Weak & Wimpy: Woke up just before 4 a.m., made coffee, checked my email - email from coach last night to the effect "get a good rest - we have lots to cover tomorrow" - oh shit - maybe I should just go back to bed!

Wasn't really "on my game" today, a bit rubber-legged, but we found a way to dress up the 2-foot squat/glide in my program, add some animation here and there, and do a program run-through.

Ok, I really blew it - WAY off the music right from the start and bailed half way through. I know I shouldn't bail but I didn't want to blow all my strength on a screwed-up run-through.

We putzed around for awhile and I suggested another run-through before she left.

Strong & Sure: (Yea, right! How about "Not quite so wimpy"??)

Second run-through wasn't prefect, a little bobble here and there, but it didn't fall apart, I kept to the music and one of the other coaches gave me a round of applause at the end! WOOHOO! I need LOTS more run-throughs before competition, but it's coming nicely.

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

And it's Wimpy once again! Got up on time and saw that outside temp was 28' F, so I went to window to see what it looked like. The light snow cover is no problem, but the wind is howling and there is driving sleet. I had told my 10 AM student's mom that I would call her from the rink at 9 to advise on conditions, but I knew right away that they weren't going out in this stuff, so I called and confirmed the cancel. Now I'm just waiting for the cancelation call of the 4 PM after-school program. I can't believe they would send first graders out in this weather, but if they do, I'll have to be there.

__________________

THAT is C-C-C-C-COLD!!!! (Enjoy the snow though... )

Strong and Sure:

• Fixing my spin entry and my scratch spin is better. When I actually do them right, the spin is DEAD centered and EASY!!!
• Good thing my secondary coach pushed me to come in this morning!!! I landed A SLEW of loops at the beginning of the lesson clean and with flow!!! And hooray for my FS session adult skaters support!!! They all saw it and were quite happy for me that I'm finally beating this beast of a jump!!! If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up from it!

Weak and wimpy:
Well, minor ones... I had a little bit of trouble landing them and gliding out towards the end of the lesson, but I was still landing them on the landing foot first. The last two jumps were cleanly landed though. Still a lot of "muscle memory" work to do on the loop. She had advised me "except for my lesson with primary coach, do NOT work on the flip! I need to do more muscle memory stuff on you." She did say that once she's done her stuff on my loop that I'll get my flip VERY quickly!!! I believe her, knowing the general mechanics of the jump...

Funny but true note:

Secondary coach said what attributed to me finally landing it...

1. The backspin wall drill I've been doing. Still don't have it yet, but it wasn't the intended purposes.
2. Muscle memory... doing a SLEW of them at the wall to get used to landing the jump clean.
3. And the last one... her getting on my @$$ on me about getting landing them clean!!!

I would like to think that her minor corrections on holding the entrance edge longer, checking my landing and kicking back strong behind me helped too... but she probably won't admit to that!!!

__________________
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!!!

Minus 28F?

We have just come out of a cold snap (2 weeks below -22F with a few nights to -49F) so I KNEW you just forgot the minus sign.

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

No, she is in New York and she definitely intended "plus" 28F (and that was the HIGH in New York too!!!

But -22F!?!?!? Geez, you're cold up there in Canada!!!

__________________
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!!!

For those of us not in the great white north, the plus signs are still cold too! (Although today it got ALL the way up to 12 and I headed out to work in just a sweater with no jacket- it wasn't until I got there that I realized even though it was "warm" I should still have a jacket on.)

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Jazz is quite right. It wasn't the temp that put me off, it was the high winds and driving sleet. Still, don't know how I'd approach outdoor skating at -22 F.

__________________

At this point, +28 would feel like a heat wave! I'm in Wisconsin & we've been in a deep freeze for the past couple of weeks. Not like what you guys get in Canada, but bad enough. For about 2 weeks, we didn't get above 0 degrees (F) all day, & down in the minus 20's at night.

First of all, JAZZ! WAY TO GO WITH THE LOOPS! That's such good news! You go!!!!!!! I had a feeling you were going to get even more breakthroughs --- and you DID!!! JOY!!!!

Strong and Sure

Everyone here is probably so sick and tired of hearing my BMWng about my new boots, and the rocker on my blade. The combination has me running to "get things back".

