Fighting or hugging: 9-17 March 2008

[Mrs Redboots]

Fighting: Why can't men multi-task? First of all mine thought a Foxtrot was a Waltz (duh!), then in our lesson, if he got the steps right, he got the arms wrong; if he got the arms right, he muddled up the steps! SIGH.

Our free dance is at the stage that I can't do any of it.

Hugging: We spent a long time working on the rocker/bracket combination, and I am beginning to be able to do it, although not yet without clinging on to Husband for grim death. I can almost - almost - do both elements in isolation by myself, though, which is progress!

[Helen88]

We (coach and I) decided I’d be better off doing my test next time round – it was sprung on us at a bit short notice. But we’re still going to carry on working on the elements. So…

Fighting:
Crossovers – Ahhh!! I learnt a totally new way to do forward ones – you put the free foot on the ice before it crosses over, shift the weight to that foot, and then slide the other one over. They look much better actually – but they’re going to take some work…
My back ones are okay, but I need to remember that when one leg is bend, the other is straight, and to lean the way I’m going. Plus my turn, when I’m going from forward to backwards was a little dodgy – I need to keep my feet together.
Spirals – Ahhh again!! Apparently I do them really weirdly – I’m not getting my upper body down low enough (I have a really, really arched back, and I think that might be why), but my free leg is really high. And my foot is NOT turning out at all. Coach said they’d pass – they’re just really odd lol. I look like a floppy pen ^_^

Hugging Hugging HUGGING!!:
Oooh, and yeah – when I went to practice on Thursday, I worked out the entry to my waltz-jump – and landed it like that – so I can officially say I’ve landed my first jump!! And I’m so proud :]

I have a lesson on Thursday this week, as coach won’t be around Sunday, so not long to wait. I’m looking forward to it :]

[Morgail]

Hugging:
-Did lots and lots of program run-throughs. Most of them were pretty good:) After this week's practices, I should be all ready for the rink show next week!
-Camels felt faster and stronger today.
-Jumps were good. Didn't land any lutzes on one foot, but I think I'm closer to getting it back.
-Did some flip-loops! :D
-Played around with layback, which was fun.
-Two little girls applauded my sad little salchow. :lol:

Fighting:
-Had a few issues with hitting the backspin position in jumps. I finally fixed it near the end of the session.
-Rushed through practicing power circles and double 3s. Didn't practice the cha-cha at all.
-Having a hard time getting the camel-backspin combo in my program consistent.

[kander]

Fighting: My spins continue to be all over the place. I'll do a really good one followed by a horrible one. It's mostly due do an inconsistent entry. I've always had a problem with that part. I skipped skating today because I was too tired :cry: and it's been over a month since I've spent a day at home. My double loop is completely gone.

Hugging: I've only had one truly bad practice in the last couple weeks. Did some real nice axel attempts on saturday. Landed a perfect toe loop right in front of a cute girl :)

[singerskates]

Fighting: My spins continue to be all over the place. I'll do a really good one followed by a horrible one. It's mostly due do an inconsistent entry. I've always had a problem with that part. I skipped skating today because I was too tired :cry: and it's been over a month since I've spent a day at home. My double loop is completely gone.

Hugging: I've only had one truly bad practice in the last couple weeks. Did some real nice axel attempts on saturday. Landed a perfect toe loop right in front of a cute girl :)

Have you had your blades checked to see if they moved out of position lately? You might have a screw or two loose on the bottom of your skate boots. It happened to Jeffery Buttle once at a competition during the Grand Prix series. He botched his short because of the loose skate blade but then for the freeskate after the warm up when he went back on the ice tried a jump and learned that the blade was loose, so then he got a time out to tighten the loose screw and one the event.

[Kim to the Max]

[Fighting]
Nothing too much...didn't do as good of a program run through as I would have liked tonight...but, beyond that, everything was good...

[Hugging]
Brackets were at least cooperating a little bit tonight...meaning, I didn't fall on my butt while trying to do them :) CW Power 3's were actually good tonight, which was amazing...I think for me, I need to focus on checking my back arm after the turn...

Jumps were big, spins were good, although, I'm still having issues with the speed on the spins in my program, but as long as I get my revolutions for my test, I'm fine...which is not up to my own standards, but, as long as it passes the test...

I've been working hard for my test next Sunday...quick question, the test is about an hour away on Sunday, and coach is coming...don't know exactly how much she is going to charge (her test fee is only $10, and I am unsure if she is going to charge for gas $$, which she should! Plus, I'm not sure if she has other skaters testing). So, I was thinking that I would get her a gas card (just in case she doesn't charge for gas; if she does, then of course, I will just use the gas card myself...so no loss :) ), but then I was thinking that she probably spends Sundays with her husband, so it might be nice to get her a gift card to a restaurant...but then I was thinking about splitting the difference and getting her 1/2 the amount in a gas card and 1/2 for a restaurant...what do you all think? I know it's not necessary, but in many ways this is so who I am...

[jskater49]

Hugging

Back outside edges from Bronze moves - I was right on pattern, which means my edges were good, but the reflection in the glass told me now that I've got the pattern and edges it's time to work on extension.

3 turns - you know for something I hated - these I think are now my best move - perfectly symetircal half cirlces, turn right on the top, nice little loop. Maybe that means sometime I'll do nice mohawks?

Fighting Mohawks. Slowly, I can do them very nicely. From speed in the dance, I still just freeze up.

Hugging

Power class coach did not show up so we were all just aimlessly skating around until I noticed we were all dancers so I put the dance CD on and we started with the Dtuch Waltz doing dances. Until we got past the Fiesta and I don't know any dances higher than that and the higher level dancers couldn't remember any other dances besides the 14 step.

Then we put on our dance number for the show - some of us are doing the Swing and others the Rocker Foxtrot to "Ku-u-I-Poh" by Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii. DD is choreographing and she was showing us how she changed one end pattern since there will be a curtain taking up a big chunk of the end.

Fighting I really am doubting that I should have signed up for the dance number. I won't be able to do that mohawk by our first practice in April and I'm afraid I'm just going to get in anyone's way. DD told me to just do a two foot turn.

ANd then remind myself of how people who didn't know the Swing thought I looked really good when I screwed it up in competition. And I can do Swing Rolls and chassess fast enough not to get run over. So just keep my head up and I should be okay.

j

[Isk8NYC]

I've been working hard for my test next Sunday...quick question, the test is about an hour away on Sunday, and coach is coming...don't know exactly how much she is going to charge (her test fee is only $10, and I am unsure if she is going to charge for gas $$, which she should! Plus, I'm not sure if she has other skaters testing). So, I was thinking that I would get her a gas card (just in case she doesn't charge for gas; if she does, then of course, I will just use the gas card myself...so no loss :) ), but then I was thinking that she probably spends Sundays with her husband, so it might be nice to get her a gift card to a restaurant...but then I was thinking about splitting the difference and getting her 1/2 the amount in a gas card and 1/2 for a restaurant...what do you all think? I know it's not necessary, but in many ways this is so who I am...

Ask the coach if she's going to charge a "coaching fee" for your test session. Ask now, unless she's already said "No Charge."

If there's no charge and you want to give her a gift, get a Visa Gift card - check the sunday circulars; sometimes Genovese or OfficeMax sell them with a "discount" or "rebate" that covers the issuance fee. Then, your coach can spend it on whatever she wants and it's not tied to a certain vendor.

(This

[quarkiki2]

Fighting: Got to the rink with a SPLITTING headache, every time my hear rate went up, my head would pound. Spent some time trying to track down pain reliever and a decent drink (the water machine wouldn't take my dollar and the drinking fountain was filled with Mountain Dew, gross! I ended up putting my guards on and tromping across the food court.)

Hugging: Had fun skating with Jessi. !/2 toe was jumping and from more speed. 1/2 lutz disappeared.

