Blessed/Blighted lessons/practices 15-21 December 2002

[Mrs Redboots]

Oh what a nasty skate day! Husband had a cold and a birthday and told everybody he met about the former. At least he was reticent about the latter....

Ice had been cut by hand; it was better than Wednesday, but that wasn't saying much.

Blessed: Absolutely NOTHING. Everything that could go wrong, did. At least I stayed on my feet, and didn't fall over a bump or down a hole in the ice. And I suppose the fact that Robert skated really well was a good point.

Blighted: Why did I say I wanted to go back to basics? First of all we had to do swing rolls - outside and inside - in shoulder hold. Beastly difficult! Then we had to do them in Foxtrot hold - even worse. And he wouldn't let us do them counter-body - no, we had to do proper semi-circles on the ice, and keep our shoulders level. Gack. Then we did chasses in waltz hold, and then swing rolls in waltz hold. Fine when I was going forwards, but I simply cannot find my LBO edge to save my life. I know what I'm doing wrong, but can't correct it. Then to finish with, we had to do runs (progressives) round the circle, both directions, first in Kilian hold then in Reverse kilian hold. I came away from that lesson thinking I'd better hang my skates up, since I really can't do anything!

Robert said, amused, "Why is it that when it's your fault, you blame me, but when it's my fault, you don't say anything?"

[melanieuk]

Annabel, how do they cut the ice by hand?
I can't imagine our rink's engineers doing that! ;)

Anyway, swing rolls - in any hold with a man - sounds impossible to me, let alone difficult.

Looking ahead to my diary, I can tell that my skating times (and quality ice time) is going to be sadly lacking over the next 3 weeks. :(
I suppose I should make the most of the time off. :roll:
Skating tomorrow and Wednesday so it'll be a last ditch attempt to get the backspin before 2003. ;)

[quarkiki2]

Well, my tests didn't happen yesterday. There were enough other people testing that they didn't get to my group at all and I got to practice some more. Practiced all Beta elements (backward stroking, t-stops both feet, backwards crossovers both ways) and all Gamma elements (mohawk sequence both ways, hockey stops and FO3s both sides). Am ok on all Beta elements (CCW back crossovers a little scratchy) and all Gamma elements except FO3s. I did do two on the right side, but left side was blech and more blech.

Soooo.... maybe NEXT week I'll be able to test! I am hoping to pass into Gamma because I've been doing the Beat and Gamma elements for sixteen weeks now and I'd like something else to practice. I practice everything I know on every session I practice, but I'd like to start learning something new, too.

Mrs. Redboots, I got your PM and will be able to send pictures on Monday when I get back to work!

Mel, good luck on the backspin!

[nutty-ducky]

i didnt get to have my lesson today as my ice rink went down on sunday. i did get to go in on saturday though coz i am doing a skating show on sunday next week and i had to practice. i am starting to be able to do the salchow which is good! :D
my program was ok, but the second time i did it i added my 3-jump in and double footed it as i was tired coming to the end of the program. i am going to be doing my test soon! so i had to practice my field moves. i worked on my back outside edge both ways and it feels like it is getting better. and i worked on my inside and outside edges and they felt better from last week! goodie! :D

[Debbie S]

It has been a trying couple of weeks. Yesterday was the first time I skated in 3 weeks, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and then a nasty rash on my legs that now appears to have been a severe allergic reaction to something - what I have no idea. Doctors thought it might be a sign of a vascular condition, but it apparently was hives. It's a relief to know everything's OK, but I've never had anything that excruciating (as in itchy) in my life. Well, maybe the chicken pox, except that I was too young to remember.

I was planning on practicing this past Wed, but then the heat in my house broke and I had to stay home for the repairman - and it was quite cold here this week! Anyway, I got to the rink earlier than usual yesterday to take advantage of as much practice time as possible before my lesson. My skills hadn't degenerated nearly as much as I thought they would. I just felt a little off-balance the whole time.

Blessed

Salchow pretty good, considering my layoff. I just have to make sure I'm not leaning into the circle as I turn.
BI 3s are pretty good, but I need to improve on the gliding-out part.
Just thrilled to be on the ice again.


Blighted

Back spin still pathetic. I think part of the problem is that I tend to lean forward as I'm spinning, like in a forward scratch spin. Unfortunately, back spins need lots of practice to get right and I haven't had that lately.


After my lesson, I was able to meet flo at her club's open ice time. Unfortunately, I got there too late to see the club's show, but I am very impressed with her ability to make a beautiful costume in a such a short time. Good to meet you and the others at NW, flo! I'll definitely have to practice there more often.

More good news - the outdoor rink downtown finally opened this weekend. I've always meant to get down there and skate at least once, for the great views if nothing else. This year, I pledge to actually do that.

[mikawendy]

Blessed:
Oh joy, joy! :D The outdoor rink opened this weekend. I popped down there today to get a season pass and to practice for a while. I was the second person on the ice and for the first 1/2 hour there was barely anyone there. Either I'm really tired from skating three days in a row or the wind was making me tired, because just stroking around was wiping me out!

I also got to see flo skate this weekend in her club's holiday show (she was great--did this beautiful rond-de-jambe spiral in the middle of her program).

In lesson, BO to FO edge transitions were working nicely. On Friday and Saturday my speed felt good in general, and my *attempts* at RFI3s seem to be getting better, thanks to some help from my instructor and from flo. Somehow this all has made my FO3s better--my LFO3s aren't scratchy any more!!! :D

Blighted:
FI3s still aren't good enough to pass next week. I worked on them loads today while I had the ice pretty much to myself, but LFI3s feel TERRIBLE! My body just wigs out.

