Well Supported or Hanging Loose - Practice 12/15-21, 2008

[jskater49]

Hehehe...recent threads inspired this title....

Supported - Coach said I had no reason to be disappointed in my performance last night - that it was the first time I looked comfortable throughout a program and it flowed really well.

Her student didn't show up so I took a lesson after Power class - that way I can take my Wednesday 5:45 am session off - it's supposed to snow Tuesday night anyway.

We worked on back cross strokes...I actually think I'm going to get these - probably even before forward. They had scared me until I realized you don't actually put your foot down behind your leg...I just have to remember to finish the first edge and, sit back and make sure all the weight is on the back leg before picking up the other foot.

Hanging loose - she had me go over back grapevines...which I always get my feet stuck. That is a combination of leaning too forward and we realized my left foot is lazy and doesn't like to do it's share. Even backward swizzles, it doesn't do much.

Onto my backward spiral. She asked me if they hurt my back. Yes. No wonder...I do not lower my back enough and yet I manage to get my leg up. So we worked on trying to get my back lower. It just doesn't want to go down.

[Stormy]

Well supported: 2nd chorography lesson went very well. We didn't get too much further although we made a few changes more to the beginning and I now have a new and very edgy footwork sequence. It's not terribly hard but I'll have to really work in it. Footwork is NOT my strong suit!! I will be practicing it a lot tomorrow!

[stacyf419]

Well Supported: I got 2 rotations on my backspin today - 1st time I've ever gotten more than 1 shaky one *AND* my coach said I am THISCLOSE to landing my loop and flip.

Hanging Loose: I only got 2 rotations on my backspin today and I have yet to get my loop and flip! Just kidding...I have been depressed about my skating and today was the first morning in about 2 months that I felt good about the new things I am learning. I guess practice actually DOES help!

[Mrs Redboots]

Thread title nearly caused me to spray the screen with water.....

Well Supported: Awesome cross-rolls this morning! Even the coach was pleased. And Husband and I actually managed several figure 8s of back crossovers hand in hand for the first time ever.

Hanging loose: We took a tumble on our pivot spiral; no harm done, only he forgot to help me up. "Not a gentleman!" said everybody!

[Rusty Blades]

dbny, I WANNA HUG YOU! From a couple of weeks ago when I was asking about skate warmers:

Take an old pair of knee highs or trowser socks and fill them with uncooked rice. Tie them off or sew them off into segments so when you put them in your boots all the rice does not slip down to the toes. Throw them into the microwave to warm them before you leave the house, then into your boots. Warning - don't make them too warm. I suspect that can affect the inner molding of the boots. If you have a powerful microwave, then 1 to 1.5 min should do it.

Well it was more like 4 minutes in my microwave and 1/2 a bag of rice in each sock, but THAT'S HEAVEN!

We have been in a cold spell like -29C outside, -45C with windchill, and I KNEW the rink was going to be bitter today so I made up the sock-things last night, heated them this morning and put them in my boots. Two hours later when I was booting-up ......

Well Supported: OH MY! Warm feet! - they were the only part of me that was warm and I only lasted 30 minutes (before my calves started to cramp) but it worked like a charm.

Hanging Loose: I am still skating, just not posting much, having made the decision to skip Nationals this year because of the cost.

Well Supported: Everything continues to progress well - spins, spirals (even a catch-foot when my knees aren't frozen!).

Hanging Loose: Didn't even try jumps this morning. It was so cold I was afraid I would shatter if I fell LOL!

[flo]

Support - Had our show on Sunday, and it was lots of fun. The most difficult part was the costume changes. I was in three numbers, and they were all in a row with a slight pause inbetween the first and second, and second and third.
the first number was 8 adults, then the 25 or so adults and the 20 kids, then our artistic pair number. At one point I was going out of the dressing room and I noticed I had my dress on backwards. Quick change, and ran out and stepped on the ice with my partner. We had a great time. He was also in all numbers and so we were warm! It was also great to see Mika there!

[LilJen]

<snort> at the thread title!

Well supported: Good practice today with working on Bronze moves, getting more comfortable with the Cha Cha, and working on ISI FS2 and FS3 elements. Definitely less wobbly on moves than last practice. 1-footed spin is coming. . . Also actually landed some (wimpy) CW salchows & toe loops, which I haven't even tried in a couple of months--wimpy & very little air, but flow on the landing!

Hanging loose: Fourth step of 5-step mohawk!!! Just having a heck of a time getting a good solid outside edge and I could hear coach saying "no, no, no, no, no!" in my head.
For tweaking program to bring it up to FS2, I really do need to bring my MP3 player to the rink with me (duh).

[Rusty Blades]

<snort> at the thread title!

Ah yea of smutty mind! You took it the same way I did ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

Ah yea of smutty mind! You took it the same way I did ;)
I think it was meant that way, given certain threads that have been popular this week....

