Oh, all cold and clutzy today. . . I seem to have a mental block with 3-turns, or some sort of malady that makes me regress. Three-turns used to be no big deal and now it's like I can't do them at all. . . SOOOO frustrated. What is wrong with my shoulders and arms?? And today BO and BI edges were really inconsistent as well, and forward XOs felt icky. I don't get it! I CAN do this stuff, and it's not just a bad day--maybe I want it too desperately??

Methinks pre-bronze moves testing is a bit further off than I had thought. Basically feeling rather discouraged today and wondering if I shouldn't just lay aside my grand (ha!) skating dreams until such a time when it's not such a struggle to get to the rink (young child, distance, time is short, etc).

Cold & Klutzy:
FI Mohawks were sooo stiff and awkward today. Right knee decided to hurt every time I stepped onto it bent. I generally wimped out of practicing anything agressively, as I was tired to start with.

Fast & Furious:
I found a new and fun way to work on turn out! I can just barely manage an inside spread eagle, moving in a small circle of about 3' diameter. By pushing my hips out while arching my back, I could feel some stretch taking place. I would love to be able to do this move from more than just creeping along, make the circle and go into BXO's.

Revisited Pre-pre BO and BI edge patterns expecting the BI to be pathetic, but they were actually respectable.

Best of all, I may have found a coach. This is a young woman who teaches a tot class, on the public session, so I've had a chance to observe her. We spoke quite a while today. She does not have enough turn out for a spread eagle, so she will definitely understand some of my issues. I need someone who will work with me, understanding that I have far more technical knowledge than skating ability. If she has time on Friday, I'll have a trial lesson with her. We already talked off ice, about the Choctaw in the Prelim power 3's, and I liked her approach.

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I was exactly like LilJen. Neither mentally nor physically fit, got to the rink and the warm up before my lesson was, well, to be blunt I skated like total and utter sh*t.

Fast & Furious:
Coach expressed my 3-jump, salchow and toe-loop were very nice.
See Loop thread for further details (yep, you guessed it - FINALLY!)

Cold & Klutzy:
Pretty much everything else really.

Flip has gone for good. I give up. Can do off-ice axels but cannot cross my bl**dy foot on flip AT ALL. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Spin entrance.
Don't even go there.

This means I've lost my spins too. Every attempt travelled so much it could have won air miles.

The only things I was halfway any good at. Great.

Well, I was overdue for a bad skating day so I guess this was it. Shame really, why couldn't I have got the loop on a good day so I could be jubilant about it? TRUST me!

Would have been nice to spend my last day as a thirty two year old being proud of my skating, but sadly 'twas not to be.

Boy, this 'back to basics' malarky is tough. I guess I'll get there eventually...

S xxx

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

Yes! Time to stop trying to skate public sessions, and concentrate your efforts on freestyles, where at least people have enough coordination to get out of the way if they decide they'd like to!

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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

Keywords bolded!!! LOL!!! (Just kidding around... my FS sessions are usually pretty good about it...)

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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!!!

Hmm. . . I wonder if maybe your left foot isn't ending up in front of your right foot (assuming you pick and land with your right) because you aren't pulling yourself all the way back and/or starting to twist your hip before leaving the ice?
First, make sure you aresqueezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your right shoulder back as you pick, and keep doing that as you pull yourself back with the pick until your left foot has just about caught up with your picking foot. Meanwhile, as you are pulling yourself back with your pick, you start twisting your right hip CCW as your feet come together, before you actually leave the ice. If you have started turning your right hip in, all you have to do now is lift the left knee as you lift up off the ice, and your left foot will automatically end up in front of your right shin in the air, just like it does when you turn into a backspin. I hope that makes sense. . .?

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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

Yeah, that's why it's advisable to do what Jazzpants does and grab their shoulders. That way, they cushion your fall for you. Hee hee.

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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

Fast and furious:
My moves were again today and I WAS ABLE TO PLACE MY INTRO POWER THREE ON TOP OF THE LOBE!! Yay me!!
Did manage to make time for freestyle too and spins were fine, jumps were okay sans toe loop (it called in sick today) and the loop is getting closer to getting back.

Cold and Clutzy:
Had a few near collisions on moves- I'm having to be a bit assertive on my sessions now since the test date is getting closer.
LI mohawk was a bit klunky today.
Like I posted above, the toeloop was off today.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

I'm so glad smaller competitions in the UK use the old judging system - I can get away with a slightly underrotated axel and double salchow in that!!!!!

Ice dance class tonight....so

Cold & Clutzy: that's me when it's ice dance! I have a hard time remembering the steps so I have the book in one hand while I skate...and try to listen to her call out the steps (we were working on the swing dance) so after a while it was

Fast & Furious: and finally sinking in after we did the pattern a zillion times! It wasn't sinking in that it's the same steps just frontwards & backwards...but to the music it finally started to click. And the Dutch Waltz, well, that one I can do!

I do need to work on these off-ice and repeating the steps over and over (especially if I hope to test this year). But I see some improvement in my edges and backward skating, which is helpful. I am also making progress at the mohawk with some speed (for the swing dance).

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

don't know how you approach things, but I find it easier to remember dance patterns as a series of linked combinations rather than a bunch of different steps. Usually I think of each lobe as a mini-pattern and then connect the lobes.

For example on the swing dance, after the lady gets turned around, I think of it as 2 back chasse sequences followed by 2 back swing rolls, rather than

RBO, LBI, RBO, LBO, RBI, LBO, RBO-SR, LBO-SR, etc...

For me that's much easier to remember.

Except when my coach counts the cross-behinds in the Paso Doble after the back break-out differently than me, and I end up getting confused in the middle of competition (which happened 3 years ago).

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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...

Thanks, jenlyon60, maybe that will help make it easier! You are right, trying to remember all the individual steps is killing me (heck, I can't even remember the 5 things I am supposed to buy at the grocery store unless I write it down ).

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

Cold and Clutzy:
I still have the most difficult time kicking my free leg through on a waltz jump.

Today it was nice to skate on ice regaining my dignity after roller skating Saturday. (It was not one of my personal favorite experiences lately. ) I was fearful I had forgotten how to skate. Thankfully, all the things my body has learned to do naturally in my skating muscle memory took over so my mind didn't have to. (She breathes a sigh of relief..)

Fast and Furious:

Salchow was perfect today. It was even tempoed, rhythmic and secure. I understand now what Flo said in another post about breathing and relaxing through the jump. It felt freeeeee, and lovely!

Cold & Clutzy - I have bronchitis, am on anti-biotics and am on the 2nd of 3 days off work, and therefore off ice. AAargh!


Fast & Furious - I finally passed my Ballet 2 test in Aussie Skate. It is a long story why I didn't take it 22 years ago when I took the rest of those tests, and it never bothered me that much that I hadn't completed the tests. So I am surprised by the sense of achievement and completion I feel.

By the way, getting back to people not giving way. Obviously one has to give way when another skater is in a lesson and you aren't. But when there are 2 skaters in lessons, neither with their music on, surely the same one shouldn't have to give way all the time?

My pet hate in this is when there are 2 skaters having lessons with 2 different coaches and another skater who isn't in a lesson persists in trying to practise her figure patterns down the middle of the rink. My 15 minute lessons are so short anyway, it really annoys me having to continually pull out of what I am doing or move to the other end of the rink to find space.
Sorry, feel better now I've got that off my chest. Hey, maybe my bronchitis will get better now.

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am

Fast and Furious

I'm not sure about fast, but I certainly was furious when I discovered that we are having a closed competition and I totally forgot about it. I rushed back home to get my costume then back to the rink which left me only about 15 minutes to change my programme to fit competition rules and practice it a few times.

Guess what - I got my first gold, finishing first out of 4, and overtaking the lady I thought I had no chance of beating. Woo-hoo!

Cold and Clutzy

It's now becoming a worrying tendency - it's the second time during closed competition that I fall in practice and manage to hurt myself beyond normal. Last time it was a split eyebrow, this time it was the side of my hand that is now slightly swollen and makes handling anything that requires two hands a bit of pain.

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My other car is a Zamboni

Wow, CONGRATUALTIONS SCEPTIQUE!!!

CONGRATULATIONS SKATING ON CLOUDS!!, anymore congrats to come?

Yeah, we need to congratulate Sonic on landing her loop!