Spining also hasn't been great lately. I've been having some trouble with my left boot being too loose in the heel, and it feels all wobbly when I set up for a one-foot or two-foot CCW spin. I got some insoles from the pro shop that my pro said would help, but I'm still wiggling around, which throws me off or puts me onto an inside edge. I think I'll try a bunga sleeve next because the doubled over toe-less sock hasn't been helping.

Of course, my right boot fits fine and I'm still having trouble doing CW spins as well. I keep doing a 3 turn as I'm starting the forward spin and then I wind up spinning on an RBI edge instead of an RFO edge. ARGH.

[batikat]

Originally posted by mikawendy
[BSpining also hasn't been great lately. I've been having some trouble with my left boot being too loose in the heel, and it feels all wobbly when I set up for a one-foot or two-foot CCW spin. I got some insoles from the pro shop that my pro said would help, but I'm still wiggling around, which throws me off or puts me onto an inside edge. I think I'll try a bunga sleeve next because the doubled over toe-less sock hasn't been helping.

Of course, my right boot fits fine and I'm still having trouble doing CW spins as well. I keep doing a 3 turn as I'm starting the forward spin and then I wind up spinning on an RBI edge instead of an RFO edge. ARGH. [/B]


You've got me confused here - you seem to be talking about forward spins but then complain about being on inside edge on the ccw spin but surely the correct edge IS an inside edge. and for the CW spin (learning to spin both directions is impressive!) the correct entry for a forward upright spin would be exactly whst you describe - a forward outside edge followed by a quick 3 turn to spin on an inside edge.

Or do you mean backspins which are on an outside edge???????? i.e. backspin entry is an inside 3 turn to spin on outside edge.

Blessed
Talking of backspins: I haven't had any lessons this week due to it being our ice panto week but messing about on the backstage ice in full victorian lady outfit I managed my best ever attempt at a backspin - lovely RFI 3 turn onto that outside edge and 1.5 rotations - well for me it is a breakthrough. Question is will i ever be able to do it again. it was our last performance tonight anf it has been great fun. learnt some new skill too - like how to skip over lengths of chain while on skates for our 'Chain Gang' routine

Also, an off-ice moment when the parent of a high level skater complimented me on my new Free Dance. This lady does not give out compliments lightly so it made my day!

Hope to be back to some lessons next week.

[twinkle]

I went to see Batikat's show this afternoon - it was great!

I would have preferred to have been skating but it was really good fun to watch and spot all the people I know.

It will be nice to skate on full size ice again, though I prefer skating with no glass around the barrier.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by twinkle
I went to see Batikat's show this afternoon - it was great!

Oh bother, I wish I'd known it was on; that would have been a rather better way of celebrating Robert's birthday than drowsing over rather bad television!

Originally posted by MelanieUK
Annabel, how do they cut the ice by hand?
I can't imagine our rink's engineers doing that!
They go over it with one of those scraper shovels, then spray water on it. That's how it was always done in the days before Zambonis were invented. The good side is that it is gradually removing the "hump" in the middle of the ice; the downside is that the ice around the edges is now very soft, and "automatic braking" occurs.....

Debbie - I do sympathise, hives is the horriblest thing.

Quarkiki, how frustrating having your test cancelled - hope you get to take it soon. And I shall look forward to those pictures!

[melanieuk]

(((Quarkiki)))
How off-putting to have your test not happen, when you've psyched up for it. What an anti-climax. Did you have to be all dressed up for it or could you skate it in ordinary skating clothes?

Blessed ....
are the backspins which have returned for a day!!!!!!
Well, half of them did. :roll:
You could've knocked me over with a feather when I did one, and realised I'd stayed on the BO edge and NOT on the back of the blade either. :D
I couldn't believe that I could do them.
:?: :?: :?: I still don't know what I'm doing differently.
I've not got a clue why I can get it right one day and not even close the next.

The good ones had 5 or 6 revs, and I got up to 7 with my foot crossed over and down beside my skating foot.
I think by this time, I was was thinking "Well make the most of it while it's here, and see if you can get everything to pull in without bottling out of it!" I had to make a conscious effort to pull in tight though, because the going faster freaks me out! 8O It felt really good to get the feeling back of being on the outside edge. If only I can keep the gift until my next skate on Wednesday.
:D

My lesson consisted of field moves.
They are such a PAIN to the confidence-challenged adult.
Anyway, I did 40 minutes of the blighters :twisted: which my coach was impressed with.
Pity she wasn't so impressed with the actual content! :(

Blighted
I nearly didn't do a lutz today.
None of the entries seemed right, so I didn't jump the first 2.
The next two, I two-footed them (yak).
I left the lutz for a while and went back to it and did one first time, which was fine, so I left it.
With this jump, when it works I leave it - when it doesn't work, I leave it! :roll:

[batikat]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by twinkle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would have preferred to have been skating but it was really good fun to watch and spot all the people I know.


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Bet you couldn't tell which skeleton was me with our masks on!!!! Glad you enjoyed the show though!

Annabel - sorry, I could have let you know when our show was on but thought it would be a long way for you to drag yourselves out - mind you would have got to see Clive Shorten do his backflips too - very impressive!

[flo]

Blessed: Got to meet Debbie and see Mika at the show this weekend. Thanks to you both!! It was a lot of fun, and I got my costume done in time! The program still isn't finished, so the last portion was a make it up as you skate, but it was fine. We had an open skate after the show, and it was nice to see everyone out there. I'm amazed at how far Mika and Debbie are after so little time on the ice.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by batikat
[QUOTE]Originally posted by twinkle
Annabel - sorry, I could have let you know when our show was on but thought it would be a long way for you to drag yourselves out - mind you would have got to see Clive Shorten do his backflips too - very impressive! Is he at Bracknell now, then? Last I heard, he was teaching at Alexandra Palace.....

