Feasting or Fasting: 3-9 February 2008 [Archive]

tidesong

02-03-2008, 08:04 AM

Its funny because chinese new year is around the corner and that is when we chinese really eat alot while visiting relatives. So the thread title is relevant to me too!

edit: I have my protocols!

Lsp1 -0.2
1A -0.5
1Lz -0.1
CCoSp1 -0.5
SpSq4 0.33
1F -0.17
1S -0
1Lz+1T+1Lo -0.10
1F+1Lo -0.03
CoSp1 -1.00

So none of my spins got a level 2, I reviewed my layback and I just missed the 8 rotations oh well. Now I know what happens if you attempt a flying spin but can't hold the first position and attempt a combination. It gets called a Combination spin. Interesting. I would have won alot more comfortably if I had the presence of mind to stick to my program I basically threw away 90% of connecting steps due to being nervous and stuff. That was probably why the program felt so bad as well. I actually lost really badly in the PCS. If this was last year, my competitor would have won due to the higher PCS weightage last year. Moral of the story = Even if you think you're about to trip over you still better try and do all the steps and turned that you planned in your program... lol

stacyf419

02-03-2008, 08:20 AM

Feasting: backward 3-s are coming fast and easy.
Fasting: I pulled something in my back yesterday during my program and today I'm having a hard time walking. 3 motrins have done nothing. Mommy!:cry:

Helen88

02-03-2008, 10:10 AM

Feasting:
Good lesson today. Patch was busy because a lot of people have tests tomorrow apparently, but it wasn't heaving. Field moves went quite well I thought...crossovers much better, as were spirals, although I need to sort out my skating leg. Worked on the foxtrot again...remembered to write the steps down when I got home this time lol. Did it with music too, which was fun, and my rhythum is quite good from my music.

Fasting:
Not used to crowded ice - kept crashing into people. One girl...very obnoxious, heard her yelling at her coach...was told by mine she'd slapped her (her coach) in the past 8O.

But overall, good practice. And if there's anyone on here that skates at Ally Pally and is taking a test tomorrow - good luck!

doubletoe

02-03-2008, 12:49 PM

MissIndigo

02-03-2008, 02:37 PM

Feasting: I am finally hitting a back outside edge immediately on the entry to the backspin instead of falling over to the inside after all these freaking years...about 3/4 of the time, anyway. Not scratching yet, but that will come. If I can get a secure back 1-foot spin first, that will make me happy. But I am closer to this than ever, and funny how it worked out I made more strides in group lessons with this element than in private lessons.

Fasting: Out-of-control young'uns on crowded ice. After a while, I just had to :giveup: . And still trying to decide where my summer ice will be and if I'll have time to skate.

dbny

02-03-2008, 05:30 PM

Not used to crowded ice - kept crashing into people.

Out-of-control young'uns on crowded ice. After a while, I just had to :giveup: .

I hear you! Yesterday I was teaching a 4.5 yr old tot in the center (supposedly reserved for private lessons and figure skating), when two out of control boys slammed into us knocking the tot down. I saw them coming out of the corner of my eye, but my tot was caught completely off guard. She was so cute - she got right up and told me she wasn't hurt, but she was scared - then she burst into tears, and I had to hover very closely for the rest of the lesson. I think they would have to put a half dozen very alert guards on the ice to handle some of these crowds.

MissIndigo - Congrats on your new real backspin!

kander

02-03-2008, 08:18 PM

Feasting: Finally got my rotational mojo back. Landed a couple of nice doubles. I've been popping everything the last month or so.

Fast: Lost my bunga pads

Kim to the Max

02-03-2008, 09:47 PM

[Feasting]
Skated tonight....scratch/back scratch showed up :) Camels were strong as was camel/sit...until I got to my program....

Did my program...pretty strong...messed up one of the spins, but that's okay...and I ended way early!! Funny story...was doing my program, and landed my flip in front of one of the upper level coaches who quickly said, "keep going! skate!" to me...and I did, of course...then I ended very early to my music, and he commented that now I just need a flying spin in my program because I ended early...I told him not to tell coach that I ended so early, because she would add more to my program :roll:

[Fasting]
Resumed working on my moves...maybe it's because I am more aware of it, but with the power circles, I did not notice any toe pushing :?? minus on the VERY first CW crossover (my non-dominant side)...but after that it's all edges....worked to clean up the "running" the judges noticed. Sometime next week, I will play the metronome CD to work on the "choppy-ness"....or I will put it on my iPod (if coach doesn't hold it hostage....) so that I don't have to submit others to that torture :roll: I figure I will focus on fixing one problem at a time... I also did some work on the brackets today....did them on the hockey goal 1/2 circle, and was able to keep the tracing pretty much on target with the circle...will probably need to drill that a bit before I work on the full pattern, also worked on the toe pushing with that pattern, which, is easy to fix now that I am aware of it...

No ice on Tuesday and Friday this week. Don't know when I'm going to have a lesson with coach because lunch times won't work this week due to busyness at work...I'll try to duck out of work a little early on Wednesday to get some time in this week...

I'm doing something funky on my take off for my axel...somehow it feels as if I'm taking off the middle to back of my blade instead of my toe :frus:

icedancer2

02-03-2008, 10:24 PM

Fasting: My skating today - went to the dance session but I was too tired to really skate much - went to see Stars on Ice last night and couldn't get to sleep afterward because I was kind of hopped up... oh well - guess I won't be skating like THEM anytime soon!

Feasting: (or maybe feasted upon) - I found out today that there is another competitor for the low level figures at Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals so now I have to compete. My dance coach said he would help me with that BI3 the next time we have a lesson - I need all the help I can get -- YIPES!!

jazzpants

02-03-2008, 10:43 PM

Feasting:
Well, besides food... :yum: :twisted:

Fasting:
*sigh* I'm trying to work out the in-betweens of my program but it's an impossible task during the public session. May have to start coming in either mornings or one of the club ice sessions. (More than likely it will be the club ice session since sleep is a top priority for me and I have a good bunch of prepaid club ice ticket to use up before the end of the USFSA year! :mrgreen: Of course, I really HATE that other club ice rink... :x )

Working on secondary coach's exercise from this past Friday's lesson. I think I'm hating backspins again!!! :frus: And I so envy MissIndigo's accomplishments today. (MissIndigo!?!?! You're BACK!?!?!? 8O :mrgreen: You should change your handle to DOCTORIndigo now!!! :bow: )

Congrats, kander!!! I'll bet you will get your double loop and double flip back soon enough. (But don't worry if you don't have it. I still have that video of your double flip from way back when for prosperity too! :mrgreen: )

tidesong: OH, yes! It's getting close to Chinese New Year. Gotta go someplace appropriate to "feast!" :yum: :mrgreen: (And congrats on that SpSq4 too! :bow: )

Sessy

02-04-2008, 05:56 AM

fasting
Hit a kid today... That is, I didn't physically hit him, I just gave him such a scare with a near-miss that he fell, bumped his head into the edge of that iron bar rack chair-like construction he was waggling around the ice with. Still, mea culpa... He was back on the ice pretty fast though and his mom was all okay about it, but I was pretty shaken for the rest of the session because I had honestly not seen him coming - when I saw him he was half a rink away and I've no idea how he got to the point of collision that fast.
Then after an hour or so, another kid went and did the same thing without my "help". Those racks are dangerous!!! 8O
- Practiced back inside edges and did 1 run that even I was happy with (out of 6 or so, LOL), smooth and secure, and the rest kinda sucked...
- Sit spins now DO travel back to the line before I start spinning, and feel more secure and go deeper, but I still keep falling a *lot* and I can't straighten out my free leg.
- Was pretty impossible to practice any of the programme for that show competition thing cuz a group of little kids with a *particularly* stupid mom ("Oooh, look at what that girl is doing, skate closer to her to watch it!") who kept skating in absolutely chaotic patterns about the ice rink. Here's the first part I filed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZGeY9TrI2o
that's the music it'll have and after it comes a scratch spin, waltz jump, scratch spin, some foot steps, half-loop and some more steps. I did one and two halves while mom was there with mom to yell "watch out" at me when anybody came too close.

feasting
- it's carnaval holidays here, which means early morning skating sessions!!!
- mom came to skate too, and she called my programme run through "Not Evgeni Plushenko, but not bad."
- Did one camel-to-scratch spin and the scratch at the end was centered.

