Skipping or Tripping 3/31-4/6 2008 [Archive]

jskater49

03-31-2008, 10:33 AM

We have all kinds of Disney Fairies and Princesses practicing for the show these days so there's lots of skipping and tripping going on...

Skipping

I've had three good skating sessions in a row, now that's starting to make me nervous. I don't want to jinx it but I think I finally have the mohawk....now what I need to work on is holding the exit, I've stop rushing the entry. WHen I think about it - I can hold it for both the two beats necesary for the Swing and for the 5 step. Coach has me working on doing them on the half-circles and trying to hold it till I finish the half circle. I can do that on good side, not my bad side but DD watched me and told me I need to open my hip more and it helped although it was really hard for me open my hip.

j

flo

03-31-2008, 11:19 AM

tripping - knee tendonitis a problem.
Skipping - had a great pre-nats lesson. Before nationals each year, I get a different coach to look at my program. I've found that the different perspective is invaluable.

dbny

03-31-2008, 12:10 PM

Skipping:
Did 5 step mohawk in lesson Fri, and coach said mohawks were nice and smooth. I could tell the BO edge was flat, leading to a flat FO edge after, and coach told me to push onto the BO edge bringing the free foot to the back instead of front, and that did the trick. While playing with older DD yesterday after we finished our last lesson, showed her the Juv back power threes. She can do BO threes just fine - I'm scared of them. I was forced to do some on each foot to teach her the move. They were timid, slow little things - but I did do them and I think they were checked better than my FO threes!

Tripping:
Still having so much trouble properly checking the prelim FO threes on the line that I'm back to two footing them. As encouragement, coach told me that when she was already doing doubles, her coach had her working F and B swizzles during the public sessions, along with a lot of other elementary moves.

I am sick yet again! Stuffy sinuses, runny nose, and everything aches. This is the winter (and now spring) from H*ll. From what I'm hearing - I'm not the only one getting sick a lot.

looplover

03-31-2008, 12:33 PM

Skipping: Most of the elements in my program are going pretty well, esp. the loop and loop-toe. New footwork is a zillion times better. I feel much better about this upcoming competition (it's on Saturday).

Tripping: Hey, my change foot spin at the end of the program was dismal today - uh it is too close to the competition for that to be happening! Had to bail out of the program during second run-through today because one of my fave skating kids nearly back hydroplaned into me...twice, once after being told by my coach to watch out for the person in the program. I wasn't really angry but my coach was, because he did it after being told not to once already. I should probably be more angry but I was just happy the first run-through went well 8-)

Terri C

03-31-2008, 06:05 PM

Skipping:
Had a clean test program runthrough today. Primary Coach even saw what was according to her a "nice salchow." Given the way she has been on the soapbox with that element lately, it made my day.

Tripping:
Above program was done on chewed up hockey muck that the rink did not bother to resurface the ice before the afternoon freestyle sessions. Ice felt very slooowwww. Is this rink management's revenge for us figure skaters raising Cain over us losing 30 minutes of freestyle nearly every afternoon this month?
Also was in newly sharpened skates.

jazzpants

03-31-2008, 06:26 PM

Tripping:
Me... on my blades!!! :roll: Literally too!!! Lucky for me I managed to save myself from some pretty bad fall today. I'm so NOT a morning skater!!! :giveup:

And I barely got thru my two runthrus of my technical program too! My legs just didn't wanna move this morning!!!

Skipping:
I am going back to the rink Monday night to redeem myself on the loop and the flip. And actually the loop at the beginning of this session was smooth, flawless and easy... :bow:

(I will land that loop at LP! I will land that loop at LP.... :evil: )

Mrs Redboots

04-01-2008, 10:56 AM

I've stop rushing the entry. WHen I think about it - I can hold it for both the two beats necesary for the Swing and for the 5 step. Coach has me working on doing them on the half-circles and trying to hold it till I finish the half circle. I can do that on good side, not my bad side but DD watched me and told me I need to open my hip more and it helped although it was really hard for me open my hip.

How did you do it? I find that if I hold the Mohawk for more than about 1.5 beats (2 on a good day, 2.5 on a very good day), my shoulders won't turn so I can't get the turn. I suspect I am out of alignment, but my Willow Mohawk is always rushed, and my Swing Mohawk is either off-pattern but on-time, or on-pattern and out of time....

Tripping: I just don't like the end of our free dance at the moment, mostly because I can't do it, but also it feels off. Lesson helped, though, as did doing it to music and working out what went where.

Skipping: However, after my lesson I realised that one of the problem places was where I do a Mohawk on the wrong foot (i.e. LFI/RBI, which is always weaker) and then have to turn to do a RBO/LBI back crossover.... now I know what the problem is, we can make that change of direction a feature rather than a bug!

Scarlett

04-01-2008, 12:11 PM

Skipping -

Finally got back on the ice and had a really good lesson to boot.
Started working on the choreography for my program and actually landed the flip.

Tripping -

Have only choreographed one spin so far and I keep falling out of it.

Terri C

04-01-2008, 07:20 PM

Skipping:
Jumps were nice, and landed the salchow satisfactorily for Secondary Coach. Spins were okay.