[CoachPA]

Hanging loose: Fourth step of 5-step mohawk!!! Just having a heck of a time getting a good solid outside edge and I could hear coach saying "no, no, no, no, no!" in my head.

Remember the Disney movie The Jungle Book and how Baloo the bear would scratch his back on a tree by rolling around on it while standing up? That's what you should feel like when taking that fourth edge on the 5-step mohawk sequence. As silly as you may feel, thinking of rolling your back against a tree (actually the circle you're skating) will help you maintain a strong outside edge without subcurves since you will automatically continue the back outside edge of the third step to the forward outside edge of the fourth step.

To get comfortable feeling this motion, try working at the boards first, especially in an area where you have the glass to feel against your back. Stand on your back outside edge like you would if you were skating the third step (extending the free leg and the arms) with your back balancing against the wall. Bring your feet closer together and roll your back against the glass until you hit a forward outside edge with free leg and arm extension. You can lean up against the glass if need be (to help you balance). Just make sure you feel that rolling motion.

Once you feel comfortable at the boards, try breaking this down by slowly skating the 5-step mohawk on one of the hockey circles, making sure that your third and fourth steps transfer directly over the circle. Gradually work up to speed on the move's regular pattern with an even cadance after you get the right edges on the hockey circle.

[jskater49]

<snort> at the thread title!

Hanging loose: Fourth step of 5-step mohawk!!! Just having a heck of a time getting a good solid outside edge and I could hear coach saying "no, no, no, no, no!" in my head.
For tweaking program to bring it up to FS2, I really do need to bring my MP3 player to the rink with me (duh).


I never got on a good outside edge for that step. All the trouble I had with mohawks themselves and that turned out to be my worst step. I did pass them though...not to give you permission...but I still struggle with that.

j

[Isk8NYC]

Well Supported:

Forward spins were great, still traveling a bit, but not too bad. Sit spins were low, but without a good warmup, I didn't fool with clean exits.

Spirals were steady and swift; thanks to freshly-cut ice.
Three-turns and brackets are getting there with some much better control. Still wobbly on the exit edges, but I have speed and control, so I'm not complaining.

Jumps were good; didn't try anything fancy since I only had a half-hour of ice.

Hanging Loose:

My backspins are coming back, but I'm still digging in with the toepick a bit. Still, no scraping and I'm not afraid of the entrances anymore. I like the new, shorter blades!

I've noticed that I need to shoulder-check backspins as I would for a jump. I never had to think about it before, but it's good practice for jumps so I'll let it go for a while and see if I get more control. Did several excellent back scratch spins with clean one-foot exits, so I'm not complaining.

[BatikatII]

well-supported:
Discovered the secret of good jumps this week - relaxing into them and not stressing about them. Of course this only seems to work the first time I do it as then I start thinking too much about what I'm doing and it all goes to pot again. Still I managed a few good loops and loop-loops, an awesome Flip-toeloop and even my current nemesis (which coach has put in my programme) the salchow-loop! Whether I'll ever manage them again is another matter of course.

I'm also making good progress on the backspin. I can now get a fairly consistent 3 revs with good entry and exit so just need to work on the extra revs. And I even managed an entire length of the nasty level 5 final field move - an evil combination of FO3 turn, cross in front, cross behind into back outside 3 turn and keep holding the edge til you can put other foot down on outside edge and repeat on other foot8O:twisted:

Also did quite a bit of couples dance practice and the basics are improving quite well at present. I remembered the ending for the back crossover figures of 8 exercise this week so didn't go flying like last week. I love the 'forward runs in circle, hold and change edge' exercise in butterfly hold (the Titanic exercise) as you can really get some speed up with two of you which is fun. Inside swing rolls in hold seem to about the worst thign at present but did manage to get a rip sound to at least one of them. As someone who really doesnt enjoy compulsory dance I' was surprised how much fun it is when there are two of you, as well as how different it is to skating the dances solo.

hanging loose: probably lots of things but I've really enjoyed my skating this week so didn't notice too many loose ends!

[RachelSk8er]

Well Supported--

Spent all of my lesson (half my time on the ice) on the Blues today. Choctaw is getting better as long as I just relax and don't overthink and overmuscle it...all I'm doing is making more work for myself. Did a decent pattern with my coach at the end of my lesson.

Really sore and tired today and my knees hurt (I've been hitting the gym/rink hard the past 2 weeks) so I didn't work on axels or much jumping at all, although I played around with doing a LFO rocker into a lutz, it's fun...not pretty yet and somewhat challenging, but if I work on it it's totally worth adding into my free program.

Did a few good flying camels today, and a few really nice laybacks.

Stormy you're totally right about the LFO 3 turn into the camel spin. I did that a few times, I check into it much better and actually manage to rotate faster.

