Soar like a eagle:
Primary coach offered me a lesson, since she was waiting for another student. With a test coming one week away- that was a no brainer!
Jumps were good and I didn't let another skater who was in my backscratch spin spot for program bother me- I did it anyway!

Stink like a skunk:
I could not do a scratch or sitspin today to save my life.

Really, really stinky: Later in the session:
Went up for a loop and landed completely rotated, but on the toepick with my skating foot rolling over to the right. Yeap I twinged my ankle again on the loop! Will not skate tomorrow am as planned and will only skate one hour up until next week's test session. I really really hope that the work I've put into the last month and a half doesn't go out the window, due to injury.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

I'm not sure if your problem is same as mine, but I was keeping my upper body way too stiff for the double toe (I was trying to rotate my legs but leave the body behind (being afraid to prerotate)), my coach told me to let it move together with the leg and arm, so that its not 100% straight up but leaned naturally with the edge and moving with the pivot... my observation is that the whole body and arm and leg should move together and the angle between the body core and both the upper arms should not change significantly on the horizontal level.

That helped me to not open up while keeping the heel lead, but my habit of swinging my arms around too much is making me go over to the right side too quickly creating too much unresolved forces that my pivoting toe cannot cancel out so I'm still falling even if i'm rotating. (So I'm not really understanding the snap into rotation part yet)

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~
Tidesong

Sounds a lot like me! I'm so afraid of letting my head and right shoulder come around for fear of pre-rotating! But it sounds like you are a little ahead of me on this, so please share your insights as you progress!

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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

Soaring:
Spins are getting there. Primary coach is STILL trying to get me to "go for the gold" on that back sit and at times it is getting close. Camels are much better now... well better for me anyway...

I also landed most of my loops and my flips clean.

Stink:
The traffic getting to Oakland! Took a good 45 minutes just to go from downtown SF to the ENTRANCE to the Bay Bridge alone!!! Thankfully, primary coach was very patient (and got my message).

Soaring again (Foodie alert!!!)
Got some pretty decent BBQ at Chef Edward's BBQ nearby to bring home for dinner! I'm having it right now! It's not "Big Nate's" caliber when it comes to BBQ, but their variety of sides beats "Big Nate's" hands down.

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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!!!

I had much problem with this too, but what eventually worked for me was when my coach told me to "jump out of the circle". IOW, the free leg doesn't exactly pull around the pick like a pivot, but pushes through (and I have to think "out").

In fact, my coach once said that the double toe is similar to an Axel once you have taken off - once the R leg (CCW rotation) kicks through, everything else is just like the Axel. Now, my retort to that is: given the sorry state of my Axel these days, I'd rather it *not* be like the Axel!

Regarding the "pivot", reaching back for the pick-in may feel like a pivot, but you don't really stay on the L toe, so its not a real pivot, but a toe-assist...

Anyway, I stuck together a few of my not-too-crappy 2T in this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...75678699&hl=en

Also, I found a clip of Yagudin "explaining" the toe loop on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lgb7RlKT0

- Chow

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Blog: http://chowskates.blogspot.com

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/chowskates
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If I remember rightly, isn't there a BART station right by Oakland rink? Maybe public transport would be a quicker option.

As for us.

Soaring: I know I've skated this morning! One might train fewer hours in the run-up to competition, but it's certainly more intense!

Stinky: Willow. I am quite, quite, quite sure that it's Husband, not me - he's changed his position (I know he's been working on that edge solo), and I simply can't do the 3-turn where he tries to put me. I am not having a problem in our free dance, and we are going far faster than we do in the Willow, so it has to be him-not-me.

Hope to goodness it fixes itself before next week!

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

Soaring

Well, coasting more like but the smell is not bad....

Moves lesson - back edge landing position is looking good but she wants more power...I'm just coasting..but hey what do you expect at 5 am????

Back crossovers, finally they are on the right edge, on pattern but guess what she wants? MORE POWER

Beginning to smell a little better but it aint Estee Lauder

Sigh mohawks. I was getting very frustrated because I seem to be making absoulutely no progress here..but we did make a tiny fraction of progress. So I rush the right mohawk. When I try counting, I just count faster. So SHE counted and wouldn't you know, I held it to her count...also I was leaning forward and putting my foot down on the heel rather than instep...so stand up straighter, push my hip forward, free leg back, bend the knees, hold the edge, instep...and it was a little better. Then she says maybe I should work on being a little smoother instead of just clunking my foot down...I gave her a look that made her quickly say "but for now - just work on doing what you did just now and I'll be happy"

More soaring...

Usually it takes 45 minutes of skating and lots of warm ups to pull off a waltz jump. Today I just started with my compulsary and the waltz happened.

My moves are so far away from being ready to test it's hard to stay motivated.

j

Stink, stank, stunk: The maybe allergy/maybe cold is definitely a cold now (because it rained and everyone else feels better while my coworkers all have agreed that I look like poo).

It was "raining" in the rink today, and we had some lovely ice bumps all over the place.

Reguardless, I'm amazed what feeling like cr@p has done for my skating.