Tripping:
Missed the sitspin in my test program runthrough on lesson today. Was trying to get lower and hit the toepick. Got reamed by Secondary Coach and rightfully so, I've been nailing these consistently lately.

Too crowded on ice.

jskater49

04-01-2008, 07:28 PM

How did you do it? I find that if I hold the Mohawk for more than about 1.5 beats (2 on a good day, 2.5 on a very good day), my shoulders won't turn so I can't get the turn. I suspect I am out of alignment, but my Willow Mohawk is always rushed, and my Swing Mohawk is either off-pattern but on-time, or on-pattern and out of time....

I have to really think about stretching my arms to the point of being uncomfortable and turning my head helped. Amazing what a difference the head makes! My coach kept telling me that and telling me that --it was just so hard to turn my head but once I started doing it it amazing and I told her so and she just rolled her eyes. I told DD that and she did a clownish imitation of trying to turn with your body and head turned the wrong way. She's such a commedianne.

j

ibreakhearts66

04-01-2008, 10:35 PM

tripping- me. everywhere lol. been working a lot on power, especially the intermediate crossovers. they make for some interesting falls. i guess i sometimes try to push to hard on the underpush and then next thing i know i'm sliding across the ice. but, i can tell by how far i slide that there is lots of power there!

bah. video-taped my axel. not too fond of it. i mean by most standards its good, but there are things that bug me. that is probably just me being nit-picky. but now i'm ready to skate tomorrow and make what (i think) will be improvements.

decided not to do any 2axels. i want to get a really nice big delayed axel before i start the double again.

skipping- had a good skate today. started out with jumps, made my way through double flip quickly (and almost landed some really good 2flips). then i spent a while working on moves etc. definitely made progress on quick choctaws (another one of my mortal enemies). also decided to work both feet on the choctaws, and while the right choctaws aren't pretty, i was able to get over that LBO a few times.

double loops were great today. they were high, they rotated easily and came out easily. i was also proud because i managed to save some by not reaching for the ice. normally i reach straight for the ice and ruin good ones, but i actually managed to save some slightly off ones by NOT reaching. huge accomplishment for me--to have my arm position SAVE a jump.

since the doubles were going so well i decided to work the 3sal and 3loop a bit. they went really well! i had like 2 1/2 rotations on the salchow, and would have had the full 3 if i hadn't wussed out. they also felt solid, not just like i was whipping around. the 3loop was decent too. i think 3loop will come first since i have so much height on the double.

i'm just feeling good in general. my hip didn't really bother me today at all that i can think of. my feet are another matter, but what can ya do! (well, actually, you can get hooks put in so the tongues don't slip 2.5 inches and crush your toes, but that means going to a skate shop) i think i want to start taking power from an old 2nd coach. she and my main coach were a coaching team back before my absence, but now she doesn't do figure skating at all anymore. she only does power with hockey and a couple figure skaters. i'm going on a retreat next week for school, but i think i'm gonna talk to her.

sorry for the long post :oops:

FlyAndCrash

04-02-2008, 12:13 AM

skipping: I finally figured out how to do a 2sal. Not just do one every once and a while, but to do one that isn't a fluke. Unfortunately, it's not consistant and my mental "wait 'til forward, wait 'til forward..." doesn't seem to always click. At least it works sometimes. :D

tripping: Monday was full of rejection. 3, yes 3, colleges denied me. :evil: :giveup: :evil: And another waitlisted me. On top of that, I had a midterm that I was too distraught to study for today. :giveup:

Mrs Redboots

04-02-2008, 08:53 AM

she did a clownish imitation of trying to turn with your body and head turned the wrong way. She's such a commedianne.You should see my Husband spinning, sometimes.....

Tripping: Monday was full of rejection. 3, yes 3, colleges denied me. :evil: :giveup: :evil: And another waitlisted me. On top of that, I had a midterm that I was too distraught to study for today. :giveup:*Hugs* Poor you, that's not fun. Can you take a year out and try for a 2010 entry (as would be the norm in this country); if your final marks - grades, I mean - aren't good enough you could try again, or perhaps get a job (maybe even in an ice show?) to save money for college? On the other hand, perhaps somewhere will accept you that you hadn't even thought of, and you'll have a wonderful time!

As for us, today:

Tripping: This free dance! Grrr, we are struggling and two months to the Mountain Cup seems very short.

Skipping: On the other hand, we have gone up a level of difficulty, so if it comes off and we look okay doing it, it will be good. And we do still have 2 months. In my private lesson was asked to do an exercise I hadn't done for a year or two and it had magically improved!

Morgail

04-02-2008, 09:30 AM

Skipping:

-Lutz is back :D It feels like a huge jump too (though I'm not sure if it really is!).

-Flip and loop have improved.

-I think I might have the timing down on the Cha Cha.

-Double 3s are getting better, even the really hard LBI-LFO one.

-I'm doing forward outside brackets & have not yet broken, strained, torn, sprained, or otherwise injured myself:D

Tripping:

-I think I fall every single time I do power circles. Usually on one of the backwards ones. I start going so fast that I either do a click of death or just get my feet tangled up. These are always spectacular, sliding-halfway-across-the-rink falls. They don't hurt, but they are funny8-)

-Camel-backspin is still not consistent. Grrrr...

