I thought dreams or nightmare, as it's test week for so many of us!

Dreams: The rink was clean and the ice was nice! Had fun skating with the Husband - we managed both Tangos and a Willow to the music, but I don't think anybody can be testing Level 4 Compulsories, as there was no Swing Dance - or even Rocker Foxtrot - played. So we just did a walk-through of that.

Nightmare: Everybody is so sick of dance moves! I don't know quite how many people are testing on Tuesday, but there were an awful lot of people practising either compulsory dances or dance moves. One skater is doing levels 4, 5 and 6 - and will probably skate ahead of Husband in the level 4s, as her surname is alphabetically ahead of ours. Which will queer his pitch nicely! OH well.

He skated really badly. So did I, although I did do one nice side of cross-strokes, and several of cross-rolls. I am not going to pass this test, but I don't think I'll disgrace myself. We shall see.....

We had to wait to get into the rink as no key-holder had arrived before we did. Fortunately one of the only two coaches who was teaching this morning (our coaches are away today) arrived at 7:25, so we didn't have to wait too long.

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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!

Mrs. Redboots: Good luck vibes to you and your husband for Tuesday. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised. You have a good attitude about taking the test.

Dreams: Was introduced to the loop jump. Looking forward to the day I can do that one. Seems everything in the loop family will come easier once this jump is accomplished.

Back 3 turns are improving as I have concentrated them a bit more in the last few sessions. Able to do them but not with the flow I would like.
Really focusing pre bronze testing stuff too. I just want to take it and be done with it!

Spoke with the woman who is making a skate dress for me that goes with my music. She has it cut out! I am so excited!

Nightmare: Since my backspin is still not very good, the loop jump feels impossible at the moment. I can see the mechanics of it but just cannot will myself to do anything close to what is needed. I have reviewed the threads of this forum on the loop jump and am slightly obsessed with the idea of it.

Went to a freestyle session yesterday that was packed. Felt it was a waste of money as there were not that many people but felt crowded with too many lessons at once making space an issue. Went back for a very crowded public session last night (seven b-day parties at once!) I always count the sheets at the b-day party table before taking the ice on a weekend. At least there were only two of us in the middle circle so actually able to work a bit more on the back spin.

Last night a 10 year old went down beside me. I could see immediately that she had dislocated her knee. She was removed from the ice by ambulance service. Just reminded me on how quickly something can happen. The ice cleared of many kids after that as I think it reminded parents too!

Will have to skate a public session today as no freestyle available. Thinking about going to an alternative rink today as it tends to be a bit less busy than my rink on Sundays.

Just in need of an english to english translation What does queer his pitch mean?

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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

I have always taken this to be making life difficult ...

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-que1.htm

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Skate Free

Dreams: Decided to try my home rink public since it was a time, energy and distance thing with free ice to boot. Not too shabby despite 5 b-day parties.

Worked only on back 3 turns and back spins...then tried a few loop jumps...I mean hops...I have to break the habit of watching my feet when I learn something new. I watch to make sure they are obeying orders to cross! Of course nothing else I have learned to date requires head and position as seriously as the loop attempt appears to take. When I would force my head and body up I would hop and hope! But still not happening...Was pleased to find the back 3 turn going into cross a bit easier today...(at least when I watched they crossed! lol)

Actually got several 3 revolution back spins today...although slow...and very inconsistent...this is progress. I remember having no ability to do even a 1/2 without plowing into my edge. Forward spins are still traveling the world. Hope new blades help.

Nightmare: Nothing except lack of space. Knew that ahead of time so coped appropriately.

Nightmare: Well, more just a bad dream . . . I intended to skate Saturday but was feeling VERY run-down and tired so I skipped. I wasn’t feeling any better today and would have really preferred to stay home, nap, and soak in a hot bath but I reminded myself that it is only 4-1/2 weeks to competition and I might feel like crap on competition day as well so I told myself “Suck it up and get out there!” I still felt tired and crappy and the rink was damned cold (despite being warm outside!) but I pushed myself to skate hard and focus on backwards and turns.

Sweet Dreams: Considering all the negatives, it was a good skate and the backward shows steady improvement. Even though I didn’t do my program, at least I know I COULD have done it if I had to (there just wouldn't have been anything left!)

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Nightmare:
Four birthday parties, last week's returning pack of wild hockey skaters, too-loud **** music. Add to it cancelled/no show lessons and I was all set for a bad time today. But then, I had this ...

Wonderful Dream:
All different (read: older) skate guards this week and every one of them could skate! The manager was the hard**s who makes everyone wait until the Zam doors are closed. Result? A controlled public session that started ten minutes late (hockey ran over as usual) but the ice was cut properly.

Dream:
Pre-Prel MITF were all solid.
Scratch spin - managed a "Lussi" version with the little *click* at the end.
Sit, sit-change-sit - except for being cut off a few times, solid and centered.
Back Scratch - centered, better (not great) exit
Sit-scratch-change-back scratch - amazing. (I must have been dreaming!)
Salchows, half-flips and toe loops were just ducky.

Nightmare:
3s on the line were okay, had to stay in the middle due to the crowd.
Slightly cheated a few flips. Rotating most of the way, just need another few inches.
Chickened out on loops and landed them all as half loops. At least I'm trying, right?

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Dream: Won a Bronze medal at Skate Canada WOS Boston Pizza StarSkate Sectionals in Adult Pre-Introductory Interpretive FS against Adult Silver and Gold freeskaters. I'm just an Adult Bronze FS level skater and don't have that many field moves to speak of.

Nightmare: My freeskate and the coach who pestered me to no end while I was waiting to skate my freeskate after my warm up. I was the 7th skater to skate and had to wait and listen to her pestering me about picking up my Interpretive FS Bronze medal in presentation so that she could drive her skating student and other skaters back home right away even before the competition was over. They didn't want to wait until the medal ceremony to do my interpretive freeskate event medal presentation so that she could get one of the skaters home in time for work.

Because I was pestered so much, here's what happened to my freeskate.
"I'll tell you why I ended up 7th. Before I even touched the ice for
my freeskate after the warm up, this coach kept coming
up to me to bother me about going to pick up my medal from my
interpretive event about 5 times and would not leave me alone. She
just wanted to get the medal ceromony(sp)over with so that she could
drive her skater and the other people she brought back to their city
right away. I couldn't get her out of my mind and so there went my FS
program. I felt like I was a zombie for the first 30 seconds and then
I finally woke up to find out that I was way behind my music and had
to hustle to play catch up with the music. I totally changed
everything after the combination (messed up by the way on the flip
part). Then instead of my forward sit/broken sit, somehow I went from
a really bad forward sit to change to back sit (one rev) and out. I
then just was so far behind that I left out the first half of my
spiral sequence in order to get some speed going but it wasn't enough
speed to catch up, so I left out my third jump window (a solo flip on
the end of the LBI spiral) and went into a clumsy twizzles (don't do
them that bad usually) and stroking into my salchow/toe combo and
then I don't know how I got to the finale spin and finished with the
music. I was just so lost out there and not happy that the Lasalle
coach brothered me so much before my freeskate not allowing me to get
into my FS program."

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Nightmare:
still am having struggles with loop, flip and backspins. On top of that I am going through a little bit of life turmoils. Good thing I have skating to help me escape a little. Pairs crossovers. seemingly simple, but nasty little demons! why does timing have to be such a

Dreams:
Went to Seattle to skate with Casey and met up with other pairs friends. Finally succeeded in a pairs spin! Scratch spin has been my most improved element. I can finally cross the foot over in front.

Thank you. That's what I love about these boards. You learn something new every day.

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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

Hmm, warm!?

Rusty, you often have posted about it being -20F or -30F in Canada where you skate. To put things in perspective, just what do you call "warm"?

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Bill Schneider

Singerskates: sorry to hear about your distracting coach. That really bites!

Isk8NYC: I always wondered what the big deal was on that "click"...now I know! My old coach always made such a scene if you didn't do it but my current coach doesn't care.

Dallas: If it helps (and I've found you need to try different things to find what does and doesn't) try...back edges, back 3's, backspins, backspin-hops (scary but fun), and now recently I'm doing loops off-ice (non-rotating, just to get that leg up).

I think once I get the loop, we will attack the flip again then hit the lutz. She mentioned the axel also. Also asked me if I've made any progress on doubling my salchow....um, no, I've been too busy trying to get the stupid backspin and loop. And she wants me to start working on my sit spin again. Darn! I thought we could forget about that one for a long time!!!!

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

It's scary!!! The foot position (toe to heel) does lock your legs together and let you spin faster. It makes the exit swing harder, though.

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Singerskates: Congrats on that win! How frustrating that the coach would not leave it be for a while so you could focus. Sorry about that...but it sounds like you made a good effort despite the troubles.

Sk8pdx: Sorry to learn that life threw stressors your way. Skating is a great escape..glad you are using it to take mini vacations.

Skate@Delaware: Wow that your coach is talking double salchow! Thanks about the loop. It did help me to try some different things. Had a make up lesson with a coach I have never had before on Saturday morning. Really helps to have all the input and she had some good suggestions as well on the loop. I then watched myself try to cross feet in mirrors just before a step class...it looks so much easier than it feels on ice. It will be a while for me to do this one I think.

Nightmare: Public session yesterday was, yet again, insane. Most of us in the center quit early because it was total chaos. Even my "fix" from Saturday night, working on stroking and crossovers and little things that could be done "with the flow", like holding edges, didn't happen because these kids (and their parents) were particuarly unpredictable. You never knew when a little body would just fling your way.

Favorite moment? When all of the girls (about 10) from one birthday party decided to hold hands, start on one side of the rink, and skate straight through the center of the rink like a "wall of death". Quite a few people fell as a result of that one, and the guards didn't batt an eyelash.

Dream: Worked on spinning in the "lulls" between kids. Pulled off about two-three revs max on my scratch spin whenever I managed to get my foot around, and I can now do 1-footed spins in both directions pretty decently.

Dreamish Nightmare: Just saw the bruise on the inside of my right leg from where I whack myself with the back of my blade whenever I didn't get my foot all the way around on the scratch spin. Owwww...

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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?

Dream

Sat in my Artistry in Motion class coach taught us to do LO 3 turn, toe tap, then RO 3, toe tap, into half flip. Since I have a half flip and not much before it in my freestyle program I decided to put that in my program. Coach was very impressed because you see, I hate 3 turns and am very bad at them, but these seem to work, as long as I dont' rush the 3s.

Nightmare

This isn't really a nightmare, just a challenge...I used to have a very nice lunge for an old lady ...then the arthritis in my knee got so bad I could not do them. Well the arthritis has subsided, but I have to get past the mental block to make myself go down into it.

Also fell a couple of times, but you know I think that's good for me to fall once in awhile to remind myself it's not the end of the world.

j

Dream
nothing else was working this AM, ice extra hard, when I started working my Flips per ISkateNY's pointers and was just trying to work pull back and pop of free knee up but the darned things kept rotating on me so I tried doing quarter flips (landing forewards on the pick still holding free knee up - sort of a toepickskip) and darned if they kept going all the way around! I swear I wasn't even jumping at all just got the free skate tracing to go all the way back to the pick mark and wasn't hard or scary and I was jumping a full flip with my upper body and arms still in the checked back position! THanks!
Lyle

ROFL!!! On the Great Plains we can go from -40C to 0C in a couple of days - heck, we can see temperature changes of 20C in an hour or two. We recently sent our sub -40C temperatures down east and are now basking in a heat wave just below 0C - people walking around with coats unzipped, some in shirt sleeves. There is a saying here on the prairies - "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute!"

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Dream: Went to an extra edge class Sat. Am with Mika, and had a nice FS session after. In yesterday's lesson we finished the choreography - love the piece.

Nightmare: my skates. Can't be in them for more than 45min. at a time or blisters. Grrrrr.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Congrats! That's how I did a lutz the other day, just doing the entry right and not trying. LOL It sucks to struggle with things that USED to be easy. Don't stop skating, it's frustrating to try and come back.

Good for you. Key is to tap sideways and not try to turn. One of my skaters "invented" her own footwork, including 3turn-toe tap sequences. She later changed it to 3JUMP-toe taps. Very cool to watch.

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Is a 3 jump a waltz jump and is a toe tap a side toe hop? Because eventually I'm supposed to put a toe loop on the end of my waltz jump but right now I"m just doing a side toe hop after my waltz jump to get used to picking after the jump and keep moving. It seems like the same thing as a toe tap.

J

DREAM:

bunga pads. gotta be the best invention EVER. I invested in a pair of ankle sleeves and now I can lace my boots as tightly as they need to be and they are still comfortable, my heels were slipping a little and rubbing - not sure if it was that I wasn't able to lace tightly enough or just that my ankles are fairly thin anyway - either way, problem solved and skating is much more fun!! I ended up not going to my group lesson on Saturday - schedule wise it was going to be much easier just to go to the alternate lesson on Tuesday, so I'm going tomorrow instead. My kids were invited to a birthday party at the rink Friday night and DH and I tagged along too . . . rink wasn't too too busy and I got a lot of practice! The cool thing is that - not only did I apparently NOT embarrass my own kids - a couple of the kids' friends even complimented me on my skating - that was awesome!!

TOE LOOP!!! I need to get some video just to make sure everything looks OK, but I think I've got it solid! Pulling back on my shoulders to get the weight back onto the picking foot - works wonders!!

Salchow - DS says it's just still "eh" but he may just be giving me a hard time, I'm definitely scooping around and leaving the ice and landing on one foot, so that's progress over my futile skids backwards out of the 3-turn. Will see what the coach has to say tomorrow.

Spinning - one footed from backwards crossovers - these have JUST started feeling natural for me so I'm taking it easy and getting used to the feeling - I'm going to start working hard on getting a deep entry edge & see if that will help the traveling (i.e. "pack a suitcase" variety).

NIGHTMARE - so far so good - we'll see how tomorrow's session goes!!

Dream:

Both of my programs at DBNAI on Saturday!

I landed the lutz in my freestyle & did the back camel in my interp!

In both events, I got 2 1st place ordinals, but ended up in 2nd overall.

Nightmare:

The fall at the end of my freestyle program.

I got a little too over-excited after landing the lutz and couldn't balance the adrenaline rush with the end-of-program fatigue and I fell on my final flip jump.

Oh well, I've got 2 months until ANs to work on it!

Dream: Axels seem to be back for the moment, yay!
Most of the program is now choreographed, and looks awesome - when my coach goes through it. Yup, that's definitely a dream for me .

Nightmare: The new judging system is . Since my coach decided to give me a level 4 spiral sequence in the program, I spent a lot of time today being twisted into bizarre positions and told to hold them for 4 seconds each. Looking elegant. Sure, no problem. And there I was thinking even if I stuff up the rest of the program, at least I'll still manage the spirals. That theory just went out the window.

Still falling out of camel spins, seems I'm again rising up into position too quickly. Which gets worse when I'm nervous. And I'm nervous whenever I think about the comp coming up. Whose crazy idea was it to start competing again anyway?

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The trouble with life is, you're halfway through it before you realize it's a 'do it yourself' thing.