Sunny or Rainy: Lessons/Practices 4 August - 10 August

[garyc254]

Back on the ice after a week or so break.

Sunny: Although I don't normally dance, coach found out I took a dance class last session at another rink. Since I had covered the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango during the class, coach started me on the Swing Dance. She's a terrific skater/coach/partner and I almost felt like the Swing Dance was the easiest I'd learned so far. That was until I didn't have her to support me anymore. 8O :?? :lol:

Okay, so the mohawk part of the dance is a bit scary when you're not with a partner that's been skating for 35 years. ;)

Rainy: I had done a lot of heavy yard work over the past weekend and my upper leg muscles were so tight that I wasn't sure if I'd ever get any knee bend. Fortunately, I had a half hour to work them out before coach grabbed me for the lesson.

[sk8pics]

Hi Gary, Welcome back to the ice!

As for me, Sunny: Lots of progress in the last 5 days or so. My coach has been working very hard on teaching me to hold a back outside edge and step forward. I can do it after a good jump, sort of, but not really to his satisfaction. So last Thursday he started teaching me the waltz 8 moves pattern, and on Sunday and yesterday in practice, I could do the part of the 8 that starts with my RFO edge! 8-) I'm not quite on pattern, but I can do every step by myself now, and he will be truly shocked to see that this afternoon.;) Also yesterday for the first time ever, I skated backwards, stepped to a back outside edge and held it, then stepped forward without stopping and did my 3-turn and salchow. :D That was a big deal for me because I always have had to stop and put my foot down before stepping. He will be shocked again today; I love shocking my coach!

Not really Rainy but sort of, I hated so much in the videotape from my competition, but it's really inspired me to make progress. My forward crossovers are now much less steppy and much smoother, more like the progressive style of crossovers. They feel awkward still, but my coach was shocked last week at the improvement, and I've had 3 more days of practice, so... we'll see what he says.

I hope I'll make it to my lesson... my poor cat stopped eating yesterday, I think because of a tooth problem, and I'm taking her to the vet first... :( Poor little thing.

Happy skating everyone.
Pat

[Mrs Redboots]

Totally rainy: Planned to go to practice tonight, but there was a power cut (very unusual here), and I didn't like to leave the house until I knew whether or not my computer was all right (I'd been in the middle of using it when the power went down). Thankfully, it was, but no skating for me!

However, it's so hot that even the health freaks in the newspapers are saying "Don't even think about taking exercise" - they've forgotten that ice-rinks are blissfully cool......

[Figureskates]

Foggy: The ice rink. We have ben having terrible humidity for the last week and the dehumidifiers at the rink can't handle it, so the eraly morning sessions have a heavy fog. You can't see the other end of the rink. Also the water is condensing on the ceiling and falling to the ice and developing stalagmites, another great thing to trip over. there could have been an oil tanker in there for all I know with the low visibility.

In spite of it all, the lesson was very sunny!! We worked on figure 8 crossovers, back and forward, alternating 3-turns, inside and outside edge spirals, power 3's and finished off with spins. Not bad for a half hour. Coached was pleased!! Next week we are going for an hour lesson since it will be my last before going to Lake Placid. She will develop a long lists of things that she wants me to practice up there during adult skate week. As she says, you will have plenty of practice ice and have plenty of things to fill your time with.

[96.23??]

Sunny: jumps were okay, moved up to the senior session so there's lots of space to skate..:)

rainy : skills :S

[ChristianeDK]

Sunny: Back in the rink from August 20th! :D


Rainy: Waiting... :cry:


Anybody else only able to skate in the autumn/winter/spring?

[garyc254]

Originally posted by ChristianeDK
Anybody else only able to skate in the autumn/winter/spring?

I can find ice time in the summer, but it's much more limited. For the next couple of weeks, I'll be stuck with one session a week. How am I ever going to learn a quad if I don't get more practice time? :lol:

WOO HOO!!!! Starting September 8th, Fall sessions begin. More ice time. :D :D

[JDC1]

Sunny - my edges are better and I'm starting to figure out what I'm doing wrong. Can finally do double 3s with enough flow on teh back 3 to glide into the next one, woo hoo. Had a good fun lesson working on edges, no jumping or spinning - see Rainy.