Skittl1321

04-02-2008, 09:52 AM

Tripping All over the place! I fell and fell and fell last night night. Mostly on camels- so those are easy falls, I basically sit down on the ice. But I caught a toepick coming out of a half lutz, thankfully I caught the fall and fell so that I didn't land straight onto my knees, but have a bruise below my knee. I also bumped my knee really hard coming into my lunge. My PT is not going to be happy!

My first program run through was a disaster- I missed the combo spin, missed the toe loop (2 footed it), and completely missed the footwork (did 8 step mohawk instead of 9, and sloppy). yuck.

My camel is weird- I turn my head the wrong way. I just cannot look to the right. My coach seems to think this is my main issue because it's getting all my weight off. But I don't want to look that way!

Am in real bad shape today- the side of my right leg is super sore from the lutz entry, my knees are both really bruised.

Skipping So many half lutzes. I think they are sort of getting better. My stag jump is kind of getting better. Did some good backspins and am starting to have a camel (like 2 revolutions).

We added to my program, so now instead of a toe loop, I do toe loop- toe loop, and at the end I added waltz jump, side toe tap, waltz jump, ballet jump. I also added a second back pivot at the end. And practiced my 3 contigency programs. I have a spot I can either do a jump, a spin, or my footwork again depending on how the program is going :) Now if I mess them all up, I really have a decision to make- but it's probably a moot point :)

Got great compliments on my spiral.

Cannot believe synchro nationals is next week- I'm starting to really freak out

momsk8er

04-02-2008, 11:25 AM

Skipping - Back on the Ice after my off ice clutzyness. Feels good to be out there. I sooo miss skating when I can't do it. Also, my coach thinks my blade needs to be moved, which is good, as I can't spin since my new skates, and I like to think it isn't just my technique that is shot to heck.

Tripping - My body gets out of shape so easily, it's a bit discouraging. Two weeks off and I have no stamina, and no strength for jumping. Plus, I lose much of my coordination.

Ah well, its good just to be back out there.

doubletoe

04-02-2008, 01:38 PM

jskater49

04-02-2008, 04:37 PM

Tripping

So I asked DD to give me a lesson so I would get in bad habits and keep practicing things wrong while coach was on maternity leave...good thing....

She basically said the same thing coach has told me only much blunter :(

Back peremiter stroking - I am not leaning enough into the inside edge soon enough - I get there eventually but it's usually too late, i have to lean as soon as I step down.

Power 3s- I've been making the same mistake with the crossovers I did when I started the back peremiter crossovers, putting my weight on the wrong foot - thus using the crossover for the whole curve rather than holding the inside edge more, thus getting me off pattern.

Skipping - it actually took less time to fix my 5 step mohawk pattern problems than the other moves!

dd was kind of being smart alecky and making the point that she didn't care how long I held the steps for the 5 step as long as they were all the same and then she precedes to do them by holding every step for 5 counts. I was pretty impressed since two beats is pushing it for me.

j

j

LilJen

04-02-2008, 05:58 PM

Skipping: Bronze power XO pattern feeling pretty good. Back power XO is feeling smoother and less scrapey. Got in several decent two-footed spins yesterday (plenty of crummy ones as well, but let's not think too hard about that. . . ).

Tripping: Really, I don't know what all you've done with my 3-turns, but will you please GIVE THEM BACK?? I don't know what is going on with these lately. On the plus side, my half-flip feels a whole lot more stable going from a mohawk entry than from a 3-turn. . .

So, anyway, power 3s still kind of a disaster, a couple of spills on the DPB3TP (da** pre-bronze 3-turn pattern), crappy waltz 8s. Coach and I did some work on 3s in 2 lessons ago, but something is just really wrong. :evil:

Oh, and skipping: Our synchro team got another FIRST at a competition on Sunday. This was after being off the ice for two weeks and no warmup on the ice. Not bad, I say.

phoenix

04-02-2008, 06:41 PM

Skipping: Coach was very happy w/ my Killian today! Said it looks comfortable (and not like I think I'm about to die), and that the sharp expression was very good. Woo hoo, been working very hard on that! Test is in 2.5 weeks, so I should be ready.

We also worked a little on pieces of the Starlight & he fixed my mohawk section, which has always been clumsy, slow, and also exhausting. I was tipping forward (that's the answer to everything, isn't it!), and once I started focusing on skating on a really bent knee & keeping my back held nice & straight, the mohawks smoothed right out & I wasn't dying by the end of them. Yay, that's been a problem for a long time!

I've taken a tip from some of you & have made the Int. moves back power 3's part of my warmup. And I'm also going through the Novice crossing 3's & fast rocker/choc end patterns too. I basically am walking through them, but I figure if I do them every time, they'll start to improve/get more comfortable.

Bill_S

04-02-2008, 06:45 PM

Skipping: Had a lesson today as a gift from another skater for my birthday last month. I haven't had a coach this year since my former coach left the area, and this skater wanted me to see what Phil was like as a coach.