[garyc254]

Since I'm still off the ice for rehab, hope nobody minds my living vicarously on my rinkside activities. :D

Blessed: I attended three Christmas ice shows at three different rinks this weekend.

I love watching all of the skaters perform, but really enjoy the very young ones. There was one darling little girl in a pink dress who couldn't have been more than 4 year old who swizzled and snowplowed through her number. She was a hoot. Her mom even bought her flowers (which were almost as tall as her).

Friday night's show was special as the final skater was a local girl, Kelsey Drewell, who is going to the U.S. National Champioships this year.

Saturday's show was exceptional as this particular rink has a skating program for the mentally challenged and they are always invited to perform in the show. A large group of them did a precision number that, while lacking polish, brought a tear to your eye for the hard work these children put in to make a decent and thoroughly enjoyable routine. They did marvelously.

Sunday's show was a treat for me as my girlfriend is the prez of the club and her daughter (16) skates and coaches there. Normally, the daughter is very cool toward me (it's been three years since I've been allowed to see her skate), but accepted my being there. :o She skated in two group routines, one solo, and with the precision team which she also coaches. I was exhausted just watching her skate. She invited me to go out to eat with them afterward. 8O :o :D

All in all, even though I'm not skating again yet, I had a terrific time around the ice this weekend.

One more Christmas show to go next Saturday!!!

[Yazmeen]

Blessed: Did a good job with my new program on Satuday night. A close buddy told me my waltz jump was "awesome" (yes, yes, YES!!!!--she laughed because I pumped my fist a little after I hit it) and coach was very pleased with my performance. She laughed about how relaxed I was after the half flip and I was looking up more and smiling more after I hit that move. Everyone skated well. You should have seen our little tot who braved the plush "hippo in a tutu costume" for "I want a hippopotamus for Xmas." She was 100% sugar cured HAM--what a cutie!!!! My buddies Anna and Barb skated wonderfully, hubby did great with the music--all in all it was a fabulous evening. Some naysayers thought our club would tank this year--HAH!!! We had SEVENTY skaters in this show, with 38 performances!!!! Keystone United Figure Skating Club--the phoenix that rose from the ashes!!! Whoo hoo!!!!

Blighted: One of our preteens fell on a jump in her group number and hit her left wrist--jury is out yet on fracture versus sprain and the xray was inconclusive. The sad thing is, her stepfather has terminal lung cancer and is very sick, her mom is stressed beyong belief trying to keep them going financially and take care of her husband---this poor kid and this family just didn't need this. A bunch of us are going to do the holiday shopping for them and take our skater out after Xmas for a day for her. Keep her and her family in your prayers, please. If anyone knows of a good research program working with metastatic lung cancer patients in the NY, PA or NJ area, please let me know.

Thanks and hugs,

Beth

[flo]

Yazmeen,
Check out the National Cancer Institute's web site. They will have the study descriptions and locations. Or look at clinicaltrials.gov
All the best to the family

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Yazmeen
Blighted:......The sad thing is, her stepfather has terminal lung cancer and is very sick, her mom is stressed beyong belief trying to keep them going financially and take care of her husband---this poor kid and this family just didn't need this. A bunch of us are going to do the holiday shopping for them and take our skater out after Xmas for a day for her.

Beth,

I haven't had a chance to do my Christmas good deed yet (gotta stay on Santa's "nice" list). PM me your mailing address and I'll drop a check in the mail for $ 20 to put toward their Christmas. It's not much, but in times of trouble, every little bit helps.

I'm proud of your club members for helping them out. Skating really is a community thing.

They'll be in my prayers.

Gary

[Yazmeen]

Gary: I'll let you know once we figure out what we're doing. I'm not sure if its donations or we're more giving our help to do something they simply don't have time for as I'm not truly clear on what is needed--I'll send you a PM once I know--and I appreciate your kindness very much.

Hugs,

Beth

By the by, how goes the recovery?

[jenlyon60]

Last lesson of the calendar year... coach is off to home for a week or so tomorrow morning.

Blessed:

of the things we worked on in my lesson, the closest to blessed were the forward power 3's. My turns are more consistently at the top of the lobe and I was holding the edges longer.

5-step mohawk is coming. For a simple little sequence, I have more memory problems with this silly sucker.

Blighted: (but fun) more of the Tango Romantica. Although I'm having fun learning it, I remain clueless as to why my coach decided to teach a senior international dance to a Pre-Silver skater. Oh well, if nothing else, I'll have more fun learning back 3's than doing them in the field or on that stupid line. And back twizzles and lots of other neat foot-tangling stuff.

--jsl

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Yazmeen
Gary:......By the by, how goes the recovery?

Slowly and painfully. I'm back to the doctor on Wednesday. I'll probably start PT next week.

As far as skating, I'm still begging him. :lol:

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Yazmeen
Gary: I'll let you know once we figure out what we're doing.

If nothing else you can put it toward the girl's skating club re-registration, a test or competition entrance fee, or a new skating dress for her. Sometimes it's those little things that can make a difference.

[batikat]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Is he at Bracknell now, then? Last I heard, he was teaching at Alexandra Palace.....

Annabel: Clive was just performing his routine to Robbies 'Let Me Entertain You' during our show interval with an extra backflip in the finale! We always have someone doing a high level routine in the interval and this year we also had Kira Geil and Andrew Smykowski (3rd I think in the dance championships in their category) and John Horne the Intermediate solo dance champion - all of whom do skate at Bracknell.