Nothing was really bad today, I was just tired.

[LilJen]

Remember the Disney movie The Jungle Book and how Baloo the bear would scratch his back on a tree by rolling around on it while standing up? That's what you should feel like when taking that fourth edge on the 5-step mohawk sequence. As silly as you may feel, thinking of rolling your back against a tree (actually the circle you're skating) will help you maintain a strong outside edge without subcurves since you will automatically continue the back outside edge of the third step to the forward outside edge of the fourth step.

To get comfortable feeling this motion, try working at the boards first, especially in an area where you have the glass to feel against your back. Stand on your back outside edge like you would if you were skating the third step (extending the free leg and the arms) with your back balancing against the wall. Bring your feet closer together and roll your back against the glass until you hit a forward outside edge with free leg and arm extension. You can lean up against the glass if need be (to help you balance). Just make sure you feel that rolling motion.

Once you feel comfortable at the boards, try breaking this down by slowly skating the 5-step mohawk on one of the hockey circles, making sure that your third and fourth steps transfer directly over the circle. Gradually work up to speed on the move's regular pattern with an even cadance after you get the right edges on the hockey circle.


Thanks! I"ll try that. Coach has been saying keep the shoulders & hips open but it just hasn't quite gotten there yet. Been practicing these a LOT on the circles, and while step 4 isn't *way* off, it's not very solid. So, 'Balooing' I will go. Probably onto my rear a few times but waht the hey. What you're saying makes sense, though--I've been trying to get the shoulders going and the 'rolling' might be just the trick I need.

[jazzpants]

Well Supported:
Waltz jump and Salchows are fine.

Hanging Loose:
My toe-waltzing in the middle of the lesson. :frus:

Well Supported:
My TOE LOOP at the beginning and end of the toe loop segment of the lesson. And one more exercise to practice to make sure I get the draw after the toe pick hints the ice but not turn before I jump. (Hopefully just in time for my NYC coach to look at them again. :halo: )

One side of the forward cross stroke is good...

Hanging Loose:
...the other side...ummm... NOT so good! :oops: Need to get off that toe pick on the stroke itself. And just to make sure I *get* it, my choreographer was "made aware" of this issue and said "Please work with her on this too!!!"

Choreographer shot me his "sadist coach" look after the chat with my secondary coach. Should be fun tomorrow... GULP!!! 8O

[vesperholly]

Stormy you're totally right about the LFO 3 turn into the camel spin. I did that a few times, I check into it much better and actually manage to rotate faster.
I tried it and went flying! :lol:

Well supported: Exactly the right words, because my new boots are awesome. My double sals have improved tenfold - I'm straight in the air, I'm getting good height, I'm rotating (but until my butt hits the ice). I just need to get that extra snap to the jump so I have time to find the ice and check out. Whee!

Hanging loose: The tongues on my boots are twisting. :P Spins have been somewhat of a hot mess because I don't have enough ankle bend yet, and I don't even want to think about moves.

[dbny]

dbny, I WANNA HUG YOU! From a couple of weeks ago when I was asking about skate warmers:



Well it was more like 4 minutes in my microwave and 1/2 a bag of rice in each sock, but THAT'S HEAVEN!

We have been in a cold spell like -29C outside, -45C with windchill, and I KNEW the rink was going to be bitter today so I made up the sock-things last night, heated them this morning and put them in my boots. Two hours later when I was booting-up ......

Well Supported: OH MY! Warm feet! - they were the only part of me that was warm and I only lasted 30 minutes (before my calves started to cramp) but it worked like a charm.

Glad to help, and I'll take that hug! I haven't tried this, but saw someone put the chemical handwarmers on the toes of their boots. I think they taped them on, but you could probably put them under boot covers too. You might eke out an extra half hour that way.

Well supported:
Got nabbed by an ice dancer I know, who decided I should learn a few dances. I had just stepped on the ice and begged to warm up first. We did the Dutch Waltz, Swing Dance, Canasta Tango, Cha Cha, and Rhythm Blues. It was a bit odd skating with someone telling me the steps as we went along, and we were far from on pattern or even on time, but it was fun and I'll probably do it again - but will have to review the dance diagrams first. Most difficult was that he counted out loud, and used a different style than I do, so I had to listen to his count but do my own silently. I liked the Swing Dance the best, and love how easy mohawks and threes are with a partner, even though it's just the touch of a hand.

Hanging Loose:
Don't know what was wrong, besides maybe being tired, but nothing else I did worked after the dancing. Freaked on the second FI three I tried, although the first was fine. Could not bring myself to do any more :frus:.

Edited to add: OMG, I want to dance!

