Yea it's lame but it's 9:30 already and nobody's made a new practice thread. I've got crocus blooming but we're back to 38 Lows!

Dooming - tonight I have my first show practice for our dance number - 9 skaters - all higher level than me - adults, teens and pre-teens - some of us are doing the Swing - others the Rocker Fox Trot. I am TERRIFED I'm going to get in the way, screw it up, and get run over.

DD was showing me where I'm going to start and I was whining that there was no way I could get to spot I needed to and she sighs and says "you know if you would actually use your mohawk to curve around it would help"

It was like a light bulb went off in my head - when I try to think about holding the exit of my mohawk, it's hit or miss but when I thought about it as letting the curve of the exit get me to where I need to be - Walla, I held that puppy and I ended up where I needed to be! "look!" I told my dd "When I hold my mohawk I end up in the right spot!" "Wow" she deadpans "You should write USFS with that little tip"

j

hahahaha, I love your daughter's comments! She'll make a good coach!

My practice yesterday was kind of phoned in, my heart wasn't really in it, & my hip was hurting a lot (never-ending soft tissue pain from falling after stepping on ice w/ guards on 5 years ago). So I decided to just do whatever sounded like fun & forget the hard work aspect. I figure any time on the ice is worthwhile, even if just for the mileage.

jskater - your daughter is HILARIOUS!! But she got you there and that is gret!

Our crocuses came up almost two months ago (love the Pacific NW!).

Haven't skated yet this week - just wanted to comment on your daughter and the croci.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

Blooming: My jumps are doing well. I can't wait until my double sal comes back. Footwork is improving. I'm comfortable enough with brackets that I can actually do choreography while doing them. It doesn't feel like I am concentrating on the turn anymore. That's a good thing. It's a different story though if I skate full speed. It's really hard to control. Feel like I'm gonna break my neck if I fall. Scary!!!! Flying Camel is getting awesome. I got six revs today. I still gotta fix my position though. (Horrible)


Dooming: Twizzles are really hard. I can do them, but I don't make them look easy. Double axel is still slightly under rotated. Double lutz is gone too. Double toe is still crap!! But at least it's not a toe-axel.


BlackManSkating

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Proud to be one of the few black men out on the ice

Goals
Pass my Silver Moves Test
Finish Choreography for Silver Program
Land a Clean Double Toe and Double Lutz
Work on Double Axel and Rockers
Speed up back Camel

Crouc Blooming: ;-) (Yesterday 50 and sunny)
Got artistic programs to go nicely, since I leave for LP tomorrow, that seems like a good thing. All done with those adult moves tests, very good for my overall skating skills many of the lower moves I had never done before but the end result was good. Back to working on Jr and Sr, dances are going well, it is very nice to be able to bend my right knee and have it point straight ahead instead in or out depending. Working hard on choctaws and power pulls with inside and outside double 3's as well as quick rockers. Starting to do decent Nov spirals to lead to Sr spirals and after AN will start quickstep pattern since foot speed has started to come back.

Weather Dooming: ;-( (Monday, cold and snowy)
Getting the Paso on time, much harder than the Killian and those cross rolls done at full speed are very tough. Can do a "walked" version nicely and on time but I still have almost 6 weeks to get it faster so...it should be interesting. The American is okay, I have to choose, soft well done rise and fall OR extension, can't seem to do both at the moment. A work in progress.


Can't wait for summer will start work on Intermediate Free dance which should be fun and hopefully pass a few dances and maybe if I work really hard my Jr moves.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Dooming: Several really hard feet-in-the-air falls off the back of my blade tonight. Ouch! I was skating very aggressively, so I got my just reward.

More Dooming: Some rink politics arose, and I'm squarely in the middle of it. I always take the photos for the annual show, with posed studio pictures being made during rehearsal night, and action pictures made during the actual show. Sales benefit the club, and it's not insignificant.

One of the students put in charge of the event officially asked me to take pictures, but then complained when I insisted that another adult skater help me pose the kids. I need that help when groups of 10 kids in skates are running around 2000 watt-second studio strobe equipment with high-voltage wires strewn about.

However the student and the adult skater don't see eye-to-eye, so the student was fairly transparent when she refused to let the adult help. I got angry with the student, and told the her that if she wants the photos, that's the way it's going to be. She was in tears when I left the rink.

I have no patience for petty feuds that make my offer to help more difficult.

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Bill Schneider

So I had my practice tonight and the good news is that I did not run into anyone or get run over. At first I was a little terrified because the person behind me looked like she was coming right at me and I totally gave up the dance steps and just skated away from her as fast as possible, but she was doing the Rocker and she actually changes direction and goes more in the corner and misses me.

