Respect or Hard Times? (practice thread)

[sk8lady]

Forgive me if I missed the practice thread--I don't see one anywhere but I seem to have mislaid my brain over the last few days and can't find it.
Our skating show this year is themed Skatin' the Blues and I've been listening to Aretha (Respect) and Ray Charles (Hard Times) to help select music till my brain is ready to fall out. (Maybe that's what happened to it.)

Hard Times: Loop was acceptable last week but not so great today in lesson. Flip mechanics are okay but one key thing is missing every single time. It's always something different so it's hard to fix!!

Respect: Told coach I was going to show her how screwed up my backspin is every time I extend the leg rather than using the H position and did a perfect backspin with extended leg for the first time ever. Very weird.
Silver moves are looking better. Cross strokes and spirals are testable; 8 step is getting close; and back outside 3 turn patterns just need more flow. Power pulls run out of steam at the end of each side. (Although back inside 3 pattern belongs back in Hard Times!)
Managed to get to my lesson despite getting a flat tire dropping kid off at school (major determination since coach is away last two weeks of the month).
Whew.

[sk8ryellow]

What is a practice thread???:?:

[doubletoe]

What is a practice thread???:?:

You give a report on how your practice went today. Each week, someone gives the practice thread a new theme, and this week it's "Respect" (things that went well in your practice) or "Hard Times" (things that didn't go well in your practice).

[sk8tegirl06]

Hard times: I got a retry on preliminary moves yesterday. :?? I kind of knew it was going to happen when the spiral pattern didn't go as well as I needed it to. Though I got 2.4 on everything, which was interesting because the :frus: alternating 3s must have seriously improved over the last couple weeks to be on par with everything else. Any tips??

My last lesson was today before I leave for Europe and 4 months without serious skating :cry:.

Respect: In that last lesson, I managed to get private ice yet again. Nobody at my rink seems to like to skate on Mondays. I time it just so that the little kids aren't out of school and able to get to the rink by the time I do. I definitely needed a break from moves so I got to do freestyle for the first time in a long time. Loops are showing major improvement, though work still needs to be done. I consistently had 3-5 landed, albeit a poor landing. We worked on flip a little, pretty good progress considering I haven't worked on it in a while. We finished with spins, improving sit spin and reintroducing camel spins.

[vesperholly]

Sorry to hear about your retry, sk8tegirl.

Respect: I think I just fixed my camel again! Usually it's arms, arms arms. So this time, I thought about keeping my free foot behind my skating foot, arching my back and pointing it straight back on the entry. I did a couple of really good camels that way. Huh! 8O Let's see if this "fix" lasts.

Hard Times: Hoo boy, am I out of shape! I have only been running through my program in pieces and I'm exausted. :giveup: Time to get back to the gym for some cardio.

[jazzpants]

Sorry to hear about your retry, sk8tergirl06! :(

Definitely hard times:
Runthrus are still inconsistent on the FS program, though when pushed I do a bit better on the loops and the speed. Primary coach is also giving me a hard time. I don't bother telling him that my back is still recovering b/c I just know that even if I was recovered that my program wouldn't get much better.

I'm strongly thinking of pulling out of the critique now... I just don't feel ready for it and don't want to waste our judges' time. :cry:

I went to my chiro this afternoon. He gave me the bad news that I need to come back in about a couple of weeks to do another adjustment to prevent the muscles from seizing up. He is still complaining that I can't seem to get my hip flexors to stretch enough. Well, what does he expect!?!?! I mean I'm in PAIN here. There's only so much stretching I can do here!!! :frus: (BTW: When he got to poking around my back, he realized that my mid-back was tight too...) :cry:

[CoachPA]

Hard times: I got a retry on preliminary moves yesterday. :?? I kind of knew it was going to happen when the spiral pattern didn't go as well as I needed it to. Though I got 2.4 on everything, which was interesting because the :frus: alternating 3s must have seriously improved over the last couple weeks to be on par with everything else. Any tips??

What were the specific comments on your alternating threes? I think if you give us a hint, we'll be able to make some suggestions.

Some common mistakes that I see with this move is that skaters:
1. Do not put the three-turn at the top of the lobe (rather too early or too late)
2. Toe push at the axis when stepping for the next three
3. Completely overshoot or step too early at the axis for the next three
4. Create subcurves in the lobe (wiggles--minor or major)
5. Execute scratchy or uneven three-turns
6. Lunge (break at the waist) on the push into the threes
7. Retrogress on the lobe as it heads back to the axis

If your issue(s) include any of the above, perhaps I can give you some advice on what I work on with my skaters.

