It's just a tad early, but after my skate today, somehow this title for next week's practice thread seemed sooooooo appropriate!

After ten days off ice, I think ours will be, too! We are planning to skate in the morning, as our colds are finally on their way out, but heaven knows how well we'll do!

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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!

Definitely very weak and wimpy this morning!

We only skated for an hour, and I'm so tired now I just don't quite know what to do with myself - I'm fine as long as I don't move, but even getting up to post some letters (okay, Wedding Invitations!!!!! Gotta get that in somewhere!) exhausted me.

However, it wasn't all doom and gloom.

Strong and sure: The ice was fantastic. Sunday ice is sometimes rather iffy, but not today. The rink had been cleaned when we arrived, and the lights were on in the loos (this hasn't always happened on a Sunday morning - it is often being done while we skate).

My edges were way better than usual, even on my dance moves! Because we didn't dare try to skate fast, we focussed on our edges more than usual, and I think this paid off.

Husband and I did three of our four dances together, but somehow nobody put any Swing Dance music on, nor even a Foxtrot we could have done the Swing Dance to, so didn't do that one.

And my Willow Mohawk was very, very nearly in time! Yay.... even though we forgot all we'd been told about looking towards the barrier, etc.

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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!

Strong and sure: Had a good run through of my FS program this morning at 6am with the coach watching! Not perfect, but right where it needs to be with a week left to DBNAI and 5 weeks to Mids! Interp program was decent as well. I am starting to understand what she means when my coach yells to "slow down" the movements and it's starting to work. I knew this interp would be hard and a big step out of my comfort zone this year. It's paying off in my FS program a bit too, because I am relaxed more and taking my time on my elements more.

Weak and wimpy: Double loop in the program wasn't even close to landed this morning (rushed the take off and severely 2 footed it). Something to clean up once DBNAI is over (decision was made this morning to only do a single there next weekend). Coach was trying to talk training partner and I to do our FS programs again, but I talked her out of it!! I didn't want to ruin my mental state.

Weak and Wimpy: The first part of my lesson, when I was stumbling all over myself on my 3-turns and basically whining and moaning that I was never going to get the stupid things right, my shoulders wouldn't cooperate, I couldn't feel my edges, etc.

Strong and Sure: The second part of my lesson, after I shut up, summoned up some confidence (egged on by my coach holding my hand the first couple of times through), and managed not only to do my FO 3-turns on both feet, but also my entire mohawk sequence. Several times, even. My coach was so happy she squealed and hugged me. I think maybe I squealed, too.

Lesson learned: the body is more cooperative when the brain is cooperating, too!


~~taijiya

Strong and Sure:

Learned scratch spin and a pseudo-half-loop jump today-- although both were ehhhhh, they were fun. I must have looked like a NUT when I was practicing both, but they were incredible to learn. I can't wait to really FLY!

Crossovers and the mohawk (f xo, f xo, mohawk, cross behind, back xo) pattern that my coach showed me were definitely stong and sure-- it helps that they didn't zamboni the ice during public skate, so the only thing that I could do was to practice this on the hockey circles!

What was really nice is that twice, when I was feeling really ambivalent about my skating, people skated up to me and complimented me-- first an adult, "Hey, you're really good!" and then a little girl from LTS, "You're a really good skater!". It's a nice little reality check as to how far I've come since clinging the walls last year, and nice to remember that whenever I feel like I'm not advancing much, most of the muggles (as Mrs. Redboots says!) think otherwise.

Weak and Wimpy:

Inside 3 turn (CCW? The one on the left leg)-- I can't even get myself near started on it!

Pain in my inner hip has been making everything so miserable that I couldn't skate all last week, and it hurt to skate this weekend. Add to that a messed-up wrist, and I was so cautious most of the time that I was skating (even wore 2 wrist braces on my left wrist!) that I don't think I gave my all. I'm seeing my ortho tommorrow, so hopefully he'll be able to figure out what's going on.