Rainy - my left leg continues to hurt this time from a fall I had, I somehow caused a muscle "bunch" or "knot" on the spot where you bottom meets your leg, painful, I've had pain radiating down my leg for a while now so I guess a nerve was being pinched, it feels a little better.

MRS. REDBOOTS - I made your fish pie [that I got from the fish thread in the non skating part of the board] it was great!! I think I'll add capers next time.

[icenut84]

Sunny: for the first half hour, I was the only one on the ice, and it had also just been freshly resurfaced! It was so nice to skate on. My stroking and crossovers were all very good, I also practiced all the turns and pivots etc. Spirals were good. I tried LFO a couple of times, and think my leg was as high as when on a flat, so that was great. The edge felt secure too.

Rainy: went downhill later on. 2 kids and their coach came on, which was ok, but later on I noticed a bunch of elite skaters in the bar above, eating and watching the session, and I know it's stupid but I felt like I was completely rubbish. I don't like trying to work on hard elements in front of skaters who are so much better than me. Am I being stupid? I just didn't have any motivation or confidence at all, and I kept thinking that I wished they weren't watching. My spins are travelling all over the place - the entries are not good, but I don't know how to fix it. I didn't try one jump. Towards the end, I started to practice past step sequences that I've written down, but I ended up getting off the ice a bit early. :cry: I've only had one lesson in over four months and I feel like my progress is going backwards, and I feel like I should be a lot better than I am, particularly at elements. The only thing that seems to be still improving is my stroking technique, and also sometimes pivots and some turns. I guess I'm just feeling a bit downhearted about my skating. :( I checked the timetable too, and because of a bunch of skating camps that are going on, there's only one practice session next week (1hr long) and there aren't ANY the week after!

[sk8clean]

Rainy: I am also without a rink for the summer. But that makes skating in the fall so much more fun!

[JDC1]

Virtually everyone I skate with on freestyle sessions is better to much better than me and to be honest they have always been really kind, share the ice and offer tips sometimes. I'm talking people working ATLEAST on their axel and one guy last night was doing triples and triple/doubles. It's normal to feel a little self-conscious when being watched but you're all there because you love skating and next time just try to tell your self that, I've found most other skaters are not critical but helpful and encouraging. It took me atleast 3 free style session with the much better skaters before I realized nobody really cared what I was doing and then I could finally practice my jumps and spins so I know where you're coming from.

[mikawendy]

Originally posted by icenut84
Rainy: went downhill later on. 2 kids and their coach came on, which was ok, but later on I noticed a bunch of elite skaters in the bar above, eating and watching the session, and I know it's stupid but I felt like I was completely rubbish. I don't like trying to work on hard elements in front of skaters who are so much better than me. Am I being stupid? I just didn't have any motivation or confidence at all, and I kept thinking that I wished they weren't watching.

icenut84--

I've had a similar experience to JDC1--I'm usually the most beginner skater on a freestyle session and everyone is flying past me. I've also *never* had an experience where an older or more advanced skater has ever said anything negative or given me funny looks. I can understand how you feel, though, because when I did ballet a lot, I went through a period where I was very self-conscious (and didn't even want my mom watching) during classes. But think of it like this--when you watch someone less advanced than you, you probably aren't thinking a flood of negative, terrible thoughts about that skater--and so the elite skaters watching probably likewise aren't thinking terrible things about you. (They may not even be paying attention to you--have you ever had a conversation with someone at the rink and you're both looking at the skaters but absorbed in conversation that has nothing to do with what's going on on the ice?)

And like JDC1 said, anyone else who's actually on the ice may not be paying much attention to what you're doing--they're so busy working on their own stuff. When I'm in group lesson, I have NO CLUE what my friends in other level groups have worked on, even though we're on the same ice--I'm so busy trying to stay vertical and get the hang of what I'm working on! :D

[dbny]

Rainy
Finally back from camping and I can only fit in skating one day a week because we have so much to do to get the house ready to sell.

Sunny
The ice felt really strange after my three weeks off, and back crossovers took a while to come around, but they did finally. Spins were sooo good. I did the best ever one foot spin from a wind up. It was really controlled and at least four revs. Don't think I made much progress in anything else, but did find that my F and B cross strokes have not deserted me.

Sunniest
My daughter is returning to the ice! She landed her axel on the first try after not having skated at all in at least six months. She's a bit compulsive, so she kept doing them and didn't fall until about the fourteenthe or fifteenth one. She dabbled a bit with her Intermediate moves, enough for me to see that she hasn't lost any ground there either. Ahhh, youth!

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by icenut84
Rainy: went downhill later on. 2 kids and their coach came on, which was ok, but later on I noticed a bunch of elite skaters in the bar above, eating and watching the session, and I know it's stupid but I felt like I was completely rubbish. I don't like trying to work on hard elements in front of skaters who are so much better than me. Am I being stupid? I just didn't have any motivation or confidence at all, and I kept thinking that I wished they weren't watching.

Icenut, I've been on the ice with US national level skaters doing huge triples. At first I felt uncomfortable, but then I realized that they are doing their thing the same as I am (although I tried my best to stay out of their way LOL). The elite kids have never snubbed me or been rude or obnoxious. Never have they laughed at me -- they probably couldn't fathom their mom's skating (recently I fell at the feet of a teenager who was flabbergasted - especially since I got up, smiled at her, and did the jump again!) so they probably think any adult that does it is ok. They may laugh in private, but who cares about that????

On the flip side, last year on an adult only skate I was told that I scared some of the other skaters because I was too fast and jumped too high. I didn't understand this at all, because I know I can avoid a much slower skater. Then I skated with the triple jumping elite kids and I kind of understood. I only go to that one session if I want to socialize -- never for serious practice.

As for the leson/practices:

Sunny - the 2Toe is THIS close. I finally got the idea embedded into my brain to shift my weight over the right side and cross my freeleg. Until now, my 2Toe hasn't felt like it could double -- now it does. Did a fully rotated, crossed foot double in the harness in my lesson today. There is hope!!!

[Elsy2]

Sunny: After a two week hiatus, it felt great to skate again...I was so tired driving to the rink, but once I was on I felt strong and happy :D Scratch spins went particularly well, along with some moves in the field. Finished up with a very comfy 8-step mohawk sequence...ahhh....

Rainy: Fell on a salchow :roll: but not a bad fall. I'm doing some weird things out there when it comes to jumps.....

[luna_skater]

Sunny: The European! I FINALLY feel good about my three turns, and the whole dance in general! It's definitely more shaky on my own than when I'm being partnered; but I feel confident about it, and I feel a big sigh of relief for test day on Friday. I know it will be ready. The 14-step and Tenfox were also good. I've got the steps down, and am just working on speed. Whew!

Rainy: There were some people on the ice tonight who would NOT move, even if I was in a lesson or doing a pattern to my music, and they were just kind of standing there picking their butt. :evil:

[Mrs Redboots]

Rachel - the elite kids are almost always helpful and courteous, as long as you don't get in their way too often! As for your spin entries, you're probably rushing them, and pulling in too soon....

Anyway, today:

Sunny: Robert and I went down to the rink early, and we played our music, and it sounds great on the rink's sound system! It is a bit noisy, though, and I can't get it better, no matter what I do (I expect the sound card in this machine isn't that good, I don't know), so I've asked my coach to clean it up for us. He likes doing that sort of thing! So Robert and I skated for an hour together, working on choreography for it. Various friends were on the ice who aren't usually there on a Wednesday, which was nice. One of the young women I normally skate with has gone to the South of France to skate in a show on plastic ice, and, the youngest in the company and her very first show, has been made a principal and an assistant coach! My lesson went really well; I actually managed to find some edges when going backwards, and my Swing Dance Mohawk developed a bit of speed.

Rainy: My best friend had a really nasty fall and bruised her knee and hands quite badly. I fed her Rescue Remedy and stuff, and we went and had some iced tea in the café by the station after the session, which was very nice.

Himself (husband, not coach!) was being very annoying about the choreography; he kept saying I wasn't doing it the same way twice. Well, of course I wasn't, I was trying to work out what was going to work! Plus the recording isn't (yet) good enough for me to make a tape of it and have the tape in my Walkman, so I was trying to hum the music and work out what went where at the same time. But we have got some lovely sequences, if only we can get them fast enough. But himself kept saying "But we're only pushing here; we aren't doing anything", not realising that that was the default until we knew what we were going to do! Men......

[icenut84]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I'm not technically an adult skater (I'm 19), and I'd guess a similar age to the elite skaters I was talking about. I know it's probably daft to compare myself to other skaters but I couldn't help it :oops: The lack of progress and lesson-time was just getting to me, and I was really annoyed about the spin entries because I've spent so long trying to *get* them, then I finally did, now they're gone again. :( I'll keep skating though...

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Mrs Redboots
I fed her Rescue Remedy and stuff

Uh.... What is Rescue Remedy? :??

[Figureskates]

Gary, I would make that 3 fingers of Scotch!!!

[garyc254]

Originally posted by Figureskates
Gary, I would make that 3 fingers of Scotch!!!

Mmmmmmm..... Glenfiddich !!!!!! :D :D :D

[JDC1]

Around here you find that stuff in health food stores or Fresh fields. I think it's different combination of herbs in a liquid form that supposed to do all sorts of things.

[luna_skater]

Sunny: I am so ready for test day!! :D I feel even more confident about these dances than I did about my Jr. Bronze, now that I'm comfortable with all the three turns. All my dances felt great today...had good speed and flow. One more lesson tomorrow, and then test day, here I come!

Rainy: I left the session a bit early, because I was so fed up with having to dodge freeskaters. It was pretty much impossible to do a whole circuit unless I was with my coach. So I worked on lots of three-turns and edge work in isolation. Tomorrow night I'll be back on a skills/dance session, so I'm sure that will be much better.

[flo]

Sunny: Started on my new interpretive program. My coach really liked my idea, and we're looking forward to presenting the program. My doubles also went well, and it was a good chance to get to the larger rink and have room to skate!

Rainy: Still having problems with pulled groin. More pt today.

[singerskates]

Sunny: Got to skate Tuesday (Yesterday Aug. 5th). Even though I wasn't on club ice, Tecumseh Arena just let me do whatever I felt like doing jumps, spins and all. Waltz jumps, still have them. Salchow, got it back after 3 tries. Toe loop somehow is back even though I was having problems with it this past spring. Forward spin, I didn't count the rotations today but I was blurring them again. There were a few songs that were neat to jam with on the radio during the 2 hour session. One time during Tuesday's public session, I did a LFO spiral and then a RFI op mo to do a LBI spiral into a salchow. Pretty neat feeling. Going to use this in my program this year.

Rainy: Skated on public ice and had to weave through beginner/rec skaters and hockey boys chasing each other not looking where they were going. This cause me to use thoughs extra eyes in the back of my head we moms have and had to stop many times in my tracks. Didn't have the space for combination jumps. :lol: Loop jump doesn't seem to be working as I somehow mess up and land on my left foot instead of my right foot. Flip isn't cranking all the way around and dies. Sitspin starts but I don't stay down long enough to count. They could have picked a better radio station.

Brigitte

[dbny]

Originally posted by garyc254
Uh.... What is Rescue Remedy? :??

My own rescue remedy is 600 mg of ibuprofen immediately, followed by the scotch on arrival home :lol:

[TreSk8sAZ]

Sunny: Basics are coming back to me for the most part. Still a little shaky, but I'm feeling a lot better on ice. My coach is back in town (yay!) and I start lessons again next week. Taught myself some fun stuff once I got bored of various elements, can't wait to surprise my coach!

Rainy: Right skate blade just feels off and I cannot figure out why. It feels loose, but when I look at it the blade seems alright. Hmmm... Cast is throwing off my spins. Sit spins I can barely get a full revolution because the cast throws me forward. Oh well. No jumps for 12 more days (until I get the cast off).

[Figureskates]

I think next week, I will drink the Scotch before I skate.

1) I will be totally uninhibited...I can go for that big double Sal.

2) If I fall, I won't feel the pain.

3) I won't remember the next morning how bad I really skated.

-editted because I can't spell.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by garyc254
Uh.... What is Rescue Remedy? :?? It's a combination of several of the Bach Flower remedies, sold under the name "Rescue Remedy", either as a liquid, with a dropper or a spray, or as a cream. The liquid form is superb for shock, which is what it was wanted for in this case. You can buy it in health food shops or chemists.

[luna_skater]

Rainy: Yeesh. What a day. Traffic was brutal, since there was an accident on pretty much every main road in the city at rush-hour today. So, I was definitely going to be late for my lesson. As I was sitting waiting to make a left turn into my rink's parking lot, I got rear-ended. Sigh. I was OK, but when I got out of my car, I expected to see my trunk in my back seat. Shockingly, there was barely a scratch on it. If you didn't know I'd been hit, you'd never be able to tell just by looking at my car. So I made sure everyone was OK (three cars were involved: the person who intially did the rear-ending, and the car they hit, which ended up hitting me), and then rushed into the rink to tell my coach what happened and that I would be a few minutes. None of this would have been such a big deal, but I REALLY needed to get on that ice because test day is tomorrow!! Arrgghh!! We took care of all the info-exchanging business and then I finally got on the ice. Did I mention the thunderstorm on top of all this?

Sunny: Despite all the drama, I had a great lesson. I feel really good about test day tomorrow! Just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't wake up and my neck feels stiff as a board. :(

[Mrs Redboots]

Had a good time at dance club last night, and then up early again this morning to choreograph that unprintable Tango.

Sunny: Well, I think we now have something we can show the coach on Sunday, for him to work his magic on.

Rainy: But trying to explain what I had in mind to Robert wasn't very easy. Some of it was, there was sequences we'd practiced that fitted together nicely, but one bit I couldn't quite work out the timing of it, and that made it difficult to explain. So I ended up yelling at him "DON'T CHANGE FEET!" and a crowd of elite skaters, who were having their choreography "tweaked" by a visiting coach, all started giggling.....

Some things also didn't work very well - and why either of us think we want to finish with a pairs spin, which we do, is quite beyond me! Ah well.... It was fun. And the rink is about the only bearable place to be just now, it's so hot.

[96.23??]

Sunny: Two dances and a skills have been put in for testing.. :D

Rainy: Not much freeskate today since something is wrong with my knee.

[garyc254]

Originally posted by luna_skater
Rainy: Yeesh. What a day. Traffic was brutal...I got rear-ended....the thunderstorm on top of all this?

Glad you got all of the "bad" stuff out of the way today. I'm sure you planned it that way. ;) :lol:

Good luck on your test tomorrow!!!

It sounds like you're well prepared.

[mikawendy]

Sunny:
Paid a deposit on new skates today (yay)!
Had a great edge class last night (flo's coach taught it)--I really like the class because it helps me figure out so many technical things, and I finally feel like I'm generating a little power on the ice instead of just doing correct form at a baby pace. I also like edge class because it's so nice to be able to have so much room on the ice and not have to be too concerned about traffic!

Rainy:
The drive back from the skate shop was YUCKY but I'm home now. Other than that, nothing much rainy...

[96.23??]

Originally posted by mikawendy
Sunny:
Paid a deposit on new skates today (yay)!


What kind of skates did you get? :):)

[luna_skater]

All sunshine today....passed my senior bronze dances!

[96.23??]

Yay!!

[mikawendy]

Originally posted by 96.23??
What kind of skates did you get? :):)

Jackson Elite 2700 with MK Pro blades (I posted more about the skates and the fitting in the "what kind of skates do you own" thread.)

I can't wait to go pick them up and get them heat molded and start breaking them in.... :D

[icenut84]

Originally posted by luna_skater
All sunshine today....passed my senior bronze dances!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! :mrgreen:

[Mrs Redboots]

Oh, luna-skater, well done! :D

We weren't going to practice today, but as we were both wide awake at 6.20 am, we said, oh well, come on!

