Rutted: Still without local ice . . . but the rink is supposed to open under the new owners next Saturday!! So only 7 more "iceless" days!

Glassy: We're participating in a Volunteer Day tomorrow to help clean up and fix things around the rink . . . will be REAAAALLY strange walking back into the rink for the 1st time in almost 4 1/2 months . . . wonder what "surprises" will await us!!

Still remains to be seen: I've been working lots off ice on squats and getting down into the sit spin position . . . wonder if it will translate to ice?


(and a late report from last week): DH and I went skating at an out-of-town rink last Friday night (kids were staying overnight with a friend) . . . I had so much fun . . . one of those nights when everything just feels very natural! 3 turns felt great, waltz jumps and half flips actually leaving the ice with some "spring", forward upright spin went pretty well. DH took some video for me which looked pretty good except my free leg isn't anywhere NEAR how high it feels when I enter the scratch spin . . . eek!! But I managed to stay pretty level and keep the spins centered, so I was pretty happy anyway. I was LOL at myself maneuvering through "traffic" to find spaces for my jumps . . . I looked totally lost at times!! Not to mention a few "abort! abort!" moments!!

By the time I got brave enough to think about Salchows, the ice was getting pretty rutted, so I made a few questionable attempts and left it alone for now.

And . . . weird . . . my skates felt absolutely perfect that session! Didn't have to do any relacing or adjusting or anything . . . And I didn't even realize it until I was unlacing them! I might have enjoyed it even MORE if I'd thought about it while I was skating!!!

A series of exercises done to music from Lord of the Dance or was it Riverdance? One of those, anyway. You do a series of overlapping circles up and down the rink. Usually two crossovers followed by an edge of some kind, so for instance what I was trying yesterday was two forward crossovers/progressive runs (2 beats each edge), then FO edge for two beats, change to FI edge (on the same foot) and hold for 6 beats. The change is the difficult bit as you have to change circle as well - my shoulders and middle simply wouldn't co-operate. There are other exercises, though - even holding a 2-foot glide, or just an edge. None of them as easy as they either sound or look, when done by an expert.

My coach has made up a few of his own for figure skaters, often ending in a jump of some kind on the beat.

Have just remembered that the music is called "Gypsy".

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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!

Glassy
LANDED 3 DOUBLE LOOPS!!
Made a lot of progress with i-spin and flying sit



ah best practice ever

edit: video from today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeoWJYJT5d4

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Yay, well done!

Glassy: Had my skates sharpened.

Rutted: Had my skates sharpened! Which meant it was hard to do much today except settle them in, although we did manage some exercises. Tuesday will be better.

Meanwhile Husband has lost his flip, which doesn't surprise me the way he goes into it with his body language saying "I can't remember how to do this!" And he can't do inside edge spirals, which does surprise me.

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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!

this is for yesterday, I get so busy this time of year....

Glassy: feeling better when I hit the ice. I taught in the morning, and it was a small class so that was good. Ran through all my elements and concentrated on the 3-turns and keeping that free leg back...then did some toe-loops. Wow! what a difference!!!! i actually did one that felt controlled (as in not whipping me around), and more vaulty!

Did some more backspins!!! Moving my blade was 95% of the fix, the rest is me...

Rutted: I think the rocker is going on my blades...I am not surprised, as they are 2 years old and have been sharpened A LOT!!!! I traced them off and am in the process of comparing them to Bill's picture of a good Ace rocker (thanks Bill)...stay tuned. At least I can get a discount since I was in the summer show.

ETA: I just checked my rocker, it's as I thought-my left blade (and only my left blade) is down 2mm in the rocker area! from behind the toepick to mid-blade, my rocker is gone. Its fairly obvious now, because it's gouged out a tiny bit from behind the toepick. My blade is now flatter than a Comet!!!! That might explain my spinning problems (or at least 50% of them).

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

Just think what it would be like if you started with a Comet to begin with...you'd have a speedskate blade by now!

One of the talented younger girls here has Comets. The first time I got them to sharpen, I thought there was something seriously wrong with them because the profile was so flat.

What size (length) are your Aces?

I'm getting new skates and blades in a few weeks (fingers crossed) and I'll be pulling off my old 10-1/2" Aces before I toss the old boots. While the old blades are not shiny new, the rocker is almost factory spec and they have a lot of life left. I will probably give them away, and they're yours if you want.

