View Full Version : Holy or Hell: Practice/Lesson June 9-16, 2003
jazzpants
06-09-2003, 01:31 AM
Just starting the thread. My little goddaughter got baptised today at a BIG church (Grace Cathedral, if you're curious), thus the lesson/practice theme for this week.
I would have something to type in, but I'm not skating 'til tomorrow. :)
jenlyon60
06-09-2003, 06:18 AM
Not sure which category... but I'm off the ice for at least 2 weeks to try and give my right knee time to heal. Am planning to go to a GP doctor and try to get a referral to ortho and/or physical therapy.
In Pro-Am I continued my proud last place tradition (well mostly..) Last, Last and next to last.
Mrs Redboots
06-09-2003, 07:30 AM
Oh, poor Jen!
I had actually started a thread, called "Woeful or Wonderful", so I'll quote what I had written in it here:Back on the ice today for our lesson. As we haven't anything really difficult to do together in forthcoming competitions, we asked to work on partnering each other. So first of all, he had to lead me in a Prelim Foxtrot, then I had to lead him in a Dutch Waltz, then we had to take it in turns to lead each other in the Rhythm Blues and Canasta Tango - it did seem to help, if we were both aware of the hold and of the pattern. Mind you, our usual problems with timing and going in and out of sync with each other came to the fore.... but there you are!
RIDL match tonight at Queen's. I hope we get a decent draw.....
And just to add, we drew our match. Robert had to skate several times as he was one of only two men in our team, both Juniors! He won at least one of his matches, lost one and drew two, I think. Or was it won two, drew one and lost one? And he danced the European Waltz in the Seniors, but as it was the first time he'd tried it with a partner, it didn't exactly work! He is now under Strict Instructions from our team captain to get his Tango and Blues up to the point where he can at least look as though he's dancing them!
Schmeck
06-09-2003, 08:26 AM
Hell - I had to miss my group lesson last night, due to a nasty stomach bug that made me feel like I had an alien baby inside of me! Luckily, it's gone through :roll: so I think I'll be able to make it to the 10AM public ice session that is nearly empty this time of the year.
Holy - My daughter Icy passed Freeskate2 last night, she was so proud! I think she did the whole level in 6 weeks, while her old mother has been on it for the entire year, sigh... :oops: And now she's talking about getting through FS3 during our next 3 lessons!
Schmeck, off to think about going over to the rink - hopefully the alien baby is gone, but there's a gurgle lurking in my stomach, so I'm not sure:lol:
skaternum
06-09-2003, 10:28 AM
Originally posted by jenlyon60
In Pro-Am I continued my proud last place tradition (well mostly..) Last, Last and next to last.
Did I read "next to last"? Hurray! That's a start!! ;)
Take care of that knee. Poor Jennifer!
Holy
This was one of my best practice sessions ever! I managed half the way across the rink on power pulls on each foot. Managed about 6 one foot spins from wind up, with delay in bringing free leg in, for at least 3 revs each - my personal best. Cross strokes, both F and B were good. I even attempted the 5 step Mohawk pattern and was OK till someone freaked me right before last LFI Mohawk. Practiced both FI threes and was able to convince myself to actually do the LFI a few times. With spot from hubby, did RBO three, RFI bracket - it was easy, but won't do it yet without spot. It was a pretty hectic freestyle session, but I felt like a skater today.
Hell
Why can't every practice be like this one?
skateflo
06-09-2003, 06:35 PM
Due to various reasons I had a lesson on Saturday past, practice session Sunday, and a lesson today instead of Wednesday.
Holy - not there yet.....
Hell - a couple of things. I realized I am not ready to do my program with the music on in the rink for the first time during a mixed session (99% kids) so will wait till next week's am session as I will be on vacation. I know, I am just one of those very self-conscious older adult...
Hyperextension spasms of my toes has returned!! Took a double dose of calcium yesterday. I still can't figure out what I am doing while skating that brings these horrible spasms to return, even while watching tv!