Does anybody have good tips on turning passive flexibility in active flexibility?

jskater49

02-04-2008, 08:06 AM

Feasting for DD - so we were both skating last night and DD does her Novice test program and nails her double loop/double loop right in front of me...and I'm watching and each required element is getting done...she does a waltz jump instead of her axel but an axel is not required in the Novice test...then comes the dreaded double toe...and she lands it! Afterwards she comes up to me and says "Do you realize what just happened??" "You just skated a passing Novice Free skate!" I told her.

Of course there are not judges around but she thought a year ago she'd never be able to do it and this was a big confidence boost for her. One of the reasons she won't compete at the test track is that you can do a double toe but not a doublt lutz and she until recently just hasn't been able to land a double toe but she can do a double lutz.

As for me, one of the things coach has been trying to nail into my head "Look where you are going!" finally clicked and I realized that if I turn my head and look behind me before the mohawk, it's actually much easier. But for some reason it's hard to get my head to turn.

Anyway this was all last night. This morning DD and I took separate cars...news warned of mixed snow and ice and I wanted to drive her, but no she wasn't ready to go...well freezing rain turned out to be much worse and she ended up in the ditch. Good news I was able to retrieve her, car was not damaged, it will just have to sit their until the tow ban is over and she was not hurt. But I spent two hours driving back and forth in freezing rain (some places looked like I was driving on a frozen pond) instead of skating on ice.:cry:

j

Skittl1321

02-04-2008, 08:38 AM

This morning DD and I took separate cars...news warned of mixed snow and ice and I wanted to drive her, but no she wasn't ready to go...well freezing rain turned out to be much worse and she ended up in the ditch. Good news I was able to retrieve her, car was not damaged, it will just have to sit their until the tow ban is over and she was not hurt. But I spent two hours driving back and forth in freezing rain (some places looked like I was driving on a frozen pond) instead of skating on ice.:cry:

j

Oh goodness! I'm glad your daughter is safe- but sorry you missed skating and she probably got quite a scare. I left for work early enough this morning that it was still a light rain of ice, but everytime I stopped my car my wheels were spinning- I was worried I wouldn't make it. Everyone coming in though says the weather is just horrible! I hate ice- but hopefully the rain will wash some of the snow away. We got at least 8 inches yesterday- and all that was predicted was a "light snow".

Skating- still can't :(
I've been working on remembering the choreography for the synchro program.

I'm really nervous about going back to the ice because my knee is worst on cold days. I really hope that eventually goes away, because the ice is always a cold day!

dbny

02-04-2008, 09:52 AM

Afterwards she comes up to me and says "Do you realize what just happened??" "You just skated a passing Novice Free skate!" I told her. <snip> This morning DD and I took separate cars...news warned of mixed snow and ice and I wanted to drive her, but no she wasn't ready to go...well freezing rain turned out to be much worse and she ended up in the ditch. Good news I was able to retrieve her, car was not damaged, it will just have to sit their until the tow ban is over and she was not hurt. But I spent two hours driving back and forth in freezing rain (some places looked like I was driving on a frozen pond) instead of skating on ice.:cry:

j
Congrats to DD on skating so well! I'm glad no one was hurt in the accident and the car is OK. That's the kind of accident that can provide lifesaving experience for DD, she's not likely to get into that kind of fix again.

Skating- still can't :(
I've been working on remembering the choreography for the synchro program.

I'm really nervous about going back to the ice because my knee is worst on cold days. I really hope that eventually goes away, because the ice is always a cold day!

Sorry you can't skate yet. Have you tried a neoprene sleeve (available in drug stores) to help warm your knee? Younger DD was told to use one years ago, and it did help.

jskater49

02-04-2008, 10:52 AM

Congrats to DD on skating so well! I'm glad no one was hurt in the accident and the car is OK. That's the kind of accident that can provide lifesaving experience for DD, she's not likely to get into that kind of fix again.

She was going slow but then saw cars passing her and thought she could pass and lost control of the car. Really I think the only way you learn to drive in this weather is to go in the ditch because until you lose control of the car, you don't realize how easy it can be to lose control. So I'm thankful this was a safe lesson for her. I was beating myself up for not insisting I drive, but there would have been no lesson for her in that and she's going away to school next year and will have to learn to drive (or decide not to drive) in bad weather for herself.

j

Sessy

02-04-2008, 10:56 AM

She was going slow but then saw cars passing her and thought she could pass and lost control of the car. Really I think the only way you learn to drive in this weather is to go in the ditch because until you lose control of the car, you don't realize how easy it can be to lose control. So I'm thankful this was a safe lesson for her. I was beating myself up for not insisting I drive, but there would have been no lesson for her in that and she's going away to school next year and will have to learn to drive (or decide not to drive) in bad weather for herself.

j

Well the car is undamaged, and your daughter is fine too, thank Heaven for that. Seems like it was a pretty cheap lesson ;)

Helen88

02-04-2008, 11:05 AM

So glad your daughter is okay...but I just can't help but laugh at the people who say they hate ice :twisted:...

momsk8er

02-04-2008, 02:52 PM

so glad your daughter is ok, daughters are so precious. I am dreading the day mine learns to drive. Not that she isn't going to be perfectly capable, but I will be a nervous wreck anyway. Of course my son totaled 3 cars before he was 18, so maybe I deserve to be panicky. Hopefully girls are safer drivers than boys.

feasting - pretty good moves this morning. Good spin, starting to get a change foot spin a little teeny bit - maybe a rev or two or three out of the backspin. If only I could pick up my foot sooner, though. Jumps were ok. Camel spin goes around once, maybe twice before I end up on my toepick - progress.

fasting - no lesson, waaah. haven't done a waltz-toe or sal-toe for a few weeks, and I'm just not getting the timing back. Did a lot of athletic stuff this weekend, and I'm really sore - especially upper body.

Morgail

02-04-2008, 03:18 PM

Feasting:
-Got my camels on video and am very pleased with how much they have improved. :D
-Program run-throughs are getting somewhat easier.
-I'm feeling confident about my dances. I think I may actually pass this time!
-I did this gigantic flip last night. But then I freaked out in the air (Wow! This jump is huge! Yikes!) and double-footed the landing :lol:
-Lutzes were decent.

Fasting:
-Moves still need some polishing. I'm running out of time to do that. I think I'll go for an extra a.m. session or two this week and and next week. I need to start practicing them as though they were in the test each time (with presentation and nice endings, and no big breaks in between).

coskater64

02-04-2008, 05:05 PM

Feasting: I was alone on the ice for about 1 1/2 hours:lol: . Worked on my figures, my loops are interesting and slightly original...