Soaring: Skated (with a tissue in hand) fairly well today (it helps that I stuck to stroking, crossovers, scratch spins, and BO3s-- with a few waltz jumps thrown in... I'm getting obsessed with trying to get that !@$%#%@ scratch spin!). Scratch spins are starting to get to the scratch part, and the entry for CW has finally clicked. I can get into the spin nicely CCW but completely go out of control after that, while CW is hard to get into, but once I'm in it, I stay nice and centered.... too bad I'm too chicken to wrap my leg every time in that direction!

Actually SAT into my back crossovers... what a difference! Even my waltz jump felt better, and didn't have my usually characteristic toepick scrrraaatch as I turned to go into the jump. Hmmmm.... methinks that apparently my coach does know something -- if only my brain would accept that immediately!

Oooor, maybe I'm jsut hallucinating from the lack of oxygen going to my brain.

__________________
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?

Soar like an Eagle!: I rarely post here, but last week I really felt like I did indeed soar like an eagle in Fort Washington, MD. On my visit, I did some kick ### super fast spins, and jumps. There were only two kids at that rink. They were pretty good skaters themselves, learning their flips and loops, but 20 min into the session their mouths had dropped to the floor.

They were screaming "do it again! I wanna see you do that flying camel! Axel!! Double loop!!" After all these years, I'm like "Really? I'm that good?", cause nobody over here ever tells me that.

And "OMG, she thought you were Michelle Kwan, cause you skate so good!" Whoa. At least I feel like all these years of hard work paid off. I was a Star!


Stink like a skunk!: Airports and Jet lag suck, period.

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Keep Evolving. "From this moment forward, every voice that told you - You Can't - , has been silenced." - Freedom Writers

There is... but part of my run to Oakland includes a run for a HUGE batch of food from the BBQ place nearby that I was supposed to bring home to me and hubby for dinner. Kinda hard to carry that and my skate bag home too.

(Jazzpants still soaring from the camel spins that she did last night! Primary coach definitely noticed a difference from the last 1.5 weeks. Secondary coach definitely earned her money during the camel spin lesson! )

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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!!!

congratulations cecealias!
I felt a little like that when 2 girls asked me to show them the one foot spin. but I was just learning it, and it was still rubbish (however, apparently "sucked less than" theirs... so that was cool. I'm such a sucker for being asked to demonstrate...

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really stinking (on rollers): fell on CROSSOVERS? The flu must be worse than I thought! I thought I was dizzy this morning, but then I thought I must've imagined it, but apparently the flu really is messing with my balance. At least the new elbow padding (self-made) is working like a charm (unlike those bought ones that wouldn't let me bend my elbows properly).

sessy, i'm curious as to how you made the elbow pads? what materials did you use?

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I cut up really long socks - almost stockings. I cut the toes off, then I cut them a little above the anckle, cutting off the feet, and I cut the rubber bands on top off. You get four pieces this way.
The 2 foot parts, with the heel, really stay nicely over the elbows, where as the other 2 parts nicely stay over the knees. Originally I had kept it at this - for roller skating, cuz you break your skin when you fall there, and it's too hot to roller skate in long pants and sleeves. However, I've banged my elbow for the gazillionth time and I'm banging it on everything all day it seems - seems being the key word, cuz it just hurts to touch or even put down on a table and it's been this way for a while. I decided it's time for protection therefore. I padded the "sock" protection I had.

Now as for the padding - sponges! The rubbery kind.
I cut them in half to make them thinner, because I didn't want huge padding, I positioned the whole thing rightly on my body, made sure it was perfect even when moving around, pinned the whole thing and stitched it on by hand with flexible stitches (as in, you wanna go a little zig-zag, else the threads will rip when you try to stretch the thing).

I discovered it might be a good idea to cut up another pair or something today for inner paddings so you don't sweat straight into the sponges - icky feeling, really.

The sponge invention is thanks to my group class coach.

Thanks! My coach was recommending picking closer to the skating leg so that it doesn't take so long to get the weight onto the toe and leave the ice (I have been told that I spend too much time on the toe and that's why it prerotates by the time I leave the ice). It looks like you don't pick very far back and don't spend much time on the toe.
I actually have that ISU jump video but never watch it, LOL! But the slo-mo of his toeloop takeoffs did catch my attention in one regard: He picks with his foot turned out a little, on a diagonal. My coach tells me I pick that way when I do a Mazurka, and even though the foot is turned almost 90 degrees on the pick, it doesn't turn any further. I wonder if that picking technique actually helps prevent pre-rotating on the toe. . .?

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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

My coach also said to turn out the toe when I pick. I reason that it would let you pick in on the side of the pick so the most you can turn is 90deg, as opposed to having the topmost pick in the ice (like in a real pivot) which will allow you to turn much more.

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Blog: http://chowskates.blogspot.com

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

Monday morning - overslept , but it was a bank holiday so no rushing back for work - yay!! One of the coaches asked if I was entering any competitions this year and that I ought to. One of the very good skaters at our rink whom I've never spoken to commented on my progress.