This guy is good. He spotted some little things right off the bat, and then we worked on getting a stronger backspin. Lots of things to work on.

Still Skipping: I've been working on the RFO counter at speed. I've got it where the ice rips when I do it. Feels very cool.

Too bad the left one still feels like a test-tube experiment by comparison.

Rusty Blades

04-02-2008, 07:55 PM

ibreakhearts66

04-02-2008, 10:11 PM

Skipping:

-I think I fall every single time I do power circles. Usually on one of the backwards ones. I start going so fast that I either do a click of death or just get my feet tangled up. These are always spectacular, sliding-halfway-across-the-rink falls. They don't hurt, but they are funny8-)

tripping- me. everywhere lol. been working a lot on power, especially the intermediate crossovers. they make for some interesting falls. i guess i sometimes try to push to hard on the underpush and then next thing i know i'm sliding across the ice. but, i can tell by how far i slide that there is lots of power there!

you are NOT the only one. the second quote is mine from yesterday lol. i only had one click-of-death fall on the backwards ones, and it HURT. landed right on the outside of my knee. i'm waiting to see if that and the 2 other bruises nearby merge into one massive super-bruise.

skipping Silvia Fontana was at the rink today along with two choreographers. They were working on the High School Musical show. It was inspiring to see her skate. huge jumps and just gorgeous movement.

i was able to do some flying camels! i tried one a few weeks ago, and my hip said "NO WAY!" but i tried some today and they were good! no pain either!

also worked on 2axels with my coach today. i didn't land any, obviously (first time even attempting them in like 4 months), but i had some that were only 1/2 to to 3/8ths short!

we also worked on deconstructing my single axel. i think it will still take a while for me to fix the check-out (i bring my leg up like a wrap on the checkout. feet are tidy in the air, but then the leg comes up, around and out), but i felt improvement.

i was also able to do full split jumps and split falling leafs. no pain or ROM problems in the hip. in fact, my hip only started to get sore when i did a broken-leg.

tripping- probably should have taken it a bit easier today. i was already super sore from skating so hard yesterday, but i skated just as hard, if not harder, today. so now EVERYTHING hurts. most of it is just muscle soreness, but my foot and back are both really bothering me. i think i'm going to have both looked at somewhat soon, just to make sure i don't have stress fractures.

double freakin flip. hate that jump! i mean, i think part of my problem is that my coach demands good technique, none of the whippy 3turns or arms that you see so often. but i dont know, the timing just throws me off. i have such good timing on my double loop, you would think it would translate at least somewhat. but nooooo. i did have a few decent ones, but that jump just has not clicked for me yet.

russian splits- HA! my attempts at them are quite humorous. another girl and i were trying them and just laughing at each other the whole time. it is REALLY hard to hit that position and then transition to the landing! i mean, i can hit a decent air position, but just wipe out on the landing. they do make for some good skating bloopers tho!

Morgail

04-03-2008, 10:24 AM

Oh yeah, I've had a number of those falls and they are dramatic but kind of fun, LOL! I eventually figured out that I was standing up a little at the end of each stroke as I crossed over, and that's why my feet came too close together. Once I started focusing on keeping my butt low to the ice and maintaining a wide stance, the clicks of death stopped.

Ah, I'll bet that's exactly what I'm doing too. I have a tendency to bob up and down!

you are NOT the only one. the second quote is mine from yesterday lol. i only had one click-of-death fall on the backwards ones, and it HURT. landed right on the outside of my knee. i'm waiting to see if that and the 2 other bruises nearby merge into one massive super-bruise.

ouch! I just fall on my rear or my hip - no pain so far. I'm glad I'm not the only one who wipes out on these power circles, though. :) Congrats on being able to do more things now - sounds like your hip is healing well!

quarkiki2

04-03-2008, 10:33 AM

Skipping: ME!!! after synchro practice. I was skating on freshly sharpened blades and I had good run-thrus of both of our programs. I'm still not crazy about one of the pass-thrus, but we were missing the teammate who skates on my right and usually is the source of speed on that side and I was making it without her AND not feeling like I was gonna die, LOL! I'll take that!

I hit all of the footwork elements in the Latin program in all of the run-thrus, so I'm thrilled about that! The only thing that I'm not hitting with good consistenct is the 1/2 flip in the compulsory program and that's because we're skating into it faster than I'd like to, but I fake well enough that the coach says we all look like we're jumping on my end of the line, LOL.

I even managed to get into the final pose in our Latin program, though I have a lovely black bruise on my right knee from hitting the splits so fast. So, if anyone is at ISI synchro nationals next weekend and you happen to catch EITHER of our programs, I'm the fat one ending in the splits. Yes, in both programs, LOL! It's really the only thing I can do consistently...

Kim to the Max

04-03-2008, 12:42 PM

I'm glad I'm not the only one who wipes out on these power circles, though. :)

You are NOT the only one...I've done that plenty of times....