Worked on all the silver and gold moves managed everything very nicely, focusing on all things clockwise. Double back 3's are much easier than last week.

Had a very nice moment that brought tears to my eyes, working on rockers--I noticed how my leg swung on left so tried it on right. It worked, I did the entire Jr rocker pattern, it filled the rink nice lobes good flow...it's been almost 2 years since I could do them...I was just so happy:halo:

Fasting:
Fire alarm, made me get off the ice...it was a drill.:roll:

doubletoe

02-04-2008, 06:55 PM

mikawendy

02-04-2008, 07:55 PM

Had a very nice moment that brought tears to my eyes, working on rockers notice how leg swung on left so tried it on right. It worked, I did the entire Jr rocker pattern, it filled the rink nice lobes good flow...it's been almost 2 years since I could do them...I was just so happy:halo:

Congrats on the rockers! Those a-ha moments when things work are so neat. And your persistence and hard work in coming back after your surgery are so inspiring to me. :bow: :bow: :bow:

phoenix

02-04-2008, 08:04 PM

feasting....and fasting.....4 days and counting to the test. And of course, we're supposed to get a huge snowstorm tomorrow night/Wed. morning, so it's possible I won't be able to have my lesson on Wed.! It's okay--I refuse to freak out. I've worked my a** off for this dance, and I'm totally capable of stepping on the ice and skating it decently. Besides, it isn't the partnering that is the issue here, so if I don't get my lesson I can still work on it by myself.

Only got 15 minutes to practice today, but was pretty stable. Will have 1/2 hour tomorrow, then long session on Wed. assuming I get there.

tidesong

02-04-2008, 08:06 PM

That sounds amazing coskater

coskater64

02-04-2008, 08:18 PM

Thanks yall!!:P :P

FlyAndCrash

02-04-2008, 11:45 PM

Feasting:
I'm finally starting to get the hang of my double sal. I can consistantly land it at least a once per session that I practice it on.

My axel is finally back from hiatus.

Fasting:
My spins sucked today: no bell, icky camel, and falling-over start of a donut (just the curling part).

Moves can go and die. I hate the 3-turn patters for pre-juv. They take way to much concentration, which needs to be used to look out for the four senior skaters doing their moves patterns along with the four pre-pre skaters doing their moves... Ugh.

Mrs Redboots

02-05-2008, 06:05 AM

so glad your daughter is ok, daughters are so precious. I am dreading the day mine learns to drive. Not that she isn't going to be perfectly capable, but I will be a nervous wreck anyway.Mine learnt to drive about 8 years before I did, so she's the nervous wreck when she gets in the car with me....

As for me: Feasting: Quite a good lesson today; got some more choreography done.

Fasting: After the lesson, played around with the 3-turn exercise from the USFSA pre-Bronze Field Moves and found it very hard. Not the turns, but the crossover afterwards. I was trying to hold each edge for 3 full beats, and not succeeding. But it was interesting trying!

Rusty Blades

02-05-2008, 09:57 AM

Fasting, Starving, Biafran Malnutrition! I HATE THE BOARDS!

Stoooopidest thing I ever did was to start jumping along the boards - should have been out there on open ice, falling down, and building confidence in my jumps and my ability to fall without killing myself. Now I have a Waltz and a Toe and no confidence. I WAS a jumper once, and I WILL be again. The only way to get there is to get the @$#% away from the boards altogether and NEVER do that again! :frus:

Other things kept me up too late last night and I skated hard this morning. In lesson we experimented with a Spiral sequence and decided to add it to the program and delete the footwork (which wouldn't have counted anyway). Hadn't occurred to me that I hadn't done any Spirals on an inside edge until today - LOL - but they will work with a little practice.

Back to the rink tomorrow to tackle those jumps again - running out of time!

Feasting: ??????????????? Maybe after I have my program WITH the jumps!

Isk8NYC

02-05-2008, 02:31 PM

Bonus MITF lesson; coach had time available, so I took a lesson.

Feasting:
I think he was impressed with my spiral pattern - this was the first time he's seen me do them. He said the outsides are solid and fast and he only made a few minor corrections on the inside spirals. As usual, they helped tremendously.

Fasting:
Worked on the the Power 3's pattern. I really like the changes he made to the positions of my free leg/foot. Made me realize all over again that you can't see yourself skate. :giveup:

Very strange: every spin I tried was awful on the first attempt, but solid and centered after that. Incredibly enough, this included the Layback! All but the first were fairly centered - yay!

Still can't land the flip or loop and I think I'm cheating the Toe Loop again. Grrr.

momsk8er

02-05-2008, 02:41 PM

Rusty - what about trying your jumps on the harness? Will your coach do that for you? Maybe on one of those portable ones if there is one around, so you can be out in the middle and yet have a safety net for a few jumps? Then gradually you get less and less assistance?

Muskoka Skater

02-05-2008, 03:17 PM

Monday Night

Feasting:
-my spins
-footwork
-spiral sequence

Fasting:
-my jumps
-I didn't feel so well

garusha

02-05-2008, 04:08 PM

[QUOTE=Rusty Blades;353682]Fasting, Starving, Biafran Malnutrition! I HATE THE BOARDS!

Stoooopidest thing I ever did was to start jumping along the boards - should have been out there on open ice, falling down, and building confidence in my jumps and my ability to fall without killing myself. Now I have a Waltz and a Toe and no confidence. I WAS a jumper once, and I WILL be again. The only way to get there is to get the @$#% away from the boards altogether and NEVER do that again! :frus:

I had the same problem with my jumps. I don't know about you, but in my case, I think doing them along the boards gave me not as much the sense of security but that of direction. I positioned myself parallel to the boards, so I knew exactly where I was supposed to land. Yet when in the center, I could go sort of to the side, and that threw me off. Maybe, you have the same problem?

But anyway, this is how you can fix it. FIrst of all, start moving away from the boards gradually, maybe, a foot at a time, but so that you can still see them. Second, try jumping along a line instead of the boards. And finally, as you jump along the boards, try closing your eyes, maybe, not completely, just squint. It worked for me. Now I can jump anywhere, no problem. Good luck! Yes, and even if you are still afraid, don't worry, it will pass. Keep jumping, even along the boards, it's all about muscle memory. Confidence will come.

sk8tegirl06

02-05-2008, 04:57 PM

Feasting:I skated today for the first time in a month!! :D I returned from being out of the country for a month, I did go skating once there, but it was on really bad ice with rental skates, so I couldn't really practice moves, or anything.
Apparently, a month off = a sit spin? I completely surprised myself today with a real honest sit spin! 8O
Fasting:My endurance, a bit of balance, confident jump landings.
My jumps were all over the place, wonky landings, but pretty good for less than 24 hours after the 13 hour flight landed.

BatikatII

02-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Feasting;
ran through level 2 programme and it actually went really well given the short time I've been working on it. All jumps landed including loop (though coach did say it needed a bit more speed in to it) which is not actually required but I hope it will help to get me the pass! Only problem is I need to work on the pattern a bit so I get to my steps earlier and have enough time for the upright spin at the end.

Worked on the elements part and all OK except backspin which was in fact probably one of the best I've done but I'm not sure it's good enough for a pass - have to hope my other elements are good enough to get me through. And work on it a lot of course!

Also landed a great Flip and managed to do 'all jumps with cherry' and 'all jumps with loop' up to and including the Flip-loop combo at the end of lesson.

