First time back on the ice for a fortnight, due to this wretched throat/chest infection. Still coughing nicely, and the cold air in the rink didn't help.

Depressing Almost everything! Could barely move for coughing, so spent most of my practice working on turns and figures. Not good. Mostly out of practice, I think.

In our lesson, we had to work on "togetherness": forward stroking in Kilian hold and in reverse Kilian hold, then chasses in waltz hold, and then swing rolls in waltz hold. And finally cross-rolls in Kilian hold, which we hadn't done before.

After the lesson, a Foxtrot was being played, so Robert and I decided to do a Prelim Foxtrot, focussing on trying to stay together. Did we succeed? No!

Uplifting: It was great being back on the ice, however poorly we skated, and however bad the ice surface. Which wasn't much worse than it normally is on a Sunday, to be fair.

And when we did cross-rolls in Kilian hold, our coach said they were "much better than he thought they'd be". High praise.....

Overheard: Another coach to his pupils: "Don't swing your bottom around like a French tart!"

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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!

Technically, this was yesterday, but I'll put it here as I'm not skating today.

Ended up having a surprise lesson yesterday as my coach couldn't teach me this coming Tuesday as usual.

Prozac time: The LFI3--AT FIRST. We really got down to working on it and it was its usually crappy self at first--BUT, then I found out my constant problem was that after the turn I was going onto my flat, not the BOE. With some work, I FINALLY got a backward outside edge. It has no real flow yet, but coach says its actually the best I've ever done because I finally found that elusive edge. Ahh, a bit of progress...

Lift me UP!!!: OK, pardon me if I get obnoxious here, but the rest of the lesson was beyond first rate. We did some waltz jumps and she decided we'd go on to toeloop. Now, I've never done a real one out of the harness which was on my old skates. This was Mercer, the semi-outdoor rink, so no harness. She went through it and I tried it. I didn't think I did it right--but when I looked at Paula, she had this wierd look on her face. Turns out, I not only did a proper toeloop, it was a bigger jump than my waltz jump!!!! She looked stunned, I was stunned! We did a few more to coordinate the arms better, and a few were sideways, but for the most part, they were pretty much spot on, and I was JUMPING, not stepping. So coach looks at me and says, "OK, hotshot--you want to try a salchow?"

Now, I had a very weak salchow with my old skates, scratchy, not really a jump. Once again, she demonstrated, and with this one, I remembered the basics more so than the toeloop, so I did the three turn, swung around and jumped and landed. I looked at Paula, she throws her hands up in the air and says "I can't take this--WHERE DID THESE COME FROM???? I thought I'd have to teach you these all over again from the beginning and it would take several lessons, but no, you do them right away!" I did a few more, all with a good jump, all landed cleanly.

At that point, I told her if she even mentioned a loop jump, I was leaving...

Me and my big mouth...next lesson we're going to try the jumps out of crossovers and "I think you're ready for combinations, we'll try a waltz toeloop..."

She also brought up...BACKSPIN!!!

And showed me how to do a twofoot spin and lift the other foot to start a backspin...like I said, me and my BIG mouth!!!!!

Major grins!!!!

Beth

Haven't skated in over a week due to hockey tournaments hogging the ice and the holiday.

Depressing - not being able to practice 3 turns, too crowded and too many jumpers. Also how weird it felt to jump after not skating for over a week.

Uplifting - when I finally do spin properly I am going to be FAST, I tried spinning on one foot and sit spins and they were fast if not pretty. Spirals were good and waltz jumps finally felt normal by the end of the session. Still getting used to freestyle sessions, we had lots of double jumpers and one triple jumper and lots of end to end jumping so it was really a challenge getting comfortable and practicing my spins so I'm proud I did it and am becoming more comfortable being out there. Still can't do many jumps because of my knee.

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Depressing: got all bundled up to go skating outside this morning (during the first hour, when it's not crowded and the ice is good). Hustled down there to find... that the rink was opening an hour late. Argh. So I went back home to get ready for lunch with a friend. I'll try later when I get home.

Uplifting: My lesson and practice yesterday were great!!! Still having trouble with FI3s. Beth, I can sympathize. My LFI3 only exists in theory! :O But everything else was good--I worked on ballet jumps in lessons, back crossovers were great, and my instructor asked to see my one-foot spins, and I just kept going around and around and around.

LFI and RFI closed mohawks are coming along nicely, too.

My instructor also asked me to have my blades sharpened to a deeper hollow--to go from my current 5/8 to 1/2 inch. So that's why I was all bummed out to not be able to skate to test out my newly sharpened blades....

