Sparkling/Stinky Lessons+Practices 3rd-9th November

[icenut84]

My turn to start the thread again? :)

This is for yesterday morning.

Sparkling:

Jumps are back to normal after their disappearing act last time! Woohoo!! Salchow good, toe loop too, still working on height though. Did do a couple of loops. Continued working on flip, making progress. :)

1 foot spin from FO curve is not only back, it's better. :mrgreen: Coach was happy with the FO curve - I've been having trouble getting it to have a diminishing radius, but it's definitely improving. Yay!

New dance in dance lesson, although I can't remember what it's called or the steps. :roll: 8-)

Pivots (especially BI) and turns (e.g. inside open and closed mohawks, three turns) better.

Stinky:

Alternative FO3s (the choctaw isn't very good)

Most loops were 2 footed or landed on the wrong foot :roll:

... that's pretty much it! Apart from the session was very busy as usual. Hmph.

Rachel :-)

[JDC1]

Boot are from heaven for the first 15 minutes then the begin to squeeze my poor little feet. Will get them punched out today.

Sparkling - sit spin, held it for 4-5 revolutions and it was pretty low!! Scratch spin - slowly getting the idea some progress. Salchow pretty good. Toe loop nice spring. Waltz was kinda funky because my feet were hurting by then.

Stinky - my feet. :-) Still in pain after awhile so it limits what I can do. Hopefully getting them punched out will be the difference, if not then I'll have to have them stretched.

[Mrs Redboots]

This morning's lesson/practice:

Stinky: The ice had not been cut, so we were skating on what was left over from the public session the night before. You can imagine what it was like! :( Oddly, two of the hockey circles were quite smooth - my coach reckoned there must have been so many people that it melted a bit and then re-froze. We have all been asked to complain about the ice, as it is never cut, and normally an ISU Junior-level dancer cuts it for us, though quite why he should nobody knows. Anyway, he wasn't there this morning, so no cut.

I felt very shaky on the ice, and actually wondered whether I would be able to skate the entire session - I had felt very unwell on Friday, and only a little better yesterday. However, by dint of mostly propping up the barrier until it was time for our lesson, I managed.

Sparkling: Husband's help with prop is proving invaluable; it is now big enough, but too heavy, so we are working on a more lightweight solution. However, we had fun playing with it for a bit.

Our lesson went well - we ran through the Canadian Cha-Cha a couple of times, and then the Swing Dance (our nemesis). Our coach said, rather rudely, that it was like watching the wrestling on telly on a Saturday afternoon, but then said he was only joking, and it was improving! It has need to, I can tell you!

I was really pleased after our lesson, though, when I found I could still do the beginning of the Foxtrot without slowing down into the 3-turn! Even my old man agreed it was happening, although still rather slowly. All the same, it is a start. I really thought I wouldn't be able to do it, and was very glad I did.

He really is looking much better on the ice, most of the time - he has relapses, though, when doing something he doesn't find easy. I was shocked to find how much I'd forgotten in a week - even something as simple as bending my knees on the chasses..... oh dear.

[nutty-ducky]

Sparkling:
forward crossover are improving alot! finally!
forward spiral feels WICKED! i have to do it around the circle on each foot and it feels really good!
i am starting to work on my new program! :D
my outside edges are excellent, my coach told me. he said they have inproved alot since the last time i did them! yippee

Stinky:
my inside egde. i tried to start them, but i went flat on my front! owwww! it is better to do a step down when doing the inside egdes.
i was trying so hard to do the 3-jump but i couldnt do it. i think it is because i have to get my skates sharpened.
i am also working on the toe-loop.

hopefully i will be able to land some jumps tonight because my skates should be sharpened by then.

[singerskates]

Sprarkling Only:

First time back on the ice on Friday since surgery. It was only a Parent and Tot session and I had to watch out for the little ones. At first I was off balance but after two times around the rink, I got my balance back. Things change when you drop weight and change your body proportions. I did mostly reg. stroking. I did do a few laps of Russian Stoking but had to stop because of slow skaters and kids in the way. I aws able to keep skating until the end of the session without stopping. I also taught this lady who was holding on to the boards just about flipping backwards onto her head while tripping over her toe picks to skate. I got her away from the boards and taught her about edges on her blades. Got her to stop using her toe picks to push and to start using her edges to push. By the end of the session she was actually going arund the ice by herself without touching the boards. She fell a few times but was skating so much better than before I helped her.

Feels great to be back on the ice again even at slow speed doing next to nothing! :D

First session on Club ice this afternoon.

God Bless everyone.

[Debbie S]

Congrats singerskates! Btw, what is "Russian" stroking?

Sparkling: I passed my freestyle 2 test! My back spin was a little wonky - like 1 rev, but since that's the min requirement for this level and we work more on back spins in the next level, I imagine my instructor figured it wasn't a big deal. My spirals went well (no falls - yay!), as did my toe loop, waltz combo, and back edges. The only annoying thing about it was that b/c the instructor was testing both groups simultaneously, I had to do each skill multiple times b/c he often wasn't watching me specifically when I did things the first time. I think the result was that I jumped more than usual, and had some back pain yesterday after the test, but I seem to be OK today.

Stinky: Aside from my back, can't complain.

More sparkling, but slightly OT: Last night, I attended mikawendy's (we work together) wedding. It was a touching ceremony and a wonderful dinner reception afterward. And mikawendy was a beautiful bride!

[Mrs Redboots]

Singerskates, that's really great news.

Debbie, Russian stroking is also called "snakes" - you do a crossover, then an inside edge (to change lobe) then a crossover in the other direction - so RFO, cross to LFI, RFI, LFO, cross to RFI, LFI and repeat. Or backwards, even more difficult! It's a good move for warming-up.
Many congratulations on passing Freestyle 2!

[jenlyon60]

No lessons since last Thurs when we did 5 dances in 30 minutes... getting ready for the Garden State Pro-Am Dance Classic...

If anyone from the competition staff reads this... the DC contingent had a blast... and if anyone who skated there reads this... I hope you had as much fun as we did.

I skated well (for me)... but got 3rd of 3 in Silvers and 2nd of 2 in PreSilver. Don't know about the Open EW ...skated it better than I've ever skated it (both coach and I thought so) but I was 3 times older than the next oldest competitor. I bailed out of dodge before the results were posted, but I suspect I was again the "tail end charlie" So I continued my famous "last place" tradition (yes Mrs. Redboots there is another....)

--jsl

[anital]

Well, I've skated every day since my last lesson post and I'm getting there....

Sparkling:
I have crossovers! You have no idea how much I wanted these back! They make me feel like a real skater, I've got them brilliantly CCW and okay CW (like before) and am working on getting them backwards. I also am doing half backwards swizzles to do backwards stroking. Backward swizzles are beginning to feel normal again too.
Also, a little girl told me I looked "pretty and very excellent" after my lesson on Saturday, right when I needed to hear it!
I'm happy with how things are going and am spending one practice session doing feel good stuff (things I'm good at) and at least half an hour a day on crappy stuff (backward half swizzles).
I like having a lot to work on, so I am now having two 30 minute lessons a week, that way my coach teaches me "new" stuff and I have plenty of time to practice.

Stinky:
Silly hockey wannabes were at two sessions this week, they invaded the circle I was practicing CW crossovers on and had no consideration for the fact that this was a figure session.
Twice so far I've managed to get on the ice with my blade guards on. TWICE! Pwah!
Backwards half swizzles need work, they are my least favourite thing atm and I'm getting frustrated because they haven't come back as quickly as I wished.
Also, sometimes I *think* I can still do stuff that I can't. Spirals. I can't do them. (yet) :( Also, I hate hearing a song I want to skate to and no longer having the technical abilty to skate to it the way I want to.
I'm dying to jump again.

Congrats Debbie on passing your test!
Congrats singerskates for getting back to it, I wish you all the best, keep us informed. :)
Congrats on skating well and having fun jsl, that's what it is all about! :)

*happy skating vibes to all*

[anital]

Oh, and my boyfriend has said that if I wear a skirt for my lesson on Wednesday (because he has the illusion that I do look like a real skater!) he'll come and skate with me! Haha, that'll be a good one! :) He's actually really good but has the "gay" stigma. :( I told him he'll have to lift me in the air above his head, if I'm gonna wear a skirt, I want to look half impressive. ;)

[melanieuk]

((Singerskates)) Congratulations on your return to the ice! It'll all come back. Just take it easy. :)

((Debbie)) Congratulations on your test result! Were you smiling and happy all day? ;)

((Anita)) What is the "gay stigma" that your boyfriend has? :??

Stinky
Oh dear, what's happened to my camel spin? It won't go into position, I'm throwing myself in to it, I'm falling out of it. This has happened before, and it'll go away, but it got me mad as get out today. :evil:

The backspin is also stinky. It won't go on the outside edge today. It's on the flat and towards the middle/back of the blade. Truly YUK!

I didn't try a lutz. The flip initially felt stinky on the landing (too far forwards). The waltz-loop was strange.

The spins made me dizzier than normal. The change foot upright is pathetic. :(
I didn't do my programme.
:roll: I only had an hour due to the stupid stinky roads all being shut or one lane and temporary traffic lights all over the place. :twisted:

Sparkling
I did some decent flips, loop-loops, salchow-toeloops (amazingly enough).
Sit spins were ok, and at least I tried change foot ones. :??
I did 25 minutes of field moves, which were semi-passable but not quite! :cry:

[garyc254]

Originally posted by melanieuk
((Anita)) What is the "gay stigma" that your boyfriend has? [/COLOR] :??

I can answer that.

It's the stigma that any guy wearing figure skates must be gay.

Personally, I don't worry about it as I know my sexual preference is for women and I don't care what other people think (age has taught me that). I have seen the look on some people's faces when I pull figure skates from my bag instead of hockey skates.

Many people shy away from conversations with me until they hear me talking about my girlfriend (who also skates).

It's almost humorous, but pathetic that there is this stereotype.

[garyc254]

YOU GO, GIRLS!!!! :D :D :D

Congrats to all that have passed tests, returned to the ice, and learned new moves.

Seems to be a lot of "SPARKLING" this week!!!! :D

[flo]

Stinky: Having a time cutting my new interpretive music. Back to the studio.

Sparkly: Skated club on Saturday and had a great time. My flying camels flew, and my double salchows doubled. Started on double toes and more axel excercises.

It sounds like it has been a good weekend for all.
Congrats to Mika and Debbie!

[melanieuk]

Oh I see....re the "gay stigma" bit.
I can't be bothered with homophobic people, can you?
My husband was on the ice and treated me to his version of a waltz jump. Although not gay, his attempt was feeble and pathetic.
Whatever the sexuality, skating is not for wimps!

:roll:

[singerskates]

Had first session on club ice yesterday.

Boy was I nervous. I could feel my legs shake the whole time. my coach said to another skater that she'd let me get my legs back for yesterday. Handed coach the doctor's note to pass onto the Riverside FSC board. Want to get at least a credit for being off the ice due to sickness/sugery.

Did some normal stroking. Shook all the way around but had my balance do to skating on Friday. Then did a few laps of Russian stroking. Didn't have to slow down this time;club ice. Yah! Then began working on a footwork series that I'm using in my freeskate going into my salchow/loop combo at the boards. Got all the steps right; RFI OP Mo, BLI swing to RFO to LFI Op Mo to RFO to RFI Op Mo to double LBI3 to RFI to LFO to double RFI3 to LFO to RFI Op Mo to take off on Salchow which I didn't do but held the take off position. But then when I went away from the boards, I was too chicken and gave up. Must be too nervous.

Then I ran through my freeskate program without spins or jumps. Had lousy spirals. Still pretty weak. Did more stroking. Then ran through as much as we have choreographed of my US interpretive program excluding jumps and lunges.

Had a great time and smiled and smiled.

[anital]

Originally posted by melanieuk
Oh I see....re the "gay stigma" bit.
I can't be bothered with homophobic people, can you?
My husband was on the ice and treated me to his version of a waltz jump. Although not gay, his attempt was feeble and pathetic.
Whatever the sexuality, skating is not for wimps!

:roll:

Mel,
My boyfriend appreciates the sport, mainly from seeing me work so hard at it, but a number of guys we know who skate ARE gay. It's not at all the he's homophopic, it just seems like the reality for us!! He's a macho man and would much prefer hockey, but it's easier to say "oh, he's homophopic, I'm not" when you are not the person who is rumoured to be gay. Still, he does tease me about doing such a girl sport, since I also did state rowing and did hiking and other "boys" sports as well, and I tease him about enjoying skating which is a predominately girls sport. I can tease him, his friends can't.

Back to topic:
No skating today but I'd like to share that I had my last neurologist appointment this arvo! It was supposed to be my last last week, but I got called back for some "friendly advice" on driving and taking care of myself. Cracking out the (non-alcoholic) champagne and my parters made me my FAVE coconut and apricot soft cookings which, since I am in such a good mood, am passing around.

*Coconut and apricot soft cookies and champagne for all*

[melanieuk]

Sparkling
Nice shiny slippery ice with only 4 of us on it. :)
I ran through my programme today - first time since my test 2 weeks ago, and everything was fine EXCEPT the flip which went all wrong cos I didn't pull my arms in....just left them lagging behind...lol! :roll:

I practised the awful field moves - I wonder if coach will keep her vow to make me have one lesson a week in FMs.....
I'm in tomorrow, so we'll see.

The other 3 skaters were cajouling me to do an axel. 8O
They know I "had" it before, at least one of them had seen it for themselves. I was tempted.... but no....the thought of the pain of the fall I would inevitably have, was enough to prevent me. I made excuses like "no padding, haven't done it for months, forgotten how to jump it, want to get backspin, need to practise 3jump-loop more etc etc...".
I gave them a back spiral instead much to their disgust!8O
Oh I got my camel spin back - lost it yesterday! :)

Stinky
All things that resemble backspins.
All change foot spins.
My lutz, which I haven't done for a whole week. :cry:

[LoopLoop]

Tested preliminary FS last night. I passed easily, even though I skated the worst I ever have in a test. The elements were all fine, and all three judges commented that I had a good sitspin position, but I tripped on the footwork (the FI/BI three turns from novice MITF) and was too tentative through the program.

But it's over and now I'll go back to practicing my silver program and I want to land another axel this week!

[garyc254]

Originally posted by anital
He's a macho man and would much prefer hockey....

When I first started skating, my boss (a hockey skater) teased me a lot about my "toepick skates".

I told him: Go ahead and skate with those smelly, sweaty hockey dudes and I'll go skate with good lookin', in shape women wearing tight clothes and short skirts. Now tell me again what kind of skates I should be wearing. :lol:

[garyc254]

Hey LoopLoop...congrats on passing your prelim FS. YOU GO, GIRL!!!! :D :D :D

Had a terrific skate on my Monday night session. Worked hard on getting additonal power from my front and back crossovers. Still a little stiff to the right, but was loosening up well before the session was over.

I also was on local television last night while at the rink. Since it was announced that St. Louis would be hosting the 2006 U.S. National Championships, one local station was interviewing coaches at the rink about what this would mean for figure skating in St. Louis. My coach and one of her assistants were interviewed on the ice. They had some terrific clips of the youth lessons going on during the freestyle session and if you looked REAL hard, gliding across the rink is Gary. I was a distant celebrity for about a half a second. :lol:

[Yazmeen]

Stinky: Week at work, I'm losing another technologist, grumble...

Sparkling: I have my music for my new program!!! Its the Nelson Riddle Orchestra's "Theme from Route 66." (I'm not talking about the "get your kicks on Route 66" Nat King Cole Song, this one was a gorgeous instrumental used for the old Martin Milner/George Maharis TV show--two gorgeous guys cruising Rt. 66 in a baby blue Corvette convertible, solving the world's problems along the way). I love it!!!!! Got back to jumping today. Waltz was very shaky at first--feels very different with these skates, but coach says the technique is better even though I barely hopped. Also tried half flip--again, different because of the blade curve and the toepicks, but not bad.

Its interesting. I seem to be doing things better technique wise, even though I'm still somewhat shaky overall with the new skates. (I've only put about 8 hours on them due to many days of conference travel this month). I'm learning to kind of "trust" the skates more and used the rest of my body less--I don't have to fight for edges anymore and twist the upper body to turn or jump like I used to. Everything seems much more subtle--less effort needed. Its very fascinating!!

And best of all, we now move into having ice time four mornings a week!!! I will now have two half hour lessons per week!!! WHOO HOO!!!!

Happy skating y'all!!

Beth 8-)

[Mrs Redboots]

Looploop: Well done! Many congratulations.

Gary and others: You know what they say (and it should be on all our T-shirts!): "If figure skating were easy, they'd call it hockey!"

As for me:

Stinky: The ice, again, last night. It had at least been cut, but there were huge and dangerous ruts where the Zamboni had stopped and leaked, and nobody had bothered to do anything about it. This put me right off, and I didn't dance at all during the first half, but propped up the barrier and caught up with the latest gossip about the rink's future. After half-time, I got a bit braver, though. At the end of the club, we have 15 minutes' overlap with the public session and group lessons, although we don't have any music. I grabbed Robert, and made him help me work on my Mohawk at the end of the Swing Dance. At first he complained I leant on him too much, and then he complained that I'd "got away" from him. There are times you can't win!

Sparkling: Once I got going, we didn't skate badly. Afterwards, I was still playing with the Foxtrot, and persuaded Robert to prop me through the Mohawk-y bit. He still hasn't quite grasped that when he does his run there his shoulders must be parallel to the end of the rink or he can't help his partner, but once we got that sorted, I actually managed to do the Mohawk twice properly! I was dead chuffed. I can't do it very well solo yet, and it tends to be cheated. But I can still do the cross-roll 3 by myself. And we walked through the Foxtrot a time or two, no music and quite slowly, just because....

[singerskates]

Just stroking, doing a little footwork and a couple spins made me tired. And my post surgery abs got a real workout. My abs weren't hurting but were tender to the touch by the time I got home after skating. And I was ready to fall asleep but still had yet to eat the rest of my dinner. I can hardly wait until I go back to work and skate. Talk about zombieland. I now know why Elvis has to pass on '98 Worlds. As soon as you do a little something, the body just wants to shut down and sleep.

Ran through part of my freeskate without spins or jumps until I got
to this one part where I had footwork but forgot what the footwork
was. So I then decided to come up with different footwork. I am now
doing RFI Op Mo, RBx, LFO on to toe pick, step onto toe pick of RBO
edge, LBx, RFO to toe pick, to toe pick of LBO, RBx, LFO on to toe
pick, step onto toe pick of RBO edge, short RB two foot glide to
waltz jump.

The above footwork is a different section of my freeskate program from this footwork which I previously posted. "RFI OP Mo, BLI swing to RFO to LFI Op Mo to RFO to RFI Op Mo to double LBI3 to RFI to LFO to double RFI3 to LFO to RFI Op Mo to take off on Salchow."

Just hope I can get my spins going next week. I don't know if I'll get the sitspin as the ab muscles are still weak. I mean, I tried a few spirals and they didn't go up at all. LOL At least I'm verticle on the ice.

At this rate, I don't know if I'll have a chance to pass my prelim test this winter.

Brigitte

[melanieuk]

Well done Loop Loop!
How about a mini report?
What time was your test, who else was testing, how did you feel, what was your schedule/elements etc??? :?:

[Mrs Redboots]

I forgot to add, and I'm not sure whether this should go under "Stinky" or "Sparkling" that one of the dances Robert and I did try to do was the Hickory Hoedown. Now, for those who don't know, the Hickory has a very easy side pattern, and there you are zooming up the ice at the rate of knots, when all of a sudden you have to do a 3-turn! And I can't. But, when I'm doing this dance with a partner, there is no reason why I can't.

The first pattern, I just chickened out and turned on 2 feet. The 2nd pattern, I was absolutely determined to turn the 3, and we ended up gliding round half the rink, with me on one foot shouting "I CAN do this turn; I WILL do this turn...." and all of me turned, practically, except my foot, and everybody else, who had finished the dance by then, creased up. I creased up in the end, too, and couldn't do any more.....

One day I'll get that 3-turn. It HAS to be easier than the one at the end of the Festival Cha-Cha, where you let go of your partner and have to do it all by yourself - I got a tad left-behind. One dancer I know turns you so hard as he lets go that it's easier to turn than not to, but he is rare.

[JDC1]

Yes, Congratulations Loop Loop!!


Sparkling - I really am beginning to get the hang of spinning but I get so dizzy. Was able to get around regularly on my sit spin and began working on the camel spin. I was really afraid to try it but once I did I really calmed down. I am not spinning yet but just getting up the guts to try it is a big deal. In group lesson we worked on footwork, LOVE THAT, it's hard and tiring but I don't end up with bumps and bruises. Found backward power 3's to be very disorienting.


Stinky - still breaking in the boots but I skated for an hour straight in them so it's getting better. My left leg is still remarkably weaker than my left leg and power pulls and cross rolls really show that but I am working with a personal trainer so hopefully it will eventually get stronger.

[LoopLoop]

Originally posted by melanieuk
Well done Loop Loop!
How about a mini report?
What time was your test, who else was testing, how did you feel, what was your schedule/elements etc??? :?:

OK, here goes. Our test sessions are usually on Monday evenings, when I skate anyway. This time I was the ONLY adult taking any test at all; there are often more than one of us. A lot of kids were testing, more doing moves than freestyle...most of the freestyle tests were pre-pre and preliminary, with one novice test (she did great!). I really don't even know why I decided to take this test since I don't need the standard freestyle tests in addition to the adult tests.

Anyway, I wasn't nervous at all about this test, as the elements were (in order): backspin, waltz jump-toe loop, flip, sitspin, salchow, loop, waltz jump, and scratch spin. With connecting steps, spiral, spread eagle, etc. For music, I used the instrumental section of Eric Clapton's Layla, which was what I skated to in my very first (bronze) program... it was the right length for this test and I still love it. I didn't remember my old program, so a month ago I gave the music to my new coach and asked him to put something together. He did, I ran through it maybe twice a week for the past three weeks, and that was it!

[jenlyon60]

The secret is that as you finish the last "yee-haw" before the LFO3, if you're in open/Foxtrot hold, have your partner lead you so that you're pre-rotated for the turn, i.e. that the right shoulder is forwards. Then as you stroke onto that LFO to do the turn, you're already pre-rotated. Or think about reaching with your right arm & shoulder (chest high) for something that's about a foot in front of your partner's left armpit. But DON'T roll the shoulder forwards or dip it as you pre-rotated it. For sure then you'll collapse into the circle rather painfully.

Think of it the same way as in the cross-roll LFO3 in the Foxtrot, or the LFO3 in the 10Fox... in those, you use the long 4-beat edge before the turn to end up pre-rotated for the turn. Does that make sense??

(The secret for me on solo-ing the Foxtrot, when I was struggling madly with the cross-roll LFO3 was to do some fancy arm-styling with the right arm/shoulder so that I was strongly counter-rotated on the cross-roll RFO before I skated the cross-roll LFO3. This got me pre-rotated enough on the follow-on edge that I didn't have problems with the turn. Or as many problems.

If you're in one of the other commonly used holds, I'm not sure of the best way for partner to help out.

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots

The first pattern, I just chickened out and turned on 2 feet. The 2nd pattern, I was absolutely determined to turn the 3, and we ended up gliding round half the rink, with me on one foot shouting "I CAN do this turn; I WILL do this turn...." and all of me turned, practically, except my foot, and everybody else, who had finished the dance by then, creased up. I creased up in the end, too, and couldn't do any more.....

[jenlyon60]

I assume you mean that either your left is weaker than your right or vice versa ;) ;) ;)

Make sure your personal trainer has you do single leg work, like single leg presses or single leg curls or single leg extensions.

When I was in post-rehab after my ACL reconstruction, the single leg work was the best thing to bring my left leg back to near parity. Otherwise, without realizing it, the stronger leg will pick up more of the load than you realize.

--jsl

Originally posted by JDC1
Stinky - still breaking in the boots but I skated for an hour straight in them so it's getting better. My left leg is still remarkably weaker than my left leg and power pulls and cross rolls really show that but I am working with a personal trainer so hopefully it will eventually get stronger.

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
with me on one foot shouting "I CAN do this turn; I WILL do this turn...." and all of me turned, practically, except my foot, and everybody else, who had finished the dance by then, creased up.

I wish I had a video of that. Too funny!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Maybe you could use this altered element and make up your own dance pattern. Hard Ice Hoedown??????

[JDC1]

Yeah, I meant my left leg is weaker than my right!! :-) I sprained my ankle and was on crutches as a teen and at about 9 years old I got my foot smashed in a door, almost lost one toe, and was on crutches for awhile then AND I have bursitis in my left hip, have had it since my early 20's, so all of this combined has caused my left leg to be weaker and my right leg is REALLY strong. So we are doing the legs separately, we use the therapy ball, and do squats and lunges and all sorts of torturuous excercises!! The only hard part is skating a couple hours after we do legs!!

[singerskates]

I couldn't hold back anymore.... I was scared and nervous but I just had to do some. I began my
session with just stroking. I skipped stretching for quite a while
thinking that all I was going to do was stroking and footwork. But
one thing lead to another. Soon I found out that my body was dying to
jump. I was doing my footwork that leads up to the waltz jump and my
body no longer wanted to walk through the jump. My body did the jump.
From that point on, I couldn't do that piece of footwork without
doing the waltz jump. And here I am restricted from jumping for at
least another few weeks. What am I going to do?

[Mrs Redboots]

Thanks, Jen, for your good advice re the Hickory.

Brigitte, you know better than your doctors what you are ready and able for. As long as you don't strain yourself.

Today's lesson and practice:

Sparkling: Our National-level dancers had a different coach today, as they sometimes do, who was working with them on the compulsory dances they hate, like the Viennese Waltz and the Argentine Tango. I was very amused to hear him say to them exactly the same things as are said to Robert and me: "Bend your knee there, and you'll be able to get a good edge!" "No, that's not an edge, it's a flat!"

And they, in turn, were saying the sorts of things Robert and I say: "Well, if he didn't lean back so far!" "But I can't do that if you're like that" and so on. Do you suppose we ever really improve, or is it just fantasy? Coaches go on saying the same sorts of things.....

My biggest "sparkle" of the day was putting on the new leggings that I had bought to wear as part of my Interpretive costume and discovering, to my delight, that I should have bought "Medium", not "Large" Wha-hoo!!!!!!

Spent most of the lesson, and almost all of my practice, working on my Interpretive; we have got bits of it together, but it's far from finished.

Did my changes-of-edge exercise in my lesson, and finally got the feeling right for the inside-to-outside. Only a couple, but still!

Stinky: Asked my coach to walk through a pattern of the Foxtrot with me, to see how it's coming on. Big mistake - first of all I tripped on the back cross-roll and nearly fell over, and then when we did the Mohawk I messed up. Got it almost right, but panicked and put my right foot down too early. Jerked myself about rather, too. But it will improve - I'm determined to get it danceable by the end of 2003.

Backwards chasses were horrible - he made me start off slowly and increase speed. But he only made me do 2 lengths, so maybe they weren't too bad. Usually it's four..... But my posture went, as I was concentrating on extending the free foot on both outside edges, and keeping both knees bent when doing the actual chasse. So ended up with my a**e in the middle of next week.... oh well.

[quarkiki2]

What is a chasse? I know what it is in ballet and can't imagine doing it on the ice (as in big-time splat!)

[jenlyon60]

Here is a fancy definition (including 2 variations on the vanilla chasse) courtesy ice-dance.com:

6. Chasse - A step combination during which the free foot is placed beside the skating foot, but not ahead of it, with the new free foot leaving the ice beside the new skating foot.

a) Crossed Chasse - A chasse in which the free foot is placed on the ice crossed behind the skating foot when skating forward or crossed in front when skating backward.

b) Slide Chasse - A chasse in which the free foot slides off the ice in front when the skater is skating forward and behind when the skater is skating backward.

Often it appears to be a 3-step sequence. For example, stroke onto an LFO (step 1); place the right foot next to the left foot on an inside edge (RFI) and as you do that, lift the left foot straight up. Then on the next step, stroke onto an LFO.

For waltz timing, this is typically done in a 2+1+3 timing (i.e. LFO for 2 beats, RFI for 1 beat, LFO for 3 beats). For Foxtrot/March rhythms, the timing is typically 1+1+2 (i.e. LFO for 1 beat, RFI for 1 beat, LFO for 2 beats).

Note that in the early stages of dance, the judges in my area like to see the free foot lifted to about where the skating foot's ankle bone would be, i.e. a good 3 to 4 inches. I suspect this is to ensure a clean execution with no 2-footing. High level skaters barely lift the free foot during execution but they are not 2-footing.

There are also inside chasses (same as described above, only the first step of the sequence is an FI or BI, followed by an FO or BO as appropriate, finished with an FI or BI).

Hope this helps.

Originally posted by quarkiki2
What is a chasse? I know what it is in ballet and can't imagine doing
it on the ice (as in big-time splat!)

[singerskates]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
[B]

Brigitte, you know better than your doctors what you are ready and able for. As long as you don't strain yourself.

[QUOTE]


Mrs. Redboots, I didn't feel it last night when I got home. But when I went to bed, I did feel some abdominal straining. It's not too bad now as I took some advils as I went to bed last night and slept extra long this morning. I've got to have someone stop me from jumping for the next two weeks. I mean, the body wants to jump but the body isn't ready for the pounding yet. I don't intentially jump. It's just that I get up to a certain point in my footwork and bang, I'm jumping. I've got to train my mind to win over the body. Any ideas?

[melanieuk]

My lesson

salchow
loop
flip
salchow-toeloop - much better. Coach says it'll pass a test. :)
loop-loop
lutz - took 3 attempts to get it. The 3rd, 4th & 5th ones were ok.
lutz-loop - ok, but not much height on the loop
waltz-loop - why do I lean backwards on the waltz?
backspin - aagghhhh....inside edge. :(
waltz-backspin.....the pits!
axel attempts X 3....blimey, I hate the fear of hurting myself. All short and 2 footed. Really stinky!


Camel spin was good, much better now! :)
Even got a change foot sit spin with a couple of revs. :)

[flo]

Singer...
You may want to do a search under your name and read your past posts. Is there a pattern of skating while you are injured/sick/healing? What has been the result? More time off the ice, fewer good sessions on the ice? No one should have to "stop you from jumping the next two weeks." You know that there's a lot you can do without exceeding your limits. If you can't then perhaps you could take up something off ice until you recover. It's your decision what to do and when, and it's also your responsibility. It may be hard, but it is a part of skating.

[anital]

Originally posted by garyc254
I told him: Go ahead and skate with those smelly, sweaty hockey dudes and I'll go skate with good lookin', in shape women wearing tight clothes and short skirts. Now tell me again what kind of skates I should be wearing. :lol:

Gary, I tease my boyfriend about liking skating too and he says: "you think I'm here cos I like skating?! The women here are *hot*" :roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by jenlyon60
There are also inside chasses (same as described above, only the first step of the sequence is an FI or BI, followed by an FO or BO as appropriate, finished with an FI or BI). Those are absolutely horrible. My coach used to make me warm up with lap after lap of consecutive forward inside chasses, and I really find them hard. Luckily, I think he's forgotten about them lately (and if he's reading this, I hope he goes on forgetting!

Haven't yet skated today; I had half planned to go this morning, but didn't. If it doesn't rain, I might go this afternoon and skate the teatime session. Or not. Not sure - we're skating Saturday morning this week, so I don't absolutely need to go today, and I might go tomorrow....

[melanieuk]

That's good LoopLoop (re test).
I was the only adult skating my last test too.

I've also kept my music through two programmes, and will use it a 3rd time! ;)

[jenlyon60]

Mrs. R. ...

I was thinking about your adventures with forward inside chasses as I wrote it :-) :-) :-)

I've tried them and I agree they are miserable. OTOH, one does learn to get real power from a stroke onto an FI edge from that drill.

My near future includes a lot of alternating 3's on the line...both FO and FI. Coach has mentioned he thinks I should take my Adult Pre-Bronze MIF in a couple weeks. I much prefer the Bronze MIF to the Pre-Bronze MIF, but I have to stumble through the Pre-Bronze MIF first. And there's still that pesky EW... but I want to do lots of solo work with coach at the boards w/ the video, before I test EW again.

--jsl

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Those are absolutely horrible. My coach used to make me warm up with lap after lap of consecutive forward inside chasses, and I really find them hard. Luckily, I think he's forgotten about them lately (and if he's reading this, I hope he goes on forgetting!

Haven't yet skated today; I had half planned to go this morning, but didn't. If it doesn't rain, I might go this afternoon and skate the teatime session. Or not. Not sure - we're skating Saturday morning this week, so I don't absolutely need to go today, and I might go tomorrow....

[LoopLoop]

Originally posted by melanieuk
I've also kept my music through two programmes, and will use it a 3rd time! ;)

The funny thing is that I've had two other programs since (well, one is my silver program which I am still using) but went back to my very first piece of music for this one. It is my favorite of everything I've skated to so far...but I do have next year's music picked out already.

[Yazmeen]

Stinky: (At first) While putting together the first half of my new program, coach suggested using a RFO3 and I reminded her I hadn't really done that yet on the new skates, so we tried it. Scratchy, stinky, hideous at first, but improved with better edge and less effort. (Ended up substituting a mohawk for the turn anyway because it looked better and fit with cooler arm moves for this music).

One thing I have to stop doing with these skates is trying to force moves to happen like I did with my old ones. :?? I can get an edge much more easily and naturally now with less effort, but I find myself trying to push off into three turns the same, flat way I did it before when I struggled with them using my old skates. I'm doing this less and less, though, so that's good.

Sparkle City: I got the first half of my program choreographed by coach today, and I CAN DO IT, fairly easily, even!!! :D I could even pretty much keep up with the music. It looks scratchy, but my speed is good and I feel comfortable with the moves. Honestly, I swear these new skates are MAGIC. I don't have the fear factor I used to have, and I'm surprised at my improved speed and less hesitation into moves. I could barely do a reasonable forward pivot on my old skates, and here I can do the stroking, lean and pivot move that Paula wants easily. It feels so good!!! Now I know I'm fairly comfy with the skates because I can't wait to get out there again. They're still tough to jump in, but they are softening.

A happy, happy, joy, joy day. 8-)

Beth

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by jenlyon60
Mrs. R. ...

I was thinking about your adventures with forward inside chasses as I wrote it :-) :-) :-)

I've tried them and I agree they are miserable. OTOH, one does learn to get real power from a stroke onto an FI edge from that drill. Yes, I know. I must start doing them again, I think.

My near future includes a lot of alternating 3's on the line...both FO and FI. Coach has mentioned he thinks I should take my Adult Pre-Bronze MIF in a couple weeks. I much prefer the Bronze MIF to the Pre-Bronze MIF, but I have to stumble through the Pre-Bronze MIF first. And there's still that pesky EW... but I want to do lots of solo work with coach at the boards w/ the video, before I test EW again.

--jsl Mind you, the alternating 3s will do your EW good, of course. Anyway, good luck with the tests, whenever they come off.

[kar5162]

Are forward inside chasses like the ones in the Intermediate Slide Chasse pattern? That is my favorite move! Actually, I like pretty much any inside edge, but hate the outside ones.

The alternating 3s are HARD. I did pass them on Preliminary a few years ago, but did them quickly on Monday and remembered how difficult they really are - especially for Pre Bronze! (I'm going to test Pre Bronze, Bronze, and Silver moves later this month.) Although I'm sure they're much better now that when I originally tested, my body still really wants to step forward before I get back to the line.

Kim

[jenlyon60]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Yes, I know. I must start doing them again, I think.

Mind you, the alternating 3s will do your EW good, of course. Anyway, good luck with the tests, whenever they come off.

I must be weird. Because for me the choctaw isn't that difficult. It's the actual 3-turn, mostly the FI3s. But... when I challenge myself and go faster (like coach wants) it is true...they ARE easier. Coach kept saying go faster... I was like...but I can't really do a very good LFI3. Finally I went faster (not yet as fast as he wants) and they really were easier. Even just going across the line. And the check was easier.

Anyways, I'm testing PreBronze MITF at the end of the month, we decided.

In lesson, we worked on all the PreBronze MIF except the perimeter stroking. Too many rug rats on the FS session today.

--jsl

[Terri C]

Jenylon,
Good! At least I'm not the only adult that is not grandfathering their moves!

Splendid:
My sitspin is finally getting lower!
Toe loop is finally on a one foot takeoff!
Those outside alt 3's are finally coming around!

One of the kids I skate with is going to Junior Nationals next month in Lake Placid. He and our coaches were interviewed last week by one of our local TV stations. The segment aired on Tuesday night!

Stinky:
My backscratch had died again! Actually my primary coach thinks that I'm getting more speed into the spin, so that 's why it's gone nuts!

Program run throughs all week! I was a bad girl and didn't run my program as regularly as I should. I started back this week and... GRRugh!

I also learned today that I will have to buy a new car- my '94 Cavalier has run it's course! Let's hope and pray that the car payments don't put a damper on my skating budget!
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[singerskates]

Originally posted by flo
Singer...
You may want to do a search under your name and read your past posts. Is there a pattern of skating while you are injured/sick/healing? What has been the result? More time off the ice, fewer good sessions on the ice? No one should have to "stop you from jumping the next two weeks." You know that there's a lot you can do without exceeding your limits. If you can't then perhaps you could take up something off ice until you recover. It's your decision what to do and when, and it's also your responsibility. It may be hard, but it is a part of skating.

I did one better. I went to the rink alright but I never put my skates on and sat out just watching my own session. After that I played tapes for the senior skaters' session. So my abs got a rest today and I don't have another session until Sunday. By then I know that I'll be feeling no pain at all. Most of it is already gone but I just don't want the pain I had Tuesday night going to bed again. It wasn't fun.

Brigitte

[jenlyon60]

I don't do freestyle so I didn't have an option to grandfather on the Adult MIF track.

I could grandfather through Prelim MIF on the standard track and start with PreJuv MITF if I wanted, though (I did pass Prelim FS years ago before the Adult FS track existed...)

I still find Forward power 3's easier than Alternating 3's on a line.

And maybe working the controlled check will help my EW (although I suspect that the 3's in the field from Silver MIF/PreJuv MIF will help that the most.

Originally posted by Terri C
Jenylon,
Good! At least I'm not the only adult that is not grandfathering their moves!

[LoopLoop]

:D :D :D

I landed two clean axels in my lesson this morning! Plus one with a tiny tap of my free toe and one with a double three on the end. I've never been able to land on my toepick, and my coach has been telling me that if I did that I'd have the rest of the rotation... so I really tried to point my toe in the air and it worked!

[melanieuk]

These are the things I have to do for next elements test:


figure 8 crossovers - forward & backward
loop
flip
salchow - toeloop
parallel spin - 3 revs min
backspin (from FI3 turn) - min 3 revs
step sequence - full length with 3 turns

Sparkly out of that lot....


figure 8 crossovers
loop
flip
parallel


Somewhere in between...


salchow-toeloop
step sequence


Stinky.......
backspin

I only have a 50% success rate. :??
Under duress, this will decrease another 25%!! :cry:

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by LoopLoop
:D :D :D

I landed two clean axels in my lesson this morning! Plus one with a tiny tap of my free toe and one with a double three on the end. I've never been able to land on my toepick, and my coach has been telling me that if I did that I'd have the rest of the rotation... so I really tried to point my toe in the air and it worked! Oh, well done!!!

I hope you are going to do something major to celebrate - champagne or whatever.....

[flo]

Loops, Good for you!! I bet it felt great.

Singer - You have a great idea in going to the rink, but taking it easy. The other skaters probably really appreciate your support and help. You'll probably find that by watching them you'll pick up some pointers, and you'll also find that you have a lot to give to them as well.

I skated in the public session the other night, and it went relatively well. My flying cammel is getting almost as consistient as the cammel-jump-cammel.

[singerskates]

Originally posted by flo

I skated in the public session the other night, and it went relatively well. My flying cammel is getting almost as consistient as the cammel-jump-cammel.

You're actually allowed to do flying spins on a public skate? Not over here. It's only skating forward following the traffic in public sheep skating. :lol: Couldn't resist to put in the sheep. :lol: Absolutely no backward skating, no fast skating (right, the hockey boys get away with it all the time), no footwork, no flying spins, no camel spins, sitspins, laybacks or jumps allowed on public or public adult sessions :!: This means the only way we figure skaters in the Windsor, ON area can practice is on our club ice in the evenings and weekends or on city ice which is usually during work and school hours (real convenient, not) on Wednesdays at Edie Knox Arena and Fridays at Riverside Arena.

Seems that public ice in the US is anything goes compared to here in Canada.

[flo]

Hi Singer,
What you can and can't do on public sessions varies by rink and crowd conditions. The rink I frequent has relatively good public sessions on Tuesday nights, and during the day. On weekends I don't go, as it's much too crowded to do anything like flying camels or doubles (although Mika has had some sucess on these sessions). They also cone off the center of the ice for the figure skaters, and we're all pretty watchful of eachother. Also the rink's public sessions often follow the group lessons, and skaters are given passes to these and encouraged to practice. When I took adult only group lessons the were followed by adult only public skating.

[Anita18]

I ditched my ballet class to go skating, and I'm so glad I did, LOL!

I guess it does depend on the rink, cause the rinks I skate at now resemble freestyle sessions more than public sessions! It's positively scary - I feel like I'm in everybody's way! (Sigh...)

Anyways...

Sparkling
My backspin is finally there!! Well, some were bad, but most of them were rather balanced and I could pull in! I just needed to wait longer on the RFI edge. Yayayayayayayayay!!!!
Using this new revelation, I tried a backsit, and it was the best backsit day I've ever had! I went around twice and exited it upright (usually I end up backsitting into the ice, LOL..)
The first forward scratch I tried was perfect! Stable on the entrance, stable all the while as I pulled in, and didn't travel at all! I was so happy! :mrgreen: Then I tried a couple more and couldn't do it anymore. Oh well - at least I know I'm capable of really good spins....
My waltz 8 was more controlled! I still need work on the 3turn, and my circles are too tall, but I came back to the same center and I didn't lose any speed.
I had one really good flip. The others were, eh....but I'm getting there!!


Stinky
My inability to recreate that perfect spin. I kept staring at the perfect tracing, thinking, "Only if..." LOL...
Jumps stunk, especially waltz jump. Ew. I'm neva gonna get that axel with my stinky waltz jump...
My camel spin. I thought it was going to be a good spin day, but not for the camel spin, LOL....
Anita

[jenlyon60]

I got off work early today and got to the rink in time to skate a couple sessions before the bulk of the kids showed up.

ID'd some timing issues on my figure 8 back crossovers for Pre-Bronze MIF... I have to really work on placement of the crossovers, so that I don't bump the boards on the side. Also worked a bit on alternating 3's, mostly FI3s.

Played around with my EW solo today and got better check on my RFO3 into the LBO-RBO before the end pattern, so that the 1st LFO3 of the end pattern was MUCH closer to the boards than before. Shocked me so much that I didn't continue the pattern. But I repeated that segment a couple times and same thing each time. So some sort of 3-turn work is paying off.

And... no W-turns when I skate it at my power... (which is much less than coach's power level).

--jsl

[skateflo]

STINKY - I have lost my rhythm to get into a one foot spin! My balance and timing is all off - perhaps because I had sinusitis for 5 weeks before starting on antibiotic yesterday

SPARKLING - since the harness got taken before we could get to it, we decided to try again with the toe loop and salchow. Since the concept of moving free leg around the 'clock' seemed to click with me, coach thought about how to make a similar connection for the toe loop. But once she said "after toe goes in ice, pull right skate back into left skate, 'while starting to turn the body in order to prepare for the takeoff'....well there was the missing part of the puzzle! And my first attempt with this added piece of information and I did it!! Even the salchow is coming along! Yeah! And all this without the harness, although just that one time really helped me get the 'feeling.'

Maybe next week I'll get back the spin....
And a big congrats to all those who did so well this week!

[Yazmeen]

skateflo: Have you tried sinus lavage?

4 teaspoons sea salt (better than iodized, less irritating)
1 teaspoon baking soda (buffer)
Mix in 1 liter/quart bottle of water

Get a "baby bulb"--squeezy bulb used for clearing a baby's nose or ears, the one with the soft tip, not the hard.

Shake the mixture up, warm it SLIGHTLY in the microwave if you need to (10 seconds if needed), squeeze it into the bulb, and HONK it into your sinuses. Squeeze upward through each nostril and breathe in . WARNING: This ain't pleasant--it will hurt a bit and make you gag. Do both sides and then blow your nose thoroughly. It was a GODSEND for me during 8 weeks of antibiotics for a sinus infection. You will not believe the crap that this will get out of your sinuses. I do it almost every night, and then use a nasal steroid. You can also buy commercial saline preparations like "Ocean" if you prefer. It sounds gross, but it really helps.

Beth

[dbny]

Originally posted by Yazmeen
skateflo: Have you tried sinus lavage?

4 teaspoons sea salt (better than iodized, less irritating)
1 teaspoon baking soda (buffer)
Mix in 1 liter/quart bottle of water

Get a "baby bulb"--squeezy bulb used for clearing a baby's nose or ears, the one with the soft tip, not the hard.

Shake the mixture up, warm it SLIGHTLY in the microwave if you need to (10 seconds if needed), squeeze it into the bulb, and HONK it into your sinuses. Squeeze upward through each nostril and breathe in . WARNING: This ain't pleasant--it will hurt a bit and make you gag. Do both sides and then blow your nose thoroughly. It was a GODSEND for me during 8 weeks of antibiotics for a sinus infection. You will not believe the crap that this will get out of your sinuses. I do it almost every night, and then use a nasal steroid. You can also buy commercial saline preparations like "Ocean" if you prefer. It sounds gross, but it really helps.

Beth

I've been doing this for years with just plain warm salt water like I would gargle with. I mix it in a highball glass and then snurfle it up my nose while leaning over the sink. It's not painful at all this way. A nurse told my dad about it after three different antibiotics failed to curb his sinus infection. The salt water snurfles did the trick.

[Mrs Redboots]

Another excellent way - and perhaps less gross than "salt water snurfles" is steam inhalations, ideally with a drop of peppermint oil in the boiling water. And on a day when I had a really appalling sinus headache - the kind that makes you feel sick and you can't move - I put a hanky wrung out in cold water on my forehead, with one drop each of peppermint and lavender oils, and left it there all day, renewing as necessary, and that was pretty magic. And yesterday I had a Hopi ear candle treatment, which cleared my sinuses (I didn't expect that! I hadn't realised quite how congested they were, as they are not infected!).

Anyway, back to skating:

Stinky: We got up early and went down to the rink to practice before club ice, as we thought there was a minor club competition today and we ought to watch it - guess what, it's been postponed to next Saturday! Grrrr - and I hate getting up early on Saturdays, as it's the only morning I ever get to lie in beyond about 6.30 at the very latest! Oh well. Anyway, we needed the practice.

Not much of my skating was "stinky", although I doubt it could be described as "Sparkling", either.

Sparkling: We did a very nice Rhythm Blues when someone was doing a Blues - proper start, and nothing much wrong with it, we didn't think. Of course, a judge might think differently - they have a nasty habit of doing that! I felt the session was too crowded to do a Fiesta Tango without being in a lesson, but we worked through the end pattern a couple of times. Not great. I noticed, though, that Robert goes into the change of edge with too straight a knee, which might be why he has problems with it - you have to go in on a bent knee, rise up, and then sink down on the inside edge. And another skater pointed out that you need to look where you are going, too - towards the barrier on the outside edge, then change head and look towards the opposite corner on the inside edge. It all helps.....

I practiced for my Interpretive in what I think is nearly the final version of my costume; it works. I was afraid it wouldn't. I also entered for the club competition - I haven't even finished choreographing the 1.5 minute version for the Dune of Flanders Cup, never mind the 2 minute version for the previous week.... But we'll get there in the end, if my coach ever finishes cutting the music (he has some new software to do so and is playing with it!). I do have a rough cut, but still...

[JDC1]

I have a viral sinus infection so I've been slowing it down and not skating as much, I did skate for 15 minutes and it exhausted me but it felt good, my legs were shaky like when you get on a boat.

Stinky - Having a sinus infection!!

Sparkling - My boyfriend came with me to watch me skate, he sees me skate about 2-3 times a year, and he said I've gotten MUCH faster and my jumps are higher!! My coach sees me constantly and she's noticed progress but it's nice to get his point of view since he can gauge changes that I don't notice. My spiral was FAST!!! My waltz jumps had spring and that's about it folks cause I got winded really fast. :-) Trying to take it easy because I've been feeling exhausted and whiney! Yazmeen I think I'll try a version of our cure, it's gotten pretty gross with me, I'm spitting as well as blowing my nose, it's quite disgusting but I can't help it!!

[mikawendy]

SPARKLING:
Back edges feel really good (well, except for LBI).
Back crossovers are getting faster and less scratchy.
Learned back mohawk (waltz jump entry prep.) today (I'd been kind of teaching it to myself anyway).
Had Friday off (post-wedding vacation) so I went to a morning public skate. It was nice--only figure skaters and one dancer there so we had plenty of space. I met a nice instructor who was giving several private lessons. One woman was practicing beautiful, high, light waltz jumps and nice sit - back sit spins.

STINKY:
Completely knocked myself over in front of 3 instructors while practicing forward crossovers in lesson. My blades clicked as I was crossing the foot and down I went onto my back. I somehow didn't hurt anything (I think my butt must have softened the impact:D ) and luckily didn't hit my head. I've never tripped myself like that before (always was afraid of it in back crossovers).

One foot spins are super stinky!! Somehow in the spin, I wind up doing a 3 turn (we saw it in the tracing) and am spinning on a back inside edge instead of forward outside (for example, in CW spin, I wind up spinnning CW on RBI edge instead of RFO edge). I can't figure it out. :evil:

[Yazmeen]

Nothing stinky today, got some ice time at Grundy which is great until the the Mercer Rink opens for Saturday freestyle and groups.

Sparklies: Spent most of my time on back edges, which are improving, especially outsides. Waltz jump is beginning to jump. Tried more spirals for my program, andI just have to get that "coming out of spiral into attitude position" correct. I lost my balance a few times, so coach needs to take a look.

Hubby also cut my music tonight, and it sounds splendiforous. He had to tone down the bass a little, but it should work well--only required a single cut, and its silky smooth.

A good day!! Back out tomorrow, plus assisting with the little ones at groups. Our group lessons have really taken off, which is great. The new management at our rink is wonderful and most importantly, its working.

Beth

[mikawendy]

Originally posted by flo
It sounds like it has been a good weekend for all.
Congrats to Mika and Debbie!

Thanks! :D :D