Edited to say I meant 2/8 - 2/14 - I've had a long day...sorry

I don't usually start this thread, but here we go.....

Peachy: I won the bronze at my competition today (there were only 4 of us). All of the adults were wonderful, as usual. I got a really good idea for my new dress from one of the Intermediate finalists, who it just so happens was skating to a different cut of my music.

Peach pits: My performance. I was wound up tighter than a spring. I was uncomfortable on my blades much of the time, and my warm up was horrible. I missed (as in never got into the air) my first axel in my program, but fortunately landed the second. B y the way this program felt, personally, I would have had me in dead last.

Peach pie: From this experience, we can definitely see some problem areas in the program. We need to re-work the entry into the first axel - my mind is locking up on it, and the axel is a jump I rarely miss outside of the program, yet I've been having tons of problems with this one. My basic choreography is good, but I need to be looser - more fluid. My change-edge spiral into the axel (this is my second axel) is an absolute keeper - it's the signature move for this program, IMO!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

First night back on the ice after a 5 day post competition break:

Peach pie:
All of the freeskate elements that I felt so tight over at the DC comp last week were skated and done very easily! I jsut had to think "Sitspin- where the !@34 were you last week when I needed you? L
Left forward power 3's on the short axis rocked- Coach showed me these last week before she went on vacation.

Peach pits:

Power threes on the long continious axis are... uggh!
Actually decided to try them when there were few people on the ice after club and felt that since I have to do these on my Bronze MIF test, I gotta start sometime.

Will someone please tell me that the powre threes are the pain in the a@# element on the Bronze MIF??

First thing, congrats on your Bronze at your competition, sk8er1964!

Peachy:

• My bronze moves are getting slightly better. Forward power 3's are slightly faster and the rest of the moves are workable towards an April test date. WOO HOO!!! (And yes, Terri! Forward Power 3's *ARE* EVIL!!! They were for the longest time the only reason why I'm not taking the Bronze Moves test. I never thought I'm gonna write that I'm getting better at it to the point where I will be testing Bronze MIF soon.)

Peach Pits:

• Only skated for an hour. The past two weekends has been quite hectic for me b/c of a lot of friends who want to spend time with me... AWAY from the rink. (One group ARE my skating friends and they take the weekend off from the rink, which, unfortunately is when *I* usually get the most amount of practice.) Screw the gym too! Whatever skating time I do get takes up my gym time too!

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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!!!

sk8er1964: congrats on the bronze

peachy: spins! whoo hoo did a few combination spins with all the positions i wanted in it.

peach pits: axel: i landed some but i only got the *feeling* for one axel today out of so many... have a few more days to go *crosses fingers*
double salchow: landed the first one i tried on my knee... didnt try again... i think at this point i just want to get through without adding to my injuries.

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~
Tidesong

Congratulations.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

I haven't posted in this thread for a while. Skating's been going ok - off & on really. I skated earlier today, and fell on a RBO3 (the ice had a few holes from people's jumps so it might have been that - the turns themselves didn't feel as good as normal, but I shouldn't have fallen like that). I really REALLY hurt my leg when I fell. I bashed the top of my left leg and have a really big bump on my left knee.

In recent practices, I've also been working on spirals on all 8 edges. They're not exactly worthy of Michelle Kwan, but I'm working at the moment to be confident on them, have a strong secure edge, and to have my free leg at at least waist height and hopefully extended. I think I can do them all with my free leg that high, but with various levels of extension and confidence at the moment. I've also been practicing a catch-foot spiral, which was scary at first but which got easier with practice.

As for my jumps - waltz is fine, although my heel has started hurting on landing. Salchow - getting annoying. Has been playing up recently, although with practice I can usually get it back in some form. And I'm getting about 3 blade-lengths on it, bewteen takeoff and landing. I just don't feel like I'm entering it the same every time, which doesn't help when you're going for consistency. Toe loop - not bad, on the whole, I think. Learnt a new entry to it, with a mohawk instead of a FI3.

Spins same as ever, although I spent time practicing my 2 foot spin and it was pretty good (not that great today though, travelled).