Congratulations to both Sceptique and Skating on Clouds, too.

As for us, we were back on the ice this morning.

Cold & Clutzy: Husband was flat on his back within 30 seconds, and I felt really insecure until I was warmed up. Left knee hurt at first, but was okay once I was warmed up.

We worked mostly on edges in various holds. Coach finally decided to correct our Foxtrot hold, and running round the end of the rink is seriously uncomfortable! That was the worst, although reverse Kilian in our warm-up was pretty dire, too.

A quick way to discover every posture fault you have, and then some: alternating FO3s!

Still can't do decent RFI 3s, although my LFI ones are okay.

Back inside 3s simply not there. Can't remember if I practiced back outside 3s; don't think I did.

Fast and Furious: Our inside edges in Kilian hold improved quickly and dramatically, and our outside edges in both Kilian and shoulder hold (facing each other) were fairly okay, too.

My dance moves seemed much better than before the holiday - bet I can't do them for love nor money in my lesson tomorrow!

It was basically good to be back!

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

Fast & Furious:

Spins are getting soooo much better. I really like doing camel spins. I added hands behind back as a position....coach wants me to do left hand forward which is tough for me. I can do a camel,sit,upright catch foot, back upright, combo spin somtimes!


Cold & Clutzy

Silver moves are much better but still have little bobbles here and there that tick me off! Back power pulls get out of control.....rfi 3 turn is scratchy 50% of the time! I do think my 8 step is quite good. It is quiet and fast with good timing...I am just working on polishing the presentation. So not all bad.

Will I get to Chicago for Silver Free? Not really planning on it.
I just started jumping (sal, toe, waltz) again. I only do about 2 of each during a session right at the end. The knee is holding up well...I am still doing a lot of strength exercies to improve it!

I am skating 4 times a week so I think that is great being that I wasn't walking back in June!

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Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

fast and furious I am In a fine mood today as I managed a 3- jump! Not a big deal You may think, but to me, I felt like I was jumping the grand canyon!!! I managed to do this properly from a couple of back crossovers, back outside edge and jump! yipee!!!(I know, I'm such a big kid ) I've scrabbled one or two of these before, but to take off and lad on the proper edges was a huge event for me.
Also, had a lesson on edge work and got praised by my coach, which quite rightly hasn't happened much lately. So all in all apositive morning considering all the grief I've had with my super stiff skates.

I'm not going add any 'cold and clutzy' other than to say my right inside mohawk sucks!

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Great news! Landing your first jump IS a big deal. Especially as you've only been skating a few months, and it was from back crossovers!
Right inside mohawks...that's probably a 'least favourite side/foot' issue which everyone can relate to....just see other thread lol!

S xxx

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

it IS a big deal!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's as much of a graduation as landing your first axel!!! You have just moved into a bigger world. Way to Go!!!!

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

Cold & Clutzy
This week:
Just relaxing this week and skating on Saturday and Sunday at a public session at my home rink.

Next week:
I skate only Tuesday and Sunday (off to Skate America)

Following week:
Halloween week I cram up to finish Tosca on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

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Tim David's Website

We've started doing this as part of the drills in our group lesson, I can really feel the grion muscles afterwards when i get off the ice- works though dosn't it!

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Congrats on your progress, MSF!

Fast and Furious:
Well, I went to off-ice conditioning class last night and was able to have a productive practice afterward, as opposed to barely being able to move my legs, like last week....so that's progress for me! Today, my back, arms, and shoulders hurt a little, but at least I can walk - lol. I worked a lot on change-sit, flip, and loop last night, with mixed results. The good news is that my run-through was better than it's been - I did everything except the flip, and didn't fall on the change-sit attempt.

Moves are coming along well. My inside 3's (F and B) are ending up on edges for the second half of the lobe, instead of flattening out. The turns that are the problem now are the BO 3's, esp the right one, which is supposed to be my good side.


Cold and Clutzy:
It seems I have lost my back scratch spin - well, more than 2 revs of it anyway. Maybe the work on the back sit is messing up my timing on it or something. Flip is getting frustrating - I do a very nice flip in my living room, if only I could translate that to the ice - lol. And I'm still too slow on my footwork.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!