[Mrs Redboots]

Hard Times: No skating today - coaches cancelled, partly because of the snow, but largely because all their other pupils had cancelled, either because they were poorly or because of the snow. And we couldn't go to the rink and just practice, as the coach has my boots for sharpening! :frus::frus::frus:

[singerskates]

Hard Times: No skating today - coaches cancelled, And we couldn't go to the rink and just practice, as the coach has my boots for sharpening! :frus::frus::frus:


And that is why I take my own skates to the proshop to get sharpened. Another is that I'm not happy with my coach's sharpening. I like Brian's Custom Proshop much better. Plus they're the only ones in Essex County, Ontario, Canada that knows how to sharpen Ultima blades correctly and keep the profile. Ultima profiles seem to be slightly different from John Wilson Profiles. I use to have Pattern 99 John Wilson blades on a different pair of boots and then I took them to Maximum Edge near Windsor Airport.

Sorry to hear that your skates were held hostage, Mrs. Redboots.

[jskater49]

Since I skate at 6 am mondays...I'm usually stuck with naming the thread and I couldn't come up with anything so I waited...now I'm having trouble remembering!

Hard times - one of the girls had a very bad asthma attack during power, and nearly quit breathing - had to call the ambulance to give her oxygen and took her away on a stretcher. But later heard she went back to school that day. IT was pretty scary to see her.

Respect - I can do my LFI 3 on top of the circle, but am still rushing the RFI but I did manage to hold a couple till almost the top... and I did a couple of LBO 3s and even held the exit - it seems I do better if I do a LRI 3, push and then LBO 3 ...It makes me hold a good position --if I try to do the 3 alone I lean forward and then it's all over.

I've gotten so I can do 3 waltz jumps in a row - used to be my exit was too fast for me to try that.

j

[jazzpants]

And that is why I take my own skates to the proshop to get sharpened. Another is that I'm not happy with my coach's sharpening. I like Brian's Custom Proshop much better. Plus they're the only ones in Essex County, Ontario, Canada that knows how to sharpen Ultima blades correctly and keep the profile. Ultima profiles seem to be slightly different from John Wilson Profiles. I use to have Pattern 99 John Wilson blades on a different pair of boots and then I took them to Maximum Edge near Windsor Airport.

Sorry to hear that your skates were held hostage, Mrs. Redboots.I would have my coach bring my skates to the sharpener, who is the same person I go to... but I always need my boots b/c of my other two coaches and I really can't part with my skates. I want to go in, sit and wait a few minutes and get fresh sharpened skates afterwards. So I figured it's probably easier in the end if I go there and got the skates sharpened myself.

[liz_on_ice]

Respect - skating outdoors in a snowfall, crappy ice but sooooo much fun! I landed another couple of flips (ugly, but landed) and am getting a pretty decent toe loop. I and entertained a bunch of teenagers on a class trip. They were having a blast in the snow too - it was crowded, but such a hoot.

Hard times - word has gotten out about Seaport, it's been crowded the last several times I've been there. I have to scout out the dead times and rearrange my schedule to match now. Changefoot spin is coming along, but still not as consistent as I'd like.

[sk8tegirl06]

What were the specific comments on your alternating threes? I think if you give us a hint, we'll be able to make some suggestions.

Some common mistakes that I see with this move is that skaters:
1. Do not put the three-turn at the top of the lobe (rather too early or too late)
2. Toe push at the axis when stepping for the next three
3. Completely overshoot or step too early at the axis for the next three
4. Create subcurves in the lobe (wiggles--minor or major)
5. Execute scratchy or uneven three-turns
6. Lunge (break at the waist) on the push into the threes
7. Retrogress on the lobe as it heads back to the axis

If your issue(s) include any of the above, perhaps I can give you some advice on what I work on with my skaters.

Comments were the same for both inside and outside: "3s not being checked" and "free leg often pull skater off axis"

(The handwriting is a bit iffy so that is what my coach and I think it says.) For #1- the turns are either right on or a bit late, neither of my coaches has ever mentioned #2, #3- my tendency is to step too early (this rink had no hockey lines to use as a guide), #4 & 5- I don't think either coach has mentioned that, #6- I know I have a tendency of breaking posture, I'm not sure its on the push though, #7-I'm not sure what you mean by retrogress on the lobe. Thanks for any tips!

[Bunny Hop]

Respect: Learned the steps for the Riverside Rhumba. I think I'm going to like it, but haven't done it to the music yet, so that opinion may change!

Hard Times: Can't do the cross-behind in the Golden Skaters Waltz when the music is being played at anything vaguely resembling the correct speed. I have a mental block about cross-behinds anyway, but I can usually mange if there's only one! :frus:

Respect: It was a lovely quiet session on Monday morning because hardly anybody was able to make it to the rink due to the 2cm (less than an inch) of snow we had overnight. It did take us longer to get there (almost two hours in total) because we were diverted just as we got to the road leading to the rink, but were able to take a back route. Coach made it as well, and we had the rink to ourselves for most of our lesson, meaning we could practice dance patterns without needing to worry about looking out for anyone!

[jskater49]

Hard times - Coach showed up right at the time my lesson was supposed to start --with my skates she had taken home for her husband to sharpen. So I missed about 10 minutes of my lesson.:cry:

And being newly sharpened I didn't quite feel comfortable trying back 3 turns --one of these days we are going to go over them in the lesson!

More back crossovers - now she wants me to hold the edge before moving my foot from behind....and I am so uncomfortable with one foot behind the other...

worked on the entry edge for the spin - I just feel like I'm making no progress on that...

Respect - went over my Moves program and she thought it's looking much better and flowing nicely so much that she's ready to add more arm movements and other moves to "spice it up"

We reviewed the straight line spirals from Silver Moves...the hardest part was working out intro steps to get me going on the right foot. Holding them is not going to be a problem. Keeping my position might be....

j

[Mrs Redboots]

And that is why I take my own skates to the proshop to get sharpened.

Goodness, I don't think I'd want to let the people in the shop anywhere near my skates (always supposing I knew when the shop was open, if it ever is!); they only know how to sharpen hockey skates.

I have several options for sharpening, but the really good sharpener hasn't been around lately - or if he has, I've missed him - and I couldn't wait. And I'm really pleased with how my coach has done them, as he has restored the sweet spot for me - NOISELESS 3-turns!!! Who-hoo!

Respect: The noiseless 3-turns and the return of the sweet spot!

Hard Times: They are very sharp - I nearly cut myself putting my guards on to go to the loo; and the first hour (including our couples lesson) was a bit iffy. Coach1 said he'd done his own blades at the same time and reckoned he'd overdone it a bit.... but his were fine today (he came in last night for teaching), and mine would be tomorrow/Friday. Which they will be.

[CoachPA]

Comments were the same for both inside and outside: "3s not being checked" and "free leg often pull skater off axis"

For help checking the outside threes, think of holding a giant beach ball toward the inside of the lobe. This will help keep your arms and shoulders over the circle on which you're skating.

On the inside threes, try to execute the three-turn then pause for a second before dropping the arms down slowly to have them face outside the lobe. This will help keep you stable so that you won't wiggle and keep your back against the circle on which you're skating so that you can skate a strong, solid lobe.

As for your free leg pulling you off the axis, try to stretch between the bottom of your ribs and your hip bones. While you may likely think that your core does not have much to do with your legs, it actually has everything to do with your lower body! After all, the abdominals are one of, if not the most, important muscle group for skaters.

The reason I say to elongate your hip bones and rib cage from each other is because good alignment and posture will pull you up, so to speak, so that you will be more balanced or aligned over your skating hip. Focusing on staying over your skating hip should keep your free leg in its proper position. Think about how difficult it would be to balance on a fence post, for instance, if you have one body part (leg, arm, whatever) pulling you off your COG (center of gravity).

#7-I'm not sure what you mean by retrogress on the lobe.

Retrogession basically means to go backward from where one came from, so if you're retrogressing your lobes, you would find that you have difficulty transitioning to the next lobe. Often times, skaters who retrogress will feel "tangled" in their upper bodies or like they are flopping to the next lobe. On the other hand, skaters who execute naturally curved lobes will be able to keep their backs against the circle when making the step to the next lobe or edge.

Below is an example. Notice how the lobe with a natural arc will create more even lobes whereas the lobe that retrogresses makes the transition to the following lobe challenging and creates subcurves within the lobe as the skater returns to the axis.

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/PACoach/RetrogressingLobe.jpg

[sk8ryellow]

For help checking the outside threes, think of holding a giant beach ball toward the inside of the lobe. This will help keep your arms and shoulders over the circle on which you're skating.

On the inside threes, try to execute the three-turn then pause for a second before dropping the arms down slowly to have them face outside the lobe. This will help keep you stable so that you won't wiggle and keep your back against the circle on which you're skating so that you can skate a strong, solid lobe.

As for your free leg pulling you off the axis, try to stretch between the bottom of your ribs and your hip bones. While you may likely think that your core does not have much to do with your legs, it actually has everything to do with your lower body! After all, the abdominals are one of, if not the most, important muscle group for skaters.

The reason I say to elongate your hip bones and rib cage from each other is because good alignment and posture will pull you up, so to speak, so that you will be more balanced or aligned over your skating hip. Focusing on staying over your skating hip should keep your free leg in its proper position. Think about how difficult it would be to balance on a fence post, for instance, if you have one body part (leg, arm, whatever) pulling you off your COG (center of gravity).



