my practice plan at all!
- I've been getting dizzy really easily, and considering that I hardly spin, it's bad! I even have been getting dizzy while driving at night. Someone thought maybe i'm fighting a head cold. I hope they're right, cause I've been feeling more congested than usual too...
- 20 year old me is definitely not as flexible as 12 year old me was lol

Cut:
- Test day at group lessons -
I was happy with the results. I was a bit nervous at first, but I managed to deal with that somehow (My nerves + physical activity always = disaster, except in skating, it seems)

The only skills that were weak for me were the edge rolls in delta (which I can do perfectly 50% of the time, it seems) and the right mohawk in gamma (where my three wobbly mohawks were the only times i have even attempted it since my return to skating) Considering that i favor the right side and had been practicing the left mohawk, i'm not too worried about that.

So after an 8 year hiatus from skating, I'm just about ready to work on FS1. I'm relatively happy about that, considering that it only took 2 months of group lesson (and minimal practice it seems) to get me there.

[Mrs Redboots]

Uncut: Evening ice! But it wasn't nearly as bad as on Tuesday.
Husband, soloing an American waltz, looked more as if he were playing football (meow!). And his foxtrot is not good.
Have forgotten how to skate the Rhythm Blues.
Have discovered that, even when you know what you're doing,

Cut: It was good to see people from dance club who I've not seen for awhile. Realised that Husband's issues with his spin and, arguably with our lift, are probably due to the orthotics in his skates that have thrown his balance slightly off. Did some good work on our free dance in the patch and then had fun dancing together in the club.

[blue111moon]

Last night was the last club session of the summer with a two-week break until the start of the fall/winter schedule. Ordinarily, I would be sad about the break and hunting for ice time at other rinks to fill the gap. This year, though, I'm actually glad for the break. My Achilles tendonitis is not improving, even with extensive PT and mega-doses of Advil. While skating (dance only, no jumping or spinning) hasn't seemed to make the pain worse, I will be interested to see if not skating at all helps.

As fo last night, well, it started with the fact that, after working the canasta extensively on Tuesday, I forgot the Dutch waltz steps and kept doing a chasse on the first progressive. :) It took me a good half-hour to get the canasta (aka "The Nasty Tango") out of my head and get the Dutch (aka the "Ditch" as in "throw this dance into a ditch and bury it!") correct again. And then I could not get the canasta back.

So I spent the rest of the session alternating between practicing progressive on the hockey circles, watching two of the advanced kids working on their doubles, and playing CDs for the skaters who wanted to do programs.

Which was just fine by me.

So here's hoping that when I get back from the break I won't be in pain anymore. I'm really tired of it.

[RinkRat321]

Cut ice
I passed my preliminary moves test!! yay!:mrgreen:

[Skittl1321]

Cut ice
I passed my preliminary moves test!! yay!:mrgreen:

CONGRATULATIONS!

(Why is congrats! too short of a message to post?)

[blackmanskating]

Cut: My Pre-Bronze MITF are better than they've ever been. My flow on the the forward 3-turn pattern has improved 100%. I think it was more of a mental block than a physical one. I was over-rotating my singles today. I know that may not sound like a good thing. But it says to me that I am getting used to rotating doubles so much so that I have to concentrate to do a single. I couldn't even do a waltz jump without wanting to do an axel. I had to do a split in the air to stop my rotation. It was really weird. I just have to make sure I don't overrotate my single jumps for my free test tomorrow. I finally feel completely prepared for my MITF test tomorrow.

Uncut: Camel Spin decided to take a vacation to Japan. :evil: I can't wait to start working on my spins again because they are really starting to travel. The only one that doesn't travel is my back scratch spin. My first moves and FS test is tomorrow and I'm so nervous that I can't feel my feet. :oops:

BlackManSkating


BlackManSkating

[ibreakhearts66]

Cut OMG OMG OMG started working on double axels!!!!!! my coach thinks i can get one by the end of the year as long as i keep skating! (this is huge, i've been off for 2 years and have only been back about 1 month-6weeks). Landed my double flip too! i was so surprised! i wish i had my face on video. it was like when you land your first axel and you kinda look down at your feet, then look around the rink and think "is this really happening?!" Then i landed a double lutz, and asked my coach if i could work on double axels, and she said yes! i did some good ones on the harness and my coach wasn't pulling me too hard, just need to get some crash pads so i'll be brave enough to REALLY try them off the harness.

my double loop is consistent, kinda. like, i get all the way around every time, and i'm on one foot, but my shoulders pull me back. but i know the feeling is perfect, so that why i was willing to try 2axel.

also started working a pre-juv progam. only got about 10 seconds in, but hey, better than nothing!

haha and finally got my blades sharpened for the first time in 2.5 years

uncut literally, uncut ice. seriously, they've stopped actually CUTTING the ice, they just pour the water on top. i mean, its better than nothing, but come on now!

took some pretty painful falls. hate the spiral/toepick falls. haha i also think i fell hard enough to give myself a grade 2 hamstring tear. all i know is its tender to the touch, and i cant pull my bent leg anywhere neeear my chest.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( last day of summer skating. over the past couple of weeks my coach has been running a "camp" like thing where we get there between 8 and 9.30 am and do off ice til about 10.30, skate til 11.30, off ice til 12:00-12:15, then skate til about 5, or whenever we get too tired. its been awesome, but now i gotta go back to school, and i dont know when i'll be able to skate.

[Rob Dean]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday. The second, as I mentioned before was a bit unexpected. I even got an extra tenth of a point on it, the only one I got in the pre-bronze dances! Now to shelve it until I need it for a competitition. I got a good laugh over the judge's comment on the dance that I need to have more fun with it. It's been my least favorite dance all year, and, as you can tell, I'm just so glad not to have to test it again! The moves was a little less nerve-wracking--I mentioned some time ago that my coach wanted me to be overprepared for it, and that seems like a good idea at this point. That way, when things slid a little due to nervousness, it was still passing. That adds a line to her resume as well. She may be coaching junior dance at the international level, but *I'm* the first APBM test she's coached. :)

Rob

[Mrs Redboots]

As fo last night, well, it started with the fact that, after working the canasta extensively on Tuesday, I forgot the Dutch waltz steps and kept doing a chasse on the first progressive. :) It took me a good half-hour to get the canasta (aka "The Nasty Tango") out of my head and get the Dutch (aka the "Ditch" as in "throw this dance into a ditch and bury it!") correct again. And then I could not get the canasta back.

So are we going to see you competing Prelim solo dance at the Mountain Cup?! Hope the break helps your Achilles Tendons.

Cut ice
I passed my preliminary moves test!! yay!:mrgreen:

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u276/umuemc/Congratulations.gif

to you both!

As for us:

Cut: Our Riverside Rhumba is better than it's ever been, and all ready for competition. Our Willow is probably as good as it's going to get! Free dance is coming, hope it is ready in time.

Uncut: As always on a Saturday, the ice filled up rather and we were dodging ankle-biters! But we got some good work done, nevertheless.

[dbny]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday.

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Skittl1321]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday.

CONGRATULATIONS!

[doubletoe]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday. The second, as I mentioned before was a bit unexpected. I even got an extra tenth of a point on it, the only one I got in the pre-bronze dances! Now to shelve it until I need it for a competitition. I got a good laugh over the judge's comment on the dance that I need to have more fun with it. It's been my least favorite dance all year, and, as you can tell, I'm just so glad not to have to test it again! The moves was a little less nerve-wracking--I mentioned some time ago that my coach wanted me to be overprepared for it, and that seems like a good idea at this point. That way, when things slid a little due to nervousness, it was still passing. That adds a line to her resume as well. She may be coaching junior dance at the international level, but *I'm* the first APBM test she's coached. :)

Rob

Congratulations!!!!!! That's what my MIF coach always tells me, too. Nerves take away 30% so you need to be 30% over passing in practice! :P

[Thin-Ice]

Cut ice
I passed my preliminary moves test!! yay!:mrgreen:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[Thin-Ice]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday. The second, as I mentioned before was a bit unexpected. I even got an extra tenth of a point on it, the only one I got in the pre-bronze dances!

