Flowy: Back on the ice after 6 days off! And our elite dancers were back after a fortnight.

Now, if anybody here ever resents working basics, you should have been at my rink this morning. Elite dancers, medallists at the British Championships, were working on plain vanilla forward and backward stroking - and you should have heard the corrections they were getting, too! Their free legs were wrong, or their arms were, or they weren't bending their knees quite enough, or their heads were wrong - when you see an elite dancer, himself a qualified teacher, being manhandled into position.... well, you know you aren't wasting your time on the ice! "And they jolly well needed it!" said their coach, afterwards.

Blowy: I put insoles into my skates. Enough said! I couldn't do a thing for the first hour, it was like having new skates - and I had to totally re-lace the things. Not as far as taking the laces out and starting again, but certainly loosening them right up to the toe!

However, I persevered, and by the end of the session was beginning to feel less strange! I don't think I skated at all fast, though, even doing Russian stroking. But that's okay.... What wasn't okay were my controlled 3-turns, where I could not make my shoulders behave! Sigh..... And I didn't get a single spin of more than 2.5 revolutions (but one good one of that, which was nice).

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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!

Blowy: Just got laid off from my job! I may have to curtain my lessons for a while until I get a new job again. (But will continue skating... but not 'til my foot healed.)

Flowy: NUTTIN'!!!

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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!!!

Oh, poor Jazzpants! At least Mr. Jazz is still working this time, right?

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Where are those knives when I need them?
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I need a detachable left foot!

Aw, Jazzpants, that's just rotten! Hope you find a new job soon.

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It blows:

My home rink had a coolant failure so no ice this week.

Go with the flow:

I went out of town to a public, at least it was better than nothing and someone there asked me if I competed. Uh, no, but thanks for the compliment!

I'm so sorry to hear that, jazzpants! Best of luck to you in your job search. I am/will be looking for a new job myself (I'm in my last semester of b-school), so I know how frustrating it can be.

Flowy: I was the only one on the ice for both of my practice sessions yesterday - well, there was one other person if you count my coach! I was able to run through the Bronze moves. They weren't bad, except for the power 3's, and I seriously need to work on those since I'm doing the Bronze MIF event at New Year's. I have a moves lesson tomorrow - guess which move is first on the agenda?

I did a few run-throughs of my program and we worked on several parts by themselves. My coach thinks I'm in good shape. I did a pretty good camel-sit (well, good for me anyway) during one of the run-throughs. And my forward scratch was better than usual.

Blowy: I got ambitious and decided to try a single flip in the program instead of the half-flip I'd been doing. I landed some in practice, and then when the music came on, it was nowhere to be found. My coach told me to just practice it at speed. B/c I was slowing down before the jump (and still not landing it - grrr), I finished after the music stopped.

Backspin appears to be regressing.

Blowy: I went skating for the first time since the last time i went, and i wanted to get my legs under me before my lesson on saturday. well, it's a good thing i did. i stepped on the ice, and it seemed as if i had completely forgotten to skate. i kept for soem reason expecting to have skiis attached to my feet, since i just came back from a ski trip, and it was weird.

more blowy: the place where i knot my skates was putting pressure on the exact same spot the ski boot was putting pressure on me and left a bruise. so i had the knot pushing on a bruise the entire time. kinda hard to describe what i mean, but it hurt. Also, i have a strange bump sticking out of the outside of my left foot. No clue what it is, but it hurts like a (blank) it wasn't so bad in the boot, but once i took it off, i could barely put any pressure on it.

extra blowy: i'm getting sick, and after i did a spin, i felt so sick, like i was about to throw up. i stayed away from spinning for the rest of the session.

Flowy: once i got my legs back under me, i did a bunch of three turns, which i need help on doing them CW. and i did some mohawks, choctaws, a nice lunge, spirals, anything that didn't involve extensive spinning. i also accidently did a salcow (sp?). after a 3-turn, i kinda just jumped and landed on my right leg. i don't think the technique was perfect, so maybe it was an almost sal, but hey, it's something.

edited for a cool flowy: there was a speed skater at the session, and i mentioned how i used to speed skate, and he asked if i wanted a race. i said sure, but he warned me he wasn't going to hold anything back. He used to compete at a high level, and had his speed skates, and i was in my figure skates, but i figured why not. well, it was a close race. neck and neck the entire time. not sure who won, but it felt cool to race against a speed skater and almost beat him.

I did that, except I didn't seem to remember! I can't skate anymore. Waaaaaaaa!

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http://www.yourphotoalbums.co.uk

Blowy
I've spent the last two weeks doing nothing but teaching beginners, so I haven't practiced my own skating at all. I felt totally off balance and did not feel up to much of a challenge in my lesson.

Flowy
Given how I was feeling, I asked my coach if we could work on stroking, because I knew I needed improvement. We spent almost the entire lesson (only 20 min) on forward stroking and crossovers. I learned that I wasn't rising up enough after each stroke, and I learned to keep more of my blade on the ice for each push and to put more into the under push on F crossovers. I was skating faster than I've ever done before, and loved it!

I hate to practice in front of my students, but stroking is one thing that I can practice any time.

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this thread should be called "flu-y and blow-y" since that is all I've accomplished this week. I haven't set foot in my rink since before Christmas.

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

This is for Monday and Tuesday.
Flowy: Scratch spin, while still pretty much non-existant, is beginning to look like one--at least according to my coach. I still don't get the free leg around, but since we changed the entry, I'm getting the leg up and closer to the front. Stroking is looking real good, but the transition over to crossovers in the endzones stinks. I'd been struggling with it, so she showed me how to correct it. I'll be working on it alot, since she is aiming for testing in April. We also get the moves sessions back this week so I can work on them.

Blowy: The head clonk on the ice yesterday. (Why don't we have an "ouch" smilie?) At least it came late in the session as opposed to early. It hurts to move my neck, but I got through a very cautious lesson today. Also learned my primary coach is going to be in Florida for most of the next month. I told her I'd just get a couple of lessons from my group coach when she can work me in. Hopefully, it means I can skate in the closer rink and spread my days apart instead of doing them back to back.

Flowy: Back on my home arena, which is where the ice is best.

Blowy: I think my teacher is ignoring me.

Shinn-Reika, why do you think that?

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http://www.yourphotoalbums.co.uk

We went through a whole class and she didn't get to me once, and there were less people this time. It's no matter how, she should to spend more time with some of the less able people. I learn quickly, so I'm less needy.

Blowy: Cr*p ice (the Zamboni had broken down again - a large patch of red on the ice which they said was hydraulic fluid, but the kids insisted was blood.....), uncomfortable skates, why did I bother? Couldn't control my left shoulder, either - coach says I let my weight drop out of the circle. Back outside edges awful, timing all wrong so horrid toe-rake noises all the time.


Flowy: On that ice? I don't think so.... but my F & B slaloms were fine, and my BI edges. Plus my anti-clockwise back crossovers, and my clockwise ones are improving. And a really good figure 8 of forward crossovers, too. Mohawks also improving, although still left shoulder issues. And we are going skating again in a few minutes, as it's our monthly class followed by social dancing!

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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!

I replaced the insoles in my boots with thermal ones, which made an immediate difference - much less uncomfortable. Class went well, although I still can't do a Foxtrot Mohawk reliably. Social dance great fun as usual, but the ice was very fast and I scared myself silly a time or two.... but it's good to be skating outside my Comfort Zone. Except I do hate the Fiesta Tango.

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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!

I'm glad the insoles helped.

As for flowy/blowy, well, for me it's neither, because it's all snowy here and the roads are too horrible to risk my life driving to the rink, just to risk my life ON the ice there. My coach has cancelled, the other adult I skate with has cancelled, so I will get my exercise for the day shovelling out my driveway.

Plus I leave on vacation on Saturday, so no skating for me until after the 17th. With luck, though, my new programs should be cut and waiting for me when I get back.

Blowy: Got up nice and early on Jan 2nd and got to the rink to find my coach outside unable to open up the rink as it had been locked from the inside. Since there were only a few of us one of the skaters invited us back to her house for coffee while our coach phoned around to get someone out of bed to open the rink. The rink had been used for a party on New Year's Eve and the ice covered with boards. It transpired that two guys had been paid by the rink to work overnight to restore the ice, however due to too much seasonal excess it seems they locked themselves in the rink and promptly fell asleep. So even when we did get back to an unlocked rink the ice was in such a state as to be unusable.

Flowy: When I finally did get back on the ice yesterday after a whole week off I found myself in great form. The now restored ice was lovely and fast and despite the festive season I was feeling in really good shape. I was whizzing around the ice on my footwork exercises and my jumps were working really well. My double flip, which has been problematic in the past (and totally abandoned me at the MC and British adults), has recently really come into its own and yesterday it was flying!

Blowy #2: I have however come to the conclusion that my boots have had it, which considering my bank balance, is not a good thing

John

Blowy:

1) The jumps really weren't all that great for me today. A bit scratchy. It's been a week and my jumps are pretty reliable, but I still wasn't happy about that. Didn't even bother getting through my combos.

2) I don't think my MITF pattern of basic stroking to edges is very good. I don't know what it's called exactly, but I don't think I get much of an edge.

3) Backspin stunk today.

Flowy:

1) Scratch spin: Somewhat consistently mostly centered .

2) Power threes. I think I am really getting the actual pattern down. Very exciting. And I think I have much more control and am much closer to really demonstrating each of the appropriate edges. I was thrilled at this.

3) Of the jumps, the toe loop is actually improving. Meaning that I'm not doing a toe waltz anymore. I actually used a little bit of speed today and was successful, which is great, because up until now I've fixed it by doing it at a standstill.

4) Finally, the best development of the day.

I did a LBO 3 turn/L Mohawk/LBO 3 turn/ L Mohawk. This is just huge for me. I've been doing it on the right for awhile now, but I did it cleanly on the other foot for the first time today and managed it twice. Two weeks ago, I couldn't even get halfway through the turn.

So that was great.

Flowy: My instructor does notice me. And I learned three jumps! Loop, Waltz, and flip. She says she'll finish off the next three really soon.

Blowy: I can only affectively land a waltz. But hey I guess it's not bad since I've only tried toe jumping for two sessions.

This is for the week, since I won't be back on the ice until Monday.

Flowy:
My spins were secure and centered all week long, especially the scratch.
One day this week, actually worked on Bronze moves. Not bad, but which one did I purposely skip???
Learning very quickly that training two programs is a good aerobic workout.
On lesson today, Coach said that I pushing through every nicely during my freeskate program!


Blowy:
Why is it that the planets can line up for me spin wise during practice, but then take all my spins away during lesson time?
Program run throughs were not as good as last week's but maybe I can use PMS for a excuse???

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Flowy: Not a darn thing. It's been one of those weeks where nothing is going right and tossing the skates in the trash can has come to mind.

Blowy: Belly-flop flying camels. AWOL loops. Having to miss a lesson to go to the doc to get a fish bone out of my throat.

Hmmm, let me guess?

Actually, after my moves lesson yesterday, my coach said that my power 3's looked better than they did the last time she saw them. Of course, that is a relative comparison.

Ouch, Michigansk8er, I hope you are feeling better!

Flowy: Oh, I am so-o-o-o virtuous, I have this great big shining halo! Well - not really, but in my practice this morning I actually forced myself to do the Fiesta Tango, solo, to the music! And I also, later on, did the Swing Dance AND the Willow Waltz, both solo. Husband didn't skate today as he'd skated hard last night, when I didn't.

Actually had a good practice, a little over 1.5 hours, and made some notes. When doing FO swing rolls, my RFO swing had that lovely "lilt" at the end when you go slightly faster, but the LFO didn't. When I did the Golden Skaters' waltz solo, another skater said I was "wasting" the forwards x-roll swing. She said, "You're crossing it now, which you never used to do, but you've got too small a loop on it, and you aren't finishing it facing the end barrier!" Must work on that!

Managed 4 laps of stamina-exercises, 2 backwards and 2 of forwards Russian stroking. These days, increasingly, it's my arms that ache afterwards!

Did a lap of changes-of-edge, and finished with a RFI-O change, which I held and then did a beautiful RFO3, and was able to hold the exit edge, too. Felt lovely and flowy.... need to do that more often.

Blowy: Clockwise back crossovers! Could do them a lot better than in my lesson, but was still having trouble pushing the ice underneath me and keeping my left shoulder back. Swing Dance very flat and a bit to-ey, plus Mohawk out of control. Willow Waltz too small, and Mohawk rushed, but at least I got the RFO3 right, if a bit not-pushed. Fiesta was small, but much faster than I used to do it, but the step to forward still feels dreadful. Mohawk okay, though, and I was gradually getting a bit more "oomph" into it.

But I still find intro-3s difficult on my own (Hello, Jen!). Fine with a partner, no problem, but solo still tentative and occasionally 2-footed.

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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!

I really like that lilt on swing rolls, it's why I like waltzes so much.

Flowy:
Ice is back in the rink and no one knows except me so I had it all to myself this morning. Well, me and the coach, so I got a huge lesson.

Blowy:

I fell on the mohawk in the Fiesta tango. Fell down. Hard. Boom! Had my weight a little too much on the right side it seems. So, I'm not liking the Fiesta mohawk very much, and about that step to forward, well, I didn't know it was supposed to cross and not be a scraping lunging toe picking thing.

Flowy, again:

When you've got the ice to yourself and all you've done for half an hour is the Fiesta tango, it looks really cool, because the ice is decorated with the dance pattern and nothing else. At least I can stay on pattern and have proof of it.