Retrogession basically means to go backward from where one came from, so if you're retrogressing your lobes, you would find that you have difficulty transitioning to the next lobe. Often times, skaters who retrogress will feel "tangled" in their upper bodies or like they are flopping to the next lobe. On the other hand, skaters who execute naturally curved lobes will be able to keep their backs against the circle when making the step to the next lobe or edge.

Below is an example. Notice how the lobe with a natural arc will create more even lobes whereas the lobe that retrogresses makes the transition to the following lobe challenging and creates subcurves within the lobe as the skater returns to the axis.

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv164/PACoach/RetrogressingLobe.jpg


That is a perfect example of retrogressing.

[momsk8er]

I'm appreciating this conversation, because this is exactly the problem I'm having - or should I say problems? I'm wobbling a little after the turn (outside 3s) and then I'm retrogressing and I can't turn around to start the other foot. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[flo]

Also, for the three turn, look where you want to go. This also appplies to edges in spirals. The weight of your head can guide your edge. I have my little ones in class glide forward and then turn their head and see what happens, and of course they turn in the direction they look.

Hard times: partner is out of town for a couple of days.
Respect: We started the footwork sequence - very involved!

[CoachPA]

I'm appreciating this conversation, because this is exactly the problem I'm having - or should I say problems? I'm wobbling a little after the turn (outside 3s) and then I'm retrogressing and I can't turn around to start the other foot. Any suggestions?

One of my students was having a heck of a time with getting back to the axis correctly. What I told her that seemed to have made a world of difference is to lead back to the axis with the back arm and shoulder. She skates synchro, too, so I tell her that she should feel as though she needs to reach to attach to someone behind her.

Often times it's difficult to get back to the axis when the shoulders get out of alignment, particularly that back shoulder. It's so easy to let it creep around, so think of reaching back to the axis with it, holding a giant beach ball, or simply aligning your arms over your tracing.

Also, I tell my students to think of keeping the free hip slightly open when returning to the axis. When the hip starts to close, the lobe will retrogress. Think of making a slightly open shape with your legs that look like the number 4--knee slightly open with the free foot's big toe to the skating foot's heel. And, after pushing for your next lobe, bring the feet together first. Allowing the free leg to stay extended risks the free hip closing, which is where many of the retrogression problems begin.

Also, for the three turn, look where you want to go. This also appplies to edges in spirals. The weight of your head can guide your edge. I have my little ones in class glide forward and then turn their head and see what happens, and of course they turn in the direction they look.

Exactly! As a general skating rule: always look the direction you want to go! Sure, that sounds like common sense, but I wonder sometimes when I see the awkward positions my students end up in. :lol:

Make sure on the outside three-turns, that you're looking inside the circle slightly. On the inside three-turns, you'll need to look outside the circle over your back arm. Continue to look that way when you step for your next lobe.

[CoachPA]

I'm appreciating this conversation, because this is exactly the problem I'm having - or should I say problems? I'm wobbling a little after the turn (outside 3s) and then I'm retrogressing and I can't turn around to start the other foot. Any suggestions?

That is a perfect example of retrogressing.

Thank you! I try, as I hope that someday all these explanations and drawings will pay off when I decide to take my oral ratings...but that won't be for quite some time.

[sk8tegirl06]

Thanks for the tips everybody! I think I'm going to print these out and see if I can make sense of some of the suggestions. I definitely want to keep testing, so I have to figure these out sooner or later. ;)

[icedancer2]

Well, skated 3 weeks after my back injury (compression fracture) but then stopped again after I got the actual diagnosis and so today was the first day that I ventured out to skate - it has been six weeks since my feet touched the ice.

Respect: for myself and my body and my back for getting out there and trying. Respect for my technique which I found especially important in trying to wake up my old tired muscle memory - lousy technique would make for some lousy rehab and maybe another nasty fall.

So I mostly just did warmups, two-footed skating and slaloms, etc., then some forward outside and inside eights and forward serpentines. Eventually swing rolls, forward, small circles, some back swing rolls (very tentative), a few outside threes and mohawks.

At first my legs felt completely tight and my skates very very stiff. I had to go stretch out my hamstrings because of the tightness. Legs then felt pretty weak - haven't done much in quite a while except walk around and drive and stuff - working, etc. so this little extra pressure on my feet and legs and hips was quite noticable.

It felt good also that there was a young friend who was working on freestyle and for some reason I got into quasi- "coaching mode" and helped him with his camel spin and even a double-loop, which was awesome. Who knows where my knowledge of that stuff comes from?

Hard times: Well, just coming back from the injury and wondering if I'll ever get back "up to speed" so to speak or if it's just stroking and edges from now on? Time will tell I guess.

Interesting doing back crossovers - the whole feeling of the cross I could feel deep into my pelvic girdle, and the whole idea of the cross coming from there - very very interesting. Hopefully that will all start feeling more normal soon.

[phoenix]

Respect: Had a good lesson today. We put together intro steps for the Blues, which I like a lot, but need to work on it to get nice & smooth. Did lots of patterns too, not bad.

Hard Times: I've been so bad with skipping practices lately! I have got to get more disciplined to get my butt out & to the rink!

[kander]

Respect: my axels have been getting steadily better.

Hard Times: my salchow has disappeared along with my scratch spin. My right shoulder is all busted up from 2 waxels in a new pair of boots in the same session about a month ago. I haven't been able to skate normally since then. Now I'm gun shy to skate in the new boots.

[Thin-Ice]

RESPECT: Back on the ice after having back and shoulder muscle spasms which forced me off the ice for 8 days. I was able to skate an entire hour. It was great fun to be out there and not in pain. My coach was incredibly encouraging...

HARD TIMES: ...despite really bad run-throughs of both programs. I can't believe PCAS is just two weeks away and I still have not had a single clean run-through of either program. I feel so terribly undertrained, but could not have spent any more time on the ice. It's just been a year of injuries, so I'm choosing to look at this as a chance to get back out and see where next year's baseline starts.

RESPECT: I did have a few good lutz attempts (slightly cheated) and my head never got in the way of actually working on the jump. So maybe that part of this ordeal is over. Also last year's nemisis, the camelspin, felt easy everytime I tried it EXCEPT in the programs! But overall a REALLY fun day and I'm sooooo glad to be back on the ice!

[BatikatII]

respect

Skated yesterday and tried some moves out for possible inclusion in a couples free dance which was fun.

Skated for 3 hours including two lessons - one couples dance and one freeskating - and a group dance class. Normally I'm only on the ice for about 45 mins a time!

In lesson today actually landed a flip/toe-loop/loop combination for first time ever and on first try (although I had practised all seperately before hand).

Hard Times - didn't make it rink on Monday due to 3.5 inches of snow and being a long way from a main road.

level 5 field moves(UK). THe first two are fine : back inside and outside changes of edge and forward and backward one foot slaloms.

But the next two are horrible. Back outside double 3's which are OK on one foot but terrible on the other and then the back inside double 3's which are bad on both feet. I have got into the habit of tapping my foot down in the turn and it's a struggle to stop it. Strangely I can do alternating back inside double 3's reasonably well but not when you include the back crossovers in between that are required in the FMs.

The last move is a complicated thing involving a FO3turn , cross front, back outside 3 and then putting free foot down on a back outside edge. impossible I think!

[LilJen]

Respect: FS much better after some runthroughs on my own Monday & Wed with coach. Spins are actually happening, though not every single time. Perhaps, just perhaps, I can actually get out 6 revs on 1 foot when it counts!

Hard times: Still intimidated by being on a FS session with a couple of novice-level skaters. It's difficult to do moves patterns when they're busting out jumps all over the place!

Respect: Coach says my Bronze moves look fine and she'd feel fine putting me out to test whenever I feel ready to do so. Looks like April will be the date for that and pre-bronze dance #1 (cha cha). Whee!!

[Petlover]

Respect: My new ISI footwork program is so much fun! I'm skating to Carrie Underwood's song "Last Name". Also my coach actually liked my spiral today - that's a first!

Hard Times: Grrr, my home rink is only open 2 early mornings a week, and they keep leaving the hockey nets out on the ice during the early am freestyles. I can't complain, they would just say okay we will just not open those mornings, and then I would be skating at my alternate rink every morning - a problem because I love my coach and she does not want to guest coach at the alternate rink if she can avoid it, and I don't want to change coaches.

[looplover]

Petlover - I can't get over these people...such a shame :-(

Respect: Had a great cheering section for a bit this morning in the form of ISk8NYC and her adorable twins! Later I apparently skated a clean program - but I didn't realize it and I could swear I screwed up a loop toe. But I'm going with what the coach said!

Hard times: Well - the program was clean because the flip is no longer in it. Grr. But that should really be under "respect" too because agonizing over it was doing me no favors. Better to not worry about it for Easterns and have more relaxed skating and other elements. I can do this jump - but not this month - and I really want to try it with boots that actually fit, because my slightly large right boot (picking foot) sure isn't helping me to feel secure when I pick in! :roll:

[Kim to the Max]

Been lurking a lot...but....

Respectful Hardtimes:

Testing my Novice Moves tomorrow...been working on them for a little less than a year and coach wants to be done with them....as do I...

The CW Rocker/Choctaw is giving me issues...either I am standing up too straight or my legs are way far apart...can't seem to get it all together...

And the other nemesis is the bracket-3-bracket....I can only manage it clean a few times...usually my issue is having to do the turns on a flat and not on an edge...and then my hips and everything do not line up....

But....my inside-3 pattern, counters, the Rocker/Choctaw pattern where you hold the edges, and the spirals are really good....so we will see....I'm not freaking out yet, so I can't decide if that's good or bad....

[Thin-Ice]

Been lurking a lot...but....

Respectful Hardtimes:

Testing my Novice Moves tomorrow...been working on them for a little less than a year and coach wants to be done with them....as do I...

The CW Rocker/Choctaw is giving me issues...either I am standing up too straight or my legs are way far apart...can't seem to get it all together...

And the other nemesis is the bracket-3-bracket....I can only manage it clean a few times...usually my issue is having to do the turns on a flat and not on an edge...and then my hips and everything do not line up....

But....my inside-3 pattern, counters, the Rocker/Choctaw pattern where you hold the edges, and the spirals are really good....so we will see....I'm not freaking out yet, so I can't decide if that's good or bad....

Good luck with your test! Let us know how it goes. Remember to relax and just show the judges what you can do well. Don't advertise the stuff you think is not quite as good. Be confident. Oh, and remember to BREATH!!! Novice is a LONG test.

[Audryb]

Respect: I learned a loop last night! I got it on the second try (in my jump and spin class) and then did a bunch more. The coach was so excited she was jumping up and down. She said no one gets it the first day. I don't know if that's really true, but she makes me feel good, so I'm not arguing. She told me to practice my half flip this week and next week she'll teach me a flip. I'm loving this jump and spin class. 5 weeks ago I could only do a small waltz jump and walk through a toe loop. Now I'm doing much bigger waltzes, sals, toes, sal-toe (all actually jumping) and now I have an itty-bitty loop to work on.

Hard Times: My scratch spin is soooooo bad. It goes back and forth between like 2 revs and not spinning at all. Yesterday was a "better" day, but still... it's frustrating. My back spin is better than my scratch spin (and my backspin is not good!)

[Kim to the Max]

Good luck with your test! Let us know how it goes. Remember to relax and just show the judges what you can do well. Don't advertise the stuff you think is not quite as good. Be confident. Oh, and remember to BREATH!!! Novice is a LONG test.

It is a long test!! I'm at work until noon and then heading off to the rink...I'm trying not to freak out yet....

[Thin-Ice]

Best wishes!!! And when you take the ice for the actual test, remember this is your chance to show them how a Novice MIF test should look!

[Mrs Redboots]

Good luck Kim! Let us know how it goes.

Respect: Did a lot of exercises this morning with Husband - a short practice, but an intense one.

Hard Times: After which, I think I was tired, as I stopped being able to do twizzles properly. Or 3-turns. So I said soddit and went home.

[jazzpants]

Hard Times:
Cancelled lesson. Off to the chiro this morning...

Respect:
Thankfully probably not spinal... chiro thinks I just need to go in for a massage. That said, he did crack my back again and the back feels better! :)

[doubletoe]

Respect: I learned a loop last night! I got it on the second try (in my jump and spin class) and then did a bunch more. The coach was so excited she was jumping up and down. She said no one gets it the first day. I don't know if that's really true, but she makes me feel good, so I'm not arguing. She told me to practice my half flip this week and next week she'll teach me a flip. I'm loving this jump and spin class. 5 weeks ago I could only do a small waltz jump and walk through a toe loop. Now I'm doing much bigger waltzes, sals, toes, sal-toe (all actually jumping) and now I have an itty-bitty loop to work on.

Hard Times: My scratch spin is soooooo bad. It goes back and forth between like 2 revs and not spinning at all. Yesterday was a "better" day, but still... it's frustrating. My back spin is better than my scratch spin (and my backspin is not good!)

Wow, very cool! I remember the loop being a breakthrough jump for me because it was the first jump where I really had to feel like I was taking off backwards and staying backwards. If you like the loop, you'll love the flip!

It is a long test!! I'm at work until noon and then heading off to the rink...I'm trying not to freak out yet....

You can do it, Kim!! :)

[AgnesNitt]

Hard Times Still don't have my forward outside 8 without train tracks on the left. I showed an ice dancer, Ed--the only adult skater at the rink older than me--my 8. He asked me to show him my edges. Frustratingly, my edges on the serpentine are LOVELY. No train tracks, perfect body position, even sizes, round, smooth transitions. He said that I do a K on my 8's but not on my serpentine (coach says this too). Apparently, it's all in my head, I have the skills. :frus::frus::frus:

Respect Well, worked on my alternating 3 turns with the mohawk in between. After thinking about 3's I decided to leave the arm on the free leg side neutral, and 'push' the 3 with the shoulder of the the active leg side, until it's necessary to check with the shoulder of the free leg. This works much better. I get a crisp deep 3, with no scraping.

I actually got online last night to see if I could find some wireless accelerometers to attach to my coach, myself, and various other skaters. if we have a template of the skating of an experience skater or skaters, and then compare the results with an inexperienced skater we can identify the problems much easier. Unfortunately wireless accelerometers even the low end 2g ones are frigging expensive. The wired ones are like 90 bucks, but who wants to skate around on the ice with wires and a computer.

Lesson tomorrow. I'll see what coach says about my experiments.

[sk8lady]

Hard times: Yesterday it was -5 when I got up. Today it's -3. I'm afraid my toes are just going to fall right off! Since I got diagnosed with Reynaud's syndrome last week I've been trying to find ways to keep my toes warm but it's just about impossible.
Just realized I'll only be able to have 3 more lessons before our ice ends. :cry:
Also, I still HATE SILVER MOVES.
Respect: Loop jump is still teeny weeny and not completely consistent but I actually had at least one decent one every day this week, even on days I only tried two or three! Mysteriously, it went a lot better once I gave up on it.
Coach is starting to mumble about when I might test silver moves because the ones I'm willing to show her have improved. (She hasn't seen what my left inside back 3 pattern looks like, including the look of sheer terror on my face...)

[momsk8er]

Respect-it's amazing how improved my skating is when I actually get to the rink for practise a few days and week, and I go to the gym. Wow. All of a sudden I'm getting a camel spin, and maybe you could get a magazine (maybe even the fall edition of Vogue) instead of a tissue under my jumps. At least some of them. The loop is still on the tissue side.

[Skate@Delaware]

Comments were the same for both inside and outside: "3s not being checked" and "free leg often pull skater off axis"

(The handwriting is a bit iffy so that is what my coach and I think it says.) For #1- the turns are either right on or a bit late, neither of my coaches has ever mentioned #2, #3- my tendency is to step too early (this rink had no hockey lines to use as a guide), #4 & 5- I don't think either coach has mentioned that, #6- I know I have a tendency of breaking posture, I'm not sure its on the push though, #7-I'm not sure what you mean by retrogress on the lobe. Thanks for any tips!
My coach says I do this too....getting better at checking and getting my free leg BEHIND ME instead of out to the side but it's still a struggle.

This is for yesterday:
Respect: Ran through elements of my program with the arms (did them a bit off-ice) and they are good. It was a tad crowded with the home-schooled bunch but they were a great group!

Hard Times: been really tired lately and my spins are off AGAIN! Got home and had the oh-so-familiar ringing in my ears and congestion starting up (usually the tinnitus means migraine but thankfully not this time).

Woke up THIS morning with a raw sore throat and feeling crappy. I was going to skate and run-through my program again but meh, not now. I am in "conservation" mode. So, I will do my "arms" at home and some more off-ice. It's not that I'm always complacent but I am this time. I usually don't have any one to compete against so I skate mostly for the ENTERTAINMENT component! My routine is cool!!!! I'm hoping to entertain people and have them really enjoy it! Plus, my dress is uber-sparkly-cool!!!!

[RinkRat321]

respect: axels are getting higher, 2lutzes more consistent.
hard times: it's been too crowded EVERY TIME i go practice to work on my moves
and my coach is making me test wether im ready or not, and i really think im going to fail :giveup:


i filmed a couple things from practice :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_hHgBnFeeM

[jazzpants]

Hard Times:
We had our Adult Critique today... I did my artistic program tonight instead of my technical, given the situation with my lower back. I did go to my chiro on Friday morning and did a lot of foam roller around the area of the butt where the sciatica nerve starts. That and rest was critical in my being able to skate at this critique w/o feeling like I'm gonna trip over my legs...

Obviously I didn't expect my spiral to be good. But I can't blame that on my crappy back. I really need to go back and work on that spiral...

I had a minor brain fart at the beginning b/c last Thursday choreographer and I did a last minute change to my program there. I remember the change to the program but had a brain fart as to what comes after.

Respect:
Luckily, the choreographer said "Nice save from that brain fart at the beginning." :lol:

And... the rest of the program went at smooth as can be... :bow: Footwork that I screwed up on Thursday did find its way in this runthru and I did land my loop jump tonight!!! YAAAAAY!!! I do need to work on speed for that program, so I guess I have two months to get that program to go faster!!!

For what happened with me on Thursday, I'm VERY :bow: that I managed a relatively "sane" program. And I did get some good comments and suggestions to work on. The dinner afterwards at Chevy's wasn't too bad either... :mrgreen:

[Mrs Redboots]

Respect: Started choreographing our new free dance today, which is going to be fun.

Hard Times: Wouldn't you think that something as simple as back cross-rolls hand in hand would be easy? Wrong!

[sk8lady]

All of a sudden I'm getting a camel spin, and maybe you could get a magazine (maybe even the fall edition of Vogue) instead of a tissue under my jumps. At least some of them. The loop is still on the tissue side.

I love this description!!

[taijiya]

Respect: Forward consecutive edges, inside and outside--I has them. RFO is still the weakest, but it's coming.

Hard times: Pivots, even verrrry slow ones like mine, make me dizzy. Which led to me doing that blade-clicky-together thing on a back crossover and nearly going splat. I saved myself the fall, but wrenched my shoulder a bit in the process. Ow.

[niupartyangel]

Respect: Had my first official pre-bronze MIF lesson/practice yesterday...I am glad now to have decided to take the test, because I was really more mindful of every stroke, edge and push when doing all the stuff (stroking, forward and backward edges, waltz 8) ...before I was going through the motions or rushing through them---like i knew I needed to go over them at least, so I would, but i wasn't paying much attention to detail. Now I find myself overanalyzing everything, hehehe.

Hard Times: My coach was pleased with my salchow and toe loops last week so she was like, "i guess you're ready for the loop!" so we just went over the entrance over and over last week, but I was too chicken to try to actually jump. Yesterday I was still being a chicken and just couldn't bring myself up to go for it :twisted:

[singerskates]

Hard times: Yesterday it was -5 when I got up. Today it's -3. I'm afraid my toes are just going to fall right off! Since I got diagnosed with Reynaud's syndrome last week I've been trying to find ways to keep my toes warm but it's just about impossible.
Just realized I'll only be able to have 3 more lessons before our ice ends. :cry:
Also, I still HATE SILVER MOVES.
Respect: Loop jump is still teeny weeny and not completely consistent but I actually had at least one decent one every day this week, even on days I only tried two or three! Mysteriously, it went a lot better once I gave up on it.
Coach is starting to mumble about when I might test silver moves because the ones I'm willing to show her have improved. (She hasn't seen what my left inside back 3 pattern looks like, including the look of sheer terror on my face...)

Funny, I also have Reynaud's Syndrome but it's mostly when I'm not moving enough that my feet and hands are cold even in the summer, unless of course I'm sick. Then it doesn't matter how much moving I do. I can't get my feet or hands warm.

[looplover]

Respect: The program is a million times more comfortable now that the flip is kicked to the curb (for now). I want to think that translates into it looking better, it felt like it might. I'm not one to thrive when I've lowered the bar for myself, it's usually the opposite, but that stupid jump was turning me into one big breathing heap of neurosis. So bye bye flip for now, enjoy your vacation while it lasts :twisted:

Hard times: My sit spin is weird right now! My free foot has been making its way toward the ice again, in fact twice I caught the back of my blade on the ice while spinning. I didn't realize I was still doing that :roll: OK that's something to work on.

Totally unrelated hard times: I want to go throw my skates at my upstairs neighbor right now for forcing me to hear his bass on his stereo through my ceiling. :halo:

[Skate@Delaware]

Hard times: had my competition yesterday....and I'm wondering why I even bothered. I was feeling really really really cr*ppy with a bad head cold, all congested and having a hard time breathing.

drove the almost 2 hours to get there...

started on the ice, skated 3 seconds...

and forgot my program :giveup:

I realized what I had done and spent the remainder of the 1:35 seconds trying to recover...switching around elements so it wouldn't look too bad.

I think I'm making a mountain out of a molehill though (aren't we our own worst critic?). Saw some ladies I skated against last year, they were one level up from me...(FS3, I'm FS2) if only I had been able to skate more, harder, etc I would have had someone to compete against (we are the same age).

Debating whether or not to continue; coach wants me to do ISI regionals. I don't know. These past 2 years have not been good to me.

[Mrs Redboots]

drove the almost 2 hours to get there...

started on the ice, skated 3 seconds...

and forgot my program :giveup:
Been there, done that, read the book, bought the T-shirt...... Bad luck, it's rotten when that happens. You get off the ice and really want to say to the judges "Could I do that again, please? I made a nonsense of it!"

And yes, you will compete again, and yes, you will do better....