Bundle of Joy:
Was finally able to skate this week and the ice was nice!!


Little Nuisance:
Kids are getting ready to compete at State Games this weekend and I again felt like I was in the way!

And now a Public Service announcement for my co-horts in Sitspin Hell:

I fell on every sitspin I did today in a effort to get lower and ya know what? The falls are not that bad, so I may be succeeding in getting that sit lower!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Good! I took a few splats early this week on back sit spins too and almost took a bad splat today... but not on a sit spin (back or forwards...)

Little Nuisance:
The "click of death" on FO mohawks happened during my lesson. Went right down... primary coach cheered "YAAAAAY!!! She fell again!!!" Then he asked "It didn't hurt much huh???" I said "Owww! My wrist!!!" (Luckily for me I had on the Skating Safe hand pads under my gloves!!! ) He said "Oh, geez! Your wrist doesn't hurt... " and went on with my lesson... There is NO WAY I can do a FO mohawk and NOT turn my hip!!! It's now my current DREADED MOHAWK!!! (Back to the wall I go to work on this BEAST....)

Worked on backspin... had some trouble but looking a tad better towards the end. Didn't work on camel or backsit...

Bundle of Joy:
We were adjusting my entrance into the loop jump in my FS program. This week it's "Oh, aren't you supposed to have another forward crossover before your FI mohawk to a jump?" I said "I don't need it! Before I was supposed to but you said that you don't want me going ALL the way over to the end of the rink." He said "Yeah, yeah! You don't need the extra crossovers push for power." It's a VERY good thing to know that I no longer need that many strokes to get across the rink and can be (in my opinion) "a little lazy!!!" (It also allows me to slow down a tad to go into my loop jump and maybe try for a loop-loop consistenly at speed, but I'm not telling him that!!! )

Forward spin, sit spin good! All jumps up to flip are pretty enough for him, though he had to do a bit more work on the flip on extending the picking leg. Footwork is okay. The BO3's I did after my lesson were actually there... both sides!!!

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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!!!

LOL I was told on tuesday by the coach of our national lady's champion that apparently I take crazy hard falls. I was like, *shrug*. I think wrist guards are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. One of the best inventions of the modern world, somewhere between hot showers and chocolate chip cookies.

I've been terrified of getting on the ice all week because I have a ballet recital tommorrow and Saturday night and deathly fear of getting any injury that I know I would dance through, regardless (Last year, I made a mess out of my bruised knee... and had to bite my lip everytime I had to go onto my knees in performance!). But the ice called anyway, so I kept the session short and made myself promise not to jump or do anything crazy....

Bundle of Joy: I kept my promise, mostly. Forced myself to try and clean up my 3s and edges and crossovers.
Got 2 revs on my backspin and I know I'd have had many more if I didn't keep chickening out

Someone turned on "Black Velvet" about halfway through and I played for juuuuust a second. I love it when the music just gets to me.

Nuisance: RO3. I don't know what happened to them, but I have to force them and they're not pretty at all.

Still eeeew on the spins from crossover entry.

And I'm still plagued with a miserable cold (or series of colds) that just won't go away!

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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?

BIG Nuisance:
Went to a public session today with two friends. One, I've been teaching on and off, but she's still a real beginner. We were skating along together, just chatting because I was too tired to do much. She hit a divot with her toepick, grabbed me, fell back, and pulled me down too . I went straight down, making a one point landing on my left butt. I was so shocked that I just sat there a minute feeling it hurt. Then I said "get up, get up!" We got up, and she said she was OK. I told her nothing was broken, but (with a glare and hands grabbing at her) that could be fixed! I must remind myself to never skate too close to a beginner unless I'm teaching them! I sat on a small ice pack for a while. I have a lesson tomorrow, and am still in considerable pain. Will go sit on a heating pad soon.

Little Bundle of Joy:
Was teaching spins in group tonight. After explaining that I don't spin well with my glasses on, I proceeded to do a very nice demo of a well controlled one foot spin. Did it again too! Looks like it's back, if I can do it with glasses .

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Really? I can't spin without glasses (or do anything else).

HUGE nuisance
I have 2 days of competitions next week and I am so utterly unprepared for the dance ones. I have done very little work on the foxtrot (only 45mins in total in lesson time) and I know it is dire.
Free dance was only choreographed on Monday and I have to compete it on Fri 29th. I can't even begin to explain how unpolished it is. I can't even do large parts of it.
RBI/RFI rocker into RFI LBO Choctaws are just not working. I bail every time and they are in my free dance. Yuck! Any tips greatly received. I don't think I'm getting my right shoulder back enough on the RBI and I think I let my left side go too wide on the Choctaw. I can do them on the left side but I can't seem to replicate the positioning on the right.
Other people at the rink are stressing me out and whilst I know I shouldn't let it bother me, it is making me very nervy and stressed.

Bundle of joy
My free skating programme is working very well including new 30 seconds added to the end for the modified 2 min programme.
14 step feels ok
I can now (after this morning's session) do my free dance step sequence.
Suddenly in amongst all the other stress, triple twizzles seem very easy and the least of my worries.

And even then, think twice! My coach is hardly more than half my weight and 6" shorter but when I start to loose it, she has a habit of reaching out to grab/help me (undoubtedly because she mostly works with young girls). I have told her time and again "DON'T DO THAT!", to just let me fall. First of all, if she grabs me she is not going to be able to stop me from going down, I'll take her down to and we both might get hurt. Secondly, I am less likely to get hurt if I have my full mobility. If somebody grabs my hand or my arm, that limits what I can do between loosing my footing and hitting the ice.

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

You are so not the only one! We haven't even finished our couples' Interp yet, but right now my left foot hurts so badly when I force it into its skate - and even worse when I take it off again - that skating simply isn't fun and we didn't go again today. Husband says tomorrow, but I hate skating on Saturday mornings.

And we have only done our Golden Skaters' Waltz twice - and I don't know if he's even done it solo yet! Ah well....

We have three days of competition, as there's a club competition on Sunday, too!

See you on Thursday!

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

Bundle of Joy:
-did one really good and fast sit-change-sit
-got more revs on my backspin, and now I can actually hold my free leg out a little before pulling it in
-did some good flips
-did some fast and low (for me) sit spins

Little Nuisance:
-my good camel from a few days ago didn't show up much today
-loops were tiny and weirdly-landed
-back sit - can't quite figure out how to do this without doing a forward sit first
-didn't get to work much on my lutz today
-BIG pains in my behind (from stretching to improve my spiral) and my left shoulder (from flinging my arm back too hard for the camel). Ouch...

Little Nuisance:
Basically everything. I was so tired today from not sleeping and from being sick and ugh. I rushed my layback position so those were ugly. I can't jump because everytime I land, my heel moves up and slides down the back of the boot(anyone understand what I mean? The skate shop guy doesn't. ) And it helped a lot that there were about.. 12 other skaters, all 11 or under and I really stood out, especially since I was sucking so bad.

Bundle of Joy:
My spirals were okay. And my speed on my layback wasn't bad; just the positioning was.

Here's a video from today. The timing of the music got messed up somehow because my editor sucks. So anyway. Let me know what you think and what I could do better:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NRQqbVVrnn8

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I used to have that problem when doing a camel-sit-upright spin. It was solved when I got a boot with a narrower heel. ;-)

Saw that and I didn't think it was all that bad... about the layback position - I'm not sure if the position was because you rushed, but it looks like you're just trying to bend back without pushing the hips forward. I later saw your "improved layback spin" video and the position was much better, so you can do it!

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Blog: http://chowskates.blogspot.com

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

I wear contacts to skate because my glasses have progressive lenses, which tend to be disorienting on the ice. When I teach groups, the glasses are fine because I'm not doing much anyway.

When working with beginning adults, I often steady them by putting my hands on their wrists, or by allowing them to hover one hand over the barrier and the other over my hand. The major difference between working with an adult and skating next to one, is that when working, I'm prepared! My friend caught me totally by surprise, and as she was slightly behind me, pulled me back and down.

Major Bundle of Joy:
I only hurt when I sit down . I had a great lesson today! The best thing was that I am now doing FO threes with almost no excess upper body movement, and actually did one that was properly checked! I asked my coach to check out my waltz-8, since I will be teaching it soon. Except for the threes (which are almost OK again), the pattern was good, and my coach feels I won't have any problem. Fortunately, my student is not quite there yet, but I think she will be in the next month or two. I also decided that I need to work on being able to do a F three while just skating along, and we worked on that. I was able to do a few of both FO and FI threes, and coach showed me a technique to ease me into this. Worked on spins, and did a few decent one foot spins from T push. Finally, I got a few tips on getting used to my new skates which I should be getting next Friday

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Ahhh I just bought these boots in April! I think my parents would have a heart attack if I had to buy another pair so soon(especially since these were so expensive.)

Yeah I definitely was just trying to get into it and completely forgot everything that I was ever told to remember while doing it. I'll try and remember next time I try them.

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Unexpected Bundle of Joy:
Got called off from work today, so I took off to the rink!
Since everyone except for a couple of us were at State Games, the ice was empty.

More Bundles of Joy:
Am getting the idea behind the LFO-RBI three turn sequence on Silver moves. Actually worked on Silver moves for the first in a good while.
Was able to work on stroking and power while playing a Rolling Stones CD!