But I totally could not do any mohawks because I was so nervous. The show is a little less than a month away and we have two more practices. I can certainly fake it with a two foot turn but I sure would like to do a mohawk in the show!

j

Blooming; up here in Lake Placid and it's beautiful. I've run into lots of friends and have done two practices.
A bit of weather - knee hurts a lot. I have a practice tomorrow and am then taking Wednesday off and will compete Thursday.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

I need to start packing soon, and I'm not sure if I should pack heavy or light clothes. So, how are the temps in the rinks?

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Hi,
The 32 rink has been warm, and the USA ink a bit cooler. Practices have not begun on the 80 rink, as they are putting down the AN logo.
See you when you get here!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Weather Dooming My knees I really thought they were getting better. But yesterday I really strained them, and they still hurt today. I do "Curves" and after 40 minutes of skating went to workout. I only made it through half the circuit before I had to stop. I don't want my knees to ruin my favorite hobby (skating, not curves)

Crocus Blooming Had a really nice Monday practice. The session is no longer freestyle so there were a few public skaters (the kind that doesn't know a camel will chop their head off ) but it mostly went well. I did bronze moves once through and realized I'm woefully out of shape- totally out of breath by the end. (They are getting better. Too scratchy though!). Worked on all my spins and jumps. Ran my program once without music.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your knee. Give everybody my love, especially Jazzpants (there will be a huge Skatingforums cheer for her debut, I hope). Longing to hear all about it!

Meanwhile, back here where the adult season hasn't yet started:

Blooming: Free dance is finally coming-along-nicely!

Dooming: Wish the Swing Dance was. I still rush the entry edge into the Mohawk, although I did think of jskater49's daughter's advice and made the exit edge take me where I wanted to be....

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Blooming: Did my best program run through ever today in my lesson. I nailed every jump and spin, and ended right with the music. My axel at the end is usually awful, and even that was pretty good. At least now I know that I have the ability to do the program well, even if I don't always follow through. My spins are improving too. I'm finally getting a back camel - I never thought that would happen.

Dooming: Double salchow and double loop attempts have been bad lately - I keep leaning over on the takeoff and getting nowhere.

Double dooming: I'm dreading Passover week where all the schools here are closed and all the public and freestyle sessions will be mobbed.

Crocus Blooming:
Freestyle program almost clean today on lesson (yes, that pesky salchow again!), did a sitspin that rocked!! Secondary Coach was still happy with it though.

Weather Dooming:
Our one surface has been taken down and our freestyles were cut back one minute, then back on regular schedule the next. Today got a e-mail from both coaches that now our freestyles will be only 3-4:20 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, because of, get this, HOCKEY TRYOUTS !! (Uh hello, when are figure skaters supposed to practice for our upcoming test session!!!) While they are offering mornings from wow, 6:30-8am, most school kids would have to be on the ice no later than 6am for a productive session. We're already cut back on Tuesdays as it is, and right now, Primary Coach's blood is nothing short of boiling.
Oh and we have not had a ice cut yesterday or today before the freestyle session starts. Yesterday, rink management was so damn into their weekly meeting that they simply could not take a break for 15 minutes for a ice cut. Today, skating director thought the ice was "fine" but by 4:30 it was totally chewed.

Sorry for the rant folks, but I've had it with my rink!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

[Weather Dooming]
Due to a lack of ice at my normal rink, it feels like I haven't been on the ice as much as I normally am because I was out of town from 3/29-4/2 and then didn't skate on Sunday (went for a run outside instead...that felt good!)...

For some reason, I just could not do a scratch/back scratch to save my life today...

Because of the lack of ice, no lesson until next week Friday...I best be showing some improvement!! Because it will be 2 weeks since my lesson, I could either really impress coach, or I could be a big disappointment....oh boy

Haven't done my program since my last lesson with coach...must have M make me do my program tomorrow....

[Crocus Blooming]
Brackets felt much better today. shhh...don't tell coach in case it is a fluke...the entry edge is still touch and go, but I'm really checking after the turn which seems to help...they are still the work of Lucifer in the burning fires of h-e-double hockey sticks, but they are moving up from the 9th circle to maybe 3 or 4 (Dante's Inferno reference)....

Camel spin and Camel/Sit felt really good....

Something little clicked with my axels...it wasn't landing on my toe, but it felt like I was pulling in better with my arms and legs...I think I'm still exiting too early but they felt better...that's something....

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Crocuses: Very quiet session this morning and extra lesson, so were able to run through all our compulsory dances, our free dance AND Husband's free programme! All good, although the free dance & Husband's free need work.

Weather: Husband had to go too early, as lots of dance music was being played so we could have danced!

Am having trouble with rockers and American-waltz-style 3-turns.

Am very, very, very tired!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Doomed! Coach wanted me to take some time off between Nationals (last week) and summer school (July) but I have only skated 3 times in the last 2 weeks (one practice and two competition events) so I just HAD to sneak by the rink yesterday for a fix of "rink air". Low and behold, who should walk in but my coach - CAUGHT ME!

Blooming: At least my coach agreed that maybe I could skate ONCE a week to keep from getting rusty. (Like any teenager, we'll see how long it takes me to stretch that into TWICE a week )

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Weather dooming It snowed while I was at the rink last night, and has been raining for days other than that. Yuck

Yesterday was not a good skating day. I only did my group lesson (plus the ones I teach). My knees were in miserable shape and really hurt. The kids seemed to be completely ignoring the instructor, which frustrates me because it wastes time. Our instructor had us work on our knee position for waltz jumps by stepping up onto the hockey benches, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get up! I don't know if it was a knee thing or a scared thing, but I couldn't do it. It wasn't a short thing because the kids could! Once my knees get better I'll try it on the skate benches, which are slightly shorter than the hockey box ones. I get the idea he wants though.

Worked on non-swinging salchows. Apparently my salchow is awful and weeny. I had finally got a good head about how my jumps were and the two lessons this week have basically taken that away. Both my waltz and my salchow are now at the point where what I'm doing isn't okay anymore- and the next step to it I can't seem to get.

mostly my knee just hurts horribly. I'm running out of PT from my insurance, it's been 4 months (the original estimate was 6 weeks) and I'm tired of being in pain and putting out a ton of money (even after insurance) if it's not working. It was completely fine last week, and now it hurts so bad and synchro nationals are this weekend! I can't be in this much pain.

I'm considering taking the next few months off synchro (since it's post competition) and private lessons, and just do the 30 minute group lessons to at least try to maintain. Of course that means I probably won't have bronze moves by June. Which I was supposed to do in February.

Crocus blooming Got nothing.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Crocus Blooming: YAY-I'M POSTING A SKATING POST!!!! My first time on the ice in 6 weeks and although it felt weird and nervous, I was happy!!!! I swizzled around and tried to get my ice-legs back.

Did some skating, nothing spectacular beyond some backspins (eh, about 3-4 so-so ones), 2 centered scratch spins, and 2 waltz jump walk throughs.

Chatted with my coach for a bit, and some of the other skaters.

also found out the rink will be opening up 4 WEEKS EARLIER THAN NORMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO-HOOOOOO!!!!!

Is there a chance that this girl might skate at HC this year???????? Might be possible now.....

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Blooming: Since I talked my coach into letting me skate, I went for a little practice this morning.

Wilted: In the last 16 days I have skated less than 45 minutes (practice ice, two warm-ups, and two events at Nationals) - it is amazing how fast "skills" disappear at my age! My "skills memory" seems to be F.I.L.O. (first in, last out) cause the only things that worked well were the first ones learned (forward stroking, FXOs).

Blooming: Upright spins and footwork started to come back but I spent 80% of my time backwards and was pleased with my back edges.

Fer sure I am going to need at least one session a week to retain anything for July!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Welcome back to the ice, Skate@Delaware!

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Crocus Blooming:
Well what do ya know... they finally cut the ice before the freestyle session today!

Weather Dooming:
My right pinky toe is being painful again to the point where backscratches got sloppy and the loop couldn't get airborne. I have a appointment with the podiatrist next week. Now if I can get through Saturday's exhibition and then through Friday (that's when the appointment is). Until then I'll be soaking my feet after every practice.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Crocuses blooming - this week was our school skate recital. I did my program and did not suck

Weather dooming - it's been a rough two months for skating - I wasn't nearly as polished as I'd hoped to be by now, and I'm still not ready to pass FS3. changefoot spin. I'm hoping to pass in time to register for the skyrink ISI comp. If I don't I guess I'll pass this year - I don't have an FS2 program.

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It's all about the dress!

From yesterday, as I was being lazy

[Crocus Blooming]
Did my program finally....which was good, but...

[Weather Dooming]
It wasn't clean The loop jump BARELY got off the ice, and the lutz was crap...

[Crocus Blooming]
The spins were good though!! Fought for the second camel because I didn't have much speed to begin with for it...

Moves felt good...CW back power 3's are feeling a lot better...

I think that brackets have moved from the 9th circle of hell to maybe the 3rd or 4th circle...I'm not sure which yet....my friend had said that I was looking a lot more comfortable doing them, so that's a good thing!

And finally....axels were so much closer to being landed correctly (not fully rotated yet, but on the toe)....they are a lot lighter, and while they are still pretty much flat footed, you don't hear a huge *clomp* when I land, so I'm thinking that I am closer to the toe....my friend said they were too...and she also said that if I stayed in ** that much longer, they would be fully rotated...I am pulling out too soon I can feel it, any day now I will do at least one good one....now, I just need to make sure someone is there as a witness!!

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

"Did not suck?" It was lovely! Liz did a great job on such a small rink. Great height on the jumps, too. Congrats!

Have I mentioned that I HATE teaching Mazurkas?
I'm never really sure if they're the same ones everyone else teaches because I'm doing them my ISI way.
As a bonus, they hurt my knee! It's so swollen and tender, I'm glad I don't have to walk up the stairs for bed.

I love teaching Basic 8, but not that jump.

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