Fighting: Took power class with Jessi, though every time I started moving, my heartrate went up and my head was pounding, so I worked on form and extension.

Hugging: Managed one-foot power pulls foreward on left foot (I had been two-footing as I'm a chicken weenie and didn't want to try on one foot). Not a whole lot of power, but the timing felt pretty good. Same with back, though I was tapping down my free foot on the edge change. Chasses felt good, worked on quickness with free foot and extension on the push. Forward swing rolls had good timing, but I can really tell I need a sharpening as I was fighting to stay on the edge after the roll.

Group lesson: Was pretty much a hugging lesson. My headache had mostly subsided. Worked edges first, forward are in good shape, backwards are still suffering from my post-partum lack of core strength. And I need to back off on the pushed a little so that I'm more comfortable getting myself onto one foot.

And then, FINALLY, some improvement in my spins. As in I could feel the speed increasing as I pulled in and I managed NOT to bail as I got faster. I'm oh-so-close to crossing my feet -- maybe next week??? These have improved the last three weeks in a row, so that's my plan! They were all nice and centered, too. We had a sub for class and she complimented the centering and placement on my blade. And, like my coach, said to back off a bit on the power getting into the spin until I'm a little more comfortable, then slowly add it back in and I'll be able to "spin for days". Yes, that was the quote, LOL! She said that a spin that good will hold up when I add the power back in and I should expect to have a "lovely, long scratch spin" in my future.

Although, my future could last for another 50 years, LOL...

And, oh! I played my music for Jessi and another coach and they both thought it was a great cut for me, yay! I'd love to just pick music for people...

[Rusty Blades]

Fighting: Though it was a day off work for me I made the 2 hour round trip to skate in the city .... only 10 skating days (max) to Nationals and some elements REALLY need work!

Since it has warmed up from the -30s to a balmy -15C I decided it’s time I started skating in a dress (since both my programs will be in a dress). I should have put on TWO pairs of tights ‘cause it was still pretty chilly with only one pair - BURR - not to mention “drafty” in certain positions, drafty in places that shouldn’t ought to be drafty! 8O

(There was only one other skater and one coach on the ice this morning so it was a wonderful session! I am SO spoiled! How am I ever going to move back to “regular sessions” next year??? If there are more than 6 skaters, I think it’s “crowded”!!! Somehow my backyard rink is going to have to expand to NHL size!)

My gawd were the ol’ pins wobbly today! Couldn’t hold a spiral for the life of me. Spins weren’t fully recovered from my ear infection


Hugging: I hit one or two Upright spins that held together for about 4 rotations and were relatively quick - the rest fell seriously apart after 1 or 2 revs. :??

Some Waltz jumps were strong and solid and a couple of the Toe Loops were more graceful - the rest I think I looked like a bullfrog that had been thrown like a frisbee! 8O I think I managed to land 2 or 3 clean Toe Loops but they could definitely use more confidence!

Reverse direction (CCW) footwork showed a little progress but some of the CW footwork was trucking right along.

Definitely need to continue practicing footwork, Toe Loop, and CoE spirals! (And definitely TWO pair of tights for tomorrow!)

(Funny but my posts seem to be getting longer as the deadline approaches :roll: )

[Mrs Redboots]

Crossovers – Ahhh!! I learnt a totally new way to do forward ones – you put the free foot on the ice before it crosses over, shift the weight to that foot, and then slide the other one over. They look much better actually – but they’re going to take some work…
These are what are known as runs here in the UK, or progressives in the USA! They are not easy to learn, but much more powerful once you have mastered them.

[jazzpants]

ALL Fighting....

Well, the spirit was willing, but the body was fightin' me all the way!!! (Alright, I have my excuse too... Auntie has arrived and joined in on the "periodization" excuse!!! :roll: Pun intended. I know... BOOOOO....BAD!!! :P ) I had no energy going into my morning FS practice session (I'm not a morning person, DUH!!!), my lower back was nagging me again and I fought thru EVERYTHING on my technical program. Yes, double run-thrus too!!!

Also interesting... I guess it's a good thing... I am now skating AHEAD of my technical programs. I'm usually end AFTER the music stops. Hmmmm? :?? (I know... that's the point of me going into the FS sessions for my "periodization"... to finally get something consistent and set it on auto-pilot!!!)

A couple of hugs...
I did land my loop-loops on both runthrus!!! And landed my flip on the SECOND runthru!!!

[LilJen]

Fighting: Found out last night that the test I've been counting on taking. . . well, coach says "You're not ready." Grrrrr!! I was pretty peeved, seeing as I was going to take this idiot test (PB moves) a year ago, before I broke my ankle, and the idea that I've regressed isn't terribly appealing. . . However, I was sick for 2 weeks, and the test is in another 2 weeks. . .

Hugging: However, coach agreed to let me start working on something NEW. Because I am so, so, so thoroughly bored with PB moves (probably one reason I wasn't skating two of the patterns very well last lesson) and I think I might shoot myself if I have to keep working on them right now. So. . . on to some Bronze moves for the moment. Hooray!! Wondering also if I should nudge coach about putting together a footwork program--I have some funky music that I'd like to use and a dress I want to make. . . .
-Also hugging: We had a good synchro practice despite having to restructure the routine due to two people who'll be missing for the next comp. It used to be that we'd be totally confused and couldn't even get halfway through our program without totally falling apart when one or two people were missing.
But fighting: One person will be missing because she's had to go back on chemo for lymphoma. :cry: (welcoming your prayers, kind thoughts, etc for remission for her)

[Kim to the Max]

Ask the coach if she's going to charge a "coaching fee" for your test session. Ask now, unless she's already said "No Charge."

If there's no charge and you want to give her a gift, get a Visa Gift card - check the sunday circulars; sometimes Genovese or OfficeMax sell them with a "discount" or "rebate" that covers the issuance fee. Then, your coach can spend it on whatever she wants and it's not tied to a certain vendor.

I asked how much I was going to owe her....only $10....which just seems so low to me....especially for an out of town test session....I called my mom saying that it just seemed so low, and my mom said that I probably feel that way because I get along with coach and unlike others, I don't feel like she is over selling herself....

I have a week to decide what I'm going to do....

[singerskates]

So I'm finaly healthy again and wanted to go skating. Drove to my club's rink because last week they had so called public skating for figure skaters but (fighting) it turned out to be real public skating. Just skating around in circles, no jumps or spins and lots of kids on the ice because of March Break which I like to call March Mess. Called all over the county to find out if there was any ticket ice available. Na da, none, nothing doing.

Then during one of the calls to a rink in the town where I live but my skating club is not (Hug), a coach who is a friend of mine told me that there's city ice (ticket ice) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday where she does her day gig.

Tuesday, I'm travelling to Toronto for the day for my daughter's job interview which means I'll miss Tuesday's city ice (fighting). But I'm bringing my skates with me to Toronto and I might be able to find some ticket ice between 4 PM and 7 PM (small hug).

[kander]

Have you had your blades checked to see if they moved out of position lately? You might have a screw or two loose on the bottom of your skate boots. It happened to Jeffery Buttle once at a competition during the Grand Prix series. He botched his short because of the loose skate blade but then for the freeskate after the warm up when he went back on the ice tried a jump and learned that the blade was loose, so then he got a time out to tighten the loose screw and one the event.

The blades are OK. I think the problem is related to the way the boots break in/down. When I first get them they are straight up and down. As they break in the tops of the boots start to bend outwards from each other. I've always suspected that this changes the dynamics enough that it screws me up. Spins are the most finicky of the skating elements.

Speaking of such, my coach can do a pretty good axel in boots that have the blades held on by duct tape. 8O

Kevin

[SkatingOnClouds]

Fighting:
my feet hurt ! I've had my Graf Galaxies for maybe 2 years and they have had it. They're letting me down if I get a landing a bit wrong, and my feet hurt to walk today, really painful. My blades are so bad there's a dip where the spinning point should be. Coach wanted to look at them cos she couldn't figure out why I couldn't get on the right part of the blade for backspins.

