Raking Piles or Turning Leaves? (Practice Thread 11/4 - 11/10/2007) [Archive]

Kim to the Max

11-04-2007, 07:59 PM

Raking Piles: My endurance is so not where it should be :( I tried running through my program without music and was sucking wind as I was going through...2 minutes is a long time!

I was getting really frustrated with the whole scratch/back scratch spin again...ugh...I just can't get it...I can do them alone, but putting them together just escapes me!

I wish I had more time to skate...that thing called work gets in the way :twisted:

Turning Leaves: Moves are getting better. Still not as consistent as I would like, but better. As I've said before...I just want to be done with the Intermediate moves!!!

Axels were much better today. The toe that always comes down on the landing wasn't as much of a problem...don't get me wrong, it was still hitting the ice, but it was less :)

I am actually enjoying the footwork for my program, I just need to ask coach to go through one piece with me again, because I don't think I have it right...

kander

11-04-2007, 11:56 PM

Turning Leaves: Finally got the courage to pull the trigger on a delayed axel at full speed. Got the snap and rotation. It felt great :P until ....

Raking Piles: .... I crashed and burned on the landing. :( I rolled over like a stunt cop car in "The Blues Brothers". It was quite an advil moment. Can't wait to try it again!

Kevin

Emberchyld

11-05-2007, 06:27 AM

Going to keep this quick because the real-world calls after a weekend of skating:

Turning Leaves: Had a great lesson yesterday, and since it was a "jump day" for me, we were heavy on the jumps and combo jumps. My coach and I were pretty satisfied with the majority of what we worked on.

Raking: I desperately need a sharpening (especially my right boot), so my spins were practically non-existent. I was able to eke out a few revolutions CCW, but couldn't even get going CW most of the time-- and that's my "better" side. I couldn't get the edge to curve in...

And I was taken out by a dorito that some kid dropped on the ice. One second, I was gliding out of one of my MITF, and the next I was flying through the air, hitting my knee, hip, and elbow. My coach and the skate guard thought I was was really hurt because, instead of getting up, I started crawling on the ice to see where the "bump" had been. We were all amazed when I found the halved dorito. Who eats chips on the ice?

looplover

11-05-2007, 07:54 AM

Turning Leaves:

Finally, am finally getting the sitspin back, as well as the loop. I "lost" both when I got my new blades.

Same thing happened to me! With sit spin...maybe THAT'S why my loop has been off.

Raking piles: Sit spin is better than it was on Friday but nowhere NEAR what it used to be. I think I'm letting my right hip drop again. I've just got to practice, practice, practice it. Started to do a flip today but bailed out of it because I still have flip mental block.

Turning leaves: All loops but one were landed correctly and I think one of them was actually a good jump. But - two footed the one in my program. Still was happy with how that went today. I feel like I'm skating the program stronger, even though the actual elements (including scratch spin) aren't what I'd like them to be.

Caris

11-05-2007, 08:19 AM

Turning leaves

Got my passport skate UK passport through the post so took it to my lesson and passed bronze and silver yay. Started my program for gold and fiddled about with that for a bit which was fun.

Raking Piles

Nothing at all today which is lovely to have once in a while!

jskater49

11-05-2007, 09:40 AM

Turning Leaves

I'm going to compete the Swing Dance in January. We have to sign up this week to get the early bird discount. Coach asked why the Swing and not the Cha Cha and I said I have more confidence in my ability to get that mohawk by then than the step behind. Though I do want to still work on it.

So we worked on it today and you know, the mohawk is coming. We have to really slow down the swing roll and edges before the mohawk but I was able to do it a few times and before I would just come to a stand still. It's part mental and part positioning myself, bending my knees, squaring my hips ... but I also don't rush it as much.

Raking Leaves Didn't have much energy for power class at 6 am today.

j

Mrs Redboots

11-05-2007, 02:30 PM

Turning leaves: And, indeed, the trees lining the M40 were very beautiful when we drove down to the competition at Oxford.

We skated well - our Golden Skaters' Waltz felt great, and one judge even had us in 5th place! The others, sadly, had us in our proper place of last!

Husband finished 4th in his solo compulsories. In the changing rooms, a couple of other people who had finished 4th said they wished we had 4th-place medals, so I commented that in the USA where there are 4th-place medals, one always finishes 5th!

Raking them: We skated a pretty poor Riverside Rhumba, and alas, mucked up our free dance - I caught my toe-rake and very nearly measured my length, which is totally how I didn't want to finish with that dance. Ah well... but the oddest thing was, we weren't last in that class!

BatikatII

11-05-2007, 05:12 PM

Husband finished 4th in his solo compulsories. In the changing rooms, a couple of other people who had finished 4th said they wished we had 4th-place medals, so I commented that in the USA where there are 4th-place medals, one always finishes 5th!

Ah yes - that was me I think having been 4th for the third time with that free dance (and I've only competed it three times!). Maybe if I compete with it a 4th time I'll actually not come 4th!;) :D
Not quite as bad as the year I entered 4 classes at Bracknell and was 4th in each of them.

I'm still wondering how come I had time to do my 1.5 minute programme through 3 times in the 3 minute warm up though, even after the warm up lap of the rink. I had to resort to just skating about a bit since otherwise I'd have been worn out before I got to my turn!;)

Back to free skating tomorrow!

11-05-2007, 06:00 PM

Turning: I passed the Hickory Hoedown and Willow Waltz last night.

Raking: I wasn't so very pleased with the way I skated them.

Turning: I felt better when I saw the judges' comments. The words "good soft knees" actually made an appearance!

Not Raking or Turning: I'm still adjusting to the fact that it's okay for me to work on the Gold moves. I keep feeling like an imposter. Especially because one of the coaches at the rink is still working on her Gold moves. After my Silver moves test, she actually said she thought I'd get them first!

Johanna, who will not be posting about passing another test for a good while

doubletoe

11-05-2007, 06:04 PM

Johanna, a big CONGRATULATIONS to you!!!
"Soft knees" from JUDGES? WOW! :D

And Caris, WAY TO GO!!!

