Pretty gifts or a lump of coal! Practice Dec 24 to 30

[Rusty Blades]

Being on the verge of Christmas Eve ;)

Coal: I hadn't really planned on skating today and being an optional day at work, I hadn't even planned on going to the city but on Friday the head coach "suggested very strongly" that I should come and keep her company Monday morning. Who needs 5 days off in a row anyway :roll:

Being December 24th and being coach-less this week I thought I would just have a nice easy leisurely skate, just some gentle stroking, easy smooth edges, and just enjoy myself, which I did.

Coal: Since I am genetically unable to "take it easy", the "gentle stroking" became pushing for speed and power, the "easy smooth edges" became "extreme cross-overs", and somehow spins and jumps found their way into my "leisurely" session! 8O SHEESH! Oh well .....

Pretty Gifts: The Upright Spins were really cooking! At least half went the required 3 revolutions and some to 4 and 4-1/2 (if my count isn't as dizzy as I was!) A couple of Sit Spins almost happened - pulled in ok and started to "wind up" - I just need the right position over my skating blade to hold them together. Some of the Waltz/Toe combinations "clicked" - when I hit the Toe Loop right I actually come out of the jump faster than I went in - SCARY! :mrgreen:

So much for a "nice leisurely skate"! But what the heck, I enjoyed myself and that is what it's all about. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

MERRY CHRISTMAS SKATERS! :halo:

[looplover]

Pretty gifts: Wow, I finally have an actual backspin. Shock of shocks! And not from a standstill pivot...but from a very slow LFI to RFI. It's on the correct edge! Consistently 5 revs! Now to work on speed and the exit.

Landed loop today in the program and though it wasn't big it was on one foot.

Am over the no-sectionals/no-nationals mental trauma...on to 2009 (any rumors of where that may be?)!

Coal: Fell over on my sit spin cuz I ended up on my toe pick, grr. I don't usually do that so of all the things not to get in the program. My entry to that is weird. Have to make the program look more artistic - I have close to zero natural dance talent. Dizzy after scratch spin so my footwork right after that looks uncomfortable and forced. Committed a faux pas and made club president mad. Hopefully can smooth that over :-/

Merry Christmas all!

[FlyAndCrash]

Hehe...

Pretty Gifts: I took my prelim moves and free and passed both!

Coal: The free was really sucky and I was nervous, but it all worked out okay.

Pretty Gifts: My moves were great today. Except for the one really bad spiral at one end during my test that the judge didn't see (so that doesn't count). I passed at .6 over the average (.1 over on everything except crossover-outside edge which was .2 over!!!). :lol:

[Rusty Blades]

Congratulations F&C!

[Thin-Ice]

Hehe...

Pretty Gifts: I took my prelim moves and free and passed both!

Coal: The free was really sucky and I was nervous, but it all worked out okay.

Pretty Gifts: My moves were great today. Except for the one really bad spiral at one end during my test that the judge didn't see (so that doesn't count). I passed at .6 over the average (.1 over on everything except crossover-outside edge which was .2 over!!!). :lol:

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Wow... .6 over... you must have had a REALLY good moves day orrrrr, you're just about ready to take your next test, too!

[liz_on_ice]

cool thread title :)

Took DD to the public session to help pass those last pre-Christmas hours, and work off some fruitcake ;)

Lumps of Coal - working on my toe waltz, I mean loop, I'm trying to fix the takeoff, which means of course I can't do it at all.

Pretty gifts Ballet jump has grown springs. same takeoff as the toe loop, only I do it right. Go figure.

dbny was there and gave me a tip on my FO mohawk that dressed up my 9-step dance sequence nicely. I'm off the flat and gaining speed. Very fine present!

[FlyAndCrash]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! you're just about ready to take your next test, too!

Umm... no. I HATE moves! :halo: But my coach has now decided to up the ante and have me pass pre-juv before my membership expires. :frus:

Anyways, I've been working on prelim for since August. Every week... :roll: I was super happy that I passed though.

Thanks for the congrats everybody! :)

[dbny]

Hehe...

Pretty Gifts: I took my prelim moves and free and passed both!


CONGRATULATIONS!



Pretty gifts Ballet jump has grown springs. same takeoff as the toe loop, only I do it right.

It also really looks balletic!


dbny was there and gave me a tip on my FO mohawk that dressed up my 9-step dance sequence nicely. I'm off the flat and gaining speed. Very fine present!

Aw, thanks! Glad it worked for you. I saw you doing that move in the center later with a very nice BO edge on the mohawk. Too bad I can't manage it myself :roll:.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Pretty Gifts

Had wonderful skates the last 2 sessions, and some things really started to come together. Backspins, finally starting to have circles instead of twizzle tracings. And started work again on flying camels and jumping the change of foot in the camel. Yay. Jumps were all pretty good too.

Lump of Coal

No more skating for 2 whole weeks !!! :cry:
The rink is closed for 2 weeks now. I am so going to go through withdrawal, as always. Even more frustrating cos I felt I was making some progress.

Never mind, I will survive, and I tell myself that some of my joints and muscles might benefit from the rest.

Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays All !!!