Fasting: Didnt' feel much like skating this morning, think I am getting hubby's virus - aaarrrrgghhh!

Backspin could be a lot better.

Terri C

02-05-2008, 06:55 PM

Feasted on a clean runthrough of artistic program and flip attempts during lesson today!

Fasted with the freestyle session being so insanely crowded my Secondary coach ordered me off the ice 20 minutes early so I wouldn't get hurt. Also witnessed a parent yelling at another skater for expecting other skaters to yield to her but not giving way to anyone else. Ah, the drama.

vesperholly

02-05-2008, 10:04 PM

Feasting: I filled in a bunch of holes in my program, and reworked some of the problematic footwork so it's easier for me to handle (rockers instead of twizzles) and still maintain flow. I only have one empty spot that needs a teensy bit of choreography, and now I just have to train, train, train! I feel so much more confident about my program when the whole thing's choreographed.

Fasting: Spins are still rather hit-and-miss. I discovered a good camel exercise that really seems to help - gliding forward, do a camel-position spiral, then very slowly bend down on the skating knee and rise up. But the layback's still too travelly for my liking.

Mrs Redboots

02-06-2008, 07:51 AM

I don't know about you, but in my case, I think doing them along the boards gave me not as much the sense of security but that of direction. I positioned myself parallel to the boards, so I knew exactly where I was supposed to land. I find this with turns. I'm perfectly able to turn when away from the boards, but I do them so much better, particularly Mohawks, when near them. Not even touching, just facing them. It orients me better, I think.

For today, definite Lenten fast: blimmin' step sequence... I have to do a LFO swing roll, RFI/LBI Mohawk, cross to RBI, step forwards. And can I do it with any sort of speed or flow? You guess. Without the swing roll, it's beautiful, with it, it's noisy toe-rakes and no flow. And there isn't any speed whatever I do - and when I try it to tempo, I stick my bum out and straighten my knees. Sigh.

Feast: The coaches both say I will get it, though. Hope they're right. Right now, we are using up 3/4 of the step sequence music to travel about 2 inches down the ice.

Tried the USFSA pre-Bronze 3-turn exercise in front of my coach to show him what I was having trouble with, and, needless to say, did it perfectly. Twice. Coach effect, or what?

Rusty Blades

02-06-2008, 09:18 AM

Sessy

02-06-2008, 10:56 AM

Hmmm the only thing I've used the boards for were the loop and falling leafs... Oh yeah I did use the corners of the boards for my sit spin too
I've always otherwise used the lines (and circles instead of the corners) for my sense of direction, not the boards. Which means I can't skate without my glasses, cuz then I don't see the lines (nor where the ice ends and boardings begin either, which is a different matter entirely)
Maybe you boards people can try using the lines? The transition from those to open ice is much easier.

BatikatII

02-06-2008, 11:11 AM

I can't really understand why people feel safe at the boards - open ice is so much safer - you can't fall and hit your head on the boards on the way down.:lol: Doing anything near to the boards scares me. Today I was practising my Canasta Tango variation and coach has me do a back swing roll on a curve ending heading directly to the boards and then a quick mohawk step and turn thing (impossible to explain - not quite impossible to do) along side the boards before a run back towards centre. Today my back swing roll took me incredibly close to the boards and my mohawk turn missed the boards by inches and scared the ****out of me.8O Afterwards, coach says - "That was great - you went nice and close to the boards on that pattern." - and now wants me to do it like that all the time. No way - it is terrifying.

Give me open ice any day!

Feasting: several runs through of the variation and I finally have it in my head and can now start work on the 'character' of the dance.

Fasting: practised backspins after and they are still pants! Now do I send in my test forms and hope I can do a decent one in a month's time or do I put it off and just do the free programme and not the elements?

dbny

02-06-2008, 12:24 PM

I can't really understand why people feel safe at the boards - open ice is so much safer - you can't fall and hit your head on the boards on the way down.:lol:

I don't completely understand it either, and yet I am one of those people when it comes to three turns. The best way I can explain it is that I felt that I was almost disoriented away from the boards. Even if I did not have to touch the boards after the turn (this was especially true for FI threes), I simply could not make myself do those turns across the blue line. It felt like I was lost in space. Now the only ones I am doing at the boards are BO threes. I do them as double threes with an FI three first, and do the BO three so that I almost run into the boards when it's done. What it does for me is give me something to grab if I catch the edge or break at the waist, and it also checks me. To get away from the boards on these, I am going to have to put in some serious time doing them two footed.

jazzpants

02-06-2008, 01:00 PM

Feasting:

I can brag that this morning my flip has a lot more spring to it, yet lighter (though not necessarily more consistent... :P ) It is actually less of a torture now for me to land this jump clean (along with the loop too), thank goodness!!! :bow:
I can also brag this morning that I landed a couple of good lutzes DURING my lesson...
...AND the secondary coach says "Well, it looks like it's time for me to start you on the axel, huh?..."
Fasting:
(Wait! Isn't having to work on the axel a FAST!?!?!) 8O

Also, I had NOTHING to give energy-wise on my jumps after my lesson! My legs were plenty tired from that lesson, PLUS having my figure skating trainer worked me the night before. I was quite tired!!! :giveup:

Helen88

02-06-2008, 02:06 PM

Fasting:
No skating for me tomorrow...

Feasting:
...because I'm off to see Holiday on Ice :)

myste12

02-06-2008, 02:16 PM

Fasting:
-Popped all of the doubles and messed up the axel in every program run through I did during lesson on Monday and Tuesday.
-Double toe is still inconsistent.

Feasting:
-Combo spin has been working really well and flying camel is getting stronger.
-Did a program run through today with both axels and both double sals! Of course, my coach wasn't there to see it, but I have three other witnesses...

dbny

02-06-2008, 02:47 PM

...AND the secondary coach says "Well, it looks like it's time for me to start you on the axel, huh?..."[/LIST]
Fasting:
(Wait! Isn't having to work on the axel a FAST!?!?!) 8O

Nope! Pure feast - getting to start it, that is :twisted:.

Feasting:
Went skating outdoors this afternoon with both DD's. It had been raining on and off all day, so the rink was flooded and the ice smooth as butter. It sprinkled on us the whole time. I had so much fun! I just played with power pulls, F & B cross strokes, backspin, F three turns, etc. Younger DD helped me with backspin, and I am feeling like I'm getting to the right place on the blade and straightening up much better. Did some very fast and powerful B power XO's, as in Intermediate moves (without the power 3's on the ends), and younger DD said they looked great. I am slowly building up my stamina and wind again after the pneumonia. Feeling better every day - now if only my ears would unclog so I could hear properly again!

doubletoe

02-06-2008, 05:51 PM

Feasting:
At our judges'/TS critique on Sunday, 4 of the 5 elements I had concerns about got positive feedback and the one that didn't can be pretty easily fixed, I think.
This morning I skated my program for the first time in almost 3 weeks,and although my legs got rubbery on the very last jump pass and made me mess up my jump combination, I actually completed all three spins, including the ending spin, which I typically screw up. :)

Fasting:
Now tomorrow I need to stop singling the double sal and waltz-jumping the axel. :roll:

Kim to the Max

02-06-2008, 06:19 PM

[Feasting]

Got to the rink on campus today and saw one of my residents from last year :D I don't see her often because she lives in a different building this year, so it's always a lot of fun when I see her.