And now would you two mind passing along your good testing karma to me for this Thursday, since you won't be needing it for the rest of the week? :) I'm testing my Intermediate MIF in 3 days and I'm still wrestling with those back perimeter power 3's!

jazzpants

11-05-2007, 06:18 PM

~~~ Good testing vibes ~~~> doubletoe!!!

You'll do great! I just know it! :mrgreen:

Stormy

11-05-2007, 09:20 PM

Good luck, Doubletoe! An awesome skater like you will have no problem on that test! :bow:

Raking Piles: The most AMAZING skating day yesterday! Spins were dead on, worked on my camel-jump backsit-change to forward sit-pancake combination. I went in the harness for the first time in probably 8 or 9 years. I've never been in it with my current coach. It helped a bit! I landed one perfect clean double sal and my coach said she wasn't pulling me at all. Of course, I couldn't land it the same out of the harness. Blah. But that double sal...what a feeling that was to land it. :) Total breakthrough on axel, I think I've finally fixed it for good!

Turning leaves: Nothing really, but a great skating day is almost as frustrating as a bad one. Why don't I skate that well ALL the time?

Thin-Ice

11-06-2007, 02:22 AM

Raking them: We skated a pretty poor Riverside Rhumba, and alas, mucked up our free dance - I caught my toe-rake and very nearly measured my length, which is totally how I didn't want to finish with that dance. Ah well... but the oddest thing was, we weren't last in that class!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Sometimes the biggest victories are the ones where we do NOT finish last.

Rusty Blades

11-06-2007, 09:13 AM

Just a general limbering-up session after my 4 days off. Practiced a bit of everything.

Piles: I need a subconscious tranquilizer pill! I can do my jumps just fine off-ice but when I get out on open ice there is some sort of subconscious reluctance to just throw myself into the air. Gotta loose that, GOTTA!

Fall Colours: Practicing Upright Spins - coach said I was getting the full 3 revolutions - THAT'S NEW! :mrgreen:

flo

11-06-2007, 09:24 AM

Leaves: had a great time at the Halloween Classic. It was a nice start to the season. I had been having cammel problems for the last couple of days. and at the event I had a nice cammel jump cammel in the warm up and in the program I had a strong cammel - so I stayed with it and left out the jump to back cammel. It was such a nice change to have a good one, I didn't want to stop it.

Mrs Redboots

11-06-2007, 09:37 AM

Turning: I passed the Hickory Hoedown and Willow Waltz last night.Oh wow, Johanna! Congratulations and respect! I would love to have a half-decent Willow. No, I take that back, I do have a half-decent Willow - I'd love to have a really decent Willow!

And now would you two mind passing along your good testing karma to me for this Thursday, since you won't be needing it for the rest of the week? :) I'm testing my Intermediate MIF in 3 days and I'm still wrestling with those back perimeter power 3's!Good luck! And don't forget, if you don't pass you've only lost a few dollars - you will be no worse off than you are now.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Sometimes the biggest victories are the ones where we do NOT finish last.True, and thank you, but why did we finish last when we skated really well, and not finish last when we skated crap, do you suppose? Or is that just a Law of Skating?

Back on the ice today and working on our Willow Waltz for Dunkerque.

Raking piles: Had the oddest cramp which felt almost like a muscle strain, thought I wasn't going to be able to skate, but fortunately was able to skate through it. Having enormous trouble skating with Husband when he's going backwards and I'm going forwards, and we aren't sure if it is him or me.

Turning leaves: Gradually improving things, I think. Husband got a few corrections but he now knows what I'm going through while he does his Mohawk, as he has the same issues in one of the steps in the Foxtrot, so he tells me.

11-06-2007, 11:55 AM

Oh wow, Johanna! Congratulations and respect! I would love to have a half-decent Willow. No, I take that back, I do have a half-decent Willow - I'd love to have a really decent Willow!

Thanks! I think I have just a half-decent one, as well. I'm still not too comfortable on the four forward edges section (and one judge commented on that). And there's other stuff, too, but I guess it was good enough for that level. I did pass it standard, not adult, though, so that's something.

Johanna

jazzpants

11-06-2007, 12:13 PM

Lots of posting to catch up on here....

Raking them: We skated a pretty poor Riverside Rhumba, and alas, mucked up our free dance - I caught my toe-rake and very nearly measured my length, which is totally how I didn't want to finish with that dance. Ah well... but the oddest thing was, we weren't last in that class!Sometimes the dance that you think you did badly on isn't as bad as you thought it was. Yeah, it's the Laws of Skating and all. (Then again, in my case, I know when I'm skating badly...) :roll: :P

Turning: I passed the Hickory Hoedown and Willow Waltz last night.CONGRATULATIONS, je!!! Geez, Silver Moves and NOW Hickory Hoedown and Willow Waltz!?!?! You're knockin' those tests left and right there, kiddo!!! You must have WONDERFUL edges!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Johanna, who will not be posting about passing another test for a good whileBut sooner than she thinks... ;)

jazzpants

11-06-2007, 12:16 PM

Good luck! And don't forget, if you don't pass you've only lost a few dollars - you will be no worse off than you are now.Knowing doubletoe... she will probably pass it on the first try... just like her other tests. IIRC, her test track record has been all pass on the first try!!! (And we don't care if it's a "barely pass", doubletoe! A pass is a pass is a pass!!! :P ) So I think she's gonna do it again!!! (No pressure, of course, doubletoe!!! No pressure at all!!! ;) )

doubletoe

11-06-2007, 01:57 PM

Knowing doubletoe... she will probably pass it on the first try...

Too late for that! :roll: I took it last year and ran into the back wall on my CW back power 3's. . . :oops: I also don't think it helped that my blades were a little dull and I was sliding around on my other moves. Can you say "RETRY"?! I was so depressed I just put the MIF away for awhile before deciding to try again.
This time I've made sure my blades are sharp enough and they feel great! And as of this morning I am making it through my back power 3's in both directions. . . but based on my history with these evil things, that's no guarantee that I will do it Thursday, so I'll need all the luck I can get! (FX FX FX!!)

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes! (And Stormy, WOW on that combo spin!)

P.S. BTW, I also flunked my Bronze FS test (crappy sitspin) and Silver FS test (crappy camel) the first time I took them!

Sessy

11-06-2007, 02:00 PM

Raking piles: Had a night of interrupted sleep (darn - on the longest night of the year, too!) and so felt like dog meat at the dance session this morning. Could barely skate, didn't take my lesson and left early.

I thought the longest night is in december?

doubletoe

11-06-2007, 02:05 PM

I thought the longest night is in december?

Not for those of us in Daylight Savings Time countries! One night a year, in November, the clocks get set back one hour at 2:00am so we get one extra hour of nighttime! And now it's weird because suddenly it's light outside when I leave for the rink at 6:00a.m. . . .

Sessy

11-06-2007, 02:07 PM

Not for those of us in Daylight Savings Time countries! One night a year, in November, the clocks get set back one hour at 2:00am so we get one extra hour of nighttime! And now it's weird because suddenly it's light outside when I leave for the rink at 6:00a.m. . . .