Little Nuisance:
Will I ever get the balance on my sit where it's low enough without falling?
Skated my program for the second time since test day- ay yi yi!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Bundle of Joy-
Skated on the new blades for the first time. So this is what a rocker feels like! I had forgotten.
Loops were consistent. Consistently cheated but consistent all the same.

Little Nuisance-
Sit spins and back spins were elsewhere today.
Flips would have been there if we were allowed to land them on two feet.

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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

Little Nuisance: Well, if a bad dress rehearsal means a good performance, we should shine on Friday! Not a good run-through of our free dance, to put it mildly, although the coach did say our step sequence was the best she'd seen it. However, the rest of it.... largely due to crowded ice so we had to dodge someone just as we set out and never really got it back.

Toe still sore, but bearable.

Bundles of Joy: Not sure, really. Husband did a good run-through of his free programme. He is beginning to remember the steps of our couples' artistic, which is probably more than I shall on the day! Have got most of the props we need, and the costume is well in hand, so maybe we'll be ready for Thursday. Then again....

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

Bundle of Joy:
Change edge back sit seems to be a little easier now... but easier when higher, not lower, so have to work on it more.

Double toe on the upswing again, had many good suspects... no idea if they are really good or not, this jump just makes me go crazy

Double loop is ok...as in it isn't dead, but I think its still mostly under... I have to go back to the single loop everytime my double messes up, then I can attempt the double semi-properly.

Double flip had one suspect! wheeee

Ran through laybacks, hit one nice one.

Little Nuisance:
No idea whats going on with forward change edge sit spin... as in not sure if I'm changing edge etc blah
Flying camel was just impossible... it kept mutating everytime I did it, some attempts were better but I couldn't really repeat them lol
Took really long to get my 5 axels and double salchows at the start of session for once... bad bad bad...well at least I can manage to talk them back into being... lol

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~
Tidesong

Yeah, it does sound like the heel of your boot is too wide. My old Riedells did that too, and it was really annoying. Next time you can get boots, check into getting a split width. Mine are A width in the front, and AA in the heel (I think)...and my heel doesn't slip at all now.
Maybe you can try putting in some of those heel gripper things. I have to do that in some of my shoes to keep them from falling off my heels. I'm not sure how they'd work in skates, but it might help. You can find them at drugstores & I don't think they cost more than $5.

It's like the left side of my heel that gets rubbed, not the back. which is why it's weird. But thanks for the advice.

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Is it only on the foot you land jumps with? Have you tried calling different boot fitters and asking them about it? Even if your skate guy hasn't heard of this happening, maybe someone else has. I hope you can figure out what it is...I can imagine how painful it is.

Okay, here's my report for today's practice:

Bundle of Joy:
-Camels were good.
-Back Camels!! I did a few that actually had a revolution. Whee! I even tried to throw in a back sit with them, but that wasn't very pretty.
-Lutz is getting close. Did a bunch where I put my left foot down a split second after my right foot landed...this means I don't really need to put down my left foot even though my subconscious thinks I need to

Little Nuisance:
-Didn't get to really practice Moves today because the session was mobbed.

Bundle of Joy:
Passed my junior moves in the field test today on the first try! This sure beats the 10 tries at Novice! This is the first moves test I've passed on the first try since pre-juvenile

Little Nuisance:
I landed the two hardest jump elements in my Novice Freeskate (double toe double toe combo and double loop) and then I fell on the solo double toe and double salchow. AND I tripped on back crossovers and splatted, as well. It was not my day for freestyle.

The ironic thing is that I was much more prepared for freestyle than I was for moves. I still can't believe I passed on the first try. Novice took 10 tries over 5 years, and Junior took all of 8 months. I suppose I really strengthened my moves technique with having to work on Novice so long.

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"Without Vision the People Perish"
שלום לעולם תמיד

I've got the full range of motion in my toes back! Ankle still hurts but apparently something's getting better!

Bundle of joy
Had a mini rocker-choctaw breakthrough. I did 2 run throughs and didn't bail! Yay!
Free dance is feeling less new and doable on a good day with 300% concentration and all the luck from all the skating gods (let's hope that all happens on Fri)
My camel spin came back - it went missing on Thurs.

Nuisance
I wish my free dance was a bit more prepared. Different things can and will go wrong each time. I get lucky occasionally with a good run through but it is still too new to be any good
Foxtrot mohawk is evil (and I used to like that one!) My positioning is all wrong.

Yeah it's only the right foot, although I've never tried jumping and landing on my left foot so I don't know.. haha. And it's not just painful physically, it's painfuly psychologically too! I want to land my axel so bad and I can't even work on it at the moment!

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