LOL - not really - our coaches haven't really pushed the issue of sit spins with our adult group class - probably a liability issue or something!!

The entry is what is killing me - my right hip is slightly lower and further back than the left, just a postural thing, probably from years of desk work and not sitting with proper posture (although I have been improving this somewhat with actively working on stretching, etc.) - but it makes it a little of a trick as a CCW skater to get the right leg UP and ACROSS into proper spinning position with the traditional spin entry. So I end up spinning with my legs not together, which is obviously a recipe for disaster. I'll probably just have to figure out some off-the-wall entrance to "trick" myself into setting up in the proper spin position. Like back crossovers, I'm sure I will get the hang of it . . . eventually.

it is doable. I have one hip that is higher then the other as well as a twisted pelvis, tight IT band from MS. The sit spin is my best and most favorite spin of all times. I dont fully close my legs but the force keeps me low and spinning quite quickly.

Snowflakes and Sugar Plums - it's all good, I'm back in the practice thread! Squeaked in 15 minutes this morning under the Tree, saw my buddies again. The resurfacer was busted so the ice was a mess - which saved me from the temptation to do anything crazy.

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It's all about the dress!

When you find out the trick let me know LOL! I spent too many years sitting as well and when I went to therapy for my back surgery recovery, my calves were TIGHT! did not help either.
That is good to know-there is hope for the rest of us! Maybe we need a new thread "skating things we can do IN SPITE OF our injuries/disabilities"???? I'm happy that I can remain upright on some days...KWIM?

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

snowflakes (bad): I just don't care about skating anymore. It's not that I don't like it anymore, I still want to skate, it's just that whenever I get to the rink I don't want to skate. I'm not getting any better so I feel like I'm wasting my time. And I'm always hurt and it really sucks.

My lesson today was so blah. I did everything my coach wanted (including waltz jumps with my hands behind my back. That was terrifying. Also just standing still on 2 feet and jumping around- which is scarier than any other jump) and she was pleased with how I skated, but it wasn't fun. And everything I did was wrong, even if she was able to pick a minute thing to say was good.

I just feel like everything left is so far beyond my reach: I'm never going to be able to get my silver moves, my bronze free, or even my preliminary dances (RB is a killer, and finding anyone to test the other 2 is impossible, and I don't want to solo. Solo dance is boring.)

sugar plums: I have money for new boots. I'm not sure I want to bother spending it though if I'm not enjoying skating anymore.

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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)

Hooray! Welcome back, Liz!

I've been there, and still go there sometimes. When I first started skating, my goal was to pass Juv MIF, but I have since realized that I have too much fear to master the 8-step. BUT, I have discovered that cross strokes are relatively easy for me, and fun. I do variations on them that are also fun and now am even putting power pulls into the F cross strokes (on my braver days). So now my goal is not to pass any particular test, but to improve what I can do, and find the fun in that, while avoiding getting too frustrated with the things that seem too hard for me. When I get really down about my skating, I go back to just fooling around with the fun stuff - good music helps a lot. Don't give up on the RB, just back off for a while, and you may find you will get it later.

If you really want to feel better - look at your Pre-Bronze MIF test! Your skating has improved exponentially since then!

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Snowflakes Got a lesson tonight. Worked on revamping my program from the Bronze test program to a more competitive bronze program. Coach was very positive today especially about the flip and lutz which are inconsistent. She is putting them in and we are going to work hard to get them. Changed my spiral from the flat to a inside edge and was able to hold from blue line to blue line.

Plums A week off and plenty of good holiday food has left me huffing and puffing trying to do multiple run throughs. DD and I are going to have to hit the gym this week as we can't skate again until Monday.

Sugar Plums !

Serious withdrawal symptoms, last skating session was 20 December!
12 days til rink re-opens, 17 before I get to skate again !
Wah!!!!

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Katz

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

Sorry to hear you are not enjoying your skating any more but don't give up just yet. I know solo dance is boring when you are just doing compulsory dances but how about asking your coach to teach you a solo free dance.

You can put in spins and waltz jumps and use whatever footwork you have and pick some great music you love (especially as it can have words now). You don't have to worry about jumps and you can usually find somewhere to compete a solo free dance if you enjoy doing that and I know you can test solos free dances In UK (as an independent stream so you don't have to have done the same level compulsories), so maybe you can there too?