[RachelSk8er]

I tried it and went flying! :lol:


Maybe you're just not cool like Stormy & I :P

[vesperholly]

Maybe you're just not cool like Stormy & I :P
:halo: Good practice for finally doing a CCW flying camel like I'm supposed to!!

[ibreakhearts66]

Well supported
-Landed 2lutz 2loop AND 2lutz 2toe! I'm really bad at using 2toe as the second jump of combos, so even though 2lutz 2loop is more difficult in theory, landing 2lutz 2toe was much more exciting.
-2axels are getting oh so close. I fully rotated one, then promptly fell over in surprise. I was practically hyperventilating out of frustration/excitement/anticipation.
-Juv moves are feeling really good. Double 3s used to be a hard move for me, but today, as I finished them, my coach called my name. I wasn't in a lesson, she was just watching. I started to skate over, figuring she had a correction for me, but instead she stared clapping :D I actually quite like that move now. 8-step has good flow now, too.

Hanging loose
-My coach was snowed in today. In Southern California. Snowed in.
-Still having a bit of trouble on the 8-step occaisonally. Sometimes I rush the step forward, end up stepping too far in front of me, and drop my shoulders, which is always REALLY scary. But it's definitely happening less often. I'm getting more comfortable with the quick rhythm, so I'm able to stay calm and keep my feet under me.
-Having some back pain. It's nothing major, SI joint pain, but it definitely hurts a lot. But I'm seeing a chiropractor who does active release technique (I believe it was Herniated recommended that), which is helping.

[Thin-Ice]

well-supported:
Discovered the secret of good jumps this week - relaxing into them and not stressing about them. Of course this only seems to work the first time I do it as then I start thinking too much about what I'm doing and it all goes to pot again.

This describes the problem I'm having with the footwork in my Interp. program PERFECTLY!!! Really worked my coach's patience to the very edge on this today. I could try blaming it on newly-sharpened skates (which should be a bonus) -- but this footwork is still scary to me, even after doing it three months. And in theory it's not that hard: just a couple of little waltz jumps -- one in each direction, and some mohawks and single twizzles. My coach says we're starting my next lesson with 3 minutes of moves, then spending the rest of the lesson on this... so that would be 57 minutes of terror... which sounds like a bad movie title to me. I can hardly wait to see if this actually stays in the program or we're working out easier footwork by the middle of next month.:roll:

[jskater49]

I think it was meant that way, given certain threads that have been popular this week....

Yes I was inspired by certain threads...it was meant to be smutty!

[CoachPA]

Hanging loose
-Still having a bit of trouble on the 8-step occaisonally. Sometimes I rush the step forward, end up stepping too far in front of me, and drop my shoulders, which is always REALLY scary. But it's definitely happening less often. I'm getting more comfortable with the quick rhythm, so I'm able to stay calm and keep my feet under me.

If you have access to the dance music for the Fourteen Step, put it on and use its march-like cadence to help you develop that quick, even rhythm required for this move. Each step will have one count.

As for that step foward, try staying down in your ankles and knees while pushing your hips forward. Sometimes when the hips get too far behind the rest of the body, scary things can happen. Ideally, your skating knee should be aligned over your skating toes.

[looplover]

Well Supported: OK the flip is back. It is tiny and slow but I don't care - I'm lifting my free leg and landing on one foot. Eventually I'll get the good flip back, I am just ecstatic that I'm actually doing the thing!

We finished choreographing my footwork and it will be really nice!

Hanging Loose: We took two difficult moves out of the footwork (toe steps and a counter). I wish I could do those really well right now but they're better out. I don't have a lutz yet...and I decided not to move back to FL because my old rink cut out their morning freestyle sessions. Oh well that means I will still be local for Easterns!

I need that flip to be really good again.

Oh and my camel is nonexistent but it's not like I practice enough...

[Rusty Blades]

Hanging Low: Today was the last session for me until January.

Hanging Low: Next week my coach is off to Jamaica I am SO jealous!

My coach is not prone to "great praise" so

Well Supported: a "Nice!" on an upright spins was great. A "That's coming along!" on the back spiral was good. A "Big improvement" on back XO's was wonderful. But the "ALRIGHT!" and "That was FAST!" on the sit spin lit up my day :mrgreen:

I wonder if any of it will be left come January? LOL!

[jazzpants]

Yes I was inspired by certain threads...it was meant to be smutty!
I definitely was in a "smutty" mood when I read the title of that thread!!! :twisted:

That said:

Hanging Loose:
Can't land a clean loop today to save my life. I think the body's just tired and wants a break for a couple of days again.

I'm still working on those FO mohawks that are in my program. I did practice afterwards and it's :frus: for me that I could do them in front of the coach with some prompting, but it got bad again AFTER the lesson!!! :frus:

We worked on sections of my artistic program to make my footwork look SMOOTHER!!!