Sunny: I'd written out the choreography-so-far of our programme, and we were able to practice bits of it. Didn't have as many full run-throughs on-ice as I'd have liked, but we did run through most of the bits that were giving us trouble. Also Robert tried to show me a step from the waltz calle Tulips from Amsterdam that is giving him trouble, and to my intense surprise, I found it so easy I can't think what his problem is.... ;) I do like it when that sort of thing happens, as it doesn't happen often!

Rainly: Robert forgot, at one stage, that we were meant to be changing from waltz hold to foxtrot hold, with the result that I twisted my back and it has been sore all day. It's a bit better now - I've been asleep! Also, at one stage we got caught up in each other, and my Walkman fell off. It's not broken, but the clasp that holds it on to my skirt is; I think I'll have to look and see if I've got a bum-bag I can put it in for tomorrow.

We have just been complaining that it's FAR TOO HOT to practice the wretched thing in the front room, but we really must, before tomorrow.

[luna_skater]

Thanks for the congrats, 96.23, icenut84, and Mrs. Redboots! Now no more skating for me till Sept. (except for synchro), and then I get to tackle Jr. Silver!

[Mrs Redboots]

I do wish the early sessions weren't so crowded in the summer! Usually our elite dancers aren't in on a Sunday, but one of them was trying out with a new partner, so they were in even before we were. However, Robert and I managed to practice together, and then I sat out while he had his lesson - my back was/is rather sore - and then we were able to show off our Tango to our coach.

He was actually very pleased with it and said it was very good! Obviously there are bits which need to be tightened up, and tweaked, and generally worked on, but we knew that! The thing we are having the most difficulty with is one place where we twirl round to lose speed in order to come to a stop. Robert's idea seems to be to fling himself round as fast as possible as though he were going into a spin, which terrifies me! I think he's got the idea now, though. Then we worked on back chasses in Kilian hold, which are not easy! At one stage, we were doing nice curves on the RBO/LBI chasse/RBO bit, but curving in the same direction on the LBO/RBI chasse/LBO bit! Whoops! So we tried again, concentrating, and it was magic! We've never managed to cover so much ice and be so flowy going backwards, not even whenever we've competed the Fiesta Tango! Doing a whole length got a bit gruesome, though, as we got flatter and flatter - at least, I did - and Robert said he was stepping wider and wider.... but one of these days we'll be able for it!

Anyway, we worked on about the first 45 seconds of the dance with the coach. He said that I was constantly checking Robert's feet (well, do you blame me????) and need to remember to look up but I think that'll come.

Still, we don't need to make a final decision as to whether or not to enter the British Adult Championships until the end of August, so plenty of time yet.... mind you, we will be missing lessons here and there between now and then....

[skatepixie]

Just thought Id say that I landed my first single (toe loop) after 5 months on the ice on thursday.

[garyc254]

Originally posted by skatepixie
Just thought Id say that I landed my first single (toe loop) after 5 months on the ice on thursday.

WAY TOO COOL!!!!!

The first of many, I'm sure.

:D :D :D

[jazzpants]

Sunny: I landed two flips on one foot (after a slew of two footed landings...) and I had eyewitness too!!! :D :D :D Backspin is getting very close too... My primary coach is tempted to even say that it's good enough for the Bronze FS test, but I told him that I didn't want to chance it. Besides it wouldn't matter anyway because....

Rainy: My Bronze Moves SUCKED!!! :roll: :x My back crossovers are the biggest culprit of them all, but LFO3 at speed is not too far behind... Both skating coaches want me to work harder on my back crossovers and my FO3 this week. Primary coach was being nit-picky about my arm position last Thursday and Secondary coach was being nit-picky about my back crossovers, so guess what I was working on this beautiful Sunday afternoon? :roll:

The other problem, my camel sucked too! I totally lost it!!! If that isn't bad enough, the torque from trying for it cause my sciatica to act up again! :cry: