Graceful/Clunky Lessons + Practices 26thJan-1stFeb

[icenut84]

This is for yesterday morning.

Graceful:

Alternating FO3s with crossover much better - a strong check of the arms really helps to get the BI-FO step. Still a bit scratchy, but getting there. Fun new step sequence with mohawks and edge changes.

Spent most of the session working on spins, both directions, on both 1 foot and 2 feet, and from different entrances. The 1 foot ones from standstill were best, and the anti-clockwise ones (my usual direction is clockwise) were still a little better than my normal way, more stable and felt easier. My coach was kind of amused, shaking her head. It's the second time in something like a week that someone has done that! It's weird though because I always feel more comfortable going CW, but my cw spin is of a lower quality than the other way. It might be simply because I am left-footed. It's weird though.

I was practicing stuff before my freestyle lesson, and decided to try the BO3-mohawk sequence I've seen skaters do on TV. I showed my coach and she said it was good, watched me do the other direction aswell, and showed me what it's like when it's done really fast. Wow!!! :D I'm SOOO gonna practice that, I really want to be able to do it that fast... She also said it's on quite a high up test (inter-bronze, bronze, something like that?) I've never done field moves before, so she showed me some others to practice aswell: FO-BI double 3s, changing foot and doing them on the other foot, then the other foot again etc, going in a line down the ice; FI-BO double 3s in the same way, changing foot and doing them on the other side and changing sides like that, in a line down the ice; sequence when you do FO3, change foot, BO3, FI3, BO edge, step to FO and continue etc. Fun!! I can't remember if there were any others.

Dance lesson was good, we went over 14-step, British (prelim) waltz, Swing dance, Canadian cha-cha.

All turns pretty good, bunny hops nice :) , BI pivots good, waltz jumps fine. (Didn't really do any other jumps.)

Clunky:

Had a dodgy moment on the dance interval during one of the dances (canasta tango i think? Can't really remember which one). I was skating the pattern and one of the coaches was doing a different tango with someone, and we got a bit too close, and he whistled at me and carried on while I had to get out of the way!! Am I wrong in thinking it was a bit rude? He's always like that with people though. A lot of people don't like him. He actually cut me off about 3 times during the morning when I was practicing. Grr.

Caught the back of my skating heel as I started a spin, bit of a dicey moment! I saved myself though, lol

[Mrs Redboots]

Our coach had swapped round the lessons as his very-early-morning crowd weren't coming in - but my skates were locked in the pros' room until he arrived, so I missed the first half hour of practice! Although the ice had been cut, it made ominous booming noises and was very hard! The child who was skating when we arrived had scared herself silly, but then Robert, who is heavier, got on and skated round and got the booms out of it. I think he likes them.....

We worked on swing rolls and chasses, as usual, and through the end pattern of the Swing Dance - it's coming along now, but not so good when we did it to the music. We also had to do runs round the circle in both directions, figure 8s, in Kilian and Reverse Kilian hold, which I also hate, but did better than before!

I do wish I could push better - everybody tells me I don't push "enough", but I don't think I really know how.....

[nutty-ducky]

i have got my new boots now that actually fit!!!! yippee! :D i'm so happy! all i need to do now is wait for the blades! :( how do i break in new boots?
anyway this is how my lesson went this morning:
graceful:
i ran through my novice field moves. i feel over doing my spirals! :x but i tried it again and apparently my weaker leg was higher than my strong leg! :D the rest of my field moves are ok.
my 3-jump is coming along really well. i can get really good height now! just need to hold the back edge for longer.
the inside 3 turns were good today but i was going so fast i found it hard to stay steady! but they are good!
my coach wants me to start to work on the loop. i have to do a push on the left leg, with the left arm forward and the right arm back, then do a right inside 3-turn and bring the left leg forward. i think i will maybe be able to try the jump bit in my lesson next week.

clunky:
tried the salchow and i couldnt get any height on it. i found it hard today, but thats because it isnt consistent. i should try to get the height more and work on it more.
i was doing power backward crossovers and fell over a couple of times because i caught my blades. i should work on them more. but they do feel alot better.

[sk8er1964]

Graceful:

New program's coming along. It's really going to be a good one once I get comfortable with it.

Clunky:

We have my lesson scheduled for a freestyle session, which is followed by open adult skate. I don't like to skate the Friday open adult skate because it is full of dancers and slow beginners, and it is pretty much impossible for me to get a good practice in because, being the one with the best reflexes, I am always looking out for where the slow skaters are. So we chose the freestyle ice for my lesson because the dancers and beginners aren't there....except for yesterday.

There was one particular group that insisted on standing around exactly where my coach and I were having our lesson. We moved, they moved. Then thay complained that I skated too fast and scared them. That really got my goat, because 1 - they shouldn't have been on the freestyle ice to begin with and 2 - everyone in our area knows (or should know shortly after the first time they step on figure skating ice) that programs have first right-of-way, lessons second, then everyone else. These people are not the beginners who don't know any better - they are all seasoned skaters skating on freestyle ice with, supposedly, freestyle rules. They usually keep out of the way of the other, lower-level skaters having lessons. I'm not the first higher-level skater that has had a problem with this group - I've talked to others that left the club because of them.

Anyway, my time, my money and my coach's time were wasted because this group decided that they own the ice. :twisted: . Am I wrong in being upset?

[melanieuk]

nutty-ducky ....this might help....
Breaking in Boots (http://home.achilles.net/~cmacd/skating/boots.html)
OR
another helpful link (http://figureskating.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Break_New_Skates0962934825.htm)


Rachel ,,, the Bo3s with mohawks are what I've been working on for a year now! My awkward way on the RBO3s with mohawks is truly scary at times! 8O
I can do loops from them, but I need to work on getting them in a straighter line. The loop is never as good for me doing it this way. Very challenging, but satisfying when you can squeeze one out of it!!

I'd love to be able to do double BO3s into loop...

Love the Clunky title! :)

[nutty-ducky]

thanks melanieuk for the links! they are very interesting and helpful! :D

[dobiesk8r]

I haven't posted on this thread for a while because my efforts in
the new Klingbeils/gold seals were too pathetic!

Clunky - left outside mohawk on the 8-step. I feel so strange
doing it, and I hesitate and switch to an inside edge. Nowhere
near passing.

Not as clunky as before, but far from graceful - threes in the
field, slide chasse, CW 8 step mohawk. Still in progress, but
showing small, hopeful signs of improvement.

Not quite graceful, but decent - forward and back cross strokes.
I'm starting to get the hang of these, particularly the back ones.

Graceful - spins. Finally found the right spot on these blades
in the last couple of weeks. I've begun to get the flying camel
and flying back sit and my backspin is getting faster.

Haven't worked much on jumps because....well, just because.
And I'm not testing anything until the summer. It's just been
much too cold and the old muscles take a long time to warm
up. But I think I'll give Silver moves a shot this summer,
since I seem to test well when I can power walk outside and
just jump onto the ice.

[Debbie S]

At yesterday's lesson, we worked on forward power 3's, loop jumps, and sit spins. Here's a rundown:

Graceful - Power 3's were good. My instructor wanted us to work on getting more power and speed through bigger pushes. We worked on that for a while and it is coming along.

Saw mikawendy and she showed me some stretches to improve my spirals. Thanks, Mika!

Clunky - Loop and jump and sit spin. Sigh. I've basically resigned myself to having to repeat Freestyle 4. I guess it's not such a bad thing, but it will be the first level I've had to repeat. I know I should just not worry about not getting something as quickly as I'd like, but what can I say? I'm a perfectionist. Anyway, besides a loop jump, I also need to do a waltz-loop combo and since I can't even do a solo loop, my chances of getting the combo in the next 2 weeks aren't good.

The instructor had us staying in the crossed-over position and turning until we were facing forward, and then jumping up, just to get the timing of it. Then, the next step was to do the half turn, which I'm embarassed to say was a challenge. I wonder if part of it is a lack of leg strength/conditioning. Which is one of the reasons I plan to hit the gym this week. Maybe it will also help my sit spins, where I can't seem to maintain more than 1 rev.

[AstarZ41]

*Graceful*
Yesterday was the first lesson of the new session. No skaters from the previous session were there and we have two new skaters. I also have my old coach now. During the warm up we just stroked around the rink and I felt really steady. :) Then my coach had us do one foot glides, swizzles etc... She took a long time to explain how to do everything, all the basics so I just stood there going through the motions.. While doing scooter pushes on the circle I look more into the circle now...but otherwise it was easy zzz The only somewhat challenging thing was when she showed me how to do this big half swizzle while really bending over and almost touching your skate with your hand.

*Clunky*
I miss my previous coach *snif snif* We really got along and she had me do a new challenging move almost every lesson just for fun to get my mind off back crossovers and stuff. The coach I have for this session is very nice also, I've had her b4, but she usually spends a lot of time on the basics which is very good but it's also fun to learn new little things...I guess I won't be learning the spiral anymore any time soon... :( The two new people in my group just started taking lessons so they're learning things I can already do, and I hope that my coach won't make me go through all that again... She said something like this will really help you get into crossovers which we won't start for a while...I was like uhh I already do those pretty good and I'm working on getting my back crossovers nice and easy.. Yeah..well I hope she will separate us during the next lessons and have us do different moves. Ahh that was long!! :lol:

[sk8ndancr]

Mrs. Redboots, re not being able to push enough... Make very sure that after you rise up and bring the free leg in, that you rebend and stay over that foot while you are pushing. If you transfer to the new foot too soon, you will lose power. My coach told me to pretend I am a suit of clothes hanging on a coat hangar while I rebend; (just sink down in place), then think of putting that knee between that same hip and ankle while staying down and pushing. It sounds funny, but it really helped me. Let me know how it goes!

[singerskates]

Graceful:

Canasta Tango
Baby Blues
Waltz jumps in and out of program
Stroking
Half flip/waltz combo Getting nice height on both jumps.

In between Graceful and Clunky:

Fiesta Tango (sometimes forgetting to push harder on back strokes and sometimes to position my right arm back and look back behind me while doing backstrokes to set up changing to forward so I don't loose speed.)
Salchow in and out of program
Toe Loop in and out of program
Spins in program (they were the only ones I tried because I ate like a pig at East Side Marios before skating and wanted to keep the food down. So I kept spinning down to a minimum and slowed down my rotations on purpose.)
Footwork sequence in US interpretive (need to make sure I'm skating on one foot and to turn in both directions- tried RFO to LB toe pick back to RBI to LFO to RB toe pick to LBI step RFI to do RFI op MO to back snowman into RBI double 3 to back snowman LBI double 3 to RFI to RFI Op MO to do Salchow. I had a slow start at first. Just need to get use to turning both ways. This gets me from one corner to the other diagonally. Before I was doing my footwork in only the CCW direction and now I have it going both CCW and CW.)

Clunky:

Tried loop jump on ice three times and just couldn't turn it all the way. Need much more time spent on this.

Flip- not getting the left leg to bend enough, freeleg coming in at wrong time and not bring in my arms to get the snap to finish the rotation.

Brigitte

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by sk8ndancr
Mrs. Redboots, re not being able to push enough... Make very sure that after you rise up and bring the free leg in, that you rebend and stay over that foot while you are pushing. If you transfer to the new foot too soon, you will lose power. My coach told me to pretend I am a suit of clothes hanging on a coat hangar while I rebend; (just sink down in place), then think of putting that knee between that same hip and ankle while staying down and pushing. It sounds funny, but it really helped me. Let me know how it goes! Thanks, will do. It's largely fear, of course.... but also technique, too.

Forgot to mention the funniest part of yesterday's skating, which had me giggling about it whenever I thought of it all day - we were doing runs (progressives) in reverse kilian hold clockwise round the hockey circle, and I was counting aloud to keep us in time. At least, I thought I was, but what I was saying was "Left, right, left, right", and, according to both husband and coach, what I was skating was "Right, left, right, left".... no wonder my poor husband was muddled!

[melanieuk]

Annabel I'm always getting my left and right muddled up. I say left when I mean right, even though I know which is which!

After the weekend nightshift and having the cold, I didn't think I'd be up to much today, but I must be having a confidence spurt or something (or maybe watching Euros has inspired me) because I felt as though I could try anything (except axel of course, although I might've if I'd been asked to :roll: ) :)

I am literally trying not to be clunky. Sometimes I land heavily and I'm guilty for scratching, when I could do something about it ( a bit more knee bend!)

The ice was a bit iffy...think the management is trying to save money by not cutting the ice so often.
Hope they don't get sued for injury due to scabby ice. ;)

In my lesson I asked how to get from the half loop to the 3turn without coming to dead stop. I have to sort of "jumphop" and turn first before I pick. :?? It wasn't working but I'm determined to get it.

The first backspin went right onto inside edge. The 2nd one coach said looked fast enough with plenty revs and in correct position - I did it half a rink away from her though!

Lutzes are more consistent now - couple of weeks ago I was bailing out before jumping! :!:

I've to take music in on Wednesday...

[DancinDiva]

Graceful: Well, as I only had my third lesson I don't think I'm terribly graceful yet, but I stay on my feet for the most part. My right foward crossovers are pretty smooth, and the left is coming along nicely. I'm getting faster at going backwards, but I'm not sure how nice it looks right now.

Clunky: My skates are so new and still so stiff, I'm having a hard time bendingmy ankles and knees as much as I ought to. And I took a nasty spill trying to avoid a three year old who had strayed from her designated practice area. It's so frustrating being an adult (a beginner, but an adult no less) and having to have lessons at the same time as all the little kids. They don't stay in their areas and are a real hazard to others!

While I'm still having fun, I'm getting a bit discouraged. The other adults in my class are not beginners (why are they in the adult beginner class?????), and the instructor spends a lot of time with them doing three turns and brackets and stuff, while I'm stuck doing stupid crossovers around the hockey circle all by myself for almost the entire half hour. Tonight, he spent maybe two minutes with me, out of a half hour! And after three lessons, shouldn't I be able to do more than just foward crossovers? ARRGGGG! I'm so frustrated!

[singerskates]

Too Graceful:

While suppose to be helping teach CanSkate I mistook what my coach wanted me to get the kids to do and tried to get them to do alternating outside forward edges on curves. LOL I then found out that all they had to do was follow the pattern that weaved in and out like alternating edges do by skating it and picking up alternating feet on a curve. LOL I felt so stupid. They weren't suppose to learn alternating outside forward edges. LOL It was only stage 3 CanSkate. LOL

Graceful:
waltz jump
toe loop
sometimes remembering to change directions in diagonal staightline foot work.
Half flip/waltz combo (a few times if I had brought in my arms and snapped my right hip into it, I could have done a flip. The half flips were getting high.)

Clunky:
Loops, not a loop night. I just didn't get off the ice for these, did some nice RFI3 though.
Salchows sometimes didn't get up but did get around and half the time I didn't check hard enough. They are slowly getting more reliable.
Diagonal staightline footwork, either I was getting cut off my other skaters or I forgot to change directions from CCW to CW and back half the time. But at least it's not like yesterday when I was told by my coach that I need to be going in both directions for the footwork to count.
RBIdouble3's, sometimes the body was lined up right to do them and sometimes not.

Big Clunky:
The rink was super, super super cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like 8 F inside the rink. It was way warmer outside.

Brigitte

[dbny]

This isn't about practice or my lesson, but I have to tell that my new little student brought me a beautiful hand made card on Sunday, with a drawing inside of her skating.

I've been debating when to switch from my Majestic blades to my new Cor Aces. My concern has been that the toe pick is lower on the Aces. Well, I took one of the Aces out and compared it to the Majestics on my boots now, and found that the Majestics have been sharpened enough that the picks on the Aces are actually higher. I'm definitely doing this sometime in the next two weeks, when I'll need another sharpening anyway.

Graceful
Alt FO threes are better with extended freeleg. Still have problems with check, but the turns themselves are smoother and I have more confidence on them.

Alt FI threes are improving. Still doing them two footed, but just barely using other foot for security. Coach says check is good, and I can tell extension after is good.

B cross strokes are flowing nicely, but still need deeper edges.

Managed another couple of spins from wind up! These are definitely happening.

Clunky
My arms are discombobulated on waltz jump. Why??? I used to be able to do this on roller skates and on land. I think I'm just letting my fear get the better of me.

[batikat]

Originally posted by DancinDiva


While I'm still having fun, I'm getting a bit discouraged. The other adults in my class are not beginners (why are they in the adult beginner class?????), and the instructor spends a lot of time with them doing three turns and brackets and stuff, while I'm stuck doing stupid crossovers around the hockey circle all by myself for almost the entire half hour. Tonight, he spent maybe two minutes with me, out of a half hour! And after three lessons, shouldn't I be able to do more than just foward crossovers? ARRGGGG! I'm so frustrated!

Just wondering how many are in your class and whether the adults are taught seperately from the kids - which probably means there are not enough of them to have separate classes for the different levels.
For comparison I learned on standard rink courses alongside kids. There was 20 in my beginners course (made the mistake of starting after Christmas when lots of people get the same idea having seen the ice panto) and because I picked stuff up pretty quick I doubt I got more than a minutes personal attention in any lesson ever.

The way I looked at it; the courses were there to show me how to do something and give me goals (The rink gave everyone a card which set out what they needed to achieve to pass to the next level and these skills were tested on the last session of each 6 or 10 week course). Perhaps your rink has something similar which at least gives you a feel for what you will be learning and shows how you are expected to progress. Unfortunately if you really want to progress more quickly the only way is to take private lessons so you can be working at your own pace.

On the other hand don't knock the practice time. There is a huge difference in skating between being able to do an element and being able to do it WELL. The only thing that can achieve this difference is practice and being in the lesson forces you to practice. Crossovers in particular are fundamental to all skating and there is never a point at which you cannot improve them in them some way - more knee bend, deeper edge, more power, more lean, better extension, pushing on both strokes, etc. etc.

It is also possible that while the coach spent more time with those other beginners this week, he may make up that time with you next week. If you are not happy though then ask the coach if this is the case.

Also - get to know the others in your group and maybe they will be willing to show you some of the things they have learned and practice with you afterwards. For me this was part of the fun as we had public ice time after to practice and chat!

Don't get discouraged and remember that soon it will be you who is doing the 3 turns and some other beginner who is starting on crossovers.

Hope things go well and have lots of fun!

[flo]

Clunky: Ouch - hurt my back doing something wierd. It may have been lifting my dog ( I have to carry her down the spiral stairs) or perhaps something strange on the ice. I'm waiting for a PT appointment, and to see if I can skate this weekend!

[tidesong]

Graceful
My first almost perfect program run through today!!!! I am so happy. I landed all my jumps clean and did all my spins and only botched up some connecting steps... totally missed them just crossovered my way through :p I couldn't believe it when my axel just landed itself in the middle, my legs didn't give way the way they usually do whoo hoo!!! :)
Ok, I didn't try for the double salchow... chickened out and did a single, but its still my best program to date

I got back my forward camel jump back camel jump forward sit spin combination... so happy today...

Clunky
I should try my double salchow more often in my program... Actually... is it advisable to put a jump that the best landing you get is two footed with the free leg crossed in front? Has anyone done something like this before? Will the deduction I get be more than if I just did a clean single?

I still scratch my crossovers when I'm nervous...eek

[garyc254]

Originally posted by DancinDiva
While I'm still having fun, I'm getting a bit discouraged. The other adults in my class are not beginners (why are they in the adult beginner class?????), and the instructor spends a lot of time with them...

I'm in an intermediate adult group lesson, but we have a couple of beginners in our group. There weren't enough that signed up to justify separate classes. It's a tough situation for the coach as she must constantly try to watch both groups (beginners and intermediates), make corrections, and keep it interesting.

I thought I was going to go bonkers last night continuously doing back crossover, back inside mohawk, front crossover, front inside three turn, repeat. The coach was working with the true beginners mostly and the rest of us were wearing the ice down repeating this sequence over and over and over. Still, it was good practice and my three turns are improving.

Ask your coach for something new and challenging. The coach may not know of your frustration unless you tell him.

GRACEFUL: Yes, my three turns are improving. Also, thanks to my rotator cuff surgery last November, I can now hold my arms out while skating. My old coach even congratulated me when she saw my arms up (the first time she's seen that in almost a year).

CLUNKY: I'm not sure if it's because I was off the ice for a while recovering or if I'm doing something different, but my right hip starts aching after about an hour. It's still hurting this morning.

[Mrs Redboots]

Clunky Either I've done something to my hip, or I'm getting arthritis, as I've been very achey these past two days. I hope it's not arthritis! Not bad enough to be unable to dance, thankfully, and went to dance club last night (I do hate going because it is dark and cold, and the buses, with the out-of-town traffic in the rush hour, are packed out; the journey is totally nightmarish. I like being there, though).
Did a dreadful Festival Quickstep with my husband; he forgot what dance he was doing half-way through. And the Willow was awful, too - I simply can't get the 3-turn in the right place, but I suspect it's also because he's not tracking properly. If I do it solo, slowly, I get it with no problems, but given my usual inability to turn at speed, I do have to keep it slow. Did a solo Foxtrot which covered no ice at all! I'd love to do it with a partner, but Robert, again, still hasn't learnt the partnering for this dance very well, and the other bloke I'd do it with is terrified of falling (he is of an age that a broken hip would be disastrous), and while I'm 75% sure I wouldn't bring him down, it's still too much of a risk - I'm so apt to trip over my own toe-rake when doing the back cross-roll.

Graceful: Danced reasonably well apart from that; am trying very hard not to rush things, and to keep my extension back as far as it will go. We had a beginner join us last night, which was lovely - it's great to see people learning their first dances and realising what a totally addictive sport this is! Given that she has yet to finish her Skate UK classes, never mind the Star classes (allegedly intermediate between the Skate UK and the elite tests), I thought she did extremely well.

[JDC1]

Haven't posted much because work has been insane!!

Graceful - I learned the Dutch Waltz last night. Had fun! I really enjoy doing swing rolls and progressives! I actually did it all by myself at the end of the lesson and only made one boo boo. I really like the speed and the feeling of flying. Made some minor improvements on the back spin, I let my left leg trail and then just sort of curled up on it, didn't spin much but it felt more controlled and less mysterious than usual.

Clunky - in the group lesson we worked on loops because we all hate them. I don't understand why I can't get all the way around, I have really strong legs but I rarely land this jump. All of my spins are fast but out control, does anyone else have this problem?

[jenlyon60]

They finally figured out what the problem with the heating was! (It has been COLD COLD COLD in the upstairs rink...)

Turns out that a big vent to the outdoors was frozen open. So we were getting a direct feed of air averaging 15 degrees F. into the rink area. Hopefully they've got it fixed and it will be better tomorrow.

Worked mostly on Willow Waltz today...it's slowly returning and I'm noticing the bleed-over between parts of the Willow and parts of the Adult Bronze/Prelim/PreJuv MITF.

--jsl

[Debbie S]

Originally posted by JDC1
I don't understand why I can't get all the way around, I have really strong legs but I rarely land this jump. All of my spins are fast but out control, does anyone else have this problem?

I have the same problems! Although I don't think my spins are particularly fast, just out of control. :)

We should start a support group - The Loop-less, or something.

[JDC1]

I like that! To some people this jump is a no brainer but for me it's just too much to remember!!

I have no idea why but I spin WAY too fast. I thought it was because I was whipping into my spins but I'm not. I try to slow down but it doesn't work. I want to spin slower so I can feel more control and cross my leg, maybe it's because my spins not balanced right, I'm not on the sweet spot.

[flo]

The loop can be a really strange feeling jump because it's the first one where you take of and land on the same foot. There's no toe assist, and it's really a full rotation jump from your take off edge and land back on your take off edge.

[batikat]

I'm applying to join the Loop-less group!

Tried it in my lesson today and I am definitely Loop-less.
I think I have an idea of my main problem - a total inability to hold on to the back outside edge long enough to let it start the rotation. Plus the inability to actually jump UP (this is common to all my jumps - my coach is always telling me that it's not length I should be going for but height. I KNOW this but can't DO it).
However my coach is confident I will have it by the summer - mind he didn't actually say which summer!!!!

Graceful: My 3 jump - I can get height on this now and had a nice rhythm and flow going today.

Clunky : toe-loop and salchow. I have trouble kicking into the ice on the toe-loop - I tend to give it a little tap and then can't get the weight back onto it for the take -off. I HAVE done it so I know I CAN do it but it's certainly not consistent. On the salchow I have trouble hitting the exact take-off spot and either go too early or too late. It's a great feeling when you get it right though.

In -between : spins - the good thing about these is that I can get 6 rotations from the proper entry (from back cross-overs - (without scratching)) almost every time without much effort BUT they travel badly. And my sit spin is still AWOL

Am I allowed a bit of bragging here - not for me but for my kids who yesterday passed the Novice Pairs competitive test and so qualify to go to the British Novice championships in April. :D

[DancinDiva]

batikat, there are seven other people in my group besides me. We adults are in a separate group from the kiddies. But there are SOOO many kids on the ice at the same time, Basic levels one through four, I think. I believe that there are too many kids for the instructors to watch, because they keep skating into other groups lesson areas.

I'm definitely not "knocking" the practice time, but doing just crossovers for a half hour is so boring. I understand how important the basics are, but enough is enough. I had already spent most of my previous lesson on crossovers, plus I practiced throughout the week on my own. I'm ready for something new! I feel stuck in the middle. We had two brand new adults in my lesson last night and they can't even get away from the boards. So the instructor is trying to get them going. They other adults are quite a bit more advanced than me, and the instructor is having fun with them, giving them new stuff. Maybe he just doesn't know what to do with me?

[dooobedooo]

Dancindiva,

You should have a quick polite word with your coach five minutes before your next class and explain that you would like to learn something new.

Other options: invest in half hour private lesson to learn something new (backwards? stopping? forward stroking? edges?); or speak to more advanced skaters round the rink and ask them to show you something new - skaters usually like to help other skaters, but they won't barge in unless you ask them.

You could also find out what your rink/coach offers in the way of a beginner test structure (USA will be ISI or USFSA tests; UK will be Funskate or something similar). This will give you an idea of how you should be progressing. Usually the tests are set up so that they fit with a four lesson cycle. Then you can take the rink tests and it gives you some goals.

[melanieuk]

DancinDiva, I do empathise with your plight.
I agree with what others have suggested...either broach the subject with coach, making asking to learn spins or 3 turns or something, and try to get a private lesson.
Don't let yourself get demoralised or non-motivated - try not to let it spoil your enjoyment.

The loop
Those having problems with the loop could try it from the RFI 3 turn ....the momentum tells you when to jump up.
Remember to sit back on the edge - get your weight over it before you release your bended knees.

I had a field moves lessons :?? which was clunky and I won't dwell on it.
I spent a lot of time on spins because I couldn't be bothered with jumps.
My feet were cold today. 8O

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by DancinDiva
While I'm still having fun, I'm getting a bit discouraged. The other adults in my class are not beginners (why are they in the adult beginner class?????), and the instructor spends a lot of time with them doing three turns and brackets and stuff, while I'm stuck doing stupid crossovers around the hockey circle all by myself for almost the entire half hour. Tonight, he spent maybe two minutes with me, out of a half hour! And after three lessons, shouldn't I be able to do more than just foward crossovers? ARRGGGG! I'm so frustrated!

Hang in there, DancinDiva! Don't give up yet! :)

Why don't you try asking your teacher a lot of questions - such as how do I do this, what should I be doing to get more bend when I do this etc. It'll make him pay more attention to you and you'll learn more. I know it's hard for group instructors to give everyone full attention, but you should be getting more than you've described.

[mikawendy]

This is for this past weekend (first chance I've had to post)

Graceful: (well, sort of) My instructor had me start working on scratch spins at this week's lesson!!! It was so exciting (and scary)! I think I get the gist but I need to practice to get it in my body and get used to the speed so I don't fall out of the spin. Once I was able to get what felt like 3 revs (of course no one was looking!) but the other tries didn't work out.

I also asked my instructor if I could start practicing entering spins from back crossovers to a choctaw and she said yes. I'm so excited because I have so mucht o practice now.

RFI3s are improved. I need to get more speed after the turn and make longer lobes.


Clunky: FI closed mohawks need more speed and quicker transfer of weight.

LFI3s are still mostly a mystery to my body. I think it'll just take some practice.

LF spirals are YUKKY! I do that "dreadful airplane thing" that someone mentioned recently. It feels completely different than my right side.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by jenlyon60
Worked mostly on Willow Waltz today...it's slowly returning and I'm noticing the bleed-over between parts of the Willow and parts of the Adult Bronze/Prelim/PreJuv MITF. Which, of course, is an excellent reason to do Moves, even if, as dancers, we don't have to! I have also been to a seminar on Moves (the American ones - ours are subtly different, but they average the same level of difficulty/helpfulness) where it was explained exactly how they help with jumps and spins, too.Originally posted by batikat
Am I allowed a bit of bragging here - not for me but for my kids who yesterday passed the Novice Pairs competitive test and so qualify to go to the British Novice championships in April.Well done! That's marvellous - and we have far too few Pairs in this country, so more power to their elbows! I'm hoping to see them (and you?) skate at the Streatham Open.

No more skating for me this week - woke up yesterday morning with a blinding headache, so Robert had to have my lesson, and although I'm better today, I'm no ways well yet. I hope I'll feel well enough to skate tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath!

[melanieuk]

I don't have many photos of myself on the ice, about 6 altogether!
Although it's not very clear, it's me doing a camel spin.

Anyone else got any new photos?



My camel - click on it! (http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=1470480)

[batikat]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
That's marvellous - and we have far too few Pairs in this country, so more power to their elbows! I'm hoping to see them (and you?) skate at the Streatham Open.

No more skating for me this week - woke up yesterday morning with a blinding headache, so Robert had to have my lesson, and although I'm better today, I'm no ways well yet. I hope I'll feel well enough to skate tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath!

Thanks for the kind words on the Pairs. Do you know when Streatham Open will be yet? I met a guy today who danced at Streatham about 15 years ago - can't remember his name now.

Hope you feel better soon!

just for the record - my lesson today:-
Graceful - not a lot
Clunky - most of it!!!

Well actually it wasn't all bad - I'm getting more power and speed on the Swing Dance (not that I ever intend to test or compete it) but I have a tendency to do the backwards steps, turn to forwards and then forget what I am doing and instead of the slide chassee I do the mohawk and turn to backwards again!:roll: :?? Quite why I pick the harder step to do by mistake I have no idea.
Practised the Riverside Rhumba - a dance I loathe and actually remembered the steps. Progress!!

Altered the entire step sequence on my Free Dance and hopefully once I have learnt it, it will look a lot smoother than the old one. I am getting more power and speed into my 3 turns around the end of the rink too but I can still hear a bit of toe scratching so am working on getting rid of that so they will travel further on a clean edge.

Spins still travelling, jumps improving slowly.

[Mrs Redboots]

Thanks, Batikat. Streatham Open Festival is scheduled for 28-30 April, the schedules should be out soon but with new management and new timetables for everything, it may take a couple of weeks. They have their next committee meeting on 13 February, but I don't know whether they'll be able to finalise things then.

Feeling better today but haven't gone skating this morning (well, duh!). Might go to the teatime session, when I can pretend to skate and in reality gossip! But we shall see.... Robert is longing to go again, he says he has "So much to practice!"

[tidesong]

Originally posted by melanieuk


Anyone else got any new photos?


I might get some after nationals but I don't have anywhere to put them at the moment.

I thought the rink would be emptier since its Lunar New Year's Eve and most people would be at home... but I was wrong... a handful of skaters apparently thought the same way as me and we crowded up the rink :P

Just maintenance today mostly... my layback is still travelling... my flying camel is stuck at three or four rounds...

[TashaKat]

Originally posted by melanieuk
I don't have many photos of myself on the ice, about 6 altogether!
Although it's not very clear, it's me doing a camel spin.

Anyone else got any new photos?



My camel - click on it! (http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=1470480)


MEL!!! You told me that you couldn't do a camel!!!! Pants on fire!!!

LOL

Love

L xx

[melanieuk]

Wheeeeee!
There are days when my camel disappears, but I do have one...in fact only just today an elite skater (you know who) told me "You've got a lovely position in the camel, Mel!" ;):lol:

[flo]

Went skating yesterday to see how things are with my pulled muscles. I can do most of what's in my program, and I'll rearrange the rest. I couldn't get a PT appointment until next week - after the competition!
Too sore today to practice!
Looking forward to seeing everyone. Good luck!

[melanieuk]

I forgot to post about my practice! :roll:

I'm having some problems at home which really put me off going skating today. :(
However, I'd paid my money and thought therapy might help me feel more positive.
I didn't expect to skate well, so I was pleasantly surprised to manage most things with ease.
Sometimes doing a 3 turn is hard, same as a lutz, but today everything worked easily....except most backspins.
I'm laying off the upright backspin a bit (or if I do try it, I try it doing something different, or concentrating on one thing only, like what my left arm's doing) and re-trying back sits or camels form LFI 3 turn or change foot spins.
Still not having much joy with them though.

I managed 3 turns with flip with a better flow than usual. I don't know what height the flip was, as it's a lot slower from this entry.

Silver medallist at British Nats told me I had a lovely position in the camel spin. I wanted to say "But I need to turn out my toe more and have it faster", but I managed a joyful "Thank you" (beam, beam) smile instead.

He went on to say that he was astounded at MY Lambiel's (I'd said Lambiel was my favourite) camel spin, in that his free leg was barely parallel....considering the quality of Lambiel's spins, I had to admit that it looked weak sometimes.

I'm moving my body back and forth on the back swingrolls (or cross rolls???)
I must keep my upper body still and sit into the edge more.
I can't seem to remember everything at once!


That's me till Monday now.
I wish I could skate more often. :(

[ChristianeDK]

Graceful & Clunky - mixed
(I have group lessons twice a week in an adults class and we're divided in two depending on skills (or own ideas of skills...)) Some of you may remember I felt I was in a bit of dilemma earlier because while I don't feel the beginner group always gives me enough to worh with, the other one is too advanced. Well, Thursday I finally found the courage to join the advanced group - Just to get some new ideas... It went ok! I don't feel ready to join it permanently but now I have tried it'll be easier for me to just skate over to their part of the ice if I want to.)

We did spirals , which I have never practised before. Well, of course I've been gliding on one leg with other one raised to hip level (that's sort of why we begin to skate at all, isn't it? ;) ), but never because I was asked to! I'm rather flexible so it went ok. I also tried one grabbing the left skate with the left hand and then stretching up in front of you. I did it because some of the others did it and it looked fun but I felt like a real wannabe anyway. I'm afraid I'm a bit intimidated by the good skaters and 'what they think'. At the end of the lesson I ended on my behind doing it anyway! :lol:

We only practice spins from pivot in the beginner group, so I was glad to get a little further with it here. But boy, do I need to practice this! :

Tried loops! Which was very funny. I'm very much against rushing things so I don't have any ambitions, but it's nice to have an introduction to the jumps. I wouldn't say I have a loop jump but I can do a loop step ;) Later perhaps I'll try to actually jump it... :lol:

But the funny thing is that I actually think the beginner's class is much more 'intense' (?) because we're working all the time. In the advanced they just stand around and chit-chat half the time! Even the coach. That's actually a bit boring, I think! :)

But I'm glad I did it!

[Mrs Redboots]

Yesterday I wrote:
Thanks, Batikat. Streatham Open Festival is scheduled for 28-30 April, the schedules should be out soon but with new management and new timetables for everything, it may take a couple of weeks. They have their next committee meeting on 13 February, but I don't know whether they'll be able to finalise things then. No sooner had I sent that off beyond recall than the post came - you guessed it! The schedules. If anyone hasn't had theirs yet, or isn't on the mailing list, email me (annabel@amsmyth.demon.co.uk) and I'll tell you who to contact for a copy.