[Rob Dean]

Lump of Coal: Just a little one--both my regular lesson rinks closed yesterday, so the lesson I had anticipated for Christmas Eve didn't happen...

Pretty Gifts: ...so, also to work off too many holiday treats, I went out to the public session yesterday afternoon. I'd had a fall on Thursday resulting in a twisted knee. I skated through the lesson after, but was sore Friday and Saturday. I was pleased to be skating with no pain yesterday, and had the usual experience of having the public session skaters ask me if I was a coach becasue I skated so well. :) It's good to remember how far we've come once in a while.

Rob

[ibreakhearts66]

pretty gifts
did very well with not popping jumps. it usually takes me like 5 popped axels to actually start doing them. this time, i only popped one and it was because i caught my edge.

also with axels, i was able to do them late in the session when someone asked to see one. usually after i've warmed them up and moved on, any attempts to go back to them aren't too successful. maybe i have finally destroyed that mental block!

double flips went well. my biggest problem with them now is that i'll be so surprised to be standing up that i'll put my foot down

did a really nice came from crossovers. i usually only enter from a 3-turn. i was busy talking about how terrible my spins were from xovers and how the 3-turn gave me so much more power. well my "evidence" was definitely to the contrary lol

lumps of coal
its my last week of skating for a long time :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
surgery is creeping up on me--december 31st

[LilJen]

Pretty gifts: Got a good skate/workout session in yesterday. Because it was Christmas Eve, it was a wee bit more crowded than the usual midweek/midday session, but not too badly. Worked a lot just on edges and steadiness.

Coal: Waltz 8s sucked!! Don't quite know why but I was just really off & wobbly.

Pretty gifts: Abandoned the waltz 8s for simple FI and FO 8s in the hockey circle, concentrating on steadiness and edge quality. Much better (I see from the Figures thread that these are called circle eights). Also pulled off a decent 3-turn pattern (prebronze moves). Seems like when I concentrate on riding the back edge of each 3-turn and on keeping my abs tight, it goes well.

Coal: I'm sooooo out of shape. . . didn't take long to get winded. Many breaks during the hour I was at the rink.

[skatergal]

Pretty gifts - my dd and I were skating yesterday - the only 2 on the ice at 3:30 on Christmas eve. That was a gift in itself. Then a middle aged guy comes up to me and says "you were amazing out there! What an inspiration! How long did it take you to learn all that? I think I've found my new hobby."

That's great. LOL this is the second person I've been an inspiration to. I guess they think that if an old, fat, out-of-shape broad like me can do it, anyone can!

[Skate@Delaware]

Pretty gifts: Wow, I finally have an actual backspin. Shock of shocks! And not from a standstill pivot...but from a very slow LFI to RFI. It's on the correct edge! Consistently 5 revs! Now to work on speed and the exit.

Landed loop today in the program and though it wasn't big it was on one foot.

Am over the no-sectionals/no-nationals mental trauma...on to 2009 (any rumors of where that may be?)!

Coal: Fell over on my sit spin cuz I ended up on my toe pick, grr. I don't usually do that so of all the things not to get in the program. My entry to that is weird. Have to make the program look more artistic - I have close to zero natural dance talent. Dizzy after scratch spin so my footwork right after that looks uncomfortable and forced. Committed a faux pas and made club president mad. Hopefully can smooth that over :-/

Merry Christmas all!
I had problems looking artistic and graceful...again try practicing in front of a mirror. You will feel dumb but it works!!!

I get SUPER dizzy after spinning my coach has me do a few slow crossovers or back swing rolls just to re-orient myself, and it looks nicer than just doing nothing or little pushes. Then you can re-steer yourself into the right direction.

When we hit lessons (after we have a little discussion) we will choreograph my new routine (artistic spotlight)...and try some loops. One-footed. I will be wearing my pads. yup!

[liz_on_ice]

lump of coal - fell off my RBO edge and onto my butt, my back, and clocked my head. Fortunately, I'd soaked up enough impact so by the time my head hit, it was almost nothing, not even a lump now. All that spiral muscle took most of the landing pretty well, I don't feel sore anywhere. Scary though 8O

shiny present a little girl at the rink today told me my skating was very pretty. :D

[myste12]

Pretty Gifts: Jumped for the first time in over a week and landed double sals and double toe. Maybe I should lay off the jumps more often, because I'm rarely as consistent as I was today. I also did my first full run through of my new freeskate with the double jumps and spins. I landed both double sals and both axels! Not too bad for the first full runthrough.

Coal: I'm still having trouble with the change of edge spiral in my program. My coach wants me to do FO edge catch foot and change to FI edge unassisted. I find it really hard to control the change of edge in the catch foot position. I usually end up on a long flat and losing all speed before hitting the FI edge spiral. I have to find time to work on this!

[jskater49]

Lumps of coal

Being back on the ice, trying to skate after having been off since last Wednesday and eating and lying around for a week.

Pretty gift - Coach complemented by nice big edgy lobes with forward perimeter crossovers in Bronze Moves

Backward--I started with nice strong pushes, then got weaker and lost track of my axis, but once I got back to strong pushes .....I was back on the axis and everything looked good.

