Bright Eyed, Bushy Tailed or Dead Asleep Oct 15-21

[jazzpants]

WOW!!! No one has started a lesson/practice thread for this week? I guess I will then...

Dead Asleep:

Okay... for those in the Peanut Gallery who's been bugging me to do FS sessions in the morning... I finally got my sorry ummm... butt out of bed to do one. Why? B/c I need to practice my program at full speed (at least sections of it) w/o worrying about crashing into another skater. I cannot do this during the weekends. Even Club Ice on Saturdays and Sundays are too crowded!

The last straw was last Thursday. After my lesson and doing double run thrus of my artistic program, my primary coach says to practice my FS program. Let's just say I was WAAAAY out of practice and after a couple of bad starts, I gave up on trying for a runthru. (Of course, later on that day I opted to skip the gym to finish paperwork for the skating club and catch up on some much needed http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/a035.gif )

So... it wasn't fun for this night owl (nor for DH... b/c he's a light sleeper) to get up for this early morning session... lemme tell 'ya!!! :frus:

Bright Eyed/Bushy Tailed

But I was rewarded for my efforts. WOW!!! Not that many people on Monday mornings!!! And I got the job done for the most part. I didn't get a chance to do a run thru w/o music, but I did do one of those "go as fast as you can w/o music and don't stop" types of run thrus. Thankfully, I'm moving a LOT faster than last Thursday.

I may also consider changing my lesson time w/my primary during the next few weeks to the much emptier midday public session so I don't run into the coffee club crowd. I just want to be able to do a run thru and not worry about crashing into other skaters. (In the case of coffee club, it's the ice dancers I'm trying to avoid.)

ETA (under Bright-eyed): I DID land a couple of salchow-loops! Not much flow going out and looks like dorky, but it's finally there!!! :mrgreen: (Too bad I can't duplicate this. I know my coaches would freak over it.)

[flo]

I feel like I'm asleep now........

Bright eyed - had a great lession/session yesterday. Worked on the program for the Halloween Classic. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

[cherriee]

Guess the pre-Oct 15 thread is retiring? Here's my practice entry debut. :oops: It was Oct 13: LTS group class followed by public session practice...

Asleep:

- Toe pick: my right foot slipped many times when I was "toe-ing" in. It was like the pick did not get planted into the ice. ***Does anyone have similar experience? ***

- Toe-loop: bad timing and bad right ankle (still recovering from broken 5th metatarsal. I seriously regretted to have played kickball at work during employee tournament last week. The moment my foot hit the ball, OUCH!) *** Should the 3-turn RBO exit of the toe-loop be flat like the flip jump? ***

- Camel: haven't done it in 10 years(?). It turned out crappy as expected.

- Fell on my right pelvis. 8O :oops: :oops: :oops: After practicing on a straight hockey line my flip jump and got the right position (squeezing shoulder blades, etc), I added speed and booomb... landed on my right groin. Bf said I'd pull some muscles since it hurt when I go upstairs. Skating has definitely let me reconnect with my various body parts. I did not appreciate the service of my pelvic muscle that much before. :lol:

Bright Eyed:

- Loop: did well; regained confidence after falling bad on my left butt 2 weeks ago.

- This week's LTS we had the skating director as our substitute coach. She told everybody to do the glove exercise (passing it from the right hand to the left hand) to fix arm problems. I don't really have problems pulling in like some other classmates, but the exercise seems to help me straighten my back.

- Sit spin: did a few with low sit position and steady scratch spin exit. One of them, however, pulled something in my right shoulder. It hurt so bad that I felt a little dizzy for a while.

[Bill_S]

Yawn...Dead Asleep: Had a depressing session this morning on VERY hard ice. They cut the ice the evening before, and didn't resurface in the morning. I just can't spin when the ice is hard. The blade skidded on lots of moves, including spin entries. Time to sharpen to a fine edge, I guess.

Bright-eyed: Afternoon session had freshly cut ice (and softer) so spins improved dramatically. I was trying to spin both directions and having some modest success - if you consider the CW spin looks like an arthritic geriatric looking for false teeth (Hey, I can say that politically incorrect phrase because I AM old and I HAVE arthritis!).

Look deeply into my eyes - you are getting sleepy, sleepy, sleepy: Skills deteriorated after the right boot started feeling loose. I hastily laced them before the session and the R boot is a little loose anyway. Wish I had gone with size 7 boots this time around. The last 45 minutes of the session should have been skipped.

[singerskates]

Bright Eyed:
Got my skates sharpened last Thursday after skating on the public adult ice because I was skidding on all my three turns and couldn't get my spins to center right away like I normally do.

Dead Asleep:
The thing is that I asked the skating shop to sharpened them just a bit deaper than the last time I had them sharpened (August 1st) but it turned out to be sharpend way more than I asked them to sharpen them. It took me 6 hours of skating to get them to the point to where I can stop at high speeds with confidence. At first when I got on the ice I couldn't even do a simple basic stop standing in place. My blades where so sharp they were catching everywhere on the ice. I tried all ways to get my skates dull enough so that I could stop.

Bright Eyed:
The one thing that worked after 5 hours of skating sessions was to rub the blades sideways on the rubber mats. After that, I could stop again.

My three turns, forward corkscrew, sit spins and jump take-offs and landings were much sharper after the sharpening and then dulling of my blades. Ran out of time before I could try a camel or backspin.

[Muskoka Skater]

Bright Eyed

-Nothing

Bushy Tailed or Dead Asleep

-Everything, my skates are so dull so they kept sliding out from under me!!

[Sessy]

Dead asleep:
I didn't even go skate today, it would be useless. Im dead tired, muscles ache all over and something's off with my balance. I also have a bit of an ache in my ear, and Im nauseous. I hope I wont come down with the flu or something. I also stayed up really late yesterday and had a pretty intensive day of classes so meh. I'm not doing anything tonight but watching movies.

[Rusty Blades]

What a wonderful title for the practice thread!
(From someone who gets up at 3:45 to be at the rink for 6:15 A. @$#%$# M.!!! :mrgreen: )

ZZZzzzZZzz: Still not getting the timing for the Toe Loop - need it for my program in 30 day!!!

Bright Eyed: Worked on Sit Spin with coach - hit a couple of them not bad (that's a first!)

Coach and I worked on last half of Freeskate program - skated it with different variations. Coach likes the way it is coming along :mrgreen: (Which is good 'cause I don't think she was too happy with me last week - showed up at practice stiff and sore from a heavy weekend :( )

[Petlover]

Bright Eyed: My scratch spin came back this morning - okay, it's tiny and not great, but the free leg crossed over like it was supposed! And, the new ice at my rink is wonderful!

Dead Asleep: Waltz 8 is still pathetic, oh well it's not as pathetic as it was.