Oh... But... We have had the winter time for weeks already on this side of the pond! How confusing. :o
Ours goes back I think on the third saturday in october.

doubletoe

11-06-2007, 02:33 PM

Oh... But... We have had the winter time for weeks already on this side of the pond! How confusing. :o
Ours goes back I think on the third saturday in october.

Yes, ours has traditionally changed a week earlier, but I guess they figured it would conserve energy if they gave us more daylight in the evenings for another week.

jskater49

11-06-2007, 02:55 PM

Yes, ours has traditionally changed a week earlier, but I guess they figured it would conserve energy if they gave us more daylight in the evenings for another week.

Nah...it was changed for the candy makers so the trick or treaters could be out later on Halloween.

j

peanutskates

11-06-2007, 03:05 PM

singerskates

11-06-2007, 04:46 PM

spins travel all over the rink...... I'm drawing clouds on the ice (pretty but not what I should be doing...) unless I really really concentrate, then I might get an OK ish tracing.

i'm soo getting my blades sharpened ASAP...

what is the test for seeing if your blades are sharp or not? something about fignernails??

Try doing a change edge spiral. If you're sliding sideways during your spiral, it's time. If you see skid marks during 3 turns when you normally don't see skid marks, it's time. If you're flying off of you jump landings while being in proper check position during the landing, then it's time to sharpen your blades.

If you're blades are still sharp and the above is happening, either your too high in the knees or you need a deeper sharpening.

Brigitte

vesperholly

11-06-2007, 07:05 PM

Turning Leaves:

Had a fantastic skate today. My crazy traveling spins finally centered themselves, and I only botched one axel out of 9 or 10 attempted because someone was in my way. My coach and I also filled in some pretty sizeable gaps in my program, so now all we have to finish is the ending. I really like my choreography and I'm excited to practice it. American Waltz coming along and I'm testing in December.

Raking Piles:

It's FREEZING at the rink. There was the first snow in the region today, but thankfully not at my house. Dance coach was less than pleased with the Tango. Didn't work on axel-loop at all.

Terri C

11-06-2007, 07:21 PM

Turning Leaves:

Getting more comfortable in my new blades. Did two sitpins that were total beauties as well as two awesome scratch spins. Jumps are really starting to fly!

Raking Piles:

Did not pull off sitspin during program runthrough.
Will I ever clearly hear my music over our sound system?

Isk8NYC

11-06-2007, 07:49 PM

Raking Piles:
Went to the rink this morning, late because I went the wrong way (I hate beltways), to find that the rink had a problem and there was no skating. Went home.

Raking More Piles:
Went to a different rink this afternoon. While there was skating, it was a private Club session.
Went home.

Turning Leaves:
Decided to go to the fitness center nearby and work out. Nice, clean and empty, ahhh.
(But I've gained back a lot of the weight I lost this summer. Grrr.)

tidesong

11-06-2007, 08:55 PM

raking:

heel hurts in a wierd way when i bend in some ways in the new boots. Its wierd that bending some ways doesn't hurt, and other ways hurt... its a very curious

turning:
landed first double salchow since the boot change (a really low quality one but rotated and on one leg... so i'll take it hehehe)

vesperholly

11-07-2007, 12:40 AM

Turning Leaves:
Decided to go to the fitness center nearby and work out. Nice, clean and empty, ahhh.
(But I've gained back a lot of the weight I lost this summer. Grrr.)
Oh, isn't that the worst?! I've gained back 12 of the 50 lbs I lost since last year. :frus: I have a legitimate excuse with medication, but I haven't been eating the best, either. And yet I'm skating better than ever!

Isk8NYC

11-07-2007, 07:21 AM

Oh, isn't that the worst?! I've gained back 12 of the 50 lbs I lost since last year. :frus: I have a legitimate excuse with medication, but I haven't been eating the best, either. And yet I'm skating better than ever!My excuse is working from home in the living room next to the kitchen. (I WAS four pounds lighter this morning! yay) I finally decided that, if I can't get in a skate one day, I'll go to the Club. They're open until 6am-11pm and I have an electronic access card. No more excuses.

jskater49

11-07-2007, 09:00 AM

Turning leaves and then raking them - which means it was a challenging lesson but I enjoyed it...

So my freestyle coach passed her PSA Senior moves rating test and will be a Master rated moves coach by the Spring so I'm thinking it's time to have her look at my Bronze moves and give me some feedback on how far they are from being test ready.

Started with my forward peremiter. She was very happy with the speed and power but we had some pattern issues. We worked on spotting where the top of the circle needs to be and making sure I pay attention to my long axis. She didn't like that I only use 6 intro steps because she believes in using whatever they will give you. But using 7 would require me starting on my right foot and I don't like that.

Backward perimeter crossovers. We didn't get past the intro - and that always has been a challenge for me. I start with a 3 turn since I am just too chicken to do that from much speed. SHe turned the 3 turn around for me so I'm in a better position to get going. And we worked on me stretching out the crossovers because if I'm not careful I'll go over my intro steps on this move.

We also worked on backward grapevine swizzles to get me ready for back cross strokes

j

rye

11-07-2007, 09:55 AM

But using 7 would require me starting on my right foot and I don't like that.Start the intro strokes on your right foot, or start the pattern on your right foot? (Except if it's the pattern, then you could start the intro strokes on the other foot, couldn't you, to get to the pattern on your preferred foot?) What makes it that much of a difference for you which foot you start your intro strokes on? Or have I missed something?

You've reminded me of the reverse -- when I was taking private lessons learning pre-bronze moves, my coach made me start the perimeter stroking (just the plain round-the-rink, not the bronze russian stroking you're doing) from a standstill! I don't know if she would have eventually let me have intro strokes for the actual test, though. (I took a hiatus from skating before ever getting near the test, *cough*waltz eight*cough**grr**bah**ugh*).

Rusty Blades

11-07-2007, 10:20 AM

Not for those of us in Daylight Savings Time countries!

I HATE Time Zones and time changes :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: We should ALL be on GMT (or "Coordinated Universal Time" as it is now called) and just work whatever hours are best - who cares what the actual numbers on the clock are!

As one who used to work in an international environment, local time just leads to HUGE amounts of confusion! If everybody is on GMT all you have to know is their office hours, not their office hours plus what time zone they are in plus whether they are on Standard or Daylight time, what date they switch from one to the other, and then use a @$#% calculator and HOPE you calculated correctly!

black

11-07-2007, 10:34 AM

Got my blades sharpened yesterday - yay!! :D :D Nice deep edges this morning. I have been working on doing faster continuous double inside 3turns and with sharper blades they were snapping round.

When do continuous double 3turns become twizzles? Is it speed/no of rotations, direction of travel or the part of the blade in contact with the ice?

On a side note; does anybody know the name of the backing music to this montage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNCQJ9uz_a8