[The Ice Demon]

Ok About time I posted here

Blessed
Started flying camels yesterday and I actually landed a couple and got a few revolutions out of it. I have fiddled with them by myself on and off for ages but it was my first proper lesson on them.

Coach fixed my axel entry - I was swinging too much and bringing my right side through too soon. Now it is back to where it was - fully rotated but either landed two footed or on my backside - coach get's annoyed as it looks fine in the air and she can't figure out why I don't land it!!!

Boths camels worked well for my lesson.

I found out the reason I was having problems with my FO to BI 3s was because I was going too fast (as usual)!

Blighted
I could not do a single camel spin to save my life today!!!!!:x
They are still at that on again off again stage - i stuff up the timing.

Back spin entry is not great which causes the spin to be inconsistent - I can't seem to hold the open position to centre it, if i want to do one i have to pull in immediately which does not always work. Still more work needed on it.

Double sal still going up and splat.

Oh and my friend who has a stress fracture and has just taken 8 weeks off skating has been told it hasn't healed proprely yet as she was given wrong advice so she has to take another 6 weeks off ice totally!! I feel so bad for her.

:cry: :cry:

[sk8pics]

Hey everyone,
I haven't posted in a while, just plugging along, but I did have some things to report, so here goes...

Blessed: Toe loop is coming along and getting closer to being a real toe loop, and I can do it pretty comfortably in the middle of the rink or in my program, without freaking out. (Those of you who like to do your jumps close to the boards will understand this!) Half flip is also better. Coach is pushing me to do it away from the boards just about all the time and it's getting easier to do that. He also taught me a waltz-toe loop combination and I think I surprised both of us by doing 2 out of 3 the first time we worked on it.8-) It's helping my waltz jump since if I don't have a really solid landing, I can't do the toe loop. It's fun! He also started teaching me a half lutz and also the crossovers entry to a forward 1-foot spin 8O which I find kind of scary! It's so hard to resist the impulse to do a 3-turn immediately, but he wants me to hold the forward edge into it longer. I suppose it will come. But everything is fun!

Blighted Clockwise forward crossovers, ick. My coach is determined that I will improve them and I suppose they are getting better, but ick. Also alternating FO3's are coming along sloooowwwwlllly, but I'll get them eventually.

Beth--glad to hear you did so well in your show! That's great! Sorry to hear about the girl who was injured; hope she has a speedy recovery. I'd like to help her out, too, if you let me know what you all decide to do.

Gary--Hey, you're at Kelsey's rink? Or maybe I should say she's at your rink? Nice to see she came back and made nationals this year!

Happy skating everyone,
Pat

[JDC1]

Haven't posted much because of stress at work, we laid off 2 people, one I was close to and we are merging (actually being taken over) by another company so it's pretty stressy. Anyhoo

Saturday practice - Blessed - LANDED 3 more LOOPS!! I can get around 3 times on my back spin, my free leg is almost in the right position. Did a bunch of spirals and then got off the ice when I got too tired


Blighted - Fell really hard on the 4th loop attempt and decided to stop trying the loops. :-) .

Monday lesson -

Blessed - practiced jumps on left leg, decided to test the knee although I haven't seen the ortho for my second visit, got re-scheduled. Anyway, didn't forget the waltz and had some AWESOME toe loops, I could even feel they were big.

Blighted - the salchow was a sadcow, but by the end of lesson I understood that I was jumping like a milisecond too soon but not sure how to fix that. Loop was better on Saturday but I still landed two and took one hard fall so have lovely bruise on my right hip but I was wearing my knee pad so my knee didn't get whacked again.

FUNNY NEWS - Our coaches want us to be in the spring show in a group number, most of us are okay with it but not thrilled, none of us work on programs or do shows, it's not our thing, we just love to skate and not necessarily perform. However, if it would encourage more adults to skate we're happy to do it, our ranks are thinning at our rink. We'll mostly do brackets and foot work and maybe spirals, no jumps or anything like that. I dread having to do programs etc. but I want to test so I know it's inevitable.

[Mrs Redboots]

I'm not sure whether we are blessed or blighted at the moment - the day our new management took over, the Zamboni decided to quit, on a scale which looks like being permanent. This means that the ice is only cut once a day, by hand. Rumour had it last night that a new engine was to be delivered today, so let's hope so.

However, the upside of this is that the ice is getting better than it's been for ages - it had a large hill in the middle, so that you stood on the centre circle and glided slowly down to the barrier in each direction! Now that it is being cut by hand, this is gradually decreasing.

However, the fact that it is only cut once a day means that by teatime it is pretty slow, and, of course, we couldn't have it cut for our Dance Club's Christmas Party last night. For some reason, I misread the clock and arrived an hour early, and when the teatime session showed no signs of ending, assumed the evening had been called off and the e-mail telling me so had not arrived.... so went home in a huff, only to find it was 6.15 and I was now going to be late. The upside is that I'd forgotten all the Christmas cards so was able to pick them up.

Because the ice was so poor, they cancelled the evening session, and so we could stay on more or less as long as we liked. The only people who came to skate at 8.00 were those who had already paid for their learn-to-skate classes - most of whom strenuously resisted our invitation to "Come and learn the Dutch Waltz, it's a really easy dance, one of the first you learn!"

Robert and I did several dances together, including the Rhythm Blues, one of our competition dances, and also if we do a Variation test later this winter it will be that. And we both were trying very hard not to rush, and we discovered that both of us rush the two inside swing rolls! Deep sigh - will I ever learn to control an inside edge?

I had to work this morning, but Robert was at the rink - and passed his Level 3 compulsory dances! I'm not at all surprised, mind, but there was just a bit of doubt - his Riverside Rhumba is far from perfect. I haven't yet seen what the judges said about it, nor by how much he passed, but at least he has! Now he's caught up with me (I'm credited with Level 3, which is daft, as although I'd probably have passed if I tested this morning, I might well not have done). He is not going to be allowed to get more than one level ahead of me, though.....