It will give you a feeling of accomplishment without getting disheartened over stuff you can't do yet and after working on that you may feel more like giving some of the other stuff a go again.

The lower level solo compulsories are boring but maybe have a go at some higher level ones as they get more interesting to do even solo and it will make the RB seem easy when you come back to it.

I found a partner for dance after 10 years of skating so don't give up yet!

As for things being beyond your reach - just try to look a little bit ahead and not at the big picture. When I started I thought jumping would be impossible for me and swore i'd never do it but now have up to flip and love jumping. I never thought I'd be able to pass level two field moves but with a bit of determination now have level 4.

Out of interest which bit of the RB do you find hard? If it's the cross behinds
they are really not so bad - quite fun in fact! Though I thought my coach was mad when he first showed them to me - "you want me to do that!"

Thanks for the kind words. I've never heard of solo free dance, so I'm not sure if we have that here. I'm also not sure if my coach would know how to do that, I think she only did compulsories herself. It does sound interesting, though what makes it different from a low level freestyle? (It sounds like footwork and basic jumps, which is what my freestyle program is!)

I'm not even looking for a skating partner- just someone to do the test with! That's how few dancers we have around here. There is one male coach who has done the 3 preliminary dances with a few girls (all at one test session, I think he did 12 dances) but he refuses to do them again. He's a pair skater and really hates dance. You can do same sex partnering if it's your coach, but my coach isn't a registered coach, so she can't do it. (She's not registered as she only has 2 adult students, it's just not worth the money. She has insurance.) There are no other male coaches who dance, and politics make it tough to ask another female coach, and even the ones who we are friendly with, it seems like it would be tough to work out them taking me through the test without doing my lessons with them on the dance. (Although one skater on the boards has offered to skate with me through the tests, she's a registered coach, though I don't think she's really a dance coach, so that might end up being my only option. I've seen her dance and she's more than good enough for the first 2 dances.)There is a high level skater who like 4 of us has asked, but he's super busy with his own skating and said he coaches at most test sessions. I think we all are just going to have to name a good price, and tell him to look at it as a part time job. $10-15 a test and he could make good money for one test session and maybe one lesson to practice it. And since he doesn't have the tests yet, it's good for his coaching credentials to get them!

And yes, on the RB it's the step behinds. I can do them okay if I'm not moving at all, much better on one side then the other, but then when I try to do them on pattern (not even to the music- we haven't gotten that far) the pushes before them have me moving so fast I have no chance at them. I've kicked myself over, HARD, more than once, and I'm pretty sure that is what has caused my nagging hip problems now. Oddly enough I always kick myself over from the side- so I'm not hitting myself from behind. I guess that's a good sign. But my coach has just shelved that dance for now. I'm really only working on the first 2, and then I do the RB every month or so just to remember the pattern.

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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)

Solo free dance concentrates more on the musicality, choreography and skating to the beat (music must have a recognisable beat to it (I've done rhumba, disco, waltz and just general strong beat type music). Jumps are limited to half rev so waltz jumps are really all anyone does if that. I think it may have technically changed to single rev now but I've rarely seen anyone do jumps at all in free dances. There is usually a requirement of at least one spin and a step sequence. It should have changes of direction and speed etc. Maybe no-one does it in America?

For the RB have you practised the cross behinds in a straight line just going as fast as you can? Sometimes it is just the speed going in that people have trouble with. Otherwise it may be the pattern that makes it scary going round the corner and then in to them. I can't remember how I overcame my fear of doing that. I think I just started slowly and built up the speed over several weeks. Bending the knees much more always helps!

Snowflakes: Literally! Got stranded due to the blizzard on my way back from Mom's on Sunday night. Spent the night in a hotel somewhere, & ended up having to cancel my Monday lesson. Boo!

Sugar Plums: Was lucky to re-schedule lesson today (coach came in just for me, bless him), which was very reasonably good for having been off for a week+. He only had me do 1 pattern of Paso, which was quite decent, and then we just did exercises to help get me pulled back together & also because the session was full of very slow-moving, non-watching-out little kids. Not a good scenario for a Paso at full steam!

So I'm going to have to work my butt off between now & the 11th (test date) to get it all ready to go so I can go out there feeling confident.

ALSO--I'm starting to feel the results of my gym workouts / weightlifting. My legs feel stronger & my stamina is better!

Snowflakes - made it to Aviator last night with renatale to see jazzpants and dbny. It felt soooo nice after three months off ice. I was cautious, no jumps and only a couple of upright spins, mostly reviewed moves.

Sugar Plums - I'd actually forgotten half the moves patterns, had to look them up on my printout dbny tells me I looked fast, but I felt so slow and cautious, my core felt really weak. Those pre-bronze edge-rolls put me right in my place!

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It's all about the dress!

Sugar Plums (good): Made it through my program last night with my coach there and I was nervous! I was so thrilled to have gotten through it on the first run through of the day.

Warm up went well with her, too. I did a sweet camel spin (arched back and pointed toe with my free leg) and I got a big "woooooo!!!" from her. It must have looked really good. Sit spins are consistent and low, but traveling a little. Worked on my waltz jumps and we refined those a tad to get more height and reach out. Wow did they get high and further out than ever!

Worked on the footwork sequence that we pulled together. After about 15 times going over it with refinements, I definitely noticed a lot less scratching (meaning I am leaning too far forward). Made me happy. Also got some speed into it now and am working on pushing at the right points. Also softening my arms and trying to look more fluid.

Snowflakes because I hate snow: During the program, missed two elements. I fell out of the camel (was so tired towards the end), and missed the flip jump.

My flip jump fell apart last week. I am panicking. I want it in my program! Its the last jump at the end. Now my flip jump is non-existent. I don't get how I can have it beautifully one week and not have it the next! Rawr!

Also, fighting whatever my husband had last week. He's been so sick. I think that's why I got so tired so fast in my program. I hope I don't get it. Vitamins, eating lots of fruits and veggies, and eating healthy meals have been keeping the enemy viruses away so far. Hope it lasts.

Snowflakes:
Had the first of our meetup today at Aviator. Met up with renatele, liz_on_ice (who vows to stay ON ICE even after this ordeal!), and dbny (who showed us her much improved edges to us!)

Sugar plums:
The ice on rink A, very little give and hockey hard! The cold weather didn't help either! I felt very stiff and cold coming in even after a good warm up! I even skated close to 2 hours and hardly broke a sweat, even though I did a good amount of skating work! BRRRRRR! Not as bad as Tuesday, but still WAY TOO COLD for this Californian!!!

The service at the Turkish restaurant we went to after skating! I went from snarky but joking to PISSED when we ask 2 times for the check and they've ignored our request -- AND they when they did finally bring the check after the THIRD time we asked for the check! Unbelievable!!! (Dbny, I know you like this restaurant and yes, the food is good, but we are NOT coming back again next year!!!)

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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!!!

Lunch there was fine, but I wouldn't go there for dinner again either!

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this is for yesterday, I've been too busy to post.

sugar plums: went to my rink, not to skate but to attend an exhibition skate for my Skating Director's skaters that are going to Nationals next month. It was very short notice (less than 24 hrs) but the turn out was nice (about 100 people). I don't recall all that skated but everyone was good, very pleasant to talk to (even the parents). They normally skate up at U of Delaware and were glad of the time to "practice" their skate.

We don't usually see skaters of their caliber in our rink....not that we are "hick" but we just don't typically get that sort of exposure. I'm so glad he brought them down!

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

Snowflakes:
First lesson with my NYC coach! Glad to see him again!!!

Sugar Plum:
Too bad I was sleep-skating that morning. I didn't get enough sleep b/c I didn't get myself adjusted to ET yet. Never mind that I learned the hard way that my iPhone runs out of juice after 2.5 hrs. and sounds the alarm LOUD 3 hrs. before it was intended!!!

We started with spirals. After doing the first one, he helped me stretched at the wall. He then was saying "WOW!!! Look at that stretch! Let's see it on ice!" Then he had me doing the spirals again on ice and said when I came back to him "Oh, c'mon!!! You ARE flexible!!! You're just LAZY!!!" (Me: "Uh oh... BUSTED!!! ) Had me do it again. Hubby commented my secondary coach would be very happy now at the height that NYC coach got me. He said "Yeah, but we're working on straighten the leg now." That....ummm... needs work...