jskater49

11-07-2007, 11:04 AM

Start the intro strokes on your right foot, or start the pattern on your right foot? (Except if it's the pattern, then you could start the intro strokes on the other foot, couldn't you, to get to the pattern on your preferred foot?) What makes it that much of a difference for you which foot you start your intro strokes on? Or have I missed something?

You've reminded me of the reverse -- when I was taking private lessons learning pre-bronze moves, my coach made me start the perimeter stroking (just the plain round-the-rink, not the bronze russian stroking you're doing) from a standstill! I don't know if she would have eventually let me have intro strokes for the actual test, though. (I took a hiatus from skating before ever getting near the test, *cough*waltz eight*cough**grr**bah**ugh*).

Coach wants two crossvers in the intro - that's 4 steps plus 3 for 7. To do that and end up on the correct foot for the crossvoer, I'd have to start on my right foot and it's just a thing, I prefer to start things on my left foot if I can. So for now it's either 4 strokes and one crossover or two strokes and two crossvers. I'm leaning toward one crossover.

j

Mrs Redboots

11-07-2007, 12:59 PM

Raking leaves: Husband and I woke up to the awful knowledge that we have started colds! Not too surprising, there are an awful lot going round at the moment. We skated this morning, but are supposed to be going to Alexandra Palace this evening for their dance club - I'm going to have to dope up if I'm to go!

Discovered that our problems in waltz hold are me, not Husband. Sigh.... I can't skate forwards without pushing - with my arms! So I now have the worst exercise to try to cure it.

Husband has just come in and he's feeling rotten, too. But we both want to go to AP, oh dear oh dear...

Laura H

11-07-2007, 02:04 PM

From Monday's group lesson:

Turning leaves: Whew! I worked on FOOTWORK this lesson instead of having to jump for 1/2 hour. (I did, however, do a lot of jumping during the public session afterwards). While warming up, I was doing some backward stroking so I could chat with instructor & other "group" student (working on forward stroking technique). So the instructor decided since I was doing 1/2 of the power 3's already, we might as well work on those. Those actually went pretty well, I have been taught those already so had the basic concept - just had to have a few reminders about what EDGE to be on at each point . . . they went pretty well. So then, I asked if she could show me the waltz 8 pattern and we worked on that for a good bit as well. Other than a tendency to go wild on the last 1/3 and not make it back to center, that went pretty well too.

Public session - worked some more on footwork/edges & still ISO a non-traveling spin, waltz jump with "height" and a more consistent salchow. Actually salchows were feeling pretty good but then . . .

Raking Piles: my 9 y.o. DS (who came with me for the public session skate) said he needed to get home early because DH had specified that he needed to go to bed early because of standardized testing the next day. So I had to end my salchow-fest early. :roll: And to add insult to injury, DH later clarified that this discussion was BEFORE DS decided to go skating with me . . . we didn't NEED to be home early. Grrrrrrr . . . note to self: in the future, verify all info conveyed by DS!! :giveup:

icedancer2

11-07-2007, 02:13 PM

I'm going to have to dope up if I'm to go!

"Dope up" - that is an hilarious expression!:D I hope you two are feeling better soon... bummer to be sick.

jazzpants

11-07-2007, 02:20 PM

Annabel: Make sure your cold medication is approved by your skating feds! We don't want you and Robert to be disqualified for illegal substances! :twisted: :lol:

Both Raking and Turning Leaves:

Well, folks! I should have remember the laws of dealing with all coaches (particular the case with secondary coach...) -- when your coach says that you did a great job at a competition, you better believe that the next lesson s/he gives you is gonna be :twisted: .

We first started on just stroking around the rink two laps. I did about three of those. Two going CCW direction and one CW direction. Obviously going CCW was faster than the CW direction, but not by much. (About 5 seconds. I was expecting to go like over a minute, so I'm glad I stayed under 55 seconds.) Of course my goal is to go under 45 seconds now. (Though she didn't say which direction, I assume it's both!)

Not bad for someone that's half asleep, I think though. :mrgreen:

Raking Piles:
Well, I have to relearn my forward crossovers again. I really need to get that underpush... especially since secondary coach threatened to put hockey skates on me in order to get me to not go on my toe pick. Given what I've read on the "Hockey Skate" thread (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=25100)... ummm... I made darn sure that I don't push on my toe picks on my crossovers after that!!! 8O :lol: :P

Secondary coach then says: "I love your technical program! Okay so you didn't land the loop clean in the program but I know you usually have a good loop...)

(Here it comes now....)

BUT... (BINGO!!!) I don't love your flip at the end! :twisted: (Geez, it IS my last jump in the program!!! :roll: ) So we spent the rest of the lesson with me hooked up to the dreaded and EVILLE harness! 8O Of course, we ALL know how much I hate that thing. However, secondary coach said "Too bad! You're gonna have to get used to being on the harness a LOT! How are you going to learn the axel w/o a harness?" Of course, I'm going like "No! Axel!?!?" She said "Yes, axel! You didn't think you're gonna get up to the point where you're gonna eventually learn an axel." (Ummm... I was still dreading the harness at that point and I'm still trying to get a decent flip? Not even thinking lutz or axels here!!! :giveup: )

Of course, that got the attention of pretty much all the adult skaters that already have an axel. They all heard it and chime in about getting used to being on that harness and just learn to pull in and up. Oooohkay!!! To add to the stress, my secondary coach is griping about her back and my not being dead weight to her. Needless to say, I was dropped quite a few times b/c she needs to protect her lower back. (I'm okay! Just banged up my left hand a bit and my pants are soaking wet.)

Turning Leaves:
But towards the end, I got some instructions that at least helped me to not be as much of a dead weight to her, I managed to land some flips that were up to snuff for her. I did some of those and though most were still two footed landing, the takeoff is much less "toe turned" (that's what she didn't like about it and we were fixing that) and I'm actually getting some height out of it. I also did some loops and they were good for the most part. (Why weren't you there for me at the competition though? :evil: )

Raking Piles again:
I survived the harness, but I'm not sure secondary coach did. Given that both my coaches are kinda shorter and/or about my height, if I have to keep going up on that harness, I better consider getting a third coach who is tall, stronger and bigger than me, very detail and analytical and has great jumping/technique and no back problems and is local to me. (My NYC coach is tall enough but since he's like skinny mini, I'm not sure he's strong enough to hoist up 125lbs on the harness there...) I want a really BIG, TALL and STRONG guy for this job! And if he happens to be "easy on the eyes"... that's bonus!!! :P :twisted: (I'm joking on that "easy on the eyes" part, but if he has that along with my other requirements, I'm not gonna turn him down! ;) )

