Healthy or Junk (10/1-7 Practice Thread)

[jskater49]

Inspired by my coach's nutrition pep talk yesterday...

Junk - this is a vent. There is an older adult skater who is CONSTANTLY getting in everyone's way. She skates at the silver level so she doesn't have the excuse of being inexperienced. It's not arrogance, she just doesn't pay attention to where she is or where anyone else is. I'm just tired of it. Today, my daughter was in a lesson, skating to her music with her vest on - and she's going Regionals next week and had to abort her 2lutz because the woman was in her way. Then when I was going a dance, in my vest, to the music, there she was right smack in my way. I was so mad I just ignored her "Oh I'm so sorry, I'm sorry" She's always sorry. I didn't say 'oh that's okay" because, frankly it's not.

Healthy - We had a different coach for power and so it was not 20 minutes of boring stroking. Word to coaches--if you want us to work - it helps if you change it up a bit. Maybe we aren't lazy - maybe we're BORED (my my my aren't I cranky today. Probably those menapause hormones) She even gave me an alternative to jumping jacks that keeps me moving.

Junk - I think my mohawks have abandoned me again - I just couldn't do any right mohawks today. I ran through the Swing with music and was fine until I got to the mohawk. I've signed up to compete the Rhythm Blues and I get two dances for one price and I don't know if I just just forfeit the extra dance, try the Swing and hope for the best or do my Cha Cha with the fake step behind like I did at Adult Midwesterns. I am done with Dutch Waltz and Canisita - so those are not an option.

Healthy - I did the Rhythm Blues concentrating on touching my feet between every move and kept to the timing. Now I have to work on smiling

My artistic always gets good comments when I run through it. If only it were finished!

[Sessy]

Healthy:
I've started putting together a programme for an artistic skate event in Groningen this winter (no jumping, adults only, everybody there will be putting their programme together themselves). I "stole" some graceful moves from youtube videos of elite skaters.

I got some really big stares today - doing slow, graceful stuff in tank top & cargopants in camouflage greens amidst a dozen hockeyers! :mrgreen:

Got the irons mounted permanently, both had to be moved (I was doing too much outside edge on both). Spins are CENTERED in the new skates!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Again, called it a day after 45 minutes cuz of the pain though.

[looplover]

Healthy: Good lesson today, my program is fun! I don't think I looked down at the ice for most of it. We're including some stuff I did by accident when I messed up a loop exit last week, heh.

Junk: Toe loop, how dare you leave me. I must have taken you for granted, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

[liz_on_ice]

healthy - FO mohawks are feeling sharp in practice after spending a good chunk of my last lesson on them. Did a few good Salchows, getting the rhythm of the things finally. I braved a couple of loops away from the boards. I can sort of get the nerve to jump from a nearly dead standstill :D

junk We've gotten to the time of year when I show up at the rink in the pitch black, and get to enjoy sunrise just as I'm leaving. A couple more weeks and I won't see the sun at all. I am a morning person, not a middle of the d**n night person. I hate hate hate DST and I am extra annoyed at congress for making it longer!

[Sessy]

Junk: Toe loop, how dare you leave me. I must have taken you for granted, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

Had it too, once I had the flip and loop down. I had to consciously make sure to keep the neck stiff in the 3-turn and not pre-rotate and concentrate on taking off left instead of right... With all the loop and flip exercise the body gets confused.

[looplover]

Had it too, once I had the flip and loop down. I had to consciously make sure to keep the neck stiff in the 3-turn and not pre-rotate and concentrate on taking off left instead of right... With all the loop and flip exercise the body gets confused.

AHA!!! That's exactly what it is. Thanks!! :bow:

[CaraSkates]

Healthy: Skated a public session at another rink 15mins away (not my home rink). Was me & a learn to skater for the first 30mins, then an adult skater from my rink joined us and at the end of the first hour as I was leaving another adult skater who I did not know had gotten on the ice. So basically it was a really cheap freestyle session! Worked on Juv MIF, double 3s are starting to feel decent. Played around with artistic type movements for a while.

Junk: Axel sucked today. I'm tired from the weekend and on my warm up waltz/backspins and waltz/loops I could tell it wasn't going to be a good axel day. Also need to turn out more on the mohawk for 8step for Juv MIF.

[jazzpants]

Junk:

Loops and lutz!!! Didn't bother trying for waltz-loops given the state of the loop. Then again, I was trying for even higher speeds... and I was doing this in a relatively crowded and crazy public session tonight.
CamelsHealthy:

Sit and back sit
Flips!!! Nice height too!!! 8O :mrgreen:
Footwork for FS program is just fine. :D
Primary coach worked me a little bit (about 5 min.) on my artistic program... he's trying to make up the time for my nasty work emergency last Thursday. DH was watching that happening and seems happy to see the work being done.Funny note of the night:
I have sent both of my coaches the choice for my FS program. Now... this particular dress has stoning options from 100 all the way up to 400 stones. I went with whatever the model had, which was 300 stones. Anyway, primary coach says "You better max out the stones on that dress that you sent the link to. Like...200 stones is not enough for that dress." I told him that I got the 300 stone option, which should appease him.

Feels weird talking about skating dress and stoning options with a male, even though he's a skating coach and all. :?? Then again, this is JAY we're talking here... and he knows a thing or two about skating dress given 2002... :twisted: :P :lol:

[dbny]

Junk - this is a vent. There is an older adult skater who is CONSTANTLY getting in everyone's way. She skates at the silver level so she doesn't have the excuse of being inexperienced. It's not arrogance, she just doesn't pay attention to where she is or where anyone else is. I'm just tired of it. Today, my daughter was in a lesson, skating to her music with her vest on - and she's going Regionals next week and had to abort her 2lutz because the woman was in her way. Then when I was going a dance, in my vest, to the music, there she was right smack in my way. I was so mad I just ignored her "Oh I'm so sorry, I'm sorry" She's always sorry. I didn't say 'oh that's okay" because, frankly it's not.


We have a bridge program for beginning freestyle skaters. The first two weeks, they get a half hour instruction on freestyle session rules. I've taught it a few times, and quiz the kids as we go to make sure they understand. Sounds like this woman needs the same thing. Someone needs to be with her on the ice and stop her whenever music starts, and ask her "Now who is skating to that?", and make her point out all the students in lessons, etc. Is there anyone with authority that you can propose this to?

[jskater49]

We have a bridge program for beginning freestyle skaters. The first two weeks, they get a half hour instruction on freestyle session rules. I've taught it a few times, and quiz the kids as we go to make sure they understand. Sounds like this woman needs the same thing. Someone needs to be with her on the ice and stop her whenever music starts, and ask her "Now who is skating to that?", and make her point out all the students in lessons, etc. Is there anyone with authority that you can propose this to?

Well she's not a begginner. She knows the rules because she's always "so so sorry" (in a pathetic way that you are supposed to feel bad because she feels so bad and so you need to reassure her but I don't) Every year in the fall everyone has to sign an ice etiquette sheet before you can even get on the ice. I think if anyone tried to quiz her like that she'd cry. :-/

I can't even do my usual - just keep going and if we crash "oh well" because she's probably in her mid 60s and she could really get hurt. That's probably why everyone gets out of her way regardless of who has the right of way.

j

[Rusty Blades]

.... she's probably in her mid 60s and she could really get hurt. That's probably why everyone gets out of her way regardless of who has the right of way.

She has some responsibility to look out for herself and it sounds like she is taking advantage of her age. I am 58 and skate on a competitive freestyle session - everybody watches out for everybody else and the coaches would quickly sort it out if someone was being dangerous.

Junk! Started the day feeling nauseous - felt a little better after a bit to eat. First day back after the weekend is always shaky but I practiced back edges, CW BXOs, Toe Loop, Upright Spin and Sit Spin - not as bad as I feared they would be!

Healthy! Hit a couple of upright spins with more SNAP and got good rotational speed.

Junk.... There was a bad spot in the ice where I normally work on spins - it was like skating on to soft tar! It grabbed my blade in a spin entry and down I went - worst part was that it spilled my coffee and the session wasn't half over yet!

Healthy In lesson it was back to choreographing my Freeskate program....

Junk .... for next month ..... NEXT MONTH ???? OMG!

Healthy Going into a Sit Spin from a pivot REALLY gives it some ZIP!

[ferelu]

Since she's in her sixties, how is her hearing? Maybe she can't hear the person's music or ppl saying "watch out" when they are coming.

