WOO HOO!! Come to the dark side, you know you want to..........

*Jenlyon, I sent you a second pm w/ other suggestions re. your American--did you receive that? Glad the backwards stroking exercise is a good one for you....you definitely have to do that one on an empty rink or with someone spotting for you! My extension always goes out the window first thing if I start getting tired, so that's a good one for building strength.

Yep, got your PM and we did something similar yesterday. Building up to the whole kit and kaboodle as I get more used to the drills. I noticed some other things dealing with the re-bend that I need to tackle before re-testing AW (not much time to focus on them) so I'm going to have to add in waltz music to the drills (slower first, then building up to full-speed AW music) next week.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

All fogged in...

(Using Annabel's phrasing...) BLIMIN' LOOP JUMPS!!! AAAAAAAUGGGGH!!!

Okay, now that I got that out of the way....

Well, it's confirmed by the secondary coach that I have a few problems... one is that I bend forward at the waist on the landing of the jump. Another problem is that I lean away from the circle and I need to have a lot more weight on the left side (I jump CW!) The third problem was where I was jumping TO on the takeoff. (Essentially I was jumping from and to the same spot!!!)

There's more... I got to do some off-ice exercises too!!! I'm now doing some balance work on the balance pods and well, it's interesting and looks like fun. Near the end of the lesson, I can actually balance pretty well on those pods. Secondary coach seemed encouraged about it enough that now I've been assigned to do off ice jumps 15 minutes before each ice session. (Oh, dear! My lower back is gonna hurt...)

On time...

Well, I got to my Wednesday morning lesson ON TIME to properly warm up this time. But of course, secondary coach wants more! (See above on "off ice jumps.")

__________________
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!!!

On Time:

I don't know if it's because I was skating on my birthday and the skating gods decided it would be a nice present, but I landed 3 clean lutzes during my practice yesterday!

All of my backspins (sit, scratch & flying camel) were also on last night.

I really hope this is the beginning of a trend and not just a one-night-only phenomenon!

All Fogged In:

Nothing, for once!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLYING~CAMEL!!!!

Jazzpants-you and I are in the same boat with those darn loops!! I have been breaking at the waist (i.e. hunching over), not getting my weight over to the side (ummm, I'm afraid??) and my body parts can't seem to get coordinated enough to let it happen.

I had an interesting time at the rink this morning. I didn't go to work because my stomach was upset (magically cured in time for skating ). It took a while before I felt "comfortable" in my skates and I think it's because of the massage, chiro adjustments, and gym stuff I've been doing. My weight felt more back on my heels today (even more so than Wednesday night).

So, I ran through my warmup then did the warmup that my coach suggested. I tried a few spins, but they are still off a bit (same reason as above, maybe?) Worked on jumps next. My waltz felt better with the "push up" from the toe; salchow was off a bit but still passable. Toe-loop is slooooowly improving with the added speed (soon I'll be faster than a walk!).

Worked on waltz-loops but couldn't get my act together. Tried about 5-6 and they were getting worse. I thought I'd switch to loops and they were better than they have been (still leaves a TON of work to get them where they should be). It's slowly coming together. I need to bump up the off-ice jump stuff.

Worked on the backspin thing (1-foot on left, then switch to right). Didn't get the 3 revs like last night, but did get more than 1.

Felt tired and hungry so I ended my session after an hour. Went shopping to find a decent garment bag with no luck. They are either plastic or vinyl and very cheap (look like cr*p). Well, off to the sewing room!

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

On Time:
Well, today I was working on getting the weight over to the side. The rest of my body though is still kinda weird, particularly with the waist hunch over on the landing...

What also seems to work is to hold the BO edge 'til the edge feels like it's curving back (if that makes any sense...) I noticed that I'm going straight on the curve, instead of curving back... If I just hold a tad long, it's easier on me.

Fogged In
(Doesn't mean I would land any loops though... In fact I didn't land any!!! I came close on one though... just a very slight toe tap...

Funny, I had stomach problems and I was quite sleepy, exhausted... very lethargic...

More On Time:
I did a runthru of my program but it wasn't planned. My coach just went and switched the tape from his previous student's tape and I wasn't even prepared to go up to my starting position. (It's his way of saying "It's my lesson time now!") Auto-mode goes: "Okay, practice it!!!" and I just picked from where the music is and did my program.

Primary coach says afterwards "I know that you were probably thinking "I really wasn't ready to do that program and I half wanted to do my program at that point, but that actually wasn't a bad runthru."

__________________
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!!!

It takes a lot of security on that back outside edge.....another reason to practice those darn edges!

I was going on a straight, mostly because my free foot was to the side (duh) and not getting over on that edge (doh!) Repetition with my coach has helped and trying really hard (seems to help). I think keeping at it helps, and bending just before the jump helps to put you on that edge.