Backspins. Still:frus: but they are getting better.

Back camel? what back camel? Oh, you mean that one that was working great 2 weeks ago, with better position than my forward camel? Now where did that go?

lutzes = flutzes. I can land these, but change edge at the last minute. Pity, cos they actually feel really cool with that counter rotation feeling, and I'm enjoying them a lot more than when I could do them properly over 20+ years ago.

Hugs:

some pretty good jumps over the weeked, last night I was consistently and comfortably putting a loop on the end of everything including loops, (but excluding my flutzes.)

My new Proflexes are due at the end of this month. ( Now just have to work on actually having the money to pay for them:roll: ) Something to look forward to.

I'm feeling pretty pleased with my skating at the moment. That's at this moment, anyway.

[Rusty Blades]

My new Proflexes are due at the end of this month.

Oh you're going to LOVE 'EM! Figure on about a month to build up a couple of muscles you haven't been using (you will find the ones I am talking about when you do a spiral ;) ) and then you will LOVE the range of motion, particularly for things like a sit spin! (And get used to hearing your coach yell "POINT YOUR TOE!" 'cause you CAN in ProFlex!)

[Mrs Redboots]

Hugging: We have a free dance! It is choreographed and we have done it to the music.

I can nearly do the rocker/bracket bit without a partner, although not, of course, while moving.

Fighting: Our free dance is totally cr*p at the moment, but that, I suppose, is a fault that time will cure.

We did a Dutch waltz and coach1 pointed out at least 3 places where we were anticipating. Or rather, where I was. Sigh....

[BatikatII]

fighting: normaly reliable sit spin that deserted me for test last week was still missing (I did eke out the revs but it was tough going in the test!) for most of session. No lesson as coach is away.

hugging: Finally managed decent sit spin just before getting off. Backspin no worse than in test. Did a couple of great Flip-loop combos til I got over-excited about them and lost them again.

[Rusty Blades]

Fighting: Had to make 3 pit stops on the way to the rink this morning (a side effect of the strong antibiotic I am on for the sinus/ear infection) and by the time I got on the ice my energy was just completely drained (along with everything else).

Despite hardly having enough strength to hold myself up the Toe Loops are coming - actually landed a few clean! 8O - Waltz jumps are about 75% solid and my upright spins are coming back ( :bow: ). Amazing, considering the condition I was in!

Hugging: One of our new Nationals competitors for this year (who has been joining us at my home rink occasionally) is in the medical field and gave me some tips to allay the side effects of the antibiotics. When she was questioning her sanity for entering Nationals I started telling her about the "atmosphere" and the spirit at C.A.N. and promising that she will have a wonderful time and she will do fine ..... good time for a "pep talk" - I needed one myself! It reminded me what it's all about - go, participate, and do your best with what you got and share in the spirit. Ok, so I go with my two programs, skate them the best I can, and just have a good time!

[momsk8er]

Hugging - new boots just about broken in. My spin is the last thing to come back though. It is improving, I can spin now, its just not centered, or if it is centered, it is not too many revs - like 4-6 instead of 8-10. But it is getting better every day. Jumps and moves are pretty much back to how I could do them before my new skates.

Fighting - embarrasing off-ice injury that may keep me off the ice for a few days. Fell and hit the toilet (yeah, don't start) with my back/ribs. I don't think anything is broken, but it hurts like heck to use those back muscles. Dang!!!!!

[rye]

Hugging - passed ISI Freestyle 1. It was totally unexpected, (a) because I didn't expect to pass yet, and (b) because the teacher pulled the old "why don't you just run through it to the music and we'll see what it looks like" trick so I didn't know she was evaluating it as a test!

Things that helped were (i) the jump warmups you-all helped me to develop several months ago; (ii) forcing myself to practice the jumps even though they're my least favourite element; (iii) walking through the program mentally and physically off-ice, thinking about the transitions and arm positions; and (iv) (perhaps most important for actually pulling all the pieces together in one performance?) pasting a smile to my face at the start and not letting it leave.

On to FS2 and one-foot spins. Oh joy.

[Rusty Blades]

I don't think anything is broken, but it hurts like heck to use those back muscles. Dang!!!!!

Gotta watch out for those vicious commodes! (Sorry, I am NOT laughing, honest!)

[Muskoka Skater]

Monday Night

I'm sick so I only stayed for 1/2 an hour. I didn't do much but I did skate really slowly because my legs were all shaky from not standing for 4days!

[Terri C]

Hugging:
Coach was very pleased with my results at Easterns in the freeskate this past weekend. It made her and me that much happier for me to fire off two beautiful salchows after I fell on one during my freeskate on Sunday.
Oh and she wants me to retest my Bronze freeskate on the next test session which will hopefully be in late April. Start praying and stay tuned!

Fighting:
Primary Coach is still out with the strep/ sinus infection funk and cancelled lessons this week.
No lessons next week- one of our rinks is being taken down for badly needed repairs and the darling "Junior B" hockey team has to practice. I'll skate elsewhere.

[Kim to the Max]

[Fighting]
Just found out that I am waitlisted for the test session on Sunday. Which really blows because I feel prepared for the test....I will hear final word tomorrow. And I don't know when the next test session around this area is going to be and coach and I are so DONE with intermediate moves, it's not even funny...

Tonight, I couldn't seem to do the scratch/back scratch...did it okay during my program run through, and one after the run through, but it decided to take a vacation today (I blame it on the newly sharpened skater :) ).

My CW back power 3s were good pattern-wise, but dang were they slow as anything else! I can do them with speed and power and flow when I'm on a smaller circle, but when I try to do them as the end pattern for the move, they grind to a halt...boo!

[Hugging]
Program run through went well...

Moves are feeling really good...even those dang brackets...

[Skittl1321]

Fighting: Had a fine time skating today but am now really pissed off, and mad, because I realized I've developed a bunion under my small toe. Stupid skates.

[Mrs Redboots]

Fighting: Me and Husband! I was furious with him as I spent an hour yesterday writing out all the steps of our free dance in a spreadsheet, and did he look at it last night? You guess! So I spent all our practice having to remind him what the steps were, which he couldn't remember from one second to the next. You would have thought that, as he knew we would be practising our free dance this morning, he would at least have glanced through the steps! But no....

Plus I did a Dutch waltz solo and it showed up every flaw in my skating, and then some!

Hugging: But I also discovered that I can actually do this free dance solo! Not well, and not fast, but I can do it. Even the rocker-bracket combination in the middle of the step sequence. All except the change-foot spin, and even that I sort-of managed with a bit of 2-footing the backspin part! So I was well pleased.

[Rusty Blades]

Now Annabelle, take a deep breath, relax, and remember .... you husband is a man and we have to accept their idiosyncrasies ;)

[Rusty Blades]

Neither/Both: Well I have figured out I have so much trouble keeping my energy up and why I have been fighting physical problems - burn-out After 26 months of figure skating dominating my life (not to mention working full time and trying to run a household) I am just running out of steam. Glad I get a week's break before Nationals! Also plan some time off afterward. Three more weeks and we can r e s t !

[quarkiki2]

Now Annabelle, take a deep breath, relax, and remember .... you husband is a man and we have to accept their idiosyncrasies ;)

Don't you mean "idiot-synchrasies"?

Sorry about your toe, Jessi :(

[Skittl1321]

Sorry about your toe, Jessi :(

Thanks. Stupid skates. It doesn't hurt, but it is not pretty- but not bad yet. I've emailed someone in CR about punching out the boots- so hopefully it won't get worse.

Okay, now that I'm a bit less annoyed than last night:

Hugging Just the overall feel of the skating went really well. It felt good to be on the ice, no knee pain, my skates felt the best they have in ages- I skated for 2 hours, usually I only make 30 minutes.