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Bill Schneider

Glassy Back on the ice today, 4th time since my accident. It was great fun. Even though they don't cut the ice after the group classes before the public session, it was okay for the first hour. And that's all I planned to stay anyway. Feeling more comfortable, had no scary balance checks, no problems on any mohawks or one foot glides. And it was nice to catch up with some skating friends, and nice to see how they've progressed in 10 months!

Happy skating everyone.

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August 22, back on the ice!

Glassy - lots of practice this week, although 2/3 on public sessions. I got an extra skate in thanks to the vintage airplane fly-in at Aviator. DH wanted to go admire pretty airplanes, and they have babysitting for the little one, so elder DD and I got to skate.

Good opportunity to practice spins, saw some improvement in forward and backspins. Played with the changefoot again with some success. I've been stretching lots and spirals are higher. Both salchow and toeloop are almost recognizable.

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It's all about the dress!

Wow, Bill, that is a great offer, but I have to turn it down. My boots take a 10" blade and not a bit longer. We tried to fit my 10 1/4" Comets onto them and they hung over the ends...so it was no-go! I do have 10" Mirage blades, I'm tempted to slap them on for "expiramental purposes" since they are virtually unused (maybe 2 sharpenings).

I'm glad you put that drawing up, it did cross my mind that I was "off my rocker" and not just going crazy!!!! Now I'm wondering how far back this problem has been going on???? I think one bad sharpening just got compounded as time went on....

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

So I had an adult group class this afternoon. I'm trying all different ways to get some cheap coaching. I think this will work out. There were just 3 of us and they work on edges and turns and stuff. So we did the back edges from the Bronze moves -- she told me to make my cirlces bigger. Then back peremiter stroking - keep my back straighter....then grapevine swizzles, bend my knees more,

Then the dreaded mohawks. Honestly, I don't think I'm getting any better at these.

Power 3s - need to make my crossover half circles bigger and she told me to try to find a focus point so I keep my back straight and head up..that was helpful.

Glassy - during practice I ran through my program with music and some adults stood at the board and applauded me and one of the coaches said she told her little student to watch me because I keep smiling throughout the entire program

j

Rutted: I misread a schedule change and drove 45 minutes each way yesterday to skate on ice that had been cancelled. Oops.

Glassy: Other than that, it's been a good week. The social dance group met for the first time today for the new season, and I was pleased to get through a reasonable Willow with my bonus coach to get off to a good start. Ten Fox soon, I hope! And, the first regular session of the season is tomorrow, so two days of ice dancing in a row, wow! Not to mention lessons ...

Where is this drawing??

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

Yay, congratulations!!

These days I have to live vicariously through you guys
Ah, I want to skate!!

Tried to work on some cross rolls & footwork yesterday, when the rink was not-too-crowded, but there were just enough people going in sufficiently random directions that I had to stop every few steps!

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Blog: http://chowskates.blogspot.com

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/chowskates
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I have the blade tracings at the bottom of my web page about hand sharpening. Click the small versions at the bottom of the page to get larger views.

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/.../profiler.html

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Bill Schneider

this just reinforces my determination to get a hand sharpener....when the best sharpener in my rink uses one, and you as well, then I suppose that's good enough for me!

The hard part will be to figure out what size stone to get...I like 7/16" roh but I dont think it's available in the pro-filer (which is the one I was going to get). The ones available are 1/2" (not edgy enough for me); 3/8" and 5/16"

I'm open for suggestions-I like a really sharp blade and to really dig into the ice. Would the 5/16" be close enough to the 7/16" for me? (I'm not good at this sort of math)

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

Wow! Congratulations!!!! Was this the first time you landed a double loop?

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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

Glassy: The ice at the rink today, compared to the rutted and gravelly ice yesterday.

Just had two days with an hour lesson each running through my PB MITF and Freestyle requirements. Yesterday, I had issues with BI edges, Waltz Eight (which my coach calls "waltz egg" whenever I mess it up and turn it into an egg-shaped mess), and the three-turn pattern, but today... it clicked. I still have a lot of practicing to do to feel solid for the test session, but today both my coach and myself were very happy.

And I know that if they ask me to pass by testing on a public session full of party kids and sleds of death and hockey kids, I'd pass with flying colors. I'm almost afraid that I won't be able to do any of it without all of the distractions and chaos!

Rutted: I can't skate any freestyles with my coach, so unfortunately my only MITF run-throughs are on public ice. Nothing like stopping mid-3 turn to avoid stabbing a kid with their blade.
and
My laces are starting to go, so they're coming unlooped from the hooks as they stretch more and more. Always a wonderful surprise. I need to get new laces before my test!

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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?