Thin-Ice, kander: You think 'ol Charlie can handle it? Is he still strong and fit enough to hoist 125 lbs on a harness? I know he has hoisted kander on a harness before and kander is definitely bigger and heavier than me. I wouldn't mind having him as a coach again, even if it's just for this one thing. I know primary coach wouldn't object to my taking from Charlie either, since he had him as a coach before.

cherriee

11-07-2007, 04:23 PM

I HATE Time Zones and time changes :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Tell me about it. :( Somebody at work introduced an utc bug and I'm trying to fix it for him. :evil: (*cry*) I HATE time zones and daylight saving too!

Isk8NYC

11-07-2007, 05:24 PM

Raking Piles:
Actually managed to stop on my newly sharpened skates.
I have to get them sharpened more regularly. Definitely feel a difference in the edges now.

Spins were traveling, but the ice was rather hard and "wavy."

Turning Leaves:
Managed a decent camel-sit and sit-change-sit.
Threes were much easier with sharp blades.
Still two-footing the jump landings, but at least I can jump off the edges now.

Spirals were outstanding, including the change-edge spirals - I think my free foot was the highest ever, even in my ski pants! lol

Mrs Redboots

11-08-2007, 03:00 AM

"Dope up" - that is an hilarious expression!:D I hope you two are feeling better soon... bummer to be sick.Thanks. I hope we are, too. We had to miss out last night, and I haven't gone to work today, although Husband has. He managed to eat some breakfast - I didn't!

Annabel: Make sure your cold medication is approved by your skating feds! We don't want you and Robert to be disqualified for illegal substances! :twisted: :lol::D I was chatting to a "sleb" who is training for Dancing on Ice at our rink - he's a former athlete, and he was saying how blissy it is to be able to take cold meds now, and that he'd discovered Contac, I think, which was, for him, totally magic.

Skittl1321

11-08-2007, 07:27 AM

Raking Piles Group Lesson was very frustrating this week. Salchows and Toe-loops the whole time. And I'm basically having to start over on both of them. My Salchow was better than my toe-loop, which I am totally toe-waltzing. :(

At Syncrho last night I fell in a traveling circle, and thankfully didn't knock into anyone else. But I have a 3 inch bruise my back below my ribs. It's HUGE. I really didn't think I fell that hard- it really didn't even phase me.

Turning Leaves Learned the 5 step mohawk, wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I'd say I'm "ready" to take the test- EXCEPT all the patterns that go one way start on my bad side. So I don't have an entry for the back crossover patterns yet (because turning CCW going that fast is really hard!) and the first mohawk scares the crap out of me (once I get going I'm fine. But I freak out and abort the pattern everytime). It seems a bit unfair that I have to do the pattern MORE on the hard side (5 lobes- 3 hard, 2 easy). Why isn't it done equally on both legs. (I guess this is raking leaves again.)

Also got complimented on synchro that I "look like I know what I'm doing". Guess that's good, since I can't do any of it! At least it's obvious I know what I SHOULD be doing.

sk8tegirl06

11-08-2007, 07:37 AM

Raking piles: For the life of me I can't center any spins. :( Coach said it looked like I was traveling to China...well in about 2 months that is true, but the rink is not the place to do that. Speed on anything other than waltz jump still freaks me out and things get a little chaotic.

Turning Leaves: Coach wants a 3turn not a mohawk entrance on half flip. The 3turn makes it feel more like a jump but right now it is way less controlled. Coach was impressed with the progress on half lutz, however I still don't turn all the way around, so I guess that makes it a quarter lutz?

Any recommendations about skating/training abroad? (China and/or Spain/Europe) I don't want to lose the progress I have made, although access to a rink will be really limited for about a month.

quarkiki2

11-08-2007, 08:25 AM

Jessi -- sorry about the bruise -- I didn't think your fall was that bad, either.

I fell, too, during the footwork circle. My fall was pretty funny, though, as it was one of those slo-mo "Can you believe she's really falling??" kind of falls. No lingering effects, though.

Raking piles: I can do everything in the synchro program.

Turning leaves: But not up to speed. And, because this is only my third practice, I don't know how many crossovers to get from point A to point B -- although I DO know where point A and B are. I don't believe that I look any WORSE than anyone else at this point, though I may not look too good yet.

And, as alway, there were costume issues. This is the ONLY part of being on my team that really, really frustrates me. It's a COSTUME, not your real clothes. Not every costume will flattter every person on the team, but if it works with the music and looks decent on the majority of the team, I don't care. I'm not tiny and have plenty-o-lumpy-spots (particularly post-partum), but I don't whine about everything we wear!!!!! Yes, the pants are tighter through the legs and bum -- they're an athletic cut pant, fer cryin' out loud! Rant over.

Skittl1321

11-08-2007, 08:37 AM

And, as alway, there were costume issues. This is the ONLY part of being on my team that really, really frustrates me. It's a COSTUME, not your real clothes. Not every costume will flattter every person on the team, but if it works with the music and looks decent on the majority of the team, I don't care. I'm not tiny and have plenty-o-lumpy-spots (particularly post-partum), but I don't whine about everything we wear!!!!! Yes, the pants are tighter through the legs and bum -- they're an athletic cut pant, fer cryin' out loud! Rant over.

This is exactly what I went home and told DH! I told him we all tried on the pants- and at first thought- not good at all. I bumped up a size b/c the thighs and groin (to put it nicely) were indecently tight- so now the waist is a little big. When our coach asked what we thought I said "I wouldn't buy them to wear jogging, but think they work fine for a costume." And they aren't the most flattering- but I think it will be nicer to have everyone in the same thing, rather than 3/4 in old costume pants and 1/4 in "find the closest thing to this as you can." Now I have to go alter them- they are 6 inches too long! Not to mention, drill team put me in things 1000x worse. I am really excited to see the whole outfit together!

Rusty Blades

11-08-2007, 09:35 AM

Rotting Leaves: In lesson, worked on Sit Spin - not low enough to count as Sit Spin ....

Fall Colours: .... so coach showed me Change-Foot. Ok, need to practice spinning on my left foot but this might work.

A Chill In The Air: Tomorrow, program run-throughs - oh joy .......

Sessy

11-08-2007, 12:37 PM

doubletoe

11-08-2007, 01:04 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxKW1si1I-U
I filmed today (I went to a public afternoon skating session with a roomie and my best friend, and found a skating friend of mine already there, apparently there's a teacher strike at the college) And I'm not dissapointed. Even the 1-foot I didn't include which *felt* very bad compared to the usual, was better than they were in April.

If anybody has suggestions?

Looking good, Sessy! The difference between the forward upright spins that didn't travel and the one that did travel was how long you held your free leg back. On the one that traveled, you didn't keep it behind you long enough on the entry.

On the change foot spins, you need to change feet before you slow down so much (you are practically stopped by the time you put the other foot down). Without dropping the right hip, point the right toe and put the pick in at around 1:00 in relation to your other foot, with the toe turned in slightly. Without bringing the heel down, pivot into the backspin. Although doing a backspin from a LBI pivot is not easy, it's a fantastic exercise to give you the feeling for this transition.