I'm soooooo close on my axel....I need to work on pulling in my legs...I can get the rotation, it's just the position in the air that's the problem! :giveup: :frus:

[Fasting]

Worked on moves...I really want to go over the judges' comments with coach as she watches me perform the moves, but I don't think I'm having a lesson this week...no ice on Friday and coach hasn't e-mailed me back with other options...I guess I'm on my own until next Friday...

Ugh, I have a meeting at 8pm that I don't want to go to...partly because there isn't any parking on that side of campus right now because of the basketball game...grrrrrr....

kander

02-06-2008, 11:15 PM

Feasting: My rotational mojo carried over from the last session. I modified my spin entrance and suddenly they're 100% faster (and easier). My axel re-construction (attempts) have been getting bigger and more consistent.

Fasting: I'm a little squirly on my landings. Need to clean that up.

Jazz: congrats on the lutz! It seems like you just started on it yesterday. Can't wait to see it (and the axel)!

singerskates

02-07-2008, 12:26 AM

Neutral: XXXX THE JUMPS! XXX THE FREESKATE! XXXX THE NEXT COMPETITION! 8O

I went off to the rink again in the wee hours with yet again the same resolve as the past few weeks - to get my cowardly @$#% jumps away from the boards. As every other morning, that resolve petered out on the ice. I skated for awhile, sat at the bench (almost in tears) and then came to an understanding with myself.

I have been obsessing so much about these jumps and focused so intently on the deadline (the next competition) that skating has been turning from enjoyment to frustration - I have been putting FAR too much pressure on myself to do these jumps (which I am sure is a large part of the problem). I can do them just fine along the boards so I know I CAN do them. That I "freeze" on open ice is just a confidence thing and they will come in time. Heck I am 58 and have only been skating 2 years so it's time I CUT MYSELF SOME @$#%$ SLACK - put the jumps aside and work on other stuff! I know I'll never be able to leave the jumps totally alone - they will be among the things I work on every session, just not the top priority anymore. When I have them, GREAT, but I am not going to obsess about them anymore. It is time to move on, to refocus on the joy and beauty, to preserve the enjoyment, and to have some fun!

I think I feel better now ***SIGH***

That's right. What's the message you've seen me write numerous times? "Just Have Fun!" If you're not having fun, what's the reason for doing it?

And besides, Adult Bronze FS only has 4 jumping passes which takes up about 12 seconds max if you're doing two single jumps and two combos which at our level can only have two jumps (the second taking off from the landing of the first without any turns or steps in between). There's up to 2 minutes and 22 seconds max left to have fun with. I would just skate your program and if you actually jump your jumps, that's an added bonus. If you don't, so what. You'll still be able to have fun on the ice with everything else.

Can't wait until Adult Canadians in Brampton to meet up with old skate pals and make new skate pal friends. The competition is just a way of the adult skating family to have a way to reunite and half fun.

"As the winds of change came to Calgary, so did a new refreshing marking system called the Cumulative Points Calculation marking system which was used for us adult skaters for the first time. It was a time for new beginnings on and off of the ice. Although not all of us reached what was our personal bests in competition because some of us were sick, we all recorded personal bests under the CPC to compare with competitions in the future. The Western Ontario Section team didn't just act as a team, we looked like a team with our new red team jackets. No matter who was competing from WOS, we were there to support each other in colour, cheers and stuffies. It was like being a part of a huge family who just happened to skate. As soon as the last of the WOS adult skaters left Calgary airport, Calgary reverted back to winter because we took the warmth with us to Ontario."
~ Brigitte Laskowski - Adult Skater

taken from Skate Canada WOS Adult page @
http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/programs/adult.htm

singerskates

02-07-2008, 01:13 AM

Fasting:
The weather was aweful today and so was the traffic. We had freezing rain and sleet most of the day in Windsor/Essex County. I also thought that I had lost my wireless buscard adapter at the rink I was doing music editing last night and went over there before heading to my rink. The combination of the bad weather and the wireless buscard adapter being temperarely lost made me so late that I totally missed the CanSkate session on which I PA and 45 minutes of my own freeskate session. The bad weather was so bad that the cars were only travelling at a rate of less than 5 KM an hour. I was a nervous reck by the time I got to the rink, worse than any test or competition nerves. When I got to the rink, I had a hard time getting my fingers to do up my skates.

Feast:

Even though I was a complete wreck of nerves, I was able to remember my interpretive FS and do some of the moves. My freeskate was a problem only because the coaches were doing dance after dance with the kids and just when you thought you had an opening, including in interp LBO catchfoot spiral, your element and to be stopped before it got started. One thing I did notice today is that it doesn't take much for me to get speed going. Good for competition or show program during the show but bad when practicing for the pre-prelim and under crowd who don't move fast enough and/or don't know any better about getting out of the way of the faster skaters.

SkatingOnClouds

02-07-2008, 01:59 AM

Fasting

Hate rough, hard ice ! Especially for spinning. Hate sessions with 3 coaches giving lessons at the same time, plus everyone else trying to practise - on a 1/4 size rink. Hate skating badly !

Spins just sucked last night. No room for spirals or even much footwork.

Feasting

Most jumps okay, and able to put a loop onto most of them. Finally realised coach is telling me to pre-rotate my loop somewhat, that I don't have to be still facing backwards when I take off, and that immediately gave me the entry tracing she wanted.

momsk8er

02-07-2008, 08:17 AM

Feasting - moves feeling good, but stamina could be better. Scratch spins nice and centered. Oh, I learned how to do a scratch and sit spin from the inside 3 turn set up instead of from back crossovers. That made me happy 'cause if I can do that I know I'm getting better at getting into my spins centered. Back 3's showing some small progress. Back spin showing some small progress too, although it still tends to be twizzles most of the time.

Fasting - jumps are too small, and I'm having trouble with timing. Toe loop has completely left me, although I can still do a toe waltz. Frustrating. It was better a couple of months ago. Spirals - ugh. I'm another big, fat, old lady and they just look weird. Camel spin looks the same. Uuuugly. And only one rev anyway, maybe two if I'm lucky.

Sessy

02-07-2008, 08:19 AM

CEWL! The fysiotherapist has me practicing some of my jumps on the trampoline, in the hopes of building ankle strength and stability up to doing them on ice without any pain and stuff.

quarkiki2

02-07-2008, 08:35 AM

Skittl1321

02-07-2008, 01:15 PM

Fasting: Rink closed last night due to the 12-15 inches of snow.
It's OK, I wasn't going to make it anyway as I can't climb a flight of stairs without coughing up a lung. Thank you, my darling children for sharing your cold...

:( So sorry you are sick. But good for you teaching your kids how to share when they are so young!

sk8pics

02-07-2008, 05:39 PM

Feasting: The whole session and lesson I was on the ice.8-) Every time I skate, I feel better. Tonight my coach commented that even in my less-preferred direction, I am gaining speed with every stroke on my back crossovers. I felt it, too, because I had to slow down and make my circle smaller to go around some spinning kids. Other direction was big and fast. {happy sigh} My coach is holding my hand still, lightly, because the sessions are crazy and I do NOT need to fall over a kid at this point in my recovery! Anyway, we did edges, too, forwards and backwards. And waltz jumps again and then he said, "Let's do some toe loops" and got this response from me: 8O but I was able to do some, again, teeny, tiny toe loops, but they weren't bad and weren't too terribly toe waltzy. Hooray! I can see where I'm going to have to start practicing in between lessons, but for now, I'm content.8-)

Happy skating everyone!

