Hot or So Not (0ctober 28th-November 3rd)

[Muskoka Skater]

Everybody gets practise threads it's just the basic Hot means great things and So Not means it's not working so well.

[dbny]

Hot:
In my lesson Friday we worked on FI Mohawks, which I find difficult as I have very closed hips. I later realized that closed hips make checking the FI Mohawks difficult, and may also affect FO threes. Don't know if it will help me do them, but I feel better about having trouble with them. Sooo, this morning I gave a rather long lesson to a Basic 7 student who has to do both LFI and RFI Mohawks in her program. Every single one I did in teaching her the program was better than any in my own lesson yesterday! I'm calling this the "demo effect", and it seems to be true for anything I have to demo. If I can only hang on to it!

[singerskates]

So Not:
Our weather here in the Windsor/Detroit area; It was rainy, damp and dingy for most of the day today and then when I left church at 9:30 PM after music practice it almost felt like it could snow. Gone are the warm days of summer which, get this, we experienced on Thanks Giving Day (Canadian 1st Monday of Oct.) at 90 degrees F or 32.2 C. What a drastic change!!!

Too many kids on the ice just beginning FS or should I say getting ready for Pre-prelim today. Had to stick to doing elements by themselves and couldn't do a program run through. Thank God that I skate on City Ice/Ticket Ice on Thursdays during the day when the kiddies are in school and the ice is mostly empty. It seems to be one of the only two days I can do a program run through without fear of killing some poor little kid.

Hot:
Waltz/Mazuka/Salchow/Toe Loop
Forward Corkscrew (scratch spin)
Sitspin
Sit/Corkscrew combo spin (haven't done one of those for a few years, felt great)
Toe Loop/Toe Loop (not using this in my freeskate but need it for my Prelim FS elements test)

And the thing I'm most pleased about?.....My Loop. I landed 6 loops today on one foot. It took me a while to get the proper timing before I landed the first one today but it's been since the spring of 2005 when I last landed a loop. The only thing I have to do now is to get my free foot to be better crossed over the skating foot on take-off, in the air and at the beginning of the landing so that I can get a better run out on the landing. Presently I land the loop on one foot and then either I can't hold the landing or I have to hop the landing. I'm hoping next week this will be fixed.

Future Hot Hopes:

I'm hoping because I'm now landing the loop again on one foot that my flip and lutz come back in November.
I'm also hoping my backspin and camel comes back in November so that I can test both my Prelim Elements and Program Part so that I can get working on that Axel and regain my 2 Salchow I had in the spring of 2005.

Just Warm:

Right now it's looking as though I will be competing in Adult Bronze at WOS Boston Pizza (South Windsor Arena in Windsor, ON, Can.), maybe North American Adult Invitationals (Yack Arena in Wyandotte, Michigan, USA) if WOS Boston Pizza has the Adult Events on a day different from NAAI and Adult Canadians so far. Both events are just across the border from each other within less than an hours drive.

If I only get up to my Lutz and no flying spins in my arsinal, I will still be competing Adult Bronze but if I happen to get back a layback spin, pick up a clean Axel, get a Camel/Sit/Broken/change Sit/Back Corkscrew and a Flying Spin then I'll be registering for Adult Silver. But for now Adult Bronze is the plan.

For quite a while I thought I was going no where but now I'm finally regaining elements. I'm so excited!!!!!:D

[Mrs Redboots]

So Not: No skating today, as no ice - coaches rang last night to say the Zamboni was out. Arguably as well, as when I stood on a chair last night to get the clock down to alter it, I jarred something and the place I hurt last weekend has ached ever since. But oh, what a waste of an extra hour in bed!

Hot: I was preaching today, and realised I'd quite accidentally chosen the perfect hymn for skaters:

"Faint was I, and fears possessed me
Bruised was I from many a fall!"

Had a bit of a problem not giggling.....

[Sessy]

Hot:
In my lesson Friday we worked on FI Mohawks, which I find difficult as I have very closed hips. I later realized that closed hips make checking the FI Mohawks difficult, and may also affect FO threes. Don't know if it will help me do them, but I feel better about having trouble with them. Sooo, this morning I gave a rather long lesson to a Basic 7 student who has to do both LFI and RFI Mohawks in her program. Every single one I did in teaching her the program was better than any in my own lesson yesterday! I'm calling this the "demo effect", and it seems to be true for anything I have to demo. If I can only hang on to it!

I also have closed hips and struggled with the outside mohawks, but not the forward outside threes. Keep the free foot next to your skating foot on the turn and you shouldn't have a problem checking them. Does require better timing and blade balance though than the scratchy leg-swung 3-turns, but in the end you have 3-turns with much better control.

Hot
Backspin is pretty spinny, and the new exercise for the sit spin is working.

so not
ice was horrible today, looked like they'd not even wiped it after the public session but just threw a few buckets of water on it and that's it.

[Skate@Delaware]

So Not: I was still in a bit of pain at show practice today and no one remembered the routine; we almost had a collision because of a timing issue...and it was very cold-my toes were frozen! spins were way off! Jumps jarred! Tried doing the power pulls but my body felt alien so I gave up.

Hot: Once I warmed up and got the blood circulating, my backspin was interesting in that...I actually was able to do 2 real backspins with the free foot crossed and everything!!!! Woo! Of course you know it took 5,000 tries to get there. Salchows from the mohawk were decent-didn't think I'd like it but I do!

I only took the muscle relaxer before skating as I didn't want to feel dopey...and I forgot to take my tylenol so of course I was in more pain than I wanted. I only skated 1/2 of the session.

forgot to mention: so not: tried waltz jumps with my arms out...felt weird and it was so hard to remember that little detail! I think I was worried about falling, with my sore back and all so I was very tentative anyway...I only did a few. Yeah, big chicken!!!

[Skittl1321]

Hot I skated for an hour today without any foot pain at all! The lesson with syncrho coach went well, and I did a few "good" mohawks. I also got my foot down on the back lunge a few times- but fell over each time I did. The secret to it is apparently to never put the footdown, but keep bending until the boot hits the ice.

Not Really bad ankle today. I think I must have stretch a muscle or a ligament in my landing ankle. If I don't jump it's way better- but the lunges were bothering it.

Talked to my husband about getting new boots- I just am at a loss of what to do. These ones are a year old- and they are definetly too narrow in the front. I can stand to skate in them (it took 5 months to get to that point) but I'm getting a bunion? or some sort of calcium build up on my big toes. You can see it, but it doesn't look gross right now- I don't want to let it get to that point. But I don't really know how to go about getting better boots. I can't move UP in the Jackson line- the competitor is more than enough support- and a split width would be a special order- so if it doesn't work for me I'm stuck. If I don't get Jackson's then I have to drive out of state. That's a huge time thing if I get to a store and can't find something that works. I really really wish there was some pro-shop around here. Or that there was a way to know that just getting a wider toe box would fix it. Then I'd just special order the exact same skates I have, with a wide front.

[dbny]

I also have closed hips and struggled with the outside mohawks, but not the forward outside threes. Keep the free foot next to your skating foot on the turn and you shouldn't have a problem checking them. Does require better timing and blade balance though than the scratchy leg-swung 3-turns, but in the end you have 3-turns with much better control.



I'm talking about FI Mohawks. Keeping the free foot in close does not necessarily check the hips. I actually teach these things myself and, as always, do just fine in demo mode.

Or that there was a way to know that just getting a wider toe box would fix it. Then I'd just special order the exact same skates I have, with a wide front.

Can you try on the same boot in a wider width? That way you can check out the wider toe box. If it feels good, you could then order the split width.

[Sessy]

Skittl, careful with those feet, it's a 1-pair-per-head deal on them.

[Sessy]

I'm talking about FI Mohawks. Keeping the free foot in close does not necessarily check the hips. I actually teach these things myself and, as always, do just fine in demo mode

I'm sorry if I said something wrong, I thought I was quoting somebody else, must've misread something.

[looplover]

Hot: Toe loop and I are now buddies. I attribute this completely to Alexei Yagudin's video. Waltz toe loop was good, salchow pretty good, loop ok (I have to get used to doing those at speed again). Scratch spin is getting really fast and centered. I like my little footwork sequence with the double 3. Did a waltz loop that was technically right but it wasn't huge.

So not: My sit spin! What happened to that? Hey. Come back, sit spin. Backspin - totally lame. Frustrates me to no end. Also so not: next test session isn't until Feb so I won't pass bronze FS until then (and I hope I pass it on the 1st try if I really have to wait that long). Then again, I might not get this backspin until then! Anyway if I have to wait that long then I will test silver moves and bronze FS that day, if that's allowed.

[Skittl1321]

Can you try on the same boot in a wider width? That way you can check out the wider toe box. If it feels good, you could then order the split width.