Coal - entry edge for a spin. Ugh...everyone seems to do that so easily and it is such a chore for me...and I keep rushing it.

Half flip...from a stand still, I do a good stretch, edge, decent jump - but in the program ...I'm still whipping it around.

But not a bad session for having been off ice for awhile.

j

[Morgail]

Pretty Gifts:
-Camel!!! Suddenly, something clicked and it feels great. Don't know if it actually looks good though ;) And it's been consistent for the past 3 skating sessions.
-Did a few camel-sit-backsits.
-Got my lesson time set up for the new year.
-Moves are slowly improving.
-Dances have good edges and are on pattern.
-Had so much fun skating these past few days! :)

Lump of Coal:
-sit spin hasn't yet returned to its former sitting position
-haven't been able to practice dances to music - first, it was too crowded, and then I discovered that my iPod was dead from lack of use
-muscles hurt - guess I'm building the skating muscles back up

[Isk8NYC]

Pretty Gifts:
The fact that I actually got on the ice was a gift in itself.
Backspins were very good, MITF were also good.
Waltz, Toe Loop, and combination were good. Need more height.

Lump of Coal:
Loop and Flip jumps were weak and landings were all cheated. Takeoffs feel more secure, though.
Couldn't practice too many MITF patterns because there were too many skaters of a wide range of skills.
Kept getting in the way or getting cut off and interrupted.
Had to leave early to do some shopping and get home for guests. Kills me to spend money on freestyles and have to cut them short.

Ah well, maybe I'll get to Coffee Club tomorrow and put in a bit more time on the ice.

[Terri C]

Pretty Gifts:
Freshly sharpened blades- got them sharpened while I was off the ice for the holiday.
Started re-vamping my Bronze CM program for Easterns and put together my own straightline footwork sequence- now need to get the muscle and knee bend memory down and it should be fine.
Also dabbled with some artistic stuff in anticipation of getting my new artistic program music next week.

Lump of Coal:
Why is it that the Zam guys are ready to run the zam at the end of a freestyle (or even 10 minutes before) and they drag their butt when having to resuface after hockey for a freestyle?!

[kander]

Lump of Coal: Still haven't landed that perfect axel, but I'm getting closer. I expect it any day now. Yerba Buena was packed on Christmas day and I couldn't do much.

Pretty Gifts: Some kid asked me for my autograph. Quite an ego booster :) I haven't tried loop-loop combos in a long time and did some pretty good sequences of 6 and 7 in a row. My old legs can't handle more than that :cry:

[Kim to the Max]

Lump of Coal:

I went all the way out to one of the rinks in Milwaukee (actually Wauwatosa) just to find that there was hockey and no freestyle...I'm bummed because I really wanted to skate! Serves me right for not calling.

I guess I'll have to go tomorrow to the Pettit Center for some practice time...or else I will have to explain to my coach why I look like I haven't skated in a week when I have my lesson on the 2nd!

Hopefully, I can borrow my mom's car tomorrow, Friday, and Sunday mornings to go to the rink...but, she always has been and always will be a nervous Nelly when it comes to me driving somewhere...even when it's my own car! (this was even before the 2 accidents I was in)...

[jazzpants]

Lump of Coal: Still haven't landed that perfect axel, but I'm getting closer. I expect it any day now. Yerba Buena was packed on Christmas day and I couldn't do much.

Pretty Gifts: Some kid asked me for my autograph. Quite an ego booster :) I haven't tried loop-loop combos in a long time and did some pretty good sequences of 6 and 7 in a row. My old legs can't handle more than that :cry:
Congrats on the autograph seeker! :lol:

Be glad that you came Christmas day. I just got email this morning that the YB rink became a PUDDLE today!!! Holy Moley!!! 8O 8O 8O In fact, its still a puddle as of now!!! Just got email saying that the "North Pole Puddle" is still at YB. :x :evil: (I guess I should be glad that I'm vacationing in NYC, huh?) ;)

[doubletoe]

A big congratulations to Fly & Crash!! :bow:

Pretty Gifts
My husband and I flew to Texas on Christmas Eve, staying for just 21 hours before flying back home Christmas Day. But it was WONDERFUL! It was the first time my entire family--mother, father, 3 brothers and I--were together for Christmas in 27 years. All 8 if my nieces & nephews were there as well. It could not have been better (well, unless we'd been able to stay for an hour longer instead of leaving before dessert, LOL!)

Today I skated two freestyle sessions with a skating friend who was visiting from out of state. We had a great time and each taught each other a useful trick. Oddly, several of the things I have the most trouble on were unusually good today: My flying camel was better than usual and I actually completed the flying camel combo spin in my program for a change. I also I miraculously landed 100% of my axel and double salchow attempts! I can't remember the last time that happened. I only attempted 4 axels and 2 double sals, but hey, 100% is 100%. :) I think my boots must be broken in enough now. ;) Not bad for just 8 hours of skating in them!

I had avoided MIF and done nothing but freestyle, but in the last 5 minutes before getting off the ice, I did the dreaded Intermediate back power 3's, first CCW, then CW. Completed the pattern with control and flow in both directions. I am having good success with the new little breakthrough on the CW ones and crossing my fingers that it continues!