Terri C

02-07-2008, 06:42 PM

Feast:
Showed artistic program to Primary Coach today.
Footwork for CM program is getting better.

Fasting:
I'm going to have to pay another visit to the podiatrist again. Two years ago I had a corn form on my right pinky toe and after dealing with pain all season, got to the podiatrist and got it frozen off. Will have to do this again, as I couldn't make it through my freestyle program today.

Salchows continue to be the problem child- I'm having a hard time maintaining the check after the three turn.

MissIndigo

02-07-2008, 07:01 PM

(MissIndigo!?!?! You're BACK!?!?!? 8O :mrgreen: You should change your handle to DOCTORIndigo now!!! :bow: )

Heehee J, yes, I'm back skating casually. But darn it, I'm skating and it makes me happy, even if only once a week! Having a rink on campus rocks...I just wish it were year-round instead of seasonal.

jazzpants

02-07-2008, 07:19 PM

Feasting:

Program runthru with new footwork, etc, finally brought my program to the point where I can comfortably end the program right on queue!! YAAAAAY!!!

Fasting:

Didn't land loop-loop or flip clean. In fact, I ended up taking a -3 deduction on my @$$!!! :evil: (I tried to do a flip when the Zam was coming out and ended up on my butt. No harm done other than my pride. Primary coach was CHEERING!!! :roll: :giveup: )
Had a lesson this week only on the coffee club session -- Unfortunately the ice was already too chopped up by the time I got on to warm up. Never in my life would I ever imagine that I am now not happy about the coffee club sessions b/c it's too crowded!!! :giveup:

Kim to the Max

02-07-2008, 07:33 PM

[Feasting]

Did a good run through of my program today. I need to get the second flip stronger, and I need to get the scratch/back scratch consistent.

One of the other skaters who doesn't jump very high, complimented that my axel was a lot higher than hers.

Worked on my moves again...one of the coaches commented how she gets scared when I do my power circles because on the glide out I get so close to the boards that she thinks I'm going to hit them.

[Fasting]

Scratch/back scratch wasn't happening today. I am dropping my shoulder during the transition and can't seem to keep it up.

Axel was close, but still not there...I need to work on pulling my legs in...

No lesson this week :( which makes me sad....

looplover

02-07-2008, 08:45 PM

Feasting: Well we upped the difficulty of my program for an upcoming competition, and I think it's going to be good! My forward scratch to back scratch is actually decent and I never would have thought it. I learned that I can do a twizzle today as well. And we will have straight line footwork in it (I always want to do some wild looking footwork).

Fasting: Didn't land the flip after two attempts. That jump is always hit or miss with me but I haven't practiced it that often since moving here. I'm afraid of my mazurka. I don't have a camel in the program and I feel like I should, but I can't do a camel. At all.

Somewhere between feasting and fasting: New program has a lutz in it and I've only landed that once and I was maybe an inch off the ice, but at least I landed it on the correct foot.

Lots of work to do...

mikawendy

02-07-2008, 10:32 PM

singerskates

02-07-2008, 11:40 PM

Thursday session:
Fasting;Didn't go to my home club today as it was test day and my prelim freeskate is not ready to test and my creative dance has not been danced by my partner for more than two months. So that means I have nothing I can test at this moment.

Feasting; Went to ticket ice/city ice and was able to run through both my freeskate and interpretive FS twice each with the music. 8-) Coach had me work on getting my eyes to stay away from looking on the ice. In my freeskate, I messed up one time by forgetting to do my split before my flip/toe combo and just laughed to much because of the mistake and let the rest of the program go down the sewer. In my interpretive, we found that I didn't have enough time to get in the footwork because of the pattern of the program. So tomorrow we're going to change the pattern of the interpretive a bit so that I can get to one of the ends of the rink in time to start the footwork. I think what should be done is that instead of looping back after the split jumps to go into the BLO catch foot spiral, I should be skating to the corner and do some RBx and then come out of the right corner to do a LBO catch foot spiral and then leave out the inside spread eagle until after the footwork section. This way I can gain more spead instead of stalling. The program just doesn't flow at this point once I'm done the half way mark. One week left to get it ready for competition. Yikes.

Jumps;
Waltz jump: nice and strong with height.
Salchow is now popping up off of the ice with confidence.
Toe loop: I need to be careful about not picking in on the flat of my blade, other wise everything else good.
Flip: height is back but must watch the placement of picking foot and remember to snap my right arm in to help rotation.
Lutz: still have to address it but I'm plugging away at it anyway including in my freeskate.

Spins;
Corkscrew: doing it without using a standard wind up, doing forward corkscrew after a LFO spiral/LFO lunge and get the start up by three turning in the lunge position. No break in between each stage of elements. Quite taxing on left leg.
Catch Foot Attitude Spin: Coach had me change my free arm to be up infront of my head with me slightly bending back as I hold onto my freeleg with the other hand. Still need to pull my freeleg up more and push my hips forward more but I managed 4 rotations in the spin in my interpretive. If I can creack out 6 rotations by next week, I'll change my corkscrew in my freeskate to this spin.
Sitspin: was pathetic today. I wasn't getting low enough. I seemed to be too stiff to get down low enough today. And I had to get my broken spin to be fixed as I wasn't getting my freefoot to the back enough. Once I did get the broken part right, I just about grab my freeleg to come up. I may do this in my interpretive but in my freeskate if I grab my freefoot I will stay down until I let go of it to come up and out.

Spiral Sequence:
Need to get my stamina back. Never get to do these at my home rink with all the CanSkaters on the ice during my so called StarSkate ice. Must find a way to get my stamina up some other way. And I found that my hips seem to feel weak and not able to hold up my freelegs lately. Must go to the gym to fix this. I find that these problems arise during my RFO ce RFI spiral when I go to change edge and I don't get to keep up my RFI spiral as long as the RFO. LBI Spiral needs to get more speed from my RBx. Need to add an extra RBx before the LBI so that I have more distance and power for my split/flip/toe which are right off of my spiral.

Crosscuts: it seems today that I was rocking on my forward crosscuts. I wonder if it's got to do with me being out of shape and tired.

Breathing: after the session was over I felt light headed. I was also beat red in the face. I haven't been taking the preventative (Singular) because the doctor at the clinic said that it was making my breathing worse and he hasn't given me a different one yet. I may go to this other clinic in the next few days to get a perscription for a different preventative as I can't have light headedness when competing Friday, Feb. 15, 2008. Plus, I want to see if it's going to make a diffference on the oxygen level to my legs and arms. I've noticed that I'm having trouble to get my skate laces done since not being on a preventative.

OH, one other thing, when I said that did both programs twice with the music, they were all done back to back. That's 2 mins 6 secs for each time the freeskate was done. Plus 2 mins 32 secs for each of the interpretives. That's a total of 9 mins and 16 secs none stop.

Mrs Redboots

02-08-2008, 09:43 AM

Heehee J, yes, I'm back skating casually. But darn it, I'm skating and it makes me happy, even if only once a week! Having a rink on campus rocks...I just wish it were year-round instead of seasonal.
There are other rinks in your city and close by that are year-round, as I understand it - maybe you will want to seek out one of those by the time your campus rink closes for the summer!

Feasting: Had fun on the ice today.

Fasting: Needless to say the 3-turn exercise I couldn't do on Tuesday and then did perfectly twice in front of my coach on Wednesday had abandoned me again - not the turns, they were fine, but the crossover. At least, it crossed, but with an awful screech of toe-rakes and no flow. 5-step Mohawk exercise also scratchy and un-flowy. Step sequence steps ditto and likewise.... sigh.... at least the Husband is still having trouble with them, too.

Rusty Blades

02-08-2008, 11:42 AM

Dying Gasps: Don't even want to talk about my week skating :cry: Two more session before the next competition and what was supposed to be the debut of my Freeskate program - don't look like it's going to happen - probably withdraw it Tuesday and start working toward Nationals.

Feasting: I'm still alive and haven't broken anything :giveup:

Damned typos!

Isk8NYC

02-08-2008, 11:48 AM

Fasting: I skated so badly today. I didn't even break a sweat or center a spin. Didn't try to jump, it would have been a disaster. I don't like 7am skating sessions, lol.

Skate@Delaware

02-08-2008, 11:48 AM

Saw my doctor today (actually the PA, she will assist the surgeon), so...
Feasting: I need to skate a lot until my surgery.

Fasting: once I have my surgery, NO skating AT ALL for 6 weeks. Which means:

--No ice show for me
--No more teaching after the 29th of Feb.
--my rink will be (almost) closed by the time I'm allowed back on the ice :cry: I think it will have one or so sessions left

On the bright side: there will be NO restrictions at all after the surgery!!!! Except for those I impose on myself. So, I might have some lower back pain, but no more than an old chick might expect.

Also, I have a 6-week "vacation" from work, but without pay. Win-Lose I guess. Unfortunately, all the activities I really enjoy involve outside stuff, except for sewing and reading. I did sign up for Netflix so I have a 20-year list of movies to catch up on, but I'm sure that will get old. Real soon.

Clare

02-08-2008, 12:23 PM

Fasting:
-Meltdown over the damn back crossovers again...there were tears, it wasn't pretty :roll:

Feasting:
-Forward Cross Rolls are definitely improving, just got to lose the toe picking habit on one side...
-The skirt wearing seems to be working to help me really focus on extending and pointing
-The wide step in the Golden Skaters Waltz is no longer feeling like the most alien thing in the world, which I will take as an improvement!
-By the time I got off the ice, 2.5 hours after the meltdown and after some fun run-throughs of the Canasta Tango and the Golden Skaters Waltz (feeling like a duckling following Mrs Redboots!), I was already laughing about it and left the rink feeling good :)

Rusty Blades

02-08-2008, 12:51 PM

...there were tears, it wasn't pretty

.... I understand completely! {{{HUG}}}

Clare

02-08-2008, 01:02 PM

Thank you :)

I am so glad that my coach is quite possibly the most patient man in the world!

Helen88

02-08-2008, 01:35 PM

FEASTING:
Not strictly skating related :P

We had PE today -doing aerobics, which I've discovered it the one and only aspect of PE I'm remotely good at. I'd been talking to my PE teacher about my skating the other day, just a passing conversation, you know...

So this lesson we were going some toning and stretching exercises, a lot of it focusing on core strength. About half way through, when we were doing a couple of the exercises, the rest of the class are clearly tired, and most of them can't hold the positions anymore. I'm still going strong, to which Miss replies with 'we can tell you're a skater, Helen!'. For an overweight, un-athletic teen with low self esteem, being told that really made my day :D

And then later, at the end of the lesson, when we were doing stretches, Miss tells us to start our stretches, she tells the class 'now, if you're flexible, LIKE HELEN, you can do that stretch - I can't do it myself, I'm not flexible enough - Helen, would you demonstrate?'. I get into the straddle position, and bend over, holding my feet. Rest of class 'WOW! How can you do that?' 'Uhhh...skating'.

This is the girl that couldn't touch her toes two months ago...who now nearly has her splits.

Best PE lesson I've had in years :D

icedancer2

02-08-2008, 03:02 PM

feasting: Had a good practice today. I had a dream about the BI3 last night and believe it or not my technique in the dream was really good and I think it helped me today because I was thinking about the turn differently! FO3 also better and so that figure may actually be shaping up for PCAS in 4 weeks! The FOI Serpentine also much better than in has been so I am feeling hopeful!

I was surprised to learn that I have a competitor for this event - I understand that there are 9 competitors for the High Level Figure event, which is great, but supposedly there is just one other person in the Low Level (my division) - wonder who it is?

Also worked on all Moves and turns and some dances - patterns are getting a little bigger and a little faster - I'm still having trouble getting anything up to speed but that will come. I think it is a combination of finally realizing that I can turn my head/body/shoulder more than I could for a couple of years (yoga and pilates and all the body work has definitely helped!). This has helped on all of my skating - yea!

One of the judges at my main icky hockey rink gave me a correction last week that helped with all of the turns - instead of thinking about my feet, she thought I should think more about where the back of my back was while doing the turns - depending on the turn your back is either facing the circle of facing away from the circle. This got me away from concentrating on my feet and hips and more on my shoulders and I'm finding that everything is going more easily. Thank you judge-friend!!

Fasting: No lesson today. My coach called and said she was sick - plus the ice at my main icky hockey rink has been really bad. My friend texted me from there yesterday - she said that they had dug a ditch along the edges and were flooding it when she got there in the morning. She eventually skated in the middle part but everything was really wet and the ice was lousy. There is also apparently something wrong with the zam, so I decided to go to the mall rink which is closer to my house but small and unpredictable as far as numbers of people, mall smells (food-court), etc.

But I had a good session anyway and skated for almost 2 hours! Fantastic!

vesperholly

02-08-2008, 03:30 PM

Feasting: I did a nearly-clean program runthrough today - with axel! - and I didn't leave out any choreography. :D The only thing I messed up was I did an extra turn between the flip-loop combination, and I barely did one rotation in the layback part of the camel-layback before stepping out. I still have four weeks to train for Easterns, so I'm really pleased at where my skating is now.

Fasting: Erm ... only skated for 45 minutes today because I couldn't get my lazy butt to the rink before 2:30. :roll:

Mrs Redboots

02-08-2008, 03:41 PM

.... I understand completely! {{{HUG}}}
She then proceeded to dance with Husband when she'd recovered - they looked good, until just at the very end. And her slide chassé wide step isn't nearly as bad as she thinks it is!

dbny

02-08-2008, 04:26 PM

Dying Gasps: Don't even want to talk about my week slating :cry:

But how was your sKating? :lol: :lol: :lol: We all have those days...sigh.

On the bright side: there will be NO restrictions at all after the surgery!!!! Except for those I impose on myself. So, I might have some lower back pain, but no more than an old chick might expect.

That will be fabulous! I'm really happy for you that you have a resolution to your back problem.

And then later, at the end of the lesson, when we were doing stretches, Miss tells us to start our stretches, she tells the class 'now, if you're flexible, LIKE HELEN, you can do that stretch - I can't do it myself, I'm not flexible enough - Helen, would you demonstrate?'. I get into the straddle position, and bend over, holding my feet. Rest of class 'WOW! How can you do that?' 'Uhhh...skating'.

This is the girl that couldn't touch her toes two months ago...who now nearly has her splits.

Best PE lesson I've had in years :D

Way to go!!!

Fasting:
Not a real fast, but just not into the ice so well as I was last week. Somehow have lost the timing on the RFI three, so that I'm pushing it instead of rotating into it.

Feasting:
Another great lesson today! Did several FO threes that were truly checked, and while working on the Prelim alt FO three pattern, did a lurching step forward onto LO edge that normally would be the end of that attempt at the pattern for me, but was able to make corrections and actually do the turn and continue the pattern. One foot spins were slightly off, but I could feel it and make corrections while spinning. Got the timing on the RFI three back!

Super Duper Feast:
One of the adult skaters that I see every Friday had a mild heart attack last weekend and had a triple heart bypass on Monday. The surgery went well with no complications and he went home yesterday!

Forgot to say that older DD went skating with us today, and asked me what those twirly things were that younger DD was doing on Wed. She was talking about twizzles, so I told her to do some BO threes, which I had taught her a few months ago, then string them together with FI threes and no checking. In a few minutes she was doing twizzles! She asked about free leg, and actually got a half decent passe position going too. She was doing them during my lesson and my coach made a nice comment. Ah, to be young and talented...sigh.

BatikatII

02-08-2008, 06:13 PM

Feasting: Ice was lovely on Thursday but I felt lousy. Maybe it was the low expectations that turned it into a good skate day. Ran through test programme the best I've done it yet and elements seemed OK.

I decided to go in this morning for a little bit of backspin practice - I will get this spin, I will get this spin. Asked a friend who has a nice one what the secret is and she said she thinks of bringing the right shoulder forward and strangely enough mine worked better following that thought. Somehow it works better for me than thinking of pulling the left shoulder back so maybe there is hope on that yet. Actually did a few of 3 revs with a decent entry and exit.

I also worked on my jumps especially loop and flip and finally decided that it may be that my left arm is sabotaging them half the time. I really have to remind myself to bring the left arm in and not just to bring the right arm around. So now I am trying to bring it in so hands touch each time and it is helping. Landed some really nice flips.

Fasting: I seem to have forgotten how to do back outside 3's on right foot despite passing the test. Left back outside 3's are no problem but right ones are 8O

singerskates

02-08-2008, 06:33 PM

Don't withdraw Dianne. Your competition next week may be your only practice in front of judges before Nationals. That competition is a good way to work out the nerves.

I'm not quite ready either for next week's WOS Boston Pizza StarSkate Sectionals. I'm not done with the choreography of my interpretive program.

Dying Gasps: Don't even want to talk about my week skating :cry: Two more session before the next competition and what was supposed to be the debut of my Freeskate program - don't look like it's going to happen - probably withdraw it Tuesday and start working toward Nationals.

Feasting: I'm still alive and haven't broken anything :giveup:

Damned typos!

myste12

02-08-2008, 08:35 PM

Fasting:
Drove all the way to the rink without my purse today, and didn't have enough money stashed in my skate bag to pay for a session...

Feasting:
I did find last week's paycheck from coaching in my bag, so I drove to the bank, cashed the check, and was back in time for practice.

Fasting:
I'm still not doing full run throughs of my program. Today, I left out the double toe, but did the spins. I landed the axel both times, but the double salchows were hit and miss... And, I'm still not anywhere near on time with the music. I'm not feeling good about this with only a month until mids.

Feasting:
I managed to stop skidding the BI threes on the senior sustained edge move, and I made some progress on the edge quality of the double threes! Now, I just have to figure out how to tighten the pattern up a bit so I don't keep hitting the boards at the end. 8O

Kim to the Max

02-08-2008, 09:21 PM

[Fasting]

No ice at my normal rink today, so I went to the open freestyle at the campus rink. No one was there, so I felt a bit unmotivated :( Sometimes it's nice to have the ice to myself, but others...

Because there was no ice, I also didn't have a lesson, which is always sad because I feel as if I start getting into bad habits and don't seem to make as much progress :(

I'm still messing up the scratch/back scratch spin...can't seem to get it right consistently...

[Feasting]

Lutz seem to have gotten a little better. I'm at least getting off of the ice :roll: and the take off is not as funky as it was...

Moves are feeling good, but again, I really need coach to look at them...

Rusty Blades

02-08-2008, 09:32 PM

Don't withdraw Dianne. Your competition next week may be your only practice in front of judges before Nationals. That competition is a good way to work out the nerves.

Nerves are never a problem for me - I get the nervousness out of the way well ahead of time. A week before a competition I will be shaking like a leaf and in fear of loosing my lunch but then it goes away and I am cool as a cucumber for the competition. (The head coach wants me to teach the young competitiors how to do that - LOL!)

If anybody is bored enough, the whole progression of events is in my journal and started a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.geocities.com/agedrinkrat/journal8.html

phoenix

02-08-2008, 09:56 PM

Fasting: Got a retry on my Killian test today. I was feeling lousy w/ a sinus infection, so I'm proud of myself for sucking it up & going out there. And I skated pretty well--not quite up to my normal dance, but not bad.

The judges all said the same thing--expression needs to be crisper, and I need to skate w/ more attack & be more into the ice. I'm not sure if I normally skate more aggresively & today just was a bit off due to my cold, or if it's all the time. Need to have a talk w/ coach about that.

BUT--that means that the basics of the dance were just fine--edges/steps/timing/turns/pattern, all just fine. I just need to 'take it up a notch' to get it to look right.

So, it was disappointing, but given that it's a retry, not that bad for comments. At least I know exactly what I need to do. (Unlike the test sheets one of my students got once which said, 'some of the steps have problems.' :roll: )

Kim to the Max

02-08-2008, 10:09 PM

Fasting: Got a retry on my Killian test today. I was feeling lousy w/ a sinus infection, so I'm proud of myself for sucking it up & going out there. And I skated pretty well--not quite up to my normal dance, but not bad.

Sorry to hear about the retry phoenix. But at least the comments were mostly positive!

And there is nothing more frustrating than judges not being specific!

SkatingOnClouds

02-09-2008, 02:08 AM

Feasting

I love good ice. I love skating well. I love 1/2 hour lessons rather than 1/4 hour.

Coach got me to change my flip entry slightly and I did what felt like a big one. She asked me how that felt: my reply; "it felt like flying!" Gosh I love that feeling!

Fasting

considering the standard of my jumps, my spins are really lame. I am working hard, and coach is helping me, but gosh it is frustrating.

Feasting

Still feeling great from "flying" and all the good jumps today.

Isk8NYC

02-09-2008, 03:10 AM

Mrs Redboots

02-09-2008, 09:56 AM

Fasting: Got a retry on my Killian test today.
Sorry to hear it, but does sound as though, had you been fit, you would have nailed it. As, indeed, you will next time!

doubletoe

02-09-2008, 12:09 PM

Skate@Delaware

02-09-2008, 01:23 PM

phoenix, i'm sure you would have passed if you were feeling better!

Feasting: decided to hit the rink again (compete tomorrow) so I did some jump setups and backspins. Hey, I'm just happy to skate! Got to play "coach" for one of coach's students...put on her music...observed her skating...made some constructive comments, etc. It was fun!

Jump setups worked great (except one, see below). Even did some loops where I managed a backspin (duh, this is what she meant!). Did some backspins but can't exit them like she wants unless I put my free foot down; had another girl demo and realized, um, you PUSH the free foot BACK first, oh.

Fasting: should have eaten a better lunch; had the shakes. oh well. broke the news to the director about my not skating post-surgery...another compromise has been reached! I get to do my part "on stage" instead of skating!!! Woo!!! but it's still not the same. Oh well. at least it's something.

I'm still not "getting" the flip jump setup. I'm gonna have to work it more. I can do it off ice but not running through it right on ice. Even after having my demo girl show me; I could not get it. This one might take a while. Oh well, I have time!