[peanutskates]

I LANDED THE LOOP!!! many times... so it really does count!
I barely restrained myself from screaming, "I can do it!!" for the entire rink to hear.

and I had 3 hours of skating today, due to a non-pupil day.
My private lesson was ON AN EMPTY RINK. omg... it was like a dream...

good day... except yesterday I hit my tailbone again. ah well. this has been compensated by THE LOOP!! i LOVE that jump!

[doubletoe]

Since she's in her sixties, how is her hearing? Maybe she can't hear the person's music or ppl saying "watch out" when they are coming.

If she has a coach, you may want to mention the problem to her coach and suggest he give her some rule of thumb for freestyle sessions. "Look up every 5 seconds to see who's coming" is a good one. If she doesn't hear well--or if you have good skaters whose blades don't scrape when they come up on you--then looking up every few seconds becomes even more important.

[jskater49]

If she has a coach, you may want to mention the problem to her coach and suggest he give her some rule of thumb for freestyle sessions. "Look up every 5 seconds to see who's coming" is a good one. If she doesn't hear well--or if you have good skaters whose blades don't scrape when they come up on you--then looking up every few seconds becomes even more important.

We do have the same coach (oh and don't get me started about how annoying it is when she interrupts our lesson to show our coach what she can do - coach is very good about being polite and not letting it interfere with our lesson...but really!) I think I will mention something to her...because coach is very good about keeping me out of the way when we are in a lesson. And she's very tactful and could probably pull it off.
j

[Muskoka Skater]

Monday Night

Healthy

-I landed axel, double toe, double salhcow, double loop, and double flip all on my first try!!

-Did my Gold skill with music for the first time

-Landed everything in my program, even the double flip, double loop, double toe that I through in (it was just supposed to be flip, loop, toe loop)

-Everybody is commenting me on how my spins look amazing

-My mom saying I have power in my program

-My mom finally agreeing to letting me take my Pre.Novice

-Landed 3 double lutz, first time in a year!! (All the others I was just lazy on and sat down)

Junk

-Falling on double lutz because I was being lazy and just letting my self fall

-Forgetting bits and peices in the C part of the Gold skill

[peanutskates]

wow, Muskoka skater, congratulations on all of that healthy stuff!

[Mrs Redboots]

Healthy: "That was above average!" said my coach - which, for him is high praise. This was on our forwards stroking in Kilian hold. Riverside Rhumba was okay.

Junk: (Wot, me eat junk food? I don't think so!) Our Golden Skaters' waltz, the first time we went through it, but it improved as we worked on it.

[doubletoe]

We do have the same coach (oh and don't get me started about how annoying it is when she interrupts our lesson to show our coach what she can do - coach is very good about being polite and not letting it interfere with our lesson...but really!) I think I will mention something to her...because coach is very good about keeping me out of the way when we are in a lesson. And she's very tactful and could probably pull it off.
j

Hmm. . . Sounds like she has a hard time switching her attention from her internal process to what's going on around her with other people. Maybe she has ADD or something of that nature?
I know a wild freestyle session that would teach her to be more aware (because she'd get mowed over otherwise, LOL!), but in the meantime, yeah, sounds like your coach would be the best bet! ;)

Peanut: Congratulations on the loop!! That's a BIG DEAL! :D

Muskoka: WOW. Please tell me what vitamins you took today, LOL!

[kimberley801]

Healthy:
FO3's were great today! I can now do a few in a row, both right and left.

R to L mohawks were less scratchy.

BI edges are improving

Attempted a one-foot spin from a two-foot spin and got a couple of good revs out of it. :)

Finally bought an annual skate pass

Husband came to see me skate -first time since early July. He says I've
REALLY improved. :D I don't even think I had success with any edges back then...

Junk:
2-foot spins...yuck. Could not find that sweet spot and it was a horrid scratchy mess.:evil:

Backwards Chasse's...my feet don't get it.

FXO's have regressed, but soon to be back, I hope!

[LilJen]

Healthy: Consecutive edges better today. PB 3-turn pattern cleaner but it hurt. : ( Had the freshly zamboni'd ice to myself for at least 1/2 hr so I was checking out all my tracings. Waltz 8 wasn't that bad considering how wobbly my LFO edge is.

Junk: One tracing of a two-foot spin, all of maybe 5 revs, was about 4 feet long. . . :( PATHETIC. And I have a bunch of Strauss waltzes on my mp3 player but couldn't find one the right tempo to practice the Dutch waltz to. Time to march over to e-music. .. .

Oh, and like Sessy, I crapped out after 45 min. My ankle hurt too much, too.

[Terri C]

Healthy:

Am getting better at the back crosstroke pattern and starting to really move on it and curve the edges!
Had a good scratchspin!

Junk:

Ice was not only very crowded, but awful, with a lot of condensation bumps all over. Secondary Coach told me that they might have not zammed the ice at all this afternoon before the beginning of the freestyle session.

Had a rough time with loop during my lesson today and right now the flip is looking like a lost cause. Didn't do program today either.

[cecealias]

Healthy: Landed about 10-15 axels in a row yesterday in lesson and they were ALL really good. Landed good double sals too. flying sit rocked. Good consistent stuff. Nothing bad to say at all.

Junk: Need to break in new boots soon.

[tidesong]

healthy:
axels and double salchows per normal. Axels with generally more flow out of the landing (although I also seem to have a new trick of trying to land on a slightly inside edge and dragging the toe pick through the ice ... *wince*)

Double salchows, ok... wierd thing is that when I sorta get it right, I don't feel the edge anymore, I only feel the tension in my leg which makes me know where I am in relation to the different parts of my body??

double toe... well there was one really good suspect, I could feel the up, rotate and a clean feeling flow out. no hesistation or pulling feeling on the way out. Maybe it was good I didnt look back on the tracing because it felt really nice. Hopefully I can do that again.
current double toe thinking: maintain turn out, keep back straight but relaxed so it can move, stretch behind but slightly to the left, pull under/through, kick up and away, quickly pull the right hand towards my body in a smooth action and stay there.... until ready to disengage and land... (resist force to let both hands drift towards the extreme left)

double loop... still wishy washy and strains my knee aka... not a good sign :( had one with a not so badly prerotated take off at least... haha

Junk:
Layback makes my back pain if I don't do it right. Painful reminder of wrong technique when it happens. Must keep in mind.

[ibreakhearts66]

healthy
landed some really awesome, solid double loops! it felt absolutely amazing!
my double sal was really good today too!
and i landed some double flips!
fixed my axel too. i knew something was off, because the jump just felt too tiny. it was super simple, i just didn't notice. i guess i was pulling my arms in too low, so i was killing the height of the jump. the second my coach pointed it out my axel went back to normal!

so I used to be really close to this one girl at my rink, but about a year ago she quit figure skating to play hockey. well, today she decided to try to skate again, and now she's gonna get back into skating! she was my best skating friend, so its nice to have her back! psh and after being off figure skates for a year, she still landed axel, double sal, double loop, and a (cheated, but still) double flip!

started choreographing my new program for vegas competition in a month lol. this should be interesting.

junk
not too much of that today :) i've had to wake up about an hour earlier the past two days because the person driving me to school goes for a morning run before class which has sucked a lot! i get to school at 6.30am and think "wow, normally i'd still be asleep!"

my two attempts at a double toe were bad, but i really didn't try too hard, so i'm not upset or anything

[doubletoe]

Ibreakhearts, you are kicking some serious butt today! :bow: Way to go! :mrgreen:

[peanutskates]

oh, yeah, remembered:

junk: apparently, we are not allowed to "work in groups" any longer. What the ..? now me and my friend have like a code if we wanna practice something together... watch each other whilst doing a slow spin yourself... LOL. the stupidest (yes there is no such word..) thing is, my friend and I have the same coach! so it's not like we're trying to convert each other to a dif. one or something...

if anyone can explain to me, why the heck we have to practice alone all of a sudden, I'd be grateful... because frankly, it's a ridiculous idea.

I mean, in the past, it's been helpful. I fixed my friend's scratch spin. She fixed my waltz jump and sitspin attempts. it was so good...

[liz_on_ice]

oh, yeah, remembered:

junk: apparently, we are not allowed to "work in groups" any longer. What the ..?

That's weird - did your coach tell you that? If they are passing on instruction from the rink management they should be able to tell you what the rule is for.