I also spent some time practicing teapots (shoot the ducks), trying them both forwards and backwards and on both feet. I have to do one in the silver StarSkate test 80 (I'll be doing bronze soon probably so wanted to be prepared). Not as bad as I remember, although my thigh wasn't parallel to the ice or anything. Not awful though. Hmm.

Happy skating everyone!

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

Lesson and practice Saturday morning:

Worked the pushes for back edges many, many, many times. I'm startingto get more comfortable with these, though I run out of steam before I get back to the axis.

Two-foot spin is still ok -- 5-6 revolutions and generally centered. Well, actually, most are dead centered, but every now and then I get one that travels like a salesman, LOL!

My waltz jump actually stepped through once or twice. Most of the time it's just a fancy three-turn. OK by the boards with a light touch. I hate being such a chicken!

1/2 flip is curving too much and doesn't quite jump. When I practice on a line it's OK (except for the no jump part), but off the line I curve OUT of the circle -- don't ask me why!

Practiced spirals on both legs -- I think both would pass, though I only need one to pass. I'm going to start working them on edges, I think.

Have a great week!

Sk8r1964 - congrats on the medal. I understand that your second axel was just awesome. Sounds like you learned a lot and by the time I see you, all this will be completely worked out. What was the dress idea?

Pits - even though I didn't dawdle this morning and got right out on the ice, the first part of my practice seemed lethargic. And I swear my lutz/loop just cruised off to Alaska! Nothing I did ... and I mean NOTHING ... could coax that baby back home. I could do the lutz. I could do the loop. I could do the flip loop. But the minute I'd try the lutz/loop, POOF!!! the whole jump disappeared.

Peachy - but the rest of the practice just rocked! I cranked it up into a powerhouse sweatfest! My full program run-through still needs lots of work, but I made it through the whole thing with an acceptable performance, and what really was ramped WAY UP was my attitude. I was just SCHMOKIN' out there! I was the only one out there except for this coach who was getting ready to teach her 9 am adult class. I had put on 40 Licks by the Stones, and when Honky Tonk Woman came on, it coincided with my doing the whole first 1/2 of my program. I just let 'er rip, and the coach was just dazzled! Flying camel combo - BAM! Tigger footwork sequence - BAM! Finishing axel - BAM! Seriously, after the third time of doing it without any bobbles and all that energy and exuberance pouring out, she skated over and was all gushy about it. When I told her what I was trying to achieve, she said, "Well you are SO all over that!" It made me feel great. Now let's hope I can recreate it for my coach tomorrow during my lesson. And let's hope it doesn't go visit my lutz/loop!

Uggghhh Peach pits all the way: I'm very annoyed with skating right now, particularly dance, and I'm very injured and its very frustrating! UGH enough, I better stop now before I go on an unecessary rant!

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Peachy: started choreographing my program and we are about 1/2 done. WOOHOO. I'm remembering more than I anticipated, which is a bonus.

My sit spin was crazy yesterday. I was so low I was almost sitting on the ice. It look lots of muscle to heave my body back up but even the coaches commented how low it was.

Peach Pits: This cold is driving me bonkers. I had to go to the docs last night after skating and lo and behold I have strep throat. At least I'm on meds so hopefully I'll have more energy for WEd's skate. I'm dreading doing my program if I have no energy.

Camel spin is still bad...surprise surprise

Had my lesson today because I can't skate tomorrow morning (job interview!!!! ), although I hope to go to dance club at Lynne's rink tomorrow night (Lynne, will you be there?).

My cross-rolls felt funny in my warm-up, but when my coach looked at them, they were fine, and had stopped feeling funny!

Remembering last week's videos, we worked mostly on my inside-outside changes of edge and on my back outside edges. I am still quite sure I haven't the correct technique on the latter, they look wrong when I do them, but I can't for the life of me see what I'm doing wrong, even when we deconstruct them. I suppose one day I'll get that movement of pushing and immediately lifting my free leg in the other direction. Not helped by the fact that I am almost physically unable to bring my feet together - I simply am not built like that!

We decided to deconstruct my i-o changes of edge, too, and the coach gave me an exercise which really transformed things. All I had to do was push off on to an outside edge and come up in the knee, free leg remaining extended, then change shoulders and bend my skating knee simultaneously. This was actually easier said than done - I kept on not doing that simultaneously, or bending the wrong knee (I kid you not!), or whatever..... But when you get it right, it is the exact feeling you need on a change of edge.

I now need to go on doing that and then adding in the run/progressive after it - this is where I am still losing both speed and flow.

All the same, considering I'd been off-ice for six days, I didn't do badly.

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

sk8er1964 --Congratulations on your bronze medal!

Cinderella --Sounds like you did great with your program!

As for me, Peachy: My programs are both coming along. My coach was particularly happy with my run through of my interpretive program yesterday, which I did pretty much without warming up the jumps. The free program wasn't bad either. I'm really concentrating on finishing each position. Funny how you can be concentrating on one arm and forget the other! Not to worry, my coach pointed that out to me! But you know, I'm liking this whole idea; it feels good to really put energy into each extension of either legs or arms.

Pits My one foot spin. sigh. But actually it is getting better. My coach asked me to practice 10 spins each time I skate. I'm sure it will be better by Saturday at 10 am, or it will if it knows what's good for it! (My pre-bronze free program is the first event at the SCNY's Winter Classic on Saturday.)

Happy skating everyone,
Pat

Good luck, Pat! Be sure to post next week and let us know how it went.

Peaches

Backspin # Yes I can still do it, but only if I get the entry right...

Loop and flip (after a couple of bottled attempts), then practised the exercise for lutz - just jumped without rotating, and check out.

Mmmm, even caught coach and pal looking at my 3 turns consecutive L/R so I stopped (worried they were laughing at me)...and coach said she thought my FMs were improving!!!

Peachy Pits

Half of the backpins.
The lost lutz.
The lost axel forvever more.
My inward hips.
My fear of breaking skull.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

*Peachy*
My one foot spin is getting there. After a few attempts I could get it up to 3-4 revs b4 my toe pick dug in or I lost my balance. I'm not really a spins person but practice makes perfect..

Toe loop was there, as well as a couple better waltzes.

Spread eagles are improving. I only worked on them a couple times, and each day they get a little better. Now I can get my legs pretty much all the way straight but my inside circle is really small and I soon lose my balance. I need to try and straighten my edge a bit more.

Spirals alright...I really wanna have someone take pictures or a video of me skating so that I can see what I need to improve on. It feels like my spiral position is quite good (and I hear some Oohs when I do them ) but still I wanna know if there's anythng I can improve. The spiral is the move that I've always wanted to do perfectly!

*Peach Pits*
Sals were alright on the first few tries but then I started landing way forward for some reason and really scratching my toepics with zero run out or putting my hands down. Needless to say sal/toe combos weren't there.

Red with a chiffon skirt and capped sleeves. Gold trim.

Peachy: Landed 4 of 6 double sals today.

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Well I am back on the ice after almost 4 months and a cervical neck fusion. Gosh it feels good although the first 3 times I was a little skittish...

But I also have a week's vacation and am loving the morning, uncrowded session! I skated Mon, Tues, and today had my lesson. Ironically, I could not dicipher the instructions in my lesson book from October, so coach showed me each one and we worked on 3 of them. They are all footwork things, mohawks with crossovers, into 3 turns, etc. It really was helping my foot speed, checking, rotation in Oct. and I was excited to start it up again.

Yesterday I even got to do my 'practice program' (no music) and only chickened out on the half lutz - I was going too fast and outside my comfort zone at this point. But I worked hard for over an hour and was peachy delighted with myself, in spite of pounding heartbeat, that I did so well. Hot darn, pretty good for a 57 year old!! I've decided I need to pat myself on the back more often...and practice more often.

Was sore this am but stretched at home and rubbed arcane cream on my thighs and calves before dressing. Rink was much colder today as New England is heading back down into a deep freeze. Couldn't get up a real head of steam so just as well we only did footwork.

By the way, thanks for everyone who sent me good wishes about my surgery. It was a complete success. I'm even starting to do my half rotation jumps and my spins are improving!