Well Supported:
My choreographer DID work me on the forward cross strokes today, as secondary coach wished. He watched me do it and said "Well, okay, it's actually not as bad as I thought it would be. :twisted: :P :lol: "

Hanging Loose:
That said, the "ankle bend"/"weight over the skate" thing comes into play and I'm still "working on it."

Well Supported:
The good side of the forward cross-rolls are VERY good now!!! I actually can hear a GROWL on the stroke instead of a scratch. YAAAAAY!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

And the best part.... someone at the rink has told me that she has noticed some difference in my basic skating since I started working on them about 6 months ago already!!! This hopefully will translate into my program eventually so we will see how the judges react to it. :D

[doubletoe]

If you have access to the dance music for the Fourteen Step, put it on and use its march-like cadence to help you develop that quick, even rhythm required for this move. Each step will have one count.

ITA! I always used too quick a pace, but finally realized that the 8-step mohawk tempo is really sort of a slow march, as marches go. . . Here is the fourteenstep music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-EuYcmo8hw&feature=related

[LilJen]

Pretty good session yesterday with lesson.

Well supported: Dance buddy helped me with the cha cha. Still working on not forgetting the dang moves or doing steps from a different dance :roll: but it's coming. Spins are coming, I think; coach is doing more nitpicking and often I know what's wrong before she tells me--but they're still horribly inconsistent. Power 3s were passing on one side, according to coach (yay!). Pulled off a few sals & toeloops after the lesson, but I do need coach to look at them. Worked on a half lutz, assuming I'll be competing FS2 in February, and coach said they were fine, and she also said all my dopey FS2 half jumps get plenty of air for when I work on full-rev jumps.

Hanging loose: Feeling a little overwhelmed with what I have to learn & polish up in the next 8 weeks: tweak FS program, tweak footwork program, get that stupid spin for FS program, remember feet for the various dopey FS2 half-rev jumps, learn the rest of one synchro formation program and the entirety of our synchro dance program. 8O

I did try the "baloo rubbing his back" on the 5-step mohawk, and I think it helped--but I think I'm also doing something weird with my shoulders or something. We didn't get a chance to work on it this lesson--next time!

HEY: Anyone have a good song for the 5-step? I desperately want SOMETHING so I can keep a steady tempo, but "Take Five" is the wrong tempo :)

[CoachPA]

I did try the "baloo rubbing his back" on the 5-step mohawk, and I think it helped--but I think I'm also doing something weird with my shoulders or something. We didn't get a chance to work on it this lesson--next time!

HEY: Anyone have a good song for the 5-step? I desperately want SOMETHING so I can keep a steady tempo, but "Take Five" is the wrong tempo :)

LOL, I don't think "Take Five" will work for this one! :lol: And, maybe it's just me, but I can't think of any ice dance songs that are the right tempo (the Fourteen Step is too fast for the 5-Step). Besides, most dances are either counted as 1-2/3-4 or 1-2-3/4-5-6, so dance music won't work so well.

What you can try is literally counting aloud as you skate the 5-Step. As you know, each step happens on its own number: 1 = first edge of mohawk, 2 = second edge of mohawk, 3 = back outside edge/extension, 4 = forward outside edge/extension, 5 = front slide/extension. Force yourself to continue counting evenly and skating the corresponding steps, even if you feel as though you're falling behind, and you'll eventually get that nice even tempo. (If you don't like the idea of actually counting, sometimes I have my skaters say the steps as they do them, so: 1 = Mo, 2 = Hawk, 3 = Push [back], 4 = Step [forward], 5 = Slide.)

Anyway, glad to hear my Baloo analogy helped you a bit for the 5-step. ;)

As for the shoulder issue, you should be leaning, but not dropping, your shoulders against the circle. What exactly is the problem? Although you didn't specify, a common error I see when teaching this is dropping the leading shoulder when stepping to the fourth step. Again, correct lean is key.

[LilJen]

Oh, I count all right, and I subdivide (y'know, "one and two and three and" or "one-ee-and-a, two-ee-and-a"--I'm a musician!!) but I just don't think my tempo is consistent all the time. I find it easier to have a song to rely on, but yeah, 5 is an odd one, Western music wise.

It may be that I'm dropping a shoulder. I have a problem with uneven shoulders. Not anatomically, but while skating. . .

[aussieskater]

I goolged and found a heap of material with 5/4 time signatures - maybe one of these might work? (They're mostly unfamiliar to me, but you might find them on the net somewhere?)

http://aufrecht.org/songs/?time%5ffilter=5%2f4&orderby=date%5fadded%2cdesc

[kander]

Hanging Loose: My spins have completely disappeared. I'm pretty sure it's because the bottom of my left boot has become warped. Going to have to break in new boots :cry:

Well Supported: I saw George at SP Teri this morning about fixing my custom made boots. If we can't get the problem worked out he'll make a new pair for free. He's an outstanding business owner. I landed all my jumps in front of coach thursday! That's never happened before. And I never fell down :) No work next week, which means....more skating!

[katz in boots]

Well supported: public session this morning, only 4 of us on ice, 3 figure skaters and a regular older gentleman (who can't exactly be described as a figure skater, but gosh he has great footwork !) Clean ice, and it was gooood.

Hanging Loose: I've had a hard week at work and am tired, so didn't skate hard. The other 2 figure skaters kept asking me to check what they're doing ( I am a judge for our skate school program). Ended up coaching them for most of the 2 hours. Which I didn't mind at all actually.

Well supported: I enjoy coaching, it is great when people 'get it', and I like to think I could be good at it. I've had a few people ask me if I could give them private lessons, but;

Hanging Loose: as detailed in previous threads, I'm not able to train to become a coach at the moment.

After tomorrow, the rink will be closed for about 2.5 weeks!!! :cry: I don't know how I'll survive that long. :cry:

Well supported: so sweet, and so unexpected, was a Christmas present from rink management for my work in judging! A 10 session pass to public sessions. As I skate twice a week on public sessions and only one on figure sessions, that is worth a lot to me. More than that though, I felt really touched that they did that, cos they didn't have to.

[ibreakhearts66]

I did try the "baloo rubbing his back" on the 5-step mohawk, and I think it helped--but I think I'm also doing something weird with my shoulders or something. We didn't get a chance to work on it this lesson--next time!

HEY: Anyone have a good song for the 5-step? I desperately want SOMETHING so I can keep a steady tempo, but "Take Five" is the wrong tempo :)

My coach taught me that the 5-step was actually to the time of a waltz. 1-2-3 on each step. It keeps all of the edges the same length. Worked for me! I just counted 1-2-3 for each step, but playing waltz music should work too.

[Skate@Delaware]

This was for Wednesday night, I've been busy:

Well-Supported: I skated at Club; it was relatively empty. Got to catch up with some old friends I haven't seen.

Worked on some edges, 3-turns, then jumps. Landed the loop, 3/4 around this time. One of the other skaters said I'm not bending down enough but other than that it looks good.

Did some spirals. They were good-FO, FI, each foot. With the rink so empty I was able to go against traffic and get that RFO edge without running anyone over :twisted::halo:

Hanging Loose: I overdressed (2 layers of under armour, pants, plus crash pads and I was freaking HOT!!!!

No skating until Sunday, as our rink has a show so the new management decided that there shouldn't be any skating sessions until then um, why? I don't know...they are not even taking down the friggin' glass....which means people in the first two rows of bleachers will not be able to see...AND they are not going to allow people to sit in the lobby, which has always been seating for the older people that can't tolerate the cold. Sheesh!!!!

[CoachPA]

My coach taught me that the 5-step was actually to the time of a waltz. 1-2-3 on each step. It keeps all of the edges the same length. Worked for me! I just counted 1-2-3 for each step, but playing waltz music should work too.

If you choose to do this, may I suggest a faster waltz, such as the Starlight Waltz or Viennese Waltz.

[jazzpants]

If you choose to do this, may I suggest a faster waltz, such as the Starlight Waltz or Viennese Waltz.I second the suggestion for the Starlight Waltz for the 5 step mohawks. Someone at my rink played the music for their Starlight Waltz and I did my 5 step mohawk with their Starlight Waltz. Helped me to keep in time on my 5 step mohawks... :P

[jskater49]

My coach taught me that the 5-step was actually to the time of a waltz. 1-2-3 on each step. It keeps all of the edges the same length. Worked for me! I just counted 1-2-3 for each step, but playing waltz music should work too.

I counted out the 5 step to two beats so I actually got to ten - step 1, hold 3, step 3, hold 4, step 5, hold 6 ...ect.

joelle

[dbny]

so sweet, and so unexpected, was a Christmas present from rink management for my work in judging! A 10 session pass to public sessions. As I skate twice a week on public sessions and only one on figure sessions, that is worth a lot to me. More than that though, I felt really touched that they did that, cos they didn't have to.

It's wonderful to be appreciated!

Well Supported:
Made the hour trip to the rink safely in Friday's snow storm. Coach called while we were on the way to say she was there already, and were we coming. After a week of feeling too tired and too klutzy, not comfy on the ice at all, I stepped onto the ice before my lesson and felt absolutely great and sure of foot! FO threes actually got a lot better with a very definitive turn in of the shoulders and then checking out. My first spin was amazingly good, and I progressed to one foot spins from T push that were also surprisingly good. For me the key is still to go very slowly. Any speed at all, and I lose control. Got FI threes back on track, and had fun with waltz threes too.