Now to shelve it until I need it for a competitition. I got a good laugh over the judge's comment on the dance that I need to have more fun with it. It's been my least favorite dance all year, and, as you can tell, I'm just so glad not to have to test it again! The moves was a little less nerve-wracking--I mentioned some time ago that my coach wanted me to be overprepared for it, and that seems like a good idea at this point. That way, when things slid a little due to nervousness, it was still passing. That adds a line to her resume as well. She may be coaching junior dance at the international level, but *I'm* the first APBM test she's coached. :)

Rob

I already offered my "congrats" on another thread... but any passing test is worth celebrating so CONGRATULATIONS! again!:D

[singerskates]

Uncut Ice:

Thursday: Got there too late and only had half an hour left to skate in the first session. The second was taken up for a test day.

Friday: The minute I poked my head outside of my house, the air was like putting my nose against Munster rotten cheese. I had taken all of my allergy meds and asthma meds before leaving the house to head to skating but I still couldn't get enough air. I felt dizzy the whole day until it rained in the evening.
Couldn't do my loop jump without dropping my left leg because I just couldn't think. It felt like someone went inside my brain and disconnected the wires in my head all because I couldn't get enough oxygen to my head. My flip wasn’t landed on one foot either because of this.

Cut Ice:
Thursday: Everything seemed to click with what I tried. My waltz jump was being landed with my free foot still crossed in front before checking out and this gave me a good run out on the landing. Salchow was working. Toe loop/toe loop was working. And the best of all was that I finally got myself landing my loop on one foot again. I landed on one foot at a minimum of 4 times, maybe 6 times. It’s been a long time since I got my free leg to crossover all the way and all the way down while doing a corkscrew.

Friday: Got a lesson on the loop again and started working on the flip once more. I understood what to do to keep my free leg up during the rotation and first part of the landing while at the side of the boards but as soon as I left the boards so did my body’s understanding. LOL At least I know what to do when I don’t feel dizzy from lack of air. I tried to go do a flip jump and wasn’t quite there but as soon as my coach asked me to do a half flip, I did the flip with a cheat on the landing (two footed the landing but it was all around.) Corkscrew – may sometimes start out not centered but now I can get it centered even when the start is not and it’s now easy to get 12 revs. Forward sitspin is much stronger now and I’ve finally got my free leg knee over to the skating leg which makes me spin much faster. Because of that I was easily able to get up to 8 revs between my forward sit and my broken sit before standing up into an upright before getting out of the spin. I can also get out almost directly out of my broken spin so that it isn’t counted as a combination spin.

[looplover]

Congrats RinkRat and RobDean!!!!!!!

Uncut ice: oh my, I went to club ice the day before a test session - so crowded, what was I thinking? So my moves weren't so great today, I was stiff and worried about crashing into people. Saw one crash and many near misses. Had a good lesson anyway though.

Cut ice: I think I'm in good shape for bronze moves tomorrow. I felt that my problems today were mainly caused by freaking out over the crowded session. Decided to test silver moves soon as I've been practicing the cross strokes forever (because they look cool). Also ISI FS4 footwork is great training for the three turns in Silver moves. REALLY REALLY REALLY want to be a silver level skater. (ok, really a gold skater. Well ok, really a standard track Senior level skater with a perfect Bielman spin and catch foot spiral...we all can have fantasies)

Uncut ice: no hope of passing silver FS anytime soon, still don't have a good backspin to pass bronze FS.

[liz_on_ice]

Cut Ice: I passed both the pre-bronze moves AND the Fiesta Tango yesterday.
Rob

Congrats! :bow:

[liz_on_ice]

uncut - first practice today since monday, and it was a public session. Most definitely choppy ice. Spins are still MIA. Total and complete failure to find my balance point. :giveup:

cut - hit a decent salchow and a series of really nice waltz jumps. it was a jumpy afternoon.

[Mrs Redboots]

Cut: Did a great Riverside Rhumba, and the best runthrough of our free dance since we rejigged it.

Uncut: Willow still not what it should be. Lift is still a bit iffy. My side hurts from husband's random grabbing in spins and hold changes!

[looplover]

Cut Ice: Passed bronze moves! By the skin of my teeth...again, in testing I do things I never do. This time I screwed up the first LFI edge of the first pattern - was off balance and put my right foot down - right in front of the judges. Well that made me even more nervous (if possible) and I was more stiff than usual for the rest of the test. They had me reskate the first 1/2 of it so the marks from two judges went from 2.4 to 2.5 and I passed. Five step wasn't as good as it was in practice (two commented on needing more extension) but today it was good enough.

Uncut Ice: I have got to find a way to get my nervousness under control because I don't skate to my ability in tests. Nervousness = stiff = bad upper body and not sinking into knees. This will really affect bronze FS and silver moves if I don't - this may be the end of my first try passes!

[Terri C]

Congratulations looplover!!!
I too need to deal with the nerves on my Bronze FS test (I hope to retake in January). Maybe we can cross the bridge to Bronze together!!

[dbny]

Cut ice
I passed my preliminary moves test!! yay!:mrgreen:

CONGRATULATIONS!
(Don't know how I missed your post before.)

Cut Ice: Passed bronze moves!
CONGRATULATIONS!

[kateskate]

Cut Ice
Just got back from 2 weeks of skating in Oberstdorf. It was amazing. We had four 50min sessions a day. Truly exhausting but wonderful.
I reached axel breaking point on the 3rd day. I started learning this jump in 2004 and three years later it is worse than it ever was having had a good patch with it in about 2005/2006. After that, I was just not getting it. I knew what to do but couldn't actually do it. I had a very tearful day on the 3rd day of Oberstdorf. I was so frustrated with myself. FS coach said she was going to send me to a hypnotist as they only problem was a mental block. I can do axel drills, axel prep, off ice axels etc all without fault but couldn't do the stupid axel. So I think I reached the lowest axel point. I was crying in my lesson with FS teacher number 2 (out of frustration - couldn't help it - I was in pain and annoyed!) but he was very patient and managed to get me to change what I was doing and I broke 2 years of bad habit and I now have a correct (if usually underrotated) axel. It looks like an axel. I bring my free foot through and I cross my feet. I'm usually a quarter short but I will take it. I landed about 4 or so whilst away and I am over the moon. FS coach said that changing my axel like that was harder than learning it as I had to get rid of bad muscle memory and what felt comfortable.

Finally I think I could have an axel that is here to stay.:D :D

No work on doubles really apart from one day when I'd pulled something in my right leg so couldn't hold a RFO for axel takeoff or RBI for double sal so all that was comfortable to practise were loops and double loops and some were good! Yay

I also have a pretty consistent back camel now!


Uncut
Twizzles stayed at home and didn't come to Oberstdorf with me. Not a great 2 weeks for dance. No dance patches so very little compulsory practice and the general theme of my dance lessons was that I worry too much about what I can't do and convince myself I am no good and can't do anything. Dance teacher can't understand why. I need to think I can do it.

Back sits are not good. Grrrrr. :frus:

[Mrs Redboots]

Cut Ice: Passed bronze moves! By the skin of my teeth...

http://dl8.glitter-graphics.net/pub/482/482128klwcdloe0a.gif (http://www.glitter-graphics.com)

[sk8pics]

Congrats to all you people passing tests! :bow: I am so jealous!

I skated today for the second time since I broke my ankle. A public session, eh. I felt better than the first time I skated. Just skated forwards and backwards, did one foot glides forward and backward. It was actually easier to skate backwards than forwards on my left foot. Actually, I was really pleased about that. Also did some LFI mohawks.8O They felt easy, but I was going very slowly when I did them. Gotta start somewhere.8-)

[Skittl1321]

Cut Ice: Passed bronze moves!

CONGRATULATIONS!

[LilJen]

Cut Ice: I SKATED. It's been four months, minus 4 days, since I broke my fibula & tibia on my left ankle. After lots of PT and two solid weeks of mega-exercising, decided to give it a try.

Uncut Ice: Well, it felt pretty crappy. It hurt, I'm weak, I can't feel the ice at all, couldn't do much at all on only my left foot. Amazing how much I have lost in four months. Sigh. Too crowded to even try any edges, but it was just as well. I took it easy, did a lot of swizzles and two-footed slaloms and that was about it. Like sk8pics, going backwards was, strangely, easier than forwards.

So, in summary, stuck between "Hallelujah, I'm standing and skating!!" and "Boo hoo, poor me, I can hardly skate at all, I'll never be able to jump again or skate pain-free blah blah blah. . . "

[jazzpants]

CONGRATULATIONS to RINKRAT321 and LOOPLOVER on your respective tests!!! WOO HOO!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

(Also, WOO HOO to Pat for coming back on the ice for the second time and LilJen coming back to skate for the FIRST time since ankle break ... :bow: )

Cut Ice:

Loops, flips and back sits were during my warm up time.
Small accomplishment: I managed to start getting the RIP off the edges on the forward power pulls. 8O :mrgreen: (And I know that primary coach noticed it too b/c he was wondering where the edge rip noise was coming from behind him only to find ME behind him doing power pulls.)Uncut Ice:

Loops, flips and back sits were RUBBISH during the lesson and the two program runthru!!! :frus: I really need to practice the entrance going into that jump in the program!!!
Footwork was crap b/c I was starting to run out of steam towards the end! :giveup: (Time to start doing double runthrus on the program now, I guess...)(Note to self: Do lesson after a half hour warm up (not one hour) for best results. I seem to be loose enough then and I still have the energy to skate then.)

[Morgail]

Congrats to everyone passing tests!!!

Cut:
-Camel spins are getting better:)
-Back camel feels more camel-like
-Lutz was great yesterday, and okay today. It was really too crowded to try it very much today.
-Flips and flip-loops were great today.
-Spirals were wonderful. I did a bunch on some deep outside edges, and they felt really good. I like having a decent spiral for a change:)
-Silver moves are all good for the most part.
-I learned some Gold moves - brackets and double 3s and the power circles.
-I did a bunch of running 3s just for the fun of it.

Uncut:
-8-step mohawk felt a little out of control today. I will blame that on the crowd at the rink:halo:
-Attempts to lower sit spin were not successful. Ditto for back sit spin.
-I tried to do a catch-foot spin from a layback leg position - that was funny! I can grab my blade, but then I can't do anything else.
-Did some waltz jump-backspins, but my free leg is up really high on the backspin. When I tried to lower it, I nearly fell over.

[Scarlett]

Congratulations!!!! So many test passers this week. Let's keep it up skatings forumsers.

[Thin-Ice]

Cut Ice: Passed bronze moves! By the skin of my teeth...again, in testing I do things I never do. This time I screwed up the first LFI edge of the first pattern - was off balance and put my right foot down - right in front of the judges. Well that made me even more nervous (if possible) and I was more stiff than usual for the rest of the test. They had me reskate the first 1/2 of it so the marks from two judges went from 2.4 to 2.5 and I passed. Five step wasn't as good as it was in practice (two commented on needing more extension) but today it was good enough.

Uncut Ice: I have got to find a way to get my nervousness under control because I don't skate to my ability in tests. Nervousness = stiff = bad upper body and not sinking into knees. This will really affect bronze FS and silver moves if I don't - this may be the end of my first try passes!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[sk8pics]

So, in summary, stuck between "Hallelujah, I'm standing and skating!!" and "Boo hoo, poor me, I can hardly skate at all, I'll never be able to jump again or skate pain-free blah blah blah. . . "

Wow, only 4 months and you're back on the ice, that's great!:bow: It was 10 months for me, though I could have maybe come back a little earlier, and I did have two surgeries, so... Anyway, congrats, and hang in there. I'm sure you'll make really quick progress. My second time out was already so much better than my first time out.

[jskater49]

Uncut ice - Power first thing 6 am. I'm used to taking power after I've warmed up at the end of my practice, not first thing. That's going to take some getting used to.

Because the club has cut back on ice it's hard to even get a lesson and right now I have nothing scheduled regularly with my daughter and (my I guess) freestyle coach and maybe public session with dance coach. BUt dance coach's regular didn't show up this morning so she took me. We spent the whole half hour working on the Swing, most specifically the mohawk. By the end of the half hour it was almost acceptable.

Cut Ice She said the problem she usually has with students is after the mohawk, transistion into the back swing roll on the right edge. I do it perfect and when she started telling me why I told her to stop talking, that I was doing it without thinking about it and I didn't want to mess it up. Also I have good edges and power on my swing rolls and chassess...if I could just do a freaking mohawk, this would be a good dance for me. (like the Cha Cha would be good if I could do a freaking tuck behind)

I went through my freestyle with music and finished on time with the music -Yay! No procrastinating on the waltz jump. Also managed one spin where I actually swung my free leg around in front. Still rushing the entry though. Patience!

Uncut Ice -Ordered new skates for DD - she has relatively narrow feet but wide toes so the Harlicks Xline works well for her. So they came and they sent one Xline boot and one regular one. Thank you very much. She has a competition in a couple of weeks and would like to have them broken in by then - at least by Regionals in October!

j

[Petlover]

Rob and Looplover, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! You both Rock!

[LilJen]

Wow, only 4 months and you're back on the ice, that's great!:bow: It was 10 months for me, though I could have maybe come back a little earlier, and I did have two surgeries, so... Anyway, congrats, and hang in there. I'm sure you'll make really quick progress. My second time out was already so much better than my first time out.

Thanks! Fortunately for me the breaks were clean, and they operated the next morning, and I healed normally (well, the bone part of it anyway). I keep telling myself, be patient, be patient. . . Was it St. Augustine who said, "Lord, give me patience, but not just yet"? (Oh, by the way--I'm out there, yes, but I will NOT be jumping for several months yet. Grrr! Just as well. . . my spins suck so I guess I can concentrate on improving those!)

Congratulations to all the recent test passers!!

[Rob Dean]

Thanks all. I'm looking forward to tonight's lesson. I don't know what we'll be doing yet, but it'll be different than what we've been doing all summer. :)
Rob

[looplover]

Thanks all!

Was just looking over the silver moves. Ohhh boy. Those are gonna take a while...right now the only thing I think I could pass are the cross strokes, *maybe* the 8-step.8O

[jskater49]

Oh I left out the funny part of power class. Coach decided we all needed to be able to stop on both sides. Which none of us can, not even my daughter. Anyway I worked on it and finally was able to do a scratchy snowplow stop with my left leg. DD couldn't do it. AT ALL. She's the most advanced skater in the class and can only stop on one foot. Won't let her forget that!

j

[sk8pics]

Thanks! Fortunately for me the breaks were clean, and they operated the next morning, and I healed normally (well, the bone part of it anyway). I keep telling myself, be patient, be patient. . . Was it St. Augustine who said, "Lord, give me patience, but not just yet"?


:lol: :lol: I don't remember if it was St. Augstine or not, but I do remember that quote... and loving it!

I think I would have been on the ice 4 months ago if I hadn't had the second surgery, to remove the screws. But I also think it would have hurt too much from the pressure of the boot on the screws, so I'm really glad I had the screws taken out.

Oh, Rob Dean, congrats!

[Thin-Ice]

Was it St. Augustine who said, "Lord, give me patience, but not just yet"?

And who said "God grant me patience.. and give it to me now"? Same idea, different words?

[jskater49]

Actually the Augustine quote is "Give me chastity and continence but not yet" He didn't want to give up his mistress. ;)

j