Depressing:

Started the next series of lessons yesterday. I'm now in (USFSA) Freestyle 4. We practiced all skills except the sit spin. The loop jump is TERRIFYING! I think it's a combination of fear and a lack of leg strength, but I can't seem to get up into the air. I found myself putting my left foot down as I turned (I'm CCW), which basically made it a non-jump. I just can't seem to get up and turn - anyone have any suggestions?


Uplifting:

We practiced the required spiral sequence (FI and BO spirals w/ a FO mohawk in between). It seems like the FO mohawk is really a FI mohawk and then a change of foot to be on a BO edge (am I right?). I had the worst problem getting my back spiral to be on an edge and not a flat. My instructor told me to lower my inside shoulder a little more.

Power FO 3s were fun - actually, my instructor taught them one way to us (just the regular turn and then a push-off w/ our opposite foot), and then the skating director of the rink came over to assist, b/c my instructor had both Freestyle level 3s and 4s, saw what we were doing, and went over to my instructor where they proceeded to have discussion/friendly debate over how to teach power 3s. After they reached an agreement, the skating director came over and informed us that he (instructor) had taught us the "first part" of the move, and that she would show us the rest. She had us do a transition bet. turns where we would shift our weight bet. feet going backwards and do a back crossover before stepping into the next turn. She explained that this is the way MITF tests are done. I'm glad she's showing us that way, if I do decide to test.

Then, the instuctor showed us the setup and execution for the loop jump and asked her to stay with us and "make sure no one does anything crazy with it." LOL! We also practiced toe loops and salchows with the level 3 group. Skating director stayed and gave us tips on our jumps - a kind of instruction by committee.

JDC1 - I've found that if I use the center of the ice for spins in freestyle sessions, most of the other skaters seem to avoid me - unless they're doing a run-through.

Are you approaching it from CCW back crosscuts?
Or the RFI 3 turn way?

I'm assuming it's with crosscuts.

I do 3 crossovers...on the LAST crossover, while left leg is still crossed in front of my right, I prepare for the jump.
I keep my left hand straight in front of me, nice and firm, with the right arm firmly behind me, both at waist height.
I bend my knees deeply and SIT on the the middle to back of the blade. Don't raise up on to your toepicks or lean forwards.
You're still sitting back, on bended knee...if in doubt bend them both a little more. It is the right leg you are jumping off from. Feel the right blade and its edge. It's on a deep outside curve/edge now, ready to lift you up and round. It actually starts to turn and you should feel that it's time to go up as there is nowhere left to go! Use your left thigh to lift you as you spring off your right leg.
The loop is only about 3/4 of a turn if you examine the tracing, as the first (almost) quarter is turned on the ice before you lift up.
As you jump up - I stress that you must jump up, and not try and force the rotation around, as you will throw your weight out the circle and fall over - scoop or roll the right arm into your chest and bring the left one in to meet it. Ask your coach which way they want you to bring in your right arm - some say scoop, some say roll, some say a mixture of both. Whatever you do though, don't drop either shoulder. Keep your hips and shoulders parallel - don't let your shoulders go ahead of your legs.

I'm afraid it's just trial and error to get the timing of the loop, and it's landing. Try and keep your torso lifted and straight throughout.

If you have a cushioned flooring with plenty of space, I really recommend you practise this off ice to get the feeling of the weight over the same side throughout, and the landing.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

I know those tips weren't posted for me, but thanks for the loop descriptions Mel. I might print that off.

This is for Saturday just gone. My first skate this year, and my first skate since 21st December. I was a bit rusty, and my cold didn't exacly help my balance or motivation.

Uplifting:

Forward and backward cross rolls were pretty good, especially backwards. Step sequence.

Waltz jump fine, salchow and toe loop surprisingly good. Did them both pretty well on the first go, which I really wasn't expecting, and each time was fine too. Still not brushing my head on the ceiling, but I didn't have a whole load of motivation.

2 foot spin was ok (a couple at 5 revs I think, no more than that). Got a couple of 1 foot spins ok, including the entrance, which is improving.

Pivots good, all 3 turns good, mohawks good, also did outside mohawks both ways (rarely practice them and RBO-LBO aren't usually that great but they're fine now.)

Depressing:

Spins. Despite a few good(ish) ones, the majority were pretty rubbish. I thought as soon as I cracked the entry I'd be ok, but the spin itself still isn't very good. I did have a cold though, which probably didn't help. I'm just not very consistent on it.

Busy session, and the ice was a bit chewed up, as usual. Also was 10 minutes late for my group class! (overslept half an hour). I didn't have a freestyle lesson either.

Tried loop once, didn't work, couldn't be bothered again.

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

Do them off ice. You'll feel more confident about doing it on ice.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

A light bulb went off when I read your loop description!!! I can land it when my coach is there and talking me through it but when I try it on my own I always fall VERY HARD on my right hip (I've had a bruise for 6 weeks) and I realize it's because I'm rotating instead of just jumping straight up.

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Thanks, Mel! I'm going to print it out and take it to practice tomorrow.

Depressing: European Waltz today. I was wide-stepping a bit (I was putting down my RBO after the LFO3s about 4 to 5 inches from my skating foot instead of almost touching). Then when I tried to correct it, everything else went wonky.

Uplifting: The CW progressives in open hold with coach were much improved. I'm starting to get more power from both pushes on them and good deep edges. The cross-roll swing out of them onto an LFO was lousy though. more of a cross step.

5-step mohawk sequence is getting better. I'm still not sure what I want to do around the end of the rink as a transition between doing the pattern down each side.

Separately, I worked on the forward power 3's and they were a bit better.

All in all, really not a bad skate day. Getting my blades sharpened yesterday really helped also.

If I understand what you're asking, the answer is No. If you're talking about a Forward Outside (i.e., O = Outside) mohawk, it goes from a FO edge on Foot 1 to a BO edge on Foot 2. A mohawk is a change of foot with a change of direction (e.g., forward to backward) with NO CHANGE of the edge. You could do:

RFO --> LBO
RFI --> LBI

but not RFI -->LBO.

Uh, did that make any sense the way I described it?

Depressing

My club had its last freestyle session on the Friday before the new year. Only four of us attended, including my husband and I. This club is no more. Following a fire at our rink in the spring of 2001 which caused cancellation of our fund raising spring competition, and all of the problems ensuing from 9/11, we had a dispute with rink management/owner and left the only year round rink available to us. Membership dropped to the point that we couldn't pay for our ice. RIP SCNY Richmond Division.

Uplifting

I went to bed last night with a miserable cold, woke up at 1 this afternoon and only went to the rink because hubby and I had an hour booked for lessons. I primed myself with a large cup of hot tea and a 12 hr sudafed. I truly didn't expect to be able to do much. It turned out that once on the ice, I felt pretty good, hubby did not, and I took the whole hour!

FO alt three pattern: Improving. Agreed to do FI alt three pattern two footed just so I would be doing it.

Waltz-8: I really thought I could get that second RFO three, but not so. However, coach said the rest of it was very good. I haven't done this one in ages and thought it had fallen apart, but got my timing back right away.

One foot spin: Did the absolutely best one ever and nearly fell off BO exit edge in surprise. Wind up is as expected, and I need to work on wind up into spin with free leg extended.

Cross strokes: F were very good, with deep edges and good speed. Back needed work on push from BO edge. Coach was about to give me an exercise at wall, but I just went and did it right. I said "I'm already doing enough at the wall."

Five step Mohawk pattern: It's back!!! I can do the LFI Mohawk again after several months of chickening out. We worked on positioning the pattern on the axis properly, and I was able to improve it right away.

Eight step Mohawk pattern: Coach spotted me a few times, then said I could do the FO Mohawk on my own and I should try it. I did it! I just went very slowly. Have seen daughter take a few bad ones on this pattern, so I'm really very cautious. I LOVE this pattern. This one and the cross strokes are my favorites, maybe because they are so dance like.

Spirals: Leaving the ice, coach had me do them, and complimented me on my arched back and leg height. These are definitely improving, and it must be dreaming about them that is doing it, because I never practice or stretch. Go figure

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So Uplifting it was Heavenlike...I had the ice to myself for an entire hour this evening. It was incredible. I got a chance to do some much needed practice on my Bronze moves. This was the first time in ages I actually felt like I could stretch my legs and not hold back on anything. So relaxing...I'm that good kind of tired now where you just want to melt into your bed and think about what a nice day you had. Very, very rare feeling for me.

Cloud Nine Uplifting...During my lesson midday today, I did my fastest camel spin ever! I got that magic "hook" and pop-up with the knee at the same time and wheeeeee!!!! Layback attempts were good too...I am getting this spin 75% of the time now. Attitudes were fast, and I even tried a back attitude spin. The latter will get better with practice, but it really helped my backspin. I tried a backspin immediately after and the increase in speed was noticeable. My sit spin now is no longer hopeless...turns out I was not pointing and turning out my toe on my extended leg enough, which could be traced to a high free hip. The position and overall look of the spin (though it's not low enough for me to want to test it) improved 200%.

I also got good runout on loop jumps today.


Depressing...Loop jumps, even though I got good runout. I need more height and distance.

Coach also had me try a sit-change-sit spin today...hahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Camel/layback combo needs work. My freeleg got ugly. That won't do.

All in all, after not having skated for two weeks (on holiday break with no convenient rink), I still say I had a darn good day.

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

Uplifting
Whenever I manage a lutz, first time, or with lots of fast skaters on the ice , I count it as a good skate day.

I only had an hour, so spent 20 minutes doing changes of edges, alternate forward inside 3 turns (with crossover) and outside 3 turns, slaloms, forward and back both feet, BO3s with mohawks on a circle and back crossrolls things.

I was happy with loop-loop, absolutely forgot to practice the salchow-toeloop (can't think why! ), flip and lutz.

Nothing was too depressing, but the backspin wasn't too hot, as per usual!
I had a couple of reasonable camels, but still not whipping leg round enough to get better speed on the camel-sit. All change foot spins were left alone today.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Mrs. Redboots: Glad you are feeling better and hope you get rid of that nasty cough soon.

Yazmeen: Congrats on the toeloop and salchow!!! YAHOO!!!

DBNY: So sad to hear about your club's demise. It's getting harder and harder to keep them going.

Skating sessions are back to normal times again, so I did my Monday night regular. 15 minute patch ice warmup during a kids learn to skate program (the rink manager leaves one patch open for people to practice). 45 minute freestyle session followed by an ice make and 1-1/2 hour adult only public session during which I'm taking an adult intermediate group lesson for 1/2 hour.

My shoulder is doing better since the surgery, but I can't hold my arms out for very long yet. This was also the longest I've skated since mid November and my upper thighs and hips are really feeling sore this morning. I'm definitely out of skating shape.

The adult session was MUCH busier than normal. Then I remembered that the college students haven't started classes yet from their Christmas break. There must have been 50 of them on the ice, so the ice was crowded and choppy in no time. They were all very polite, though.

Uplifting: My forward mohawks are back in form and very comfortable. My forward 3-turns, inside and out, are still a little rusty, but by the end of the class my center was much better.

Depressing: I had never tried a backward mohawk before. It's an easy move, but I can't get my hips open enough to hit the right edge. I'm going to talk to my physical therapist about some stretching exercises to help my poor, locked up hips open up.

All in all: I LOVE THE ICE AND I'M GLAD TO BE BACK!!!!!

Depressing

Gave myself a mild concussion yesterday

Best I can figure is that I was concentrating so much on not breaking at the waist in my axel that I didn't start my check out in time. Went right over backwards on the landing. Tried to curl up but wasn't able to stop the momentum of the head and "Whack". Ouch.

OK today, except for a little sore neck and the spot on my head that hit the ice. I think I'll practice footwork today...

Gary: Glad you're doing better. From your description, I'd say the skating is coming along nicely!! Whoo-hoo!!!

dbny: My heart aches for you and your club--ours almost went that way last year. Now we are literally a "Phoenix that rose from the ashes." We have good, caring officers and board members and we're starting to fly again.


sk8er1964: Please, please be careful!!! It sounds like you're OK, but if you get a bad headache, dizziness, nausea--please get checked out by your doctor or in an ER pronto.

Pass me the antidepressant: I was just "off" today. Skated fairly well, but didn't feel right. Then after I got home I realized I was wheezing--good old asthma in cold weather, grrr... Time to up the inhalant steroids a bit.

A little lift: Did salchow and toeloop again today. Some were scratchy and some were plain off, but some were pretty darn good. My strength was lousy due to the asthma, so I can't complain. Still getting that BOE on the LFI3, now if I can just get it to flow better... Three turns in general are getting back to feeling normal and are improved overall. Also, got to see the EXCELLENT tape of our Christmas exhibition. I love my friend Jay, who videotaped. When one skater finished they'd dissolve in sparkles, and then another skater would appear out of sparkles!! Very, very cool, and the direct feed of the music into the tape was spot on--no audience noise!!! I think several skaters will want to get a copy of this.

On totally depressing thing on the tape: My routine overall was pretty good, although WHY does it feel so fast and look so SLOWWWWW?
Waltz and half flip were pretty good, edges fine, stroking good, two foot spin fair (didn't get enough speed, only 3 revs) but my SPIRALS!!!! To quote the Grinch, stink, stank, STUNK!!!. The first one was deplorable, bent knee, leg not up to hip height, the second was better but still very mediocre. Overall, I was pleased with the performance of a program I'd had for only about a month on brand new skates I was still learning to manage, but oh, do those spirals need work!!! Guess what I'll be asking for on Thursday along with jumps???

