My turn this week?

I didn't have time to write up last week's practice, so a very brief summary is that in my freestyle lesson we did inside spread eagles, pivots (BI, FI, BO). Salchow wasn't working at all, waltz jump and toe loop nice. Tried one loop & one flip - didn't work. Alternating FO3s - managed the choctaw but was very scratchy.

This is for yesterday morning:

Wowza:

My dad watched for part of my group class, and later, he said that when we were doing backward crossovers he was frightened because I was going "so fast"! He said I was going round on a circle outside everyone else, twice as fast, and that I was a "blur".

Spirals. I've been meaning to try forward spirals on edges for ages - I always chickened out of trying even though I could do them on flats, and there isn't usually enough room anyway. During practice, I just went for it, and then showed my coach in my lesson and we did some others too. She said my LFO one (the one I'd been doing) was good, and that my leg was hip height. We also did FO, FI, BO, BI, and also catchfoot ones (fun). She also showed me the one where you lift your leg in front, move it out to the side and then move it behind - quite hard.

Waltz jump, salchow and toe loop were all good. The height and "jump" in salchow and toe loop is definitely improving, and I got assurance from my coach that my toe loop does indeed take off backwards, and that I'm not doing a toe-waltz. Loop - landed a couple on the correct foot.

Learnt the Blues (though I can't remember a single step now! lol)

2 foot spin from spread eagle entry is much better. 1 foot spins from back crossovers good (for me) in both directions, probably about 4-5 revs both ways.

All 3 turns, double 3s and mohawks great.

Back cross cuts fine, and some other moves good too.

Wimpy:

Most loops were 2 footed, and I landed one on my own foot!! I think it was 2 footed but my right foot wasn't on the ice, it was on top of my left foot, lol. It hurt! But my coach pointed out that at least it proved I had my feet crossed, lol.

Flip - closest I got was 2 footed.

Spread eagles and pivots not amazing but ok, same for BO3-mohawk sequence.

Tried a teapot (shoot the duck), but I couldn't get right down and nearly tipped over backwards! lol. I never practice them but maybe I should.

Bunny hops were a bit dodgy! Hmm.

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

In my lesson today I did edge work and novice field moves. The half term starts next week for me so I have an extra lesson coz of that and also coz the rink is closing for about a week.
Wowza:
My 3-turns around a circle with the back crossover were quite good. Need to make the edges longer and not rush it.
I did my Novice Field moves today and my arms were aching so much, they felt like bags of bricks! And then after doing the novice field moves I had to run through them again! It was so tiring!
I have to work on my extensions more as my coach was "not happy about them"
I had to show someone a salchow and I did it quite good! I feel like the 3-jump is getting nice and high!
I worked on my 2-foot spin into 1-foot spin and I think I have it but I have to hold my free leg up for longer. I have to get this spin and then I can start working on my program.

Wimpy:
Only the first run through of my novice field moves, but it wasn't to bad.

I am gojng to have my free skating lesson on Thursday.

Not a good skate day! The ice was lovely, my blades were sharp (at the blissful stage where you've skated off the first over-sharpness, and they are still really sharp. Too sharp to stop, alas, and I do like a little "skid" in them), and I couldn't skate worth a you-know-what!

Actually, Robert and I did our exercises together and that was okay, except our cross-rolls in Foxtrot hold didn't quite work, and nor did our clockwise waltz 3s (RFO3). The anti-clockwise ones are really happening now.

As the ice was fairly empty, with our good skaters having gone to Junior Worlds, our coach wanted us to dance. First we did the Canadian Cha-cha, which was okay, except Robert wanted to argue about the steps, the coach doesn't really know them, and none of us had a pattern!

Then we did the Swing Dance and oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. We haven't done it that badly for years! Somehow Robert forgot all the things we'd been working on, and that made me not be able to do anything, either. And even after we did it again, I kept getting stuck on the Mohawk, which normally I can do. So after the lesson we worked and worked on it, and finally diagnosed, but didn't solve, the problem: for some reason my right hip gets stuck too far back, but my right shoulder is already forwards, so if I bring my hip forward, I do a 3-turn, or worse, a 2-footed turn, instead of doing the RFI edge into the Mohawk. I don't know why this happens - I'm perfectly capable of doing LFO-RFI round the circle, ditto as runs/progressives..... I give up!

The worst is feeling that we can't dance tomorrow to sort it all out; we are seriously thinking of going to Slough to dance there. It just feels odd. And now I am stiff and really tired! Partly after a hectic weekend, mind - didn't get to bed until rather too late last night to be up so early this morning!

(Rachel, if you did the Blues, you must remember that Choctaw followed by the back cross roll! I was showing someone it on Thursday, and came right up on my toe-rake, so had to say "Not like that!")

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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!

Had 1st lesson of the new 6-week series yesterday. I have the same instructor I've had for the past 3 series - it's good, b/c I like the way he teaches. I didn't get a chance to practice this week b/c of the big snowstorm, so I felt a bit wobbly on my skates when we first started.

Wowza:
Spirals are good, back spiral is better than it was last series - it's actually on an edge now and my leg is up to hip height. Power 3's still good - I've also been practicing LFI 3's in my spare time, b/c I seemed to have forgotten how to do them since Basic 8. My sit spin was shaky at the beginning of the lesson, but it got better. I tend to have a problem with my free leg dragging on the ice as I start to spin - i guess I just need to keep the leg lifted.

Wimpy:
The loop jump - what else? I sure hope I master this soon - b/c I'm, going to miss the last lesson due to Worlds (it's Mar. 29) so I'll need to "test" a week earlier. I definitely don't want to be in this level a 3rd time - yesterday, we spent 25 minutes on the skills I can already do before we got to the loop. My instructor said that we'll spend more time on the loop next week, but I would really like to work on some more advanced skills. I realize that everyone needs all the practice they can get, but I would like to learn some new things.

Revisiting my question from last week, has anyone (in the U.S.) taken Pre-Bronze MIF yet (or working on them)? If so, what's the pattern for the alternating 3's? I imagine it's sort of like the power 3's, with a back crossover involved. I'd like to be able to start working on it in my practices.

Wowza:
My backscratch is BACK! For some reason, it always shows up right before a competition ( CRC is in two weeks).
Toe loop- toe loop combo is solid , as well as the sitspin!

Also, I found out this week that I will be going to the USFSA Governing Council meeting in May!

Whimpy:
Than darn loop jump has yet to make a appearance in a program run- through!

Also, I meant to post about practices and lessons last week, but my cat was hit by a car and killed instantly early Wednesday morning- so I was distracted big time by that!

the alternating threes are done on the line. ie, RFO 3 turn to the RBI edge, step forward (choctaw) to a LFO edge, 3 turn,and so on down the line. i guess its individual, but i just passed my preliminary moves this past month and i found that the alternating threes were the hardest thing on the test for me to do. the choctaw to foward on the outside threes was really difficult for me. i had no problems with the insides though.

Oh no!!!

I'm so sorry...I just don't have the words.

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

So sorry to hear about your cat, Terri

*Wowza*
My waltz jump is back from a month long vacation!! My coach had me work on them yesterday and I thought ahh this is gonna suck... We went through the take off and landing positions, and then when I went to do it I just thought ok I gotta jump--my coach is watching! So I did it, and *tada* it was pretty good! After that I went on to do a couple more working on getting more hight...I still had some of those "whoops" moments but my mental block is going away!! hehe

*Whimpy*
Ahh forward x-overs are getting annoying...I can do them just fine the way my previous coach taught me, but now I have to do all that and turn my torso and head wayy into the circle and my arms way extended, point my toe all the time and keep my push off leg totally straight leading my foot in with the toe very close to the ice...so complicated!! I correct one thing, but forget to do the other and it's just so..frustrating!

Sorry to hear about your cat, Terri. (((Hugs to you)))

Wimpy--
Didn't do much today in practice as my PT had ordered me to take it easy and to stop the second I felt any pain in my right knee. I did forward stroking and practiced LFO3s and my not-yet-LFI3 turns.