We worked on my program and it went pretty well. I don't have a good feeling of where things go in the music yet, because the beginning is so soft I can barely hear it on the public session (since it plays under the public session music), but the end is basically choreographed to be "do some extra things" so if I'm behind the music, I just skip the extra things and pick up my ending move. The music is a medley, so when it gets to a certain part I know to start my ending, even if I haven't done the other things yet. I need to work on not bleeding time with connecting crossovers though because those extra things are a good addition to the program.

I did get to run the program once with almost no one on the ice, but I fell, so I was behind that time too!

In my own practice the combo spin went better and I actually did a few stand alone backspins, alas, neither was present for my lesson.

indifferentGroup lesson was okay. We did footwork- 5 step and 8 step mohawk, and then toe runs (?). I really appreciated the lesson, but I think the instructor was frustrated because some of the girls weren't listening to him at all, and others were just having a hard time- so he wasn't able to help the 2 or 3 who were actually doing it, but needed comments. (The 8 step mohawk was a difficult choice, because it is almost the same as the ISI 3 footwork- but that's a 9 step, and most of the class is ISI 3, and kept saying amongst themselves that our instructor was wrong about how to do it, rather than recognizing, even after he told them that it was a different move, that it was a different move.) During the 5-step mohawk, most of the girls did 3 step mohawks- so in a circle instead of along a line. I had tried to stop talking to them by now, because they were frustrating ME- so I don't know if this was to be obstinate (possibly) or because they really didn't get it. The toe runs were really difficult but a lot of fun- essentially it was a crossover, to 3 toe steps that took you in a half circle to a new crossover that you then did the run in a different direction. Watching our instructor do them was just amazing, that was probably the best part of the lesson. Then again- he looks impressive doing crossovers.:bow:

Fighting Camel spin isn't really getting anywhere. Still can't cross foot in scratch spin. I fell out of my combo spin everytime during practice.

Hugging more I love right back outside spirals.
Fighting again All the other back spirals are embarassing. My leg doesn't even get near my hip.

[jskater49]

Hugging - Coach said my back crossovers have really improved, I'm not so much on my toes anymore, but then noted that I still seem to be picking up free leg and clunking it down in the forward crossvers. She said she thought it was just a bad habit, that my edges were good enough that I should not be doing that and to try and think about a smoother crossover - so I did it thinking more about doing a progressive and they improved 100% immediatly, so I just have to think about smoother crossovers.

Fighting - we tackled mohawks again. I get so frustrated and think I've made no progress but that is not true. A year ago I was two-footing it and scraping and scratching, now when I do it slowly I can actually do a beautiful mohawk on either foot. The challenge now is doing it with speed and in transisition from one move to another like in Moves or in the dance. I just have to think about keeping my head over my skating foot, stretching the arms as far as possible, turning my head, opening and turning out my toe as much as possible, and the turn is very easy, then the challenge is keeping my arm back, leg back and head over skating foot. When I freeze up before the mohawks she says to stop thinking "ACK I have to do a mohawk now!" and instead think about what I need to do, head over skating foot, stretch the arms, ect...

There may be hope. I don't know.

j

[Rusty Blades]

Don't you mean "idiot-synchrasies"?

I stand corrected ....

[coskater64]

I am getting ready for my gold moves test in 2 weeks, and I have started back doing more of the Jr FM, just the power circles and slowly working on the quick rockers. Still just doing exercises for the choctaws as I still lean back way to much for my liking.

Thinking about testing some dances in April and finishing that pesky pre silver level, I just want to move forward finally after being trapped for 2 years because of my hip issues.

Spins are getting better, footwork seems nice, power continues to return slowly, I'm skating 4 days this week for the first time, just slightly sore today 3.8O

[dbny]

Hugging:
Finally got to outdoor rink this morning, the last week it's open this season. Without any focus on it, the LFI Mohawk has been getting easier, so I gave the 5 step Mohawk a try. I was painfully aware of every shortcoming, but when done, a fellow skater complimented me on how nice and smooth it looked (wish I had it on video, because it didn't feel smooth). Made up a little step sequence that's fun to do: LFO, RFO-XF, LFI-XB (as in the Fiesta tango), RFO, LFO-XF, RFI-XB etc. FI threes still happening with little effort. Got a single rev on backspin after trying to enter it from BO edge several times. That exercise, though it never results in a spin for me, does seem to get me over the blade in the right place, so I can then do a FI three into a backspin with better success than I've been having.

Fighting:
One foot spin - just is not cooperating. I either look down, lose core body control, tilt right, or something else. Got a few 4 rev spins, but I need to start nailing this thing. Still not checking FO threes good enough for testing, and not getting enough speed on FI threes on the line.

[jazzpants]

Hugging:
Waltz jump and salchow! My secondary coach warned me not to make my salchow too swingy again and well, it turned out to be a really nice salchow with kick thru and good height. Left it at that.

Fighting:
Toe loops!!! Boy, THIS JUMP sucks doing them right!!! (I'm trying to undo more toe-waltzing again.)

Hugging:
Secondary coach acknowledges that at the very least, I'm kicking thru on those toe loops. And then later on she made me do a bunch of loops and well, they aren't bad. She's trying to now get me to get my right cross my legs more on the jump, so I get more on my left side.

Fighting:
After my lesson, I was fighting with my technical program's double runthrus. Last night I had to content with ummm... "women's issues" and I just had a horrible time getting energy into my workout. (I felt COMPLETELY drained.) Today it's more of the same on the runthrus!!! I think I'll take it easy the rest of the day.

[Kim to the Max]

[Fighting]
Still no word on if I'm testing on Sunday :( So, I practiced today as if I were. I am going to be really disappointed if I don't get to test...

Something was up with my camel spin today...I just could NOT get 3 revolutions on the camel after my flip loop...I can do the camel fine in isolation, but put it with the program and right out of the jump, and it goes to pieces :frus:

Tried to skate without my bunga pads today (well, I actually forgot one in my apartment, but we'll forget that part :roll: ), didn't do so bad, my left (take off) ankle is a little sore, but nothing horrible...I would really like to start skating without them again...

The person who is supposed to get the duty phone from me today is still not back from Boston...and I want to go out with friends at 8....I sure hope he is back! Otherwise I'm going to be really upset :twisted: because I've already been tied to campus since last Tuesday (I took the phone early for a friend who was going to a conference to interview for jobs).

[Hugging]
Everything else went very well...moves felt strong, even the brackets, CW back power 3s were decent, not the best, but okay considering how I have been doing them...

Flips and flip/loops were HUGE!

[Bill_S]

Don't you mean "idiot-synchrasies"?



Sigh.

I get hassled by the guys at work for figure skating - a girly sport. Now I'm lumped with other guys by my fellow skaters. Is it any wonder why more guys don't figure skate?

Maybe I'll just buy a case of beer, order a pizza, and take up watching football on the TV.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ok, just a joke. I'd hate to trade-in this buff 58-year bod for the round, couch potato shape that I'd get by just watching TV. I'll take the heat from both sides and just smile.

Hugging: Had a POWERFUL skate this evening. I love a session where I can put some muscle into the ice (SPEED!), execute fast three turns and brackets, enter a spin from turning-threes done at high speed, and nail a reasonable center.

Came home sweaty, tired, but very satisfied.

p.s. Annabel - you do have a point though. I'm almost "pattern challenged" and seem to take forever to learn a new MIF pattern or set of dance steps. The fairer sex seems to get this so much faster.

[looplover]

Fighting: I was way too chatty at practice this morning and didn't practice enough, which was ridiculous - there were only 2 of us on the ice! But the other skater - a nice kid - was telling me about his spring vacation and he was very enthusiastic and following me around the ice - I didn't have the heart to shoo him away.