[Morgail]

- Toe pick: my right foot slipped many times when I was "toe-ing" in. It was like the pick did not get planted into the ice. ***Does anyone have similar experience? ***


Yup, I've done this a few times but only on toe loops - never on flips or lutzes. I think it happens when I don't commit to doing the jump - I just throw my leg back there without really thinking about it. Usually when it happens, my pick slides out and I kind of "step" the jump around. One time though, I was doing a waltz-toe loop, missed the pick on the toe loop and fell onto the insides of my knees. Yeah, that hurt!

That said, it doesn't happen to me very often. What kind of blades do you have? It might be that you don't have advanced enough blades and therefore the toepick isn't big enough to catch the ice for a toe jump.

[cherriee]

What kind of blades do you have? It might be that you don't have advanced enough blades and therefore the toepick isn't big enough to catch the ice for a toe jump.

Thanks for sharing Morgail. I have Pattern 99 blades that are 10 1/2 in. long - scarily huge to match my 9B sized boots :mrgreen:. From what I read in other threads, these blades have big toepicks.

Maybe I should point my toe when picking.

[doubletoe]

Thanks for sharing Morgail. I have Pattern 99 blades that are 10 1/2 in. long - scarily huge to match my 9B sized boots :mrgreen:. From what I read in other threads, these blades have big toepicks.

Maybe I should point my toe when picking.

LOL! That's a good idea. :p When my pick slips on my toeloop takeoff, it's when I'm focusing too much on the pull-back and takeoff part instead of making sure I get my pick firmly in the ice first. It can also happen if I start rotating a little instead of staying straight backward and checked when I pick.

[jazzpants]

Bright Eyed:

Would you believe that I actually still managed to make it for the Monday night!!!?!?!?!? (Ahhhh... but I love my Monday nights!!!) :bow:
I can't believe that at the middle of the session I was able to land those pesky loops clean almost at speed!!! :mrgreen:
...and those back sits are still getting lower?!?!?! 8O
Dead Asleep:

Flips are gone though...
...and I sure was (dead asleep) after the session!!! I'm POOPED!!! :giveup:
Auntie made its arrival too! Not doing much of anything today, that's for sure!!! :giveup:

[Mrs Redboots]

Asleep: Me, yesterday (slept badly Sunday night) and this morning - but skating re-energised me.

Bright-eyed: Coach pleased with our dances. Mind you, the ice was fabulous this morning, and the rink empty enough that people stopped to let us go past, which is always great. Free dance could have been better, though.

[Morgail]

Thanks for sharing Morgail. I have Pattern 99 blades that are 10 1/2 in. long - scarily huge to match my 9B sized boots :mrgreen:. From what I read in other threads, these blades have big toepicks.

Maybe I should point my toe when picking.

Yup, those Pattern 99 picks should be plenty big enough:lol:

[Caris]

Bright eyed Got my foot crossed over for my cross foot spin, not far enough still, but definitely getting there. Did some lovely ballet jumps and got a full split on my spiral. Didn't fall over!


Dead asleep My legs, so didn't do any real jumping. Well my whole body really so took it very easy!

[Terri C]

Bright Eyed:
New blades arrived yesterday and tomorrow I will take them to the rink to get them mounted.

Had a good lesson and a fairly good program runthrough with Secondary Coach yesterday.


Dead Asleep:

Am a bit nervous about the new blades- they (Jerry's IFE Shadow) are a step up from Coronation Ace, with a bigger radius and a bigger toepick. Hope to have a good transition to them.

[Rusty Blades]

Oh, and I forgot .....

Bright: I teased my coach the other day (on a message board) about being short :mrgreen:

DULL! Today she had me do about 6 run-through of my Freeeskate program! 8O

That'll teach me ....... NOT! :twisted:

[jazzpants]

DULL! Today she had me do about 6 run-through of my Freeeskate program! 8O

That'll teach me ....... NOT! :twisted: http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/frech/d030.gif

[singerskates]

Bright Eyed:
Got my skates sharpened last Thursday after skating on the public adult ice because I was skidding on all my three turns and couldn't get my spins to center right away like I normally do.

Dead Asleep:
The thing is that I asked the skating shop to sharpened them just a bit deaper than the last time I had them sharpened (August 1st) but it turned out to be sharpend way more than I asked them to sharpen them. It took me 6 hours of skating to get them to the point to where I can stop at high speeds with confidence. At first when I got on the ice I couldn't even do a simple basic stop standing in place. My blades where so sharp they were catching everywhere on the ice. I tried all ways to get my skates dull enough so that I could stop.

Bright Eyed:
The one thing that worked after 5 hours of skating sessions was to rub the blades sideways on the rubber mats. After that, I could stop again.

My three turns, forward corkscrew, sit spins and jump take-offs and landings were much sharper after the sharpening and then dulling of my blades. Ran out of time before I could try a camel or backspin.


Bright Eyed #3:
I forgot to mention this but my coach had me working on jump combinations and jump sequences Saturday; waltz/toe, waltz/loop, waltz/mazuka/salchow, waltz/mazuka/salchow/toe loop, salchow/mazuka/waltz/toe and half flip/flip/toe

I think under the CPC rules/marking system that the half flip or mazuka wouldn't work, would it? I'd probably have to add a 3 jump (jump from landing of mazuka or half flip and do the three turn in the air) to set up the next jump to not get penalized under CPC or if I were to ever get marked in the US by IJI, wouldn't I?? Or is it OK to do under CPC or IJI?

This is what I'm thinking I'd have to do to make the waltz/mazuka.....salchow legal; waltz/mazuka/3 jump/salchow and then the half flip.....flip/toe as half flip/hop from LFI to LBI/flip/toe I think this would make it legal, right?

I'm starting to grab my free foot during my sit spin after 3 or 4 revs to get into the pancake spin and bring it to the correct place. I just need more a more Gumbie like body to finish the pancake position.

[Sessy]

Asleep:
I think I have an ear infection.

Bright eyed:
I discovered I can use my spinner also to practice edges (not the push off, of course). My coach kept telling me I wasn't "on top" of my skating foot doing the back inside and outside edges, I only get what she means now that I've tried them on the spinner.

[Skittl1321]

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed Skating yesterday felt pretty good. There are now 5 of us in the freestyle class- 2 in FS1, 1 in FS2, and then 2 adults who will probably be in FS3 for the rest of our lives :) While the younger kids worked on edges, the adults did the lobe pattern with a back 3 turn on one side, and then a forward 3 turn on the other side. My back outsides are so much better than my back inside, but both were actually turning! To get it at the top of the lobe though, I rarely make it back to the line without having to swing my foot a bit, or touch down. It's a super fun pattern, but not quite a move yet.

In between I have my own LTS classes now! I guess I've graduated from helper. I have a SS1 and a SS2/3, both classes have 3 kids- in SS1 I have one who can barely stand, and two moving pretty well, and in SS2 I have 2 doing pretty well, and one with zero attention span. It's going to be a challenge.