Happy skating, y'all,

Beth

That's what I thought, skaternum, but according to our skills sheet, we're supposed to go from a FI spiral into a FO mohawk, and then a BO spiral - maybe it's not really a FO mohawk at all, just a change of feet. Just out of curiosity, how does one do a FO mohawk? I remember someone here recently talking about BI mohawks, which seem equally hard to figure out. So far, I've only learned a FI one.

With difficulty! Same principle as FI Mohawk, but you go from a forward outside edge to a backward outside one. Is it a closed or open Mohawk that is required? If the former, you bring your free foot to the heel of your skating foot, then drop your free shoulder and put your free foot down on to a BO edge while lifting your forward-going foot. This is much easier if you really bend your skating knee. More than that!!!! For an Open mohawk, it is very like a FI open Mohawk, and all too many adults do the FO Open Mohawk in the 14-step on a flat, or even an inside edge. Bring the heel of your free foot to the instep of your skating foot, and proceed as though you were doing an ordinary FI Mohawk.

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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!

Sk8ter1964- OUCH!! That's my nightmare.

uplifting - I love twizzles!! Woo hoo. It was fun!! My coach and I are talking about focusing more on ice dancing. I have group freestyle lessons right after my private lesson. She even asked one of the guys in our group lesson if he'd be my partner! I enjoy freestyle but I don't "love" it I love to dance and I think ice dancing looks so beautiful. Also my knees might not be built for jumping, my left knee is still pretty sore.

Depressing - I have the hardest time coordinating my entrance into the "circle" on a scratch spin, I keep doing it wrong!! Atleast I can spin now even if it is wrong. :-)

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Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Wow skater 1964. I hope you are ok. I was off today too. Worked on double sals and I got two good ones and then the rest were junk. Coach told me my shoulders were so twisted and ahead of my hips that they were in the next time zone.

skater1964, hope you get better soon! Take it easy till your head gets better, even if you're not jumping etc.
I, just to join in, have just been diagnosed with tonsillitis! And if it doesn't get better by the end of the week, I've got to go back to the doctor because it might mean it's glandular fever! I hope not...

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

sk8er1964: How horrible about the concussion. I think hitting one's head is among the biggest fears adult skaters face. I have done it 3x and it is very scary. I hope you are better soon.

Mrs. Redboots: I have been struggling w/ a miserable cold too. Could hardly skate last week even after I was feeling "better". Hope you get well soon.

About the loop jump: This may sound silly, but I had a coach who said the body should rotate as a column. Apparently, many people throw their shoulders around before the hips or vice versa. As the edge deepens before the jump, the body should turn as a unit and lift into the jump.

From back xovers, I do the loop by shooting across the back of the rink almost like a lutz (but in the direction of natural rotation). If you skate CCW, you will head into the corner and draw your legs together w. the left in front. Bend the knees deeply as the edge deepens, but keep the torso upright and arms poised strongly, left in front and right to the side. As I turn, I lift w/ the free leg. This gives excellent height and distance. Examining the tracing, you will find a check mark at the end of the take off edge where you actually spring from the pick at the deepest part of the edge.

Kay

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sk8er1964

! I hope you're feeling better. I fear hitting my head, and the one time I did, it finished me for the day, even though it was not at all serious.

Gary
You'll be back in shape in no time at all. Isn't it amazing how much effort it takes to hold those arms out? I think this is something that most people are not aware of at all.

Which B Mohawk are you attempting? The BI are a lot easier than the BO, but you really don't need much turnout for either. I can attest to that, as I have turn-in, and can do both with no problem.

For the BI, get on a hockey circle going backwards on two feet, hug the circle, turn your head to the direction you are going, pick up the inside foot and step forward onto the circle. The trick, especially on the BO, is to fully rotate your shoulders first. Start by looking in the direction you want to go, then rotate your shoulders and step forward. Don't worry about the edge you step onto. It's much easier to do a BO-FI Choctaw than BO Mohawk, but it's not far from the Choctaw to the Mohawk.

Debbie S
In my lesson on the 8 step Mohawk pattern, my coach said not to worry about the edges on the turn at first, but just to get comfortable with the pattern. She said that after I was able to get some speed, I would naturally begin to lean back into the circle and get the edges. This is a turn where turn out is definitly a plus!

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