Hanging Loose:
FI threes are still not comfy like they were several weeks ago. I'm not afraid of bad weather, but I am afraid of going to fast on three turns, hence my waltz threes, while fairly good, have to stop after about 3, because I pick up too much speed for comfort :frus:. While it's wonderful to feel so good on the ice for my lesson, I need to feel that way for practice too, if I'm ever going to progress.

[katz in boots]

Well supported: ice wasn't fantastic but okay for this morning's public session. It was a fun session, with all families - Sunday morning parents skate free with kids, so it had a nice feel. I was the only figure skater. A little girl who was having her first ever skate was really scared. I spent less than 30 seconds with her and she was off the rail and skating ! Couple of buys I helped were motoring too, by the end of the session. Love that, helping others enjoy skating as much as I do!

Even though it was fairly busy, I managed to practise everything I wanted to. My lutzes - even as flutzes - are so much easier and better than my flips. I think it's cos I do it the way I used to do flips instead of how my coach gets me to do them now. My flips barely leave the ice these days. Coach says they look better, but they don't feel better.

Backspins continue to improve. Waltz/loops are becoming more consistent, thank goodness, and my toe-loop continues to feel gooooooood. Salchows even weren't too bad.

Hanging Loose:
Camels, which were actually starting to come yesterday - I did 2 which were at least 4 revs - non-existent today.

I am unfit. I know I am fat and nearly 50, and the weather is warmer, but I never used to struggle like this to get through a session. I'm not even working that hard. I have some serious work to do on fitness for next year.

And that's it until 12th January. Being a Monday means I won't get to skate again until the Saturday. That's 4 weeks = Waaaaay too long !!!!:cry:

[jazzpants]

This is for yesterday:

I was at the Club Ice session in the morning. It was the yearly Christmas party and who am I to miss a good skating party (even though I certainly didn't get much practice done b/c I only got in about a half hour of skating really since I overslept!!! :giveup:)

Hanging Loose:
My jumps! Body just doesn't want to cooperate. It was a struggle to land those loops and flips. And I couldn't land any lutz yesterday.. :(

Well Supported:
The skating club!!!! Just so many people, yet we're all pretty close-knitted. (I just don't like the early morning hours. I love my sleep more!!! LOL!!! :twisted: :lol: http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/g035.gif )

[AgnesNitt]

Hanging loose Since my bad fall last week, I've gotten annoyingly sensitive to the ice.The ice is so hard that even with my weight the edges are hard to find. So I did my usual drill to position myself--outward facing forward crossovers on an 8--and followed that with crossovers on a serpentine, followed by chasses. Discussed my ROH-9/16s-with one of the older ice dancers to see if going back to a narrower hollow will help--maybe go back down to 1/2, 3/8's doesn't give me enough glide. Worked on forward 3 turns. Fiddled with backward 3's on the boards. Two foot spins.
Right knee bruise still shows from the fall, so I only stayed on the ice for 1.5.
Fully supported My coach found out that I had the bad fall last week just before my lesson. She said 'I would never have known you were injured.' Either that's a tribute to my perseverance, or a tribute to the total suckiness of my skating. unfortunately I think it's the latter.

[Skate@Delaware]

It takes me about an hour to drive to my Sunday rink, by the time I got ready to hit the ice, I felt my back tightening up (even after a nice warmup session off-ice), after some miserable waltz jumps it hurt so I had to get off and stretch it out. Well, one of the stretches I do is a yoga thing and wouldn't you know it? It was better going with my skates on???? Weird.

Well-supported: My toe-loop is BACK!!!! yay! I bailed on the first try (major freak factor) by the second I was ready and nailed it!!! yay!!!

Salchows were nice, as were scratch spins.

Hanging loose: darn loops are a major renovation work in progress, what I need to do is take longer edges with more power and really hit it hard...I did one good one (full rotation) and two-footed the landing. Could not duplicate it.

Backspins were bleh....but I don't always work on them as I have trouble with posiitioning of the free leg. They were better but I still go back on the blade enough times to bail out.

All-in-all it was a good session, ended with dinner at Panera Bread (will have to check and see if any of their food is actually good for me) but I was hungry and cold and it's an hour back home (usually there are no leftovers).

[RachelSk8er]

Well supported:

Won my first-ever gold event yesterday (compulsory).

In all fairness there were only 2 of us, both silvers skating up, neither of us landed the required axel cleanly, she fell on a double toe where my jump combo was a clean flutz loop so that was the difference (and her layback was much better than mine).

Hanging loose:

My silver free program was somewhat of a disaster. My jumps were all clean, overall those were better than at Buckeye in October. (Didn't go for the axel toe, I did a sal-toe instead since I knew the axel wouldn't be clean and not everyone was attempting one anyway...I think only 1 person did a clean one.) My spins were all somewhat ok too...held positions long enough at least. Not enough attack on the flying camel so that was lousy (it's a flying camel/forward sit combo and the forward sit after it should have gotten lower), layback wasn't the best but it was prob the best I've done in competition, sit-change-sit not my best but also probably the best I've done in competition. Just overall the program lacked any spark/oomph/energy. Tripped on my footwork and got mixed up in my head b/c I had changed it last week, started going the wrong direction at one point toward the end and left out some footwork. Felt like there was lead in my skates or something, couldn't really even feel my feet and my knees didn't seem to want to bend, I couldn't get speed, and overall just felt really awkward and clumsy. I ended up 4th out of 7, did get a 2nd place ordinal.

Not upset with how I skated and certainly not where I placed (I don't get upset over placements, that's not we, as skaters, really have any control over), given that it was the week after law school finals and I really was not prepared/focused at all on this competition, not totally confident or comfortable with some of the changes I've made in my program and the two spin combos I was attempting, and I was pretty tired. My goal was to just stay on my feet in two events and I did manage to do that. I wasn't expecting to be quite as drained after finals as I was when I signed up for this competition--it's my first semester of law school so I wasn't quite sure what to expect and I was fine taking a weekend off studying to do Buckeye in October. Didn't want to w/d though because I'd lose the money and I figured what's the worst that could happen, I don't skate my best? No biggie. I've already been through competitions that couldn't have gone any worse and lived to tell about it (9 skaters falling in a synchro porgram....at nationals...happened to me twice, once in senior short and once in collegiate).

I've done compulsory twice now and I find that I'm MUCH more relaxed and think better without music. Anyone else get like that? I don't know if it's because of my synchro/dance background that I'm so used to things having to be where they belong with the counts/music and if I get ahead or behind in my free program I freak out, but I take my time in compulsory (or maybe because there is less choice over what elements to do) or really what the issue is. I think I need to just start ignoring my music a little bit. I did a few freestyle competitions as a kid, too, and always did better in compulsory than my program.

[Thin-Ice]

My coach taught me that the 5-step was actually to the time of a waltz. 1-2-3 on each step. It keeps all of the edges the same length. Worked for me! I just counted 1-2-3 for each step, but playing waltz music should work too.

Interesting... originally this required five steps of equal tempo (so you couldn't do them to 3/4 music -- or the judges would say you were extending the fifth step and holding it too long). But I just rechecked the forms and now there is no mention of actual timing! It is actually easier to do this with the slip as count-5 and hold the extension as count-6... and it looks better, if you get good extension.. which is something judges in this area always look for on any test!

[CoachPA]

Interesting... originally this required five steps of equal tempo (so you couldn't do them to 3/4 music -- or the judges would say you were extending the fifth step and holding it too long). But I just rechecked the forms and now there is no mention of actual timing! It is actually easier to do this with the slip as count-5 and hold the extension as count-6... and it looks better, if you get good extension.. which is something judges in this area always look for on any test!

I still emphasize that even cadence in this element and according to the USFS Moves in the Field Manual, "judges should expect the following:

Good ice coverage
Each step should be fairly equal on each lobe with an even beat throughout
Correct edges with a nicely extended free leg
Mohawks should be placed at appoximately the 1/3 point in the lobe"


Common errors that judges will often look for include:

"Incorrect edge on step #4
Wide stepping (wider than hip width)
Uneven timing Poor extension and edge quality
Inability to create power for correct pattern
Difficulty in keeping an even beat"


So already there's three mentions of timing/cadence that judges are encouraged to look for with the 5-step.

I can only find my older manual (revised in February 2002), so this information may be a bit dated, but it's still what I go by, especially since the judges in my area do as well. Then again, there's always regional differences.

[Thin-Ice]

I still emphasize that even cadence in this element and according to the USFS Moves in the Field Manual, "judges should expect the following:

Good ice coverage
Each step should be fairly equal on each lobe with an even beat throughout
Correct edges with a nicely extended free leg
Mohawks should be placed at appoximately the 1/3 point in the lobe"


Common errors that judges will often look for include:

"Incorrect edge on step #4
Wide stepping (wider than hip width)
Uneven timing Poor extension and edge quality
Inability to create power for correct pattern
Difficulty in keeping an even beat"


So already there's three mentions of timing/cadence that judges are encouraged to look for with the 5-step.

I can only find my older manual (revised in February 2002), so this information may be a bit dated, but it's still what I go by, especially since the judges in my area do as well. Then again, there's always regional differences.

As I said, the old forms also emphasized the even timing with one count per step.. but the new forms do NOT mention that. I have the USFS Moves in the Field Manual and have used it extensively.. but there are several things that are outdated in that manual, including what elements are on what tests. And judges are supposed to judge tests based on the current forms, since the forms are updated each year. That is why I checked the current forms against what the OP had written.