Thanks again for the reassurance about the stretches. There is a huge difference in range of motion from when I first start my hamstring stretch until I FINALLY get my chest to my leg 10-15 minutes later, so maybe it's just a matter of torturing yourself a few minutes longer? BTW, when I pulled my hamstring it was definitely the "pop" variety. The hamstring itself didn't actually hurt, but I could swear my femur had just left my hip socket (and it probably did)!

So sorry to hear you've come down with a cold. That's rotten. . . Which reminds me, what sort of fun stuff do you get to do in your cadaver lab? Are you a doctor?

Okay, so here's my recap for the day. . .

Signs of Spring
- Completed a flying camel-back sit on the first try for my coach
- Completed my opening combination spin on the first try for my coach
- Showed a 13-year old Pre-juv skater how to do a change of edge spiral yesterday and today she could do it beautifully! How rewarding for both of us!

Winter Frost
- Apparently, my axel takeoff is having to undergo emergency surgery. The timing couldn't be worse, since tomorrow is my last practice session before my competition on Saturday and I have to re-train myself to do my step-out differently from how I've been doing it for the past year.
-I was so stressed out over the axel this morning that I didn't even have a chance to skate my program. I was an emotional basket case.

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Signs of Spring:

I love skating at lunch!! 2 freestyle kids, 2 smaller "wall huggers" and their moms, and one other adult skater. And a whole lotta open ice!!

Salchows are good as long as I remember to sink down into the knee before trying to jump . . . landings felt a little iffy (think maybe I was hitting the flat of the blade to much) so I worked on flowing out of the landing and they felt much better.

SPINS!! one footed are actually fun . . . and I eked out a few wobbly backspins as well . . . the other adult skater said my spins were "graceful." (my translation: slooooooow) Almost, almost there on bringing the free foot down and through to make it a true scratch spin. (my body is fighting me on that one . . . ).

After a little experimenting I quickly concluded that my RBO is NOT strong enough to start working on the loop . . . (mind is willing, body is weak) so I worked on backward edges and 3 turns instead. And some power 3's just for kicks - it was a good session overall!!

Winter Frost:

Backspin . . . loop . . . anything that requires crossing the legs . . . could someone convince my body that I won't DIE in the backspin position??

Blades are starting to show signs of needing to be sharpened - and I don't know of anyone local to do it - I didn't care so much about leaving my last pair of skates ($47.99 entry level Riedells) to be sharpened at the rink - but no way are the hockey guys getting their hands on the new MK Pros!!

Hang in there, doubletoe. You'll be okay with the new axel entrance. I believe!

Laura H - You COULD ship the skates out for sharpening. It's expensive and leaves you without skates, but if you don't trust anyone nearby, it's an option. Another option: ROAD TRIP! LOL

Winter Frosts:
I come out of spins and jumps on a very deep back outside edge.
I wonder if I need the blade moved on my landing foot?
I haven't had any adjustments done since I picked up the skates in December. Hmmmm.
Maybe I'll just get them sharpened first and then decide.

Tried the RBO twizzles. This will take a while. LOL
Sit-change-sit was sloppy today.
Full rotation jumps are still not there. Brrrrr!

Signs of Spring:
Waltz and Salchow landings: Get off the deep outside edge.
Salchows, Toe loops: slight adjustment on the use of the free arm that I have to practice.
Half-Flip, Half-Lutz: Perfect, just have to point the free toe after landing.
Scratch Spin: Don't drop the back arm on the tuck under.

Sit and Camel spins were good.

Warming Trend:
Tango stops on both feet; still working on the one-foot version. (I'm sure a sharpening will send me back to START. )
Decent beginning layback position with good hip/leg extension.
Good camel-change-camels, about 2 out of 3 centered.

__________________

I usually aim for the road trip option. The only two sharpeners I trust to do my skates in a timely fashion (i.e. at most the skates disappear from my sight for like 10 minutes while the guy is in the room sharpening it...) I have to make a special road trip for.

One of the sharpeners happened to live within a couple of miles of a major shopping outlet mall. Can you say....

TA-da-da-DA... da-DAAAAAH!!!! CHAAAAAARGE IT!!!



GO DOUBLETOE!!! You can get that axel back! I know you can!!! You have the determination in you to go out and get your axel back in a pinch. You CAN DO IT!!!

__________________
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!!!

Thank you, that makes me feel better!

How odd! So how long have you been noticing the deep outside landing/exit edge? I would guess it's the mounting if:
- it's been going on ever since you got the new blades mounted, but not before that
- your edges also feel too deep on RFO 3-turns, and RFO and RBO outside edges with no turn

Otherwise, before re-mounting you might want to first ask your coach to check to make sure you aren't dropping your right shoulder or hip, lifting or opening out your left shoulder or hip, or turning your head to the left as you land or come out of your spins (spoken by someone who has done all of those things, LOL!).

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Keeping the leg behind you instead of slightly to the side will get too deep of an edge too.

That pop's the sound... the first time I pulled my hamstring, I tore it in 3 places and hear 3 pops. Then, I was, like... wait, there's no joint in that spot!

I'm an engineer-- I design the instruments and implants used in spinal surgery... so I get to randomly hang out around dead bodies and surgeons and make sure that when we stick these things into living people, they do what they're supposed to do. Makes for a great conversation starter... or stopper... (especially when I get on a plane after a long long day in a lab and my seatmate starts sniffing the air around him/her and then realizes that the stink is me...)

__________________
When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

I can't say if it's new and unusual because I only started jumping again in earnest after I got the new boots in December. My coach pointed it out to me this morning (first freestyle lesson in weeks) and I really struggled unsuccessfully to fix it by lifting my hip or checking my arms/shoulders. It might explain the struggle with 3s on the line, too. Hmmmm.

In fairness, my arms/shoulders check weren't great on those landings either, so it could be a technique problem. I'm going to get the blades sharpened (it's time) and practice more before I decide to have Klingbeil adjust the blade.

Good point; I catch my students doing this all the time. It's hard to watch yourself without video, right?

__________________

My last video is in fact from december 1st. I got my flip, loop, lutz, sit spin and scratch spin without it.

HOWEVER, if you know where they are, there are "sweet spots" on the ice rink where you can see yourself in the boarding almost during your entire jump, spin, etc. Just in general the reflection from the boarding is very helpful to find out whether what you're doing corresponds with what you feel you're doing.
And during public sessions, to make sure there's nobody gets behind you on the last part of the crossovers approach to, oh say the camel spin or a on a backward spiral.

Mostly they're in the corners and on the short sides of the rink where the rink just starts bending a little towards a corner, but there's actually one by the hockey/judge booth as well. On our rink at least. Different rinks have different spots - it also depends on what colour the material behind the plastic glass is, it's best if it's dark.

Signs Of Spring: The preliminary schedule is up for our Adult Nationals and my event is the afternoon of the first day - WOOHOO! - couldn't have picked a better time (for me)! I don't have to sit around and stew for three days, getting more and more nervous - get it out of the way early and then let my hair down It also means I have practice ice every day leading up to competition and can set my own pace going in. After surviving "kill the skater day" yesterday I know I can skate a better program than yesterday. The next big question is how many will be in my age group? Three would be perfect!

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

They are scary, scary, scary - it's the rotation that gets me..... plus I can't keep my weight over my blade, but let it rock over, which is not a good idea!

Winter frosts: The husband, whose BO3s are relatively fine (he was using his shoulder to finish the glide back to the line, though), actually managed a couple of BI 3s, last night and I could see what he was doing differently to what I do, but I can't change it yet, alas! My body just doesn't want to do that. Of course, I was all, "I HATE you!!", but privately

That was one strange session - it's not one we normally skate on, and apart from the coaches, we only knew two of the skaters (a third one came on later, but I'd only met her on test day!). It just felt like we were strangers in a strange land, and, of course, not knowing where people's programmes were going (if, indeed they had them) made us very tentative, and we bailed out of a couple of dances because we were in people's line of fire.

Summer breezes: But we played with our spins, which were working fine and you wouldn't have thought we'd not done them for months! We also did a couple of lifts off-ice, but decided it would be showing off to do them on-ice, so didn't. We also played with pivot-spirals, just for fun (about the only pairs move I'm prepared to do!), which didn't really work - we need to remember how to do them, I think.

Fiesta Tango still working well, and the new start is going to be great. But doing the change-of-edge as staccato as our coach wants is a bit scary and makes me skid! Canasta okay - and it wasn't me who promptly started to do a change-of-edge in the second swing roll. Willow coming-along-nicely, to the point that I'm actually able to think about extension (which confused Husband no end!). Swing Dance not so good because we keep arguing about the swing roll at the very end of the dance, which husband will flatten off and not finish because he says we'd be going back on ourselves if he does.... grrrr....

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

Winter Frost

Yea. There's a blizzard warning for all of Iowa. I'm probably not going to make it to the competition Sat.

J

Got in a few minutes last night at the seasonal rink. Two more weeks until that one closes.

Winter Frosts:
Blew 3/4 of the camel spins I attempted. I think keeping the trailing arm up is my undoing on these.
Have to play with them more.
Tried a few flips, but I kept breaking at the waist.

Signs of Spring:
Great sit-change-sit spins; need more rotations on the back spin side.
Half-flip and half-lutz were good and I remembered to point the toe and countdown the landing.

Blizzard Warning: (Sorry, jskater)
Tried the twizzle last night; I think I need to watch the video. Just can't figure out where to stay on the blade.

*Sending "good weather" vibes for jskater49*

__________________

Is this the Kate Wollman rink? I can't keep track of all the outdoor rinks you guys got. We only have two in the Bay Area and both are gone after New Years Day!

Ditto!

Winter Frost:
Looks like I'm having camel spins issues too. I'm spinning but still can't get into the position well enough. Weird...must be tired since it was the very last thing I did on the ice during my lesson.

Signs of Spring: (Lots of Flowers!!!)

• Added a little bit more stuff to my FS program today. Jay wanted me to do this footwork thing and go all the way towards the middle of the rink. Problem with that is that I ended up pushing all the way towards the other end of the rink. Primary coach calls me back and says "I was expected towards the other blue line, but I guess I underestimated how much power you have in your strokes now. Oops! " <sheepish grin>
• Backspin: I have NO CLUE how I managed to do this but I managed to do two really good back scratch spins...and it STAYED on the BO edge!!! Primary coach made me do another one after the first one and he was .
• I am progressing on the back sit, though it's not quite yet a recognizable back sit... but it's getting there and it is spinning.
• And yes the loop is still there. In fact, now he wants me to do a loop-toe loop "since my free leg is already straight behind me and all..." (Yes, he's pushin' it!!!)
• And guess what? Just when primary coach was already impressed. I went out there and (wimpy ones as they are) I still managed to land a couple of flips CLEAN too!!! His exact quote was "Where did THAT come from????"

__________________
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!!!

Before you have Klingbeil adjusts the blade, see if your coach can watch from behind as you glide forward on a straight line on your left foot, then your right foot (then repeat right and left inside edge glide and outside edge glide). That should help you describe the problem to Klingbeil.

BTW, I am very impressed that you are doing sit/change sits! Way to go!!

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I just checked the Adult Nationals website and USFSA.org and did not see any updates or tentative event times on the schedule. Did you find a schedule somewhere that has actual event times?

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Rusty Blade's talking about CANADIAN Adult Nationals... (Yeah, I know. I can't keep track of whether anyone is British, Canadian, US, Australian, Netherlands... you get the point...)

__________________
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!!!

Wow, great stuff, Jazzpants!!

Signs of Spring
My program run-through this morning was pretty good (with the exception of the axel). I completed my opening spin and flying camel again, which made me pretty happy (it's especially nice to have the flying camel back!).

Winter Frosts
I stayed for a second session this morning and spent the entire 45 minutes trying to re-train myself on the axel takeoff. In the last 5 minutes of the session I tried 3 axels and did not land a single one of them. I guess I gave up my axel for Lent. . . and I'm not even Catholic!
My horoscope for today was: "Stress can make you stronger -- after all, high pressure is what creates diamonds!"

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Sorry to mislead you. I thought the "Manitoba" in my location would give it away.

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

DOH! Forgot you were Canadian! LOL!

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Signs of Spring:
Silver moves- namely the forward crosstrokes are going well- I can hear the rip of the edge!
Spins are going good, but I think my camel attempts are lost somewhere.
Jumps were fine, but ankle got cranky after too many loops.

Winter Frosts:
Next week, until I get my new co-worker trained (she starts on the 19th) I'll be back to 4 day a week 10 hour workweek from hell.
No ice at my home rink the next two weekends because of a hockey tournament. Will be going to another rink in the area to skate!

__________________
Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

That's ok. Here in Manitoba we are more closely related to North Dakota than Ottawa

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

Winter Frosts: did NOT get to skate wednesday night, as I was down hard with the virus that has been making it's rounds; which means my pre-competition program run-throughs did not happen .

And, I have YET to hear what day/time I skate this weekend....for Skate Annapolis...and I am starting to freak out

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

Thursday was my first skate in a week but it was mostly good.

Spring: landed loop and flip OK but still need to work on better runout on landings. May have made a breakthrough on the back spin - suddenly getting the position right so I can get round a couple of times. Will see if this is a fluke if I can still do it tomorrow. Had fun practising double 3's. I can now do BO to FI and repeat for 4 or 5 complete turns (on my good side anyway!) I've always wanted to be able to do this!

Friday - spring: Managed 2 rotations on the backspin so maybe gettign thsi at last. Coach asked to see Loop and did a good one on the second try so we left it at that. He knows that if I do a good one then asking for another inevitably ends badly! Also did nice flip at first attempt which is very unusual for me and even landed it when practising my programme (not with music mind) after the lesson.

No bad stuff to report for a change

Oh dear - that did make me laugh. I think I gave mine up for Lent last year and it still hasn't fully returned.

Good luck for the weekend!