I tried it in a wide before I got the regular- and I only remember that it was so loose I could lace it up and then pull my foot out of the boot. But I think that was more of a heel issue.

The problem is there are no pro shops. My rink, and my coach are Jackson dealers- so they can "size" and order things. I'm assuming if it's "custom" it's not going back- but maybe I can get a wide, and send that back- it will just take more time? I don't know how it works because nothing is kept in stock.

To my knowledge, there are no pro shops in the state. The choices are Omaha, Nebraska; Rochester, Minnesota; or Chicago, Illinois

[BatikatII]

Hot I skated for an hour today without any foot pain at all! The lesson with syncrho coach went well, and I did a few "good" mohawks. I also got my foot down on the back lunge a few times- but fell over each time I did. The secret to it is apparently to never put the footdown, but keep bending until the boot hits the ice.

.

Don't know if it will help you but I 'got' the back lunge when someone told me to think about getting your knee to the ice rather than foot/boot. As the leg is extended behind you, thinking about getting your knee to the ice automatically makes you keep the foot up and out of harms way and just makes it easier to get the side of the boot to the ice rather than hitting first with the blade which is not a good idea. Obviously the knee doesn't actually go to the ice - it seems to be just the process of thinking 'knee' rather than foot helps to get the position right. Well it worked for me!:D

[Kim to the Max]

So not.... Got my blades sharpened...and I'm still recovering from a bad sharpening a while ago to get rid of a small dip right behind the toe pick...it will take time and every sharpening helps, but this one threw my spins off at first...hopefully Tuesday will be better. I really don't want to have to get new blades :(

Jumps were not good today...I was falling all over the place on loops and flips and lutzes :( don't know what it was...once I got my feet under me they were better...Lutz, as usual was a problem child....

Spins were centered, but I was having a timing issues with my camel, but that is an easy fix. The scratch/back scratch for the pre-juv freestyle test is just awkward...I can't stand it!

Hot! Club had a Halloween event...it was cute to watch the kids in their costumes...and I made cupcakes!

My spins were centered :) Worked on axels a little bit and I'm getting all the way around, I think I'm even pulling my legs in right...the only problem is my left toe keeps touching down...oops :)

Moves were good tonight...I am getting really tired of practicing them...I want to take the test and have them be over...back inside double 3s are getting better. I was able to do the back outside brackets, hopefully I will be able to do them for coach on Friday...and I think I have them with the free foot the way coach wants it...hmmmm...maybe.... I told coach last Friday and I just want to freaking do them! Slide chasse pattern was good too.

[ibreakhearts66]

So not so not so not

Can't get over the stupid mental block. I'm just an emotional wreck. Started crying on the ice at a freestyle yesterday. Everyone was really sweet and all, one of the girls in particular. It is just so frustrating that I can't get myself to jump. I actually had to go on the harness for the axel. I am being ridiculous. I have been landing this jump for years! I have even been working on the double! And now it is messing with my other jumps. Me and five or six other skaters did off-ice with our coach, and I'm hoping that will help. I'll be sure to do off-ice before I skate tomorrow, and hopefully I'll do better. UGH

[Sessy]

So not so not so not

Can't get over the stupid mental block. I'm just an emotional wreck.

*HUUUGS* :(

[jskater49]

This is for yesterday because when I came home last night we finally got the schedule from the referee for our competition this weekend and I had to email my share of the competitors their schedule and then it was 11 pm and I had to get up at 4 this morning...

anyhoo...

Not hot - I was late getting on the ice for my adult class and I show up and they are doing the end pattern of the Fiesta Tango. Oh yea I remember my coach showing me that and me thinking "this is a good excersize for me because it works on two things I'm terrible at" - right FI mohawks and shifting and holding my weight for the step in front and then step forward.

Hot - then we did it the other way and it was MUCH easier. Why can't that dance go the other way because I can do it fine that way and the step behind is easier that way for me!

Also hot - at least I get and don't have trouble with the change edge swing roll.

The steps to the Fiesta are a good edge excersize and it's kind of fun turning it around.

Not Hot - the lineup for music the week of a competition. I had my vest on, all posed...the music started --Wait that's not my music -and there's another girl at the other end of the rink with a vest skating. There was a change of monitors just as I handed over my CD and the other girl (not knowing I sas planning to go) handed over her CD - honest mistake. Then I got budged by a coach doing a lesson. Pout Pout Pout.

j

[looplover]

So not: Can I change my screenname to loophater - or loopfearer? Blargh - I keep leaning forward, taking off from the flat and two footing them. Need to go back to square one with this jump, which has no height even when I land on one foot.

Hot: Well, practice today was a good workout, anyway. Nothing was stand out HOT but I'm more comfortable doing programs now.

[jskater49]

Not Hot: No protien for breakfast and it does make a difference in my energy level.

Warm Power pulls. I have not worked on these in any lesson but they always come up in power class and I do it two footed and sort of one footed, mostly gliding but today I actually got a little knee action and almost did a few sort of "real" power pulls both forward and backward.

Hot Ran through all my competition programs with music - freestyle, artistic and rhythm blues...feel pretty good about them

Not hot I'm getting so I can do a half way decent one foot spin with the one foot edge entry on it's own but in the program I just rush it too much so I might go ahead and do the two foot pivot entry when I compete the program. At least I can do a bunch of revolutions that way. With the edge entry even when I do it right, I'm lucky to get 3 revolutions.

j

[Petlover]

So Not: It's Monday, very tough to wake up. Even my little peke-a-poo who sleeps with me did not want to wake up. Usually the dogs who sleep in the family room hear the alarm go off, but my husband actually had to wake up the mutt and the shih tzu to put them outside!

Hot: The rink was open on time, and everything worked well this morning. My loop is teeny tiny and probably a bit cheated, but it was there this morning.

[Mrs Redboots]

So not so not so not

Can't get over the stupid mental block. I'm just an emotional wreck. Started crying on the ice at a freestyle yesterday.
Been there, done that, read the book, bought the T-shirt.

If it's any consolation, that sort of day usually happens shortly before a mega-breakthrough, so expect great things within the next two weeks!

[doubletoe]

So not so not so not

Can't get over the stupid mental block. I'm just an emotional wreck. Started crying on the ice at a freestyle yesterday. Everyone was really sweet and all, one of the girls in particular. It is just so frustrating that I can't get myself to jump. I actually had to go on the harness for the axel. I am being ridiculous. I have been landing this jump for years! I have even been working on the double! And now it is messing with my other jumps. Me and five or six other skaters did off-ice with our coach, and I'm hoping that will help. I'll be sure to do off-ice before I skate tomorrow, and hopefully I'll do better. UGH

I know EXACTLY what you mean! ((HUG)) I was landing axels consistently 4 years ago and never stopped doing them, but in the past year I've been suddenly having trouble on them and lately I haven't even been able to get myself to do them at all except on the floor or on the harness. And I've tried everything!! :frus: We will tackle this thing together, OK? And we will just keep chipping away at it and not giving up until the axel gives in and takes us back! I don't know about you, but it always makes me feel better to watch some of the best skaters in the world miss their jumps in competition. I'm sure it makes them feel the same way when they've had a triple salchow for years and all of a sudden they start falling on it.

[Morgail]

To my knowledge, there are no pro shops in the state. The choices are Omaha, Nebraska; Rochester, Minnesota; or Chicago, Illinois

If you can carve out the time, it might really be worth it to drive to an out-of-state shop that stocks a few brands. I drove 5 hours to Chicago on a Saturday and was able to try on 3 brands (and they carried a 4th I wasn't interested in). It was the best thing ever. All I could get around here are Riedells, and those don't fit my foot well (even though I wore them all the time as a kid). You could call the stores you want to go to ahead of time and ask what they have in stock in your size and potential widths. The one I went to even had split widths in stock, so I could try them on there. It's also a good idea to make an appointment so you know they'll have time to fit you. It is SO worth it to have skates that actually fit!

[ibreakhearts66]

I know EXACTLY what you mean! ((HUG)) I was landing axels consistently 4 years ago and never stopped doing them, but in the past year I've been suddenly having trouble on them and lately I haven't even been able to get myself to do them at all except on the floor or on the harness. And I've tried everything!! :frus: We will tackle this thing together, OK? And we will just keep chipping away at it and not giving up until the axel gives in and takes us back! I don't know about you, but it always makes me feel better to watch some of the best skaters in the world miss their jumps in competition. I'm sure it makes them feel the same way when they've had a triple salchow for years and all of a sudden they start falling on it.

ughhh but yes, we can do it! i should come to culver and we can work this out. i kiiiiiinda did one today. i mean, i fell, but at least i got into the right position. gah. idk, my coach and i kinda have the same view that hopefully when i get to competition it'll just happen...

hot
my old coach (who now does hockey and power skating) complimented me on my double loop :) she said that she could see the lift and snap in it and commented on how high it was :P

so not
bah had a heart arrhythmia episode today. i don't have them often, but a couple of times a year i go into a tachycardic arrhythmia where my heart rate skyrockets to over 200 and doesn't pump efficiently, so unless i lie down quickly and get my feet above my head, i pass out. well, this happened on the ice. i plopped down and the episode only lasted like 30 seconds (as opposed to 30 minutes), but it was still kinda scary.

STILL not over the freakin axel mental block, but at least i didn't burst into tears...


now just a funny story--I was doing my program with my coach, doing backcrossovers to prep for a double sal. well little julie (a precious 8 year old i've known since she was 2) and I collided, and i tripped over her blade (but she was fine lol). THEN the next time i was doing a run-through, i'm doing my inside spiral, and she just kinda stands there with a deer-in-the-headlights look and doesn't move. i had to like slide on my butt to avoid her. it was too funny. it was after one of those collisions that i had my palpitations, so my/our coach was joking that she gave me a heart attack

[jazzpants]

Hot:

My run thrus are finally coming together as far as the flow of both the programs is concerned. I'm as ready as I'll ever will be for Skate San Francisco.

So Not:

I'm still going thru a "brain fart" trying to land those loops and flips in the technical FS run thrus. I have no problem doing them in isolation. I have a feeling that I'm still nervous about that speed, But... I did land quite a few loops clean when I came back tonight and did that particular section in isolation. (Alright! I give up! I'll have to accept that the loop and flip will come out in competition when it wants to... :giveup: )

Also, primary coach changed the ending of my footwork for my artistic. I'm NOT happy about it but he insists. GRRRR!!! :evil: (Thin-Ice... just wait 'til you see the ending. It's EMBARASSING!!! :oops: ) But he did it with the promise that he will change the ending right after that so that it will be more polished at Adult Nationals. I'll have to trust him on this one. After all, he is "Mr. Michelle Kwan"... :P

I look forward to getting clobbered... eh, competing with Thin-Ice Friday morning! Too bad I'm not at Adult Nationals. Those vodka nips sure would work wonders for me on the artistic number. I need a LOT of loosening up for this number! :halo:

[vesperholly]

Hot: Axels and axel-loops remain strong. I'm at about 90% success rate, and 100% success rate when no one gets in my path. :mrgreen: My Silver test program is coming together nicely. The beginning and ending are done, I just need to do a middle section with a loop, salchow and a layback.

Not: My spins are traveling all over the place, unless I do them at a crawl. WTF. About the only one centering with any consistency is flying camel. The test session in November where I was supposed to test the American was cancelled. :( I was really hoping to get my remaining Silvers (American, Tango) finished by the end of the year, but I don't think I'll quite manage to do Silver FS and two dances on one test session.

[kander]

Hot:

My run thrus are finally coming together as far as the flow of both the programs is concerned. I'm as ready as I'll ever will be for Skate San Francisco.

So Not:

I'm still going thru a "brain fart" trying to land those loops and flips in the technical FS run thrus. I have no problem doing them in isolation. I have a feeling that I'm still nervous about that speed, But... I did land quite a few loops clean when I came back tonight and did that particular section in isolation. (Alright! I give up! I'll have to accept that the loop and flip will come out in competition when it wants to... :giveup: )

Also, primary coach changed the ending of my footwork for my artistic. I'm NOT happy about it but he insists. GRRRR!!! :evil: (Thin-Ice... just wait 'til you see the ending. It's EMBARASSING!!! :oops: ) But he did it with the promise that he will change the ending right after that so that it will be more polished at Adult Nationals. I'll have to trust him on this one. After all, he is "Mr. Michelle Kwan"... :P

I look forward to getting clobbered... eh, competing with Thin-Ice Friday morning! Too bad I'm not at Adult Nationals. Those vodka nips sure would work wonders for me on the artistic number. I need a LOT of loosening up for this number! :halo:

Good luck! I can't wait to find out about the embarassing part :twisted:

Is Jay a big MK fan?

[Thin-Ice]

Hot:

My run thrus are finally coming together as far as the flow of both the programs is concerned. I'm as ready as I'll ever will be for Skate San Francisco.

So Not:

I'm still going thru a "brain fart" trying to land those loops and flips in the technical FS run thrus. I have no problem doing them in isolation. I have a feeling that I'm still nervous about that speed, But... I did land quite a few loops clean when I came back tonight and did that particular section in isolation. (Alright! I give up! I'll have to accept that the loop and flip will come out in competition when it wants to... :giveup: )

Also, primary coach changed the ending of my footwork for my artistic. I'm NOT happy about it but he insists. GRRRR!!! :evil: (Thin-Ice... just wait 'til you see the ending. It's EMBARASSING!!! :oops: ) But he did it with the promise that he will change the ending right after that so that it will be more polished at Adult Nationals. I'll have to trust him on this one. After all, he is "Mr. Michelle Kwan"... :P

I look forward to getting clobbered... eh, competing with Thin-Ice Friday morning! Too bad I'm not at Adult Nationals. Those vodka nips sure would work wonders for me on the artistic number. I need a LOT of loosening up for this number! :halo:

I can HARDLY wait to see what Jay has come up with... and if Jay says it's worth doing, I KNOW it's worth watching. You're not going to "get clobbered" by me.... we're both just going to go skate, then watch Molly M. wow the crowd, while we cheer her on AGAIN!:)

[Thin-Ice]

So not: My sit spin! What happened to that? Hey. Come back, sit spin. Backspin - totally lame. Frustrates me to no end. Also so not: next test session isn't until Feb so I won't pass bronze FS until then (and I hope I pass it on the 1st try if I really have to wait that long). Then again, I might not get this backspin until then! Anyway if I have to wait that long then I will test silver moves and bronze FS that day, if that's allowed.

You can test as far up in moves as you want, as long as you've passed the preceeding MITF tests... so go for the Silver Moves and Bronze FS on the same day. At least you'll feel really warmed up for your FS! We have one little girl at our rink who has only passed Pre-Juve FS -- but has already passed her SENIOR moves.. and boy does her FS look good since that's all she HAS to work on... she has amazing edges and upper body control.

[Laura H]

From my group lesson last night:

Hot: Salchows . . . would you believe I'm actually ENJOYING them now? Wow!!! I didn't have very high expectations for last night's class because my mid-week practice was kind of "eh" but somehow everything came together and last night I was able to land salchows on a fairly consistent basis (and leaving the ice, even!) during both the group lesson and the public session afterwards (and one of the other coaches said "nice salchows!" as I was leaving the ice . . .so yay! they're even RECOGNIZABLE! :oops: ).

Also worked on the toe loop last night . . . had done these before but it's been a while . . . didn't work on them at all while the rink was closed over the summer. After a couple of toe waltzes for practice ;) we worked on pick placement and I actually managed some satisfactory toe loops as well.

Backwards crossovers in a figure 8 pattern got a nod of approval as well (apparently I now do those better than forward crossovers . . . who would have ever thought THAT day would come?? :roll: ).

So not: waltz was a little higher but still feeling WEIRD at times. hmmm. Tried not to beat myself up about it since the other jumps were going really well!

Still plugging away on the traveling problem on the one foot spin . . . did lots of T-push drills and left outside edges, working on keeping the right side back. At some point I hope my body will get a clue . . . :giveup:

[Sessy]

Didn't go to the rink today, my ankle didn't feel up for it with the weather changing from rainy to clear-sky sunny to rainy again within the course of the day. I did practice a little on the spin trainer though, and it's looking visibly better than in older video's from last summer, which is good. Any comments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXnQ31Mh8H4

It just never ceases to amaze me how much that thing does for my backspins, and how little for my forward spins! At any rate, I'll do a little stretching later and hit the gym, maybe, else tomorrow.

[Sessy]

From my group lesson last night:

Hot: Salchows . . . would you believe I'm actually ENJOYING them now?


:bow: You'll join the love-to-jump club in no time!

[liz_on_ice]

Hot Coach gave me the first draft of my program today, we spent the lesson going through it. I'm excited, I love this music, and it's going to be a stretch for me.

Not so No practice between last week's lesson and today, it simply was not possible. The result of course is that all my elements were pretty sad. :oops:

[Rusty Blades]

Not So Hot: Developed a REALLY sore throat on Sunday, felt like cr@p ever since. Never did really get into the swing of things today - groggy headed and not great muscle strength but


Hot: ... most things were working pretty good under the circumstances.

Spins seemed to be particularly dizzying today. (I wonder what I look like when I exit a spin with crossed eyes?)

[Laura H]

:bow: You'll join the love-to-jump club in no time!

Oh, I've always loved to jump . . . Salchows were just really hard for me to get the hang of, for some reason!!

[jazzpants]

You're not going to "get clobbered" by me.... we're both just going to go skate, then watch Molly M. wow the crowd, while we cheer her on AGAIN!:)Yup! Gotta see what 'ol Molly has for her artistic this year!!! :mrgreen:

Good luck! I can't wait to find out about the embarassing part :twisted:

Is Jay a big MK fan?It's not that shocking. It's just more "audience participation (his phrase, not mine)/shake your booty" type of thing, rather than the footwork that we were doing all along. It's just that I prefer doing "skating" than gesturing, that's all. I feel like a Cameron Diaz pretending to be "ditzy blond" doing it!!! GRRRRR!!! (Maybe I should get some vodka nips before I try this number? :roll: ) And it will get changed after Skate SF!!! :twisted:

As for the MK fan thing, dunno... I know that he knows the family himself. I'm just raggin' on his 2002 program at AN, that's all. I would LOVE to see him top the MK program though. :P

[Sessy]

Spins seemed to be particularly dizzying today. (I wonder what I look like when I exit a spin with crossed eyes?)

A cold will often make a person dizzy doing spins. Something about ears or something. Don't worry, it'll go away as soon as your throat's better.

[vesperholly]

I did practice a little on the spin trainer though, and it's looking visibly better than in older video's from last summer, which is good. Any comments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXnQ31Mh8H4
You're bringing your free leg in much earlier than your arms. Try both at once. Your free leg also looks overly crossed - above the knees. They should be crossed at the ankle.

I'm anticipating a Not at skating today because every time I say how good my axels are going, they fall to pieces. Sigh.

[Sessy]

You're bringing your free leg in much earlier than your arms. Try both at once. Your free leg also looks overly crossed - above the knees. They should be crossed at the ankle.

On the backspin, or the forward spin? Or both? both probably...


I'm anticipating a Not at skating today because every time I say how good my axels are going, they fall to pieces. Sigh.

So what you're really trying to say here is, your axels are going lousy and therefore today's session will be hot. :mrgreen:

[Mrs Redboots]

Hot: Skating actually didn't hurt this morning - I was so afraid it was going to that I was very tentative! I've been so stiff and achey these past few days.

So not: However that didn't mean I had any energy, as I had none! I knew I wouldn't make it through a 30-minute lesson, so we agreed that I could drop out when I'd had enough, and Husband would finish the lesson on his own. This is what happened, and in fact it was good for him as the coach really helped him with his spirals.

[weather999]

hot:
landed first really good double axel yesterday!:D 1 1/2 weeks till sectionals-couldn't have come at a better time.

also hot: SP and LP have better energy.. they are almost all on time now, lol.

not hot:
popping jumps. wastes time, energy.

also: triple sow.. they've went from rotated/almost landed to mostly cheated/popping this week.

[doubletoe]

hot:
landed first really good double axel yesterday!:D 1 1/2 weeks till sectionals-couldn't have come at a better time.

also hot: SP and LP have better energy.. they are almost all on time now, lol.

not hot:
popping jumps. wastes time, energy.

also: triple sow.. they've went from rotated/almost landed to mostly cheated/popping this week.

Yay!! What level do you compete at? Don't worry, you will get your triple sal back just in time. You're probably just rushing/forcing the takeoff because you're uptight about it. :)

[doubletoe]

Not: My spins are traveling all over the place, unless I do them at a crawl. WTF.

Reminds me of my coach's favorite saying, "If you're traveling it's because you're trying to go somewhere! Stop trying to go somewhere!" LOL! In other words, make sure you aren't covering any distance on the ice on your entrance edge; just go around so that you stay almost in the same place. That could explain why they only center when you do them at a crawl, KWIM?

[Sessy]

Reminds me of my coach's favorite saying, "If you're traveling it's because you're trying to go somewhere! Stop trying to go somewhere!" LOL! In other words, make sure you aren't covering any distance on the ice on your entrance edge; just go around so that you stay almost in the same place. That could explain why they only center when you do them at a crawl, KWIM?

That's actually very good advise... Gotta try thinking of it that way, maybe I'll stop going places

[doubletoe]

That's actually very good advise... Gotta try thinking of it that way, maybe I'll stop going places

Oh yeah, I've collected lots of "frequent traveler miles" over the years myself! :roll:

[Sessy]

LOL :D
Yeah if only you could get trips to antarctica for those huh? :D

[vesperholly]

On the backspin, or the forward spin? Or both? both probably...
The forward spin looks OK. The backspin is definitely crossed too high, and you're lifting your hip to do it.


So what you're really trying to say here is, your axels are going lousy and therefore today's session will be hot. :mrgreen:
Well, they were actually not too bad, but I didn't get much of a chance to practice them today. I had a 20min dance lesson and 30min freestyle lesson, and we worked on change-edge spirals and program choreography in my freestyle lesson.

[Terri C]

Hot:

My new blades! I skated in them for the first time today and wow- my jumps are bigger and they make my skates feel so much lighter!!


So Not:

With new blades comes a new rocker. Since I wore my last blades to where they were just about flattened out, getting readjusted to having a rocker is.... uh interesting.

And now, a random question:
Another club in our area is having their annual competition and again, they are only offering Artistic and Showcase events for adults, no freestyle.
Do other clubs do this and if so, why?

[Kim to the Max]

So not: Not skating related, but, someone hit my car today :( They pulled into a spot on the right, I pulled into a spot on the left and as I was pulling in, they pulled out of the spot and before I could honk my horn, they hit my passenger door. It sucks.

Went skating today...and the scratch/back scratch and the back outside brackets were frustrating me even more.

Hot! Lutz, flip, and loop were really good today. Worked on some axels and they were also pretty good...still two footed, but closer.

Back inside double 3s decided to make an appearance which is fine by me :)

I'm hoping to test my Intermediate moves sometime soon, so I really hope that I can get those brackets.

[doubletoe]

LOL :D
Yeah if only you could get trips to antarctica for those huh? :D

Oh, I feel like I'm already there most mornings at our rink, LOL!

[Skittl1321]

Hot I am so ON with my turns lately- at least my right foot. Today I did more brackets, which were introduced to the "high" part of the group lesson today (me and one other lady) the other lady was floored when I "got them" right away- until I told her I had been working on them for a few months.

BUT THEN I was really floored. We were introduced to counters and rockers- and after about 5 minutes work, I was able to do both- multiple times. Now they weren't good at all- but I was amazed I could do them at all.

Now I've done all the turns- and while everyone SAYS counters are the hardest, my vote still goes to mohawk.

Had some great speed on my alternating backward crossovers, and did a good power 3 turn pattern,

Not I hate the alternating 3-turn pattern with a passion. The switch from right to left is impossible for me. Still haven't learned the 5 step mohawk, which will probably be my most difficult pattern. My feet don't hurt nearly as badly as they used to, but I have got to get new skates. I have bumps on both of my big toes which I'm scared are permanent- but they don't seem to be getting bigger, so maybe at this point the damage is done, and I can just keep these? Getting skates is such a huge decision because it's so much money...

[vesperholly]

Now I've done all the turns- and while everyone SAYS counters are the hardest, my vote still goes to mohawk.
I had the most difficulty with BO rockers. I could do the turn OK, but it took a while before I could hold the FO edge back to the line. I think the Blues choctaw is going to be a b!tch, too.

[Thin-Ice]

I look forward to getting clobbered... eh, competing with Thin-Ice Friday morning!

I did think of ONE way we could clobber each other. We could run into each other on warm-up!:D Now THAT could be entertaining.. or uh, something:(

See you Thursday & Friday Jazzpants! (I can HARDLY wait!)

Thin-Ice

[Sessy]

The forward spin looks OK. The backspin is definitely crossed too high, and you're lifting your hip to do it.


Okay, that explains why I feel like I'm doing the "I've got to pee!" pose when I'm doing the backspin... Thanks! :)

[Skittl1321]

Hot Someone pointed out on my livejournal- and I confirmed with the rulebook that there are NO alternating 3 turns on the bronze test! So while my coach is probably still going to make me learn the pattern, it doesn't "matter" if I get them or not.

I had the most difficulty with BO rockers. I could do the turn OK, but it took a while before I could hold the FO edge back to the line. I think the Blues choctaw is going to be a b!tch, too.

I haven't tackled BO rockers/counters yet. So that may over take the mohawk as my least favorite turn. I only started them last night- so it's only been insides. I forgot about choctaws though- that's definetly harder than a mohawk. I can't do choctaws with any speed at all. At least ONE side of mohawks I can do with speed. (And back to forward mohawks are nothing...) So choctaw wins as least favorite turn for now.

[Bill_S]

I vote also for choctaws being a very difficult turn to master. I've got only one, and I don't even which it is. Even that is tentative - mostly because it scares me. I've splatted enough on those to give them great respect.

Hot: Got to skate this morning for the first time in 1-1/2 weeks. My strained back isn't back to normal yet, so I took it very easy. Essentially I went just for the exercise.

And I can walk upright again!

[momsk8er]

Last week I was on travel to a place with no rink (sob!), and a week off skating at my age really shows. So its about now that I'm starting to even be able to discuss anything good.

Hot - fast scratch spins today, and centered! Need to get lower on sit, and faster too. Camel is coming, I need to do those spiral stretches that were on another thread. Camel is hard to practice, as I feel so incredibly stupid doing it and dd laughs.

Waltz and sal doing really well.

Not So - I hate that 3 turn pattern on the pre-bronze test! yikes, I can't wait to get it over with. The bronze one is much easier (I'm sure I've said that before).

Coach took toe apart a few weeks ago and it has never quite come back together. I can't seem to get the timing, and the pulling back to the picking foot. My free foot ends up on the wrong side of the picking foot, making me stop before I jump.

Loop - still double footing. Sigh.

Back spin - 'nuff said.

[Rusty Blades]

Stone Cold Dead! (Leftover from yesterday) Toward the end of lesson, coach said "Ok, now move that Waltz jump away from the boards!" (my security blanket). OMFG! What Waltz jump??!! On open ice, it was GONE, TOTALLY!

My mood since yesterday was more miserable than the weather! (Cold, north wind, black sky, mix of snow and rain!) I would trade my right arm for a half ounce of TALENT! Baring that, I have to get by on stubbornness and pigheadedness!

I hadn't planned to skate today but to rest and recover from my head cold but with the Waltz jumps refusing to leave the boards I decided I HAD to skate.

Waltz jumps on "open ice" started out nonexistent, simply a step from RFO to LBO. I guess I am more stubborn than chicken-shyte 'cause I wouldn't let it go - one Waltz jump after another after another. I kept thinking to myself "JUMP or fall down! You're not going to kill yourself either way!"

Lukewarm: After about 30 attempts, they were actually becoming jumps - not nearly as strong and confident as they were with the security blanket but they are coming.

Cold:Toe Loop just wasn't happening ANYWHERE this morning so there were no Toe Loops on open ice.

Warm: Breaking up the Waltz jump marathon I did some spins and was very surprised to find that if I enter an Upright Spin VERY slowly they are amazingly strong, centred, and spin WAY more revolutions than if I spin faster. I would like to see those on video to see if they are as pretty as they feel!

[Petlover]

Hot: Coach loved my salchow - I hit every one today! And my last loop was awesome for me, Coach was so happy.

So Not: I locked my keys in my car this morning. So, my wonderful Coach loans me her cell phone to call husband (purse, AAA card, and keys were locked in my car). Wonderful husband tells me to go ahead and take my lesson, and he left work, drove home to pick up the extra key, then drove to the rink to unlock my car, then drove back to work - almost 2 hours driving, I really love that man.... I was so upset, but I tried really hard not to let it affect my skating and was mostly successful.

[Mrs Redboots]

I had the most difficulty with BO rockers. I could do the turn OK, but it took a while before I could hold the FO edge back to the line. I think the Blues choctaw is going to be a b!tch, too.Blues choctaw is way easier than rockers or counters! I can only really do a rocker when partnered, and even then it's more of a 3-turn-change-edge. And I can sort-of do the man's counter in the Arge, but only sort-of. Brackets.... let's not go there....

Today we were working on 3-turns, focussing on the check and the free leg position after the 3. And on cross-rolls and I caught my toe in what I am convinced was something on the ice (another skater had fallen in almost exactly the same spot a few minutes earlier) and landed on hands and knees. Didn't hurt, but jarred my current injury, which was then sore for a bit.

[cherriee]

So not: Not skating related, but, someone hit my car today :(
Sorry to hear that. Getting into a car accident is so much hassle.

[cherriee]

Hot:
Without knowing there was one, I had an evaluation this past group lesson. The instructor put me on LTS-FreeStyle 4 and I passed! She was very lenient though. I learned backward Chasse sequence, one of the test elements, on the spot and she passed me.

So not:
One-foot spin was travelling from the East coast to the West coast. It seems that the more I practiced sit spin, the worse I travelled on my one-foot spin. Fell just skating on a deep forward outside edge... unbelievable. Maybe time to sharpen the blades.

[Kim to the Max]

Sorry to hear that. Getting into a car accident is so much hassle.

Thanks :) Yea...it's been quite the hassle....and now the student who hit me is trying to get me to not file with my insurance....but, the good thing is, the damage isn't all that bad....

[jskater49]

Not HOt -been up late every night getting ready for a competition we are putting on (late nights not for me competing, but going through the schedule, preparing the program, ect) and it is taking it's toll on the early morning skating.

So we just reviewed a few things - I was not doing my mazurka sideways, I was sort of turning forward and coach got me back doing a sideways kick and it's actually easier that way and I jump bigger. Half flips. So when I do them from a stand still, away from the line, I do a very nice 3 turn, stretch my arms, get my leg back, very nice half flip. In my program I'm back to muscling it. Coach said not to worry about the program this Sat so much, just keep working on it, only now start from a two foot glide and then do the 3 turn. Then in my program, she just turns me around so that I'm actually skating away from a line like I practice and it was much better. I think my coach is a genious to have figured that out.

But after my lesson I just didn't have the energy to skate more. There's a session tonight and I cancelled my confirmation class because our high school has a play off game so I might go skate tonight.

Not hot at all - Coach is pregnant. She had a student in the harness and wasn't paying attention when another girl skated backward into her and they both went down. Everyone went into panick mode, though it was not a bad fall. "Don't tell my husband - he'll take my skates away!"

j

[jazzpants]

Not Hot:
As usual... more changes to the artistic program with secondary coach. I got the general idea of things, but there's no way in hell I'm gonna "have the look" for Skate SF. I'm just waaaay too "geeky" for that. :roll:

Hot:
Ditzy blond section at the end has been fixed and I'm no longer doing that "booty shaking" thing at the end. I'm back to my old footwork at the end, but with some adjustments on the arm positions, so there will be something going on there. (Sorry, Jay... but I really REALLY REALLY hated that booty shaky thing yesterday and you've always said that I'm way beyond "two foot skating!!!")

Secondary Coach is now jokingly calling me "Skinny Cow (http://www.skinnycow.com)." :lol: She's now noticing the changes in the face. Nice to know that at least the weight loss is successful. 8-) (Ah, the things I do to look good in a skating dress.) :P

ETA: Secondary Coach also gave me an interesting test -- at our FS session, we all have to wear a bring orange belt to signal that the person is doing a run thru and has the right of way.

Well... today's runthru was weird and slightly :twisted: . She said "You are NOT to wear that orange belt and just go out there to run it." I said "But how would anyone know that I'm doing the runthru?" She said "That's the test! You are to present yourself in such a way that ANYONE would know that YOU are doing the program that's on the loudspeaker. If people figured it out and get out of your way for your program, then you're presenting yourself!"

Very VERY :twisted: And thankfully, I passed! :mrgreen:

Cuppa cool water on this hot: She had OTHER gripes about this program though... but nothing too bad!

[rye]

Hot: ran through FS1 program to music for the first time.

Not so: very out of breath after running through program to music.

Hot: Then did it four more times and only fell down once (on BI edges, oy vey!) and got up right away, feeling like "this is what they do in competition and performance."

Not so: Dissatisfied with entrance into half flip. Feel like I'm not getting my picking leg solidly straight behind me for the pick.

Hot: Learned a good key to FI mohawks that produced nice scrapeless ones if I do all the steps carefully: prepare glide, turn shoulders inside, tighten the curve for the step, check strongly including the head.

[singerskates]

So Not:

The ice never got zambonied today. It was hard with ruts all over the place.

Laces keep coming undone after 3 or 4 jumps.

Hot:

Hardly anyone on the ice today (Wednesday).

Jumps are getting higher off of the ice.

Luke Warm:

Only loop I did wasn't not landed on one foot.

[Skittl1321]

Hot Synchro we got some good practice on our footwork sequences.

Most of the team didn't show up (I assume because of Halloween) so we never ran the program, but we ran the footwork a lot and it really helped. I'm faking the back lunge better, everyone is faking the turn lunge so I'm good there.

notThe right to left mohawk is still SO scary though. I just can't make myself turn over my left shoulder going that fast. Even on two feet :(
I skipped freestyle to hand out candy- DH doesn't get home until 6:30. I wish I hadn't only 1 ! set of kids came to the door during that time, and only 4 other people showed up for freestyle! The kids who I did give candy to were super cute, so I'm glad I was there- but almost empty ice would have been so nice. When I got to syncrho there was only ONE person on club ice, with her coach. I was 30 minutes early, so if i had six bucks on me I would have RAN onto that ice to work on moves. Alas, no money here.

[Rusty Blades]

With the realization that I have been pushing myself WAY too hard for WAY too long it was time to reevaluate what the heck I am doing.

Two years ago January I stepped on to the ice for the first time and found out I couldn't skate AT ALL, I couldn't even stand up on skates, but I determined to give it my flat-out best effort to enter an Interpretive program at the Adult Championships the following year. I did that in March this year, but I have kept pushing myself ever since. I know that I can give something my complete dedication for a year or two but then I have to ease off and take the time to enjoy myself - if I don't, I "burn out". With the frustration of trying to learn enough moves for a Freeskate program in only 10 weeks I began to recognized the first signs of burn-out.

I met with coach this morning and discussed my thoughts, feelings, and frustrations and told her I need to stop pushing myself so hard and fast. She agreed, so we are going back to work on the Interpretive program for this month's competition and let the Freeskate slide - if I am not happy with the Freeeskate by competition time, I will withdraw it and continue puttering with it for February's competition. There is still lots of time to have both programs for Nationals.

Hot: You might say I cut myself some slack :mrgreen:

[Petlover]

Hot: Loop is tiny, but working. Change foot spin was great 2 out of 3 times, and okay the other time.

So Not: The first edge on back inside edges is still pathetic. The 2nd and onward are good, but that first edge :( .

[Bill_S]

Not so Hot: Back pain persists. I won't push myself skating until this clears up. Hmmm, it's been almost two weeks. Normally I'm over it by now.

Hot: Skated carefully again last evening. I limited it to just edges and moves.

Because it was Halloween, there were only a couple other skaters on the ice. One was the new, talented freshman woman from Cleveland tossing double axels around like Halloween candy. She has a couple triples too, and a leg-held-straight-up-beside-the-head spiral you usually see with just TV skaters.

Who needs TV when you can watch live?

[Sessy]

Hot: backspin and changefootspin are working well - no idea if they're centered, the ice was so bad I couldn't find the tracings.
I did a really lousy, tiny, biellmann change-foot spiral (and saw stars on it for some reason) but I did it
I can do change-edge spirals! Okay the change of edge is really reluctant and scrapey and I do shift the arms a tiny bit but for now, I'll take it!

Not:
sit spin is gone again (it was sooo close last sunday!), I'm raising the free hip, dropping the shoulder. *SIGH*
was too busy a session to really practice camels, but I come up on my toepicks too much for some reason, maybe I was just rushing in to it

[GordonSk8erBoi]

Because it was Halloween, there were only a couple other skaters on the ice. One was the new, talented freshman woman from Cleveland tossing double axels around like Halloween candy. She has a couple triples too, and a leg-held-straight-up-beside-the-head spiral you usually see with just TV skaters.

Who needs TV when you can watch live?

I love this sort of thing, but it tends to be very distracting as I want to watch more than skate myself:P

[Isk8NYC]

Because it was Halloween, there were only a couple other skaters on the ice. One was the new, talented freshman woman from Cleveland tossing double axels around like Halloween candy. She has a couple triples too, and a leg-held-straight-up-beside-the-head spiral you usually see with just TV skaters. How many did you catch, Bill? Bet your candy bag was full! lol

Went without a practice list, but I covered almost everything I wanted to today at Coffee Club.

The Good:
Power 3's were very good, even the LFI had a bit of speed today.
FI>FO change edge spirals were good, but the changeover was slow and my back wasn't arched.
Twizzles - I can do them well with my arms over my head, but yuck otherwise. LOL
Tango Stops - Finally figured out how to hold my shoulders/arms. Still working on the forward stretch of the stopping foot, though.

Several outstanding scratch spins with my arms pressed up over my head.
It makes such a difference on my centering. I must be dropping a shoulder when I press my arms down.

The Bad:
Still fighting that back-to-forward turn in the MITF.
Started working on the CW backspin on my left foot. It's hard to do!
Spins - Decent few camels, sits, and camel-sits. Back sit spin was awful.

Toe Loops were passable. Only kicked myself once.
The Half-flips are fine, the split jumps are almost recognizable, but the full flip is giving me trouble still. (Hurting my right knee.)

The Ugly:
Back Spins. Yuck. Loopy, couldn't hold them, all edge and toe picks.
Went back to my normal entrance for the loop, but I'm not completing the rotation anyway. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.
Threes-on-the-line are evil. Still.

Dropped off my skates for sharpening. Think good thoughts - I'm taking a risk here.

[CanadianAdult]

Hot:

I entered a competition. Oooooh fluttery nerves are already starting! My coach reworked my old preliminary program and I now have a silver program. My salchow is nice and I'm pleased with it.

So Not:

I don't have an axel, or flying spin or camel or back sit or lutz for that matter and the flip is >interesting< and the loop is even more awful but I'll be skating Adult Silver due to having my junior bronze freeskate. I want to wear a sign that says don't hate me, my test level made me do it.

and,

Half-lutz. Stupid jump. I laugh every time I do it. Good thing my back is to the judges.

[mikawendy]

Hot--Went to the rink on Halloween for my lesson and NO KIDS were there at all. Just two other adult skaters were there. Usually, the sessions on Wednesdays are pretty crowded, and it's hard to get a run-thru in without having traffic in one's way. I was SO glad for the empty ice!

[Kim to the Max]

Hot: Did some good back outside brackets tonight...with my foot where it's supposed to be :)

So Not: I haven't done a program in soooo long, and even making it through part of my new one is painful :(

Axels are still the bain of my existence...that and the Intermediate MITF...:twisted:

[Skate@Delaware]

This is for Wednesday night (again, a late post):
So Not: While my back is feeling a bit better, sciatic pain/numbness radiated down my leg into my foot....so I could not do anything requiring my left leg at 100% security. So, we worked on ARMS while stroking, chasses, swing rolling, etc. until I was warmed up enough. Then we hit on backspins (lucky for me that foot was working)

HOT: After warming up with some really bad attempts (they were the tricks) the treat was learning to:
--put my free leg BEHIND me
--stay down in the knee
--do this a whole revolution
--allow my body to "catch up" to my free leg, then raise up
in doing this, I was able to finally STOP torquing my body around, stay on the sweet spot and HOLD IT!!! I'm still having to keep my left shoulder back (we think it has to do with the nerve damage from my accident-my shoulders don't listen evenly).

I did 5+ revolutions, nice and easy and did not topple over, fall out of, or otherwise tank on these backspins!!!!!!

[SynchroSk8r114]

Hot: Leaving with my university's synchro/intercollegiate team to compete in Indiana tomorrow. Skating freestyle (Intermediate) and dance (Senior), as well as the High (Junior/Senior) manuever team. :mrgreen:

So Not: I'll be spending my 22nd birthday there, which is an hour behind where I live. And then I get to drive home and experience the beauty of daylight savings time. Ugh...:roll:

Hot: My mom's coming to watch me compete and celebrate my birthday with me, and all my skating friends will be there, which should be fun. And, I kind of get two birthdays since I'll be celebrating it back home on Monday even though my birthday's Sunday because I'll be driving home all day...

[Mrs Redboots]

Not: We got up at 06:00 this morning to go skating, only for Husband to find that a load of circuits were down (he's in IT and comms) and he had to try to get them back up and running again before we could leave. At 07:55, we reluctantly decided there wasn't really time.... We have a competition on Sunday, and Dunkerque at the end of the month, so we really ought to be working harder than we are, and Saturday patch is always impossible after about 08:00, so the plan now is for a really early night tonight and to try to be at the rink by 06:30 or so tomorrow morning! That way we can at least run through our dances for Sunday, and when it does get more crowded, Husband can work on his free programme for Dunkerque, and then we can go home for breakfast. But oh dear, up before sparrowfart on a Saturday?! Yuck.

[Rusty Blades]

But oh dear, up before sparrowfart on a Saturday?! Yuck.

Welcome to the club 8-) Up at 3:45 A.M. 5 days a week - 3 for skating and the other 2 to make up time at work. It is a luxury to sleep in until 6 on weekends!

[jskater49]

Not Hot

So this is the stress that skating has brought into my life this week

I am the chair of the Spring Show and music selection and registration is in full swing for that. I am also the co-chair of our competition this weekend and I've been putting together the program for that. I'm on the board of directors and we had to eliminate our Director of Skating position because of financial difficulties and that person was one of my coaches and that was very upsetting for me. And I'm competing Rhythm Blues, Freestyle and Artistic this weekend.

So today we have one last go at the Rhythm Blues. The step behinds that have not bothered me -- suddenly I was afraid of them again. So we go over that. Bend my knee, make sure I think about putting the heel down first - hold my free leg straight in front. We fix that.

Next I am struggling with the timing on the second progressive. I hold the last edge too long. I did it too music and coach said the last two patterns were right, first pattern timing was off. I couldn't tell the difference and that upset me. If I am off and I know it, I can fix it. If I don't know that I'm off, that's a problem.

So we went through it over and over without music. I got the timing fine. Do it music, the first time, I realized I held the last edge too long and I just stopped and started crying. I've been doing this dance for almost a year. People learn this dance in two weeks. It's just very frustrating.

So when I get over my hissy fit she tells me that what happened that time was that I started the progressive too soon and held the last edge too long because I was trying to get back to the music. WHich actually made me feel better - it showed I knew enough to do it to the music.

Anyways, it's not brain surgery. I don't have any competition. Which is actually worse, but I'm supposed to be doing this for fun, so I just have to do the best I can.

j

[Laura H]

HOT: After warming up with some really bad attempts (they were the tricks) the treat was learning to:
--put my free leg BEHIND me
--stay down in the knee
--do this a whole revolution
--allow my body to "catch up" to my free leg, then raise up
in doing this, I was able to finally STOP torquing my body around, stay on the sweet spot and HOLD IT!!! I'm still having to keep my left shoulder back (we think it has to do with the nerve damage from my accident-my shoulders don't listen evenly).

I did 5+ revolutions, nice and easy and did not topple over, fall out of, or otherwise tank on these backspins!!!!!!

Congratulations!! That's definitely something to be excited about!

[blackmanskating]

Hot: My Freestyle program for my Bronze Test is coming along quite nicely. My coach has me doing way more than what is required and I'm finally getting the hang of it. Who on earth does brackets, counters, and rockers on a Bronze Free?? :?? And I just started learning them too so they are not as polished as I would like them to be. But they get better every time I do them.

Not Hot: God I hate sit spins with a passion. I cannot get a good sit position and when I go for it, I rock to the back of my blade and fall. My back sit is way better. My flying camel and back camel bite the big one too.


BlackManSkating

[Rusty Blades]

Not So Hot: I was supposed to take Wednesday off but didn't after my Waltz jump disappeared Tuesday. Coach was NOT pleased about me skipping my rest day 8O (Picture a 5-foot tiny 30 year old coach giving sh!# to a big 5' 9" 50-something skater - LOL!)

Hot: Worked with coach on Interpretive program, working out changes in timing with revised choreography. No problem, it will be ready in 2 weeks (competition in 3!)

[doubletoe]

Hot: My Freestyle program for my Bronze Test is coming along quite nicely. My coach has me doing way more than what is required and I'm finally getting the hang of it. Who on earth does brackets, counters, and rockers on a Bronze Free?? :?? And I just started learning them too so they are not as polished as I would like them to be. But they get better every time I do them.

Not Hot: God I hate sit spins with a passion. I cannot get a good sit position and when I go for it, I rock to the back of my blade and fall. My back sit is way better. My flying camel and back camel bite the big one too.


BlackManSkating

Hmm. . . Does it specify on the Bronze test that the sitspin has to be a forward sit? I know that under IJS there is no difference in classification between the two. . .

[doubletoe]

This is for Wednesday night (again, a late post):
So Not: While my back is feeling a bit better, sciatic pain/numbness radiated down my leg into my foot....so I could not do anything requiring my left leg at 100% security. So, we worked on ARMS while stroking, chasses, swing rolling, etc. until I was warmed up enough. Then we hit on backspins (lucky for me that foot was working)

HOT: After warming up with some really bad attempts (they were the tricks) the treat was learning to:
--put my free leg BEHIND me
--stay down in the knee
--do this a whole revolution
--allow my body to "catch up" to my free leg, then raise up
in doing this, I was able to finally STOP torquing my body around, stay on the sweet spot and HOLD IT!!! I'm still having to keep my left shoulder back (we think it has to do with the nerve damage from my accident-my shoulders don't listen evenly).

I did 5+ revolutions, nice and easy and did not topple over, fall out of, or otherwise tank on these backspins!!!!!!

:bow: :bow: :bow: Yay!! And you put down in writing exactly what you did to make it work, so that if it starts misbehaving again you will know how to whip it back into shape!

[jenlyon60]

Hmm. . . Does it specify on the Bronze test that the sitspin has to be a forward sit? I know that under IJS there is no difference in classification between the two. . .

It does not specify but some judges would read "sit spin" to imply "forward sit spin". I've seen this come up once before and I vaguely remember there being discussion as to whether the "back <whatever>" met the requirements of the test. My recommendation, if in doubt, don't take the chance, and do a forward sit. Otherwise you might get asked to do a forward sit as a reskated element.

[dbny]

Hot:
My weekly supervised practice (which is what my lessons have become :roll:) went very well. In my warm up before, I actually did a really good, well checked RFO three, and was so surprised that I clapped for myself as if I were my own student. Prelim alt FO threes were so close to being ready to test that I think I better start working on those spirals. FI threes were again better, but still not there. Prelim power threes were better than last week. Going to have DH video them next week so I can see just how much faster they need to be. DH videoed my FI Mohawks in lesson, and much to my surprise, they look a lot better than they feel! They look smooooth.

So Not:
Spins. I really must find time to work on these if I am going to progress.

[doubletoe]

It does not specify but some judges would read "sit spin" to imply "forward sit spin". I've seen this come up once before and I vaguely remember there being discussion as to whether the "back <whatever>" met the requirements of the test. My recommendation, if in doubt, don't take the chance, and do a forward sit. Otherwise you might get asked to do a forward sit as a reskated element.

That's what I was thinking, too. On the other hand, if it's the only problem element, it might be worthwhile to put the back sit in the program, but have a forward sit ready to do as a re-skate by itself if requested. I guess it all depends on the probability of the judges not accepting a back sit vs. the probability of not doing a decent forward sit in two tries. If Blackmanskating's back sit is that much better, it might be worthwhile to do the back sit in the program to show that he can do it, and then if he does get asked to re-skate the element as a forward sit and doesn't manage to complete it, they could still pass him based on everything else (including the back sit). I have seen Bronze tests being passed without the sitspin before, based on an otherwise good program.

[liz_on_ice]

Hot - I started learning my new program today. I have a practice version of the music on my ipod which has a voiceover of me calling the moves. I can't believe how much faster I'm learning the sequence. :D

So Not - actually doing the elements, fast enough to keep up with the music. :giveup:

[Skate@Delaware]

:bow: :bow: :bow: Yay!! And you put down in writing exactly what you did to make it work, so that if it starts misbehaving again you will know how to whip it back into shape!
This was something we discussed...because sometimes you leave the rink and develop amnesia!!! so everything goes into my journal before I leave!!! I also discovered her other students have been encouraged to keep training journals and some have copied my idea of writing their warm-up routines and "homework of the month" on 3x5 cards (dated on the top).

When things start going wrong with an element, she asks me what happened and I'm supposed to analyze it-not say "I don't know" which is good.

[singerskates]

So Not: My sleep pattern. I've been staying up way to late working on my skating club's website and other related things. My body has been suffering for it. A matter a fact I went to my City Ice rink on Thursday only to just stand there and watch because by the time I made it there, I had no legs and felt drunk from tiredness.

No spiral sequence or camel spin today because of all the kids on the ice. Also forgot to even do a loop jump.

Hot: Got an hour of Creative Dance lesson time with my ice dance partner to almost finish off of the dance. It's only the Prelim Creative Dance but were using 25% of the steps from dance levels that are higher than Prelim. All my steps are forward steps.

Skated on the second session for half an hour doing freeskate elements.
F Corkscrew, F sit, F sit/corkscrew, F sit/broken/upright
Waltz jump, waltz/toe, waltz/mazuka/salchow, waltz/mazuka/salchow/toe, toe/toe, half flip/flip, half flip/flip/toe (slight cheat of the flip)
Lutz out of footwork (almost got it to land clean)
Footwork

[Kim to the Max]

So Not: So, I haven't skated a program in....let's round and say 11 years...now, I'm trying to do a pre-juv program to test and well, I'm definitely sucking wind as I'm trying to go through it. I know it will get easier, but I really need to work on that stamina :twisted:

Hot: Did some good back outside brackets for coach, now I need to do some polish on all of my moves...hopefully I will be able to test them soon...

I don't know: Coach said I will probably test my freestyle first and wait on the moves so that I can focus on one thing at a time. In some ways that will be good, but in so many others, I just want to be done with these moves!

[Mrs Redboots]

Hot: We were at the rink by 6:30 am and very few people there. Ran through all our dances for tomorrow, and chatted to some of our opposition! Who had a lesson, which meant that music was played out loud, which was good.

So Not: Found, to my horror, that I can't do a bunny-hop without pain! How come I can do a 3-jump just fine, but a bunny-hop hurts and hurts? So we have had to quickly change that in our free dance - I just hope we remember tomorrow! Wouldn't matter if it was our last class of the day, but we have entered the Zimmer trophy, too (both partners have to be over 45, and their combined age has to total 100 or more), and there's a Fiesta in there, and that mohawk already hurts a bit, although not too badly if it's not hurting already, if that makes sense.

We have so no hope of coming other than last in our couples' classes tomorrow that there's absolutely no pressure; I do hope it's fun!

[Sessy]

Hot:
1. I did ballet for the first time since the broken ankle was fixed, and though I didn't do "relive" (spelling?!) arabesques on it and didn't point my toes too hard, I did manage 3/4ths of the lesson to participate fully - after that, I was selective about what I did. And today the only thing hurting is my back, not ankle, so maybe next week I'll participate the entire lesson fully!
2. Camel improved drastically with some minor adjustment tips from the coach, although the consistency

Not:
Couldn't manage any spins towards the end of the lesson, and got nauseous.

[Muskoka Skater]

Friday Night

Hot

-my elements for the Jr.Silver free skate

So Not

-pretty much everything because I've been so tired from my busy week with Halloween, staying up late doing homework, and almost missing the bus a few times

[Derek]

Hot:

A fabulous lesson, stuff actually 'worked' in front of my coach, she even acknowledged how much improved my salchow and toe loop were (I am happy with constructive criticism). To cap it all, I achieved my first ever successful backspin, and repeated it several times until my coach was satisfied that it passes the standard !!! More signatures on my passport :)

Not:

Lesson is on public ice, and it can get rather rowdy for a lefty jumper sometimes - lost count of the number of aborted jumps ...

Oh, and I have now lost that backspin, after my earlier success. Hope to find it somewhere around nearby ...

[Isk8NYC]

Hot, Hot, Hot:
My blades were sharpened perfectly!!!! Turns out my blade edges were uneven and the ROH was 7/16" for some reason. He restored my usual 3/8" and I felt the difference immediately.

Bonus: they were ready on time, which I'm very happy about since I forgot to take my backup skates.

Spins were centered in both directions, hooray!
Edges were soooo nice - I was having trouble with the outside edges, which was very strange.
Crossovers have power again, sigh.
The few jumps I tried were effortless; can't wait to really try and jump next week. (Maybe I'll sneak in a quick skate tomorrow.)

Got to teach a group lesson for the first time at the new rink - I volunteered for the Basic 1 class. Cute kids, had lots of fun.
I've narrowed down the coaching choices for my kids to two ladies. Now, let's hope they have time available!

So Not:
Couldn't do my usual stop on the FI edge because the blades are so sharp and I had gotten used to the very-dull edges. Had to use the wall once or twice until I realized the t-stop was doable. :oops:

[looplover]

This one is for Friday a.m. - what a bizarre practice

Hot: Waltz toe was good and I was able to put the elements of the program where they needed to be, so I think flow is improving. I did a bunch of loops that were not great but at least landed on one foot and I don't think I was hunched over (not sure though)

So Not: Um the elements themselves. My spins were nowhere! Scratch spins traveled, and my sit spins were the worst they've been in maybe a year. I couldn't even do one, it was like I'd never learned them, and I used to have a really good sit spin. I have no idea of what happened there but I was pretty disgusted with myself! :roll: Backspin, same old same old.

[jskater49]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle - First place against the book and these are judges that are not afraid to give you third place against the book if they don't like what they see. One judge said I light up the rink with my smile.

Not hot - I had worked all morning at the competition and I didn't have time or the stomach to eat much lunch and I started my program feeling out of breath and exhausted but just made myself ignore it and push through.

Hot - coach said I had the best waltz jump in it she had ever seen. From me that is

Not hot - on to the rhythm blues - had the timing right in the warm up, got off time in the actual competition

Hot - got second place against the book. Last year I got third place against the book in dance.

Not hot - freestyle, dance and artistic are all boom boom right after one another in two hours - by the time of my artistic, I was VERY TIRED and did not do it as well as I could

HOT - There was someone else in my Artistic group this time and I won. We are very similar in skating ability but I think I just sold it a little better.

j

[Isk8NYC]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[cherriee]

Hot:
Yesterday (nov 3) I had my 1st private lesson. I like that my coach will do the elements with you and follow you around the rink every minute.

Warm:
Coach started me off with stroking and crossovers (F + B), as well as mohawks and 3-turns. She corrected much of my bad positions; e.g. how I didn't use the big toe to push off my edges and point my toe. I was a little disappointed that we did not do the "real stuff" the whole 25 minutes. But the more I think about it, move-in-field is just as important. My edges felt stronger going into the loop and the flip after class.

Not Hot:
Comparing to $95 / 8 week group lessons, private lessons cost $1 / minute (~20 min.) + $9 ice time (50 min.) OUCH!
Caught my blade and fell when doing LFI mohawk. :oops:

[cherriee]

Hey congrat jskater49!

[Skittl1321]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle -

FANTASTIC!

[Thin-Ice]

That's what I was thinking, too. On the other hand, if it's the only problem element, it might be worthwhile to put the back sit in the program, but have a forward sit ready to do as a re-skate by itself if requested. I guess it all depends on the probability of the judges not accepting a back sit vs. the probability of not doing a decent forward sit in two tries. If Blackmanskating's back sit is that much better, it might be worthwhile to do the back sit in the program to show that he can do it, and then if he does get asked to re-skate the element as a forward sit and doesn't manage to complete it, they could still pass him based on everything else (including the back sit). I have seen Bronze tests being passed without the sitspin before, based on an otherwise good program.

Sorry, but if there's just one element that does not meet whatever standard the judges expect, they can pass the test based on the quality of the rest of the test (including the presentation mark). But, if the judges ask for a reskate of an element, THAT element must be passable and the strength of the rest of the elements cannot be used to pass the test. I don't have my rulebook with me right now, but that's in the section on marking a freestyle test... and is usually included on all the judges exams and annual rules reviews.

[dbny]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle - First place against the book and these are judges that are not afraid to give you third place against the book if they don't like what they see. One judge said I light up the rink with my smile.


CONGRATULATIONS!

[liz_on_ice]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle - First place against the book and these are judges that are not afraid to give you third place against the book if they don't like what they see. One judge said I light up the rink with my smile.

j

8-) Way to go!

[blackmanskating]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle - First place against the book and these are judges that are not afraid to give you third place against the book if they don't like what they see. One judge said I light up the rink with my smile.

Not hot - I had worked all morning at the competition and I didn't have time or the stomach to eat much lunch and I started my program feeling out of breath and exhausted but just made myself ignore it and push through.

Hot - coach said I had the best waltz jump in it she had ever seen. From me that is

Not hot - on to the rhythm blues - had the timing right in the warm up, got off time in the actual competition

Hot - got second place against the book. Last year I got third place against the book in dance.

Not hot - freestyle, dance and artistic are all boom boom right after one another in two hours - by the time of my artistic, I was VERY TIRED and did not do it as well as I could

HOT - There was someone else in my Artistic group this time and I won. We are very similar in skating ability but I think I just sold it a little better.

j


Congratulations Jskater!!!!!!!

[doubletoe]

Sorry, but if there's just one element that does not meet whatever standard the judges expect, they can pass the test based on the quality of the rest of the test (including the presentation mark). But, if the judges ask for a reskate of an element, THAT element must be passable and the strength of the rest of the elements cannot be used to pass the test. I don't have my rulebook with me right now, but that's in the section on marking a freestyle test... and is usually included on all the judges exams and annual rules reviews.

Good point. I guess it all comes down to whether they accept the back sit as a sitspin, which is a gamble he'd have to decide to take. He could also put the forward sit in the program and, if asked to re-skate it, ask the judges if it's okay if he does a back sit.

[jazzpants]

HOT HOT HOT

I won my freestyle - First place against the book and these are judges that are not afraid to give you third place against the book if they don't like what they see. One judge said I light up the rink with my smile.
jCongrats to you, jskater!!! Nice going!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

I already mentioned about my Bronze medal for both my artistic and technical in the Skate SF (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=24979) thread so I won't post any more details than that... but very happy for my Bronze FS debut.

[Mrs Redboots]

Well done, Jskater49! Brilliant.

I know what you mean about exhausted - the rink where the competition was held yesterday is down a flight of stairs, and when I came to go up them for the last time last night, I almost couldn't do it! I was seriously stiff, and exhausted!

[jskater49]

Thanks for all the congratulations.

I can't figure out how to put the photo right in the post - but here's a couple of links.

This is from my (what I consider to be sexy) intro to my Rhythm Blues
http://picasaweb.google.com/cychampion/CycloneCountryChampionshipsDay2b/photo#5129030602983881730

From my artistic "Master of the House"
http://picasaweb.google.com/cychampion/CycloneCountryChampionshipsDay2b/photo#5129032737582630018

[Mrs Redboots]

Great photos! Thanks for posting them.