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

On-time: I did a back-spin, I did a back-spin! All of one revolution, but who cares? What's more, someone saw it, and agreed that yes, it was definitely a back-spin. As I thought I would, I got it from a change-foot - Husband and I do a change-foot in our free dance this year, although neither of us can do a decent on solo as yet. And I was stepping through the start again after he'd gone, and just did the spin all by myself. The first rotation of the backspin section was two-footed, and then I was able to lift up my free foot and get a 2nd rotation!

Do you suppose I'll ever be able to do it again?

In other news, while Husband was at the rink we stepped through the start of our dance, and then through the step sequence at the right place in the music - we are so going to be able to do this! I'm really pleased, considering our struggles to find music that suited us. We also stepped through the Fiesta Tango, but forgot what the coach said about making the first bit more curvy. So we did it again, as far as the Mohawk, and luckily there was someone in just the right place that we had to steer round them, and made it much curvier! At which point Husband had to rush off to work.

I ran through my Interp, and then settled down to do drills and exercises. Was really pleased with my fast backwards pushes, as I managed to skate way outside my comfort zone - I realised that what I don't like is holding the back edge when I'm going fast, so made myself do it. I don't know how much of an edge it was, but I had more flow going backwards than I've ever had before!

Fogged In: Back swing rolls weren't great, though, and nor were my Dance Moves. I was half-way down a lap of relatively good cross-cuts when one of the coaches (not mine - ours don't come in on Friday morning) let out an enormous squeak about something his pupil was doing, so everybody turned to look (not that the rink was busy, but there were four or five other dancers on the ice), and it put me off and I ground to a halt. Then later on I was doing another lap, and I heard the same coach say "Who's that tap-dancing?" and he was quite right, I was banging my foot down rather hard. Don't know how to correct that yet.

As for the back cross-rolls, my blimmin' coach has broken them! He told me to try to bring my foot across a bit more - but when I do, I don't get on nearly such a good edge. Sigh!

And someone put on the Swing Dance music, and I proved to myself yet again how appalling my solo Swing Dance is. Not nearly as good as when I do it with Husband. Oh well. Did do a really, really nice Rhythm Blues solo when someone put the music on, though.... why can't I do all the dances that well?

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

On time
Not a bad lesson today. Started with our weekly jumps class and all was OK. Landed all my jumps to flip clean (we never get as far as lutz as I'm the only one who can do it, but must stress to coach that I need to work on it and could perhaps do so while others are working on their flip). Spins were OK and I managed a few change-foot upright spins. In my lesson I did some camel-sits, change-foot sits and they were OK. Loop-loop and flip-loop was good. Survived my programme which was something given it was only the second time I did it since before Christmas and given I had a broken wrist in the autumn I only did it a handful of times then.

Fogged in
Lutz wasn't so secure today. I did land it but I didn't feel as confident on it either in isolation or in combination as a lutz-loop. Did land it in my programme though! Programme felt quite horrible even though I did manage all my elements. A mum very kindly told me how great I looked skating it, but I assured her I was skating it way better last year. Hopefully after half-term I'll get back to doing it every lesson.

Inset day for a lot of schools so I didn't stay on for the session as it was packed.

Pain in my hip started up again yesterday (piriformis syndrome) and despite taking ibuprofen I could still feel it while I skated. Will rest it over half-term and hopefully it will be better after that.

Nicki

On time: Felt well enough to go skating last night (ah, the wonders of antibiotics). Managed to do crossovers 3-turns, and Bronze moves in the new skates. I took Jazzpants's advice and didn't do any jumps, but I tried some spins and they were OK.

Fogged in: After all the meds I've taken, I literally felt fogged in - between that and the new skates I was way too slow on the moves. Also coach cancelled (left me a message yesterday morning) b/c she was sick (hey, I haven't seen her since last Thurs so she didn't catch it from me - lol). I was hoping to be able to pick up a lesson tomorrow but now they're forecasting snow (varying forecasts of when it is actually supposed to start) so I don't know what to do. Plus, I think my blades may need to be moved slightly to the inside as I'm having a hard time getting on the outside edges, particularly the right one. Also, the back of my right ankle was rubbing on the skate and it was a bit painful. I'm starting to wonder about the heel fit, since my feet seem to move, but I'll give it some more time to see. Of course, if the blades get moved, then Klingbeil might refuse to fix the heel fit problem if there is one.

fogged in:
thursday run through of program was... bad lol by the time I got to my footwork i was two footing all my three turns and mohawks and more than half the stuff i was supposed to do and barely got i dunno 4 rounds in the whole ending combination spin in really sloppy positions, but I just felt like my muscles had turned to jelly and simply wouldnt hold me up anymore

today i started from my second element (skipped the first layback spin) and i managed to work through the whole program of which i am proud of, although it was extremely rough, I kept telling myself to just keep pushing, as a result I felt reaally clunky but hopefully i can work on that.

my double salchow count isnt as high as I want

on time:
Axel is going fairly well, I did some at a better speed than in the past, just hope that it holds up till the competition.
I did two axel -underrotated double toe loops lol ... its so sad but i really did enjoy the combination, picking in after the axel and jumping again and pulling in was just delicious! Unfortunately I dont have the ability to do it well yet, it almost feels like guilty pleasure to have enjoyed incompleted combination jumps.