[Blue Line]

Blessed -
This category will remain empty today

Blighted -
Ug. Anything. Everything. I doubt that I could think about skating today without finding a way to screw it up! Yes, I'm being melodramatic, but it was a frustrating day.

Normally, I get up at 5:45 for my lesson on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Needless to say, I was not pleased with myself when I rolled over and the clock said 7:15!

Jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth and was to the rink by 7:30. Coach, who normally doesn't come for my lesson until around 7:35, is nowhere to be seen. On the one day that I'm late, she's early? http://www.thehdtb.com/emoticons/banghead.gif

I practiced for the remaining half-hour of my lesson, but practiced fitfully. I was too annoyed with myself to put enough energy or effort into anything. http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/cwm/3dlil/sad.gif I went home dejected.

Attended my super-special-secret public skate at noon to get in a little more practice and begin to make up for the lesson I missed. Today, it was not super, nor special, nor secret. http://jeeptalk.org/crack/smilies/contrib/lynx/pinkmad.gif Too many people to do anything, including not getting run over. I gave up after a half-hour.

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/nopityA.gif Cry me a river, eh? I hope that Thursday is better. I need to get in some good skating before I get in some good celebratin'! http://smilies.crowd9.com/contrib/guus/kerstsmiley.gif

[sk8er1964]

Blue Line - sorry you had such a bad day, but love your icons!

Blessed -

Landed my first two double toes since 1981 - Woo Hoo!

:D :D :D :D :D :D

Hope to get started on my new program in my lesson tomorrow.

Blighted - it's hard for anything to be blighted today - I'm too happy about those doubles! :D

[Blue Line]

Originally posted by sk8er1964
Landed my first two double toes since 1981 - Woo Hoo!

http://mbpower.m4driving.sm/smilies/otn/party/party.gif
sk8er1964! Hurrah! I'm sure that we're all happy for you!

http://smilies.networkessence.net/s/contrib/ruinkai/biggrininvasion.gif

[batikat]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
but Robert was at the rink - and passed his Level 3 compulsory dances! .....

Congrats to Robert on passing level 3!!!!!!

me - I'm sticking to level 2 for a good many years to come.......

lesson today - first lesson for what seems like ages due to the panto. Unfortunately there was a large school party so our normally quiet ice was packed and we retreated behind the coned off area. Consequently I didn't get to finish the choreography of my Free Dance (though I ran through what I've done so far a few times in the hope I will still remember it after Christmas!). The main problem with it is that the music is quite slow so I have to skate really strongly to cover all the ice in fewer steps.

In the lesson we concentrated on jumps. I really need to get more height. I know I am not bending my knees enough but I just can't seem to change this. However I did do one really good toe loop and a pretty decent salchow. If I could just get over my fear of falling enough to really go for it I know I could improve much faster. My coach shakes my hand when I fall over as he says it shows I am really trying!!!

I would have to say it was all blessed though as although there are lots of things I still can't do and could certainly improve everything it is such FUN!!!!!!!

[melanieuk]

Congrats to Robert - I'm impressed. ;)
I'm on Level 3 (singles, figure) and I think it's a big jump from level 2.
Is it the same with dance?

Blighted
Maybe it's easier to say what wasn't blighted?

I'm glad I spent more time on the field moves on Monday because today with elite skaters already on the ice doing their jumps, I was unable to complete a single circuit. I get out of the way even when I don't have to. :roll:

Flip and loops ok, but the lutz got a big fat zero for non-attendance.
Each and every time I set up the entry (all I do is 3 crossovers counter-clockwise, and step onto RBO edge) it didn't feel right and I just wouldn't jump.
It was like riding a horse that comes to an abrupt halt at a jump. :?? Coach was getting mighty blighted with me.

I also had camel, camel-sit and backspins in my lesson.
Nothing too impressive there, although the backspin is not as invisible as it was last week.

Change foot sit spins: I did one or two with actual revs (well almost 3) but they probably look awful. :roll:

Six days off now - school hols and no ice time, unless I get up in middle of the night and scrape ice off my car for 15 minutes first, like I did this morning. Yak. 8O

[garyc254]

BLESSED, BLESSED, BLESSED:

Went to my ortho this morning for a followup on my rotator cuff repair.

Time to start some PT. Ouch, more pain.

Then, the obvious question: When can I skate?

His answer: "Well, you're a pretty good skater (little does HE know), so I guess you can start skating carefully."

YAHOOOOOOOOO!!!! :D :D :D Just in time for the rinks to close for the holidays. ;)

I'm back on the ice, CAREFULLY. My quads are jumping for joy!!!

[sk8er1964]

Yeah Gary!!! :D :D :D


Blighted AND Blasted:

Schools in the city that I skate at were closed today because of freezing rain last night (which was melted by 8:30 a.m. - my kid had school) so the adult-only lunch skate became a kids free-for-all. On the day that I have a lesson and was supposed to start my new program. Sigh. :(

There were a group of kids that were throwing stuff, sliding across the ice, and generally being 13 year old jerks. I talked to them twice, another adult talked to them, and finally the rink manager threated to throw them out. We cut my lesson short because there was no use trying stuff.

Bummer. :( :(

[garyc254]

Originally posted by sk8er1964
There were a group of kids that were throwing stuff

During the local Chrismas Ice Show I attended on Sunday, a young boy (around 6 years old and unattended by an adult) walked into the hockey box during a precision team performance and threw a black coat button about the size of a quarter onto the ice. Fortunately, the team's routine allowed them to miss the debris, but only by a couple of feet.