We then did the cross steps. Can't do the back cross steps in front of him at all.... (WTF!?!?! I can do them find at home and dbny saw me doing them at Aviator at the meetup!!!) We worked on keeping my torso straight and knees/ankles deeply bend for forward cross- strokes. Have an exercise to bring home to try out. (Hubby videotaped him doing them so I remember.)

And my secondary coach will be happy to know that we also worked on forward spin entrances too!!!

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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!!!

Sugar Plums:

One of the COLDEST days in NYC EVER!!! Low 20's and 45 mph winds (MAJOR wind chill!!!) O-M-G!!! I was FROZEN STIFF and could get into the rink (or somewhere indoors and warm) fast enough!!!!

Snowflakes:
So I came extra early to warm up in time for another lesson with NYC coach. Since I didn't pack a jump rope with me, I did a bit of jogging back and forth between the entrance to the East and West rink. When I was jogging back to the East rink I look over to my left and caught a skater from my home rink staring right back at me -- Brian Boitano!!! (Yes, both of us was thinking "Aren't you from the home rink?") I found it quite hilarious since I skated with him on the same FS session at least 3 times at our home rink and here I am seeing him at my vacation rink! Of course, I went and said "Happy New Year" and "Fancy meeting you here too!" with a chuckle and told him that I'm looking for my NYC coach (who he's old buddies with) He said "He's here?!?!?! I didn't see him..." I said "If he's not here, he better be soon since I have a lesson with him on the 11am FS session. He then said "I'm going on the 11am session too! I think I'm gonna having fun running over your NYC coach during your lesson!" (evil grin and joking tone) Apparently the low and high FS session had to be combined into the West Rink since the East Rink was taken up by hockey!!! So VERY weird coincidence that we're skating on the same session at the NYC rink again!!!

Anyway, NYC Coach finally walks in, waves hello to me, went in coaches room to change into coach's outfit and skates, came out and I pointed NYC Coach out to BB. BB makes his way over to give NYC Coach a big friendly hug hello, talked and goofed around all the way into the beginning of the session where my coach gave me a chance to warm up on ice and get my grounding and began my lesson.

Sugar Plum:
We worked this time on my FO mohawks for the 8 step mohawk move. Well, I don't quite have the FO mohawks, but I have an exercise to help me get it and NYC coach is encouraged with the result so far with the wall exercise. We'll see if it works back at home too.

Snowflakes:
We also worked on my waltz, sal (both of which he liked) loop (minor correction but overall he's VERY happy with now and commented that it's much better than the last time he worked me on it.)

Sugar Plum:
Then the dreaded flip jump.... UGH!!! I probably have to work on quickly doing a "pick and jump", as well as my air position (which he was VERY picky on!)

Snowflakes:
Finished up with lesson, NYC coach goes back to talk to BB some more... then NYC coach left... a few minutes later, BB's done with his program run-thrus and left before the session was over. (He mentioned he's not staying the whole session beforehand.) Grabs his stuff and waves bye to me on his way out!!!

I already pinched myself...and this is NOT a dream!!!

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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!!!

Snowflakes (bane of my existence living in Central New York!! ):
* Outside rockers are currently making me very frustrated. I can DO a rocker, just NOT in that pattern!! I bet you money that my next lesson with coach we will work on them AGAIN, ugh!

* Axel (or waltz)/Half Loop/2 sal just isn't working. I need to work on these some more so that I stop grinding my toepick when I land the 1/2 loop...

* I keep flipping out in the middle of the air on my 2 flip. I think it's partly that I don't know where I am in the air and partly because it's just so new. When I got home this evening I did some 2 loops on the ground (I can only get about 1 and 3/4, but you get the point) to get used to going around more than once...we'll see if that will help.

* I've got this headache that won't go away

Sugar Plums:
* My 2 toes are closer I had one on Tuesday that was SOOOOOOOO close!

* 2 sals are going well, but I just need to work on the rotation part because they are about a 1/2 revolution cheated.

* My power pulls are getting so much better! As are my choctaws. I'm feeling a pass on Junior Moves in my future!! Well, I hope so...January 16th is coming quick!!

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Jazz, isn't it funny how SMALL the skating world really is?

Kim, hope you feel better soon, headaches really SUCK!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!! No skating today my rink is closed so I'm tidying up and sewing. Already got my 1st workout of the year in (a Bollywood dance).

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

Whichever is bad:

No ice time anywhwere this weekend. Ugh. I guess there are public sessions but i) I don't like public sessions, and ii) they would all be too crowded to do anything productive or anything I need to do (like piece my program together, moves, dances, and start choreography for new interp).

In retrospect maybe it's a good thing, between figure skating, roller derby, and taking up running, I've worked out pretty much every day since 12/22 (other than Christmas day). Many days I did 2 activities in one day (gym during lunch and either skating before work or roller derby in the evening). Even went to the gym today because it was open. My body is kind of screaming for a break.

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

didn't feel up to starting a new thread.....

Snowflakes: it is C-O-L-D!!!! Took a long time for me to warm up, and still felt tight. My lower back was screaming, I'm out of shape from not really working out much lately.....

Sugar Plums: hit my stuff, I have a new "condensed" practice plan, here it is:

Warmup: 2 laps of stroking, 2 laps of alternating crossovers
Elements: depending on the crowds I intend on hitting elements from the pre-bronze test
Jumps: hit the jumps-waltz, salchow (both entrances), toeloop, loop
Spins: scratch, sit, backspin (although my backspin is done before the loop jump)
Extras: such as spirals, like back spirals if the rink is empty

Today I lucked out, it was a fairly empty session and I managed a nice tight scratch spin that centered (this despite my tight back). Sits really sucked but that's ok. Salchows with alternate entrance....interesting. Getting used to it will be interesting-back 3-mohawk-jump. Then I worked on some backspins, which were stiff. Did some loops using the 3-turn entry and they were icky but ok.

It was VERY cold today, I got up and noted the temperature, about 30 minutes later noticed the temperature had dropped. Then I got into my truck and noticed my Sirius channels were gone....yeah my subscription had expired. Not going to renew....we have a local station I like so that's ok.

Talked with another rink mom re: rink politics & bullying. Her daugher also skates at other rink (as well as #3 rink). We both agree some of the mom's are being pains.

Hope everyone's new year is going well!!!!!

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

It really IS small! But still, what are the chances that I have an Olympic champion whom I have skated with 3 months ago at my home rink popping up at my visiting rink... AND we did NOT planned to meet together... AND he recognized me when we met again at the visiting rink!!!




Snowflakes: Literally!!! I came in thru snow flurries for my lesson. For this Californian, it's odd to see snow flurries! Quite pretty too!!!

We worked on back power pulls today!!! He helped me balance so that I can stand up straight AND push on those edges. Well, the following dialog should say all...

NYC coach: "Did you hear that?"
Me: "Hear what?"
NYC coach: "That!" (I just did an edge pull!) "Your edges are purring!"
Me: "It is?"
NYC coach: "Yup! Oh... more purring there!!!"

I guess I have more work to do to do them w/o him holding on to me on both hands to balance, but it's VERY encouraging!!!

Sugar Plum:
We worked on BO3's today. I think my BO3's decided to stay home cuz it sure didn't show up during my lesson!!!!

Have to say goodbye for another 11.5 months to him!!! I always wished that I don't have to say goodbye to him every year. I love his lessons and I always get something thru his lesson. Plus he's a sweetie!!! (Maybe someday I'll win the California Lotto so I can live and train bi-coastal with my coaches at home AND with him on a more regular basis! *sigh*)

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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!!!

When I was up at Skate Club of Wilmington (Delaware) to get my skates punched out, Peter (the skate fix-it guy) had me try them out on the ice. The adult session had ended and it was novice ice....yeah. Anyway, I tried to skate and stay alive. I was doing a 3-turn when this GUY came out of nowhere, grabbed me and hugged me! Scared the heck out of me! It was Shaun Rogers, who had been one of our (adult group) LTS coaches! It was funny!

I don't work on back 3's.....I should but I don't. They scare me even more than random cute guys grabbing me LOL!

And I KNOW how excited you must have been about the snow! When I was younger, we lived up in Fairfield (near Travis AFB) and ONE time it snowed! When my dad said we would move to Delaware and that it snowed a lot we got excited! He didn't tell us the "a lot" was in comparison to California! LOL!!!!!

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