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~
Tidesong

Friggin' fogged friggin' in friggin':

Of course, after I finally get back into a lessons schedule I get ill. What's up with me this winter? It's been the winter of the eternal sore throat.

I hope you're feeling better soon! Have you seen a doctor, on the off chance that the sore throat is bacterial and the doc could do a throat culture to see if you need antibiotics?

<<<hugs>>>

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

Thanks! Doc said it was viral. Grr.

On time: worked on spins tonight in class. There were only two of us so it was backspins for me (hoping for a repeat of the other night). I did get a refinement of the technique. Approached this time from a 3-turn one-foot spin on my regular foot-keeping everything open, then switching to the right foot (after "flicking and turning" the left foot). I kept forgetting to look over my left arm while keeping it back really hard. AND I was rising up too much on my right leg .

Fogged in: Then we went to sitspins, which are a lost cause right now so I'm not talking about them except to say she thought I was pushing "out" with my arms too much and it was throwing me off.

Lunges were next and they were ok (I don't like them because they are boring but she said they can help your sit spin), AND she didn't see them as some kid whacked his head on the ice and she went to get ice and his parents. When she returned she did mention that lunges are another way of approaching the sit spin and she showed us going into a lunge, then "snapping" into a sit spin which was a cool thing to see.

Now I'm watching the forecast to see if I will eventually make it to Bowie, MD for my 1st competition or will I get snowed in????? AAAAHHHH!!!!

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

Congratulations Annabel

Of course you will do it again. This was the first of many..... By Mountain Cup, you will wonder why you ever had trouble with them

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If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.

on time, had a great lesson and worked on the program. Now watching the Opening Ceremonies. Love all the hats.
Fogged in, Kitty is back at the vet. Hope he comes home before the snow.
Congats Mrs. R!!!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

FOGGED IN! FOGGED IN! ARGH!!!

Oh time I am most certainly not. I got up to go skating this morning, train cancelled, I rang my coach to reschedule my lesson, train cancelled. No lesson now. Oh I'm am so very very P$£%&d off! I must admit I have been crying but now I'm just plain mad.

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http://www.yourphotoalbums.co.uk

WOO HOO!!! Mrs. Redboots got a BACKSPIN!!! YYYYYEEEEEEESSSS!!!!

Three cheers for Annabel!

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

__________________
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!!!

On Time: Nothing totally spectacular today; nothing majorly awful, either, but just a common-or-garden practice session!

Fogged In: Naturally couldn't repeat my backspin! Did manage 1/2 revolution, but that was all. Never mind, I've done it once and it will return.

Coaches disagree about whether or not we'll be able to do our couples' changefoot spin in the British Adults, the rules say "Maximum one spin, minimum 2 revolutions on one foot by each partner". Coach2 thinks that means we could do the changefoot, Coach1 thinks that it doesn't! As Coach1 is our primary coach as a couple, we'll have to go by what he says, I suppose. I've e-mailed various British judges and asked for an Opinion, but haven't heard back yet. Oh well.

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

It certainly will, well done Annabel ,

Husband says I'm jealous, shows how often he watches me skate, but it took me such a long time just to try it and I still dont have the nerve to include it in a programme.

I highly doubt I will, either! We have our couples' backspin for our free dance, and I think it's going to have to be a backspin, not a change-foot (will see, if any of the UK judges I've asked ever reply), but it's one thing to do it with someone to brace against, and quite another solo!

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

I hope you hear back from the judges, Annabel. I would think it would depend on whether they mean "one spin" could be either a spin or a spin combination (such as a change-foot spin) or whether they are restricting "one spin" to mean ONLY a spin with no change of foot.

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

My 2 cents on the "one spin" definition--in my solo free dance last year, there was a "one spin" rule. I did a spin in one direction, then stepped directly into a spin in the other direction & my choreographer said that qualified as "one spin" because it is still considered only a "change of foot", even though the spin changed directions. If that was okay to do, surely a change of foot is okay.

On Time: I skated like a bat out of hell today. I was fearless, I was mad. I think with this move decision hanging over my head, I'm feeling that if I go I'd better make the most of every moment I have left on the ice. And if I stay, I'd better skate like I deserve it since I'd be mainly staying because of skating. So, dammit, I skated like I deserve it.

Fogged in: Still cry every time I skate because I am so sad about the thought of leaving. I'm beginning to think that if I go, my heart might break.....and I'm also thinking enough people have broken my heart in my lifetime, I'm not going to do it to myself....

Not fogged in, but snowed in! Not only is my competition at Bowie, MD cancelled (to be rescheduled for sometime in March) but the rink is closed (unheard of-they only used to close during state of emergencies)!

I'm bummed and don't have much energy for anything except watching TV and eating junk food.

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