Lumps of Coal
Reverse upright spin entrance is still giving me trouble. I can do it from a standstill with the tiniest bit of a LFI edge before the RFI entry edge, but if I'm already moving at all when I set up for it, fuggeddabouddit. :frus:

[ibreakhearts66]

pretty gifts
did some reeeaaaally nice camels. probably 10-12 revs, fast and centered. felt great.

did one good outside edge scratch. i used to be really good at them, but now, ugh. but the fact that my blades are so dull that deep outside edges skid might have something to do with it lol

lumps of coal
ughhh lots of those

tried lowering a layback into a michelle kwan position. yeah, that is one move that is not going to make it into my repertoire.got out of the spin, felt a little sizzy. all of a sudden i woke up face down on the ice with a bloody nose lol.

something is wrong with my right leg. i think i might have stress fractures in my fibula, because it hurts and is pretty swollen. idk. at first it was just a stabbing pain when i extended my leg right before the 3-turn for a double toe. who knows. but i'll be on crutches for a while as of december 31st, so no used going to a doctor. they'd prolly just put me in a boot, and i can do that myself.

took a not-so-fun fall on a double flip. i t was one of those falls where i pulled my arms too far around to my let, so when i fell i twisted and whacked my left hip.


4 days til surgery :(

[kander]

Congrats on the autograph seeker! :lol:

Be glad that you came Christmas day. I just got email this morning that the YB rink became a PUDDLE today!!! Holy Moley!!! 8O 8O 8O In fact, its still a puddle as of now!!! Just got email saying that the "North Pole Puddle" is still at YB. :x :evil: (I guess I should be glad that I'm vacationing in NYC, huh?) ;)

I should have gone swimming :lol:

[Isk8NYC]

Pretty Gifts: I took my prelim moves and free and passed both!
CONGRATULATIONS!

Pretty Gifts: Some kid asked me for my autograph.
What name did you sign? I once went to a baseball game with one of DH's prankster friends. There were about 20 of us in scattered seats in the section. He had us keep coming up to him and asking for an autograph. After the third time, people sitting near him started asking for an autograph. They figured he was some celebrity that they didn't recognize. Little did they know that "Andy Y" was just playing with their heads. lol

[Rusty Blades]

Lump! The ice was unusually crowded this morning - 8 skaters is "crowded" on our 7 a.m. session - apparently we have the ONLY ice in the area over the Christmas week.

Lumpy: Worked WAY too hard over the Christmas break, it wasn't my best skate - I was STIFF as can be!

Pretty: Worked on upright spins - some were actually GOOD and looked like a real skater did them! 8O

Lump: Sit spins stink! just wasn't getting them centred today

Pretty: Waltz/Toe combinations - some really popped up nice, just have to get them away from the boards!

Also decided to switch to a dress for practice (if it isn't bitterly cold) - more freedom of movement than slacks.

Pretty: Actually didn't freeze any vital parts this morning - a few expendable parts but nothing vital. 8-)

[jazzpants]

Pretty Gifts:

I finally got on the ice!
I had my first lesson with my NYC coach!!!
NYC coach noticed that my (CCW anyway) crossovers have improved! :mrgreen: (To the point where he says "You know how to do this! You're just being lazy!!! I'm gonna tell your coaches on you! :twisted: :lol: ")
HelenC was also on the ice w/ me....and she also says my crossovers have improved too. :mrgreen: (Thank goodness! My secondary coach and I have worked on this for ages and she would kill me if I didn't make any improvements on those.)
I showed NYC coach my loop and my brackets. Not great, but both were there. (Thank goodness!!! :bow: )Lump Of Coal:

Of course, on the loop and the backspin, there is still work to do. Have to go and close the legs in. :frus:
My lower back on my landing side is sore. That's why my loop wasn't that great today. But at least he sees that I'm landing those loops clean now... and NYC coach gave me one more thing to help me improve on them. (He wants me to close my legs in. We did back power 3's to practice the position to close my free leg in.)
Have to put on hip pads on the next lesson -- he's gonna put me on the evil harness! 8O. (I'm sure secondary coach is gonna love seeing this. :roll: )

[Kim to the Max]

Pretty Gifts:

Actually got to go skating today!! I was a little stiff getting after not skating since last week Friday :( So it took me a little while to get going...but, it was really nice to be on the ice :) now, let's see if the weather cooperates for me to be able to go Saturday or Sunday...or maybe even Monday before I leave to go back to Syracuse, NY.

I saw a coach I haven't seen since 1999...it was cool to see her reaction to seeing me on the ice...and the fact that she says that I still look the same and I don't look like I've gotten any older :)

I also saw someone I used to skate with...didn't get a chance to talk with her, but it was still good to see some familiar faces among the new kids...although, many of the coaches were still the same!

Jumps and spins were decent...skating here in Milwaukee, where there are a lot of dedicated skaters (landing up to double axel and working on triples), reminds me of how much I still have to learn...and how much harder I can work...

Lump of coal:
Moves were a little slow today :( and I was not doing too hot with the CW power-3s and the power circles...I keep getting messed up with the power circles because coach wants the forward to exit opposite directions (same with the backward ones)...I really need to get these consistent! And that needs to happen before January 21st! grrrr....

