Wet or Dry: Practice Thread for April 6th -12th [Archive]

FlyAndCrash

04-06-2009, 05:19 PM

dbny

04-06-2009, 06:12 PM

I was completely winded and was having difficulty breathing. I've been having breathing problems at the end of my program for a while now (about 3 months), and I don't know if it it is because I'm out of shape or if it is because I've developed a breathing problem.

The difference between being out of shape and a breathing problem is that when you're out of shape, you run out of wind, but can regain your breath fairly quickly. If you have a breathing problem, then you will be standing there unable to do anything for a while before you finally get your breath again. It's the recovery time that tells. Also, when I had bronchitis, I felt like I could not take in enough air, which is because the air is not fully expelled first. The same is true for asthma. If you do think you are having a breathing problem, please see a respiratory specialist ASAP. This kind of thing can get worse without treatment, and there is a simple breathing exercise that can help.

doubletoe

04-06-2009, 06:47 PM

It's raining here in Boston... I much rather it be nice and dry and warm...

Dry: I ran-through my program twice today, but didn't do a double run-through. Neither were clean, but they were fairly good overall.

Wet: I am feeling very unprepared. After my second run-through, I was completely winded and was having difficulty breathing. I've been having breathing problems at the end of my program for a while now (about 3 months), and I don't know if it it is because I'm out of shape or if it is because I've developed a breathing problem. I hope it's just a mild out of shape issue so that it won't affect me at nationals.

Dry: My camel and camel combo spins have improved immensely in the past few days. Now I just need to keep it fast and centered.

Wet: There's only 4 weeks of ice left here!

Dry: I'm going back home in 5 weeks! Yay! I'm planning on testing juv. free and maybe int. moves this summer - which means getting a new program and working on flying spins!

Did anything change 3 months ago, for example, has the temperature inside the rink been colder for the past 3 months? Also, how long have you been doing full run-throughs of your program? If you were getting through your program just fine 3 months ago and then you started feeling winded even though nothing changed in your training regimen, I would suspect a touch of asthma or some other respiratory thing. I'm fine when the weather/rink temperature is warmer, but this winter I started feeling like I just couldn't get enough air while I was skating my program. That feeling would start about 1/3 of the way through my 2:38 program. I got an inhaler and the problem went away the first time I used it!

RinkRat321

04-07-2009, 10:05 AM

dry: double loops have gotten so much better. my coach fixed my arms and now my air position is much better. double lutzes were also really nice

wet: sit spins are slower for some reason :/ they've never given me any trouble so I'm kind of confused as to why they're a bit slower.

video from practice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmsEDgxFrFE

Rusty Blades

04-07-2009, 12:24 PM

Mrs Redboots

04-07-2009, 01:29 PM

Wet and dry, both: Had our blades sharpened today. This meant that we were (well, I was) for the first bit of the lesson.

But it also means I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's skate.

LilJen

04-07-2009, 06:28 PM

Dry: good, fairly clean runthrough of bronze moves at the beginning of yesterday's first session.

Wet: Heavily populated with int/novice & above skaters plus a higher-level pairs team just zooming across the ice. . . so it got increasingly tough to fit in moves without threatening everyone's well being.

Dry: Used the time to work on little niggling things--twizzles, getting a feel for back 3s, portions of the Cha-cha pattern (over and over and over)--plus sal (getting better) and toe loop.

alliegator66

04-07-2009, 06:37 PM

wet: My rear end from falling on it so many times! I'm feeling pretty decent with most of my jumps, but any combination with a loop on the end has always, and I fear, will always elude me.

dry: I am actually enjoying my skating. I kind of feared in coming back to it that I just wouldn't take to it or something like that, but I'm really having fun. I feel that if I stick with it and practice as much as I am able to, I will be ready to do my first (comeback) competition in September.

jazzpants

04-07-2009, 07:10 PM

Wet:
My day! Job hunting SUX!!! :evil: :frus:

On top of that, my back is having problems now. After a while, I just said that needed to get out of the house. So guess where I went? :P

Dry:
Skated for 2 hours! I landed all my jumps clean at least a few times up to and including my lutz towards the beginning of the session.. :bow:

Wet:
My jumps from the loop up towards the end.

My BUTT!!!

Dry:
...from trying to do a few hydroblade!!! :bow: I think I'm making some progress, but I gotta show it to the secondary coach first, since she's the person that had me doing this in the first place. (I was able to glide backward in position for a few seconds. Then I promptly fell on my butt trying to get back up again. :lol: )

Having a great time watching the FS session. Nice to see some doubles and an occasional triple here and there! :bow:

singerskates

04-07-2009, 09:17 PM

Still skating but seldom posting.

Having taken this season off from competition, I am now trying to decide on next year's goals; to back off and go "recreational" or to make an all-out run for Gold in 2010. BIG decision with lots of consequences.

Still weighing the pros and cons .....

Well, I hope you choose to stay competitive because I'd miss you at Adult Canadians if you went recreational. I've already missed you this year and I didn't do Adult Canadians this year either.

Are you doing summer skating or will you opt not to skate this summer as I am doing?

flikkitty11

04-07-2009, 10:08 PM

um i like rain but anyway:

Dry: on monday i landed 10 double flips clean and managed a 2.5 hour session without doing bad.

Wet: on tuesday i lost the double flip, landing it the first 4 times then falling about 15 times. i knew what i was doing wrong but i couldnt get my body to do it. very frustrating...

Dry: landed 1 out of 1 double flips this morning (though it took me about 10 minutes of almost going for it to do. sigh.)

Dry: started re-choreographing my free skate

Wet: it took half an hour to get to the first jump cos my coach kept changing the start

Dry: i figured out what was wrong in my short program steps and, though its technically harder, its easier for me. go figure.

Dry: 5.5 hours of training this week and more to come.

singerskates

04-07-2009, 10:58 PM

Monday:

Wet:
Most everying was either ho-hum or horrible but then it was the first day back on the ice after a week off after competing in Toronto, ON Canada (Max Gould, I was smoked in Ladies Adult Bronze and in Ladies Introductory, my competition was just so much better than I had ever seen before.).

Dry:
One upright corkscrew (scratch) was decent.

Today (Tuesday):

Wet:
Camels didn't want to go past 1 and half revs. Found out from my coach that I was actually doing them the hard way not keeping my free leg back behind me and actually had my freeleg up and partly out to the side forcing me to fall deeper onto my inside edge on my skating leg.
Backspins hook and then die.
Before lesson: Loops and Flips didn't rotate properly when away from the boards.
Sitspins were hooking too much and I was having trouble getting down in my sit. Had to loosen my laces more.

Dry:
Scratch spin (Corkscrew of us Canucks) was a little faster and better centered today. Had one or two where I was spinning on top of my tracings.
In lesson: Sit spin went deeper and was able to get 3 revs in broken position before coming up and out with finally being centered again.
In lesson: All jumps are getting 8 to 10 inches of air according to my coach now. Wish I would have done that in competition this year! Loop, Flip and Lutz are 100% around but I'm having issues with keeping my free leg crossed after take-off. I'm finally pulling in my arms for all of my jumps; just not strongly enough yet and sometimes my timing is wrong.
Lutz: going into it from forward, RFI Mo, then cross left leg over to LBO edge (7 feet long on strong edge) and so on.
Lutz edge set up: practiced it over and over to stop the scratching of my toe pick.

Told my coach that I want to be working on my Junior Bronze dances (Fiesta Tango & Swing ) so that I can test them this spring. I'll save the Willow for next fall. Just need to neaten up my Fiesta to test. Need to learn the Swing dance steps past the first RFI Mo. Will be bringing in the diagram on Thursday.

Coach told me that he wants me to do alternating back crosscuts with three turns and Mohawks with speed and time myself every session. Yikes. Speed I can do but with three turns and Mohawks? Right.

singerskates

04-07-2009, 11:14 PM

Dry: i figured out what was wrong in my short program steps and, though its technically harder, its easier for me. go figure.

How old are you? You've got to be an adult skater because somehow many of us have a hard time with what is suppose to be easy; me I have trouble with normal three turns - LFI3s... but I can do Back Loops on both feet easily. I also can spin forwards in both directions CCW (my normal direction) and CW but I can't do a decent backspin.

flikkitty11

04-08-2009, 12:02 AM

im 17 but im a bit of a weirdo like that. for me, double flip is better (and far less scary) than double toe. im also a CW skater, and from what i have seen of fellow CW skaters in my area, we tend to be a little odd like that (possibly as a result of having CCW skating coaches?).

Isk8NYC

04-08-2009, 01:18 AM

Wet:
MITF were pretty good; worked through Prelim and Pre-Juv patterns okay
Practiced figures, which entertained a few spectators.
Spins were mixed, but backspins were better last night.
Slammed through some bell jumps and axel drills

Dry:
Jumps were very strange - salchows were better than flips; toe loops trumped loops.
Video'ed my layback, which was pretty mediocre at best.

Mrs Redboots

04-08-2009, 07:26 AM

Wet: Strange pain in my side - think I must have pulled a muscle, though goodness knows when or where.

Dry: As expected, skating blissy today with blades feeling utterly wonderful!

liz_on_ice

04-08-2009, 09:05 AM

Dry - sitspin and brackets both showed up for my coach to see. We worked on the camel entrance, turns out what I needed was more speed on the entrance edge so I could feel confident assuming the pose while setting the spin going. She pronounced my loop much improved, gave me some good notes and it is even better. Not good, but improving.

All wet - my bottom where I went splut off a back-3. Still I took it with a bounce and it did no damage, so that is to the good. I fell last lesson on a loop attempt. I think this is a good thing, I haven't been falling nearly enough which means I haven't been pushing myself. If I could just convince myself to commit to a single-foot landing or fall trying on the flip, I'd have it down by now.

Skittl1321

04-08-2009, 01:56 PM

Wet I'm having a tough week. I found out Monday that my position is being eliminated and I'm being laid off at the end of the month. At least they are keeping us until then, so our insurance will be valid in May. I'm honestly okay with it, but they are having us do "outplacement counseling" which I think is adding way more stress to my life then is necessary. As a result, for the first time ever I skipped out on teaching LTS yesterday, because I had a horrible headache, and skipped my group lesson. I NEVER do that.

Until I find something I'm not doing private lessons any longer, so today I'll just try to practice my program and hope I at least don't regress. If is looking for a freelance math writer or editor PM me! (I've also done some copy-editing.)

DryAfter getting the news Monday I did go to the rink to practice and my back swing rolls are getting a bit better. But I couldn't get much else done.

jazzpants

04-08-2009, 04:54 PM

(((((Skittl1321))))) Trust me, I feel your pain!!! I feel it really bad now!!! (2 months out of a job now...) :frus:

Dry:
Right down to the countdown. I survived thru two runthrus of the artistic program and one of the technical today. The two were for my lesson with secondary coach and the one technical is b/c I'm on the final stretch... and my personal trainer is at my session... and she expects me to train this way at this time in my training... :oops: 8O

Wet:
Didn't land my loop and barely landed my flip during the technical runthru. Also, didn't land the loop on the 2nd runthru of my artistic. :frus:

Dry:
I did land the lutz just fine. 8O :bow: Weird... usually it's the other way around. :??

Wet:
No time to show secondary coach my attempt at the hydroblade. :cry:

Skate@Delaware

04-09-2009, 04:59 AM

this is for last night:
Dry: had lesson at my home rink...it was interesting being back there again instead of away. I was already warmed up since I rushed to the rink from dance class (just a 5 minute drive) which is a good thing. So, we touched on some things and since I skated Saturday my skating hasn't fallen apart (yet).

Wet: started (again) on sit spins. Took a splat. This will be interesting, since I haven't done any since before my injury. I could feel my muscles pulling (lower back) but that was about it. My fall was mostly knee/thigh so no big deal.

Dry: after lesson, I worked on stuff; did 2 good backspins (proper free leg position) and that was nice. Had a chat with the skating program director and said I would be taking his classes come May. I'm stoked to be moving ahead in my skating.

Then it was time to head home and do some final review for my anatomy test (digestive system and metabolism). I've been studying but don't really feel like it's sticking. We'll see after I take the test. 8O

Isk8NYC

04-09-2009, 08:21 AM

(((skittl))) Hope you find a new position right away. You should be covered by unemployment, so file for it right away and avoid the delay. The outplacement counseling is an opportunity to tweak your resume and get free copies made, so take advantage. Some people have used it to change careers too.

Wet:
I skate like **** at 6am. I should just workout on the exercise machines instead of even trying to skate, lol. I felt like I was wearing someone else's skates.
Layback spins were crummy and uncentered, but they impressed the kiddies for some reason, hahaha!
Still hating those threes-on-the-line. Why can't we just do figures? grrrr...

Dry:
MITF (Pre-Prel through Pre-Juv) were okay, nothing spectacular.
Jumps were okay, nothing spectacular.
Backspins were better than last time.

Skate@Delaware

04-09-2009, 02:36 PM

Today's practice was mostly "wet" as I'm still sore from my falls taken last night (sit spin attempts). Nothing major just muscular.

A friend was at the rink as well, but sometimes that is a hindrance when you want to work your a$$ off on stuff and they sometimes get in the way. I usually have a set routine for doing stuff (yeah the old bird is set in her ways) and I don't like to deviate (I'm crusty that way at times).

No loop jump; she watched me the whole time and just gave criticism as far as what I was doing wrong...I KNOW what I do wrong, I don't need a cheer squad telling me.

I finally pulled out my headphones for some peace, from her and from the awful music that was playing (not even sure what it was....it was disco/pop/rock/country fusion cr*p).

Dry: spins were good; backspins were good; salchow was good. Toe-loop was ok, if a little waltzy.

Did the crossed-foot exercise on the circle, man am I weak on the left side still! Stuck with it and did about 6 times around the circle in each direction. Still cannot pick up my extended foot when it is the right crossed under the left.

Very Wet: anything related to the sit spin. Trying to get anything close is a laugh. I'll take anything halfway close to where I was two years ago. Stupid back!!!! I feel my muscles straining and pulling when I go into the position. This will be a long hardworking process.

dbny

04-09-2009, 03:21 PM

Dry:
Had my first ice dance lesson in two weeks, and did my first real skating in two weeks also. We worked on the Canasta tango, and managed to weave through the uncharacteristicly crowded public session. I got what I consider very high praise from an adult skater whom I've known for years. She told me that she hadn't realized it was me (coach & I were both wearing out skate school jackets), and thought I was coach's partner, we were so in synch. I really enjoyed the lesson today.

Wet:
Coach discovered that we were supposed to be in reverse Killian position (I should have checked the book to begin with), so that took some adjustment. I'm having a problem getting my L shoulder back enough when coach is on the outside. It did improve in the lesson, but definitely needs work.

I had to give an 8 yr old boy in hockey skates a little push to keep from colliding with him at almost full force (he was skating the wrong direction, and not looking). He fell, we stopped of course, and I went back immediately to see if he was OK and to apologize. Evidently, one of the other boys (they were at a birthday party) told the host mom that my coach had pushed him down! My coach wasn't getting it straightened out very well, but I told the mom it was me, and explained what happened. Fortunately she became reasonable, and stopped ranting along the lines of "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY KID!"

LilJen

04-09-2009, 03:55 PM

Skittl1321

04-09-2009, 04:23 PM

Congratulations LilJen! YAY!

doubletoe

04-09-2009, 06:47 PM

((((((Skittl)))))

Kim to the Max

04-09-2009, 08:41 PM

Dry: axels are getting HUGE and much better, however....

Wet: still NOT landed on my toe...coach tried to get me to do an axel/loop to help with that...that is my new thing...every axel must have a loop....then, we did....

Dry: Double sals...fully rotated...they are so close I can TASTE it! But of course, I land (and fell) on one ON MY TOE!! And I am slightly unable to do that on my axel?? How is that possible?

Coach was wayyyyy excited about my lesson today....we were supposed to do moves today too, but we didn't get to them...oops! :roll: :halo: Because she was very keen on working on these jumps...

Wet: I have come down with this NASTY cough which made me try to take it easy today (I wasn't successful :)) Unfortunately, I feel completely fine, minus the fact that I hack up a lung like a smoker...

Rusty Blades

04-09-2009, 08:48 PM

Well, I hope you choose to stay competitive because I'd miss you at Adult Canadians if you went recreational.

Oh no, I am not quitting - just regrouping for 2010.

Are you doing summer skating ?

Of course!

Now which is good, wet or dry? I like wet myself 8-)

Wet: Had a reasonable skate today, also negotiating for a secondary coach. Gee, this is getting serious LOL!

flo

04-09-2009, 09:37 PM

Dry- partner is in Boston, and we'll also miss practice on Sunday.
Wet- went to the rink and went through the program. Ran teh footwork, jumps, spins - all ok.

Thin-Ice

04-10-2009, 02:12 AM

dry: Passed bronze moves and the cha cha today! Kind of wobbly on both but it was good enough for passing. Move #4, i had to reskate because apparently i was supposed to do back xos around the end of the rink and i never have (oops). . . So at least i could kind of wing that.

congratulations!!!!

Debbie S

04-10-2009, 10:29 AM

RachelSk8er

04-10-2009, 10:32 AM

Dry: Coach and I worked on my program, I took out my one change of edge spiral and replaced it with a catch foot (R leg up grabbing blade w/R arm) coming toward the judges, which looks really nice. I was not happy with how the old way looked in pics from my last competition (esp because the judges get a butt shot) because I've lost some flexibility these past few months (no time to do my 2x/wk yoga class because of school...hence why my layback also came out of the program last month). So rather than stressing about things I can't really control right now, I'm going to work with what I've got.

I normally don't worry about what my competitors do since I can only control what I do, but two of the girls in my group are VERY flexible with gorgeous spirals (which would be why they go for the spiral sequence and I go for the step sequence to fulfill that requirment), and this change will somewhat mask my lack of flexibility, particularly in comparison to them. This also sets me up better for my next jump, placing it where I want it on the ice (but it never ended up there with the old spiral) and giving me more speed into it, so in all it works really well.

We also made some more minor tweaks to my jumps that are really helping, esp on my lutz.

Wet: Flying camel is still a pain in my butt. Partially because my back camel still is not that strong...the fly part has actually improved, it's just the spin part.

liz_on_ice

04-10-2009, 11:17 AM

Dry - Backspins, wow, I'm really getting the hang of them. I was working on them and doing pretty well, when I suddenly remembered a couple of things Summer Coach tried to get me to do last year and applied them and whirrrrrrr.
It's not that I didn't believe him and try them last summer, but I was so insecure on the balance point on the backspin that I just couldn't keep it all together in my mind at once. After my backspin epiphany I practiced them a lot, then went straight into doing loops and they were suddenly way better just like my coaches both told me how I really needed a good backspin to progress:roll:. I even landed a couple of nice flips.

Wet - then I got too tired and everything got sloppy again.

Mrs Redboots

04-10-2009, 12:01 PM

Wet: Neither of us set our alarm clocks this morning and although Husband said he woke up at 6:00, he didn't do anything about it! I didn't feel very well yesterday, so was just as glad not to skate today.

Rusty Blades

04-10-2009, 04:31 PM

Question: What is crazier than skating at almost age 60? Skating competitively at 60!

What's crazier than competing at age 60? Having a coach who is an incoming Head Coach!

What's crazier than competing at 60 and having a coach who is a Head Coach? Having a SECOND coach who is also a Head Coach!

Dry: What I WONT be at the rink, not with a primary coach AND a secondary coach LOL!

(What have I done!!??) 8O

Skate@Delaware

04-10-2009, 08:15 PM

flo

04-10-2009, 08:58 PM

We're all in good company!
Partner is back from Boston and we had a good practice today. Almost finished with the costumes!

dbny

04-10-2009, 11:08 PM

I found out Monday that my position is being eliminated and I'm being laid off at the end of the month.

(((((Skittl))))) Unfortunately, you are joining an ever growing club here.

[quote=LilJen;388893]Passed Bronze moves and the Cha Cha today! <snip> move #4, I had to reskate because apparently I was supposed to do back XOs around the end of the rink and I never have (oops). . . so at least I could kind of wing that.

CONGRATULATIONS! FWIW, I know a skater who failed Pre-Juv MIF largely because of the same thing! That was the straw that broke the camel's back, and she changed coaches. Not at all suggesting you do the same, but do check the rulebook yourself in future. Coaches can and do make mistakes (see my post about reverse kilian in Canasta Tango :roll:)

Question: What is crazier than skating at almost age 60? Skating competitively at 60!

I don't skate competitively, but I've got you beat in the age department - I'm a proud 62.

Dry:
In warm up before my lesson today, I checked several FO threes, then hit a great one foot spin from T push on the first try. I haven't been able to spin for several weeks, because dizziness caused by antibiotics, so I was really surprised. Did another one almost as good. In my lesson, the LFO threes were checked (got a big grin and a high five from coach), and the RFO threes almost as good. My first spin in my lesson was another really good one, but then I flubbed the next two, and realized the difference was that I felt just a touch of fear. To spin, I must just go for it. I'm at the point now where that works, and I need to hang onto my confidence. Worked a little on backspins, and actually got one rev, which is the best I've done since switching to CW.

Wet:
Maybe this should be in "Dry", because just being able to do FI threes again is an improvement, but they are still not done with confidence and I've lost the roll up to toe, and twisting at the waist. I have several exercises that worked before, so it's back to doing them every time I skate.

SkatEn

04-11-2009, 02:08 AM

I had orientation camp for the incoming freshman and man, I was beat. Preparation and the real thing was taxing.

Yesterday:
WET:
It was Good Friday, relatively crowded, but not THAT crowded. I decided to do a spiral. Halfway into it, I crashed into this public skater who is chasing his kid in the opposite (wrong) direction. I'm about 5' 1/2" (154cm), and my head reached his chest. He's muscular too. I crashed face first into his chest, and the left side of my face hurts. I blacked out for a second or two. It's the scariest crash I ever had.

When I got better, I tried a scratch and really saw stars. My vision got darker as I spun.

Dry:
I stayed too dry through the whole skate because the ice got quite bad. It's like skating on a wet pond.

For someone who didn't skate for 9 days, it's not bad. I lost my sit, but everything is basically still there.

No more spirals on ice like that.

AgnesNitt

04-11-2009, 01:18 PM

Dry: Coach is recovering from knee surgery so she can't go on the ice. I saw her at the rink and told her how much I'd miss our lesson so she said she'd coach me from the boards. Lesson was fantastic. I'm nailing my inside and outside 8's including shape and consistency and she was delighted. She tweaked my arm positions and the details of my body position.

After listening to manleywoman's podcast on Alexsander Fadeyev and his figures experience, I hope that figures come back. It's such an apprenticeship to learn them that once the figures experts retire, it will be all gone.

singerskates

04-11-2009, 01:30 PM

This is for Thursday:

Wet:
Backspin. I can't seem to get past one rotation. I know it's all in my head why I'm not getting it too. Just wish I could break through.

Damp:
Lutz is fully rotated but free foot springs out in the air and so I can't seem to land it on one foot. I keep getting those annoying touch downs with the free foot.

Flip is so close to being on one foot but not quite there. Just need to get that free leg to stay crossed all the way through to the landing.

Dry:

Loop! I landed 4 of them in my lesson on one foot. They weren't pretty or text book loops but they were on one foot. And when I went to do them at the boards (close to the boards) they were text book Loops. Just need to wash away my fear of getting hurt keep on going with it with gusto.

Salchow is the usual thing but not big enough to try going for a 2 Salchow yet.

Toe Loop is picking in proper all the time now. Don't do Watlz toes anymore.

Waltz jump is getting more height but I still feel it's not high enough to try going for an Axel and I'd like to weight until I have my Loop text book anywhere and everywhere on the ice before attempting one again.

My jumps in general according to my coach are all about 8 to 10 inches off of the ice since coming back from Max Gould and starting Spring Skating School.

Sitspin was OK but I'd like more speed in the basic position and to add a catch behind after doing the broken position.

Forward Corkscrew is starting to make me dizzy because I'm getting more revs again (10+ and my coach keeps telling me to come out of the spin and I keep ask why, I'm enjoying this. By this point I'm somewhere around 15 to 16 revs and then I do another 3 or 4 more. Wish I could control my CCW Upright first position where I do the basic and then swithc to the diagonal before doing the attitude and then almost a haircutter (yes, I'm working on doing this one again) and get the speed before going into my almost haircutter because I don't get more speed until the haircutter). Did my forward CCW upright like I just discribed with senior coaches (not my own) watching and having their eyes pop open with surprise because I tacked on the change of direction and had a clean 2 and half revs CW before ending the spin.

I've started getting my forward Camel to appear as a real Camel spin. At first my coach said I had 3 and half revs but then I asked and how much was done in position to which he said "2 revs".

My coach thinks I will pass my Prelim FS this sping being that I only have to fix my Flip and Backspin now. I do however have to give more mileage to my Loop and Camel to make sure they are at least 95% consistant for test day. I'll also be testing my Fiesta Tango this spring.

Friday:

Wet:
Missed a third of my hour and 50 minute session.

Dry:
Almost the same as Thursday except that I only did 2 clean Loops away from the boards but I did learn what I as missing when I was doing my Loops from watching the session after mine. I'll be trying that on Monday to see if I can make them text book Loops.

Wet: After the session was over and I took off my skates, I felt my ankle swell up. Guess I got too Loop happy. But hey, I'm excited that I'm making a break through.

liz_on_ice

04-12-2009, 06:01 AM

dry - crowded public saturday afternoon session, ice like rubble everywhere except the circle - but the skate guards were being good about chasing the little kids out of the center.

wet - drilled backspins like crazy, none as good as the best ones Friday, but lots of them. I'm going to get this thing solid, darn it! Did some change-foot spins and they are finally getting consistent (I got lucky on the test). Some of my better loops, one or two flips landed one-footed, but at a near standstill.

dry - I tried bracket 3 bracket sequence just for the heck of it and got nowhere without putting my free foot down for a shove. Couldn't for the life of me figure out how that ever works - then this morning read in the moves thread that it is supposed to be done on a flat. :roll:

dessicated - travelling with family, no skating till next Saturday. Sigh.

doubletoe

04-12-2009, 06:48 PM

Dry (assuming that's the good one?)
- Tested my brand new blades today and they felt wonderful!
- Today's adult freestyle at noon was practically empty because of Easter!
- The freestyle was followed by a practically empty public session, which *never* happens on weekends at our rink!

Wet (assuming this is the bad one)
- I tweaked my back during the freestyle session and had to stop! Aaaarrrghhh!!!!:frus::frus: It was sheer torture looking at that empty public session afterwards and not being able to skate on it!!
The weird thing is that the back tweak happened on a single salchow, which is about the last thing I'd ever expect. I'm assuming the salchow takeoff was a little different because of the new blades and I unconsciously reacted by twisted my back a little in the air. Whatever it was, I can hardly take a few steps now without getting a back spasm!

dbny

04-12-2009, 08:18 PM

(((((doubletoe))))) Can you take ibuprofen? It's a wonder drug for me.

Our Sat public session was very light, but we have a large orthodox Jewish population who skate, so today was a madhouse.

jazzpants

04-13-2009, 12:20 PM

Dry: Passed Bronze moves and the Cha Cha today! Kind of wobbly on both but it was good enough for passing. move #4, I had to reskate because apparently I was supposed to do back XOs around the end of the rink and I never have (oops). . . so at least I could kind of wing that.

Wet: Firmly planted in the Pre-Bronze FS for Life Peanut Gallery. No way can I do the backspin or sitspin any time soon, alas. . . Also, some ooooohhhhhh so close and sad 'retries' for a few FS tests at our club. It stinks when it's that close.

Dry: I hear silver moves are a b****, but hey, at least I know the spirals are a slam dunk. . .

HOORAAAAAAY on the Bronze Moves! For me that was the HARDER of the two Bronze tests!!! Then again, look how long it took for me to get the Bronze Moves tests passed... :roll: :frus:

You will get out of the Pre-Bronze Peanut Gallery soon enough! Trust me, if *I* can do it, anyone can do it!!!

BTW: Unlike everyone else, spirals on the Silver Moves test will NOT be a slam dunk for me!!! Spirals are NOT my best moves either. You'd be surprised how much work and effort it is for me JUST to get it to hip height or above and it's not always the case that I get that either. :frus:

Wet (assuming this is the bad one)
- I tweaked my back during the freestyle session and had to stop! Aaaarrrghhh!!!!:frus::frus: It was sheer torture looking at that empty public session afterwards and not being able to skate on it!!
The weird thing is that the back tweak happened on a single salchow, which is about the last thing I'd ever expect. I'm assuming the salchow takeoff was a little different because of the new blades and I unconsciously reacted by twisted my back a little in the air. Whatever it was, I can hardly take a few steps now without getting a back spasm!DOH!!! Not good!!! :( Hope you're seeing a doctor soon to see what's going on. Meanwhile, rest, hot tubs jets, ice packs, chiro, massage, Tylenol, etc...

(((((doubletoe)))))

Isk8NYC

04-13-2009, 12:33 PM

The weird thing is that the back tweak happened on a single salchow, which is about the last thing I'd ever expect. I'm assuming the salchow takeoff was a little different because of the new blades and I unconsciously reacted by twisted my back a little in the air. Whatever it was, I can hardly take a few steps now without getting a back spasm!
OUCH!! I did the same thing about two years ago - a simple salchow and I twisted the muscle that wraps around the side of your back under the shoulder blade. The spasms were awful and it was really difficult to drive because of the pain of getting in/out/comfortable in the seat. Also trying to turn and check for traffic to the side was awful.

I tried heat (hot showers/heating pad/epsom salt baths) and those "therapy" pads, none of which helped.

I found that taking Advil and icing it several times a day worked best. Use a big "blue ice" pack and lean back on it wearing a shirt so it doesn't actually touch your skin. It took about a week to heal. Get well soon.

Wet:
MITF were just okay; too crowded to try many jumps; spins were okay but I'm not holding them too long.

Dry:
Practiced figure loops. I can do big ones on the RFI edge, but the LFO just eludes me completely. I can't keep it from turning into a three turn.