Were you getting big clumps of kids together being a roadblock, or maybe too many people standing still on the ice?

[antmanb]

Junk.... There was a bad spot in the ice where I normally work on spins - it was like skating on to soft tar! It grabbed my blade in a spin entry and down I went - worst part was that it spilled my coffee and the session wasn't half over yet!



You enter your spins with a coffee in hand?! 8O :lol: :lol:

Ant

[antmanb]

oh, yeah, remembered:

junk: apparently, we are not allowed to "work in groups" any longer. What the ..? now me and my friend have like a code if we wanna practice something together... watch each other whilst doing a slow spin yourself... LOL. the stupidest (yes there is no such word..) thing is, my friend and I have the same coach! so it's not like we're trying to convert each other to a dif. one or something...

if anyone can explain to me, why the heck we have to practice alone all of a sudden, I'd be grateful... because frankly, it's a ridiculous idea.

I mean, in the past, it's been helpful. I fixed my friend's scratch spin. She fixed my waltz jump and sitspin attempts. it was so good...


That does sound ludicrous. The kids at our rink always practice together - the ones who are watching will press flush against the barrier in a line so as not to cause an obstruction and all is well. I find i tend to work harder for longer when practising in a group with adults or kids like this, expecially the kids becuase they don't let you off til you do. it. RIGHT! So I get more practices and turns than they do!

Ant

[Skittl1321]

Healthy I am no consistently crossing my foot in my scratch spins. YAY! They go back and forth between being centered and not centered.

Learned a new pattern- Back outside edge with a 3 turn at the top of the lobe, then start forward inside edge with a 3 turn at top of the lobe, repeat. Is it on the preliminary test- maybe? Anyway, it's fairly easy, and a great but interesting way to do those back outside 3 turns. I tend to stick my butt out after doing more than a few.

Next week is last LTS class of this session. I am crossing my fingers I have the same group coach for next session because he is fantastic.

Junk Sit spins :( (Though I did figure out how to keep from getting on my toe pick). We did some "shoot the ducks" (hahaha) to work on the position, and the coach seems to be working under the delusion that I have some sort of muscle in my upper thigh, because he kept telling me to "engage your quad" to help me get a strong position. Anyhow, my shoot the ducks are actually WORSE than my sit spins, if that's possible. I'm okay falling out of the sit spin, because the rotation keeps me from hitting hard, but I'm not willing to fall on the shoot the duck, because I'm still too far from the ice, so the position is better in the spin. Very very weird.

Then I didn't get any practice ice because they had to close the ice and make us sit in the locker rooms for tornado warnings, and by the time the warning was canceled there were 13 minutes left before hockey.

[Kim to the Max]

apparently, we are not allowed to "work in groups" any longer.

I can see if someone was giving bad advice and reinforcing bad habits, asking you to not work in groups.... Also, I have seen this lead to pockets of stationary people on the ice, which can create some issues for folks who are trying to practice jumps and spins or who are in a lesson. Just my $.02.

--Kim

[Skittl1321]

Is the no working in groups rule just for certain sessions? That seems really strange to me- is 2 a group or a pair :), so you can still be with a friend. I understand the idea of not wanting to stall movement on the ice, but I often NEED another eye to be able to practice. While I know a "helpful" friend could have me practicing bad habits, honestly, I'm more likely to reinforce bad habits on my own!

I think the kids at our rink who work in 2s and 3s have better practices than those who work alone. Or at least longer practices. (I'm talking pre-pre, pre levels. The older kids are more solitary.) Once you get a group of 4 it tends to turn into tag, or sitting on the ice- which drives me nuts.

And if it's a worry about soliciting for coaches, because you are helping in a "well my coach says this" and another student might do "I think my coaches way is better, she tells me this", that's even more absurd. I really do not understand the rules related to the PSA that say I can't talk about my coach's methods to anyone else because then I am soliciting for my coach. Why do I have to follow rules set by an organization I'm not a member of? (Sorry gone into a different rant.) I don't try to recruit for my coach at my rink, but it seems ridiculous that we can't mention our coaches at all because the PSA doesn't allow it.

[Morgail]

Anyhow, my shoot the ducks are actually WORSE than my sit spins, if that's possible.

I can't do a shoot the duck at all (it's more like a squat the duck!), but I can do a passable sit spin. I think there's something about the force from spinning (I'm sure there's a good physics word for it, but I can't remember what it is!) that makes it easier to get lower position in a sit spin than in a shoot the duck.

[momsk8er]

I agree, I can't do a shoot the duck at all. And trying it on land is simply ridiculous (splat!). But my sit spin is getting lower. Not low enough, but lower. Actually, my problem is not so much with the squatting down, as it is with the getting the free foot off the ice in a straight leg position. What muscles are those? Hamstring? Abs? I can't tell.

Healthy - certainly not me. I've had a terrible cold all week and haven't skated until this morning. Moves were still pretty healthy though after almost a week off, so I'm getting more confident that they won't abandon me again.

Junk - practice left me gasping for breath. And my legs quivvering after only 40 minutes. My skates need sharpening, so spin entries are edging toward a skid. Not there yet, but not really nice and solid like when my edges are sharp. I love that newly sharp feeling.

[Thin-Ice]

Healthy
Learned a new pattern- Back outside edge with a 3 turn at the top of the lobe, then start forward inside edge with a 3 turn at top of the lobe, repeat. Is it on the preliminary test- maybe? Anyway, it's fairly easy, and a great but interesting way to do those back outside 3 turns.

This is one-half the "Three Turns In The Field" pattern from Pre-Juvenile and Silver Moves. Great that you find them easy.. a lot of people find them very difficult -- especially making sure the turn is actually at the top of the lobe. You do one length of the rink that way, then another length on the other foot. Then the other part of the pattern is doing FO 3-turns with the BI 3-turns, again one foot on one side of the rink, the other foot on the other length of the rink.

[Thin-Ice]

I can't do a shoot the duck at all (it's more like a squat the duck!), but I can do a passable sit spin. I think there's something about the force from spinning (I'm sure there's a good physics word for it, but I can't remember what it is!) that makes it easier to get lower position in a sit spin than in a shoot the duck.

The term you were looking for is "centrifugal force".

[jskater49]

Healthy - My artistic is done! YAY!! I wore my costume, which is simply a pirate costume I bought cheap at Target - same time period. I have a hat that lots of people say I should wear but 1) it makes it look like a pirate costume and that may be confusing 2) a hat adds a whole new layer of difficulty that I'm not sure I'm ready for. Coach isn't too keen on the hat so it will probably stay home.

Junk I was just tired and out of breath and couldn't get up the oomph do do the simple jumps and toe taps in the program. Coach is threatening to take out the mazurkas because everything else in the program flows and I'm fast and in character, and then it breaks for the mazurkas. I think I could do them better so I'm going to practice the program with them (I do two in a row) but if they don't improve - out they go!

j

[Skittl1321]

This is one-half the "Three Turns In The Field" pattern from Pre-Juvenile and Silver Moves. Great that you find them easy.. a lot of people find them very difficult -- especially making sure the turn is actually at the top of the lobe. You do one length of the rink that way, then another length on the other foot. Then the other part of the pattern is doing FO 3-turns with the BI 3-turns, again one foot on one side of the rink, the other foot on the other length of the rink.

The second part of the pattern you described sounds really hard! BI 3-turns are horrible to me. Glad I don't have to deal with them until Silver.

Also- before anyone thinks I'm being a bit superior calling a difficult move easy. "Easy" is doing the pattern in a group freestyle class focusing on getting the 3-turn done. It's a fun way to work on the 3-turns without having to just do a 3 turn, stop, get on the edge and do it again. Not "easy" doing the move to a standard on the test. I have a feeling THAT will be hard.

[Rusty Blades]

You enter your spins with a coffee in hand?!

Not intentionally 8O

Actually, my coffee was on the boards, next to my rink book, and when I went down, I must have hit my book, which knocked the coffee into the stands. When I hit the ice, my coach asked if I was alright and I said "MY COFFEE!" as I slithered through the gate to try to save what was left of my coffee. I was amazingly quick from hitting the ice to righting my coffee cup - it is amazing how one's priorities are different at 7-something in the bloody morning! I didn't even know if I had hurt anything until after the coffee was rescued . . . reminded me of a certain TV commercial ;)

[Rusty Blades]

Junk: Started the day feeling nauseous (again!), then up-chucked - wonderful! (Forget it! I am too old - can't be THAT!)

Healthy: Felt a lot better then.

Bland: (Neither good nor bad) Worked on same-old, same-old. Never as good on day #2 but not bad.

Healthy: Getting a little more height on the one-day-it-will-be-a-toe-loop.

Worked on Freeskate choreography again in lesson.

CHOCOLATE! (The BEST!) Coach says it is going to be a "pretty" program - which is way better than "pretty awful"!

[Scarlett]

Finally back on the ice

healthy -
Flips are back.
Forward spins were strong and centered.
Making improvement on double 3s (Right foot only)

Junk-
Lutzes are crud-like.
Toe loops are still offensively bad.
Sit spins (need I say more).

[doubletoe]

oh, yeah, remembered:

junk: apparently, we are not allowed to "work in groups" any longer. What the ..? now me and my friend have like a code if we wanna practice something together... watch each other whilst doing a slow spin yourself... LOL. the stupidest (yes there is no such word..) thing is, my friend and I have the same coach! so it's not like we're trying to convert each other to a dif. one or something...

if anyone can explain to me, why the heck we have to practice alone all of a sudden, I'd be grateful... because frankly, it's a ridiculous idea.

I mean, in the past, it's been helpful. I fixed my friend's scratch spin. She fixed my waltz jump and sitspin attempts. it was so good...

What if one of you were to stand right against the boards, out of the way of oncoming skaters while watching your friend? If they give you hard time for doing that, then you can step off the ice and stand just on the other side of the boards while you watch your friend, then she can do the same for you. If only one of you is "on the ice" then you cannot possibly be working in a group. And I agree that it's a pretty stupid rule if there are only two of you (technically not a "group" but a "pair" IMO).

[jazzpants]

Healthy:

Secondary coach more of her "touches" to the new stuff that my primary coach did. (Yes, it's fine with primary coach! He doesn't mind. :D )

Junk:

I am just too robotic for jazz!!! Boy, do I need that jazz class!!! (And I mean theatre jazz, not LYRICAL jazz!) 8O

Toxic Waste Dump:

Well, secondary coach was trying to get me to think "red light district"-ish in my dancing while another coach was listening on. Well that conversation evolved to jokes about me "pole dancing" and... well, I won't go into the rest, since, as Emeril says, "keep it G." But let's just say the toxic waste dump was where their minds ended up at... :oops: :giveup: :lol: (Don't worry! All the kids were off the ice and far from hearing distance when those comments were made too.)

[Skittl1321]

And I agree that it's a pretty stupid rule if there are only two of you (technically not a "group" but a "pair" IMO).

The new rule must make it very difficult for pairs and dance teams to get anything done- especially if this run around is the only way to work in a "group" (okay you go off ice while I do the inside pivot for our new death spiral, and then I'll go off ice while you lean on your edge and try to keep your legs, back, and neck aligned.) ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

Healthy: A few more faults got into Level 2 correction (Level 1 is when my coach diagnoses exactly why something is going wrong, level 2 is when I can feel whatever-it-is happening - a dropped hip, for instance, leading to flattening an edge - and level 3 is when I can fix it!).

Junk: Which is the most frustrating stage for them to be in....

[peanutskates]

healthy: loop is still there, and faster than before! I love it.
did some rubbishy, but still kinda recognisable, flips!
in the middle of the session, my spin quality just went uuUUPP! and my coach saw them! :)

junk: the no talking at patch rule...
spread eagle... doesn't get into the position that I can do at the wall...
loop (gotta be realistic...) is only working when I'm parallel to the wall, as I can then convince my stupid head that I will be close enough to touch it when I land (even if I wouldn't be that close)... but I'm working on it!

[peanutskates]

(technically not a "group" but a "pair" IMO).

exactly what I said at the time!

The new rule must make it very difficult for pairs and dance teams to get anything done

It doesn't count for pairs... that would be ridiculous. and we don't have dance teams, at least I haven't seen them.

[Laura H]

Finally taking a moment to post about my group lesson on Monday:

Junk: my poor instructor . . . we worked on the forward spin last time and it was "eh" . . . she had given it some thought and thought maybe I would be one of those who is more comfortable spinning on the opposite foot . . . as in "backspin" . . . uh no . . . it's MUCH worse. :oops: She's persistent though, we tried 2 or 3 different entrances without much luck. I promised I would work on it. :oops: I do know now that I need to work on keeping the left shoulder back. I did work on this a lot at the end of public session (when everyone else had gone home).

then she asked about the sitspin and I gave her the "deer in the headlight" look 8O but showed her my shoot-the-duck that I worked over the summer on . . . so then she gets really excited and wants to see it BACKWARDS 8O (darn it, I KNEW I should have listened to doubletoe!). I did manage to do one, but it was kinda scary. Then we worked on the entrance . . she is one who teaches it "go down low" and she gave me some tips on bringing my heel around and I got "this close" to getting down into the proper position . . .there may be hope . . we'll see!!

Healthy: of course by then I was begging to do some jumps so she walked me through the toe loop (which I actually HAVE done before, but it has been a while) and those went just fine!! I love toe jumps.

More junk: she says I need to get more solid on the backspin before we can move on to other jumps (i.e. loop) :frus: I don't know, I'm having to jump/pick out of the backspin anyway after one rev, maybe I should just go ahead and jump and make the most out of it! :lol:

Healthy: not many other people on the ice for the public session, so I got to try a little bit of everything, including lots of edges/3 turns which are actually starting to be kind of fun, believe it or not!! And maybe, just maybe, it's time to get my blades resharpened . . . because I'm not hooking my forward spin either, all of a sudden. (either that, or I'm just randomly getting worse with more ice time . . . I'm going to be optomistic and try the sharpening before I get too worried) :mrgreen:

[Skittl1321]

It doesn't count for pairs... that would be ridiculous. and we don't have dance teams, at least I haven't seen them.

Well, you and your friend could start doing duet routines. A perfect opportunity to practice together.

[Terri C]

Toxic Waste Dump:

Well, secondary coach was trying to get me to think "red light district"-ish in my dancing while another coach was listening on. Well that conversation evolved to jokes about me "pole dancing" and... well, I won't go into the rest, since, as Emeril says, "keep it G." But let's just say the toxic waste dump was where their minds ended up at... :oops: :giveup: :lol: (Don't worry! All the kids were off the ice and far from hearing distance when those comments were made too.)

Nah, just think of melting the snow in Lake Placid!! :twisted:

Healthy:
Had one nice HUGE toeloop!!
Starting to come up from the sitspin in the scratchspin position.

Junk:
Why is it that it seems every time I go to do my program, there is a issue with the sound system? I must have wasted a good 5 minutes or so trying to get the plugs right from the soundsytem going from playing a iPod to the CD player. When we got it working, and I went to do my program I had several people get in my way and I had the damn sash on!
Had a nasty fall when I tripped over my blades in a attempt to re-skate a sitspin.

[liz_on_ice]

bittersweet - Last lesson today with Summer Coach. Of course that also means that the first lesson of the season with Winter Coach is only a week away. I can't wait to show off everything I've learned since she saw me last.

healthy - Ran through all my jumps, halves and singles, and they were good. I've *finally* got that salchow. Not that it's pretty or anything, but I've stopped hitting the ice with my free foot, or gouging huge ruts with my toepick when I panic and chicken out at the last second. Toe loop is also recognizable, verging on halfway decent.

junk - backspin. Of course. Better after we worked on it some though. I think I actually got 2 or 2 1/2 revs on one.

[antmanb]

Not intentionally 8O

Actually, my coffee was on the boards, next to my rink book, and when I went down, I must have hit my book, which knocked the coffee into the stands. When I hit the ice, my coach asked if I was alright and I said "MY COFFEE!" as I slithered through the gate to try to save what was left of my coffee. I was amazingly quick from hitting the ice to righting my coffee cup - it is amazing how one's priorities are different at 7-something in the bloody morning! I didn't even know if I had hurt anything until after the coffee was rescued . . . reminded me of a certain TV commercial ;)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I just don't function at that time in the moring unless i've had more than one coffee so wondered if maybe i should skate with a coffee in hand to help me out!! I once gave myself whiplash because my body just wasn't awake at 6am and while practising some straightline footwork i tripped myself up and fell backwards hitting the back of my head on the ice. The sound was awful but i was fine, except for the next two or three days with a very sore neck and lump on my head!

Ant

[Skate@Delaware]

This is for last night....

Healthy: my little group of kids! I picked up another class for Wednesdays and my 2 classes rocked! My first class-these girls were picking things up FAST they said they have never skated...well partway through the lesson they told me they roller skate so that figures why they were so good!

Because I wasn't at my best, we did the dance steps for ISI ???? Can't remember. It was nice: crossover (i.e. progressive), step, outside mohawk, step, step, step behind (or was it in front?) turn to front...

My coach had gone to a coaching seminar, and picked up something new so she hit me with a new approach to the backspin entry! instead of the one-foot edge glide then 3-turn, backspin....we (I) did a 2-foot glide, mohawk, push backspin....and it actually worked!!! The first few times I got AROUND! I think it helped a lot more than the other entry.

My scratch spin had backslid a bit, but she reminded me to keep my feet more together before I push off.

Junk: I had a migraine (been cooking with it since Tuesday) so I wasn't at 100%, probably running at 50%....so certain things weren't my best, and my back was KILLING me so I was more like 25%

My salchow 101 lesson continues....we fix one thing then have to tweak something else! It is one of my best jumps and tweaking it is something that has become an obsession with both of us-this will be my double.

We worked on shallowing out my 3-turn entry, a stronger check, and arm positioning.

New assignment: 3-turn on the line and hold............then jump.

I have decided: if my back is not improved by next weeks chiro appointment, I will ask for a prescription for physical therapy. This is holding me back tremendously. i should be 75% better by now and I feel I am only 25% better. At least if I get some massage, it might help.

[SynchroSk8r114]

Healthy: Attention! I've finally (after years and years of struggling with this) crossed my feet in my double salchow! :mrgreen: This may seem little to some of you guys, but I've had the most difficult time getting that feeling of crossing in-air, but after doing some step/hop/cross/step/hop/cross exercises with my coach, it just clicked! Kinda the weirdest feeling in the world, but I hope it stays...now only to maintain that in-air position! I mean, it can be done though...I finally began hitting in in the axel last spring; now I just have to apply that to all my doubles! :mrgreen:

I'll be posting all about this is my skating journal (see link below) sometime today, so check back if you want all the juicy details...

[Sessy]

Can you maybe elaborate on the step hop cross thing btw? I'm really curious, I've never seen anything like that at our rink.

Healthy
-my skates are approaching broken-in state. I can do crossrolls in them now and even attempt sit-spins (although they need to give a little more before I can really try those again).
-Bunch of hockeyers yelled at me that "you figureskaters" were ruining "their" ice, and also kept telling me how much I sucked at skating but I realised - I don't care! I didn't feel the need to explain myself at all. So when I don't care at all, that's my clue that I'm really confident at what I'm doing so that's really good. Also I didn't feel the least bit self-conscious putting together the programme for the artistic in january.

Junk:
- Feet cramp, I need to learn not to tie up my skates so hard.
- 3-turns aren't working in my programme (even though as an exercise I can do them).
- Slashed 2 of my fingers open on my bielman, didn't really notice so everything is bloody now. I hope I can put the laces in the laundry or something.

[doubletoe]

Can you maybe elaborate on the step hop cross thing btw? I'm really curious, I've never seen anything like that at our rink.

Healthy
-my skates are approaching broken-in state. I can do crossrolls in them now and even attempt sit-spins (although they need to give a little more before I can really try those again).
-Bunch of hockeyers yelled at me that "you figureskaters" were ruining "their" ice, and also kept telling me how much I sucked at skating but I realised - I don't care! I didn't feel the need to explain myself at all. So when I don't care at all, that's my clue that I'm really confident at what I'm doing so that's really good. Also I didn't feel the least bit self-conscious putting together the programme for the artistic in january.

Junk:
- Feet cramp, I need to learn not to tie up my skates so hard.
- 3-turns aren't working in my programme (even though as an exercise I can do them).
- Slashed 2 of my fingers open on my bielman, didn't really notice so everything is bloody now. I hope I can put the laces in the laundry or something.

Ow!! Hope your fingers heal soon!!
BTW, I don't know how high up you have been lacing your new boots, but if you have stiff boots, it's best to leave the top hook unlaced for awhile, or if you can't get enough ankle bend, possibly even the top two hooks unlaced. As the boots break in and you feel the need for more support, you can lace up one more hook. The second hook on my boots is offset and not too far down from my top hook, so I have never laced my boots all the way up to the top hook, even though my boots are over 2 years old and the right boot has started to break down a little.

[Rusty Blades]

Junk! STIFF today! But managed to work a bit on footwork, figuring out what I might be able to do.

Coach was in early and her other skater didn't show up so we went back to choreographing my Freeskate program for next month. Now all I need it to be able to DO the Sit Spin and Toe Loop required for the program!

At the end I was saying how I noticed the top skaters do a "cross-behind" ("Cross in front"? - keeping one foot on the ice all the time) as opposed to a regular BXO (where weight is fully transferred). She said that's true, that it is more powerful than normal cross-overs but most beginning skaters don't have the leg strength to do that so they teach regular XOs first.

Healthy! So I tried it 8O - it IS super FAST :mrgreen: and I find it easier than regular BXO's. Judging from the look on my coach's face, that's going into my program. (Me and my big mouth ....)

[Mrs Redboots]

It doesn't count for pairs... that would be ridiculous. and we don't have dance teams, at least I haven't seen them.
You probably don't skate at the same time as they do, but there is a flourishing ice dance club at your rink, with several very accomplished adult dancers - you're in the same Recreational Ice Dance League as we are, and your lot almost always beat us hollow! :( :( :(

[ferelu]

This is for last night....
a new approach to the backspin entry! instead of the one-foot edge glide then 3-turn, backspin....we (I) did a 2-foot glide, mohawk, push backspin....and it actually worked!!! The first few times I got AROUND! I think it helped a lot more than the other entry.


Can you please elaborate on this new technique. I've never seen it done before and it sounds interesting.

[looplover]

Junk:

NO WAY can I afford to go to adult nationals. It's absolutely impossible. Sigh. Probably not sectionals either, so I think I'm going to have to try and get over my AOSS a bit and perhaps just do one competition a year locally. Totally bummed out, but it's really hard to pay for skating as a single adult...ugh. :( :(

[peanutskates]

the top skaters (the xo thing)


LOL, almost everyone at our rink that is above group lessons does it that way. it is way easier. except you can click your blades... and then you're down! teehee. (although I've been managing to save my clicks of death lately...)

Mrs Redboots, that's interesting! They train on Saturdays, I think. But I thought that dance teams were like synchro type people... and also, the no talking rule only applies to patch time. and the dance team train on public session.

anyway, who said we're working together? what? we've been doing exactly the same things for half an hour? what a coincidence! :halo:

[Skate@Delaware]

Can you please elaborate on this new technique. I've never seen it done before and it sounds interesting.
Well, I fairly suck at explaining things but i will try. the normal way taught is on one of the lines you do an inside edge then go over the line, then 3-turn....blech!

Anyway, it wasn't quite working for me, so she tried something else:
This is the normal way taught, starting on the LFI edge...
https://home.comcast.net/~tkahline/photo_gallery/normal%20backspin%20entry.gif

this is the new way, two-foot glide, inside mohawk (really it's a push off the left foot). I like this way much better!! When you hit step #3, your left foot is off the ice by the time you hit the line.
https://home.comcast.net/~tkahline/photo_gallery/new%20backspin%20entry.gif

sorry the pics are so big, i could not shrink them down.

[Sessy]

Ow!! Hope your fingers heal soon!!
BTW, I don't know how high up you have been lacing your new boots, but if you have stiff boots, it's best to leave the top hook unlaced for awhile, or if you can't get enough ankle bend, possibly even the top two hooks unlaced. As the boots break in and you feel the need for more support, you can lace up one more hook. The second hook on my boots is offset and not too far down from my top hook, so I have never laced my boots all the way up to the top hook, even though my boots are over 2 years old and the right boot has started to break down a little.

Thanks! Yes I know, I used to have Risports which are very high-cut boots, I never could lace those up all the way - not even when they were broken down! But Graf is low-cut and I kinda like the support. :)
Trick is that I can't find the balance between jamming off my toes and having too much toe space just yet. Takes getting used to :) My feet are a different size and the skates aren't, so that's complicated.

[Sessy]

this is the new way, two-foot glide, inside mohawk (really it's a push off the left foot). I like this way much better!! When you hit step #3, your left foot is off the ice by the time you hit the line.
https://home.comcast.net/~tkahline/photo_gallery/new%20backspin%20entry.gif

sorry the pics are so big, i could not shrink them down.

So how do you get ehm... Well inside mohawk would be on the right foot right? So then you don't put down the left foot at all, not ever doing the actual mohawk, right?

[Muskoka Skater]

Wednesday Night

Healthy

-Amazing double lutz

-Amazing spins

Junk

-Nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Skate@Delaware]

So how do you get ehm... Well inside mohawk would be on the right foot right? So then you don't put down the left foot at all, not ever doing the actual mohawk, right?
Well, it's not "technically" a mohawk, it just "sort of"! You start off doing a 2-foot glide, then you push off of the left foot onto the right (that is the "sort-of a mohawk" move).

told you I wasn't good at explaining!!!! :lol:

But it makes sense to me!

[Laura H]

Wow, I thought they had already tried out ALL of the possible backspin entrances on me :halo: but this one is a different one . . . will give it a try!!

[doubletoe]

Thanks! Yes I know, I used to have Risports which are very high-cut boots, I never could lace those up all the way - not even when they were broken down! But Graf is low-cut and I kinda like the support. :)
Trick is that I can't find the balance between jamming off my toes and having too much toe space just yet. Takes getting used to :) My feet are a different size and the skates aren't, so that's complicated.

I know what you mean! My left foot is 1/4 size bigger than my right foot, but the boots only come in half sizes so it's just enough to make the left boot a little uncomfortable. I have brand new customs sitting in the box, already waterproofed, but I feel guilty switching over to them when my current ones aren't broken down yet. . .

[SynchroSk8r114]

Can you maybe elaborate on the step hop cross thing btw? I'm really curious, I've never seen anything like that at our rink.


Haha, I'll do the best I can explaining, but as with many things, it's easier to understand if you see it...BTW, this is more of a step/turn/cross, I guess. Coach had me do it first time today & it helped bunches! :mrgreen:

For CCW jumpers:
- Begin by gliding forward on your left foot with your left arm in front, right leg behind.
- Take a tiny step forward so that you're on your right foot (do not twizzle - this is to be more of a slower snap to backwards).
- Immediately bring the arms in (like in axels or double jumps) and cross your left foot over your right; try to cross back of your left calf over your right shin/top of boot. This is when you should be gliding backwards.
- Keep repeating this by step by doing step/turn/cross/step forward/step/turn/cross. You'll probably find it's easiest to do this on a circle, although it can be done on a straight line as well...

Hopefully that helped, but I doubt it. It's hard to be clear about skating exercises/drills without seeing them in person, but maybe you can walk it out and it'll click.

[badaxel]

Healthy: My new program is really awesome. I'm really going in a different direction this year, based on my hugely unsuccessful season last year. It's really calm and pared down, leaving me lots of time to spin and hold landing edges. The new footwork is so fun, and much less tiring than last year's!
Also, I think I may have gotten all the way around on a few double sals today. I immediately fell, probably from shock, but I think I had the idea.

Junk: Well, my axel success from last week disappeared like good ice on a crowded session. I just hate that axel.

[Terri C]

Healthy:

Had a good lesson with Primary Coach today, who informed me that she has put me on the list for testing in December. This will most likely be my last chance to pass Bronze free for AN '08.
Was able to fight for and do all three spins in program- coach was very pleased.

Junk:

Ice was crap again today with fog and condensation bumps all over the place. It aggrivates me that we pay beaucoup bucks to skate on this muck.

[doubletoe]

Haha, I'll do the best I can explaining, but as with many things, it's easier to understand if you see it...BTW, this is more of a step/turn/cross, I guess. Coach had me do it first time today & it helped bunches! :mrgreen:

For CCW jumpers:
- Begin by gliding forward on your left foot with your left arm in front, right leg behind.
- Take a tiny step forward so that you're on your right foot (do not twizzle - this is to be more of a slower snap to backwards).
- Immediately bring the arms in (like in axels or double jumps) and cross your left foot over your right; try to cross back of your left calf over your right shin/top of boot. This is when you should be gliding backwards.
- Keep repeating this by step by doing step/turn/cross/step forward/step/turn/cross. You'll probably find it's easiest to do this on a circle, although it can be done on a straight line as well...

Hopefully that helped, but I doubt it. It's hard to be clear about skating exercises/drills without seeing them in person, but maybe you can walk it out and it'll click.

So are you saying this is a RFI 3-turn with a pull-in of the arms and free leg as you execute the turn? If so, do you stay backward, or does the pull-in make you turn forward again so you do a little double 3?

[Sessy]

I know what you mean! My left foot is 1/4 size bigger than my right foot, but the boots only come in half sizes so it's just enough to make the left boot a little uncomfortable. I have brand new customs sitting in the box, already waterproofed, but I feel guilty switching over to them when my current ones aren't broken down yet. . .

Hmmmmm yeah customs would be nice, but it was difficult enough getting anything other than risport or edea around here at all (and a few years back, when mom got her skates, ALL you could get here were risports)... If I'd ask for customs I think the skate shop owner would start crying lol! Besides I'm fresh out of money after these graf's.

The feet difference: reminds me of my mom. One of her feet is a half size larger than the other as well, and one time she went to a shop during a sale and got some shoes that were worth like 200 for like 5... Why? The two shoes in the box had exactly 1 size difference between them, and the smaller one was for the foot that she, indeed, had smaller. :mrgreen:
She's still wearing them, says she will untilt hey fall apart on her feet. :mrgreen:

I don't get it though, if so many people have differently sized feet... Why aren't shoes sold by the boot instead of by the pair!?

[Sessy]

Synchro, do you mean anything like Irina Slutskaya's loop setup here around 3:05-3.11?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJDa7X-O_zk

[SynchroSk8r114]

Synchro, do you mean anything like Irina Slutskaya's loop setup here around 3:05-3.11?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJDa7X-O_zk
No, it's more of a step to your right foot from a forward glide on your left foot. Your right leg would be back and you would simply keep it low to the ice and take a tiny step to it.

I have used that as an exercise though, but at my rink we call them traveling (back)-threes. Typically, we put them after whatever double jump you're trying to do, for instance, a double loop. You'd just do single loop followed by a series of traveling threes where you are pulled in with your arms and your legs crossed. Same can be done using a backspin, so single loop-backspin.

So are you saying this is a RFI 3-turn with a pull-in of the arms and free leg as you execute the turn? If so, do you stay backward, or does the pull-in make you turn forward again so you do a little double 3?
There is no 3-turn. It's literally a step forward to the right foot. What you would do is go from a forward glide on your left leg with the left arm in front and right leg behind to the right foot. To do this, you just take a tiny step to the right foot, but it's not an actual three-turn. I guess you can say you're literally stepping from LFO edge to a RBO edge. You are now backwards and to get back to that LFO edge, you need to literally step to it again and then step backward to the RBO edge and repeat over and over. When you're on that RBO edge is when you cross your feet, quickly, trying to cross the left calve over the top of the skating boot.

There's also no double three - that'd be what I replied to the Slutskaya question - an entirely different exercise, which I've also used to help with doubles. It's fairly common around here.

[dbny]

There is no 3-turn. It's literally a step forward to the right foot. What you would do is go from a forward glide on your left leg with the left arm in front and right leg behind to the right foot. To do this, you just take a tiny step to the right foot, but it's not an actual three-turn. I guess you can say you're literally stepping from LFO edge to a RBO edge. You are now backwards and to get back to that LFO edge, you need to literally step to it again and then step backward to the RBO edge and repeat over and over. When you're on that RBO edge is when you cross your feet, quickly, trying to cross the left calve over the top of the skating boot.

There's also no double three - that'd be what I replied to the Slutskaya question - an entirely different exercise, which I've also used to help with doubles. It's fairly common around here.

Sounds like a FO pigeon toed Mohawk, or a waltz jump that has no jump.

Junk:
I'm about to head off for another lesson with even less practice than last week, and ankles more sore. Older DD has decided to enter the comp at the rink where I work, and had a lesson with me yesterday, which actually went very well. She's coming with us today, so if I can't take my lesson, she or DH will.

[Sessy]

Junk:

Really boring, worthless group lesson today. Although I had a funny little chat with the ballet teacher (no ballet for me for the moment) and also I have to pick music for a programme now for competitions.

[doubletoe]

No, it's more of a step to your right foot from a forward glide on your left foot. Your right leg would be back and you would simply keep it low to the ice and take a tiny step to it.

I have used that as an exercise though, but at my rink we call them traveling (back)-threes. Typically, we put them after whatever double jump you're trying to do, for instance, a double loop. You'd just do single loop followed by a series of traveling threes where you are pulled in with your arms and your legs crossed. Same can be done using a backspin, so single loop-backspin.


There is no 3-turn. It's literally a step forward to the right foot. What you would do is go from a forward glide on your left leg with the left arm in front and right leg behind to the right foot. To do this, you just take a tiny step to the right foot, but it's not an actual three-turn. I guess you can say you're literally stepping from LFO edge to a RBO edge. You are now backwards and to get back to that LFO edge, you need to literally step to it again and then step backward to the RBO edge and repeat over and over. When you're on that RBO edge is when you cross your feet, quickly, trying to cross the left calve over the top of the skating boot.

There's also no double three - that'd be what I replied to the Slutskaya question - an entirely different exercise, which I've also used to help with doubles. It's fairly common around here.

OOOOOHHHH. . . So you're stepping down BACKWARDS onto your right foot! Now it makes sense. :)

[liz_on_ice]

healthy - I have a day off from work, so I listened to my own advice and trotted my skates in to Klingbeil this morning to have them stretched out a bit over my big toes. It's never been really painful, but the right toenail was starting to curve on the side from the pressure over time.

Next I zoooomed over to the rink to try them out. Worlds of difference, my toesies are very happy now.

Finally, I had a really good practice, for cheap in a nearly deserted public session. I actually landed something like six Salchows in a row, a couple of them even had some air. I'm so excited, I think I can officially say I have the jump now after nearly a year of whining about it :D

Junk - I was going to head over to Rockefeller Center to pick up my season pass, and hopefully get in on the sneak-preview skate this evening, but I've got to take my kids to girl scouts tonight, and it's like eighty degrees out, they've probably got a very photogenic lake. I think I'm going to punt in
favor of nap.

[Mrs Redboots]

Mrs Redboots, that's interesting! They train on Saturdays, I think. But I thought that dance teams were like synchro type people... and also, the no talking rule only applies to patch time. and the dance team train on public session.No, dance teams are usually couples - there are things like formation dance, which is more like synchro, but that's not it. Your rink's ice dance club (http://www.tothamonline.co.uk/Riverside/home.htm) meets on a Tuesday evening - maybe you should go along to see what all the fuss is about!

[dbny]

Healthy:
In spite of zero practice this week, I had a pretty good lesson today. I think just being on the ice helps, and I'm on the ice teaching every day but Friday. My ankles held out to the end. Those Salonpas medicated adhesive pads really help! We started with the Prelim alternating FO three pattern, which was not quite as good as in my dream yesterday morning, but still much better than previously. FI threes are also better, but I'm battling the fear factor there. My one foot spin was actually pretty good, and I hit one that went on and on until I decided it was over. Then I brought older DD into the lesson (thank you, my wonderful coach!) to have her work on spins. Finally, I asked my coach about a form of fast forward stroking that I've noticed high level skaters doing, in which there is an extra push from the skating foot just before weight transfer. I was following my coach around going about as fast as I've ever gone, when we got to the end and began crossovers, and...

Junk:
"TOEPICK!", I yelled, going down hard and fast. At least I was able to really stretch out so no single part took the brunt of the fall. I now have a bruised right fore arm at the elbow, bruised right knee just above the knee cap, more lightly bruised left knee, and lots of muscle strain from keeping my head up and having my right arm forcefully and suddently stretched out on the ice. I knew right away I was OK, and got right up, but then felt a bit dizzy and faint. We stopped for sushi on the way home and I'm now sitting with 6 Salonpas applied in various places. I sure wish I could take ibuprofen!

[liz_on_ice]

"TOEPICK!", I yelled, going down hard and fast.

Aaaaaaaahhhh. Feel better!

Scotch makes a decent ibuprofin substitute I find, except for headaches. It makes those worse.

[Caris]

Healthy - Got back on the ice after a few weeks off with a stinking virus, still feeling quite weak friom it and healthy didn't push myself to exhaustion which makes a change for me! Went through all my jumps, spins and footwork and was pleased not to have completely lost it all.

Junk - Toe pick, splat, ouch.

[doubletoe]

DBNY - The way I see it, whenever you have a catch-toe spiral fall that doesn't require an emergency room visit, you're doing well! :bow: Stretch out your neck, back, traps, etc., and take a nice hot mineral bath. I know exactly what those anti-chin-bonk muscle strains can feel like the next day, LOL!

[dbny]

Aaaaaaaahhhh. Feel better!

Scotch makes a decent ibuprofin substitute I find, except for headaches. It makes those worse.

Now why didn't I think of that? Will send DH downstairs soon to prepare my very important medication :yum: :lol:

Healthy - Got back on the ice after a few weeks off with a stinking virus, still feeling quite weak friom it and healthy didn't push myself to exhaustion which makes a change for me! Went through all my jumps, spins and footwork and was pleased not to have completely lost it all.

Junk - Toe pick, splat, ouch.

Welcome back - and join the club :(

DBNY - The way I see it, whenever you have a catch-toe spiral fall that doesn't require an emergency room visit, you're doing well! :bow: Stretch out your neck, back, traps, etc., and take a nice hot mineral bath. I know exactly what those anti-chin-bonk muscle strains can feel like the next day, LOL!

That's a great way to look at it! Thanks for the tip about stretching; I did not know that! Unfortunately, a bath is out of the question, because I would have to clean the tub first :oops:.

[skatergal]

Healthy - me! Finally back on the ice after my cold! Good sal today. Backspin coming - can do 4-5 revs now, but its still pretty ugly. MIF feel comfortable even after some days off. Spins ok. Sit spin came back from its temporary absense last week. Still need to get lower.

Junk - toe loop - timing is getting me. This jump is harder than it looks. Coach is pushing me to draw in from the toepick. loop jump - still double footing. why can't I pick up that dang foot?

[Morgail]

Healthy:

Well, not my skating! :lol: But I did get to see some of EGL Regionals tonight, and I'm going back tomorrow!

And I almost ran into Carol Heiss Jenkins when I was coming out of the restroom:D

This is so much fun! I've never been to a Regionals comp before. One girl skated to a wordless version of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir and I about died of happiness. I want to skate to that...

[doubletoe]

That's a great way to look at it! Thanks for the tip about stretching; I did not know that! Unfortunately, a bath is out of the question, because I would have to clean the tub first :oops:.

Oh, okay, a hot shower and a stretch, then, LOL! Yeah, people may look at me a little funny, but now as soon as I have a bad fall, I go over to the boards and stretch out whatever muscles are on the opposite side from the body part that hit the ice (or whichever muscles I knew had to pull hard to keep my head from hitting). It really does help!

[xofivebyfive]

Junk: I woke up this morning and I couldn't walk. This cannot be good.

[Skate@Delaware]

More junk: she says I need to get more solid on the backspin before we can move on to other jumps (i.e. loop) :frus: I don't know, I'm having to jump/pick out of the backspin anyway after one rev, maybe I should just go ahead and jump and make the most out of it! :lol:

If i had to wait for MY backspin to show up consistently....I'd still be jumping the waltz jump ONLY!!! My coach did fast-forward to the flip for a bit, just to get me "feeling" the transfer of weight-all in preparation for the loop jump. It did help a lot, even though I have only landed it correctly once (i.e. on one foot).

If I can remember, I will have someone video my 2-foot glide entrance to the backspin...see if I can get a good one and upload it. If my phone cooperates!!! (since my video camera has refused to cooperate lately).

[jazzpants]

Junk: I woke up this morning and I couldn't walk. This cannot be good.No, it's NOT good!!! You need to get thee to a doctor STAT!!! 8O (Get someone to help you to a car and get there.)

Junk:
The latter half of my artistic program! Oh, dear! It's really CRAP right now. The first half is okay though. I was also rushing to get on the ice this morning b/c I have a dentist appt. right before the lesson. Thankfully, my workload at work is pretty light now. (Thanks to the fact that I've got a slew of work done quickly about a week ago...)

Healthy:
My Sharene dress for my FS program has arrived... and it's just GORGEOUS!!! I asked for exactly what's in the picture and it looks WAAAAAY better in real life!!! :bow:

And do I have enough stones put on the dress to keep primary coach happy? Well, as my DH of now 11 years 8O (It's our wedding anniversary today!!!) says as I took it out of the shipping box to show him... "It looks like Penthouse Forum in a box!!! Jay will be very happy with the dress!" :lol:

[Sessy]

Junk: I woke up this morning and I couldn't walk. This cannot be good.

Lyme-related, or injury-related? At any rate the doctor idea sounds good.
Hey good luck!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

Junk: I woke up this morning and I couldn't walk. This cannot be good.
Oh dear.... have you seen a doctor yet, or has someone taken you to what I think you would call the Emergency Room, and I'd call A and E? If not, do it - NOW.

As for us, I didn't skate today as Saturday patch is pretty darn impossible if you want to dance. We also didn't skate yesterday - Husband never really does want to skate on a Friday morning, and I let myself be persuaded and have regretted it ever since. He went skating this morning, though, and tells me he is beginning to be able to land his loop from a Mohawk entrance, which is his current Cunning Plan, as he says from a 3-turn he pre-rotates too much. He says his spins were as awful as usual, though. Neither of us can spin worth a damn solo, yet we have two, if not three, very respectable couples' spins, go figure....

[Rob Dean]

I haven't posted in a few weeks; it's been a bit busy...

Healthy: Had a short lesson on Monday with my coach on the bronze moves. Having passed the APBM test at the end of August I've been working on these. She says the improvement is substantial, though, of course, there's still a long way to go. Interestingly, the moves I thought would be hard are not turning out to be the problem areas. Back crossover perimeter stroking looks hardest at the moment, due to the need to cover the rink in four lobes, and the five step mohawk pattern is next--because I never use left foot mohawks in dance, so I'm a bit one-sided. Also managed a decent Willow during the social dance session...

Junk: I wouldn't have chosen to do moves, though, if I had known that I wasn't going to be on the ice with my coach for a good while. She's down with an Achilles tendon injury and her doctor has forbidden skates for at least a month, so, while she will try coaching my moves from the boards, there isn't much we can do in dance. I had been sustaining myself through a rough week at work with the thought that I had a lesson on Friday, so it was a blow when I got that news, followed up by my back-up coach needing to cancel the lesson I had set up for today. When things are bad, they often seem to pile on.

Rob

[Muskoka Skater]

Friday Night

Healthy

-Landing amazing axels and double loops
-Finally did a good beilman spin

Junk

-Forgetting to do my program
-My double salhcow (I have no clue how to spell it!!)

[LilJen]

Healthy: Um, 90% of my body?? Hey, even if my ankle isn't complying, I can still toy around with music for an eventual program. . .

Junk: It's the 10% that stinks--that darned ankle & periphery. Tried padding on Thursday and it didn't really help. Had a half hour lesson with coach and it was too much for that darned 10%. I think I spent more time whining and complaining than anything--stupid choice. Poor coach was also struggling with a charlie horse. Hemming and hawing about whether to go back to the dr--now that it's Saturday and my ankle STILL hurts (and I had only a mild 25-minute walk yesterday, plus a few of the strengthening exercises), I guess the verdict woudl have to be "go to the dr." Sigh. . . I suppose my ankle would have continued fine if I weren't skating. Perhaps I should have explained this to the doctor & physical therapists??

Happy anniversary, Jazz!!

[xofivebyfive]

Oh dear.... have you seen a doctor yet, or has someone taken you to what I think you would call the Emergency Room, and I'd call A and E? If not, do it - NOW.

Eh it's from my lyme disease. We talked to my doctor and she said that I should be better in 4 to 7 days. It's a flare-up from my IV meds so hopefully it will be better soon. It just sucks in the meantime.

[Sessy]

Aww that really sucks xofivebyfive!
Don't be scared though, everybody with serious chronical diseases has been through similar episodes, it's kinda scary but keep in mind, this is one bug who is gonna get its butt kicked! Should've known whose blood to infect: you're a figure skater!!! And our bodies are made smart like that: they repair themselves afterwards, so you'll be good as new again someday, and perhaps, even fitter than you were before this horrid ordeal.

Anyway, *HUGS*

Get your mom to promise you a shopping spree once you feel a litter fitter, or go into town and get a hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon with a dear friend. :)

[Skate@Delaware]

I skated today, but it was a pretty blah session, considering I've been up since 4:40 am to go hunting (and THAT was even a wash but nice to be out anyways).

Fell twice on my sucky loop attempts so I gave up. scratch spin is decent once more, although my feet need to be closer together. Back-3's were ok. Salchow from 3-turns were ok. Toe-loops were bad, I'm picking sideways and not on my toe. Backspin thing was ok, once I remembered it-I recorded a good one on my camera phone, but can't upload it (don't have a mini-mini-card and file size exceeds upload size....) so I have to upload a crappy attempt. Ok, the other one was a crappy attempt but it was my LESS crappy attempt!!! :lol:
here is a link to my video.....sorry for the crappy resolution:
http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/DelawareSkater/Skating/?action=view&current=backspinfrom2footglide.flv

[doubletoe]

Friday Night

Healthy

-Landing amazing axels and double loops
-Finally did a good beilman spin

Junk

-Forgetting to do my program
-My double salhcow (I have no clue how to spell it!!)

"Salchow" LOL! By the way, I wish my Healthy vs. Junk ratio was anywhere near as good as yours!

[Morgail]

here is a link to my video.....sorry for the crappy resolution:
http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i146/DelawareSkater/Skating/?action=view&current=backspinfrom2footglide.flv

That's neat - it looks almost like you're gliding into a 2-foot spin and then starting the backspin. It makes sense to do it that way, since most of us learn a forward one-foot spin by doing a 2-foot spin and then picking up the free leg.

[Mrs Redboots]

Eh it's from my lyme disease. We talked to my doctor and she said that I should be better in 4 to 7 days. It's a flare-up from my IV meds so hopefully it will be better soon. It just sucks in the meantime.
How are you today? I assumed it was in connection with Lyme disease - it's a recognised complication, I believe - but it was sensible to report it to the doctor straight away, as there may be things they can do to help you get better faster.

[jskater49]

Junk - our group instructor brought a video camera and moniter to class. EWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Yes, the truth hurts. She videod my forward and backward perimeter crossovers. My forward crossovers look so clunky and beginnerish. :cry:

Healthly - I do have nice posture and good extension :D

Junk - went through my artistic to music and I was just so exhausted I couldn't do the mazurkas and half-lutz that are near the end.

Healthy: It is very fast moving and I'm doing something just about every beat!

Junk - So can't we all just follow Thumper's advice "if you can't say sumthin nice, don't say nuttin at all" So a coach comes up to me and asks

"what is that music?"
"Master of the House"
"Huh?"
"Les Miz"
"Oh that must be the only song from that I'm not familiar with. You know the critic in me was thinking that is really weird music, but then I told myself that at least you are out there skating, even if the music is a little strange"

What is the purpose of saying something like that to someone?:frus:

j

[momsk8er]

Would like to hear from xofivebyfive, as I am worried about her.

Healthy - today I did a mile on the precor and then an hour of yoga, and then skated for an hour. I am proud of my stamina, but I was too pooped to jump much. Camel spin is starting to come - can do 3 revs now, but my dd says I need to straighten my legs and lower my torso more.

Junk - inside 3 turns again. maybe because I was pooped, but they were pretty tentative today. I thought I had them down finally.

[Kim to the Max]

Healthy: Lutz is slowly coming back...scratch spins have been centered, and back scratch is back...now I just need to put those into a combo for my pre-juv test. MITF doing okay. And I'm skating more than I have in the past 9 years! Which I am LOVING!


Junk: MITF-having some tempo issues with the power x-overs, back 3s I have to work on the timing, brackets in the field are getting better. Freestyle-loop jump...it has always been one of my worst jumps (that and the lutz), and an old habit with how I pull in my arms has come back...oops! :roll:

[Skate@Delaware]

Had show rehearsal this morning...and instead of a lot of nothing for an hour, both of my numbers were worked on. They worked out nicely and I don't think there are big issues with any of the girls so it should be smooth! It's a good way to start the whole she-bang, since there are only 9 weeks until showtime!!!!