It was so windy that I stopped practicing the turns. It was even so windy that from a standstill with my back to the wind, it was pushing my down the rink at a good clip! That was funny but of course made stroking against the wind monstrously hard!

Wowza--
Had the ice to myself, and it was nice and smooth! (I skated outdoors near my house. I didn't want to trek to the rink since I didn't know how long I'd be skating for).

Terri - I'm so sorry about your kitty

Wowza -

Skated an exhibition at a competition today (there was nobody for me to compete with - in fact I was the only adult in the whole competition ). It went pretty well - no pain (yipee!!!) on my jump landings and takeoffs. Got it taped again, and boy does it look a lot more polished than it did two weeks ago at my last comp. Judge's critiques were good - the only things they hit on were things that we already knew needed work. Judges just seem to love my circular footwork .

Wimpy:

Didn't do the axel in the program today since I haven't done any in two weeks due to injury. Two-footed the lutz (and didn't do the second jump) in the exhibition because I've only done a few of those in the last two weeks.

Looks like the injury is getting so much better - going to work on axels and lutzes tomorrow, I hope, so maybe I can actually land one in my program by next weekend .

Terri: Hope you are ok, I'd be very upset if my cat got run over.
sk8er1964: Go axel go!

Wowza

Back on ice after one week of not skating because of school work.
Axel is back again, still not 100% but hopefully will reach there soon...
Tried axel -half loop- flip and axel -half loop -dble sal the first combination more succesful
Getting the feeling for double toe and double loop... (my double toe has really been on and off)

Wimpy

Spins mostly on a vacation again, travelling all over the place...
Can't maintain a good speed on spirals
Scratching on foot work... I just realized that I always scratch during the back inside three turns!!! Especially when I'm not concentrating.

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Tidesong

Thanks, lisabelle.

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat, Terri.

So sorry about your kitty Terri.

It had been almost 2 weeks since I skated!!

Wowza - nothing really, my waltz jump felt good and I was able to do some waltz/toe loops

Wimpy - nothing again really took some time to get the knee bend back and get smooth but once I did my 3 turns etc. were fine. Spirals were iffy until I got settled into the ice.

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Last night, I had my first show rehearsal. It was for the opening number (with 27 other skaters--all kids!). I fell right on my hipbone during the warmup, and it hurt all day today. However, I still managed to skate this morning, and "make it through" my programs (good thing my coach wasn't there to see them!). But my hip is still hurting, and the extreme wind chill outside isn't helping. I can't believe I'm dealing with this just before Sectionals....

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

heck, I had to tell someone about skating and I figured this would be the place to post it!
I only go skating every 5 or 6 weeks, so I have not even been skating for that long so...If my progress sounds slow...that's why.
I got a new coach and she asked me to show her all of my jumps real quick. I did the waltz, and double toe (2fted) fine., the sal was "not happening" for me. It was wimpy! I had never had any instruction on the loop or the flip, but she said they looked fine. I do the flip out of a mohawk for now.
Then, she said, try a lutz! My jaw dropped! Well, I wanted to see if I could do it because I had stood against the boards watching my feet on the (while holding on and not actually jumping) take off edge for the lutz (for counter rotation) and the flip...
Anyway, I just went around and changed feet..up I went..and I landed it on the first try! She said that it looked good to her, and she I took of the correct edge. Naturally I got excited and tried a million more. It seems as if the toe jumps are easier for me I went on to try the lutz-loop combo, but fell twice. She gave me some instruction on the axle jump, but I only tried a few since there were so many youngsters around. She also showed me the camel and sit spin. I guess I'll save those for 3 more weeks since I was getting tired...

Clay

Clay, it sounds like you are having a blast! Well done!

Terri, so very sorry to hear about your poor cat; what a ghastly thing to happen.

Well, yesterday we decided to visit our friends at Slough, which was fun. But why, oh why, couldn't Robert and I have danced the Swing Dance like that the previous day???? It was just so much better than we did it in our lesson. Grrrr.