Mrs Redboots

04-03-2008, 03:13 PM

Skipping: When I came to the boards after my event, my coach looked really surprised. She said "I have never seen you skate that program THAT WELL before." Who needs a medal with praise like that :mrgreen:
That's what matters, after all - you can't control what the other skaters do nor what the judges think; all you can do is go out there and skate well! Congratulations, Dianne - you're a winner!

blackmanskating

04-03-2008, 05:15 PM

Wow!!! I realized that it has been an incredibly long time since I've posted. It's mostly because of the nagging shin splints that have hindered my progress. And I've been incredibly busy at work. So this is going to be a long one but here goes:

Skipping: Now doing my axel-loop-loop combination from a Besti squat entrance. Working on my flexibility so that I can do it from a full spread eagle. Right now the spread eagle looks horrible because I can't stand it when someone does it with their butt sticking out. I want it fully upright like Jeff Buttle or I won't do it at all.

2Lo-2Lo combination is coming together well. I'm still a quarter turn short on the second jump. I plan to have this combo consistent by the time I reach Adult Gold Level.

My forward sitspin has come a long way. Can now go lower than 90 degrees and I'm working on changing to an outside edge. Trying different arm positions but a lot of them cause me to travel or fall.

Working on skating faster and performing jumps with more speed going into them. It's causing me to overrotate everything. I also get nervous about doing edgework at that speed too. Even simple 3 turns made me nervous.

Tripping: My lack of flexibility is definitely my weakest link. I'm stretching everyday but the progress is slow. My double toeloop is horrible. I think I'm joining the Toeloop Hate Club. And I keep two-footing my double salchow.
I won't be able to do AN this year :( !!!! But I'll definitely do it next year!

Other than that, things are great!!!!!!

BlackManSkating

Terri C

04-03-2008, 06:46 PM

All skipping today:
Finally got Primary Coach happy about the salchow and skated a 99% clean test program today. She told me "whatever you're thinking on these runthroughs, keep it up." May could very well be the Final Chapter in my quest to pass Bronze free.

kander

04-04-2008, 12:20 AM

Tripping: Had a hideous session last saturday. Couldn't do anything. There is this one rink in the bay area that I always stink in. I must be jinxed because I can't think of any other reason.

Skipping: Got the mojo back in my lesson this morning. Did everything right. Even did a few enourmous axel attempts. Coach said one of them could have been a triple if I just pulled in :mrgreen: It's little off handed comments like that which can make your day.

Kevin

FlyAndCrash

04-04-2008, 12:27 AM

Skipping: I have decided to go to Boston University next year and skate! Yay! :P And I have an extra lesson on Sunday.

Tripping: I have show practice again this weekend, and I can't remember the stupid footwork. Why did she decide to put rockers/counters and twizzles in our footwork!!! And five of us cross through the center... Arg. (at least I can say that because we're pirates of the carribean) :evil: She got the idea for the choreo from a nationals program. Can't remember who though.

tidesong

04-04-2008, 01:04 AM

skipping:
coach was happy with my crossovers! (only because they were miserable before, mind you) some how the work last week really helped me to understand more on what I should be doing. I only slipped once the entire time and while doing them with big pushes on my worst side (forwards clockwise) was still a little nerve wrecking, it was just marginally less nerve wrecking than before and I'm happy with it.

I'm still ok with my spins and jumps, same old stuff that I could do before I still can do, not much there. A little more hesitant on the layback now due to the back, so I also didn't work too much on it.

tripping:
knee is still problematic, my I-T band along the outside of the leg twanged twice during the session (so I went home to do the rolling thing to loosen it up but that it got that tight in the first place isn't too good huh.) I really have to do my exercises more often... but I'm too lazy for my own good.
Coach agrees with me on a break, I wanted to take it right after nationals but due to the fact that it wasn't nice according to rink practise to finish a set of lessons months after I started one, so I was just doing it just because of that.

BatikatII

04-04-2008, 04:26 AM

skipping: free practice and lesson
first attempt at backspin was good and am really starting to feel the correct position for these so hope to be able to increase the revs beyond two shortly - as soon as I stop getting scared when I pull in and start to spin fast:P

A good jumping day - flip and loop were working well and the all jumps with toe-loop combos all worked. Tried to do consecutive loops. Made 3 then in lesson with coach tried to do 4 but the last one I ended in a heap on the floor. Didn't hurt at all though.

tripping: skating moves - ughh the level 5 are hard - and unevenly so. the first two are back changes of edge -outside to inside and inside to outside and then forward and back slaloms which are relatively no problem. Then it's outside and inside alternating back double 3's with an awkward change from one side to other and the last one is a completely mad back double 3 choctaw thing that I can't even remember let alone do. ah well - a few years work and maybe I will pass these one day.

Dance lesson:
skipping: remembered the cantango variation! yay!
tripping: loads of people on the ice so difficult to practice and then coach decided to up the difficulty level and make me do the quick mohawk return thing the hard way (no turning to direction of travel - just a quick change on to leading foot and back - much more difficult). I complained that at level 2 it is supposed to be simple steps done well and this step is far from simple:lol:

She commented that this week loads of her skaters have complained she is making them work too hard :evil: coach.

Skate@Delaware

04-04-2008, 10:15 AM

Tripping: me, still not allowed back on the ice...by the time I am, my rink will be closed for the season. :( Searching out options for the interim. I found a synthetic rink in a town 1/2-way to The Pond that I might try once in a while. The synthetic is supposed to be slippery-er than the stuff we use. Oh well, at least I will be back stronger than ever (that's the theory!)

skipping: I am stepping up my game-going to kick up my off-ice exercises. I have already changed my eating habits and will be re-evaluating it at next weeks weigh-in (I have a scale that measure body-fat); I have got a pot belly-eeeewwwww!!!!!

So far, I've got the following scheduled for the summer:
-Skating lessons on Sundays
-starting in June, my schedule will switch around and I will take Tuesdays off to alternate between beach & skating
-ballroom dancing (Latin) on Wednesdays, but it will begin in July
-belly dancing lessons on Saturdays

So my schedule won't be too crowded.

looplover

04-04-2008, 10:40 AM

Tripping: I did something really stupid. I videotaped myself the day before a competition. Why, oh why?? The sit spin I thought was parallel isn't - it's pretty good otherwise, and reasonably low - but it is not correct! Yeesh.

Change foot spin has been horrible the last few practices...and my skates need sharpening, wish I'd done that in time for tomorrow.

A bad practice the day before competition is good luck though, isn't it? I could swear I read that here. If I didn't, I've now decided that's the rule! :mrgreen:

Skipping: My loops and loop-toes were pretty good today, and I guess the sit spin was nice (my coach liked it) - I'm determined to get that thing back to parallel though. I think if I had sharper skates right now I could do it. My footwork felt good and I'm trying to use arms more!

Rusty Blades

04-04-2008, 04:55 PM

Figure skating is just plain STRANGE!!!

Wednesday I skated my Interpretive better than I have ever skated and it earned 10th out of 10.

Thursday I absolutely BLEW my Freeskate, total disaster, toast, trash!!! Bronze 8O

Go figger!

At least I got my first national medal (for the crappy program......)

kimberley801

04-04-2008, 07:38 PM

Wow!!! I realized that it has been an incredibly long time since I've posted. It's mostly because of the nagging shin splints that have hindered my progress.

I feel your pain. I have shin splints right now from running and it makes skating (especially jumps) more difficult.

Skipping: Waltz jumps!!! I miraculously got over my fear this week. For those that didn't know, I would always hit a mental block when having to jump while going forwards. Thought I would faceplant each time. Anyways, I had a test in LTS class this week, which involved waltz jumps. I hate to fail, so I just went with it. And now I've been able to do multiple waltz jumps and I'm getting a little more height on them. Hooray! I can't wait until they get good.

Tripping: Literally. Attempted some backspins. It is the most unnatural feeling on skates I have encountered. and I couldn't even get a single revolution. All the people in class were wiping out on these. So, this will be left for a day that I'm feeling especially adventurous.

ibreakhearts66

04-04-2008, 09:18 PM

skipping
-landed a nice clean double flip. that jump has been my mortal enemy, but now it is just an enemy.
-one of the single axels i did felt reaaally good. the checkout was really fast and strong.
-double axel attempts weren't terrible. i only tried two, but they were decent.

tripping
where to start. my goal to stay injury free has already been destroyed. i seem to have not one, but TWO morton's neuromas in my right foot--one between the second and third toes and one between the third and fourth.

session was super crowded today, so i couldn't really do much. there were a bunch of little kids using the EZ skaters switching directions randomly. it was cute tho. i fell on a double flip and as i was skating away i hear "EXCUSE ME!" I turned around and it was a cute little kid who said "are you ok?" it wasn't a bad fall or anything, but it was just really cute that he like yelled to get my attention and ask.

whacked my hand REALLY hard on a double flip. it really hurt when i did it, but i figured it would pass. now i can't even fully extend my thumb. i guess i hit it on the sweet spot. i won't be able to skate for like a week now because i'm on a retreat next week, so my hand will get a chance to heal and hopefully the cortisone will kick in on my foot...

dbny

04-04-2008, 10:00 PM

Tripping: Today was my first event at (Canadian) Nationals, Introductory Interpretive, and I felt like cr#p between practice and competition - queasy stomach, etc. I hadn't skated in 8 days and the ice was as hard as cement!

Skipping: When I took to the ice and the crowd cheered, I felt fine.

Tripping: I am consistent - bottom of the heap, and finished 10th out of 10 :( (Being 58 and having skated for only 26 months, I'll settle for 10th in a National competition :mrgreen: )

Skipping: When I came to the boards after my event, my coach looked really surprised. She said "I have never seen you skate that program THAT WELL before." Who needs a medal with praise like that :mrgreen:

What Mrs. Redboots said!!! :bow:

Thursday I absolutely BLEW my Freeskate, total disaster, toast, trash!!! Bronze 8O

At least I got my first national medal (for the crappy program......)

CONGRATULATIONS!

Attempted some backspins. It is the most unnatural feeling on skates I have encountered. and I couldn't even get a single revolution. All the people in class were wiping out on these. So, this will be left for a day that I'm feeling especially adventurous.