Didn't do a flip today - yikes.

Hugging: I know my new fast footwork with the crazy mohawk cross things and the hop in the wrong direction, and the double 3 - today I added a twizzle on the end. Did some decent spins and jumps other than the flip.

[Skate@Delaware]

Sigh.

I get hassled by the guys at work for figure skating - a girly sport. Now I'm lumped with other guys by my fellow skaters. Is it any wonder why more guys don't figure skate?

Maybe I'll just buy a case of beer, order a pizza, and take up watching football on the TV.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ok, just a joke. I'd hate to trade-in this buff 58-year bod for the round, couch potato shape that I'd get by just watching TV. I'll take the heat from both sides and just smile.

Hugging: Had a POWERFUL skate this evening. I love a session where I can put some muscle into the ice (SPEED!), execute fast three turns and brackets, enter a spin from turning-threes done at high speed, and nail a reasonable center.

Came home sweaty, tired, but very satisfied.

p.s. Annabel - you do have a point though. I'm almost "pattern challenged" and seem to take forever to learn a new MIF pattern or set of dance steps. The fairer sex seems to get this so much faster.
If you are ordering pizza, I'll come over and watch hockey with you, how's that?

My husband had a very rough time with dance patterns AND ballroom....I've given up. My best ice dance partner was one of ther teenage girls. She was fast AND she remembered the steps!

Saw my ortho doc today, as a follow-up to my surgery. I'm cleared for physical therapy. I will tell you, just going out a bit today was EXHAUSTING!!!!!!!! I need to stretch out more AND eat. I hardly have any appetite although I am drinking plenty of fluids. I'm still in pain, still sore.

For now, no skating (I figured as much). I have another follow-up next month. Then it's back to work!

[Skittl1321]

Fighting This week is really beating me up. I was super sore yesterday from Tuesday night doing spirals and really stretching. Now my entire left side of my body hurts from a fall during synchro. I can't sit because my thigh and hip are in so much pain. It's going to be a long day.

Synchro last night was a mess, but I left happy about having been at synchro, rather than super frustrated so I guess that's okay.

[Mrs Redboots]

p.s. Annabel - you do have a point though. I'm almost "pattern challenged" and seem to take forever to learn a new MIF pattern or set of dance steps. The fairer sex seems to get this so much faster.
What I was cross about was that he hadn't even tried to learn them. I mean hello? He knew we were practising yesterday morning, we always practice on a Wednesday morning, and he knew we would be working on our dance, so why didn't he at least look at the steps?

[samba]

What I was cross about was that he hadn't even tried to learn them. I mean hello? He knew we were practising yesterday morning, we always practice on a Wednesday morning, and he knew we would be working on our dance, so why didn't he at least look at the steps?

Because its easier to follow you.

[samba]

Sigh.

I get hassled by the guys at work for figure skating - a girly sport. Now I'm lumped with other guys by my fellow skaters. Is it any wonder why more guys don't figure skate?

Maybe I'll just buy a case of beer, order a pizza, and take up watching football on the TV.

And what about the girly behaviour of footballers, kissing and cudling everytime they get a goal, or is that soccer in your language?

[quarkiki2]

I'm sorry you're sore, Jessi, but you did have the cutest fall ever... When I fall in synchro I just thud...

Hugging: Well, I managed to stay on my feet then entire practice, except when I was supposed to do the splits. Managed to do everything in each program once -- except a turn from forward chasses to backwards chasses -- I bungled the first attempt with some "chopping broccoli" footwork and strange hops and that spooked me (lord knows how I didn't splat -- I think it was fear as I'm in the middle of a block at that point and knew if I went down, I'd have been skated over), so I didn't even try the second time -- plus, it was at the end of practice and my legs were sooooo tired.

I got all of the footwork in both programs -- that made me happy! And I was told to SLOW DOWN in one part -- ha! No one ever tells me to SLOW DOWN...

Fighting: Had issues getting into a pinwheel, though our coach assured me it wasn't MY issue. Missed it twice, third time came around and the same teammate wasn't quite there, so I got into that teammate's place and yanked her into the line. I was simply determined to NOT miss that thing three times in one practice.

[Rusty Blades]

Hugging: After a double shot of Creme De Menthe and going to bed WAY early, I finally felt like I was on the road to recovery this morning - still short of energy and a bit dizzy but much better than anytime in the past 2 weeks.

Tried my new Interpretive dress this morning - moves nice, very comfortable, and VERY pretty :mrgreen:

After an on-ice warm-up coach and I finished the choreography for the Interpretive .....

Fighting: ..... neither of us could remember exactly what we INTENDED to do after last week's session - and she's nearly HALF my age - :roll:

Not too bad a skate for my physical condition. Back to the Freeskate number tomorrow and back into the booze tonight :yum: (Hey, whatever it takes to have a good skate!)

[phoenix]

Kim, I hope you get to test! I have a student who got bumped from a test session on Saturday, though there's still a slight chance she'll get to do her moves test. She was very psyched to do that test, & I feel really badly for her. If she's bumped, she'll have to wait until the end of April to have another chance.

As for me:
Hugging: I skated really well in my lesson yesterday--we did some new exercises, which I liked. And a couple of old ones were much improved, which made me vastly happy. The one especially, which I've been trying to get comfortable with for about 3 years--back inside edges to a quick 3/bracket, alternating feet--Usually I do them w/ a hesitation between the 2 turns, and with the feeling like I'm about to die any second. But I did 2 lines of them easily, perfectly balanced, not one wobble or touch down at all. I have never, ever, done them that well or been that comfortable/confident while doing them. I was so proud of myself.

Fighting: Coming back to coach in triumph after the bracket exercise, only to have him say, "Where is the speed? Why is your free leg not tight against your other leg? Go do it again." Grrrr.......!

[Kim to the Max]

Kim, I hope you get to test! I have a student who got bumped from a test session on Saturday, though there's still a slight chance she'll get to do her moves test. She was very psyched to do that test, & I feel really badly for her. If she's bumped, she'll have to wait until the end of April to have another chance.


Thanks! Still no word...the e-mail I got on Tuesday said they were supposed to know by yesterday :( I just really want to know...I think that if I don't get to test, it will be about another month before I would get another chance...which will just cause me to be bored to tears :(

[icedancer2]

Fighting the exhaustion that has come with competing and judging all weekend last weekend. Went to the rink on Tuesday (my old, crappy hockey rink - sort of the "comfot rink" - ) knowing I would see my friends there and also knowing that the first skate after working so hard on something is usually a wash.

And it was. I found myself doing figures haphazardly and seeing if I could stil do a BI3 - (I can!) - also noodling around with some new figures that I'm thinking of trying if I decide to test Adult Silver Figures, so that was kind of fun. Toying with back Serpentines and Change 3s (from the 3rd test I think -) trying to decide which one I'd like to do for the test...

Hugging - decided to take a MITF class at the local mall rink - they finally changed the time from Tuesday (when I cannot attend due to a prior commitment) to Wednesday evening. It is a half-hour class with one instructor and has both kids and adults. Most of the skaters were beginners and frankly it felt good to be able to do everything with some speed and power. After seeing all of the AWESOME adults at Sectionals I was feeling kind of wimpy so this was kind of a confidence-booster. Probably not fair to them, though - I will try to be more humble next week. (But in reality I can see where I may end up helping the instructor - hope she wouldn't mind a little input!). It's a pretty big class.

By taking this class however, I will get all of my public sessions free, so that is a definitely advantage. I am even figuring out how I can go and skate for even a half-hour or so and not feel like I'm wasting my money - I always feel like I have to get my money's worth on a session. Now I can just go and not worry about it!!

[Helen88]

Hugging:

Lesson today :). Worked on cros- uhh, forward progressives (?), back crossovers, spirals, edges, landing position, and 3-jumps once lesson had finished.