The camel looks like it's off to a good start, but it looks like you need to bend your knee more on the entrance edge and get your chest lower on the entrance edge (chest pointing down to the ice, but chin pointing up to the walls). I've found that it's easier to get a nice deep entrance edge if I plant my left foot in the ice and then push off onto it, rather than pushing off as I step onto it. You may want to see if that works for you as well.

The sitspin seems to need the most work. You will need to get much lower on your knee on the entrance edge (knee bend at 90 degree angle), extend your free leg out waaaay behind you, arch your lower back and keep it really stiff, keep the free leg back twice as long and make the entrance edge twice as round (you only held it for 1/4 turn). Then, when you bring the free leg to the front, keep your back stiff and arched and keep the leg extended really straight so the force of the leg gives you power. Turn the foot out when the leg reaches 2:00, but let the leg come all the way around until it actually hits the skating leg, then sit down lower into the spin.

The backspin doesn't look bad. Just keep practicing it and it will get better.

It was hard to see the Biellmanns but they looked good to me!!

On the crossovers, try staying a little lower and keeping your feet a little wider apart as you pick up speed. Also, try leaning your head and shoulders a little to the outside of the circle. I think that may help keep you balanced so that you don't pump with the inside leg.

The first "fooling around" spin you did was a catch foot camel, but it works better of you grab the foot with the opposite side hand (left hand). Push the foot up with the blade facing the ceiling, then grab the middle of the blade from above with your left hand and pull up.

Keep up the great work!!!

Sessy

11-08-2007, 01:25 PM

Laura H

11-08-2007, 03:55 PM

hmm . . the pivot I was taught in group class involved placing the toepick in the ice and using the other (skating) foot to do a big sweep (half a swizzle!) around it, which will cause you to rotate on the toe pick. Theoretically I think that's what DS does on his change foot spin too (or what he's SUPPOSED to do). Except after the "sweep" you pick up the foot and bring it into front of you for the backspin position (and, I assume, come back off the toepick so you are on the sweet spot for the backspin!).

Hope that makes sense (or that doubletoe comes back soon and gives you a clearer answer!). ;)

Isk8NYC

11-08-2007, 04:23 PM

When our coach asked what we thought I said "I wouldn't buy them to wear jogging, but think they work fine for a costume." Last year, the pros received our costumes the night before the show. I tried mine on right away and the lycra pants fit okay, not too tight. Whew, I thought.

Next day, walking through the parking lot in my costume on the way into the rink, the pants started to slip down. The waistband elastic wasn't strong enough to stand up to the lycra rubbing and pulling. I ended up pinning the pants to my bodysuit to keep the show rated "G".

Isk8NYC

11-08-2007, 04:27 PM

After nine hours of driving, four hours of sleeping in the car, three skate adjustments, I ended up at Aviator and had a nice time visiting with DBNY and HelenC.

Raking Piles:
Still getting used to the sharp skates - stopping's an issue, but I practiced all my stops. T-stops are the only reliable ones for quick halts.

Too tired to jump. 'nuff said.

Turning Leaves:
Love the result of all the skate adjustments and fixes I had done. I can easily find my "spin spot" now, my feet don't hurt, and my spirals/footwork are much more controlled.

Spirals were great and not "clunky" at all; spins were good, even the camel spin. Back spins were centered again! yay!

jazzpants

11-08-2007, 06:17 PM

After nine hours of driving, four hours of sleeping in the car, three skate adjustments, I ended up at Aviator and had a nice time visiting with DBNY and HelenC.So jealous!!! I wanted to be there!!! *pout* :( (Any chance you might be visiting around Christmas time? :mrgreen: :P :lol: )

Raking Piles:
Okay! Okay! I will try to get to the rink a bit earlier now to warm up. The temps here these days are so cold that my lower back acts up even when spinning. But it's hard to balance that with my job...or sleep!!! :evil:

Spins were sucky b/c my muscles weren't warmed up enough yet. :cry: And I'm back into trying to fix that #%*^@ :evil: forward spin entry again!!! Gotta do it now!

Ditto for those crossovers too!!! (Bad crossovers... you're goin' DOWN, sucka!!! :twisted: )

A brief turning Leaf:
I managed a clean loop-loop landing!!! :mrgreen:

More Raking Piles:
Too bad it was RIGHT AFTER my lesson. (I came close a couple of times DURING my lesson though. Managed to do one that if I stayed on the landing for the second loop that I would have had it too!!!)

More turning leaves:
Though the loop by itself at speed was pretty decent!!! I managed couple of flips where I actually kicked thru too!!! (Of course I also managed a few that pretty much almost killed my lower back too...OWWWWW!!!! 8O )

Moral of the story: Warm up for 15 minutes before the lesson starts!!! :frus:

I am making more progress on the FO-BI bracket exercise that my NYC coach gave me last Christmas. I could only do one seq though. :( (I'm determined to get this exercise by the time I visit NYC!!! I will!!! :evil: )

ETA: Geez, now I'm nervous for doubletoe and I'm not even testing it myself! LOL!!! http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/42.gif

SynchroSk8r114

11-08-2007, 07:24 PM

Turning Leaves: Probably testing my Intermediate freestyle and the Blues in December, if I work hard enough that is.

Raking Piles: No decent double sals today...sad. Also, just found out that freestyle coach will be gone the next two weeks, so there goes my lessons. She suggested, however, that I hook up with this Russian Olympian coach at our rink for those two weeks to get a different perspective and some tips for that darn double sal. Looking into that...

Turning Leaves: Synchro went well. Our three (yep, three!) exhibition programs are finally starting to come together, which is great considering we skate two of the programs next Wednesday and next Friday.

Stormy

11-09-2007, 08:07 AM

Raking piles: Took two days off from work because I needed a mental health break.....I like this not working thing, I want to do it more often! Got to skate for free yesterday during an adult class that my coach teaches. Worked more on the camel jump into back sit, forward sit pancake combo. Trying to get at least 5-8 revs in each position. The jump from the camel into the back sit is going wonky on me, after it being perfectly fine all year. The entire combination isn't bad though, so that's good. Also worked on back camel catch, that one needs a lot more work on getting a consistent snap up into the back camel.

Turning leaves: Jumps were only so so. A couple good double loops and a couple decent double sals. Axels were just ok. I can't wait to get back in the harness Sunday, I still can't believe the difference it made in just one day.

I've also been working on getting bigger huge single loops, flips and lutzes....going for those positive GOEs. :) Why must Gold skaters be under IJS....WHY? Too stressful! :giveup:

BatikatII

11-09-2007, 09:22 AM

Nearly didn't skate today but now I'm glad I did since 'turning leaves' : my loop-loop was there consistently even when I tried it from my programme steps. Also landed a few good flips. When I get this jump right is seems so easy - trouble is I don't get it right very often!