I've seen so many bad falls on these that it put me off attempting them for years. The only time I've ever seen a skater walk out of a test was when a 14 yr old fell hard on her backspin, began crying and left the ice. Nothing could get her back on, and she quit skating soon after.

Skipping:
Worked yesterday from 9 to 6:30, with a 3 hr break. I felt so really into the ice, that I stayed on for an hour of the public session after my morning classes just having fun with some of my weekend students who were there with a school trip. Wish I could feel like that every day!

Had a great lesson today! While trying yet another "trick" to try to get a check on my FO threes good enough for Prelim threes on the line, I remembered that I'd been having trouble checking them in the power threes, and had fixed it nicely on my own. Told coach, and we wondered why. We both thought it was probably because I was skating a shallower lobe in the power threes. After one and a half lengths of the power threes, coach lit up and said she had it :idea:! I was beginning the power threes with upper body square to direction of travel. Took that to the line and did the best checks I've ever gotten. Still about a foot short, but I will either make it back, or learn to cheat with it - I know that's a passing cheat :lol:. Went on to one foot spins from a T push, and did many good ones. Then tackled the backspin :frus: 8O. Did manage to not break at the waist more times than not, and did one full rev on toepick, which coach said is good because it means my weight is over the correct side. Then I did a really good one, felt like I was catching the edge and bailed :frus:. Finished work on them with one full rev. After lesson, tried entering one foot spin from wind up, and was very pleased to find I could do - but could not control the momentum created, and popped out after only two revs. Will wait until I can handle more force. Did the 5-step mohawk for a friend, and even though it felt a bit rough, she said it looked very smooth. ALL my fear of the LFI mohawks is really, really gone!

Tripping:
Still cannot find practice time! Showed DH the one foot spin from T push, and he just had to go and do it - he never spins or practices anything anymore as he only skates once a week and has no lessons. He didn't have a one foot spin when he was taking lessons! Sure wish I had his talent...sigh.

samba

04-05-2008, 04:08 AM

Well done Dianne, lovely to see you are keeping the side up for us oldies.

Mrs Redboots

04-05-2008, 09:05 AM

Thursday I absolutely BLEW my Freeskate, total disaster, toast, trash!!! Bronze 8O

Go figger!

At least I got my first national medal (for the crappy program......)

Well done! I know, skating is like that - which is why the result is always totally outwith one's control!

Congratulations!

Kim to the Max

04-05-2008, 10:17 AM

[Skipping]
Went to the rink yesterday :)

Moves felt pretty good minus those fricking brackets...
Jumps were okay...

Axels were again, really, really close!

[Tripping]
Those brackets!! I am so frustrated with them!!!

I'm so ready to start landing those axels....

Skittl1321

04-05-2008, 10:36 AM

Skipping!!!!!! Backspin! A beautiful (in my mind at least) backspin. Lots of revolutions. (Of course, I can't exit it, but I'm doing way better on these.

Tripping Power class turned into show rehearsal. I'm not doing the show. So no more specialty class for me. I took the low freestyle class afterwards instead, and loved the new coach- so I'll stick with that.

looplover

04-05-2008, 06:14 PM

Congrats Dianne!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

Skipping: Competition today and I won my event, yay! There were only two of us though. I was fairly happy with how the skate went, though I blew a jump sequence and my change foot spin. I was crazily nervous this morning but not as nervous by the time I had to skate. My footwork went well and I've really been trying to use arms more.

Tripping: My coach said we really need to work on me looking down and she is SO right - amazingly, I received my video before I left (they were fast!) and I just watched it - um yeah looked down too much. My artistry/presentation is just nonexistent. From now on I've got to skate at every practice as if I'm competing. On the video I feel like I look awkward, but it's much better than in past competitions!

Skate@Delaware

04-05-2008, 06:15 PM

Dianne, I got to experience the joys of judging today...and I still don't know how it's done! the best thing to do is gauge your skating against yourself. You know you did well-there you go!

Skittl1321-congrats on getting the gist of it!!! To exit, you just lift up and kick out that non-skating leg behind you...takes a few tries.....yeah I couldn't do it either without tapping down.....hehehe!

I was at the rink from 10-6 and after soaking in the hot whirlpool tub (with epsom salts) I'm ready to stretch out in bed with the ice pack and take a tylenol. I am debating whether or not to take something stronger...my back is KILLING ME!!!! I judged for about an hour, the rest of the time I ran errands for those that needed things.

It was a good competition, we did not have as many competitors though. Not sure why. The medals were much nicer though. Go figure.

Spent some time with my coach hanging out-it was fun! I gave her my music for next season, I'm sure she will have fun with it!!! We are going to trade ideas back and forth and I did CONFIRM THAT YES I WILL BE TESTING PRE-BRONZE MOVES & FREESTYLE NEXT YEAR.....yeah. I got sucked into it. Plus, it looks good on my instructing resume. Man, can't believe I'm doin it....