Back outside threes, both L and R, are BACK!
Salchow and loop, and waltz / loop are BACK!
Camel is BACK! 4.5 revolutions on three in a row. We are trying for 5 - 7.
Straight-line brackets.....I've managed to keep what I had (though I would in no way say these are any good yet)
Landed my first bona fide flip in new boots today.
Got a "real" outside mohawk (as in 8-step mohawk)
Backspin is almost all the way back.

WEAK and WIMPY

Back camel. WHAT back camel, though felt like I made progress toward the "right idea" (my coach's favorite phrase.....) today during lesson

Back inside threes.

Subsequent flip attempts after lesson........much drilling at boards to do (coach told me 15 at boards are better than repeated attempts, making all the errors she's pointed out, on open ice!).

Twizzles are STILL MIA....still! To think I was doing forward doubles. Now I can barely, barely eke out anything. And it's quite poor at this point.

Next week is another week, and I hope to keep gaining ground each day I skate in my new boots. Just hanging in there.

Strong & Sure: I just want to post about my daughter's skating session last night-she had a great one and successfully did a front-to-back sit-spin!!!!! then they worked on several other spin variations, even a broken-leg and I'm told it was beautiful!

this is about the girl who used to travel sooooo much!!!! I'm very pleased, just wish I could have seen it (I bailed on skating last night because I was so tired, so I took a bath and went to bed super-early).

Weak & Wimpy: the shape of my wallet...she told me she entered 4 events for our Basic Skills comp......so it will cost about $100 total. Which isn't bad but still-4 events! And she wants a new dress but I told her "no" she can wear her new one (only worn once at Bowie) and borrow any of mine. Sheesh! Kids!!!!

Dianne: Sometimes you should run through your program if it starts poorly...just in case something happens with your music or your timing is off....that way you won't have a "freak out" factor to contend with as much!!! Skate every run through as if you are competing it!

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

Jazzpants- Congratulations on the loop breakthrough.

Strong and Sure-
Managed to get to the rink for the first time since the ice/snow mess.
Moves went great. Even the ones that I typically totally choke up on were nice.

Weak and Wimpy-
Spins did suck today. I'm blaming it on the fact that I was running late for my lesson and did not have any coffee in my system.

__________________
Happily defying the laws of physics when I skate...and not in a good way

If I could meet ole Axel Paulsen, I would kick him in the teeth

President and Founding member of the I hate Toe-Loops Club

Still a member, but trying to get out of the Pre-bronze peanut gallery.

Visit my skating journal

Weak and Wimpy:

• Camel spins! Just didn't have enough energy to pull up as is... (Am trying to catch up on sleep and well, I'm not caught up. Was trying very hard NOT to yawn during my lesson and upset my primary coach... )
• Back sit: Not there....
• Spirals... still needs work.
• 8 step mohawks... RBO mohawks are actually a bit better than the LBO mohawks (as in "what LBO mohawks? They're choctaws!!!"), even though the LBO mohawks is the faster side.
• BO3's... barely there on LBO3's side, not even there on RBO3's side.
• Back power 3's - barely there... until he realizes that there were NOT on any of the Adult Moves tests. (I was actually surprised that I could sorta do them...)

Strong and sure:
Waltz jump to Salchow is pretty secure, though primary coach thought they could be better, of course!

After the second salchow, I told him that I've been very tired as of late. He goes why? I said I've been working on something this week and he goes what? So I said "I'll show 'ya... and I hope I actually get it..." And yes, I did show him my newly acquired loop!!! He was . But just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, he made me do a few more... 2 with hoppy landings and 2 more clean with a glide out, but all landed on the left (my landing) foot.

He then asked "Since when did YOU start landing loops anyway?" So I told him what I told you guys here... and then he asked "And what does that have to do with the salchow?" I said "Ummm.. I haven't been sleeping much and I'm really tired..." He, of course, thought I was about it (Translation: I know... how could you go and have enough energy to land a few clean loops but not a salchow that you've been doing like forever... ) and said "Just for that, you're gonna do a salchow-toeloop-loop combination!!!" (Of course, that's called "pushing your luck"... no, I didn't land that one...I tried to stay clean but had to step out...)

I went back and did two more loops and landed it clean.

Primary coach is being cautious about my landing it clean this week. Rightfully so, since there was a period where I landed clean loops for 3 weeks before losing it to a nasty fall from skidding off the BO edge on a loop attempt. Groin pull for 3 weeks... and I never got the loop back 'til now. He's waiting to see if the clean loops this time is "for keeps."

__________________
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!!!

BIG Congrats on landing that loop over and over and over again. You own it now!

I think you mean RFO and LFO mohawks in the 8-step, right? You'll get them.

Strong & Sure:
I finally made it to the rink this AM. Mostly because I had to give a 10 lesson. Didn't get a lot done, but managed a spin or two and played around a little with B progressives just for fun. A former adult student of mine who was there (and who can now do nicely checked F threes and is doing BO threes) told me I'm a beautiful skater. I sure don't feel that way, but it was very nice to hear.

Weak & Wimpy:
Got started late and traffic + weather conditions turned a 10 minute trip into 30 minutes, so I didn't have any time for myself before the lesson. Didn't push myself at all except with the spins. Just too tired to risk it.

__________________

I won't be skating again til my lesson on Saturday, but DS had a private today that I enjoyed vicariously . . . his routine is coming along great except for that darned change foot spin . . . he can NAIL it when he practices it by itself, but in the actual program . . .with the music . . . he just rushes right into it . . . and falls out of it . . . I'm trying not to bite my nails too much, I'm SURE he and his coach will work it out!! His footwork looks much much better/cleaner (ISI FS3 dance step sequence) and they also added in a short "mohawk cross mohawk" pattern as a transition that looks pretty darn cool.

And . . . if I understand his coach correctly - there is only 1 other skater entered in Solo FS3 . . . I'm not telling DS that though!!

As a reward for working hard during his lesson, his coach let him finish up his lesson with . . . his flip. FOR FUN. must be nice.

Weak and wimpy

Haven't been able to skate for 2 days as came down with gastic flu the day before yesterday. Really missing it, so sticking to watching Youtube skating vids and this forum instead!

__________________
If you want the best seat in the house, you'll have to move the cat!

Strong and sure

Today I managed to get alternating USTs with travel (for the uninitiated, that's "unidentified spinny thing", closely related to UHTs ). Was told by coach that a myopic TC would possibly call my UST a BI twizzle, and judge would immediately hammer it with a minus 3 GOE , but hey, I got it on both feet, got off the toepick and onto an edge, then did a series of them up and down the rink, and did not die. (Just as an aside, same coach jokingly told DH that he should think "your backspin" when trying to do back twizzles, as his backspin is known to travel... )

To add the cherry on top, DH managed such a beautiful LFI double twizzle that a TC would have no difficulty in calling it as such. Then repeated it, to prove it was not a fluke.

Weak and wimpy

Well, it's about the forward twizzles I can't do at all. For all you who can do these things, what is the difference between forward and backward, such that the backward ones are so much easier??

Strong and sure: Back cross rolls (most of the time). The occasional length of back cross-cuts. Not invariably. Oh well, nothing I can do about it, it seems to be totally outwith my control!

Good workout with husband, and actually managed to keep a decent posture with him skating backwards in waltz hold - he will stick his bum out, which makes it very hard!

Did full off-ice workout when I got home. My arms hurt....

Weak and wimpy: Most of these ruddy cross-cuts. Back crossovers awful. Ended up bailing out of Fiesta with Husband as had had enough - we are still not 100% fit after our colds.

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

Strong and Sure: Yesterday while I was practicing and then taking my lesson on freestyle, a young man joined the ice. I could see from the moment he entered that his skills were extremely advanced and within moments of warming up watched him land a triple axel ...he then did several quad jumps...egads...the sound of the landing beside me and the sight was just breath taking. When my coach came, she explained that he is a French world champion and preparing his world program. He is all of 20 years old. Apparently, he did some of his training with one of our coaches and is here for a couple weeks working with that coach. We had to really watch to get to the board sides as he did program run throughs as his speed and abilities were quite intimidating! It was too cute that when he missed a jump or popped out of some..he would cuss loudly in French! giggle.

After my Moves in Field lesson started, I was just so impressed as I watched him purposefully move out of my way of the weensy pre bronze MIF pattern to not interrupt my flow. So many at the rinks that do have more advanced skills (none that compare slightly to his) seem so entitled to not dare be interrupted but do not share the same courtesies regardless if my music is on or if I am working a pattern even after they have observed me repeatedly yielding for them. I could not help but notice the difference. He only further impressed me. ( I thought I might like to meet his mother...what manners!)

Weak and wimpy: Spins are traveling big time again. Have not worked hard enough on my backward 3 turns or back spin for my lesson tonight. Will try to concentrate that in my afternoon practice. I have my freestyle lesson this afternoon too. Seems that I need another ice day added but just don't know where to pull from. Work continues to interfere with my life! I am now skating at least 4 days a week but think I need 5? giggle.

Dallas-
That's one of the nice things when you skate with REALLY high level skaters. For some reason, it's the skaters around the starting Axel/beginning double jump levels that act like they own it all and again when they get their first triples if they are "around that age".
Those that have "made it", so to speak, are usually the most courteous of the bunch and easily yield to those less skilled as long as they get uninterrupted program run throughs. It's less inconvenient for them than for lower level skaters and they have the skills to do so.

Is your Frenchman by chance Brian Joubert? If so, he has a to-die-for sit spin, too.

Strong and Sure
Field moves felt generally ok. I had a few hitches today but it was not as bad as yesterday. I know what I need to do so I just have to go and do it on Wednesday!
14 step felt strong and CCW back runs are better.
RFO3 on willow is greatly improved with the new shoulder alignment

Weak and Wimpy
Thursday field moves run through was dire - hopefully that is my bad rehearsal out of the way
No lesson this morning as dance teacher failed to show yet again
CW back runs still don't feel right. I don't feel over my skates correctly.

Whimpy!!! With a horribly busy day at work yesterday and not nearly enough sleep I was REALLY groggy and weak this morning - actually woke up feeling nauseous (NO, don't even say it - that's not possible!) - but time ticks on so I had to crack my own whip for practice.

When Coach arrived, we did a program run-through and took a break to chat and sip coffee. I said I had been asked to skate my program at another rink but had declined, saying I didn't feel it was "polished" enough. When my coach was ready to leave, I did another run-through.

Strong & Sure: Well, it doesn't feel that way to me but coach seemed really happy with the program and said it looks "well polished" and I shouldn't hesitate to skate it elsewhere and in front of people - the more the better. Ok, I guess it's time to work up the nerve to "go public"!

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

Weak & Wimpy: After a 4 hour board meeting for the club I came home around 10 pm with winds in excess of 60+ mph making the newly fallen snow qualify for "blizzard conditions" on the drive home. I am so sick of this weather supposedly we will hit 50+ degrees but we are predicted to 100+mph gusts.

Strong and Sure: Oh, I'm skating fine, I just wanted to complain about the weather.

__________________
Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Ummm...yeah! (I'll go change it in my original post now... It's what I get for skating pretty much every day thru Thursday and fall asleep at the end of a work day...)

I should film you one day when you're doing your "coaching FI mohawks" so you could see how you have good basic form and nice flow...

Geez, that weather better ease up a bit there. As much as anyone likes snow... enough of it already!!!

__________________
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!!!

Taught groups last night - we split them into Show skaters and non-Show skaters, so some of the kids miss their classmates. I had an all-new (to me) group of Show students and they were thrilled to get a different teacher.

Strong and Sure:
Crossovers any way. I taught "underpushing" on the back crossovers and the kids were amazed at how much speed you can build up with such little motion.

Edges were great. Spins were great.

Demonstrated and taught inside mohawks on a hockey circle.
Worked great at keeping their arms checked and focusing on that step motion.

Weak and Wimpy:
Didn't have a reason to do anything higher than a bunny hop. Still, I did a few one-foot bunnies, just for fun.

__________________

Aaak! They are really not what they should be and I still struggle with them, although they do tend to come through when I'm teaching. I might let you video my F cross strokes though .

Wimpy:
Woke up with a pressure type pain behind my left eye and a crick in my neck. I gave it an hour and a hot shower before canceling my lesson today. Even reading the paper was painful. I have a lot to do anyway and really shouldn't be going to the rink. I'm leaving for Boulder on Tues, and just realized that Mon is a holiday and I have to go to the bank and the PO, which means today.

__________________