Progressives were (surprisingly) okay, as were back crossovers, although a little scratchy. Landing positions were fine, as were edges - my strongest elements. Just need to remember to BEND more...

Fighting...:
...everyone else 8O. Not used to having a lesson on a public session!! Horrible ice too, and people kept getting in my way. It's all very well being told by coach that they'll get out of my way, but in practice, when a wobbly two (or 72...) year old appears behind you, it really isn't my nature to just plough through...

Spirals weren't liking me today...but then they don't like carved up ice. My right foot finally turned out...which convinced coach that I'd be able to turn the right one out too :giveup:

Hugging again:
Saw (all Dancing on Ice UK people) Linda Lusardi and Dan Whiston training for the DOI tour, with Karen Barber and Linda's husband (hehe he's useless :) ). Kyran Bracken and Melanie Lambert turned up later to have their photos taken too. So a section of ice was cordoned off for them, then another section for the group lessons...

[Kim to the Max]

[Fighting]
STILL no word on the test session on Sunday. This is really annoying now. I e-mailed the test chair to see this afternoon, so hopefully she gets back to me. :frus:

Camel spin is still slow as molasses :( I have no clue why...

Some of the skaters were making me feel "old" today...somehow I was taking with someone about something and mentioned that I was in high school from 1994-1998 and she says....I was born in 1994 8O She couldn't believe that I am 27! At least that is a compliment that maybe I look younger than I am :)

[Hugging]
Things seemed to click today...program run through was decent, moves felt good. I'm still working as if I am taking the test on Sunday...now I just need to know for sure.

Forward Power circles can be a little iffy, but if I really think about them, they work out fine. Back power circles are good. CW and CCW power 3's were working out okay today...CW have improved greatly, CCW, I need to remember not to rush them... Double 3s I need to get the lobes a little bigger, but other than that, the turns are placed correctly...Brackets were actually pretty good today, and slips and rips were fine :) I feel more ready than I did last time....I just hope I don't need to wait....

[Skittl1321]

Hugging Kind of random, but exciting- I passed my ISI Bronze judges test today. It's just a multiple choice test, and open book- but some of the answers were actually a bit difficult. The test took me longer than I expected!

I missed 2, one I clicked the wrong answer (and knew it) and the other I think I actually got right.

I'm a "back up" judge for the competition our club is holding in April. The director is worried some of the out of town judges might get stuck for whatever reason. I'm kind of hoping I won't have to judge, but if I do it's going to be basic skills, so it should be kind of fun and kind of frustrating! I think it will be really hard to rank little kids who are all at about the same level doing alpha skills!

[kimberley801]

hugging: I can FINALLY do RFI3s. They are scratchy most of the time, but they're happening. LTS coach said I have a lot of hip turnout and to really focus on closing my hip and "glueing" my free leg to my skating leg for the 3 turn. It worked! I feel like I'm almost crossing my legs, but it works!

Got over my Waltz jump mental block. I don't know what my problem is but I feel like I'm going to catch my toepick, faceplant, then die with this jump. One of my skating buddies told me to just imagine I'm jumping over something. So...I came up to the blue line on the ice and just jumped over it. Look at that! I did a waltz jump! The takeoff was flat footed, but I was off the ice and the landing looked ok. Now to just find that toepick on the takeoff. Oh, and I need to realize I can jump without something on the ice to guide me. I do not need a blue line to tell me I can jump.


Fighting: CW forward crossovers. grrr!!!!! What is wrong with me??! very steppy and not nice and flowy like CCW. I should practice these more. I want to test pre bronze moves soon and it's going to be really lame if they see beautiful CCW and crappy CW crossovers.

[Emberchyld]

Fighting: Well, got my MRI results yesterday-- tendonosis with a possible small tear in my (already once repaired) achilles tendon.

Hugging: At least the diagnosis won't require surgery or hard casting...

Fighting: but I'm in a walking boot all of the time for at least the next three weeks-- and I'm not allowed to stretch even my opposite leg or even work on abs. I'm basically restricted to as little activity as possible. Aftertwoish weeks of it already in the boot, my left calf has started to flatten.

Unfortunately, as I've already had one achilles rupture in that leg and now this problem, I don't know what kind of restrictions will be placed on me after all of this heals.:giveup:

(Sorry I missed Easterns-- it aches too much just to even walk a bit-- I couldn't handle hobbling in that boot with the flooding rains and cold rinks. I had been hoping to at least watch!)

*sigh* but...

Hugging: My coach has mentioned that there's a small, local competition in June. If I'm cleared by April, I might be ready for that.

[looplover]

Hugging: Yay, finally got to meet ISk8NYC today! :D :D She's an amazing skater, killer sit spin, backspin and spirals (and sorry I cut you off in the middle of your spirals ISk8NYC... :( ...)

Not much else for hugging today - loops were good. Um, I have a good edge on this one little section of the program. Did a few flips - but not in the program. Did 2 good sit spins - but not in the program.

Fighting: Ohhhh boy did I skate poorly today. Having pre-competition mental freakout. Music goes on and I feel like someone is trying to kill me - and then I look that way. I rushed everything so by the time I got to my new difficult footwork I was all over the place and it was awful - and tiny. Didn't get the flip or flip-toe. Program sit spins were horrible. Program change foot spin - the only change was that it became a traveling scratch with no backspin on the end of it. MUST get over the nerves. I was able to run through it w/music three times because at the end of the session I was the only one there - and I have got a loooong way to go. Well, at least it was a good workout :halo:

[Kim to the Max]

[FIGHTING]
Just got news that the test for Sunday is a no go...the next test session isn't until the end of April...coach is stalking that club to get the form as soon as it comes out. It's probably going to be my luck that the session is going to fall right during my week of duty (I have to hold the duty phone from 4/23-4/30), which would just be lovely because I don't know if I would be able to get someone to either switch weeks with me or to hold the phone.... :frus: ugh! I just want to take the test!!

[Skate@Delaware]

fighting: started post-operative therapy and my behind is dragging!!!! for anyone getting ready for surgery...get in very good shape beforehand cause you will need it afterwards! I'm glad I was! I'm tired, no stamina, no appetite. I started on protein shakes just to boost that up. I have 4 weeks of convalescent leave left and I think I will need it...Work was pushing for me to only take 2-there would be no way I could go to work on Monday if I can barely do anything now! Yikes!

therapist says: no skating, archery, dance, yoga etc for 12 weeks. He may adjust it later on but it is unlikely. I need to COMPLETELY heal.

I do have feeling in my foot, although it goes numb from time-to-time and my lower back hurts. no big deal though.

[Mrs Redboots]

Because its easier to follow you.

Except that at that particular part of the dance he's doing quite different steps; and if I remember what he's doing, I forget what I'm doing!

[FIGHTING]
Just got news that the test for Sunday is a no go...Oh bum! Poor you - I do hope you can get squeezed in sooner somewhere!

fighting: started post-operative therapy and my behind is dragging!!!! for anyone getting ready for surgery...get in very good shape beforehand cause you will need it afterwards! I'm glad I was! I'm tired, no stamina, no appetite. Well, dammit woman, you've just had an operation! Of course you don't feel great - it would be rather worrying if you did. Seriously, get well soon and heal fast - but let things take their time and don't rush them.

As for me, today:

Hugging: Great practice on empty ice; ran through all our compulsories and spend a good 15 minutes on the Free Dance (Husband more or less knows the steps now!).

Fighting: Oh, how I hate the Dutch Waltz! If ever there was a dance designed to show up the weaknesses in one's skating, it surely must be it!

And I still can't do the second barrel roll in our free dance without grinding to a halt and sticking my bum out rather inelegantly!

[Skate@Delaware]

Ah, Mrs. RB......just like YOU to put everything in proper perspective AND make me LAUGH!!!!!!

Guess i REALLY need to slow way the heck down and smell the roses a bit more (this means-lay around more and watch mindless drivel on my new HD tv)?????

[coskater64]

Hugging:I think things are finally returning to normal for me. My power is very slowly starting to return. I am solid on all the gold moves for my test in two weeks. I had the nicest dance lesson, I'm learning a solo Paso for MC, still not very quick but got 90+% of the steps right which is a huge improvement over last week. Did the American and Tango which are finally doable, I could not do them physically less than 4 weeks ago so this makes me happy. I am getting along with dance coach, he remembers no more than 3 corrections and I "try" not to have too many excuses.:halo:

Fighting: Shockingly no fighting, and actually able to do things that are/were very difficult for me this time last year, and the year before, and maybe the year before that.8O

[Isk8NYC]

Hugging: Yay, finally got to meet ISk8NYC today! :D :D She's an amazing skater, killer sit spin, backspin and spirals (and sorry I cut you off in the middle of your spirals ISk8NYC... :( ...)Don't sweat it - I'm used to going around people. I think it makes me a better skater to be alert and able to move stuff when needed. I didn't really want to skate this morning, I just go on with my kids so they don't fool around too much. If I stay off-ice, they get off to talk to me, at least this way they're where they should be - on the ice! lol

It was great meeting you and the loop looked good. Nice flip as well, btw.

I can't tell what's "Achievements" and what is "Needs Improvement" in this thread, so forgive me if I chose backwards:

Fighting:
I skated half-heartedly this morning. I was up late making cookies for today's bake sale.

Change-foot sit and layback were bad, but I wasn't really trying.
Scratch spins were really good after the first three bad attempts.

Hugging:
Inside spirals were okay, but totally without power. It was 7 in the morning so I forgive myself.

Sit spins and backspins were good.

No jumping today - too sleepy.

[Rusty Blades]

Knocked Out Cold! Had a bad night's sleep and skating was absolute CR@P! Nothing at all was working except edges. If I had a cell phone, I would have called my coach and told her not to bother coming out, but I didn't, and she did. At least we went through my Freeskate routine and filled out the Planned Program Content form....

Next week had BETTER be more productive - it's the last week of skating before Nationals........ It has been a TOUGH winter! :frus:

[Sessy]

Sweet! My clockwise sal and toe-loop jumps (4 weeks old, LOL!) are working in my programme, the toe-loop is actually toeloop-toeloop although I think I might be pre-rotating the second one.

Fighting: the coach wants me to do almost everything along the line of the boarding so I use all of the ice, and you know how some people can't do things on the center ice? I can't do things by the boarding. Messes with my edges. So I've no idea how I'm ever gonna do a sit spin in a corner. :x

[dbny]

Hugging:
Got a huge compliment from coach today: "Your technique actually isn't that bad, you just need strength" :lol:. Yes, I do take that as a compliment! Discovered while waiting around for group last night that I can just pick up R foot and do a one foot spin seemingly out of nowhere. Showed coach today and she said it demonstrates that my problem is getting from the entry edge into the spin, and controlling the force. We worked on one foot spins from T pushes, and I did several very nicely controlled entries. I need to be able to demo this reliably for some of my students! Back spin progress is slow, but happening. Got a good edge and then nearly went over it, so took a break. Was able to just keep at the spins today in spite of a tad of dizziness. Tightening up free leg and butt, and pushing L shoulder back more worked wonders smoothing out my scratchy RFI three. Even did a few (barely controlled) FI double threes on both feet.

Fighting:
I was still able to do everything that I did last week when lesson was cancelled, but was tired and didn't have the same level of confidence. Went to a Pilates class (free for me) and discovered that it is worthless because teacher does not monitor students, and was doing a lot of exercises for the thighs and butt, when I need to build core body strength. Narrowly avoided being injured in that class, and left halfway through.

[Kim to the Max]

[Hugging]
Since I am not testing on Sunday, coach and I had fun tonight :) We worked on my program a little bit, and then did some sit/back sits, flying camels (which are laughable...I need to work on those, coach seems to think that I am going to need a flying camel to test my intermediate freestyle eventually....HA! We'll see if I will ever get the jumps to do that test...), axels (which are SOOOOOO close...coach was funny because she wanted me to land them so badly...I am somehow flexing my foot and not landing on my toe), then we did laybacks (I need to get my leg a little more behind me, but other than that, coach said they look good :) and that I am getting pretty far back)...then coach decided to have me do camel/layback/back sit, which was pretty comical...

[Fighting]
Not much...I still wish I was taking that test, but it was soooo nice to work on stuff that was fun...

[Scarlett]

Hugging

-Coach liked my music choice. We are probably going to start getting a program ready.
-Camel sit may actually happen sometime this year.
-Progressives are coming nicely.

Fighting
-Starting working on the flip - I would much rather do a lutz. The flip is scary.

[vesperholly]

Hugging

Ooh, Senior moves runthroughs are going so much better!! I haven't worked on them in ages until this week. But with the rule changes coming up, I'd really like to get them tested this spring or summer, so I had a lesson on them Tuesday. The scariest (as in terrifyingly bad) element for me is the double 3s to quick rockers, especially the inside 3s/outside rockers. But today they were fast and smooth, even resembling the rulebook pattern and everything! My coach told me to glue my free foot to my skating foot while doing the turns, and it made a huge difference. :D The circle pattern is still shaky, and the right-side spiral pattern is blech, but I am greatly encouraged.

I also worked on getting my backspins fast and centered and did some nice ones. I've been trying to improve my backspin and back sit, so I have been doing an open backspin, then dip down into a sit, and come up again and do a tight backspin. I can really feel what I'm doing wrong. Now to fix it!

Fighting

Why is my double sal so messed up? I thought they were supposed to get better when you get your axel. I can't even rotate it any more. My left shoulder pulls so far around I can't get off the ice, I just go up and pop every. single. one. Between moves and program training, I almost never work on double sals, but still. :P

Layback still travelling to points east and camel is shaky. Grr!

[doubletoe]

Why is my double sal so messed up? I thought they were supposed to get better when you get your axel. I can't even rotate it any more. My left shoulder pulls so far around I can't get off the ice, I just go up and pop every. single. one.

Looks like we got the same double salchow virus! Mine has been gone for about two weeks now (I had to single it at Sectionals last week) and yesterday my secondary coach diagnosed me with pre-rotating shoulders and head. She had me do salchow-loop-backspin as an exercise. It definitely helped. Then today my primary coach worked on it with me and got me back to landing fully rotated backwards on one foot (I just hunched my shoulders and reached down on the landing, but that's a separate problem). What got me there was thinking, "wind-up" on the LBI edge, so that I would sort of counter-rotate my shoulders just like I was doing a loop takeoff (left arm at 10:00, right arm at 4:00). I also used my free leg to pulled myself to the right side toward 4:00 on the takeoff edge, which helped a lot, too.

[Muskoka Skater]

Friday Night

Fighting
-everything


I might have a concussion! I was in a lesson, then all of a sudden i felt dizzy, my eyes started going all weird, my face started going pale. Then my coach told me I looked like I was going to faint so she told me to get off the ice. Then later my coach came up to me and said that I might have a concussion.

You are probably wondering how i would get this concussion, well on Tuesday, March 4th I hurt my back in trampoline and since then i haven't skated or done anything active. This was the first time skating since I hurt my back. Tomorrow my mom is taking me to the hospital to get it checked out. Hopefully in the end it's not a major problem and I won't have to stop skating for a while. It would if I had to because I have a test day coming up.

[vesperholly]

What got me there was thinking, "wind-up" on the LBI edge, so that I would sort of counter-rotate my shoulders just like I was doing a loop takeoff (left arm at 10:00, right arm at 4:00). I also used my free leg to pulled myself to the right side toward 4:00 on the takeoff edge, which helped a lot, too.
My upper body check is fine after the turn, but when I bring the free leg through, all hell breaks loose. I think I'm letting my right hip lead the jump instead of jumping backwards off the inside edge, and my right leg goes too far out and makes it impossible to jump up instead of around. My free leg swing is really messed up. Once I get through Nationals and my Senior moves, I am going to ask for intensive double sal breakdowns.