[Skate@Delaware]

this is for last night (I was tooo tired to write earlier, i have come down with a cold):

Pretty gifts: after arriving a seeing a virtually empty parking lot-I thought there was no ice....WRONG! there just wasn't anyone (hardly) there! 5 people. Yay!

I tried my new "loop" exercise...on the line, LFI to right inside mohawk, set, LOOP! and managed to CROSS MY FREE FOOT AND LAND ON ONE FOOT!!!! This is the 2nd time in my skating history this has happened....not a fluke then! Of course, I could not replicate, and after a few more tries they got really sloppy....so I moved on.

Backspins are happening more than not, even if it's only one revolution! Waltz jumps and salchows are coming along nicely; I can salchow from a mohawk and from back crossovers (only-no 3-turn). Worked on PUSHING up on the waltz jump, got some distance even tho I did not go fast.

Lump of coal: scratch spins.....maybe it's my cold. Maybe it's my right hip that I lift (I can feel it now). Both neither etc. Not happening.

Toe-loops-back to waltzing on those. I'm tentative and not trusting my left leg...it gave out on me a few times; I can't feel if my toe is DOWN or sideways. this part sucks. Oh well, i always hated that jump!!!!! :twisted: (altho the 3-turn is nice and flatter, strong on the check now).

[kander]

What name did you sign? I once went to a baseball game with one of DH's prankster friends. There were about 20 of us in scattered seats in the section. He had us keep coming up to him and asking for an autograph. After the third time, people sitting near him started asking for an autograph. They figured he was some celebrity that they didn't recognize. Little did they know that "Andy Y" was just playing with their heads. lol

I told him I was a nobody and that he didn't really want my autograph. He probably thinks I was somebody famous blowing him off.

Lump of Coal: Had one of the worst lesson/sessions ever today. Couldn't do anything. At the end of the lesson I apologized to my coach for sucking so bad.

Pretty Gifts: Despite sucking so bad, I managed to at least two foot all my doubles and I didn't hurt myself.

I don't know why, but the last couple months I've started two footing everything. I've skated for 15 years and I've never had that problem before. I wonder if it's a getting old kind of thing.

[Rusty Blades]

I didn't realize coach was doing a full session today but she had other skaters in for some ice time before competition. Oh oh! Had to work this morning - LOL!

Lumpy: Jumps kind of fell apart this morning - the Waltz/Toe that was gong so well yesterday turned into a Waltz/Mohawk :cry: I can really kick up into the Waltz jump and spring into the Toe Loop if my confidence is with me ..... apparently it was somewhere else today :roll:

Pretty: Upright spins were still happening (most of the time) so coach said "Ok, those are easy for you now so lets ..."

Lumpy: WHOA, hold on there! "Easy"??? I have only had a decent upright spin 50% of the time for the last few days! "Easy"???? 8O

Pretty: Sit spins were getting closer and coach gave me a few pointers that actually helped a great deal - I think a couple of them ended up being recognizable as an-attempt-at-a-sit-spin! (Next thing I know she will be saying THOSE are "easy"!)

Stalking Stuffer: The Shoot-The-Duck into a forward Spiral was half-baked - it wasn't very low but I did hold the edge all the way through.

Could be either: In a last minute surge of bravado (continued insanity? 8O ) I asked coach to sign my competition entry for the Manitoba Open (in February) and committed to entering my Free Skate program (skating-up to Bronze). Now all I have to do is get my cowardly jumps out away from the security of the boards and THROW myself into them..... :giveup:

Six weeks to the Manitoba Open, 11 weeks until I leave for Nationals ..... but who's counting? 8O

[Morgail]

Pretty Gifts:
-camel is still on :D
-I did jumps!! (a few days earlier than I was supposed to, but who's counting? :lol: ) They weren't much to look at, but they were all there, even the lutz (barely).
-I worked really really really hard on 3-turns last night, especially the left foot (injured) ones. I think I made some progress. A lot of it is just re-building the strength in the ankle.
-I braved a few forward outside brackets, and did not die, maim, or otherwise injure myself, which is good.
-Other Moves were okay, except 8-step Mohawks...

Lump of Coal:
-8-step Mohawks=argh! I really don't like this move at all. I hop the mohawks, and I stiffen up on the 8th step and sometimes wide-step it. And there's no rhythm to it at all. Yuck. Maybe I just need a lesson, and it will get better.
-Backspins were bad. I'm choosing to blame it on my dull blades ;)
-Sit spin isn't terrible, but I can't get the ankle bending necessary to get down. I just need to be patient with my ankle...but it's difficult.

[Sessy]

Hmmm my ankle's hurting again after today's practice and I've not a clue why. Actually it started hurting during the practice.

I'm very close to fixing a number of mistakes on my spins, but I'm not quite there yet.


According to the coach, the sit spin was looking better. At least I'm holding the entry edge now.


Got a great layback spin exercise from the ballet teacher today too.

[jskater49]

Lump of Dark, Snowy coal -

My daughter's dance coach has moved and now we are driving to Omaha every once in a while so she can try and test through her gold dances. It should be a less than 3 hour drive, but with crappy roads and rush hour through Des Moines - it was closer to 4 hours.

Okay I'm going to give the Tranquility Ice Plex in Omaha a bad review YOU HAVE CRAPPY ICE AND YOU CHARGE 9.50 AN HOUR AND YOU NEVER EVER ZAMBONI Shame on you. What is with that? 10 am it's bad enough but I'm told they do not Zamboni ALL DAY. So what are we paying for? Not the zamboni driver salary, that's for sure.

DD had a 45 minute lesson and then 15 minutes with me with DD listening in since she is taking on some of the stranded lower level dance students at our club.

We reviewed my stroking and I was not bending before I pushed so I have to work on that. She was happy with my forward swing rolls and chasses. Backward chasses - I'm picking my feet up more like she told me last time. But I've a bad habit of a two foot transition so we had to go back to reviewing back edges.

Old dance coach never did that and I have visions of her little students not being happy when DD tries to get them to work on basic edges:cry:

So my now I need to focus on NO TWO FOOT TRANSISTIONS.

j

[Helen88]

Coal:
Well, no lesson this week.

Gifts:
I'm going skating on the outdoor rink in Hyde Park on Sunday :D

[Isk8NYC]

Skated at the one and only outdoor rink in North Carolina! It's only open for a few more days, so we made a last-minute trip before the much-needed rains reached the area. (Everybody do a rain ice-dance for us: the drought's still a major threat!) Good news was that it was muddy from earlier rains and the rink is covered by a tent.

Pretty Gifts:
Even with choppy ice, most of my spins were excellent and centered.
Didn't know if they were resurfacing by hand, so I didn't do any toe jumps.
Waltz and waltz-half-loops were good, as was my Falling Leaf jump. (strange)
Fooled around with the kids, doing spreadeagles in a figure-eight pattern. lol

Lump of Coal:
Laybacks were lousy and traveling - always dangerous in a small rink filled with fascinated rookies.
Didn't do any MITF since the surface was waaaaay too small.

[Mrs Redboots]

Pretty Gifts: Had a very odd cramp in my side yesterday evening which was still very sore this morning, and although it impacted my skating slightly, skating seems to have cleared it as it's fine now.

Worked on basics in our lesson - runs round the circle in a variety of holds. Pretty dire! Did a good Swing Dance together to music, also Rhythm Blues, although I think the hold needs attention on the 2nd swing roll. We did a lap of inside swing rolls to see, and am still of the same mind.

Lump of coal: Just for fun, and to work on our 3-turns, we decided to play with the European waltz. Enough said, I think.

One of the slebs who's doing Dancing on Ice this year was practising - nice man, but his spin is already better than mine and he's only been skating six months! Mind you, he is at least 25 years younger than I am, and was a professional athlete until recently.

[jskater49]

Pretty Gift

Skating director of the outdoor rink in Des Moines asked DD and I to come down to skate and be interviewed - the local TV station was at the rink for a couple hours - and they thought a mother and daughter skating were cool enough to showcase.

Windchill factor? 5 degrees. It was COLD. Don't know why I bothered to curl my hair because between my head band and jacket collar around my neck, I could have been bald.

The reporter talked to my daughter about what she would do and while I was in the warming room, she comes in and I asked her "What did she decided to do?" "Um, she' did a ..." and she twirled her finger around "Oh a spin? " Well, she jumped AND she spun in the air!" She sounded amazed that she could do both those things.

DD ended up doing a loop-loop (small rink, crappy ice, no doubles thank you) and I did a lunge.

Coal - I didn't really realize it was live so I didn't set my timer on the VCR or call anyone so I'll probably never see the interview and our "performance"

Oh but while we were just skating, I did work on back chasses without the two foot transistion and DD said I did good, except now I have to work on touching my feet in between. It's always something!

j

[jp1andOnly]

jskater....call the tv station. They can get you a DVD of the interview.

Pretty Gift

Skating director of the outdoor rink in Des Moines asked DD and I to come down to skate and be interviewed - the local TV station was at the rink for a couple hours - and they thought a mother and daughter skating were cool enough to showcase.

Windchill factor? 5 degrees. It was COLD. Don't know why I bothered to curl my hair because between my head band and jacket collar around my neck, I could have been bald.

The reporter talked to my daughter about what she would do and while I was in the warming room, she comes in and I asked her "What did she decided to do?" "Um, she' did a ..." and she twirled her finger around "Oh a spin? " Well, she jumped AND she spun in the air!" She sounded amazed that she could do both those things.

DD ended up doing a loop-loop (small rink, crappy ice, no doubles thank you) and I did a lunge.

Coal - I didn't really realize it was live so I didn't set my timer on the VCR or call anyone so I'll probably never see the interview and our "performance"

Oh but while we were just skating, I did work on back chasses without the two foot transistion and DD said I did good, except now I have to work on touching my feet in between. It's always something!

j

[Isk8NYC]

j - that's terrific, I hope someone taped it for you or you can get a copy from the Station!

Pretty Gifts:
Skated on a public session today. I was lucky enough to arrive just before they cut the ice, so I had good ice!
Did figures for the first 10 minutes - for some reason, it kept the crowd away from the middle. Quite a few people watched, but I only did circle-8's and serpentines. I was afraid to turn my back on the crowd.
Lots of spins, all pretty good. I'm traveling before I hook my forward scratch spin for some reason.
Excellent sit-chg-sits today.
Good spreadeagles.


Lump of Coal:
Didn't try many jumps -- fear of collisions with fools. Waltz and half loops were fine, falling leaf jumps were much better and controlled. Toe loops were better, did a few in combination.

One parent rented skates at least a size too big for his kid, then sent him out on the ice with them barely tied. I offered to retie them, but the Dad came over and tried to fix it. The kid must have liked me because he kept scrambling to the middle in order to fall at my feet! lol


It was pretty crowded and there were no guards to keep control. I had to ask a trio of teens to please vacate the center ice spot so I would have room to skate in the middle. They couldn't hear me because they were all wearing headphones and listening to their iPods. Why they felt the need to huddle together like penguins in the center of the ice, I shall never know. lol
I left early because it was getting rowdy.

[doubletoe]

Pretty Gifts
- In my program run-through yesterday, my opening spin was the best combination spin I've ever done! And best of all, I know exactly why, so I'm very optimistic about replicating it. :D
- I've figured out a technique that seems to be consistently fixing my problem on the CW back power 3-turns (my nemesis on the Intermediate MIF). Keeping fingers crossed!
- Backspin is considerably better. Note to self: Bend your knee! DUH. :frus:
- Coach helped me improve my flying camel. Not sure if the improvement will be replicated next time I skate, but we'll see.

Lumps of Coal
- Axels were messing with my head again once I was back on my home rink ice. Our ice is so hard that I think it makes me feel insecure on the takeoff edge.
- And now I've caught a cold so I am taking tomorrow off from skating. . .

[phoenix]

Lump of Coal!
Well, best laid plans & all that--I'm supposed to test my Killian in exactly 12 days. I'd been off a week over Christmas, then planned to come back & hit it hard, & should have been fine. When I'm consistently practicing, ie, into my knees & strong, the dance is pretty presentable.

So, yesterday morning I wake up feeling like death! I fear it's a sinus infection, which always means at least a week of total bedrest, & usually ends up w/ a terrible cough for a good month. I don't know if I can get a refund, or have it transferred to next month's test session instead. BOO!!!! :cry: :cry:

[dbny]

Phoenix - Bad luck! I saw an article online about sinus infections that said antibiotics don't help, but that saline flushes may. Here's (http://news.aol.com/story/_a/antibiotics-may-not-aid-sinus-infections/n20071204182609990034) the link.

Lump of Coal:
Not only have I not had any time to practice this week, but I've had to give up most of my private lessons to help handle the holiday crowds. Of course, I've come down with a nasty cold, which makes being on the ice for hours on end no fun at all.

Pretty Gifts:
At the NYC skatingforums meet-up yesterday, I discovered that I still had FI threes, which had wonderously appeared the week before.

[vesperholly]

Lump of coal: I AM TIRED OF NO SKATING. My rink cancelled open figure skate this week, and the club ice is far too early for me to make. So I haven't skated in a week. I am so. bored. What do normal people do with their time when they don't have skating to suck up three hours a day? And I can't even go back until Thursday because there's no ice Monday and Tuesday, and I have a doctor's appointment smack in the middle of the ice time Wednesday. #$*@!)(#*$!)* :frus:

[Rusty Blades]

What do normal people do with their time when they don't have skating to suck up three hours a day?

How would WE know ??!!

[Stormy]

You're lucky you can skate 3 hours a day!! :lol: Us regular 9-5 folk have to skate on the weekends and after work. :) Why can't someone just pay me to skate so I don't have to work?

[Kim to the Max]

You're lucky you can skate 3 hours a day!! :lol: Us regular 9-5 folk have to skate on the weekends and after work. :) Why can't someone just pay ment to skate so I don't have to work?

Doesn't work just get in the way? And where I am at, many of the freestyle sessions start right after that 5pm time, which means that I either need to leave work early (which, luckily, my job allows for, especially because the rink I skate at is about 20minutes-1/2 hour away) or go late, or miss all together!

[techskater]

Oh, man, I'd KILL for a 5P session. As it is, our ice ends at 4:10P and I have to skate the 6A sessions before work.

[Kim to the Max]

Oh, man, I'd KILL for a 5P session. As it is, our ice ends at 4:10P and I have to skate the 6A sessions before work.

It always amazes me that that happens...if for kids who are in school, what about those parents who generally drive them? I don't envy those 6am sessions...

[jazzpants]

Lump of coal:What do normal people do with their time when they don't have skating to suck up three hours a day? You're in the wrong section of this board. You'll have better luck with that question in NSD. :P :lol:

If you were staying with your inlaws, trust me they will find something for you to do. (Let's just say that DH and I have very different ideas on what we want to do while we're here in LI on top of us playing politics with DH's family..) :roll:
And I can't even go back until Thursday because there's no ice Monday and Tuesday, and I have a doctor's appointment smack in the middle of the ice time Wednesday. #$*@!)(#*$!)* :frus:Dopey question but...can you move up your appt. time so you can go rightward? Or is it one of those doctors that are hard to schedule?

[doubletoe]

Oh, man, I'd KILL for a 5P session. As it is, our ice ends at 4:10P and I have to skate the 6A sessions before work.

Yep! Same here. I got sick of freestyle sessions being "too early" so I just switched time zones. Just go to bed at 8 or 9pm and get up at 4 or 5am. Not easy, but not impossible if your ice addiction is strong enough. ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

So, yesterday morning I wake up feeling like death! I fear it's a sinus infection, which always means at least a week of total bedrest, & usually ends up w/ a terrible cough for a good month. I don't know if I can get a refund, or have it transferred to next month's test session instead. BOO!!!! :cry: :cry:
Oh no, poor you! I do hope you feel better soon. Steam inhalations with a drop of peppermint oil, every hour on the hour should help - keep the mug of boiling water with the peppermint oil in it in your room between sessions, so you still get the benefit of the peppermint vapours.

And call your test chair at once to see if s/he can arrange for your test to be postponed.

And get well soon!

[techskater]

Yep! Same here. I got sick of freestyle sessions being "too early" so I just switched time zones. Just go to bed at 8 or 9pm and get up at 4 or 5am. Not easy, but not impossible if your ice addiction is strong enough. ;)

9P bedtime has been my life for the last several years to accommodate my 4:15A alarm. Some nights, it's earlier. That includes weekends because why not a 5:30A session on a Sunday? I have been searching for a night time session for a while because my energy level isn't the same when I skate at night and for some reason they always seem to schedule my groups for nights when I compete. :roll:

[ibreakhearts66]

lump
my last time on the ice for a few months and i was late :( my friend and i were going to the 7.30am freestyle. at 7.05 her phone rings. it was one of the younger skaters asking where we were. we hadn't even gotten out of bed yet! that phone call was our alarm. we managed to get on the ice by 7.45 tho, which was pretty good.

skated like total ****. timing was all off. i'm gonna blame it on the fact that i only got like an hour of sleep. everything was off tho. like, the 3-turn into the double sal wasn't even right!

leg and hip were really bothering me. i seem to have done something to the outside of my right shin. it started with a stabbing pain when i extended my leg, and turned into a swollen lump. i think i may have gotten stress fractures and just ignored them too long. but that made jumping hard too.

eventually, i said "screw this" and worked on spins.

pretty gifts
did a couple good, solid, outside edge scratch spins. also discovered i'm good at inside edge back scratch.

camel spins were nice. people always tell me how good my camel is, and they felt better than usual.

axels were really big.


no more skating for a few months :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Rusty Blades]

Just go to bed at 8 or 9pm and get up at 4 or 5am. Not easy, but not impossible if your ice addiction is strong enough.

Same here. The alarm goes at 3:45 a.m. everyday, out of the house by 5, at the rink by 6:15 and off to work around 8:30 to 9 a.m., back home at 4:30. (Just don't telephone after 9 p.m.!)

"Ice addiction"? What's that? :roll:

[vesperholly]

You're lucky you can skate 3 hours a day!! :lol: Us regular 9-5 folk have to skate on the weekends and after work. :) Why can't someone just pay me to skate so I don't have to work?
Technically only 2 hours. :) I'm including "prep time" - aka start getting ready at 2, drive to rink, put on skates and on the ice 2:30-4:30, take skates off and put bag back together and drive home by 5.

Dopey question but...can you move up your appt. time so you can go rightward? Or is it one of those doctors that are hard to schedule?
Hard to schedule, unfortunately. Actually, I *can* skate 1-2:15 and then go right to the doctor's by 3:15, but stupid me made a car alignment appointment at 1pm. That one I am changing!!

[doubletoe]

9P bedtime has been my life for the last several years to accommodate my 4:15A alarm. Some nights, it's earlier. That includes weekends because why not a 5:30A session on a Sunday? I have been searching for a night time session for a while because my energy level isn't the same when I skate at night and for some reason they always seem to schedule my groups for nights when I compete. :roll:

Yeah, I think those early mornings would be easier if I were able to go to bed early and get up early on weekends, too, but I time shift to my husband's sleep schedule instead. He usually gets home from work around 8pm on weekdays and gets up a little later, so we don't have much time together on weedays. :(

[Isk8NYC]

No skating today, spent the day with the family. One pretty gifts I love my new MaxiFlex from Christmas !

[Sessy]

Well for all you annoyed at the 6AM sessions, think of it this way. Most Dutch adult skaters would kill for those, because 90% of skating rinks in this country only have ice slots between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, and public ice in the weekends (where "snowplow" takes on its most literal meaning because of the sheer mass amount of skaters)

[jazzpants]

Hard to schedule, unfortunately. Actually, I *can* skate 1-2:15 and then go right to the doctor's by 3:15, but stupid me made a car alignment appointment at 1pm. That one I am changing!!Attagirl!!! :D

Lump of Coal: Still sick with cold... no fun being sick while traveling. (If I wasn't sick, I would be out and about in Manhattan today :cry: (though NOT in Times Square, where I'd imagine is a mad house. ) :giveup: