We're a day overdue for a practice thread, so I'm starting one for the first time.

Wiggly boots: Still wishing for ice. I'm making do at the non-air conditioned roller rink on my PIC skates. It gets mighty sweaty out there!

Snug laces: The company is good. My spins are progressing on PIC skates, although it's still an order of magnitude more difficult than ice. Here's a "tracing" of one 4-revolution spin....



NOTE: I had to increase contrast of the photo to see the faint tracing, so the floor looks mighty dirty. It's not that way in real life.

I posted a video of a four-rev spin on PIC skates here:

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/...ic_spin_09.avi

Not bad (pats self on back), and they are getting better each week. I hope this translates to better spins on the ice. They are exceedingly difficult compared to spinning on ice, so I'm happy with them.

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Bill Schneider

Wiggly: lots of rain here so lots of "pimples" on the ice. I'm often the first one on in the morning, so I check it out and put cones over them so no one gets hurt.

Snug: New skates from Klingbeil came last Thursday afternoon. Mr. Klingbeil sealed the boots, mounted the blades, and sharpened them before they were shipped, so I was ready to go. They are perfect! I skated for an hour Friday morning, Monday morning, and this morning. After 15 minutes on Friday morning, I was able to do a 1 foot spin, and by the end of the session I had done dance, edges, 3 turns, waltz jump and toe loop. Yesterday, I landed all my jumps and got my change foot. This morning in a lesson I actually skated my program with the new skates. I still have to up my confidence level, but coach told me I am actually skating better with the new skates even though they are new. Best of all, the blades are set perfectly for me and won't have to be moved.

Wow, looks good... Actually, I'd like to try the PIC skates myself! Can you really do all the ice moves in them?

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~~~~~
Blog: http://chowskates.blogspot.com