Robert mostly skated with our friend who he skates with in the higher class, just to get them back skating together. I was a bit annoyed because one of the coaches came up to me and asked what level I was, to make sure I qualified for that particular patch (which I did). I didn't think I looked that bad, dammit!

Robert and I did a fantastic Riverside Rhumba together - at least, I hope it was as fantastic as it felt! I do love skating when I do it well - and the ice at Slough was much nicer than it is at Streatham, plus it's a smaller rink, so you fill it more easily.

People-watching is always fun, but I felt sorry for one girl who was skating pairs - every time you looked there was a loud thump and she had landed on her bottom or side. We reckoned she'd be incredibly stiff this morning!

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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!

Private lesson was Ice Dance -

Wowza - finally getting the hang of progressives but they're HARD!! Oh my, so hard to keep my chest from going foward and from going back to cross overs. Got a CD of Music!! What fun!!

Wimpy - I totally forgot the right progressive after the left!! It took 10 minutes for me to get the stepts down right agan.

Group lesson -
We went over our group program for the April show.

Wowza - hmmm, my waltz was nice.

Wimpy - fell very hard on the double 3 on the left side, laughed though because we're in a line so I saw the other skater coming right at me and it struck me as funny, I got out of the way.

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Terri C So so sorry to hear about your loss. We also lost a cat that way years ago. His surviving brother was seen to look both ways before crossing. City cats have to be lucky, I think.

I'd like to add to the info about the Pre-Bronze alt threes, that you are allowed a brief touch down of the free foot, or even a crossover (gack!) before stepping to the next three. This is not allowed on the Prelim test, and would result in a failure.

Wowza
Missed my lesson this week because both coach and I were out of town on lesson day, but I did get to skate while away and managed one good spin from wind-up. I was always able to get a decent one foot spin from a pivot. This is major progress for me.

I can feel my FI alt three pattern improving every time I practice it. I set the goal of doing it ten times every time I skate, and haven't managed to keep to it, but have been doing it enough obviously, for some progress. The R is so very close to being truly one footed, and the L is getting closer. My upper body position on the L is better and I feel more comfortable over the skate.

Wimpy
I seem to be stalled on the F and B cross strokes, although hubby still says the B look easy. Well, easy if I don't work for those deep edges, I guess.

I've got to improve the speed on my F and B crossovers, the problem being that I'm just not comfy with as much speed as I'm capable of.

Waltz jump wants to happen, but I still wimp out on putting the oomph into it, so it's still very tiny.

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Well, not really a WOWZA lesson, but not bad. I mean, snowplow stops and two-footed change of directions just don't seem to be wowza skills, no matter how well they are done LOL. After my lesson one of the women in my group told me I looked very graceful! She also said that my change of direction looks so smooth. So, I know it's not much, but I was happy.

As I write this I have a clothes pin over my nose..

Today was not the best skating day.

Worked on pre-pre moves.

Perimeter stroking: Stroking okay but cross-overs at the ends were not great at all. Today was the day I could not find an outide edge...what is with the flat? I can do these things, really.

Spiral: Right leg pretty good, though I could raise the leg a little higher. Left leg, my coach said it best....stinko

Forward and backward edges: This stood out today. At least these are still around and haven't fled the state!!

Waltz eight: I have developed a strange little quirk that is proving to be a beast to get rid of. Moving on a back outside edge I flop over on an inside edge before stepping off on a forward outside edge..and I have developed this curious little push. It really is ugly since I leave this neat little pile of snow. Of course trying to correct this is throwing everything off whack in the waltz eight.

Note to KelliC: I normally do not skate that bad, and yes, it WAS amusing!!

Catch me on a good day.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

You're wrong. Doing any basic element well is WOWZA. It's the basics that make advanced elements work.

Keep up the great work and be proud of everything you do!!!

(((((( Thanks for all the support guys)))))))

Now for the WOW of this week so far:
HAD A CLEAN RUNTHROUGH OF MY PROGRAM TODAY
LOOP AND ALL!

Me, too!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Thanks garyc254. You're always so encouraging!

That by itself is Wowza in my book

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