So tonight's lesson I complained that my one foot spin from a circular pumping stays centered with small circles, but when I initiate it from back crossovers, the tracing has a 3 turn, then the circle moves to the side by almost a foot. I did learn that it was because of my blade placement after the 3 (I set down too much blade, so it arcs into a large circle.) coach said to set down blade right behind the feel of the pic during the 3-turn. We worked on hip placement, leg swing etc. with some improvement. But when we went to the boards and I just stood on my left foot, placed my free leg at 6 o'clock and brought it around, I found that my skating knee bent inward and my foot at the ankle severely pronated onto the inside edge. Duh! By the time I got my free leg around, the position damage was already done. We decided I need to work on some off-ice exercises to keep my knee over my 2nd toe. Ironically, I just read an article that many injuries are occurring for just this reason - skaters are not keeping their knee and toe aligned and need to work off-ice to correct this.
Any suggestions?
Doris
Terri C
06-09-2003, 06:51 PM
Hell:
Not a good lesson with my coach today. The freestyle session was moved to the hockey rink because of the infamous 'odor of reconstruction." We have a new rink owner and he is remodeling parts of our rink ( good thing):P .
Spins were off and so were my alternating 3's ,but my coach just attrubuted it to being on a condensation- heavy surface and me being off the ice for a week!
Holy:
Why oh why is it that everything you blow in your lesson is done perfectly when your coach isn't around??:roll: The sitspin showed up after my coach left the building!!!
Haven't been on the ice consistently because of 2 back to back cases of sinusitis, infection and then an ear infection. Not been a very good 2 months.
Holy - Went over requirements for Adult moves and realized if I REALLY focus I could pass up to Silver, had no idea we had gotten that advanced. :-) However still have to start with pre-bronze. :-) Coaches are pushing the adult group class to test, we'd all pass up to bronze no problem we're just either lazy or chicken to wear a dress. :-)
Hell - NEVER try to spin when you are getting over an ear infection, I almost splatted on my back. I still have crazy arms that fly all over the place!!
Originally posted by JDC1
Coaches are pushing the adult group class to test, we'd all pass up to bronze no problem we're just either lazy or chicken to wear a dress. :-)
When I tested recently, I wore a long sleeved burgundy velvet dress which hid quite a bit in the middle. Neither of the other two adult women testing, though both were slimmer than I, wore dresses. One wore black leggings with a black leotard and a wrap skirt (she is tall and willowy, and would have looked great in a dress), and the other wore a weird arrangement of a black skirt attached to black pants. She also would have looked great in a dress. I forced myself to wear the dress to a freestyle session a few days before the test, and one little girl called out "nice dress" to me, winning my heart forever :lol:
DBNY_
I forced myself to wear the dress to a freestyle session a few days before the test, and one little girl called out "nice dress" to me, winning my heart forever
A little one at our rink swore to me that all the adults are nervous about wearing dresses then they feel so good in them they're glad they did it. It's actually not a matter of my figure, I'm in decent shape and no area I "hate" it's just I'm a really conservative dresser and a skin tight skating dress is not conservative. However, having seen adults practice their programs in leggings and dresses I have realized most of us do look better skating in dresses so I am going to buy a couple.
sk8clean
06-10-2003, 05:36 PM
I have the body for a skating dress but I am a very conservative dresser. My coach and friend talked me into trying on a dress one day after our skating lesson. From the moment I tried the dress on I loved it. Skating dresses are so comfortable and make me feel more like a figure skater. I always wear dresses to skate in unless I am practicing a new move and then I wear pants so I can pad up and protect myself from bruises. So go try on some skating dresses until you find one that suits you.
MissIndigo
06-10-2003, 10:49 PM
Holy:
Spins. All of them (save the sit...). Oh well. My camel kicked butt tonight--it was the fastest it has ever been. I finished it off with a fast scratch. Awesome feeling.
Layback finally laid back as it should have. It makes me dizzy though...
I am thisclose to the back camel. I hope I have it by the end of the summer and can get back to work on the flying camel. Next challenge is how to keep my right hamstring happy and not overextend it. :??
If camel spins (fw, back, and flying) and a layback are all I were to accomplish in my skating career, I would die a happy person. :lol:
Hell:
Timing on jumps is still not as I would like it to be. I took a long break from jumping after my hip flexor started giving me trouble right before spring. Resting it helped a great deal though...as well as gentle exercise. (Walking!) It still gets a little sore, and was bothering me when I tried sit spins tonight, so I don't push it if it's mad at me. Hope the weather stays on my side too--the warmer and drier it is, the better off that hip is.
TreSk8sAZ
06-11-2003, 12:56 AM
Holy:
I GOT MY SCRATCH SPIN!!! It's crazy, I got my sit spin well before my upright scratch. I finally started getting it consistantly the last couple of days. YAY! It's only taken about six months. Geez. Sit spin, speaking of, is coming along, finally getting it pretty low. Back sit spin I'm getting a few more revolutions, but it's a bit shaky. Canasta is definitely at competition level, now just fixing minor details and getting Rhythm Blues perfect.
Hell:
Well, I've finally gotten to kinda start jumping again. I say "kind of" because my timing and everything is so off after nearly a month of no jumping. It feels very odd, I'm getting no height, and after too many the ribs still hurt. Oh well. Only other problem with practice the last couple of days is the fact my boots stretched when I was in an ankle brace. Now that I'm out of it, I'm trying to reform my boots, so they're a bit loose. But still skateable, so not that bad!
Mrs Redboots
06-11-2003, 06:06 AM
Well done on your scratch spin!
Today was my lesson day; and Robert had arranged to have a lesson with his "other woman". She, poor dear, was badly held up in traffic, so their lesson had to be rather squashed in, and they didn't have much chance to practice. They were doing the British waltz, and I suppose it was better than he-and-I would have been, but they do need practice! I don't mean to sound catty, but I am still rather disappointed that ours wasn't good enough to enter that particular class! We would have come last, but it would have been fun trying - but really, although our swing dance is "up there" now, our British waltz isn't. Ah well.
Anyway, in my own lesson I ran through both my OD and my Free Dance for Bracknell; the OD is too easy in many ways, there is one long bit where I'm really doing very little in the way of actual skating, which needs to be addressed. It wasn't too bad, though, and nor was the Free dance once I got going. Then had fun messing around and playing with turns and so on at the end. Nearly managed a 3-bracket-3 without a toe-tap, but the tracing was a bit strange.....
garyc254
06-11-2003, 08:38 AM
ALL HOLY!!!!
Monday night grabbed a half hour lesson with my old coach. Worked on basic synchro steps and holds. It amazes me the things she knows as she's basically a dance coach, but I haven't found anything that she doesn't know when it comes to skating. After the lesson, skated the adult public session.
Tuesday night's pillates class went better. I took a military sleeping mat with me to go under my regular mat. No bruises on my hips or tailbone today!!! :D
Schmeck
06-11-2003, 10:27 AM
garyc, what synchro team have you joined? I'd love to be able to do adult synchro, but the closest team is about 45 minutes away - too far down the highway to drive all winter in my unreliable conversion van, nevermind the $$$...
My daughter Icy and I hope to attend a few synchro competitions this year in the New England area (we've got to cheer on her ex-teammates from last year!) so we'd be glad to add your team onto our list :D
New hell - just got on the ice after a week off with the alien-baby stomach bug. I've no strength in my legs, they wouldn't even do a waltz jump for me :x
New Holy - since I couldn't do jumps, or spins, I worked my back inside consecutive edges for about 20 minutes, and they've improved to the point where I almost get back to the center line on the right foot, and I'm cruising on the left foot. How I hate right back edges! 8O
Schmeck, turning into a banana-&-saltine blob (that's all I've been able to eat and not awaken the alien-baby!)
garyc254
06-11-2003, 11:02 AM
Originally posted by Schmeck
garyc, what synchro team have you joined? I'd love to be able to do adult synchro, but the closest team is about 45 minutes away - too far down the highway to drive all winter in my unreliable conversion van, nevermind the $$$...
We're a little far from your area. ;) St. Peter's RecPlex "Sapphire Ice" in St. Peters, MO (not far from St. Louis).
The adult team had planned to go to Massachusetts for a competition in August, but too many of the skaters had plans for that weekend.
I had my first workout with them last week and it wasn't pretty. I've got a lot to learn. :x 8O :?? :oops: We'll see how this week's practice goes.
sk8er1964
06-11-2003, 01:59 PM
Holy:
First week back to jumping after 4 weeks off. Had my lesson today and landed a double toe for my coach. 8-) :D . Worked on axels and loops too - he said one of my loops justed floated up into the air it looked so good. It feels so good to be jumping - no real pain just soreness. I'm still going to be careful, though. No flips or lutzes yet - I figure the landings are enough pressure on my hip flexor for right now.
Hell:
Usually I like skating with the better kids, but today was a bit unnerving. There were just so many of them out there today. Had two kids out there working on their senior moves, one working on her junior moves, and three kids doing triple jumps. It's really hard to concentrate on brackets on a line when there's a really big guy doing triple salchows 10 feet away from you :?? .
TashaKat
06-12-2003, 02:38 AM
Lesson 2 of 6 (Group Lessons) and back up to WhateveritisSkate Bronze/Silver!
Forward and back spiral (I was especially pleased with my forward spiral as I haven't done it for ages) and the guy coaching us got me to do a slightly different line ....... left arm in front (LFO edge), right arm in a straight line behind and slightly lifted to give a 'line' with the head sort of tilted slightly ..... it was a nice position but felt a bit twisted at first.
I then learned a 'bunny hop' (I've NEVER been taught this before, I did one once and belly-flopped/face planted). I don't like this, it feels like 'nothing' .... or maybe I haven't 'got' it yet!
Waltz jump ...... his idea on technique was totally different to what I've been taught but he did pick up on the fact that I was doing a 'Biellman Waltz' when I wasn't even aware that I could get my leg up that high anymore :roll:
His speciality is spins so he gave me a few pointers on these ..... it will be nice if he takes us for the remaining 4 weeks as most coaches gloss over spins and just concentrate on jumps!
Did the Moves class afterwards ..... am now feeling that the time I have on courses isn't long enough ..... is this a good thing?
One of the exercises was the Kilian choctaw, down the rink on alternate feet!! It wasn't pretty and it wasn't at Kilian speed but I got it!!!!
Then onto the DREADED back 3's ...... the brain took over and I was pooh! EXCEPT that I started getting angry at myself for being chicken and actually managed to eke a few out on both feet AND successfully managed a few doubles!!!! Again they weren't pretty and would have had ex-Madam coach bawling at me but HEY ...... there is a glimmer of light at the end of the very long tunnel!!!
L x
Posted by TashKat
I then learned a 'bunny hop' (I've NEVER been taught this before, I did one once and belly-flopped/face planted). I don't like this, it feels like 'nothing' .... or maybe I haven't 'got' it yet!
You aren't missing anything!! Oy, I took me 6 weeks to do this well enough to pass and I'm NEVER doing it again!! I think the idea is to get you ready for other jumps with this "jump" but not sure. My coach told me not to sweat it.
garyc254
06-12-2003, 10:16 AM
HOLY: Good group lessons last night. Worked on the dance sequence (or whatever they call it) for FS2, practiced deeper edges on front crossovers, and even did a decent lunge from the "bad side". :lol:
Mel On Ice
06-12-2003, 11:16 AM
I agree Gary, this is hellish for everyone involved, but I am a part of the team, and it hurts to see you bash us publicly on this board.
garyc254
06-12-2003, 11:25 AM
Originally posted by Mel On Ice
I agree Gary, this is hellish for everyone involved, but I am a part of the team, and it hurts to see you bash us publicly on this board.
Not bashing the team. The majority of the team is there for the right reasons: to skate and have fun. If it wasn't for that majority, there wouldn't be any reason for me to join.
I'm not joining just because my girlfriend is a team member. I've seen the team have a lot of fun and skate some terrific programs.
You're right. Quit my whining and edit accordingly.
jazzpants
06-13-2003, 12:22 AM
Holy: I spent time at another rink this morning with my ol' coffee club crew that I used to skate with when I was working. Miss them a lot!!!(ask8ngcat, where were YOU??? I wanted to watch you get abused by Mistress Coach!!!) :P :lol:
Along with that, I see that my moves are definitely getting better, (though still not at passing standard for the Bronze Moves test.) :roll: Certainly WAAAY better than when I lost my job!!! 8-) Camels starting to come to. Oh, and wait there's more!!! Though it wasn't perfect, the fellow who was trying to correct me on my spin entry saw one that he said was MUCH BETTER, (though still broken...)
Best part...I finally landed a couple of loops today!!! YIPPEE!!! :D
Hell: HELLO!?!?! Where were my moves later in the afternoon at my home rink during my lesson?!?!?! I guess it decided to stay at the other rink! :P (Well, that and I was on my SECOND ice session... AND I was skating on SLUSH in the FS session during my lesson... EEEW!!!) Actually the lesson wasn't THAT bad. I think it's more that my coach is pushing for even MORE stuff. If he keeps this up, I'll won't be testing Bronze Moves by the end of this year!!! :cry:
luna_skater
06-13-2003, 12:50 AM
Holy: Back on the ice after a month! Got back into the groove pretty quickly, learned the Willow, Swing, and Fiesta Tango. Got back into the "dance stroking" really well; I have a bad habit of staying in synchro mode while doing my dances. I feel like I'm getting better control of my upper body every time I step on the ice.
Hell: I can't remember all the dance patterns! :cry: LOL. I can remember all of the Fiesta, the ends of the Willow, and the sides on the Swing. So if anyone can give me a refresher course, it would be much appreciated!!
TashaKat
06-13-2003, 02:16 AM
Originally posted by luna_skater
Hell: I can't remember all the dance patterns! :cry: LOL. I can remember all of the Fiesta, the ends of the Willow, and the sides on the Swing. So if anyone can give me a refresher course, it would be much appreciated!! [/B]
I've got some dance patterns posted at UKskaters (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKskaters/) if you want to have a look there. You'll have to join but please feel free to take what you want from there :D You'll need to go to 'Files' and then Ice Dance - Dance Patterns ...... the Willow, Swing and Fiesta are all there ..... or do what I do :roll: and get them all mixed up and do a Fiesta Swing Willow!
L x
Mrs Redboots
06-13-2003, 05:54 AM
Last night was Dance Club - we had a visitor from Canada, from the Ice-Dancers' List, which was lovely - but, sadly, there was nobody for him to dance with as, apart from the beginners' class, there were only four of us and him. So I felt a bit bad about that. I danced a Swing Dance with him, though; it was too small, as we weren't quite sure of each other's abilities, BUT I found the Mohawk easy to keep in time, something I never do when I dance with Robert.
This led us to wonder why not - I always feel the whole end pattern is rushed when I dance it with Rob, but I am just not strong enough to slow it down without ending up half a mile behind him! I wish we were having a lesson on Sunday (we're away for the weekend), as I'd love to explore this further with our coach. By the time we have our next lesson, it will be Too Late, as the World Challenge will be upon us, and I highly doubt we'll make the final of that particular dance!
Meanwhile I also did a Willow with the Canadian skater, and messed up the RFO3 turn just exactly as I always do! I wish I wasn't quite so scared of that particular 3-turn at speed. I'm so 3-turn challenged, it's a nuisance!
Other than that, Robert and I danced together quite a lot. I was making a point, when dancing with him, of really pushing as hard as I could on every edge. Which meant that this morning I was so stiff I could barely get out of bed, never mind skate.... oh well, I'll probably go down this afternoon.
Debbie S
06-13-2003, 11:03 AM
Holy: Went to MIF class last night. Great to see flo there. The instructor had us practice the alternating forward crossover move (from pre-Juv MIF), then we did forward and backward slaloms up and down the length of the rink. She had the more advanced skaters try it with one foot, like a power pull. I tried it going forward - a little shaky - I imagine it might be better when I get skates with even soles and correctly mounted blades. (They were shipped from SP-Teri yesterday and should be in the shop by the end of next week, I'm told.)
We then practiced forward and backward edges along the length of the rink. I was pleasantly surprised at how good my forward edges are, even next to skaters that have been doing them longer. My back edges are a different story.
Hell: Where did my loop jump go during my lesson Wednesday? I "had" it last Saturday, then it disappeared by Wednesday, then reappeared during the practice time after the lesson was over. Our lesson now takes place in the first half hour of the lesson time, b/c the instructor decided there were fewer people on the ice then - so we managed to stake our claim to the end of the rink. At least we could spread out a little for jumps and spins - the only problem is that the ice at end is uneven in spots. I couldn't land a loop or flip to save my life - even my salchow was off. Then, I went over to the other rink and practiced for the final 20 minutes of the freestyle session (I've given up trying to battle the little kids with those bars for space in the lesson practice area) and lo and behold, I landed a loop and a flip. Sigh. If only my instructor could have seen it. I get the sense that he's frustrated with us b/c we've been working on the loop for months (and now the flip) and we're still making the same mistakes. I am working on keeping my right arm in front of me and not swinging it around, though. Perhaps the jumps will get better with my new skates.
luna_skater
06-13-2003, 12:17 PM
Originally posted by TashaKat
I've got some dance patterns posted at UKskaters (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKskaters/) if you want to have a look there. You'll have to join but please feel free to take what you want from there :D You'll need to go to 'Files' and then Ice Dance - Dance Patterns ...... the Willow, Swing and Fiesta are all there ..... or do what I do :roll: and get them all mixed up and do a Fiesta Swing Willow!
L x
Thanks so much! That helps greatly! :D
Mrs Redboots
06-13-2003, 01:49 PM
I did go and skate this afternoon; spent most of my time working on that wretched OD that Batikat and her cronies talked me into! I really don't know whether it will work, but if it doesn't tough. There's one place, though, which only works about one time in 3, and of course it's right in front of the judges, just where they will notice if it goes wrong.
Did run through my free dance, but that was okay, so only did it once. The rest of the time was with that unprintable OD.
Holy: went to moves class last night, and it was fun. Debbie was there and will be up in the front line prety soon!
Hell: Wanted to skate the freestyle before, but was delayed by horrible storms and crabby friend!
blondeangl
06-13-2003, 09:06 PM
heres my hell/holy for tonights practice:
Holy: umm... really good on my basic 6 stuff (bunny hop, t-stop, lunge, spiral, outside 3-turn, 2 foot forward to backward turn on circle) and really good waltz jumps and good salchows and i have some of my pre-pre moves good!! the list is here (http://sk8stuff.com/f_rules/mif_test_elements_low.htm) and i can do the 1st, the forward part of the 2nd, the 3rd, and im learning th 4th
Hell: well my new moves pattern (im in basic 6 and working on pre-pre moves) my newest one i think is called a waltz 8 ... its really hard for me ... im messing up a lot but today was the first day learning it .... oh well theres always next time but lets just say this you have probably NEVER seen a worse waltz 8 then the ones i did today :x :lol:
icenut84
06-14-2003, 04:17 AM
Originally posted by blondeangl
i have some of my pre-pre moves good!! the list is here (http://sk8stuff.com/f_rules/mif_test_elements_low.htm)
Interesting. Anyone else think it's a bit odd that for the inside and outside spirals on one of the tests, they are looking for extension more than edge quality? (Congrats on your moves :) )
my newest one i think is called a waltz 8 ... its really hard for me ... im messing up a lot but today was the first day learning it .... oh well theres always next time but lets just say this you have probably NEVER seen a worse waltz 8 then the ones i did today :x :lol:
What *is* a waltz 8? I've heard people mention it before but I don't actually have a clue what it is. Could you describe it to me? (Is it some kind of step/edge sequence?) :??
jenlyon60
06-14-2003, 06:01 AM
waltz 8 is an exercise that in the US is part of Pre-Preliminary Moves in the Field.
Basically it consists of 2 circles (one done starting on each foot) with the following steps:
(starting on right foot..) RFO,RFO3,RBI,LBO,RFO and it's done to a waltz cadence (I always think of it as a 6-beat waltz). Repeat on other foot. As I recall, the sequence with counting is RFO (1-2-3), RFO3 (4), RBI (5-6), LBO (1-2-3,4-5-6), RFO (1-2-3). Start over on other foot on a second circle. (It may be that the 3-turn is on count "4").
The trick is to keep the circle looking like a circle, not a bulgy oval or some such, and to make sure you come back to the center where you started, before striking off on the other foot.
I also learned to think about the pattern in 3rds, so that the RFO/RFO3/RBI is the first third of the circle, the LBO is the top 3rd of the circle, and the RFO back to center is the last third.
Note: I originally learned this in the old "Figures" day vice MITF, so there may be some differences in how it's taught today. It's definitely skated much freer than in the figures days.
Originally posted by icenut84 Anyone else think it's a bit odd that for the inside and outside spirals on one of the tests, they are looking for extension more than edge quality?[/B]
Just guessing, but I think it may be because the hardest part of doing a spiral is the extension required, including the height of the free leg. Since this is at the Prelim level, they are allowing a bit of leeway on the edge quality in favor of getting real spirals. You can get away with quite a bit on the pre-pre spirals.
Originally posted by jenlyon60
The trick is to keep the circle looking like a circle, not a bulgy oval or some such, and to make sure you come back to the center where you started, before striking off on the other foot. ...
A useful technique to do that is to hold off rotating your shoulders and turning your head on the BO edge so you can keep your destination in sight until you absolutely have to turn. You can bring your free leg through to be ready for the step forward.
Originally posted by jenlyon60
Note: I originally learned this in the old "Figures" day vice MITF, so there may be some differences in how it's taught today. It's definitely skated much freer than in the figures days.
That's because it is part of the very first MIF test, which is not scored, and is explicitly an "encouragement" test.
You are right about the division of each circle into three equal parts (one for each stroke), and the counting, with the three turn on 4, but the last FO stroke back to center (of the figure 8) is a full 6 counts also. Something I thought interesting about this move is that if you pick up speed, it is more important to maintain the pattern than the count, so in picking up speed you have to count faster.
lisabelle
06-14-2003, 12:54 PM
the spirals in the pre pre MIF test aren't done on edges. they are done on a flat down the long end of the rink.
Originally posted by lisabelle
the spirals in the pre pre MIF test aren't done on edges. they are done on a flat down the long end of the rink.
Right, but I think Icenut84 was referring to the spiral pattern in the Prelim test as she said "the inside and outside spirals on one of the tests", and the primary focus on that pattern is on extension, with secondary on edge quality.
Debbie S
06-14-2003, 03:02 PM
Well, I rediscovered my loop jump today at practice! I think I also landed a flip (hard to tell if I actually took off with one foot or two). Unfortunately, due to severe thunderstorms last night, the rink had experienced a power outage. Everything was working today, but the ice had undergone some serious melting (they were having a hockey tournament in the other rink (there are 2 rinks in the building) and I heard that at one area you could see the sand under the ice).
At our rink, the ice had refrozen, partially - there was a layer of water on top and the surface was choppy - lots of ruts. Unfortunately for me, my blade got stuck in one of them as I was doing a toe loop, so down I went. Good thing I wore leggings and not a skirt - but I still got wet. Ugghhh! I also think I may have pulled something during my fall - my glutes maybe? Needless to say, I did not feel too comfortable skating after that. I took a break for a few minutes and went back out again - I was OK, but the thought of me doing jumps on that horrendous ice was disconcerting.
To make matters worse, we had to put up with adolescent (male) hockey players sitting along the bleachers banging their sticks against the plexiglass wall and shouting, "Fall!" to the skaters. Why can't these parents teach their kids manners? The hockey players were apparently scheduled to play in the second game of the tournament and the rink manager told them they could have our rink and the skaters could move to the other rink for the second freestyle session - the one with the visible sand - gee, thanks. Fortunately, the referee called off the game b/c of the ice conditions in our rink so the players left. Unfortunately, many skaters had wet legs after falls. One girl had to wring out her skirt.
Hopefully, my loop and flip will remain with me on Wednesday. And hopefully by then, the ice will actually be frozen.
Got to go - I hear thunder outside and I've heard you shouldn't be on the computer during an electrical storm - supposedly this is our last day of such storms for a while - thank goodness.
Originally posted by Debbie S
Got to go - I hear thunder outside and I've heard you shouldn't be on the computer during an electrical storm
You should turn it off and unplug it, including phone lines connected to it. Your computer can actually be zapped right through a phone line if a lightening bolt strikes close enough to your house/building. It happened to one of my neighbors.
tidesong
06-15-2003, 06:12 AM
I actually tried two axels the other day... landed one but it was tiny as its my first try after killing my ankle... the jump landing hurt a bit... so stil no skating until next week and shall see if i will try them again... what reassures me is that they feel easy even after not doing them for 3?4? months now :)
Terri C
06-15-2003, 08:03 AM
Holy:
Went to the rink on the other side of the water where State Games will be held next weekend. My spins finally came back, and I had a fairly good runthrough on State Games ice!
Hell: The drive back was bumper to bumper. For those of you that are familiar with Southern VA, the drive to this rink involves drivng through I-64, those headed to the beach, and the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel!
The game plan for next week is to leave for the rink by noon, since the competition will be held from 1-8pm!
luna_skater
06-16-2003, 08:23 PM
Holy : Finally managed to get the pattern for the Willow drilled into my head! Back swing rolls and chasses feel much stronger.
Hell : RFO closed 3-turns. :evil: Anything counter-clockwise is dominant for me, so pretty much anything in the other direction causes me grief. I think there was actually visible smoke coming out of my ears from trying to convince my upper and lower body to work together. 4 more lessons to perfect them before test day!
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