Dead Asleep OMG the loop is so hard. I am not getting the entrance right so I end up jumping from back to front. The "flag" at the end of the entrance edge is impossible for me. I really need to strengthen my edges, and work on closed 3 turns. If I do it from a forward 3 turn, I can kind of pretend I can do a loop, but from the back edge entrance, no way. Once I get stronger edges, I'm also going to need to get some leg strength, because the jump is going nowhere.

Even more sleeping DH came and taped me skating. It made me so sad. I really feel like I've made a lot of progress on my jumps, spins, and basic skating. But watching I looked horrible. My scratch spins aren't nearly as fast as they feel- though I'm getting a lot more rotations, and centered half of them. My layback has a nice arch in my back, but a disgusting leg position, and I don't really know how to correct it. I won't even start on my sit spin. My jumps just weren't good. I guess they were better than last time I taped, but while I feel like I have more height, I really don't think there is anymore. And I'm skating faster into the jumps, but I still look like I have zero confidence. I guess my basic skating has gotten better, or at least more complex- because the moves I'm doing look shaky, but are more difficult than previous ones. The videos were just really really sad.

[jskater49]

Well at 5:45 I'm never exactly bushy tailed...

We ran through my warm up for my artistic. I find it very helpful to know exactly what I'm going to do in what order for my competitions and then practice the warm up before practicing the program.

I walk backward on my toes a few steps in this program and when she taught it to me I got it right away, but lately running through the program and going fast I've kind of chickened out - she told me to kind of lean forward and I felt much more secure and they are back.

I had two mazurkas in the program and she threatened tio take them out because they looked awkward but we decided just one looked good.

I went through the whole program with facial expressions and hamming it up and coach laughed. If I can make her laugh when she's seen the program several times already, this is a good sign.

Reviewed my one foot spin entry. Have to remember 3 things, bend my knees, lean into it and don't rush it. When I do that, I have decent spin.

j

[Rusty Blades]

Sleepy: Worked on a bit of everything - no great break-throughs but ....

Bright: ... really starting to smoke on the back edges and stroking

[Scarlett]

Bright eyed-
Managed to get through the rhythm blues on rhythm and on pattern. Even managed those pesky step behinds.

Dead asleep-
Managed to find the new rink okay. Got horribly lost on my way home and took a scenic tour of Arlington during rush hour. I wouldn't suggest that to anyone.
Was reminded how horribly I toe push.:oops:

[liz_on_ice]

bushy tailed - first pass-holders session at rockefeller center, so much catching up with friends ensued. Second lesson with winter coach today. She thinks my toe loop is awkward, but that is only because she didn't see it two weeks ago. It may not be pretty, but I got air on it this morning like never before.

dead asleep - me, I'm taking a 2 day class after work yesterday and today from 5-8pm, so the dawn wakeup followed by a loooonnng day is going to be the pits.

cracking one bleary eye backspin, winter coach showed me yet another entrance to it which I hadn't tried yet. She had me go from a RFI3. If nothing else it will alleviate the boredom of doing a bazillion attempts.:giveup:

[jazzpants]

Dead Asleep:

Secondary coach is sick... and has been sick for days, apparently. :(

Bright Eyed:

But it's fine. Auntie is taking a lot out of me... so since I went back to being "dead asleep!" (See? Dead asleep isn't necessarily bad... especially when you're as tired as I've been. :P )

[Mrs Redboots]

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Pleasant skate, good warm-up and worked hard with Husband on Golden skaters' waltz and Riverside Rhumba, and on the spins from our free dance. Also did a Swing Dance as that was playing, which wasn't at all bad given that we haven't done one for yonks.

In my lesson, worked on cross-rolls, waltz 3s and Russian stroking, which went from progressively wide-awake, to yawning, to so sound asleep they were snoring.... coach was not pleased with my Russian stroking. Ah well.

[peanutskates]

Wide eyed and hurting!!! fell on my spiral whilst changing the skating foot, whilst going down managed to hit my knee, hip and chest, and slide forward like a penguin for a metre or two. Winded myself rather badly, limped off to sit down and tried to breathe again for 5 minutes. Sessy, I have so much more respect and awe for you now, for when you fell like that on your catchfoot!! I was completely incapable of skating right after that fall.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on a brighter note, I can now do:

Y-Spiral (much to the jealousy of my friend at the rink!)
Catchfoot Spiral (getting there...)
Loop (when watched by coach I get more confidence...)
Level 1 Field Moves
Sitspin is getting so much better!!
I have been told that my spins are really fast (by friend, though. now, when my coach says that, you'll know that they're really fast!
am getting my program made by coach - yay!

the rink was practically empty!!! because, there were no dancers today. It is so good at patch with no dancers...

Dead asleep nothing really!! I was OK 5 minutes after the hard fall, just a grazed/cut knee. Today was great!

[Skittl1321]

I updated my youtube videos to show a few from yesterday. The sit spin, attitude spin, and all of the jumps didn't make the cut. Those were horrible. But there are 3 new short ones (link in signature)

Bright eyed Started on Bronze moves. Learned the forward alternating crossovers, back crossovers to back outside edges, and power three turn patterns. Was told "well that didn't suck nearly as bad as I thought it would". hehe I guess I'm picking up a bit of the "basic skating skills" even if I'm getting nowhere with the tricks.

Dead I am really enjoying synchro but I'm becoming very stressed about the problem moves. What i can do is fine for the christmas show, but I'm worried that I'll have to pull out for competition. I've made no progress on the hard side mohawk, or the back lunge, and now we've added a bad side front to back lunge. And even the things I can do okay like the half flip, and the mazurka to toe-tap, don't work at speed. I have a "remedial" lesson next saturday. It's just so upsetting, because I'm not improving on these elements. On a bright side- quarkiki joined us on the ice and was FANTASTIC.

[Rusty Blades]

Half Awake! Third day of 3 in a row - nothing stellar nothing terrible. Did have a few laughs with the coaches and get some exercise so it wasn't a waste.

[icedancer2]

Bright-eyed!: Feeling stronger and stronger on the ice - I have a new-found commitment to working on my basics and working on doing whole patterns of dances that I haven't done in a while. It feels good and I'm enjoying the very clean ice on our very small mall rink and also enjoying not fighting traffic in the morning going to the old hockey rink which has the really hard and rutted ice and was making me feel like I couldn't skate anymore.

Dead asleep: is not a good way to describe how I felt last night - my legs hurt so bad - I figured it was from skating and I had to get up in the middle of the night to take some Advil so that I could sleep.

Realized in the morning that it was probably from practicing power-pulls from the Silver Moves yesterday and also not stretching enough before or after the skating practice.

MUST GET MORE DISCIPLINED!!:frus:

[quarkiki2]

LOL, Jessi -- FANTASTIC is Kurt Browning, I'm definitely NOT that...

However, all of practice WAS pretty Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed -- I was so much shakier coming back after Milo. This time wasn't nearly as bad. As in after my first maternity leave, I was hesitant to do even crossovers (I know -- I'm a weenie...). This timeI didn't think twice about it and actually managed much more than I thought I would. Seriously.

Although we started practice off with our circular footwork sequence, including a mazurka, which is an element I've never done before. And not really done yet, either... There's awrong-side lunge in the circle that we ALL balked at. And I also bailed on the mohawk at speed when we did the whole footwork block, though when we broke it apart and started with the mohawk, I was fine. i was flung around during a transition in our pinwheel, but that was mostly because I couldn't remember what came next and, therefore, wasn't quite in the right spot. I also had to leave practice before we got through the straight line footwork sequence, but I learned that off-ice and am OK with all of the elements in that at speed (at least I was pre-pregnancy).

So, I think it was a pretty good return to the ice. Although we only waslked through the program off-ice and got most of the way through it on-ice, I think I've got it mostly down -- there are a couple of places where I'm nots sure how many crossovers there are, but I think I've got the footwork in my brain and, hopefully, eventually in my feet.

[Skittl1321]

LOL, Jessi -- FANTASTIC is Kurt Browning, I'm definitely NOT that...
Kurt Browning never skated 1 month (1 month, right?) post-partum. You win.


And I also bailed on the mohawk at speed when we did the whole footwork block,
hehe- I do a two footed turn in the OTHER direction. I can't even do a CCW two footed turn that fast, much less a mohawk!


there are a couple of places where I'm nots sure how many crossovers there are,

Don't worry- you aren't the only one!!!

So glad to have you back on the ice!

[blackmanskating]

Dead Asleep: I ate something horrible Tuesday night that made me believe I had food poisoning. Went to the doc and got medicine felt a little better but I didn't skate Wednesday. My twizzles still suck!!! So does my sit spin. :frus:

Bushy Tailed: Okay this may not seem like much to some people but it is a huge step forward for me. I almost did my FIRST TRIPLE JUMP TODAY!!!! I didn't know I had that much rotation in me. Lately, my coach has been focusing on edge work only, and it helped all of my jumps. Deep edges is where it's at. I went into my double flip jump from a deep inside edge and completely over-rotated my double into a cheated triple flip. Didn't land it because I scared myself to death with the rotation speed but I didn't fall hard either. I mean I heard the ice crunching under my blade before I took off. It wasn't pretty in the least bit but it ain't bad for a guy with less than 2 years of skating under his belt. My coach has been talking about my ability to do triples for a while now. I'm finally starting to believe him! From now on, deep, crunchy edges on everything from 3 turns to attempted triples!!!! It feels good to type that word so I'm going to type it again . . . Triples!!!!! :mrgreen:

Finally starting to get a handle on these counters and double brackets. I'm going to incorporate these into my bronze Freestyle test to really show these "judges" what I can do. I'm even doing a few of my jumps "Tano" styled with my left arm over my head. This is fun especially on the loop jump. What can I say!!!! I love to jump!!!!!



BlackManSkating

[looplover]

[ I almost did my FIRST TRIPLE JUMP TODAY!!!! BlackManSkating

WOW!!!!!

I am absolutely dying to see you skate! Congratulations! It won't be long now...two years to a triple!!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[Isk8NYC]

Dead Asleep
Spins - I need a passport for the traveling I did today. I waited until the last few minutes of the session, so rushing didn't help, nor did dull blades.

I was doing so well on learning twizzles, now they seem to be gone.
(psst ... I need a refresher course!)

Bright Eyed, Bushy Tailed
Decent MITF practice, really focused on it today because there were a lot of people on the ice and some were doing patterned moves/dances.

Spirals were good; insides a bit weak so I did double patterns of those.

Practiced all my threes; struggled with the back inside ones and the LFI.

[Rusty Blades]

P.S.

DEAD! Something popped in my right ankle this morning while doing a stoopid Waltz jump. It didn't feel too bad then - sat down for a few minutes and then finished lesson but it has become more sore as the day went on. I dug out my ankle brace (from when I strained it last year doing back COEs - those simple moves are DANGEROUS!) and I'll wear the brace for awhile. I'd like to skate tomorrow but maybe it wont happen :(

[blackmanskating]

WOW!!!!!

I am absolutely dying to see you skate! Congratulations! It won't be long now...two years to a triple!!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:


Thanks looplover!!!! Hopefully you'll be able to see me skate really soon. I can't do the Halloween Classic because I am testing around the same time, but I still have my sights on Nats if not this year, then definitely next year. I'm nervous as fudge :oops: but I'm really excited too. :D


BlackManSkating

[sk8tegirl06]

Bright Eyed: I'm testing in 8 days! Pre-pre moves, not much but you have to start somewhere right? My edges are actually smooth and secure. I fooled around with some sit spins and they actually rotated in a sitting position few times.

Dead Asleep: Waltz 8! I either can't get the circles to be remotely the same size or I put my free foot down. I spent just about the whole session on it, did the same thing last week with the edges and it seemed to work so hopefully next week this will click too.

[Bill_S]

Bushy Tailed: I almost did my FIRST TRIPLE JUMP TODAY!!!! I mean I heard the ice crunching under my blade before I took off...

... From now on, deep, crunchy edges on everything from 3 turns to attempted triples!!!!

BlackManSkating

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! --Learn to love the sound! --CRUNCH!

It's completely outside my capability to imagine how a triple must feel, but we're living it vicariously through you. KEEP IT UP!

[ibreakhearts66]

Dead Asleep
ugh me. i have a sleep disorder, and because of it i get no REM sleep (literally none according to my sleep studies). well, i can't take my meds for it because they make me throw up, so i am just exhausted

seem to have broken my arm last week doing double loops. the bone is sticking out a little bit near the elbow, but i refuse to go to the doc because i have a competition in 2 weeks.

still having issues with the new skates. the tongues are slipping--a lot. not the the side, but down. also, if i don't tie the JUST right the pressure in my foot migrates up my whole leg.

finally, my blades have totally had it. coach says she does not like how they are aligned, the toepicks are too far back making it really hard to do toe jumps (hoping that explains my marginal double flips) and are too short in general. so looks like i'm gonna be forking out some serious cash for new blades. i've had these for years, and i really do need to move up (yes I am attempting double axels in coronation aces) but i'm broke and scared. at least she knows someone who can get be paramounts at cost for under 300.

bright eyed
got the new program! yes, i do have competition in 2 weeks, but hey, this may be the farthest in advance i've ever gotten a program! what can i say, thats how my coach and i work.

my double sal is REALLY solid :) fixed my axel issues too (take off leg was too straight and my hip was coming forward a bit). i knew something was off, but couldn't figure it out with my coach. double toe reappeared last week. didnt try it this week because my axel was giving my problems, but now that i sorted out the axel i can do the double toes again!

my double loop has gotten solid too. i'm actually getting complimented on it a lot :) and one girl was freakin out because its perfectly clean :)

dead asleep
a few program issues.
the footwork has been giving me a little trouble. i'm having a hard time with the rocker/choctaws. i always want to put my left toe down after the RBI rocker.

coach wants me to put in an axel/half loop/double sal. like 2 seconds after i come out of a spin--at the VERY end of the program when I'm basically running out of music. i really have to haul a$$ after the halfway part of my program, or i'm gonna run out of time!

[Kim to the Max]

Dead Asleep: Brackets in the field...I can't do the back outsides to save my life :( my toe keeps touching down. I am beginning to hate the scratch spin/back scratch spin from the pre-juv free test.

Bright Eyed: Back double threes were better. Got down low on my knee for a really good loop jump that didn't skid on the take off. Started to work on axel take off... Camel spins were awesome, as were sits...the camel/sit combo though, could use some work.

Lesson tomorrow!

[singerskates]

P.S.

DEAD! Something popped in my right ankle this morning while doing a stoopid Waltz jump. It didn't feel too bad then - sat down for a few minutes and then finished lesson but it has become more sore as the day went on. I dug out my ankle brace (from when I strained it last year doing back COEs - those simple moves are DANGEROUS!) and I'll wear the brace for awhile. I'd like to skate tomorrow but maybe it wont happen :(

R.I.C.E. is the way you know,
Then later on the ice you can go.
For if you don't take care of things today,
In the future you may never find a way.

Take care pal.

singerskates

[singerskates]

Bright Eyed:

Skated on City Ice/ticket ice today with mostly competitive skaters. It was a nice change to be skating with skaters who look where they are going. Not to say that the few skaters who are and have competed in at least pre-prelim at my club don't look out for other skaters but most of our skaters on my ice are really high end CanSkaters/learn to skate skates who don't know the rules of the ice yet.

Worked on my waltz/mazuka/salchow/toe and landed the last jump sort of the way Evgeny did at the Olympics with raising my arms up infront of me. I don't see how that makes the landing any harder as it didn't change a thing for me.

Also worked on doing a flip right out of a LBI catch foot spiral. Got the rotation on the flip but two footed the landing probably because I picked in too wide.

Then when I was just about dead on my feet with 15 minutes left in the session, I worked on rechoreographing my test freeskate.

Dead Asleep:

My muscles. They refused to work after 45 minutes so I had to change to choreographing.

I forgot to make myself a CD of my music and left the copy I use at my club, at my club. And now I have to make a CD of my music for the Ice House' Hackensack, NJ for Saturday when I guest skate.

It was fun though.

singerskates

[Thin-Ice]

Half-Asleep: First time back on the ice in a week (work and family obligations kept me away from the ice), so I didn't expect much of myself.

Dead on my feet: Good thing, too, since at first it felt like all my coach wanted to work on were things I really don't even like, especially the half-loop in the jump sequence for my technical program. We spent at least 10 minutes on it. I'm not convinced it's any better, although I do understand WHY she wants it to look better. I did 3 run-throughs of the program with music (which was possible because there were only three other skaters on the ice today, HURRAY! which should actually go under "Bright-eyed"). On the first run-through, most of the first half was ok, the second-run through the last half of the program was actually pretty good and on the third run-through it was intermittent... so I GUESS I can say I can do everything in the program.. just not all in the same run-through).

Not sure which heading this should go under, but those 3 run-throughs were back-to-back-to-back. I survived.. so I guess it's a good thing.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed: Coach then let me take a five-minute "break" to work on footwork in Interp. program and spin combinations, then had me do the Interp. program (only one run-through thank goodness!). It went pretty well (I tripped in one place on the footwork -- although coach said she couldn't tell!). Then said "That program is starting to look too easy for you". 8O Which of course could turn into another "Dead on my feet" when she decides to change it to make it tougher. And I REALLY like this program the way it is and want to be able to perform it well!:lol:

Just for amusement: I'm guessing the two other coaches on the ice like my technical program music. One of them was whistling it while on-ice about 20 minutes after I skated and the other was "singing" it during the ice cut.

[Sessy]

WOW!!!!!

I am absolutely dying to see you skate! Congratulations! It won't be long now...two years to a triple!!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

Ice prince ;)



Bright-eyed:
I can jump UP on my ankle, I just can't come back down on it yet. I can jog a little again (more like a fast bouncy walk) and I can do the crosstrainer. Hey that's good! 3 weeks ago I couldn't get up on my toes without feeling a sharp pull!
Downside, it's becoming real hard to resist the temptation to over-do it.

[Mrs Redboots]

Sound asleep: Rhythm Blues (what happened to it?). Didn't get a chance to do the Fiesta or the Willow.

Bright eyed and bushy-tailed: Most other things. Husband had a good jump day, which pleased him.

[Terri C]

Catching up on the rest of the week here.

Bright Eyed Bushy Tailed
Had a perfect program runthrough with Primary Coach yesterday on lesson!!
Spins were solid as rocks yesterday!!




Dead Asleep:

New blades still not mounted. Went to get them mounted on Wednesday and the pro shop was CLOSED!!! :evil: The person that was going to do them for me went drama queen on me, because of said shop being closed, so I'm going to ask one of our coaches to do it when she gets back from Souths.

Really felt off balance this morning and decided to take it easy on the ice (read: goofed off).

[Isk8NYC]

Went to a totally empty freestyle today. Only downside was that they had the radio playing for the first 20 mins and silence after that. Tried the connection, but alas, couldn't get my iPod to play. So I pulled out my headphones and put the iPod in my jacket pocket.

Dead Asleep:
Spins were still traveling, but not as badly. Camels were lousy.
Jumps were weak and uncomfortable.

Attempted a catch-foot spiral. Meh - couldn't get the free knee pulled in and it looked terrible in the glass.

Bright Eyed, Bushy Tailed:
Spins, while wandering, were pretty solid. Did a decent sideways-leaning attitude spin, I wouldn't call it a side layback - then it would be INdecent. lol

MITF were okay; spirals were much better than yesterday.

Lots of good spirals, lunges, and even a few good inside spreadeagles.

Waltz jumps were really good and high.

[Sessy]

sleepy:
our club has come to the conclusion that there's no way they can let all the B-group (that I'm in) get programmes, there's not enough ice time, and no choreographer (that is, the choreographer is giving lessons because there isn't enough coaches)...
And they really, really want me to do a slow and gracious music... :(

BRIGHT!!! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

When I look up on my bielman, I can see all of my blade now! WAYYY cool. Can't do it that way on ice, on ice the hand that holds my blade is just pressed to my forehead, but I'll make a video of the off-ice one tomorrow.

Also, I did some half-loop and wrong-direction waltz-jumps today (so I wouldn't land on my recovering landing foot). It's a bit too early I think to really start doing this, but, while I've lost the jumping muscle, I've not lost the reflex! Also I'm landing the half-loops with the weight over right, and I still check. I also have enough air-time to do a tiny loop when I can land back so all this, really eases my mind and makes me feel more at ease taking the time to recover, apparently, my body didn't forget that much.

And I totally accidently did a centered layback today, even though i can't do a layback... HuH!? I wish I could repeat it...

[blackmanskating]

Ice prince ;)




Hahaha!!! If only that were true!!! LOL



BlackManSkating

[doubletoe]

Dead Asleep: Brackets in the field...I can't do the back outsides to save my life :( my toe keeps touching down. I am beginning to hate the scratch spin/back scratch spin from the pre-juv free test.

Bright Eyed: Back double threes were better. Got down low on my knee for a really good loop jump that didn't skid on the take off. Started to work on axel take off... Camel spins were awesome, as were sits...the camel/sit combo though, could use some work.

Lesson tomorrow!

UGH! Those are my least favorite, too! I think I've discovered the trick, though! For RBO brackets, when you push off onto the RBO edge, keep the free leg in front but just a tiny bit out to the side so that it's not touching your skating leg, and keep pulling the right shoulder way back. Same with the LBO brackets (my *most* hated ones!): keep the free leg a tiny bit out to the side after you push off onto the LBO edge, then keep the left shoulder pulled way back until you do the turn.

Sessy, that's so cool about your Biellmann! I am really surprised that you don't normally do laybacks, considering what a limber back you have. What do you think the issue is? (I'm asking because I've never done a layback and I always just assumed it was that my back was too stiff).

DEAD ASLEEP
My left knee. It is protesting about all the axel takeoffs and the fact that I skated for 3 hours on Sunday. I had to take the past two days off because my knee was bothering me. :(

BRIGHT EYED
- I finally completed my new ending spin in my program run-through today for the very first time! I have hardly been completing it outside of my program, so getting all the way through it after 2 min. 30 sec. of skating was awesome! :D It made me end several seconds after my music, though, so I'll have to work on getting through it a little quicker. . .
- Clockwise power 3-mohawks came together in practice today. They are the one move on the Intermediate MIF that my coach says is still below passing, but today they were passing. I hope I can repeat it, since I test in just under 3 weeks.
- The new axel is coming along (I landed a few in my lesson this morning). I'm no longer trying to "get my axel back." Instead, I'm actually trying to replace the old one with a new, smaller axel. The little axels bother my knee a lot less and are also less likely to land me on my chin (I think!).

[Sessy]

Sessy, that's so cool about your Biellmann! I am really surprised that you don't normally do laybacks, considering what a limber back you have. What do you think the issue is?

Simple: we weren't taught them in class yet, and the coach which might've given private lessons is preggies, although I *maybe* found somebody else who'd be willing to teach (at mom's skating club).
At our club they follow the testing track very strictly and the layback is tested along with the doubles, so we're not even close to getting started on it. Our ballet teacher once stuck in some theory about how to do it, but that was pretty much it. The ice teachers want to see centered scratch spins first. Which for me will probably never happen, you know how "good" I am with spins (although lately everybody says I am doing really well on the spins and I can actually grab my blade from a camel and raise it a little bit if I spin verry slowly, so maybe I'll do a bielman one day). Still it seems centering is impossible. Although I now feel when I'm even the least bit uncentered, so that's progress too. Maybe it'll center one day. Private lessons would really help I think, but it's sooo freaking hard to arrange.

[Skittl1321]

Ice prince ;)


I think he must have learned to ice skate in a montage.

(Congrats on the almost there triple BlackManSkating!)

[doubletoe]

I think he must have learned to ice skate in a montage.

(Congrats on the almost there triple BlackManSkating!)

ROFLMAO! I can totally see it!

[blackmanskating]

ROFLMAO! I can totally see it!


ROTFL You guys crack me up!!! LOL Thanks Skittle!!!


BlackManSkating

[*JennaD*]

Bright Eyed:

My coach decided she was going to teach me double flip! I had some iteresting attempts at it...haha but I'm glad I learned it!

My axel, double salchow, and double loop were really good this week!

Dead asleep:

My skills sucked....but that's because I was sliding everywhere ebcause my skates are super super super dull! I need to get them sharpened really soon....

[Kim to the Max]

Bright Eyed: I picked music for my pre-juv test program...Seven Years in Tibet :) We started working on axel prep today :) :) :) I remember how to do them, but they obviously aren't even close yet. Back outside double 3s were much better as were the FO/BI brackets in the field. Did some really good, fast camel spins, and my camel/sit combo was decent...not the best, but better. The scratch/back scratch was coming along as well.

Did a spiral for coach and got a jaw dropping, glove throwing response :D On both the Left and Right outsides...hehe...

Dead Asleep: Back inside double 3s were sucking it up today as were the FI/BO brackets in the field.

Got a bunch of stuff to work on on Sunday...maybe I'll skate 3 sessions and not just the 2 I usually do...

[Isk8NYC]

Did a spiral for coach and got a jaw dropping, glove throwing response :D On both the Left and Right outsides...hehe...That's a good thing, right?

[Scarlett]

Congrats BlackManSkating! I'm in awe :bow:

[skatergal]

Dead Asleep - fell again on my axel, hurt my hip in the same place all week.

[skatergal]

sorry duplicate entry

[momsk8er]

I've been too busy to post - but not too busy to read! I enjoy reading about what everyone else is up to.

bright eyed - this week was better than the end of last week. I finally determined that I have a sinus infection, and started taking antibiotics for it, and stopped coughing - so that helped the skating and especially the stamina. Everything is coming along, although more slowly than I would like.
Ok, I look stupid doing a camel, as my leg isn't up high enough (kinda dog-fire hydrant looking), but I can rotate 3 times without going up on my toepick, so I think I'm making progress. Also, I was finally able to bring the foot in before the arms on the scratch spin, and that really does give it a nice punch. Got much faster that way.


dead asleep - coach fixed my sit spin, as I was picking my leg up before bringing back down and getting everything out of balance.
Stupid right inside 3's, I really can do them but they still freak me out. How come the Bronze moves are so much easier than the Pre-Bronze? I could take that Bronze test today and pass it, but I need another month or so on the Pre-Bronze. back spin, back spin, whereart thou backspin??? Anyone ever tried learning a back spin on the harness? I think that's what I need. I have to get out of that twizzle inside edge thing and keep going round. Can't do it more than one rev. What is the secret????

[Sessy]

ROTFL You guys crack me up!!! LOL Thanks Skittle!!!


BlackManSkating

You should write the guiness book of world records, seriously. I doubt anybody's ever learned triples in the short time you have.

You sure you're not a vampire or anything? Superior strength, coordination and healing properties, nightly lifestyle? :mrgreen:
Or maybe you're Furian. Or from the same planet superman is from. :mrgreen:

Or a yoga? Defying gravity? :mrgreen:

Come on there's gotta be some trade secret!!


Oh and here's the scope of my current bielman. I can get the leg higher, but then it's further away from my head and I'm twisted more sideways than backwards. But I can see my blade! :)
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6333/imag0144bx8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Here's the youtube video (as soon as the youtube server's done with it) http://www.youtube.com/v/D113e-CuYak

[Kim to the Max]

That's a good thing, right?

Very good :)

[chowskates]

Bushy Tailed: Okay this may not seem like much to some people but it is a huge step forward for me. I almost did my FIRST TRIPLE JUMP TODAY!!!!

BlackManSkating

AWESOME!!

Good luck for your tests :)

[doubletoe]

Oh and here's the scope of my current bielman. I can get the leg higher, but then it's further away from my head and I'm twisted more sideways than backwards. But I can see my blade! :)


Very nice!! It looks like--if you didn't have to hold onto anything--you would be able to switch and hold the free foot with the other hand. Have you tried it? I think that would keep you from twisting and losing control of your edge as you pull the foot higher. I don't think I will ever be able to see my blade, since my back doesn't bend backwards enough so my free leg ends up way up behind me! I am getting to know my rink's ceiling pretty well, though. I almost lost my spiral yesterday morning when I was looking up and saw a witch hanging from the roof of the rink! I had forgotten they put that up for Halloween. :p

[Sessy]

I almost lost my spiral yesterday morning when I was looking up and saw a witch hanging from the roof of the rink! I had forgotten they put that up for Halloween. :p

ROTFLMAO!!!! http://www.thepagangrove.com/forum/images/smiles/smilies_witchonabroom.gif

Well loosing my edge has never been an issue, but I could see where it might become, good tip!

I did let go in the video at a few points, but I loose some of the flexibility when I let go... I get to the middle of my underarm at most, can't grab it with both hands yet. Mwah, 2-3 years more of stretching and I'll have a bielman, I hope. :mrgreen:
The thing so far is that I really need to PULL to get the leg that high, and push, etc. For example in the picture I'm pushing my body further downwards and backwards by pushing against the bed. The more flexible I get, the less strength I need - and the more muscle I build in my back and thighs to raise the leg even without the help of the arms to some degree.


BTW have you ever tried the sideways layback? You don't really need back flexibility for that I think.

[Skittl1321]

Bright Eyed Power class today was actually focusing on power- lots of really fast skating the entire time. Great aerobic workout.

Dead Asleep The instructor wants the power class to do a "speed" number in the christmas show. It's cute when you are 9, not so cute when you are 25. I really really do not want to do it. But I'm in the christmas show for syncrho, so it's not like I can say I can't make it.

[Sessy]

That sucks...

[Skate@Delaware]

I did not skate today...rested because my back has been killing me. Had to see the chiro for a "fix" and I do have a massage appointment scheduled on tuesday (in between 2 skating sessions 8O ) so hopefully that will help.

During lessons on Wednesday, my coach tells me that my music is cut, but she realized she cut it too long (1:30) so she will cut it to 1:00 as it should be for spotlight, and I will also use the 1:30 cut for the exhibition 8O now I will have 2 routines to remember...and it involves a chair and a purse!!!! She is briliant!!!

[jazzpants]

I almost lost my spiral yesterday morning when I was looking up and saw a witch hanging from the roof of the rink! I had forgotten they put that up for Halloween. :p(In "Wicked Witch of the West" voice: "Nee hee hee hee hee... I'll get 'ya, my pretty... and your spiral too!!!" :P :lol:

Blackmanskating: What are you having for breakfast these days that's helping you to almost get triples in SUCH a short time... and can I have some??? (Congrats, BTW!!! Very proud of 'ya!!!) :P :lol: :bow:

[Mrs Redboots]

Bright-eyed: Husband's new programme is more-or-less choreographed.
We had a good spin day.

Fast asleep: Husband, when we were doing a Novice Foxtrot as an exercise - he stepped wide and kicked my feet out from under me. It now hurts to sit, and even more to walk.... sigh....

[RinkRat321]

bright eyed
jump landings are getting straighter
jumps are getting more consistant

dead asleep
neeed blades sharpened

video from practice (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Yx72DVnJM)

[Sessy]

dead asleep,

almost burst in crying out of sheer frustration today of everybody else being allowed to jump, but not me. And the ankle is really not even ready to do take-offs a lot.

also, denting out the skates didn't help, so maybe an overnight stay in the denting out thing will help, I don't know. The thing is, that where I (and my mother) have bones on the sides of our ankles, other people don't even have bones. And the skates just don't have space for them.

[sk8pics]

Hang in there, Sessy, it will get better!

Bright Eyed For me, today I did some RFO 3-turns without using the boards for support or balance. The first one was a little wobbly because I didn't check (duh!) but then after that they were fine and felt very natural. They were small, but that's fine. Also did some LFO 3's, but using the boards for balance. It was exciting to be able to do that much! I'm still not very good at pulling myself up over my LI edge, but soon... The LFO 3 didn't feel as easy as the RFO3, but it will come. Also did mohawks each way and a few two-foot spins. 8-) It all felt very easy.

Dead Asleep My ankle hurt a bit, though. One of the two scars I have is apparently tender and the boot was pushing on that spot. sigh. That's okay, it will get better.

[Isk8NYC]

Glad you're back to skating (and posting) though, sk8pics!

Dead Asleep:
Took the twins skating yesterday. We mostly worked on Remedial Edges - they were clueless. Plus, they couldn't get the intro for the spiral sequence; I'll have to show them the pattern so they understand. (Kept doing spirals into the side walls. lol)

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed:

I did some waltz jumps and one-foot spins the opposite way (for me - CW) for the one twin who skates that way. My other one surprised me by being able to do two- and one-foot spins + Waltz jumps either way.

Nice side layback, only stayed in place a few seconds,
Decent toe loops and split jumps.

[Sessy]

Thanks, sk8pics!
Sports tape maybe for the tender spot?

[jskater49]

Bright Eyed - I was pumped up to skate so much today I contracted for another half hour of ice on Sunday afternoons!

Had my adult group class - just the two of us - I said I still wanted to work on doing away with clunky crossovers and she had me working on leaning more outside the circle, I was leaning in too much with threw me off balance, hence a clunky crossover. Same thing with back crossovers. Then 3 turns - again that tricky leaning slightly outside the circle to hold the exit edge.

We have a competition coming up in two weeks so now everyone has remembered they have a program so it's a mad dash to get your music played - I managed to get my freestyle, artistic and rhythm blues played once in an hour so I felt pretty lucky.

j

[Kim to the Max]

Bright Eyed: I think I have figured out how to do the back outside brackets that were giving me such issues :) Yay!!!

Work on axels...good news-they are pretty much as I left them 9 years ago...bad news-that means that they are fully rotated, but two footed and my legs are not crossed....

Dead Asleep: Back inside double 3s again...ugh...so frustrating! :twisted:

[Laura H]

I can't believe I never got around to posting from my lesson last week! Here goes, it was a fun one!

Bright Eyed Bushy Tailed: well, 1st of all, my "Group" lesson (usually me and one other lady) turned into a private lesson as the other lady did not show up . . . eek! But, it went pretty well . . . coach quite impressed with my "new and improved" backspin (combination of finally figuring out how to keep my free leg back on the three turn entrance, and practicing backspins for most of a public session, in between lessons - OK maybe not quite THAT long, but it seemed like it at the time). Anyhow, she had me try the reverse sit spin, and that actually had more promise than the forward sit (not that either is much to write home about) :oops: But, it was cool to see a tiny bit of progress in that area.

So then . . . she asked if I wanted to work on the flip . . and we played around with the HARNESS! (my 1st experience). We tried waltz jumps to warm up and that didn't go so well cause I kept managing to get blocked by the harness somehow (don't ask!) so then she had me walk through the flip jump a few times and then we tried that on the harness and it really went pretty well! She just pulled up on the harness on the landing so I wouldn't kill myself (and yes, I would have . . . ) but the takeoffs really weren't too terrible for my first attempts. I'm going to work on the exercise where you just pick and jump without rotation, I think that will help me a lot.

After the lesson, I was so pumped up for the public session . . . and it wasn't very busy either! I jumped and spun and jumped and spun some more . . . it was SO much fun!!!

Dead Asleep: my DH and kids finally decided to stay and watch some of my lesson (they were there for practice for hockey DS) and wouldn't you KNOW all they got to see was things I'm not that good at yet (sit spins and back spins!) When we moved on to jumps that I COULD do, I looked up . . .and they had left, darn it!! :evil: And they missed my harness debut immediately (although, that's probably a GOOD thing).

Still up the air: Found out that they are switching instructors around for next time, but I know who it will be and she's seemed like a pretty good instructor the couple of times she's filled in for our class.

[Emberchyld]

Dead Asleep: My sister infected me with this insidious stomach virus-thing that had been showing up all weekend as random nausea before really rearing its ugly head last night.

I spent my entire Saturday lesson thinking that I was either going to pass out or vomit on the ice :( and got so overheated that I actually dumped a bottle of water on my head.

But, regardless if the yuckiness... I was fairly Bushy Tailed on both weekend days. Maybe I should skate ill more often.

Bronze MITF are coming along great-- even 5-step mohawk is clean 99% of the times that I run it (except that I spend 90% of the time staring down at the ice). Bronze freestyle... not so much.

My program is finally coming together... I can run it pretty well through a crowded public session, my dress is nearly finished, and I only fall about once every run-through....:roll: I did jerk my hip pretty badly while aborting a lunge to avoid taking out a very clueless public skater who decided to skate towards the skater in the pretty dress. :roll:

Managed to land a decent salchow and am starting to take-off right most of the time (unfortunately, the better the jump, the worse my landing)

And my scratch spin is driving my coach crazy. CW, I'm centered and doing great but just can't get my leg in the right position. CCW, my leg goes right to where it needs to be, but with very few revs and sooooooooo not centered. We're pushing in both directions until one side or the other finally gets fixed (I was just working on cw at first, but when my coach caught me with the right leg position ccw while I was goofing off, she figured that it couldn't hurt...). Until then, I've been slicing up my right leg from all of the failed attempts to cross my feet/legs.

[rye]

Bright-eyed: Waltz jump! ("Jumping again" thread.) Having a proper lunch mid-afternoon and feeling strong and energetic for evening class/practice instead of my usual sugar-low or sugar-hyped. Must do that more often! Running through pre-bronze & some bronze moves for fun and finding that perimeter stroking, front and back crossovers pattern, and russian stroking all feel natural, which they didn't used to do.

Dead asleep: LFI 3-turn has wandered away. Back to drawing threes with my foot at the boards. Waltz Eight doesn't suck as bad as ever, instead it sucks in a different way.

In-between: coach pointed out overrotation in my FO 3-turns. I was a few times able to get it a bit better. I'm in the process of completely overhauling my 3-turns -- putting them back together with a different understanding of what makes them turn. (Can't describe it in words, but my body is finding its way. It's something like, it takes much less effort to turn them than I thought. The trick is applying that minimal effort in the exact right spot!) Need to do the same for my mohawks.

[sk8pics]

Thanks, sk8pics!
Sports tape maybe for the tender spot?

I think if I taped up my ankle it would just make it hurt more, because there would be that much less room in my boot!;) That's okay, it will get better. Still building up my strength.

[doubletoe]

dead asleep,

almost burst in crying out of sheer frustration today of everybody else being allowed to jump, but not me. And the ankle is really not even ready to do take-offs a lot.

also, denting out the skates didn't help, so maybe an overnight stay in the denting out thing will help, I don't know. The thing is, that where I (and my mother) have bones on the sides of our ankles, other people don't even have bones. And the skates just don't have space for them.

So sorry you aren't able to jump yet. :( As for the ankle punch-outs, our skate shop always makes us leave them overnight, and it has always made a big difference in my experience. I hope it works for you this time! :)

[badaxel]

I guess I forgot to post this week! Probably because I only skated ONCE!

Bright- eyed: It's been a while since I had a session where I couldn't do an axel. I even did a few from the preceding steps in the program!

Sleepy: Only skated once last week, due to crazy scheduling. Haven't been practicing my INT MIF, so they're getting weak. Couldn't find any of my spins this week!
Also, I really need a sharpening, but my sharpener was in the hospital! I hope he's okay, and I hope he hurries back!

[vesperholly]

Oops, moved to the new thread!

[Sessy]

So sorry you aren't able to jump yet. :( As for the ankle punch-outs, our skate shop always makes us leave them overnight, and it has always made a big difference in my experience. I hope it works for you this time! :)

I over-did it on a sort of an emergency stop thingy on friday actually, I think (lol I'm getting more crossovers power than I have the technique to handle lately, speed-wise I keep up with the elite skaters at our rink, but they're extremely maneuverable and I'm not). Cuz that's when the side of my ankle hurt sharply, and that's where it's still hurting. *sigh*
The parts I feel on the take off are not hurting they were just "tired" the day afterwards, so it is too early, but not desastrously so I think... But the sideways twist keeps hurting!

But...

I barely dare to say it but it looks like the doc will be right and it will be a year before I can jump again. :( :( :(
Cuz the twisting motion is something my ankle is absolutely not ready to take on yet.
Now there's food for a depression.

Not only can I not jump, I also have to be careful not to twist it?! *sigh*
Why not give up all together (heh, that's rhetorical ;) I'm not giving up)

It's just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating.

Anyway I'll take my frustration elsewhere. Like my skates are going for an overnight stay :)