Wowza: I got my axel back in a big way!!! It was coming the other day and yesterday in practise I just GOT the feeling... Could actually jump axels knowing that I will land them... the axel better not run away again.

Someone told me that the choreography of my program was wonderful. Then I told her I did the choreography :p

Wimpy: Flying camel taking off the wrong edge... I hope this is not a difficult mistake to correct

__________________
~
Tidesong

After a rotten lesson on Sunday, a really good one today! There were tests, so I only had just under an hour on the ice, but oh boy, can I feel it in my thighs! My coach had had a nasty fall during the tests and was gossipping at the side, so I had to go and remind him that time was getting on, but once on, we got going right away. I had already done my changes-of-edge and was working on compulsory figures, so we started with those: not bad! They still aren't very circular, but at least I'm getting back to the centre, even if they are best described as a "bulgy oval". On one foot they make a small sort-of-circle and come back to the centre, on the other, it is much bigger and I don't always make it back.... I am not quite sure what I'm doing differently, but I think it is to do with my shoulders; I am much happier skating with my right shoulder forward than with my left, and I think my right shoulder tries to come round too soon.....

Then we did changes of edge, which were okay for once, so we left them and moved on to BO edges. Minor epiphany on those: coach was holding my hands to help me find my balance, and I suddenly discovered that if I consciously bent my ankles, I found the right place on my blades.

Then we worked on my Mohawk, and he finally decided it would make a huge difference if I consciously straightened my free leg before putting it down - so bend into the RFI edge, then straighten, and put the LBI edge down virtually straight - and then come up even more into the swing! Hmmm - not so easy, but it did make a huge difference! I could do it quite fast holding his hand, too - I still can't turn very fast solo, but better than it was. So, progress!

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

Wowza -

Landed 5 big, beautiful and pain free axels today!

Enough said!

WOWZA: I got the nicest compliment I've ever had on my skating. During group lessons, we were practicing edges down the line and my group coach told me I definitely have the "Susie arm swing" down. Long story, short: Susie was my private coach for a year. At least she taught me something!!!

Skated both Monday and Wednesday after work. My leg muscles are aching today. I'm still trying to get back into shape. I'm done with PT on my shoulder, so it's up to me to get my whole body back into shape now. Back to the weight bench. It's sooooo hard to get a workout program going again. I know that once I make it routine it will be okay, but it's that first and second workout that are hard to start.

I definitely need to strengthen my back muscles. I've developed a slouch that doesn't look good nor help my balance on skates.

I'll start working out tonight after I get home from work. Okay, after I get home from work and take a nap.

Only one lesson this week as it's half term so I took a break. Braved my lesson during the morning public session today though. Rink was absolutely packed and it was impossible to practice anything much. Did manage a couple of centred spins though (they had to be - there was no room to travel!). The only good thing about it was that compared to most people on the rink I looked pretty good!
Had my lesson in a coned off area and luckily there was only me and a group lesson of beginners who clung to the walls the whole time and left lots of space for me!

Did some really good 3 jumps (after advice from my kids last week - I tried to copy my daughters lovely rhythm into this jump and tried to heed my sons advice. He said "Mum - you are so scared of the landing that you are turning your foot into the landing position before you even take off - no wonder you don't get anywhere." Thinking about it I realised he was right so I am working hard on just jumping with speed and oomph, kicking my Free leg through and not worrying about the landing and it is working!). My toe-loops are improving and even the dreaded salchow showed up a couple of times. The loop jump was as elusive as ever
Tried and miserably failed to do back twizzles though the forward ones aren't too bad (I need these for my Free Dance).

Stayed behind the cones for a half hour of practice with just me and one other beginner having a lesson and quite enjoyed practising my spins and jumps. I think I may have overdone it though, as none of the usual crowd were there and with no one to talk to I didn't take the chat breaks I normally do. I expect my muscles will be complaining tomorrow!

Wowza:
Backspin near the wall is definitely happening. One of my fellow skaters (a Bronze level skater) came up to me afterwards to tell me that my backspins look really nice... in fact they're better than hers. I had to tell her "now if I could only do that AWAY from the wall, I'll be happy!!!"

Moves are coming along quite well. My 3turns are stable still... and I could definitely do the power 3's on the line at least. (Coach made me do my stronger side on the pattern. I wouldn't do the weaker side on the pattern...)

Wimpy:
The LFO3 are stable but still a bit wimpy...and b/c of that, my power 3's on that side is still weak... (though I could do them...) I need more power now for this particular moves... and THEN I might have a remote chance of taking that Bronze Moves test soon.

Loops are better but still two footed... CRAP!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I was thinking yesterday, maybe I shouldn't post about dance club, since really, that is the time when one stops practising and is not having a lesson, but putting one's skills into practice! OK, so not as much as in a competition, but you only have 4-5 competitions a year, and dance club is nearly every week, if not more often!

But we had fun. Social dancing always is fun, even if your boots nearly slide from under you during the Golden Skaters' Waltz and you then bottle the next wide-step as a consequence..... did a lovely Riverside, but went flat on the end pattern; Swing Dance as dire as always, but I don't dread it like I used. Had dreadful cramp and had to take my boot off so missed the Fiesta completely! Good. I do NOT like that dance. Walked one of the beginners through a Golden Skaters..... and so it goes.

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

Hey sk8er1964 high five on the axel!!!

My axel didn't disappear during my lesson, went on to double sal, and double toe

Still not landing double sal on one foot. Tried very hard to land on one foot and ended up underrotating the jump... arrgh

Double toe: oscillating between delaying too much and then closing, and pulling in straight away. Both get me no where with the jump. Did one with 1 3/4 rotations, good enough for the moment

tried double loop on my own after the lesson, still on its way...

Spins ok... worked on camel during lesson, can't believe I lost the consistency with camel again...

Got to start working on back flexibility... I am appalled at my attempt at the donut spin...

__________________
~
Tidesong

No wowza's this week at all!

Our town was hit by a really bad ice storm this week-- 3/4 of us are without power, including me! It may be Monday before we get it back.

I did have one encounter with the ice this week, but not like I would have wanted--our school did not sand or salt the stairs in our parking deck. No traction, black ice everywhere...today I am sitting here with a pulled right hip flexor, achy back and neck, and sore arms and shoulders. Not hard to guess what happened.

__________________
All that glitters has a high refractive index.

OUCH!!!!!!! Lots of ice packs and NSAIDs.

I fell weekend before last on the driveway. No major injuries, but it sure reminded me to BE VERY CAREFUL!!!

I should have worn my skates.

Miss Indigo - please be careful with that hip flexor. That's my problem and it's an absolutely painful devil.

Wimpy & woeful -

Withdrew from the championship gold event tomorrow. The leg simply is not healthy enough for this event. Coach thinks that I should withdraw from the open event Sunday too, but I couldn't bring myself to withdraw from that one yet. I suspect that my leg won't be any better tomorrow either, and I'll end up withdrawing from that one too.

I am so disappointed . But Coach and I agreed that we don't want to be having this conversation right before AN - I'll be taking all next week off to see if this thing won't just heal once and for all.

I'll be there tomorrow anyway to cheer people on and to do the social skate (at least stroking doesn't hurt.)

Went down to skate the teatime patch. I've had bad lace-bite for some weeks on my left foot, and it has just been getting worse and worse lately. Then last night I had such bad cramp in my foot that I could barely skate, and the same tonight.

You guessed it - my boots are shot! They are still supportive on the outside, but my coach reckons the internal support has probably broken down. They are at least five years old, if not six, so have done me sterling service, and not a minute's pain until recently.

So tomorrow's patch will probably be the last time I skate in them, as I've made an appointment to see the Skate Man tomorrow, and I am NOT looking forward to Sunday!

Meanwhile, I didn't do all that much because it hurt, but worked hard on my Mohawks and think I'm making progress. Tried patch, but whichever end of the rink I went, this particular teacher seemed to want to put her pupils through their paces! My coach had a dance pupil so did a solo on the Canasta Tango and Dutch Waltz and nearly scared myself silly, as I seem at last to be getting more flow on my swing rolls. I am going to have to enlarge my comfort zone, I think..... oh dear.

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

Congrats on the backspin!
I'm scared to do my spins near the wall for fear of whacking my head against it if I should fall. This has been reinforced by a nasty accident I had almost two weeks ago. On a public session (where else ) a kid skating out of control crashed right in front of me and I caught my toepick trying to avoid hitting him. I went flying into the wall sideways and very hard. The left side of my head hit, forcing my neck very sharply to the right and slamming my shoulder into the wall also. The large green bruise by my eye has disappeared, my shoulder and back are OK now, but my neck is still painful and stiff. Do be careful of that wall.

sk8er1964 and MIssIndigo Sorry to hear about your injuries. Get well soon!

__________________

Thank you!!! I'm still flying high from the lesson!!! I can't believe that after all this time I not only am doing backspins but back scratch spins, never mind at a normal (not too fast, not too slow) speed!!! WOW!!! And have more than one eyewitness too!!! WOO HOO!!! I don't wanna wake from THIS dream!!!

One thing I should clarify... by skating near the wall, I meant the hockey box, which is definitely not tall enough for me to hit my head. It's just at the right height for me to grab "something"!!!

I'll add my condolences too!!! You two get well *REAL* soon now, 'ya hear???

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

You may dream, Jazzpants, you may dream..... but last night I was half-dreaming, half-visualising myself doing a European waltz, solo. And guess what, even in my visualisation I bottled out of the first 3-turn!!!!! I was SO CROSS that it persisted even when I woke, and I had to play with the European (which I am not really able for yet, but that doesn't stop me) at patch this morning! And yes, I do bottle that first 3..... but when I can't even imagine myself doing it, what hope is there for me, I ask?

Good patch - my tendon still hurt, and I agree, my boots are done for, there's very little support there. But no cramp, and not nearly as painful as last night. Didn't work out much with Robert, although we did a couple of laps of fast chasses together, which felt good. Also worked on figures, which I am sure is affecting the way we both skate - we are much more on the backs of our blades now, which is half-nice (better flow!) and half-scary (better flow!).... We also both worked on our Mohawks, trying to get the timing right. Gack.

And now to go and buy some new boots - an expensive afternoon.....

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

Yay, jazzpants! I skate Silver, and I still wouldn't call my backspin a "scratch." It's more like a back SCRAPE spin. You go, girl!

Well, we didn't buy new boots - the Skate Man did a bit of magic on them (mine and Robert's both), and they fit a lot better now. So we bought a new car instead! Definitely an expensive afternoon!

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

I had no idea boots were that expensive in the UK

Congrats on the new car.

__________________