Also, I've seen fights in the stands at hockey games and speed skating competitions, but this was the first time I saw a fight during a Christmas ice show. A teenage boy threw a cup of nacho cheese onto the floor and seats in the stands. A man in the stands asked him to clean it up or go get someone to clean it up. The teen refused laughingly, so the man gave him an arguement, which led to a couple of shoves and punches. The rink manager finally stopped them and threw the teen out. I talked to the teens father after the show and he said "Oh well, boys will be boys". :evil:

[Mrs Redboots]

Well.... Gary, that's fantastic news, I'm so pleased for you!

Batikat, I'm not sure I like the idea of you skating strongly and covering lots of ice in your new free dance - don't forget, I'll be competing against you! :( :roll: You are apt to beat me anyway.....

Melanie, I'm not sure how big a leap Level 3 dance is; I know it's alleged to be - but I, who got the old Novice 5 years ago, am credited with Level 3, and okay, I might have passed it too had I tested it yesterday, but really, it's the first test session I could say that of. I was no better than a Level 1 skater all those years ago, yet I was credited, so who knows?

What I do know is that one judge had Robert .2 over passing, and the other .1, which is brilliant, especially as we are all agreed that he didn't skate as well as he was able.

Anyway, today's lesson/practice (it's only supposed to be a 30-minute lesson, but when he has no other pupils, I tend to get nearly an hour....). The ice was reasonable, given that it had been hand-cut (the Zam is still out of action, and they are saying Friday At The Earliest now). Inside edges a bit iffy, and I wasn't getting enough push. Figures went well, and I learnt the Serpentine, which he says I won't be able to do, but ought to practice to help my changes of edge. Which were dire - I haven't done them for 3 weeks, and it shows! Back edges much better, and I was on more-or-less the right bit of my blade, which helps. Have been told to work on all of those, AND my turns, AND my dances.....

Mainly, my problem is (a) fear and (b), which stems from it, not secure control. Well, we have all winter to work on it....

Lots of good news about the rink - it's being repainted PURPLE, of all things, which at least makes a change from that dreary magnolia. They are going to continue the system of paying at the door, even for patch ice, for now, but there will be more patches, INCLUDING TEATIMES AGAIN, Yaay!, and the day will be divided into more sessions. Anyway, I've renewed my season ticket, so I'll be okay for the next three months, and then we'll see. And by then the new management will have settled in and we'll know where we are. But the teachers seem pleased, which is good.

[singerskates]

blighted for time:
Was running late yesterday getting out of the house. Had to wait for my acting studying daughter (goes to an art school OAC grade 13 to take drama and media arts (film)) to be done eating her quick meal after just barely making it home from after school practice for Les Misrebles. That held both of us up time wise. She was 15 minutes late and I was 45 minutes late for my skating session. Normally, she has time to get back for her media arts class which starts at 6:30 pm. My skating session starts at 6:10 pm and ends at 7:30 pm on Tuesdays. Had to rush everything to fit it all in. Didn't get to run though my interpretive with music.

Blessed:
Very smooth waltz jumps.
Footwork is getting faster.


Discovered a new footwork pattern to use (well it's new to me):
from a RFI op mo put down the right foot and go on an inside wide egde and slowly spread right leg out farther while leaning to the left and then bring in the right leg just in time to lift it to do a double LBI3 and then do the same more two more times. Works great with slow music.
Found this when I was doing footwork from corner to corner diagonally. Might use it. Try it if you like. If you're a CW skater, reverse legs.

Brigitte

[Blue Line]

Blessed:
Stuck in the same ice storm as sk8er1964. Skated my way to an 8:00 final exam in ice smoother than they make at my rink! Excellent form (though oftentimes low confidence), and made it all the way to the lecture hall without falling! ;)

[dbny]

:!: :!: :!: Congratulations to Robert :!: :!: :!:

and

:!: :!: :!: Hooray, Gary :!: :!: :!:

Blessed:
For some reason, I just felt like a skater today. I finally attended a halfway decent public session with halfway decent ice, not cut, but at least no huge bumps or ridges.

RFO three is responding to repeated practice on a small lobe, pre-rotated. Coach and I agree that strengthening my stomach muscles will help with the alt three patterns, so it's 10 crunches a day until I can do more.

One foot spin got away from me last spring when I quit working on it. Now it's back and I know exactly where the right spot is every time. I'm not letting it go this time. I will spin every time I skate. I'm working on starting with the freeleg extended in front and bringing it in to passe position. Actually did it once today.

FI Mohawks are feeling a little better and I managed to do the five step Mohawk pattern once. I've been chickening out on the L for months now.

F power crossovers continue to feel pretty good. Had a little trouble with the step to inside edge on the R foot for a while, but it turned out to be just a matter of timing, and it's good again.

Blighted:
I don't want to go there today :roll:

[Debbie S]

Blighted:

I practiced yesterday and today (different rinks) and I'm not too much closer to being able to pass Freestyle 3 on Saturday. The 3-week layoff really set me back. I think the salchow and half lutz are good enough to pass, along with the crossovers and swing rolls, but my back spin and BI 3s just aren't there. I got up to 2 revs on the spin but I need 3, and when I try to cross my leg in front, I find myself tipping to the side. I can do the BI turn, but I've got no speed or glide on the forward edge, and my instructor told us he wanted to see that.

I guess it won't be the worst thing to retake the level, but I'm so bummed b/c I know if I'd had those extra weeks of practice (plus the lesson I had to miss), I'd be in much better shape.

Oh well - the one good thing about today is that I went to a freestyle session at another rink, where I usually don't go (it's flo's rink, actually), and the session was pretty empty - only about 8 or 9 people on the ice, and some were instructors. Everyone was pretty respectful, and no one had an attitude or acted like they owned a portion of the ice. Unfortunately, this rink seems to have permanent ruts and ridges in the ice, so my blades would occasionally get stuck. I had quite a few jarring takeoffs and landings.


Almost forgot: Congrats Gary on your return to the ice!
And congrats to Robert!

[flo]

Blessed: Had our rink Christmas party yesterday at the 11-1 public session. Lots of people came, even those who are not skating anymore. It was nice to see everyone, and it was a great session. I ran through my program, and it's getting there.

DebbieS: what session did you go to at NW? The rink does have it's own "charms" but it's home. It's a bit small, and I usually run into the walls after skating at Ice World, or on Olympic size ice!

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by Blue Line
Blessed:
Stuck in the same ice storm as sk8er1964. Skated my way to an 8:00 final exam in ice smoother than they make at my rink! Excellent form (though oftentimes low confidence), and made it all the way to the lecture hall without falling! ;)

Before I came back to skating, I didn't think people could be alive before 8:00 a.m. :lol: Hope your exam went well!

[JDC1]

Blessed - my edges, they have improved. I had fun just playing with 3 turns and holding edges and it felt so free and relaxed. My alernating 3's are much better the right side is still a tad wilder but better. DId a really nice and long catch foot spiral too.

BLighted - the loop. Tried one fell VERY hard on my hip and gave up. It seems this jump can only be done by me when my coach is standing nearby. :-)

[quarkiki2]

I didn't skate last night, but our club did have it's winter show. I helped for a while with music and, of course, watched and cheered on my fellow skaters. We're a pretty young club in terms that the rink has only been aroun maybe five years, but there were about 50 numbers and everyone did a great job.

The adult synchro team made their debut. I was interested in joining but was intimidated because I'm the newest (and most beginner) adult skater in the club, but I think I could easily keep up with what they're doing. Now, if they only practiced at a time when I could be there ...
Maybe next year? There's some talk of moving the rehearsal time.

I also cheered for an adult skater making her solo debut. She's a little younger than me and has been skating for a couple of years and vowed that when she got her scratch spin, she'd do a solo for the club. She's inspired me!

I think that watching the show made me feel better about my own skating in that I realize I don't look foolish out there in the ice and that I am progressing at a completely acceptable rate. And having fun!!! :)

[batikat]

Blessed: really quiet public session - just a few kids and hardly any of the usual adult crowd - must all be out Christmas shopping. I am always suprised to hear of those of you who are the only adult or one of a select few at your rinks as our adult skating is thriving. I am membership sec for our club and we have 50-60 adults who skate, of whom maybe 20-30 skate regularly. The main adult number in our panto had 26 skaters - (we did a fantastic wheel). :D but I digress!

Blighted: I have a real problem keeping my weight back on the blade and off the toepicks going backwards. This makes it hard to keep up speed and to do any of the back 3 turns. My coach had me try the inter-bronze field move with a BO3 to FI edge to mohawk. Well I eventually managed 1! This could take years!!!!!:roll:
I did make a special effort to try and keep my weight back when trying back swing rolls (without the forward swing) and at one point experienced doing it right when there was a huge surge of power and speed - now if only I could do it again.....

Blessed again: had lots of fun running through the first part of my Free Dance - it's not finished but we are getting there and I am happier with the first part now and with the speed with which I have to do the barrel roll and the mohawk into a spin. I reckon the secret is to not think about it but in the words of NIKE 'just do it'. If I think about it, it is terrifying and I chicken out. I also have an 'interesting ' back spiral move which I love. I plan to make my own dress to perform this in but whether I will ever find the time to do this I don't know.

No more lessons now til after the New Year so I will wish everyone a Happy New Year! and to those who celebrate it - A Merry Christmas!

[Mrs Redboots]

Two hours on the ice this morning, only I got tired and came off slightly before that. I suppose I was on the ice for about 1.5 hours in all - it was all a bit Christmassy and I kept getting interrupted!

Blessed: My FI 8s seem to have improved dramatically - they were coming back to the centre all by themselves, it seemed, and I was having a lovely time with them. The FO8s were better, too. My changes-of-edge were mostly okay - I'm good enough at them now that I can "feel" when they are flat, and I only did one bad flat in the whole practice of them. FI swing rolls went well; can't remember if I did FO ones, but I expect so. I know I did forwards cross-rolls, and they were okay, but I couldn't remember which side I needed to exaggerate.... Of the edges spiralling in, the worst, of course were the backwards ones, but I did manage to hold them for a bit. Managed to get some very nice long back edges (I have the same trouble with them as Batikat does), but they are not my strongest point. Did FO3s round the circle in both directions until I was dizzy - no problems there, and I think they are a lot faster than they used to be.

Blighted: The ice is still being hand-cut, but I think the new engine was delivered at lunch-time, so there is hope. My FI3s are still utterly appalling - I canNOT do this move! I can do a FI3, but only by pushing straight into it - if I push a FI edge and then try to turn, I have to put my free foot down, so frustrating. Same with Mohawks. I tried and tried today but got no further forwards. Grrrr.

Serpentine figures were most peculiar, I kept getting lost.... but they did help my changes of edge, all the same.

Blessed, again: It was the "Rinklers" Christmas Lunch (i.e. the adult skaters from our rink, many of whom either have, or do, or will skate in our adult show number, and our team is called Roland's Rinklers (after the coach) or Streatham Rinklers. Anyway, it was the Christmas lunch, which was nice, and went on a very long time. If I hadn't had about 1/2 glass of wine more than was good for me, and if the Zamboni had been working, I might have skated the teatime session - some of our number were going to! One even had a lesson booked.... But I thought I'd drunk too much to make skating very safe - as I said to my coach, who'd arrived by then, I'd be seeing triple if I tried to do figures....