FlyAndCrash

04-05-2008, 11:20 PM

skipping: My axel is consistant in my program. And it FLIES! Yay. Best of all, my program is completely laid out. And one of the girls that actually understands High School Musical (which I don't because I've only watched it once because I was assigned the part and my coach has never seen) is helping me with the choreo.

tripping: I ran through my program about four or five times today. And I was exhausted; Its only 1:50! I really should work on my stamina, but I don't thik that's going to happen.

kander

04-06-2008, 12:18 AM

Skipping: Great practice today. Everything was working :lol: That's quite a rarity. Usually at least 1 or 2 things are out of wack. Highlights included a killer fast sit spin and I think I finally figured out how to consistently rotate my reconstructed axel. Double jumps were bigger than usual.

Tripping: My next session will undoubtedly be a let down from today. I almost wiped out on a toe loop because of a dumb hockey skater racing right into my path.

Skittl1321

04-06-2008, 12:27 AM

SkatingOnClouds

04-06-2008, 03:18 AM

Skipping

Had a great skate both Saturday and Sunday, mainly my jumps. Today I was landing lutz/loops - well they're still more flutzes than lutzes, but hey, I can get loops on the end of all my single jumps now ! That feels like a big achievement.

Tripping

Spins. As I keep complaining, everytime I have to miss a couple of sessions, I lose my spins. Camels totally rubbish, even sits weren't working today, though backsits weren't too bad. Uprights weren't too bad, and backspins are on their way back to where they were. It is so frustrating.

5 weeks to state championships, but who's counting?

Mrs Redboots

04-06-2008, 04:04 AM

Tripping: Neither Husband nor I is 100% fit - he has a chesty cold and I am sinussy - and arguably we shouldn't have skated this morning. He fell 3 times in his programme runthrough, and I simply couldn't face even thinking about spinning today.

Plus someone videoed us on their phone to show how a bit we were trying to choreograph looks. I thought my free leg extended back as far as Husband's does. I am mistaken!

Skipping: Coach2 is tweaking Husband's programme to put more artistry in it, and with a new lead-in to his loop jump, he is landing it better. In our couples' lesson, she helped us with the steps between the drag and the spin, and then said she didn't like some of the steps we were doing after that, hence the new choreography. Which isn't quite working yet, but it will with a bit of coachly input next time! We are running through the dance more to the music now, and getting it together.

Skate@Delaware

04-06-2008, 06:24 AM

skate@delaware- that's exactly what the instructor told me, just lift the knee up and kick. However, I think until I have some sort of power pull, it's not gonna work. Because right now- I lift, kick, and wobble in place :)

(I lost my power pulls when the instructors took away my arms. Apparently I was cheating- ALOT)
I don't have power pulls AT ALL....so if this old bird can do it of a sorts then I know there is hope. I actually managed one or two without catching my pants leg, kicking my skating leg with my blade, getting caught up otherwise (yeah I'm one of THOSE kind of skaters :roll: )...

Just keep trying and soon you will get it. She did let me tap down with my toe and after a while, it got to be a smaller and smaller toe tap...mostly for "security" i'm sure

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: yesterday at the competition, we found out that our annual Christmas show would NOT be Nutcracker!!!! So, after 6 years, we will be doing something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! The skating director said morre than likely it would be 2 mini-shows like Grinch first half, then something else the 2nd. That sounds like fun, but I might audition for the ballet Nutcracker instead....off-ice and be a party scene adult. And not do an ice show. I'm still kicking it around. I need to see about rehearsals and all that. Don't want to over-extend myself and all that.

I have to get through summer first. Between work, skating lessons and school (need chemistry & math) I won't have any life at all (more so than usual). 8O

*JennaD*

04-06-2008, 04:55 PM

Tripping:

I sprained my ankle last week so I havent skated much...I decided to skate yesterday and discovered it's very hard to land jumps on a sprained ankle...so I took it easy and only practiced spins and skills...

Skipping:

My club supposedly got a realllllly nice judge for our test day in May and I'm planning on testing a lot on that test day so things should turn out well :)

ibreakhearts66

04-06-2008, 10:30 PM

skipping went out to paramount iceland this morning to skate. it's a pretty hot place on sunday mornings--mirai and caroline skate there with some regularity. i skated two freestyles, and it was great (but exhausting)

jumps were good. took me a couple of minutes to get into the flow of things--kept popping axels. but once i became a little more comfortable, i had no problem.

2flip and 2lutz are ALMOST there. i have the full rotation, just don't checkout quite in time.

did a couple nice axel+2loop combos. i did NOT expect those to go well, as i am not too fond of axels. but i was wrong!

back scratch spins were AMAZING! i don't know if it was the ice, but man! they were so fast that it was hard to pull in, and really nicely centered too.

the footwork i use to warm up with went pretty well too. i guess it's kind tricky, i do (starting backwards) powerpull, powerpull, powerpull, RBI counter, powerpull, powerpull,powerpull, RFO counter, etc until i run out of power (which usually happens pretty quickly.

also did some decent double sals without using my arms (kept them crossed in front the whole time). it's tricky, but i'm sure it will be really helpful for the triple

tripping no mirai or caroline today.

most of my spins were a little wonky. although i didn't do too much work on them bc it was a little crowded.

overall it was a good experience. my rink doesn't exactly have a lot of high level skaters, so it was nice to share the ice with skaters better than myself. i find it both motivating and inspiring. it was exhausting, but great