Convert them all to 16th's to see which is closest:
1/2 = 8/16
7/16 = 7/16 (duh)
3/8 = 6/16
5/16 = 5/16

Now you can see that 5/16 is the smallest hollow, and that 3/8 is the smaller of the closest measurement to what you want. I also like 7/16, but decided to go with 1/2 because the pro-filer will allow me to keep the blades really sharp all the time.

BTW, I ordered my pro-filer on 8/20, and called twice and emailed last week as I had not heard from them. They had not charged my credit card yet, so I wasn't worried, just need that thing. I finally got a call on Fri, with an apology, and an explanation about being under staffed in the summer. However, the person who called could not find anything but my order; there had been no processing whatsoever, and I think it would have just gone unfilled if I had not called. Also, FWIW, they are currently out of the diamond sharpening stones, so if you order that, you will wait. (Hmm, maybe that's what was holding up my order!)

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A 7/16" is half-way between 1/2" and 3/8". The 3/8" will be a little sharper than what you are used to, and will likely work best for you if you like 'edgy'.

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Bill Schneider

The 3/8" Pro-Filer is what I have, and I love the results . . . my blades are MK Pros, which are also supposed to be 7/16" ROH . . . but since I had them sharpened already (locally) before I got the Pro-Filer . . . I have to admit that chances are pretty slim that they were still at a 7/16" ROH . . . also, I'm not sure I am advanced enough to be able to appreciate a 1/16 inch difference . . . but long story short, I am very happy with the 3/8 " Pro-Filer.

In the past, I had lots of problems after having my skates sharpened with feeling like one edge or the other was catching (too sharp? not sharp enough? who knows) and to eyeball it, you could even see that one side was higher than the other but the Pro-Filer sharpenings have been really consistent, as far as I can tell/feel.

ETA: I have to admit though, I do like "edgy." But I've never felt like the Pro-Filer sharpenings resulted in my blades being TOO edgy . . . just nice and sharp and controllable.

Helped out a little at the rink this past Saturday to get the place cleaned up before the re-opening . . . kind of sad to see no ice . . . but they did have some of the equipment up and running . . .and I even heard the Zamboni rumble to life at one point . . . that was a nice sound to hear!!

Kind of differing stories about whether all of the equipment is working . . .will just have to keep fingers crossed as to whether the ice is actually back up for this weekend . . . but it's coming, it's coming!!

Oh, and my ice deprivation is starting to show . . . I dreamed last night that I landed a loop (this is still just a DREAM in real life . . . ). Fortunately I am a much better skater in my dreams!!

Glassy:

• Landed a bunch of loops clean (Sorry Laura H, but I've been working on those loops for YEARS!)
• Landed a couple of flips as well.

Rutted:

• Couldn't land any loops or flip for love nor money (borrowing Annabel's words...) at the end of the session. I just didn't have enough "gas" to push it.
• (Well, this could be under "Glassy" too...) Why is it that my camels are good in practice but never in lesson??? Yes, I did a bunch of these too! I just don't get it. GRRRR!!!! (Okay, the position is still sucky given what I saw in the reflection, but you can TELL that I'm trying for a camel at least!)
• Okay, now I'm trying to put more demand into myself getting a lower back sit spin too! It's not going down lower yet.
• (Lesson learned from this weekend...) Never EVER try doing a full skating session followed by a full workout... and especially after doing two full blown cardio sessions and strength training session (okay, different parts of the body but still...) the last two days before that!!! Needless to say, my gym workout afterwards sucked. Luckily for me, this was just a one time scheduling glitch.

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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!!!

Jazzpants . . . no need to apologize at all . . . I figure I'll have a lot better chance at landing a loop after someone actually teaches it to me!! (I was only up to the salchow and toe loop when our rink closed down). And I'm waaay too chicken to try it on my own (although I have been known to dabble with double 3's in the meantime . . . ).

Thanks, guys, for the "math" help! I'll have to think about which one I want to get.

Last night I attended an off-ice class. Boy, am I sooooo glad I did! Is my butt sore! We worked on: spirals, spin positions, waltz, loops, and AXEL jumps! I finally figured out what I was not doing for the loop, and I am getting "it" for the axel (not that I'm any where near doing it). I have things to work on for the waltz (as in not swinging the free leg around but kicking it through). It's all good! I landed a loop on one foot! I will be doing these exercises daily.

Then I taught on the fake ice, followed up with a power/moves class. We did perimeter stroking, slaloms, crossovers, swizzles (front and back). I was feeling it by the time I left the ice! And this morning as well!

WOO HOO!!! I think this year I will really get that loop jump!!!!

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