Sk8er1964! I always said your single sal was just asking to be a double! Way to go

Peachy - Very happy to be skating on public sessions Saturdays and Sundays with my fellow skating friends. On Saturday I felt like I could go a third hour....

Pits - only skating on weekends means I can't pay enough attention to everything, and so I am losing skills. I've got to become more organized out there!

Peachy: Competition program finished. Woohoo. All my steps and jumps are in place, now we just have to add some flare..and SPEED. Feel much better healthwise since I got some antibiotics. Today my lesson was about finishing my program which we accomplished. I also had some very nice and high waltz jumps and did some nice flip-loop combos

Peach pits: Yelled at some girls who were in everyones way. Yelled at the rink attendant who started patching holes 10 min before the session was over and he brought out the hockey nets. I informed him if I accidently fell into them doing a jump the rink would be sued as would he. He rolled his eyes but I stood my ground and told him he could patch holes till the cows came out but leave those nets off the ice! GRRRRRRRRR

Didn't get a chance to work much on anything except jumps. Sit spin was hurting because of my sore overworked knees.

peachy: landed axel twice in three tries in three program run throughs
getting through program slightly easier now

peachpits: fell/double footed on every single double salchow attempt...
spin positions werent very nice during practise.

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~
Tidesong

Peachy Tuesday - Thank goodness! My Fairy Godmother (coach) waved her magic wand and ... ta da ... the elusive lutz/loop came roaring back. Turns out I was bringing my left shoulder back and opening out in the middle of the jump, aborting the lutz and leaving no chance whatsoever for the loop. Since I've been doing them increasingly better for a couple of months, it astounds me that one morning I can suddenly "forget" how they are done! All other jumps were VERY on today, so she decided to strap me in the harness (my first time ever in life!) to work on the 2sal. Gosh, that extra second in the air (and no fear of falling) probably becomes addictive, but I was fairly clutzy in trying to do jumps in an absolute straight line and I'm sure I looked like my dogs when you pick them up suddenly and all their limbs splay out! Still, it was great to finally feel what was wrong with my takeoff (not shifting the weight over the right side and not getting that left leg in towards my body).

The first couple I tried off-harness had definite improvement. She had me leave it there so I could "memorize" the feel. Then we did 2toes and I am just sooooo close to landing one! Aaargh. I keep thinking "if I could just do ONE more," but it doesn't quite come.

Peachy/Pitty - Wednesday's practice was a mixed bag. Since I had played racquetball for two hours Tuesday night, my legs were toasted from all that activity. I decided to lay low and work on spins (all combos with the back sit) and the flying camel combos, but not the flying sit. Then I worked on portions of the program, splitting it into two halves. It was not as light and enthusiastic as Monday, but I wasn't disappointed.

Friday will be very telling, as I'm taking a complete sports rest day today in order to have tons of energy to whip everything into shape.

Pity - I've only got a couple of weeks to get my stuff together and take it on the road to compete at mids (and I'm in Mexico for two weeks before then). It scares me to death, so I hope some miracle occurs before I make a fool of myself.

It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself and have motivation to keep at it.
I know how it feels to be away for any length of time, and as you know, it's takes a while to get your old "comfort zone" back. i was exactly the same with the lutz...chicken, going too fast for my liking!
xox

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MEL
Absolute Skating

That is so the story of my life!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

I skated yesterday and had a freestyle lesson. I've just joined NISA and bought the Passport thing, where you do the bronze, silver and gold badges from the Star test thing. Well, this was my first lesson with it, and we went through the four elements on the bronze test, and I passed two of them! I passed on the waltz jump and a LFO spiral. Yay! The other two weren't good enough yet (coach wants them *really* good) but with practice later on in the session, there was definite improvement and I even reckon I could have passed another. Hopefully will be able to complete the badge soon and move on to the next, woohoo!

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

Wow Skateflo, that is great news that you are back after that surgery. I'm sure Michigansk8er will want to touch base with you as she is recovering from a fusion of L5. Not quite the same, but perhaps similar as far as recovery.