Went back to see parents during the week so no early skates, however I did skate on Wednesday at Bristol. It was the first time my parents have seen me skate which was nerve racking to start with (I didn't fall) and they were quite impressed.

Back friday evening for Ice Skate Club - a little busy but good. Jumping/cross stepping sideways on toepicks down the entire length of the rink (60m) is difficult! (and embarrassing) Also practiced backwards crossovers keeping both blades on the ice - try it, you get loads of power!!

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Skate Free

The picking foot turns out so you don't inhibit your ability to rotate by that picking foot.

Soar like a eagle:
All my jumps, even with a cranky right ankle! I wore a Ace brace to protect it.
Test program runthrough- 99% clean- the sitspin was the culprit on this one!
Did manage to do a decent sit in my mock "reskate" situation!

Stink like a skunk:
While warming up spins, could not do a forward scratch or sitspin to save my life again. Had a big time butt splattering fall on the sitspin. Right now, my lower back and left wrist hurt more than my right ankle and that was my main cause of concern for taking my test on Friday!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Soar like an Eagle:

Loops were on today. I landed every one I tried. Now I'm learning the crossover entry which is far more difficult.
5 step mohawk is progressing nicely and will probably be the strongest move on the bronze test which I will take sometime close to never.
Back spins were fast and didn't require that I use my passport due to the distance I typically travel.

Stink like a Skunk:

I was at a new freestyle session where I was the only CW skater and had tons of people hanging out in the lutz corner. They were very nice when they realized what I was doing (or attempting) but it took a long time and a lot of aborted attempts for everyone to cross my path and then realize it.
Sit spins...Why? I went down hard on one and have the biggest bruise on my butt. I'm afraid of what it is going to look/feel like tomorrow.

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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

Coming saturday mom's taking her first figure skating lesson since last year, when I had my first skating lesson. I'm accompanying her. Maybe I'll get some ice too. Though probably no one will let me jump in a class for people who just learned the 3-turns. But I'm just glad to get ice time in any form or shape.
Also I'll be looking at that rink (since it stays open all year) for a club that might let me get like a secondary membership or something, just for the summer or maybe not just for the summer, but then at least in a way that I can combine the lessons with those I'm already having.

Was there a "sitspin bandit" on the loose in the VA/DC area today?
I too had a butt busting fall on a sit and my butt hurts already!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Well, he wasn't in NYC - my own sit spins were "on" today, plus I taught one of my students a baby sit spin. She held it for 2-3 revs on the fifth try! (Very high hip, though)

Soaring:
All spins were good, but the "open spin" was really dead-centered.
Spirals - Very strong.
Crossovers, Edges & Turns - Very good.

Stinkin':
Haven't jumped in a while, so I felt like a 90-pound weakling! LOL
Managed a few waltz and toe loop jumps. Crummy salchows, though.

One more week to the Show, then my schedule gets verrrry quiet. Good news is that there's more ice time this spring/summer, so I can get my tush moving on the Prelim tests. Bad news is that another student told me she's taking the summer off. Someone else wanted that time slot, but I feel like the kid will lose skills this summer. Too bad - she's gotten up to scratch spins and half-flips.

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Soar:

• Husband landed a flip in his programme that would have been called! First one I've seen him do. His upright spin is nearly mended.

• My RFO3 in the Willow is back. Long may it stay!

• We did a good run-through of our free dance in our lesson, although there is a lot to work on in terms of togetherness.

• Began to choreograph our "very silly" programme - not yet anything that can translate to the ice, though.

Stink:

• Husband won't be doing a CUsp in his programme, after all, just a Usp. And his camel spin is broken. However, both his spins are better in his programme than in isolation.

• Trying to organise this week's lesson - Husband is away on a site visit until Tuesday evening, and there's a problem with the coaches on Wednesday. Think it may work out all right; if all else fails, I'll have to drive Coach1 to where he needs to be.... Or work with Coach2, but she may be booked. Oh well, it'll sort itself.

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

Soar: Passed Freestyle 1 today and thanks to two weeks straight (and I don't even want to know how many hours) of practice, my BO3s were actually clean enough and strong enough to pass.

My LTS instructor called me "very funny" because of my ability to spin both ways... and it was a fairly good spin day... must be all of the mucus still stuffing up my head.

So, we started on some elements from Freestyle 2-- not too bad, but that darn backspin is going to drive me batty, I know. Helps that my coach doesn't spin CW and since CW is my stronger direction I need to wrap my head around that way before I can try CCW.

Stink: I passed only by the grace of my instructor, though. I only managed two out of the required 3 revs on my scratch spin (CCW and CW... I tried both ways to eke out as many revs as possible! CCW-- better entry and easier to cross my foot in front, but dreadfully uncentered, CW-- bad entry, sometimes that foot doesn't cross , but I'm fully centered and can get a bunch of revs out). She signed the paper with a little star next to scratch as something to improve.

Backwards inside edges. Eew. I can't get any push whatsoever.

Illness may give me better spins, but pulls all of the energy out of 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?