:frus:

[Sessy]

Fighting
-Starting working on the flip - I would much rather do a lutz. The flip is scary.

I had that at first too, I even had a short time where I lutzed my flip before I got both. An other adult skater at our rink at the time had just "cured" of this so she explained about shoulders and about how you only cross behind to pick on the lutz, not the flip.

[jazzpants]

Fighting:
Still fighting thru the occasional mental glitch of mixing up footwork from my two programs...8O

Hugging:
My energy is coming back. Yup! I had the double whammy of both the time change AND Auntie Flo making her visit to me early this week. (Terri C... she's coming out East for 'ya now! :twisted: )

Fighting:
Of course, I'm still fighting the program b/c primary coach had made a bit of minor change to my footwork. I was annoyed about the change, but I understand his reasoning behind the change and I trust his decision in the end.

But b/c of that, I had one false start to my runthru (b/c I forgotten parts of the footwork to it...) I just hope I can iron this out before AN, if not before my judges critique on Tuesday. (Our skating club is offering a judge's critique/showcase type of thing for all the adults who are competing at AN. Gotta put on the skating outfits and all but should be fun too! :D )

Hugging:
I landed the loop-loop and the flip on the second runthru again. (Why I can't land the flip on BOTH runthrus and specifically on the second one, I have NO CLUE!!!)

Fighting:
I did JUST a loop on the first runthru b/c, frankly I just want a nice easy clean program. I stumbled thru the flip on the first runthru.

[sk8pics]

Hugging Literally, because I hugged my coach at the end of my lesson, LOL. But seriously, it was a great lesson and session. We usually do a couple of pretty fast laps holding hands and I feel really comfortable now and we're going quite fast, hooray. Also skated on my own and did forward stroking, forward one foot glides, forward outside and inside edges. Then with a little help I did lots of back crossovers and even a figure 8 of back crossovers around the circles at the end of the rink.8-) Also did two laps of the alternating back crossovers with outside edge in between. And did some alternating FO3's on a line, again holding my coach's hand but they got a lot better and felt really pretty good! I was putting my foot down in between each turn before stepping forward, but it was really great.

I was so tired afterwards. That was the hardest I've skated since I came back! I'm not sore today but still a bit tired.

Happy skating to everyone!

[doubletoe]

I landed the loop-loop and the flip on the second runthru again. (Why I can't land the flip on BOTH runthrus and specifically on the second one, I have NO CLUE!!!)

Just consider your 6-minute warmup the "first run-through" and your actual competition performance your "second run-through" and you'll be perfect! :D There's something to be said about not leaving your good jumps on the warmup ice. ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

I might have a cuncusion! I was in a lesson, then all of a sudden i felt dizzy, my eyes started going all weird, my face started going pale. Then my coach told me I looked like I was going to faint so she told me to get off the ice. Then later my coach came up to me and said that I might have a cuncusion.
Poor you - do let us know what the doctors say. If it is concussion, you must do as they tell you, as it is not something to be messed about with.

[Muskoka Skater]

I just got back from the doctors. The doctors told me I do have a concussion and I have to take it easy for a month. I can't skate, do trampoline, play soccer, and I don't get to do phys ed at school. I'm really bummed out, but I rather be bummed out then feel dizzy and sick. I hope it gets better soon.

[FlyAndCrash]

Sorry about the head! I hope you completely recover!

Fighting: I had almost no upper-body control. This may have to do with me not doing any abdominal workouts for the past few months... just don't well my coach!!!

Hugging: I landed my axel twice on my program pattern and my program is getting a facelift. We were going to just edit my prelim program for the show, but the music was much longer (30 sec), so we needed to re-do it.

Fighting: I have no clue what I'm doing in my program now. :giveup:

Hugging: My coach found me a dress for my program.

Fighting: I don't like it, but everyone else was saying it was great. :frus:

[techskater]

Just consider your 6-minute warmup the "first run-through" and your actual competition performance your "second run-through" and you'll be perfect! :D There's something to be said about not leaving your good jumps on the warmup ice. ;)

Why not do a first run through on the official 20 minute practice (when they usually play a piece of your program music). Then you will have gotten the bad run through out of the way

[Helen88]

Hugginh Hugging Hugging Everyone In Sight:

No lesson today - but everything was just working. Things clicked into place…my foot on my spirals was turned out, my knee bend on my edges was so much better, my crossovers and progressives felt confident and relaxed…and then I started working on waltz/3-jumps and wow! The entry felt confident, the actual jump felt great, the landing felt so smooth and graceful, and everything just felt so fantastic. I made up some footwork of my own, just for fun (then realized I was doing 3-turns that are normally really dodgy!). And at the end of the session…I could have stayed there all day. The ice was just beautiful. And when I got off I just thought ‘Yes Helen – THIS is why I do this – this feeling – this is why I skate’.

[Mrs Redboots]

Fighting: Still can't do that ruddy Mohawk - coach2 has now changed it so it is still a Mohawk, but a wide-step afterwards, not a barrel roll.

Hugging: Lots of work on the Dutch Waltz today as it was playing. Have exhausted myself.

[Sessy]

2,5 hour of practice on-ice and then some dry jumping afterwards... Yeah I can learn to like this clockwise jumping thing.


Hmmm today's not really my lucky day though. Bumped my elbow hard after about 40 mins of practice and then nearly broke my neck crashing on the couch at home, youch it made a very nasty cracking sound. Maybe I should go see a doc about the neck if it's sore tomorrow. Gave me a really bad scare I tell you...

Oh yeah and my sit spin went really low today... Which is cool.

[myste12]

Hugging: I just did my taxes, and I'm getting enough money back to buy new skates this summer!!! The soles of my current skates are getting a tiny bit mushy and my screws need to be tightened frequently. When I get my new skates, I think I'll get the soles varnished instead of sno-sealed - hopefully that will keep the soles in better shape longer. And if I get varnish, I can have something cute painted on soles too.:)

Fighting: My double toes are not consistent right now, and I need one in my program for AN.

[Kim to the Max]

[Hugging]
At least had one axel where I was near landing on my toe :)

Worked on laybacks and flying camels...actually had some pretty good flying camels...they were a little slow, but that's okay for now...Laybacks were really far back (I could see behind me and not just the ceiling), I just don't know if I'm getting my leg where it needs to be because I didn't have anyone to watch me....I'll ask a friend on Wednesday to take a look....

I took a break from working on the program and moves and will start again this next week...I will probably run through moves and my program on Tuesday but keep working on these other things, seeing as I don't know when I'm going to be testing....

[Fighting]
The first session I skated (2nd of the night) had 23-24 skaters on it and many of them were not actively working on stuff, they were standing around...it's show season, so these next two weeks will be quite busy on the ice :(

Axels were still not what I want them to be....I am still not landing on my toe, however, today I really focused on pulling in...which is helping with the rotation...I am pretty much all the way around, when I remember to pull my arms in :)

[kander]

And when I got off I just thought ‘Yes Helen – THIS is why I do this – this feeling – this is why I skate’.

That's exactly it! That's why I've kept skating for 15 years. The feeling you get when you accomplish something you've worked hard on for months or even years. Just one good jump/spin/move on any given session can keep you hyped up for a week.

When I look back on my life there are two things that I never worked so on so hard as anything else. The first thing was my education. The second thing was learning the double flip. It took me about 6 or 7 years to get it. It took me longer to get the flip than it did get through college. But I stuck with it and never gave up. I am equally proud of both accomplishments. I can remember landing the flip for the first time better than I can my graduation.