Whimpers:
Warinanco Park ~ Roselle, NJ

1:00 to 1:50 Started slowly with edges and stroking. I didnt want my foot to get cramped up and numb. I carried no extraordinary expectations. I just wanted to skate and do what I can do at that session. I learned how to relax and not get too upset with the crowd and how to adapt within my own space. (And still manage to not collide with anybody) I got to the flip and a couple of combinations. The only times I bailed out is when I kinda have to rush into the open space to do the jump and so my timing and my position changes. (Same goes with the direction I approach the jump) I try to make it "now or never" kind of situation but to be honest, I just cant pull it off, especially if my timing and direction is different. I knew that the lutz was an impossible jump to do at that time due to the traffic, so I decided to do it on the next session.

3:30 to 4:30 Felt awesome stroking around the ice. No cramps, no numbness today!!! Yesss!!! I got to the flip then I decided I needed more duct tape around my right skate. So after wrapping it 5 more times (in total of 15 wraps around my boots), I proceeded with the lutz. Got a few good ones in. The rushed ones, 50/50. Due to traffic, I had to sometimes bail the flow of the landing so I wont knock the other skater and not to ram myself into the wall. Did one good backscratch, then I wasnt able to do it again. (weird) Flying camel- all over the place!!! I couldnt spin, my fly was too much once again and almost had me splatting down the ice. So my body told me to quit the flying spin attempts. "Not today" The crowd got larger, so I had to put an end into the jumping and spinning. I just stroked around and enjoyed the atmosphere of my birth-rink.

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Tim David's Website

Today's my birthday! I had a good skate today. All my spins were nice, and I even managed a couple backspins with 6+ revs! I tried my jumps for the first time in a month and they were all really solid, excluding the loop, but that one is the one that really bothers my tendonitis so I wasn't expecting much. I finally understood the toeloop and it looks really pretty now. And my flip is getting way more height since I've been doing it off ice for a month while I wasn't allowed to do it on the ice. SO, I'm very happy with how I did today.

Happy birthday, xofivebyfive!!!

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Ask me about becoming a bone marrow donor.
http://www.marrow.org
http://www.nmdp.org

Happy birthday! I have a problem with tendonitis in my right foot. Loop is fine (as long as I don't do too many of them) but I've been struggling with Flip forrrrr -evvvvv-errrrrrr....wanna swap lol!?

S xxx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Happy Birthday, xofivebyfive

A white-haired grandfather (in Jackson Softecs - very cute!) stopped me to complain about a little pack of wilding hockey boys. I felt bad - I teach at the rink, but I'm not in charge of the public session. I asked the skate guards to have the kids slow down before the guy complained and their reply was: (I'm not kidding about this) "They're too fast for us to 'catch' them." My mouth fell open! So, I did the "adult thing" and made eye contact with the gangleader and gestured for him to come to me, and of course he did! I gave him and his little crew a lecture, then I dismissed them and ripped the guards!
"You're in charge! You don't chase - if he doesn't come when you call him, stop the music and the session.
You're the adult - kick him off the ice if he gives you lip."


After this, I had some free time to skate on the public session.

Strong and Sure:
Edges are solid, threes on the line are better, not great.
Camel spins were on when this one little girl watched me - I told her she was my good-luck charm and gave her a spin lesson as a reward.
Scratch spins were great. Sit spins were very strong and "different" somehow.
A demo of tiny little toe loops drew applause from a few people - my student did a nice jump, too. She's taking off right, but only turning halfway. She'll get it, I know.
Waltz jumps were fine with deep edges.
Too crowded to really jump, but as the session was being cleared, I nailed a half-lutz and a half-flip, along with a split jump.

Weak and Wimpy:
Back spins are on vacation for a bit.
Couldn't manage a camel-sit today.
LxR crossovers hurt my knee still, but they are getting better.

PS - The hockey boys' reply to "slow down" was that everyone else was going too slow and getting in their way, so they had to zigzag around them. I told them to find another session that was more their speed.

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What she said... hope it was a good one!!!



WOO HOO!!! Yeah, I wish I could do that. I have one that is more interested in practicing her (yes, her!) hockey moves than making sure the kids stay out of the figure skaters way in the middle.

You go ISk8NYC!!!

Strong and Sure:

• Then you don't want me in your public session when I'm warming up then!!! I can be fast, especially after I am just warmed up!!! Of course, there was another figure skater that was MUCH faster than me still. (She was working on her double sal or flip. I couldn't tell whether she picked or not. Darn skating dad blocked me... ) The Wayne Gretsky-wannabes had that look of "Ummmm....I have hockey skates on!!! How come you're faster than me???" look (Too bad all the gals cared about were my purple boots!!! )
• I did a couple of waltz jumps and toe loops at faster speed. Can't say much about my toe loop technique but the waltz jumps are kicked thru at least.
• Sit spin good.
• Forward spins okay, (could use less travelling when I cross the foot...)
• Camel is okay. Still needs work on the spiral position and staying in position as I'm spinning but I do start off spinning.
• Did some edge work. FO3 and FI3's - okay, not great! LBO3 was wimpy but at least I could do them. RBO3 - I finally got ONE!!! YAAAAY!!! FO brackets were wimpy but I can do them.

Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!!!

• My loops and flips!
• Backspin was iffy during the session b/c I wasn't on the correct edge and sucked towards the end of the session, b/c I didn't have enough energy to push on the blade to keep spinning and my entrance was kinda sloppy.
• BI brackets... ummm... maybe I should work on BI3's first...and more work on the wall 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!!!

You're always welcome -- you know that, silly! I skate fast, too, but they really were deliberately going through the thick of the "slowbies" and using them as an obstacle course. The grandfather was (allegedly) complaining to the rink OWNER today, with whom he's on a first-name basis. At least I'll get a good report! LOL

Honestly, I dominate the middle with my students on this session so I really don't care what goes on outside as long as they're out of my way. (One of the boys did cut through the middle and bump my student. Once. He got picked up/put out by me and he didn't come back again.) The grandfather was very persuasive and I didn't want the guards to get canned over it - this rink dismisses guards easily.

Should start an "assertive training" course for some guards and a "customer service" one for the other ones.
And why not? They're cool and they help you skate better! Anyway, you live in California - funky colored boots are a requirement, aren't they? LOL

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Strong and Sure
- Yay! Yesterday I repeated my full split (although only with the left leg in front) and this time I actually got photographic evidence just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, LOL!
- I seem to have isolated the problem and the fix for my axel, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can implement it consistently, even in my program!
- Spiral sequence is finally where it needs to be, I think.

Weak and Wimpy
- I am still suffering from a pulled right hamstring, which is not only preventing me from getting a split with the right leg in front, but it's also hurting me on my camel-sit and preventing me from getting a high enough spiral on the right leg. And stretching it is soooo excruciating. . . but necessary. Sigh. . .
My flying camel is an absolute atrocity right now!
- Whenever I land the double sal clean and backwards on the toepick, my blade just sticks in the ice and I collapse forward instead of gliding out.
- Didn't land the axel in my program yesterday, even though I had supposedly just figured out how to fix it.

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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

Oh, dear... Yeah, the ice guards aren't doing their jobs!!!

And I think ALL the rinks should have that too, but you know... (but some rinks are better about this than other. My home rink for instance is great for it, but even with that the rink STILL gets too crowded on the weekends. My weekend rinks, OTOH, are really bad about it, but I still manage to get in my practice anyway. It's on the days where I know is really bad that I don't bother showing up.

Well, I'd like to think the orthotics and the custom molds to my feet in the boots also help too!

Funky colored boots are a requirement in California!?!?! LOL!!! I don't know about that. I once drove up to Santa Rosa, CA to skate at the Snoopy Rink during a FS session. Needless to say, my purple boots got a LOT of raves from the coaches there, including Skippy (Baxter) too.

Doubletoe: I am JEALOUS!!! Gorgeous split!!! (Hope your right hamstring recovers though. )

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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!!!

Sure and Strong: Had to get someone to the Port Columbus airport at 3 pm Friday afternoon and I took my skates with me. I planned to attend a 4-5:20 public session at the Dispatch Ice Haus downtown. I showed up 1/2 hour early, and the lone employee told me I could start early.
Did full-ice moves until a modest crowd eventually showed up. Compared to our ccccold 20-degree F rink at home, this place is an oasis.

Weak and Wimpy: Had to pick up same person from the airport on Sunday evening, so I packed the skates once again and headed to an OSU Ice Rink public skate. I've never seen so many people in one rink! You couldn't fall if you wanted to, but if you did, you'd have squashed several very small muggles. There were lessons being done on center ice by about 5 students and two coaches. I don't know how they could do anything at all. I just went round and round till it was over. Exercise, but not much. At least I didn't have to change clothes afterwards.

This morning back at my cold rink, all spins are gone again. Sigh. The cold rink temperature took away my enthusiasm too, so I just went through motions for the two hour session.

Better days will come.

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Bill Schneider

Doubletoe, "evidence" is always nice, but I believed you the first time! LOL!AWESOME split!

Jazz, good job my dear! Great work on those three and brackets, not to mention entering jumps faster. The loop and flip will come......

As for me, well I fell AGAIN on forward power pulls today, and on a flip jump. All in all, since last Friday, things have been "wimpy".......

I admit it, I'm just trying to extend my "happy dance period" on this little achievement, so I'm using the new "proof" as an excuse to celebrate all over again, LOL! (I still can't believe it took me over 30 years to achieve, though!).

That is a little odd about your power pulls and flip. Are you getting enough rest?

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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

Jazzy, you MUST show me your famous purple skates when you come down here for Sectionals! Do you think you'll ever be able to skate a program where you can actually keep them uncovered? (Ooh, how about an interp program to "Heard it throught the Grapevine?" LOL!)

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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

Strong and Sure....
My spins, especially the sit are getting stronger and more secure.

Weak and Wimpy:
Was a little sore today where my ligament strain is, so jumps were a no-no.
Will I ever get better?
New work schedule is out. With the exception of the last week of February. first of March, I'm back to 10 hour work day hell again. Will I ever get back on a regular training schedule, so I can pass my Bronze free and go to AN next year?

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Weak and Wimpy: Well, my foot is definitely broken (and very swollen I might add) - went to the Orthopod today and he wants it immobilized for at least 3 weeks (more like 6 I think) -- was very cautious about telling me I could or could not drive (noncomittal is the word I was looking for) but I think I can't drive until I feel confident about putting my foot on the brake pedal in heavy traffic (slamming is more the word for it).

So obviously no skating -- boo hoo -- my coach was shocked, since she was getting me ready to take that darn Bronze MITF test -- why does this sort of thing always happen??? So discouraging!!

Also very difficult to work as I am a house-call veterinarian and without driving there are no calls and therefore no income. Super bummer. Of course, not spending any money on skating helps on that score, but can't really call that Strong and sure... that's for sure.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

Oh no! Did I miss the post where you said how you injured your foot? Are you having to wear a cast, or just stay off of it? How long is it going to take for it to heal?

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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

I'm so sorry to hear that your foot's broken. I know they don't cast broken toes - do they cast broken feet?
Do you have personal disability insurance or might your Vet association offer a policy that you could call on?
The Unemployment office of your state might be another source, but I'm not sure since you're self-employed.

Here's hoping you have an uneventful recovery.


doubletoe: Congrats on the split. I'm jealous.

Weak and Wimpy:
Actually, nothing tonight, but I didn't really exert myself too much.

Strong and Sure:
Crossovers, open choctaw sequence (showing off), upright spin, lunge into backspin (showing off) and three turns.

Strange and Unusual:
Bunny hop-lunge...repeat was necessary. LOL
Ballet Jump and Baby Mazurka (from a standstill)

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Here is the link where I talked about the injury.

I went to the orthopod today and he said that I need to keep it immobilized for a while. He said he could cast it, or if I could be trusted I could wear a walking boot, but I am not to put weight on it and should use crutches (at least one crutch) for a while. I even have to wear the boot at night, or I can switch to the smaller splint that they made for me at the Urgent Care clinic I went to over the weekend.

Need to see him in 3 weeks for a recheck and I am guessing I will be off the ice for three more weeks after that.

I put it in the practice thread because this is where the skaters meet to talk, basically, I didn't think it warrented it's own, separate thread...

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

WOW!!!
This is sooooo cool and VERY inspiring! Thanks for posting the photo!