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/chowskates
~~~~~

Some people can, but not me!

They are very similar in feel to figure skates, but are different enough that I can't do everything that I can on ice. For example on ice, I have all my threes and brackets. On PIC skates I can muster the FI/BO and FO threes, but I don't even try my weakest elements - the BI threes and most brackets. I hate falling!

For me (beside satisfying my skating jones when there's no ice) the biggest advantage is how much better stroking becomes on ice after overcoming the friction on wheels for a while. You develop leg muscles on PICs and that translates nicely to speed on the ice.

There's a competing brand of inlines called "Snow White" having just three rockered wheels, and they're highly regarded. I've never seen or tried a pair, so I use what I have.

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Bill Schneider

Snug Lace: I finally had my first lesson after 4 months. To top it all off, coach said I should consider testing my moves for the August test. Amazing what time off will do for ya! Everything just seemed to work, I can't explain it. I had practiced but the moves never worked out too well. And the best part was the lesson was a busy freestyle, when I am used to empty public sessions during the day.

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~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

love the thread title!

Snug lace - 2nd lesson on pre-bronze moves this morning, learned the waltz-8 pattern. Coach pronounced it good. We're figuring on testing on Sept, because he's away for the August test session. If I can figure out how to get to Lake Placid where he'll be, I can test there. Needs plotting

wiggly boots - ccw forward xovers - totally suck, not even passing. It won't take much to get them up to scratch now that I know to work on them, but how lame is that?

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It's all about the dress!

Sounds like quite a bit of progress here.

Wiggly - from last week. Been so crazed that I went to the rink for our pairs lesson that I forgot my skates. Grrr. I didn't have enough time to trek back home, so a pro graciously let me borrow her skates. They were a different brand and little large, but ended up being fine and even managed a few death spirals.

Snug - Had very productive practice yesterday and today. Lots of improvement on death spirals and throws!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Snug Laces
-Coach decided to have us try rocker figures. All things considered, I did pretty well on them! We were doing outside rockers. I had a bit of a hard time holding the BO edge for a full circle after the rocker, but again, all things considered, I did well.
-Invented a newish spin! I'm sure it's been done before, but I've never seen it. I was messing around with grabbing my knee on forward camels like in a Kerrigan spiral, when I decided to try leaning back. A catch-knee layback! From there, I'm working on pulling into a hair cutter and (eventually) a Biellmann.
-We were doing backspin-double loops in camp. I was terrified at first (took a really nasty fall a while back when I was first trying backspin-2loop). But, after a few good backspin-2loops, I look over to my coach and she holds up 3 fingers, indicating she wanted me to try backspin-TRIPLE loop. I hit the backspin, went "Here goes nothing," and just jumped and pulled in as tight as possible. I heard a bunch of OOOOOHs from the other skaters. I asked my coach how many times I went around, and she said more than 2 and 3/4s! I know backspin-almost 3loop is a long ways from a true 3loop, but I am very happy with just that.
-2axels getting consistently better. Even when they're off and slightly funky, they're almost clean.

Wiggly
-There was a group of over 200 on the afternoon session. We were able to keep the middle to ourselves by forming a human barricade--a skater in each place a cone would normally go.
-Left blade is loose (the screws aren't loose, but I guess they're the wrong type of screws for slotted holes or something like that), which is causing problems every now and then on spins, axels and sals.
-2loop+2loop has disappeared. 2sal+2loop and 2flip+2loop are still there, but not 2loop+2loop. Ugh.
-Skates are no longer staying tight enough for a full session. The ankle support isn't breaking down by any means, but maybe the tongues are? I don't know what's causing the problem, but I'm having to retie several times.

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Youtube Videos

Go Bill! Awesome spin!

Monday

Wiggly: Knee is at 95%, but am having trouble with scratch spins, lifting the knee. I did manage to do 1 of many attempts. Loop jump and flip jumps were just not happening.

Snug: Had a good lesson. Worked on Bronze Moves. They are getting bigger when I remember to push in the right places. Salchows and toe loops were good. Backspins are traveling less. Waltz toe not too bad.


Tuesday

Wiggly: Went to the FS session before group lessons to work on MIF. I am freaked out going into the first 3 turn on the Power 3's. Not sure why, but I flub it every time. The rest of them are okay, but that first one I mess up every time. The LI Mohawk on the 5 step pattern is rushed and small.

Snug: Had my group lesson with the kids tonight. There are 3 of us doing ISI FS3. There is no FS4 group (next one is FS5) so that coach lets me work on both as well as USFS FS stuff. Toe loops and salchows good. Learned the back inside pivot - easier than the back outside pivot I learned as a kid. Change foot spin was good. Scratch spin seems to be coming back.

Snug Lace: All four of my skaters that I had testing this morning passed! They put out two Pre-Pre MIF, a Preliminary MIF that passed .2 over, and a Pre-Preliminary freeskate test.

CoachPA- congrats on such a successful test session.

wiggly boots Why do my feet hurt so much when I skate here? They didn't hurt at all in Detroit. I blame the humid weather and bad ice

I posted this on my blog, but if anyone is keeping a list of things I can't do, add flying camel. HAHAHAHA. The "flying" should have clued me in, but I couldn't even comprehend how I was supposed to jump... So confused. That one will have to wait a few years.

Snug lace The Stinkeez things are the best thing ever invented. They are expensive, but I'm sold on them. My skates (which used to not be allowed in the house) pretty much don't smell anymore.

Worked on corkscrew sit spin variations, and I can spin just fine with my boot on my knee, both coaches said the height of the sit was okay. I freak out though once I have to lean over, and the idea of having to take my free hand and tuck it between my legs is terrifying- how would I catch myself if I fall?

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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)

Snug Lace: The whole lesson went well - ran through my two dances with only minor corrections on the chasse step and my arm position going into the corners of the dutch. And miracle of miracles, my spins returned from last week's holiday. I even got rotation on the backspin! Then worked jumps up to and including the loop. Arm position is a major issue. And I pointed out to the new coach that I've heard "Keep your head up" in five different languages (English, French, German, Russian and Polish) and it still hasn't sunk in.

Wobbly boot: actually the laces in my skates need to be replaced. I hate the comb nylon/cotton ones that were all i could get a year or so ago. The skate shop guy said he has all-cotton ones but none of the ones he has in stock are long enough for me AND white. All the long ones he has are black.

And all that arm position work has my neck and left shoulder very tight and sore today.

Snug Laces
ah, a freezing cold yet sunny winter morning. Frost on the ground, ice on the roads, and NOT ONE condensation bump to be seen on the ice . And a blissful hour wworking hard with my coach.

She was pleased with my progress, most things were "Bettaah!" (She's Russian, and the way she shouts better makes me smile inside.) Toe-loop is being put back together after she took it apart, and she had her first go at my salchow. A few corrections, but not too bad. Even my camel spin didn't attract too much criticism, apparently I'm on the right track.

I'm used to her finding lots of faults, so it was nice today that she seemed pleased with my progress.

Wiggly Boots
My boots. I want new boots, I desperately want new blades. Been in these a year and that's enough to say I want Phantoms again and Graf boots. Unfortunately desperately wanting doesn't=money to buy.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

Wiggly Tried 1/2 lutz and couldn't even get a 1/2 rev. Just popped up. I probably shouldn't have waited until the end of the session to try them and not on a full session....full of small barely skating kids who were practicing their spot light programs for the competition on Saturday. Knee felt tweaky so didn't even attempt the loop or flip.

Snug Backspin - 10 revs - most ever It felt fast and secure. Loved that feeling! Camels weren't as bad as I feared. I haven't done any in a few weeks - been mostly focused on Bronze Moves and FS stuff for testing. Most had 2 revs...one had 3.

Dayum, girl!! That's pretty awesome! As for the skates, maybe take them to Willie's and get them reinforced in the ankles? I love Willie's!

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

Wiggly
5 step mohawk sequence on the left side, though my coach said that it is better.

Doing scratch spin from backward crossover position. Coach discovered that I am sometimes not doing backward crossovers properly.

Power stroking: not a lot of people in yesterday (Thursday)'s lesson, so coach taught me this new move. Struggled for the first 2 to 3 minutes, then after copying her, and explaining what I am supposed to do, I find that pretty good.

My niece, 3 years younger than me, started her skating lesson (intro) yesterday. She was 30 minutes late, so ended up having lesson the same time as me. My performance was a bit off whenever I realised that my niece was looking at me. She also got problems of not knowing how to stop, though her intro. coach said that she was probably basic level 3 or so. I gave up teaching her how to stop.

Learnt backward pivot on the left leg (is that inside or outside edge) for the first time. Getting the feel, though feeling a bit weird.

Snug
Did loads of stretching exercises, including forward and backward crossovers on ice, inside and outside edges, and also two foot slalom. Coach taught me new stuff as she was aware that I was practising crossovers.

Backspin: can do up to 4.5 revolutions with leg wide open, coach has not taught me how to cross yet.

Change foot spin: can now do 6 revolutions on the forward scratch spin, and 4 to 4.5 revolutions on the backspin, and then another 4 revolutions or so on the forward spin. Stopped practising towards the end when I felt slightly dizzy.

Sit spin: can go probably more than half lower on the right leg, about 4 revolutions, though on the 3rd attempt or so, fell on the ice.

Scratch spin: sometimes when practise, can do what my coach asked me: put the right crossing leg higher. Can sometimes do from backward crossovers, but not consistent at the moment. Hopefully, with more practice, can do what the coach requires me to do.

My niece said that her intro. coach said that within 6 months, if she often goes for practice, she can probably progress to freestyle level 1. Her intro. coach told her that I am at freestyle level 3 now. (How did her intro. coach know what level I am at?) Looks like I will have competition with her. I better make sure I make progress every week.

londonicechamp

SNUG I passed level 1 Elements test today (or should that be SMUG??)

Its a big thing for me as I swore I would never test jumps and would be stictly Ice Dance! then this year I decided to bite the bullet. So glad I did as I'm having great fun! My legs shook terribly - so much so that my spiral made the strangest sound like I was skating over cobbles!! I had to reskate my cherry flip (toe-loop) but I passed and I'm delighted

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Congratulations, Jayne! ALL the best people have to reskate their cherries, just ask my husband!

(As for us, snug: looks like we'll be competing on Sunday, which was a bit iffy for awhile there. Mind you, if we dumb down the programme any more, we'll just be skating round and round.... but should be fun, anyway).

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

That's really cool. Those Pic frames have always intrigued me. I can do do all the single jumps (not very gracefully and the loop is shaky b/c I can't get over the wheels on my R side correctly) on my roller derby/quad speed roller skates, which are short boots (like speed skates), have completely different wheels (derby wheels are thicker and very soft, figure roller skates have very small, hard wheels), and I have much smaller toe stops. I'd be interested in seeing what I could do on some real roller skates or pic frames (you can't spin on derby skates because of the wheels).

Did you just mount them on an old pair of figure skating boots? About how much did it cost?

I'm in a total skating funk. Skipped Monday, had just a blah "don't wanna be here" practice Wednesday. Decent lesson today, we just worked on all my jumps to make sure I'm breaking my old bad habits and not developing any new ones. It's time for a short break from skating, fortunately I leave tonight for vacation. My real lay on the beach vacation in 4 years I get back on July 18 and should be geared up and ready to get back on the ice and prepare for Peach after that.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

That's awesome! Congrats!

Best of luck at your competition. Our club is hosting one on Saturday. I'll be volunteering most of the day.

Yea! You go! I always get super dizzy on the change foot spin.

Hope you have a great time and come back refreshed!

Snug Ran through Bronze Moves as if I were testing. Coach is always saying/implying that I am a bit slow/take up too much time. Did the whole test in 8 minutes which I think is respectable. The Test Chair manual allots 12 minutes for the Adult Bronze test.

Camel spin - did one that was 4 revs today. Yea! Getting better. Backspin - did one that was about 8-9 revs. 6 of them were centered. Waltz toe-loop coming along. I was able to get up some speed today.

Wiggly Backward 3's. Could only "do" the outside ones. They were teeny tiny and shaky. Flips - went back to the half flip to get up my courage for the whole flip. 2 footed all the landings on single flips. Working really hard on getting the foot in front instead of on the side. Loops - ack! I either 2 footed the landing or spun out.

At the end of the session, I was doing a backspin and going pretty fast (for me). When I came out, I lost my balance. Foot slipped out from underneath me and fell on the same knee I fell on 2 weeks ago. Luckily it was more to the side than straight on. I felt a little pain for about a second, but was okay. The problem was getting up couldn't push myself up and put pressure on the knee. I had to call DD over to grab onto to right myself. I was worried about a repeat of 2 weeks ago, but could bend to take off my skate and walk okay. Whew!

When I bought mine, I bought the package including both boots and frames. It was close to $500.

However I HATED the boots (something really soft and comfy (Gam?), but w/o enough support), and after a year I bought a new pair of Riedell Bronze Stars to replace them. I've had the bronze stars for 8 years now, and they are severely broken down. I still use them though - it's expensive enough to keep up with boots etc for just ice.

You can buy JUST the frames if you want to mount them to an old pair of ice skating boots. I just looked at their web site, and it would cost anywhere from $125 to nearly $200 depending upon which frame you choose.

http://www.picskate.com/products.htm

Also, I was surprised to see that they have added some new 3-wheel frames to their lineup! Perhaps the competition from Snow White caused them to offer these. I wonder how these feel compared to my 4-wheel frames?

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Bill Schneider

Snug - practiced all the pre-bronze moves patterns on a nice uncrowded freestyle, so plenty of practice on the CW perimeter pattern. My lessons have been devoted to the moves patterns so I'm referring to my journal for jump and spin corrections - sure enough, there are things I had forgotten so I'm getting good traction just revisiting my notes and applying them. Toe loop is improved - loop even has a bit of air time (still ugly, but improving) flip is starting to come more than go.

wiggly - left thigh is still sore - spirals are terrible, sitspin practice is limited.

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It's all about the dress!

Snug
Pretty good skate this morning. Ice was a bit rough and it was moderaely crowded for a Saturday morning public session, but it was okay.

Have got my LFI3 nearly as good as the right, most edge exercises felt better.
Jumps: worked on toe-loop & salchow to make corrections coach wants. Felt like I made progress. Couple of decent loops, a moderately good flip and a decent toe-loop/loop.
Spins, well not too hard to fix the locking knee problem. Did a couple of nice backspins from push start, and at least one decent attempt at all my regular spins.
My footwork is really benefitting from my new coach, much smoother, faster and better balanced. Yay.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

I have nothing really to add except because of my WIGGLY BOOTS I'm going for a fitting for new ones on FRIDAY!!!!! I am heading up to the Liberty Competition held at Aston, Pa, so this means I will actually be able to watch the skating! I haven't been able to go the past few years because I was working. I do believe that the Jr/Sr's will be skating that day. Super treat!

Yay!!!!

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