[MissIndigo]

Originally posted by JDC1

Blighted - the loop. Tried one fell VERY hard on my hip and gave up. It seems this jump can only be done by me when my coach is standing nearby. :-)

*MissIndigo nods head in understanding*

So true. So very, very true. :lol:

Blighted...ice is still kind of choppy, but not nearly as bad as it was when the rink opened back up for the rest of the winter. Also when practicing my MITF I felt like my left knee was going to collapse under me when doing my forward power stroking. My holiday break will be spent strengthening those muscles.

Blessed...my layback spin is continuing to improve. I did one that went around maybe 5, 6 revs. I'm actually able to rise out of them now without feeling too dizzy! Camel spins still good...forward fast scratch spins good too. Coach has me pulling in arms and raising them before bringing in free leg, making for a fast, centered spin that just feels awesome. I do feel truly blessed that I have such natural centering.

I will have the nerve to start practicing the harder jumps again after Christmas. My pads from SkatingSafe came in, and I can tell an increase in confidence even on something as mundane as a waltz jump. One of my goals for the coming year is to get my jumps up to where my spins are, and start on-ice axels.

My spreadeagle is coming back and I'm getting better flexibility in my hamstrings as a result of those camels.:) Maybe this will be the year I get my spirals back too! Even the leg I had the injury with isn't bothering me as much anymore.

[jazzpants]

First thing... Congrats to Robert again on his passing his test! And HOORAY to Gary!!! I'll bet your quads are happy

My first lesson post in a while... This one's for last Wed. with my primary coach...last lesson of 2002 with him!

Blessed:
Nothing Blessed... except that this lesson is over. YAK!!! :(

Blighted:
Blighted Edges and 3-turns. That's all I worked on this morning. And unfortunately it's because this morning I could not feel my LFO edge to save my life. There goes the 3... :( We essentially found that I have a hard time going on a deep enough outside edge on my left foot. (I've already had my skate guy look at it and he thinks if anything, my RIGHT blade is a bit off... Weird...)

My homework assignment is to do circles on the FO edge. The other assignment is to make sure that my LFO3 comes mostly from my knee/leg and not my shoulders!!!

[jazzpants]

This one's for yesterday with my moves coach and secondary coach...last lesson of 2002 with those two!

Blessed:
My other jumps (waltz, toe loop, sals) are getting better...good enough where my secondary FS coach is drilling me on all SORTS of jump combos! :D

Backspin: Well, the entrance according to my secondary FS coach is fine. Just that I can't get myself afterwards to STAY on my BO edge. She made some adjustments to my arm position. So far no luck... but hopeful.

Moves: Forward alt crossovers from Pre-juv/Bronze Moves... not too shabby! :D

Blighted:
Blighted Edges and 3-turns did NOT return and neither did my power 3's. What the #@&@$ happened to them!?!?!

Back crossovers are crappy!!!

5 step mohawk: decided to go back to the ol' Indian reservations!!! :-P

Loop didn't come back! None of them landed on one foot. :cry:

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by jazzpants
Blighted:
Blighted Edges and 3-turns. That's all I worked on this morning. I thought you were one of those who agreed that one can't work them enough?
My homework assignment is to do circles on the FO edge.Me too.... shall we compare notes sometime?

[Debbie S]

Well, I passed my test today - yay!!! The instructor was very nice and let us have several chances to do each skill. MY BI turns weren't great, but after a few tries, I was able to glide out on the FO edge on one side - the other side was a bit more abrupt. I got 2 revs on may back spin - I was actually surprised w/ how smoothly I could spin - I basically told myself to just whirl myself around, keep my shoulders straight, and just spin, and lo and behold, I think it worked. I really needed 3 revs, but my instructor said it was OK as long as I was spinning on the outside edge. I guess he was in a charitable mood. :)

My jumps were OK - salchow was a bit lurchy, but I basically willed myself to NOT touch my free foot down after the FO turn. I also noticed, on the half lutz, that I may be a flutzer - considering the way I've defended criticism against Sarah Hughes and Sasha Cohen for their flutzing, I better solve my technique problems.

I wonder if I'm the kind of person that does better in performance than practice - I guess that's a good thing if I ever decide to compete.

Anyway, it's on to Freestyle 4, where I can tackle the next dimension in terror - the loop jump and the sit spin. We're also slated to learn FO mohawks and power 3s.

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Debbie S
Well, I passed my test today - yay!!!

YOU GO, GIRL!!!!!!:D :D :D

One more step up!!!!

[garyc254]

Originally posted by quarkiki2
The adult synchro team made their debut. I was interested in joining but was intimidated because I'm the newest (and most beginner) adult skater in the club, but I think I could easily keep up with what they're doing.

Depending on how difficult their moves are, sometimes the best time to join is when they are changing routines. Before I found out I was going to have to have surgery, I planned on joining my girlfriends synchro team when they started learning their new short program. That way, we were all on the same page at the same time. I would let them continue to compete their long program without me until they changed it.

Maybe next year. :lol:

[jazzpants]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
I thought you were one of those who agreed that one can't work them enough? Doesn't mean mine are any good! :P

But... I need them. I want to make my skating look fairly decent to good before I go back and do a program again. It's needed to pass Adult Bronze.

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
Me too.... shall we compare notes sometime?
Sure. So far i can't do them on either foot, but my RFO edge are better than my LFO edge...and that edge has been killing me on a lot of things from 3turns to even backspins. :evil: