View Full Version : Twinking/thumping lessons/practices week of 8-14 Dec
mikawendy
12-08-2002, 01:38 PM
Wow! I can't believe I'm the one starting the practice thread this week. Everyone in Britain must be away at Dune of Flanders?? If so I hope it's been going well! :D
Thumping
Stinkin' FI3 turns! My body just about freaks out as I'm going to do them. I nearly fall each time I do LFI3. It's like my lower half gets ahead of my upper half and my weight is not underneath me after that. I can kind of do RFI3 with a toe assist from the left foot, but I'll need to do them clean, BOTH sides, for my basic skills test in 2 weeks. I don't realy get the feel of DOWN-UP-DOWN that I know I should. If I don't pass that's okay because I'm already learning elements from the next 2 levels during lessons.
Twinkling
Learned ballet jumps at lesson. Those were fun!
Lunges were good on the side I can do them on.
Back crossovers and stroking felt good though I hadn't been on the ice in 2 weeks.
Also, I happened to get to meet Derrick Delmore this weekend. He's really nice and very unassuming in person.
dooobedooo
12-08-2002, 02:16 PM
Originally posted by mikawendy
Wow! I can't believe I'm the one starting the practice thread this week. Everyone in Britain must be away at Dune of Flanders?? If so I hope it's been going well! :D
It's been the British Championships all this week too, primaries, juniors and seniors, and many people have gone to watch or to support friends or relatives who are taking part!
Big shock was British Ice Dance Champions Marika and Vitaliy having to withdraw due to V's bad knee ... Big success was rising young free-skater Jenna McCorkell.
Mrs Redboots
12-08-2002, 03:19 PM
Yes, the Dune of Flanders Cup was great fun, as these events always are. Lots of countries involved - a huge team from Britain, with a lovely surprise - the MD of the company who employs one of our number kindly offered £10 each (that's about $ or €16) towards the cost of fleece jackets for all of us - much needed in that very cold rink on what, yet again, has turned out to be the coldest weekend of the winter so far! The British team all looked very odd warming up (the women), with their fleece jackets longer than their skating skirts.... but oh, it was comfortable!
Twinking: I RETAINED MY TITLE!!!!!! For the second year running I won the Ladies Interpretive III with my new routine. I am even more thrilled than I was last year, because I could never make myself believe I really had won it last year - but this year I know what the marks were, and what other people got. The skating marks were pretty dire - but the artistic marks..... So I have another shiny cup on my display shelf.
And, even better, in the dance we came 3rd in the Canadian Cha-Cha (the 4th couple did make a dreadful mess of it!) AND ONE JUDGE HAD US IN SECOND!!!!!!! I am almost more jazzed about that than I am about the Interpretive - dance is far and away my first love.
Thumping: The rest of the dance! Yet again we finished 4th overall (out of 4, alas, even though it was another medal to take home), although not as decisively as ever before. But our timing was off (so I am told - I thought it might be, but not enough to correct it) in the Rhythm Blues and the Swing Dance (although it was one of our better Swing Dances), and we were doing the best Fiesta Tango we've ever done, if rather slowly, when we clashed blades (in exactly the same place as we did at Oxford, which is rather worrying) and over we went. Not badly hurt, but I have wrenched my left thumb, which is rather sore (no damage, though), and I didn't feel able to join in the social dancing since I couldn't bear the thought of anybody holding that hand!
jazzpants
12-08-2002, 11:14 PM
YOU GO, Annabel!!! YOU GO, GIRL!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
http://smilies.networkessence.net/s/kao/otn/pcheerleader.gif
wannask8
12-09-2002, 08:08 AM
Annabel, what great results! Congratulations!!!
-- wannask8
melanieuk
12-09-2002, 08:21 AM
Well done Annabel!
The judges are getting to know you and moving you up - just as with dance at elite level.
Good that there was plenty of British adults in attendance. :)
Twinkling
First time on the ice for a week - I was at the British Championships, supporting my younger skating friends.
Congratulations to Sinead & John Kerr, who gave an outstanding performance in the Free dance.
Loads of people stood to applause them. :D
Anyway, the ice was lovely - and emptyish. Only 6 of us.
I spent 30 mins on the Inter Bronze field moves, which after a week off, have suffered.
I had my lesson - all field moves, at my request (best get it over with for the week) :roll: They belong in the thumping section!
Loops, most flips (see below), camel spin, sit spin were all twinkling - for me!
Thumping:
Fall of the Day Award goes to Melanie, who fell on a (single) flip. I know what I did - I dropped my landing shoulder, swung round on a too deep outside edge and slid right off it on to my hip. Duh! :cry: :roll:
Also the
change foot any spin
lutz
axel practise
lack of music/programme
were all thumping. :cry:
garyc254
12-09-2002, 09:21 AM
Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Twinking: I RETAINED MY TITLE!!!!!!
YOU GO, GIRL!!! :D :D :D
It's a great time of year for skating competitions and Christmas ice shows. Lots of people getting to compete the routines they've been practicing for so long.
Since I'm just spectating while rehabbing, I went to one competition on Saturday (my girlfriend's synchro team won) and will be going to three different Christmas ice shows next weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).
So much fun on the ice!!! :D
Yazmeen
12-09-2002, 09:54 AM
Annabel: Three cheers and big old tiger for you!!! That's absolutely GRAND!!!!
Thump: Getting used to the ice at the partial indoor (open sides) rink at Mercer--never smooth, but still fun. Also, I've seen the one drawback in my new skates--wider toe box, COLDER toes at that rink. I'm going to have to wear socks or get boot covers on the really cold days.
Twink, Twink, little star: EXCELLENT make-up lesson on Saturday at Mercer. Finally finessed the arms and leg movements for the half flip, and it was markedly improved right off the bat. No more feeling unbalanced when I do the final edge. Worked on stroking down the blue line to avoid swaying and stay off edge, skating straight. We just basically worked on every element in the program, to finesse it and make it better. A lot of wonderful little "light bulb" moments with my coach - (dingdingdingdingding--the brain bell goes off as it catches on!!!! :lol: ).
Ahh, but after next Saturday, the dreaded three turns from the black hellfire come back into my life. My mohawks are fine, and the LFO3 and RFI3 are at least there, but its time to relearn them and find the correct position for them on the Coronation Ace. Much to my own surprise, I'm looking forward to it...sort of...:??
Annabel, Congratulations!!:)
Twinkling: started practicing painting fabric for my costume. I have a club show on Saturday. The costume isn't finished, so it matches the program, which isn't finished!
Mika and other Baltimore locals: The Ice Club of Baltimore is having our show this Saturday. We're also having a skate exchange, so you may be able to pick up some great skating clothing and skates. Also, after the show, the ice will be open to all (no guest fees), so come and skate with us!
Blue Line
12-09-2002, 11:32 AM
http://jeeptalk.org/crack/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/icescream.gif http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/contrib/fk/cheer4.gif http://smilies.networkessence.net/s/otn/other/britain.gif
Great work, Annabel! Congrats to yourself to and your husband!
You know, they say it's harder to retain a title than it is to win it...
quarkiki2
12-09-2002, 11:37 AM
:D Congratulations, Annabel! Yahoo for you! :D
Thumping: I don't know when my test for this level is. I think it's next week, but our instructor told us two weeks. I'll prepare as if it's next week. I'll be testing Beta and Gamma. And the only thing I'm missing are my FO3s for Gamma. I keep dropping my hip and therefore my free foot right after the turn. The turn itself if fine, but I'm a dork about the exit edge. Grr!
Twinkling: Well, I finally cracked the back crossovers on my bad side. Managed to do 10 in a row! If I concentrate on keeping my arms inside the circle and not scraping my toepicks instead of worrying about the actual cross, that's when it clicks. Managed to be practicing in a place where I could see my reflection and I discovered that on my good side I'm not bobbing up and down like a buoy, thank goodness! I think that I'll finally pass Beta this time around. I know that the crossovers are not quite pretty, but I saw what passed before and mine meet that mark. I have no problem with the other Beta elements: backwards stroking and T-stops on both feet.
Gamma: It was a very twinkly mohawk day! I can now do the sequence for the test on both feet, yay! Was practicing the sequence on the right side and the instructor, whom I though was working with someone else, shouted "Quarkiki!!! That was excellent -- so smooth!!" Alas, my pattern is itty bitty because I can't do it at speed yet, but she said not to worry. My very first instructor is teaching kids Gamma at the same time and when she asked how my lesson was and I told her I got the sequence, she begged me to show her because she was terrifically frustrated with the kids who can't seem to remember the sequence. Then she showed me another sequence: RFI mohawk to FBI, two foot glide RBI mohawk to LFI, repeat with RFI -- goes in a circle one direction and after about three repetitions I was sufficiently dizzy, LOL!
Also in Gamma: Hockey stops. Well, I discovered I'm a switch hitter on this one -- can stop either direction, yay! Was doing one when instructor recommended I keep my feet more closely together. I asked "How far apart are they?" Then I realized that I had to ask because I absolutely wasn't looking at my feet, LOL! Instructor said, "Hey! That's great! You're supposed to ask me what your feet are doing!" So I did the stop, waited in position a second and then looked down to see how far apart my feet were and by then they were only about 4 inches or so apart and deemed aceptable.
And then the FO3s. If I can somehow nail these in a week I think I should pass both Beta and Gamma and move into Delta. I asked my instructor to give me a sequence with a 3 turn and something else so I can "trick" myself into not putting my foot down because I'll be keeping it up for something after the turn. She showed me how to do them consecutively with a 3-turn (RFO to RBI) and mohawk (RBI to LFI) then repeat on the same side. But that was just as we were to clear the ice, so I'll try that when I practice this week and see if it makes a difference.
And if my test is indeed in two weeks, then I'll be extra prepared. I'm looking forward to Delta -- can already do the lunge, the FO edges, and FI edges. Not saying that they're terrific and beautiful (well, the lunge is world class, LOL!!), but I've been successful with them. Haven't tried a bunny hop, though I want to and can do huge ones off-ice, (who can't, LOL!!). Have messed around with FI3s and find them to be only marginally less successful than the FO3s. Still unsuccessful with both, but not terrified and tripping. I am thankful that they make you turn both ways in ballet -- I don't seem to prefer one side to the other yet.
Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Twinking: I RETAINED MY TITLE!!!!!! For the second year running I won the Ladies Interpretive III with my new routine. I am even more thrilled than I was last year, because I could never make myself believe I really had won it last year - but this year I know what the marks were, and what other people got. The skating marks were pretty dire - but the artistic marks..... So I have another shiny cup on my display shelf.
Congratulations, Annabel:!: It's quite an accomplishment to win a title and hang on to it.
sk8er1964
12-09-2002, 12:57 PM
Originally posted by Yazmeen
Getting used to the ice at the partial indoor (open sides) rink at Mercer--never smooth, but still fun.
Yazmeen - Is that Mercer PA? I'm visiting inlaws in Emlenton over Christmas and was resigned to no skating. If it is PA, where is it? Thanks!!
Annabel - Congrats on great skates .:D
Thumping: My axel, which has been so consistant, decided to go and visit somebody else today :evil: Wanted to go grab my coach and ask him what was up with this!
Twinkling: The camels are coming along nicely. Coach is making me do 5-10 a day because I have been ignoring them. Took apart the take-off on my new double toe loop and I think it's improving (though not fully rotated yet).
Twinkling:
Forward and back cross strokes! I haven't been able to practice the back much because I'm still not very good at looking behind me while doing them, but I did them in my lesson today and my coach was very positive about them. We worked on getting more power so I could deepen the edges and have bigger lobes. I love them, and have good speed and a great sounding rip on the forwards. I was able to get much bigger lobes and deeper edges on them as soon as I tried to cross the axis at 90'. Guess I will have to ask hubby to watch my back a few times a week so I can work on the back ones.
Thumping:
Those rotten alternating 3's! I have been absolutely obsessing on these and my inability to do them properly. I got to the point today that I couldn't do them at all. My coach had to give me a pep talk about how I shouldn't judge my skating by my problem with these things. Then I tried the power 3's, could do those, and that unlocked them again. In my lesson, my coach tried yet another technique to help me. Now I am putting my free foot down for just a second before the turn and again after the turn. I did my best ever 3's that way in the lesson. Hoping I can do them that well again.
jenlyon60
12-10-2002, 05:24 AM
Twinking:
European Waltz... yes it was on yesterday. We hadn't skated it since beginning of November when I competed it in NJ. Maybe all the struggles with the alternating 3's and other MIF are paying off. There were a few jumped 3's, but my coach adjusted his hold a bit lower and that solved that problem. I'm getting more kneebend in the dance, or at least it feels like I am.
Forward Power 3's: I did one pattern that my coach really liked, right before we stopped working on this. We're working to overcome my problems with stepping out of the CCW crossover at the end pattern into the 1st RFO3 (which is essentially the same as in the Alternating 3's from Pre-Bronze except faster). It's better but still has a long ways to go.
5-step mohawk sequence: We're ripping this back to the basics and working on my upper body big-time. I don't know what it is about this simple sequence, but I get brain farts about half the time and do the wrong steps. Anyways, coach is totally redoing my upper body rotation in the MIF, and when I can do it close to what he wants, it does work very well. Then I get to the other half of the sequence and I haven't yet worked out the "reverse" and that side is weak.
Alternating back crossovers. Coach was pretty pleased with these...
Edited to add... oh yeah, coach says there's more alternating forward 3's in my near future. He wants them much better than they were on my test (which was marginal)...
--jsl
Actually wasn't really in the mood to skate and had a really good night!!
Twinking - I LANDED 3 LOOPS!!! I may have cracked the code on this one (for myself) more speed less fear. :-) I've developed fear of this since I've wacked my right knee quite hard several times but now I wear knee pads so I was a little more relaxed and had more attack. Very close lutz attempts, totally rotated, but I haven't quite mastered keeping my left leg up and in front of my right, when I get that down I should have the lutz.
Thumping - still can't jump off my left leg yet and has a result my right leg got a BIG work out last night!! Knees a bit sore today.
Yazmeen
12-10-2002, 10:24 AM
sk8er1964: Sorry to give you disappointing news, but I'm talking about the rink in Mercer County Park, New Jersey, near the Granite Run Mall. I would still check, though, about Mercer, PA--there should be something there!! I'l check my "Skater's Edge" book tonight and let you know.
THUMPER the thumping bunny: Went to Radio City this weekend with the Scuba Diving Club (my husband's the diver, I'm the "mascot" ;) ) and the following dinner on Sunday just didn't agree with me. My stomach was funny yesterday, and this morning, of course, just as I'm about to lace up, my GI tract lurched. (It took five minutes to get "unclothed" enough to use the facilities!!!! :lol: ). I was shaky through my first program runthrough...
Twinky/Winky: ...but the gut calmed down and my second runthrough was pretty solid. We decided the half flip has to come out of gliding 8O --if I stop I tend to lean right (I jump CCW) and it messes me up worse. Well, I got the mohawk/L back crossovers/waltz jump by practicing it over and over, so lunge/glide/half flip will just have to be practiced the same way!!!!
Exhibition is Saturday night--I'm nervous, but looking forward to it. Coach and I just love this program. I'm just gonna go for it!
garyc254
12-10-2002, 10:31 AM
Originally posted by sk8er1964
Yazmeen - Is that Mercer PA? I'm visiting inlaws in Emlenton over Christmas and was resigned to no skating. If it is PA, where is it? Thanks!!
Here's a site that might help you locate a rink. I'm not sure how comprehensive it is.
www.arenamaps.com
Hope it helps.
Terri C
12-10-2002, 11:03 AM
Mers. Redboots:
YOU GO GIRL!!!!
JDC:
WELOCME TO LOOP LAND!!
So far ,my week has been thumps. Came home from Saturday night Mass with my voice sounding funny, as in hoarse city!
I felt so lousy at work on Sunday, that I cancelled my lesson for the next day! And while I'm off work today, I plan to stay home and rest!
I will be praying for one of my skating buddies this week, as well as my coaches- they have Junior Nationals this week in Lake Placid!
sk8er1964
12-10-2002, 11:39 AM
Thanks Gary - found one in Kittaning PA, but it's about 55 miles away :cry: . That's pretty rural country up there (but beautiful...)
garyc254
12-10-2002, 11:41 AM
Thumping: I'm still off the ice and rehabbing. Someday soon........
Twinking: Stopped by my favorite rink last night and brought sub sandwiches for the staff and coaches. A special treat from me to them for the holidays. They're such great, friendly people and do a terrific job together.
Watched the beginner Learn-To-Skate group. One young lad (maybe 5 years old) would wiggle once, fall, jump up, wiggle again, fall, jump up, etc, etc, etc for the entire half hour lesson. I was almost in tears laughing, but had to admire his perseverence. :lol:
Mrs Redboots
12-11-2002, 06:16 AM
Thanks for all the congratulations - I don't know why it feels more real and exciting than it did last year. Somehow, last year, I felt they were being kind, or something... they certainly weren't this year.
So back to the grindstone.
Thumping: The ice was horrible - the Zamboni is terminal, we think, but luckily the new management are being sensible, and I think the engineer may be allowed to get a 2nd-hand one and rebuild it. No point getting a new one for just 2 years. So you had to choose where to skate.
Twinking: The lesson, however, was good. I had to do forwards and backwards lemons and slaloms to warm up - my backwards lemons (swizzles) were uneven, with my left foot getting on to a deeper edge than my right foot. I couldn't feel it at all, but could see the evidence on the ice! Then I was asked to do runs round the circle, but felt that I was rushing again. So I asked if I could do figures, to help me with the control I must develop this winter if I'm to progress. And that was really hard work! Just doing forwards outside and inside 8s - I've done outside-8s before, but not inside-8s. And they were really, really hard, but I did learn a fearful lot about why I can't control an inside edge! I ended up doing "quasi-figures", from a moving start and a large circle, so I could get the feel of the running edge. And when I got it right, it was lovely! It didn't run hard on the very poor ice, but you could feel how it would on good ice.
Finished off with back outside edges. Coach says that one day he will make me do figure-8s with them, but not yet! Right foot was fine, left foot terrible. Coach said I was bending my knee far more on the right foot, and I discovered for myself that what was happening was that I was rushing (again!) the LBO edge, and pushing off before my foot was properly settled on the ice, so I was still almost on my toes.. Once I allowed myself to settle on to the edge before pushing, they were fine.
Didn't practice for long, as the ice was so poor. I do hope it will be better later in the week....
I was really glad that my coach agreed that figures were probably the best thing for my skating just now.
melanieuk
12-11-2002, 09:56 AM
Twinking
Yipee - got the lutz out first time. ;)
In my lesson, I had to do jump sequences.
Bearin in mind I'm a CW skater, I had to do a
loop - half loop - RFO 3 turn - L toepick push - RFO 3 turn - L toe pick - flip!
Instead of a flip, I could omit the last left toe pick and do a salchow instead. Doing a flip there really freaked me out. I've still got too much swing and not enough CHECK after the 3 turns!
Thumping
Awful backspin. Loathe it, want it so bad. :evil:
Alexeiskate
12-11-2002, 10:37 AM
Twinking
Got about 4 revolutions on two camel spins. Nice flying camels. Landed 2sals from both a LFO and RBO three-turn entrances. Squeaked out a 2sal-2loop. Landed 2toes from RFI entrance, which is actually difficult for me to control. Ok axel.
Thumping
What is up with my sit spin ? I cannot do the darn thing to save my life :(
Thump thump.... Went to the far rink last night so my coach could see the material for my costume (for Saturday), and to run through and finish my program (for Saturday), and he was a no show, and the music box was not working. Argh...
Twinkling Doubles were pretty good, and I got a chance to work on the new flying camel entrance.
sk8er1964
12-12-2002, 01:36 PM
Twinkling -
Doubles are coming along nicely. Have been working on the salchow and toe loop, and did my first loop in my lesson yesterday. They range from 1 1/2 rotations to fully rotated, and I'm getting really close on a one foot landing on the toe. Axel came back yesterday.
Thumping -
Starting to get a bit of muscle pain in the outside lower leg area on both legs, right above the boot. Don't know if it's the new boots or the new double jumps, which I wasn't trying on my old skates. Am going to try some of those bunga pads to see if that helps.
jenlyon60
12-12-2002, 06:12 PM
Twinking: Coach said that the RFO3 side of my forward power 3's was better... choctaw is getting easier, I think.
Thumping: Coach taught me the beginning of the Tango Romantica... for fun. Also a unique way of ensuring I learn my back 3's (all 4 of them).... and other interesting step combinations...
melanieuk
12-13-2002, 10:33 AM
I pottered about, doing the wretched field moves for a good while.
I didn't feel very "in synch" with my body today so I didn't try too many jumps.
I completely omitted the flip and lutz from my list today. ;)
The backspin is so badly wrong.....but I got about 3 right ones.
The trouble is, whatever I'm doing has become muscle-memorised.
The second I turn the 3, I must lift or move the free leg (in the wrong way) and this instantly knocks me on to the inside.
If I wait for the 3 turn, sometimes I can make it work, but mostly not.
:evil:
MissIndigo
12-13-2002, 05:13 PM
Thumping:
EVERYTHING! Our rink finally opened back up today after having pump problems all week...and the ice was very brittle and choppy. Every spin I tried got caught in a rut, and I was not comfortable trying anything at speed. But...coach said considering the ice was as bad as it was, and with a fresh skate sharpening, I really didn't do half bad. I'll take her word for it!
I really should have known better, but I will put it in bold big letters anyway...
Don't Ever, Ever Do This:
Never, never, never try a layback spin on anything but smooth, spinnable ice. I about learned the hard way today...I hit a rut and lost my sweet spot--I don't want to think about how bad that fall could have been.
Originally posted by MissIndigo
Thumping:
EVERYTHING! Our rink finally opened back up today after having pump problems all week...and the ice was very brittle and choppy. Every spin I tried got caught in a rut, and I was not comfortable trying anything at speed
Both rinks I skate at have had horrible ice for the past week. One has Zamboni problems and had big swaths of huge bumps everywhere. I couldn't find a line I felt safe practicing back edges on. I did manage to get in a few three turns, F and B crossovers, and F and B power crossovers. I was also able to find a few clean spots for spins and had no close calls like MissIndigo, thank goodness.
tidesong
12-13-2002, 08:45 PM
On Thursday I had lesson after being sick for a few days... I just died halfway through the lesson... I got a headache and stomach felt sick and my heart was racing too fast... so I had to stop the lesson half way... Awful awful awful... and I wanted so much to continue working on my double jumps...
Mrs Redboots
12-14-2002, 11:40 AM
Count me among those who has had terrible ice this week! Is there an epidemic among Zambonis do you think?
Tidesong, I wish you better - but the moral is, don't go skating when you aren't fully fit! I know, I know, one can more often than not skate through it....
Didn't skate this morning; fully intended to, but when the alarm went off my husband got up and went to wash - and then got back in bed. He, too, has had this cold that is going round, and said his throat wasn't up to it. Mind you, he's at that stage of a cold when two cups of tea would have done the trick.... So I didn't get up, and then we slept in. Oh well, tomorrow is our lesson.
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