Also I'm feeling better about my 4th placing in recent free dance comp having learnt the girl I took one judge off (who came third) passed her level 6 compulsories in 2006. I have level 2 compulsories and level 3 free dance. Also realised the first placed skater was a high level free skater as I suspected, since she has competed at (UK) level 6+ in free, so as a lowly level 1 free skater I don't think there was much chance of doing better really. I was probably about 20 years older than the top 3 as well!;)

Can't decide whether to keep the dance or have a new one next year but if I do change, I really need some music on a starry theme as I want to keep the lovely dress I made for my free dance. Any ideas welcomed.

In lessons this week I practised elements for level 2 free tests and everything is fine except my 'raking piles'back spin - I hate this spin at the moment although I think when I get it I will love it!

Also in lesson started working on a level 2 variation dance (I think this is peculiar to the UK) which is basically chopping up a canasta tango and adding a variation to it. I can't remember all of the variation yet but 'turning leaves': I think I will be able to do the hard RFI, LBI, RFI twisty thing at speed fairly soon.

Must go and make my 'sexy lady pirate' costume for our Christmas show now!

Rusty Blades

11-09-2007, 11:29 AM

Raking Leaves: In lesson, finalized last part of choreography with coach and did multiple program run-throughs. Coach thought we were nowhere near ready for competition (Nov. 24) but I knew I “had it” all in my mind and just needed to skate it a few times.

Fall Colours: After a few run-throughs I think coach is much relieved :mrgreen:

Raking Leaves: Coach referred to me as a "recreational skater"! :roll: MUST correct her! I am a competitive skater I am just an over the hill competitive skater ;)

Sessy

11-09-2007, 02:08 PM

Well I did some bunny hops, let's see how that goes with the ankle.

I noticed about the footage I took yesterday that I was dropping my arms before going into a spin, corrected that, got SO much more speed in my spins now. Downside: I am travelling more this way, although it usually travels back in a circle.

Other than that, one coach was ill and we only had a third of the ice and were told to go do "something else", so it was total chaos and I didn't really get to experiment with doubletoe's great suggestions at all. :(

doubletoe

11-09-2007, 02:14 PM

Ohhhh thanks for the elaborate comments! I'm so gonna print these out and take them with me on ice, thanks!!! :bow:

One question: how does one do a pivot? We don't practice them in class. I tried looking a few months ago for pivots on youtube and came up with nothing. :(
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_videos&search_query=pivot%20figure%20skating&search_sort=relevance&search_category=0&search=Search&v=&uploaded=&page=2
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pivot+ice+skating&search=Search

Back then it was mentioned for the toeloop and like, like what the guy does in some pair skating pair spins, and I think I got the idea for a toeloop but I don't really get how one would backspin from that?

The pivot you need for this backspin entry is a left back inside pivot. Left back inside is the edge you are on, so it will be your right toe that is in the ice. You can get onto the LBI edge any way you like. I do it from a very small, gentle LFO 3-turn (exit is on LBI edge, then you stick your right toepick into the ice, straight down). You want to try to use the LBI edge to do a circle around the right toepick, which stays stuck in the ice in one place. As your right hip turns in after half a circle or so, lift the left foot off the ice and get onto the part of your right blade directly behind the toepick, but still including the bottom pick. It will turn it into a backspin. This is not an easy entrance, but once you get it, it will ensure that you can do the forward-back spin transition.

blackmanskating

11-09-2007, 03:07 PM

jazzpants

11-09-2007, 05:09 PM

Finalized the choreography for my Bronze FS test. I am having trouble with all of the complicated steps. The jumps and spins are easy. All of the brackets, rockers, and twizzles are throwing me off. Then my coach threw in a Spiral sequence too. It's like he designed this program to highlight every weakness I have. All it needs is a sit spin to really make me look like I suck. I got a month to get it right. :roll: Please pray for me!!!:halo:You'll get the test! I just know it. (Work on the sit spin though... and yeah, all coaches design programs to highlight every weakness you have. It's call giving the skater a "challenge!!!" LOL!!!)

How are your jumps now? Knowing you, you probably are on triples now! :P :lol: :giveup: (The last smiley is for me... I'm still on "Me? An axel? 8O " from last Wed's lesson...)

blackmanskating

11-09-2007, 05:38 PM

You'll get the test! I just know it. (Work on the sit spin though... and yeah, all coaches design programs to highlight every weakness you have. It's call giving the skater a "challenge!!!" LOL!!!)

How are your jumps now? Knowing you, you probably are on triples now! :P :lol: :giveup: (The last smiley is for me... I'm still on "Me? An axel? 8O " from last Wed's lesson...)

Well I'm not on triples just yet although I did over rotate a double flip once into an almost triple. I pulled in Scared me half to death. But that showed me that I have triples that lie dormant waiting for me to tap into them. So that makes me hopeful. First thing's first!!!! I need a Clean double axel.

BlackManSkating

looplover

11-09-2007, 05:42 PM

Finalized the choreography for my Bronze FS test. I am having trouble with all of the complicated steps. The jumps and spins are easy. All of the brackets, rockers, and twizzles are throwing me off. Then my coach threw in a Spiral sequence too. It's like he designed this program to highlight every weakness I have. All it needs is a sit spin to really make me look like I suck. I got a month to get it right. :roll: Please pray for me!!!:halo:

You'll pass, I know it!:mrgreen:

Jazzpants, congrats on the loop-loop! I can't quite get that one yet...not for lack of trying :roll:

Raking Piles: Didn't practice this a.m., too cold. Hm I better get over this "too cold" thing and get my rear end to the rink before work cuz I don't live in FL anymore and there are going to be a lot of "too cold" mornings. Also: Will not meet goal of axel by 40th birthday since 40th birthday is Sunday. However...I may be crazy and give it a shot since I am skating that day.

Turning leaves: well I didn't practice so I don't have a turning leaves :-/

Kim to the Max

11-09-2007, 06:49 PM

Ugh...skating today was a whole bunch of raking piles. I made the mistake of donating blood this morning, which meant that I was feeling sluggish and not quite up to speed :( I feel like I wasted coach's time...didn't get much of anything done....ugh, I hate that feeling....

Well, I'll add a session tomorrow and practice extra hard to make up for it...

Although, a turning leaf is that coach may have figured out why I was having such troubles on my brackets in the field! that made me a little happy after such a crappy lesson. I was leaning toward my toe instead of being toward my heel...

aussieskater

11-10-2007, 12:18 AM

Can't decide whether to keep the dance or have a new one next year but if I do change, I really need some music on a starry theme as I want to keep the lovely dress I made for my free dance. Any ideas welcomed.

Could you get a dance cut out of Starry Starry Night by Don Maclean?

singerskates

11-10-2007, 01:17 AM

singerskates

11-10-2007, 01:50 AM

Yesterday=Thursday
Today=Friday

Turning Leaves: Picked up my asthma medication and allergy pills at doctor's yesterday and asked about getting the flu shot. Got the shot.

Raking Leaves: Yesterday: Sore arm from shot. Today Nauseated stomach from flu shot. For the first hour of club ice, my stomach was so nauseated that I thought it was going to do the volcano. But weirdly enough, the spins didn't bother me. What did bother me were my jump landings! Everytime I landed a jump, I thought Mount St. Helen was going to explode. LOL But of course it didn't. My stomach just needed time to settle down.

Turning Leaves: Today; after the first 45 minutes, I decided to skate with the beginners on the session during group lesson (I normally skip this.). I found out while we were skating RFO edges around the circle while not really forcing the edge, that I was struggling to stay on an outside edge. Same thing happened when we were doing RBO edges on a circle. I was fighting to stay on the edge and could feel my foot inside the boot getting pulled both ways. My heel was being pushed by the implant the Skate Shop had put on top of the heel area inside left of my boot and the ball of foot was twisting to the inside. It's no wonder my right heel was falling asleep inside my right skate and why I couldn't get a proper outside edge on my right foot. The reason why I'm saying that this is "Turning Leaves" is that I found the cause to my pain in my right foot and why I couldn't get my right outside edge without fighting the edge.

Once I fixed the inside of my skate by taking the extra layer place in the left side of my right heel inside my boot, I added some thinner soft padding to the left side of my ball of my foot between the footbed and the skate. I went back onto the ice to try skating in a straight line forwards and back and for once I wasn't turning one way or the other. Then I tried a few RI3s. Perfect 3's for a change. Then I tried some swing rolls and some of my Creative Dance. Much cleaner. I then ventured with a few toe loops and loops. Toes were wow. And loop could have been clean if I didn't bother to look at what was happening on the landing. LOL Free foot just had to play Football = Touch Down for a second. Still much much better than before. I then tried what I haven't been able to do for months; a clean 2/3's of the ice change edge spiral on the right foot, out to inside. Also, I finally got my left freeleg up on the second part of the change edge without putting the leg down also the RO part of the change edge has the freeleg much higher than before. :D

I'm wondering if I should adjust my left skate too so that I can get a bit more outside edge and not fall inward on my forward spins sometimes. My forward camel just won't stay up because I'm falling to the inside edge too easily and the salchow likes to get too round on take off. Hmmm? :idea: :?:

It was then time to leave. Drats!

BatikatII

11-10-2007, 06:22 AM

Could you get a dance cut out of Starry Starry Night by Don Maclean?

:D That was the only starry song that came to my mind originally too - but I'm not sure it has much of a beat - I think I have a version somewhere so I should have a listen. Thanks. I'm not sure I could skate to it though, since it always makes me feel really sad and always makes me think of my grandmother (now long gone) as I first heard it at her house.

Terri C

11-10-2007, 07:27 AM

Raking Piles:

Lost two days of practice because I was up for two hours in the middle of the night on Wednesday am and was too tired to skate. Went to drop skates off at my rink for the blades to be permanently mounted and returned the next day by one of our coaches. On Thursday, said coach forgot to bring in my skates.

Turning Leaves:

Finally got my skates back and was able to skate this morning!! Spins are centered!!! Jumps are not too bad either.

RinkRat321

11-10-2007, 02:58 PM

raking piles
session was so crowded today!

turning leaves
CLEAN 2loop!
spins were alright

layback from today (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faEev0AaOgg)

Bill_S

11-10-2007, 05:07 PM

My back is better - still not perfect though. I've been able to attempt jumps without feeling like I'm going to break in half.

Right boot is definitely oversized. I stuffed a paper towel (folded thrice and torn into thirds) into the heel and I skated better. I bought a Dr. Scholl's heel insert today while shopping. I'll experiment a bit with that later.

I'm feeling good about deep edges and POWER while skating. Wish I could be as stylish as some of the other skaters though.

I've always admired the precision stroking of Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin when they entered an arena before taking their starting position. There's something very powerful and controlled about it. I recently saw Canadian skater Patrick Chan on TV and saw the same control in his skating.

So... I practiced lots of stroking today.

Skate@Delaware

11-10-2007, 06:59 PM

This would normally be a day I skate for 2 1/2 hours....but so far, I'm still not able to. However, I am noticing some feeling coming back in my leg and toes, and I am able to tolerate standing and walking for more than 1-2 minutes.

So, I'm hoping to go tomorrow and skate in short bursts of about 5 minutes or so, sit a few then skate some more......I hope! Then it's home to work in my sewing room!!!!

I did notice today, when I keep walking through the pain (hard to do but I can do it) the pain diminishes and the numbness builds.....not sure if I want to skate with an increasingly numb leg, though. I'm also not sure if it causes permanent damage when I do this so I won't do it.

Physicical therapy evaluation on Monday, so many ????? will be (hopefully) answered!!!

Skate well, people!!!!

liz_on_ice

11-11-2007, 01:43 PM

raking piles - miserable cold for the last two weeks means I've had very little exercise of any kind, and skating has been poor. Finally I'm starting to see the end in sight.

turning leaves - learning my new program, started tuning it at my last lesson, which was otherwise a big steaming pile.

Laura H

11-12-2007, 08:35 AM

From Friday evening public skate session (DH and I had a "skate date" as the kids were at a sleepover!):

turning leaves: not very crowded public session and most everyone stayed out of the center ice which meant I had plenty of room to practice jumps & spins, and the waltz 8 pattern. Really got into the waltz 8 - even managing to get that last 1/3 of the circle under control! Had a couple of nicely centered spins too . . .hope that trend continues.

raking piles: salcows turned to YUCK in the later part of the session . . . but after exiting the ice I realized something was off with my left blade (i.e. takeoff) and the blade was a little loose so hopefully that was the cause of the problem.

Also, the last 20 minutes of public session were a little surreal as a teenager dislocated his knee in a fall (I think, I didn't see anything happen, just saw him laying on the ice) and had to be extracted from the ice via stretcher/EMS . . . eek.

Thin-Ice

11-17-2007, 06:18 PM

Thin-Ice, kander: You think 'ol Charlie can handle it? Is he still strong and fit enough to hoist 125 lbs on a harness? I know he has hoisted kander on a harness before and kander is definitely bigger and heavier than me. I wouldn't mind having him as a coach again, even if it's just for this one thing. I know primary coach wouldn't object to my taking from Charlie either, since he had him as a coach before.

Charlie is currently working with an adult who is at least 5' 10" and 175+ pounds and has no problem with him on the harness, so I'm pretty sure Charlie can handle you on the harness. But be warned, he makes this guy do most of the work.. in fact, he's only holding the rope with one hand.... so don't count on Charlie to make you fly like Tinkerbell if you're not really jumping up! But it must be fun no matter what. Both of them are laughing all through the axel lessons.