Forgive me if I missed the practice thread--I don't see one anywhere but I seem to have mislaid my brain over the last few days and can't find it.
Our skating show this year is themed Skatin' the Blues and I've been listening to Aretha (Respect) and Ray Charles (Hard Times) to help select music till my brain is ready to fall out. (Maybe that's what happened to it.)

Hard Times: Loop was acceptable last week but not so great today in lesson. Flip mechanics are okay but one key thing is missing every single time. It's always something different so it's hard to fix!!

Respect: Told coach I was going to show her how screwed up my backspin is every time I extend the leg rather than using the H position and did a perfect backspin with extended leg for the first time ever. Very weird.
Silver moves are looking better. Cross strokes and spirals are testable; 8 step is getting close; and back outside 3 turn patterns just need more flow. Power pulls run out of steam at the end of each side. (Although back inside 3 pattern belongs back in Hard Times!)
Managed to get to my lesson despite getting a flat tire dropping kid off at school (major determination since coach is away last two weeks of the month).
Whew.

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

What is a practice thread???

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2010 Skating Goals

1) Land Double Axel
2) Pass Junior Moves at the end of January
3) Pass Novice Free at the end of January
4) Pass Senior moves by september
5) Consistant double flips and double lutzs
6) Learn a new cool spin!

You give a report on how your practice went today. Each week, someone gives the practice thread a new theme, and this week it's "Respect" (things that went well in your practice) or "Hard Times" (things that didn't go well in your practice).

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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

Hard times: I got a retry on preliminary moves yesterday. I kind of knew it was going to happen when the spiral pattern didn't go as well as I needed it to. Though I got 2.4 on everything, which was interesting because the alternating 3s must have seriously improved over the last couple weeks to be on par with everything else. Any tips??

My last lesson was today before I leave for Europe and 4 months without serious skating .

Respect: In that last lesson, I managed to get private ice yet again. Nobody at my rink seems to like to skate on Mondays. I time it just so that the little kids aren't out of school and able to get to the rink by the time I do. I definitely needed a break from moves so I got to do freestyle for the first time in a long time. Loops are showing major improvement, though work still needs to be done. I consistently had 3-5 landed, albeit a poor landing. We worked on flip a little, pretty good progress considering I haven't worked on it in a while. We finished with spins, improving sit spin and reintroducing camel spins.

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~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

Sorry to hear about your retry, sk8tegirl.

Respect: I think I just fixed my camel again! Usually it's arms, arms arms. So this time, I thought about keeping my free foot behind my skating foot, arching my back and pointing it straight back on the entry. I did a couple of really good camels that way. Huh! Let's see if this "fix" lasts.

Hard Times: Hoo boy, am I out of shape! I have only been running through my program in pieces and I'm exausted. Time to get back to the gym for some cardio.

Sorry to hear about your retry, sk8tergirl06!

Definitely hard times:
Runthrus are still inconsistent on the FS program, though when pushed I do a bit better on the loops and the speed. Primary coach is also giving me a hard time. I don't bother telling him that my back is still recovering b/c I just know that even if I was recovered that my program wouldn't get much better.

I'm strongly thinking of pulling out of the critique now... I just don't feel ready for it and don't want to waste our judges' time.

I went to my chiro this afternoon. He gave me the bad news that I need to come back in about a couple of weeks to do another adjustment to prevent the muscles from seizing up. He is still complaining that I can't seem to get my hip flexors to stretch enough. Well, what does he expect!?!?! I mean I'm in PAIN here. There's only so much stretching I can do here!!! (BTW: When he got to poking around my back, he realized that my mid-back was tight 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!!!

What were the specific comments on your alternating threes? I think if you give us a hint, we'll be able to make some suggestions.

Some common mistakes that I see with this move is that skaters:
1. Do not put the three-turn at the top of the lobe (rather too early or too late)
2. Toe push at the axis when stepping for the next three
3. Completely overshoot or step too early at the axis for the next three
4. Create subcurves in the lobe (wiggles--minor or major)
5. Execute scratchy or uneven three-turns
6. Lunge (break at the waist) on the push into the threes
7. Retrogress on the lobe as it heads back to the axis

If your issue(s) include any of the above, perhaps I can give you some advice on what I work on with my skaters.

Hard Times: No skating today - coaches cancelled, partly because of the snow, but largely because all their other pupils had cancelled, either because they were poorly or because of the snow. And we couldn't go to the rink and just practice, as the coach has my boots for sharpening!

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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!

And that is why I take my own skates to the proshop to get sharpened. Another is that I'm not happy with my coach's sharpening. I like Brian's Custom Proshop much better. Plus they're the only ones in Essex County, Ontario, Canada that knows how to sharpen Ultima blades correctly and keep the profile. Ultima profiles seem to be slightly different from John Wilson Profiles. I use to have Pattern 99 John Wilson blades on a different pair of boots and then I took them to Maximum Edge near Windsor Airport.

Sorry to hear that your skates were held hostage, Mrs. Redboots.

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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

Since I skate at 6 am mondays...I'm usually stuck with naming the thread and I couldn't come up with anything so I waited...now I'm having trouble remembering!

Hard times - one of the girls had a very bad asthma attack during power, and nearly quit breathing - had to call the ambulance to give her oxygen and took her away on a stretcher. But later heard she went back to school that day. IT was pretty scary to see her.

Respect - I can do my LFI 3 on top of the circle, but am still rushing the RFI but I did manage to hold a couple till almost the top... and I did a couple of LBO 3s and even held the exit - it seems I do better if I do a LRI 3, push and then LBO 3 ...It makes me hold a good position --if I try to do the 3 alone I lean forward and then it's all over.

I've gotten so I can do 3 waltz jumps in a row - used to be my exit was too fast for me to try that.

j

I would have my coach bring my skates to the sharpener, who is the same person I go to... but I always need my boots b/c of my other two coaches and I really can't part with my skates. I want to go in, sit and wait a few minutes and get fresh sharpened skates afterwards. So I figured it's probably easier in the end if I go there and got the skates sharpened myself.

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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!!!

Respect - skating outdoors in a snowfall, crappy ice but sooooo much fun! I landed another couple of flips (ugly, but landed) and am getting a pretty decent toe loop. I and entertained a bunch of teenagers on a class trip. They were having a blast in the snow too - it was crowded, but such a hoot.

Hard times - word has gotten out about Seaport, it's been crowded the last several times I've been there. I have to scout out the dead times and rearrange my schedule to match now. Changefoot spin is coming along, but still not as consistent as I'd like.

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It's all about the dress!

Comments were the same for both inside and outside: "3s not being checked" and "free leg often pull skater off axis"

(The handwriting is a bit iffy so that is what my coach and I think it says.) For #1- the turns are either right on or a bit late, neither of my coaches has ever mentioned #2, #3- my tendency is to step too early (this rink had no hockey lines to use as a guide), #4 & 5- I don't think either coach has mentioned that, #6- I know I have a tendency of breaking posture, I'm not sure its on the push though, #7-I'm not sure what you mean by retrogress on the lobe. Thanks for any tips!

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~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

Respect: Learned the steps for the Riverside Rhumba. I think I'm going to like it, but haven't done it to the music yet, so that opinion may change!

Hard Times: Can't do the cross-behind in the Golden Skaters Waltz when the music is being played at anything vaguely resembling the correct speed. I have a mental block about cross-behinds anyway, but I can usually mange if there's only one!

Respect: It was a lovely quiet session on Monday morning because hardly anybody was able to make it to the rink due to the 2cm (less than an inch) of snow we had overnight. It did take us longer to get there (almost two hours in total) because we were diverted just as we got to the road leading to the rink, but were able to take a back route. Coach made it as well, and we had the rink to ourselves for most of our lesson, meaning we could practice dance patterns without needing to worry about looking out for anyone!

Hard times - Coach showed up right at the time my lesson was supposed to start --with my skates she had taken home for her husband to sharpen. So I missed about 10 minutes of my lesson.

And being newly sharpened I didn't quite feel comfortable trying back 3 turns --one of these days we are going to go over them in the lesson!

More back crossovers - now she wants me to hold the edge before moving my foot from behind....and I am so uncomfortable with one foot behind the other...

worked on the entry edge for the spin - I just feel like I'm making no progress on that...

Respect - went over my Moves program and she thought it's looking much better and flowing nicely so much that she's ready to add more arm movements and other moves to "spice it up"

We reviewed the straight line spirals from Silver Moves...the hardest part was working out intro steps to get me going on the right foot. Holding them is not going to be a problem. Keeping my position might be....

j

Goodness, I don't think I'd want to let the people in the shop anywhere near my skates (always supposing I knew when the shop was open, if it ever is!); they only know how to sharpen hockey skates.

I have several options for sharpening, but the really good sharpener hasn't been around lately - or if he has, I've missed him - and I couldn't wait. And I'm really pleased with how my coach has done them, as he has restored the sweet spot for me - NOISELESS 3-turns!!! Who-hoo!

Respect: The noiseless 3-turns and the return of the sweet spot!

Hard Times: They are very sharp - I nearly cut myself putting my guards on to go to the loo; and the first hour (including our couples lesson) was a bit iffy. Coach1 said he'd done his own blades at the same time and reckoned he'd overdone it a bit.... but his were fine today (he came in last night for teaching), and mine would be tomorrow/Friday. Which they will be.

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

For help checking the outside threes, think of holding a giant beach ball toward the inside of the lobe. This will help keep your arms and shoulders over the circle on which you're skating.

On the inside threes, try to execute the three-turn then pause for a second before dropping the arms down slowly to have them face outside the lobe. This will help keep you stable so that you won't wiggle and keep your back against the circle on which you're skating so that you can skate a strong, solid lobe.

As for your free leg pulling you off the axis, try to stretch between the bottom of your ribs and your hip bones. While you may likely think that your core does not have much to do with your legs, it actually has everything to do with your lower body! After all, the abdominals are one of, if not the most, important muscle group for skaters.

The reason I say to elongate your hip bones and rib cage from each other is because good alignment and posture will pull you up, so to speak, so that you will be more balanced or aligned over your skating hip. Focusing on staying over your skating hip should keep your free leg in its proper position. Think about how difficult it would be to balance on a fence post, for instance, if you have one body part (leg, arm, whatever) pulling you off your COG (center of gravity).

Retrogession basically means to go backward from where one came from, so if you're retrogressing your lobes, you would find that you have difficulty transitioning to the next lobe. Often times, skaters who retrogress will feel "tangled" in their upper bodies or like they are flopping to the next lobe. On the other hand, skaters who execute naturally curved lobes will be able to keep their backs against the circle when making the step to the next lobe or edge.

Below is an example. Notice how the lobe with a natural arc will create more even lobes whereas the lobe that retrogresses makes the transition to the following lobe challenging and creates subcurves within the lobe as the skater returns to the axis.

That is a perfect example of retrogressing.

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2010 Skating Goals

1) Land Double Axel
2) Pass Junior Moves at the end of January
3) Pass Novice Free at the end of January
4) Pass Senior moves by september
5) Consistant double flips and double lutzs
6) Learn a new cool spin!

I'm appreciating this conversation, because this is exactly the problem I'm having - or should I say problems? I'm wobbling a little after the turn (outside 3s) and then I'm retrogressing and I can't turn around to start the other foot. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Also, for the three turn, look where you want to go. This also appplies to edges in spirals. The weight of your head can guide your edge. I have my little ones in class glide forward and then turn their head and see what happens, and of course they turn in the direction they look.

Hard times: partner is out of town for a couple of days.
Respect: We started the footwork sequence - very involved!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

One of my students was having a heck of a time with getting back to the axis correctly. What I told her that seemed to have made a world of difference is to lead back to the axis with the back arm and shoulder. She skates synchro, too, so I tell her that she should feel as though she needs to reach to attach to someone behind her.

Often times it's difficult to get back to the axis when the shoulders get out of alignment, particularly that back shoulder. It's so easy to let it creep around, so think of reaching back to the axis with it, holding a giant beach ball, or simply aligning your arms over your tracing.

Also, I tell my students to think of keeping the free hip slightly open when returning to the axis. When the hip starts to close, the lobe will retrogress. Think of making a slightly open shape with your legs that look like the number 4--knee slightly open with the free foot's big toe to the skating foot's heel. And, after pushing for your next lobe, bring the feet together first. Allowing the free leg to stay extended risks the free hip closing, which is where many of the retrogression problems begin.

Exactly! As a general skating rule: always look the direction you want to go! Sure, that sounds like common sense, but I wonder sometimes when I see the awkward positions my students end up in.

Make sure on the outside three-turns, that you're looking inside the circle slightly. On the inside three-turns, you'll need to look outside the circle over your back arm. Continue to look that way when you step for your next lobe.

Thank you! I try, as I hope that someday all these explanations and drawings will pay off when I decide to take my oral ratings...but that won't be for quite some time.

Thanks for the tips everybody! I think I'm going to print these out and see if I can make sense of some of the suggestions. I definitely want to keep testing, so I have to figure these out sooner or later.

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~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

Well, skated 3 weeks after my back injury (compression fracture) but then stopped again after I got the actual diagnosis and so today was the first day that I ventured out to skate - it has been six weeks since my feet touched the ice.

Respect: for myself and my body and my back for getting out there and trying. Respect for my technique which I found especially important in trying to wake up my old tired muscle memory - lousy technique would make for some lousy rehab and maybe another nasty fall.

So I mostly just did warmups, two-footed skating and slaloms, etc., then some forward outside and inside eights and forward serpentines. Eventually swing rolls, forward, small circles, some back swing rolls (very tentative), a few outside threes and mohawks.

At first my legs felt completely tight and my skates very very stiff. I had to go stretch out my hamstrings because of the tightness. Legs then felt pretty weak - haven't done much in quite a while except walk around and drive and stuff - working, etc. so this little extra pressure on my feet and legs and hips was quite noticable.

It felt good also that there was a young friend who was working on freestyle and for some reason I got into quasi- "coaching mode" and helped him with his camel spin and even a double-loop, which was awesome. Who knows where my knowledge of that stuff comes from?

Hard times: Well, just coming back from the injury and wondering if I'll ever get back "up to speed" so to speak or if it's just stroking and edges from now on? Time will tell I guess.

Interesting doing back crossovers - the whole feeling of the cross I could feel deep into my pelvic girdle, and the whole idea of the cross coming from there - very very interesting. Hopefully that will all start feeling more normal soon.

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

Respect: Had a good lesson today. We put together intro steps for the Blues, which I like a lot, but need to work on it to get nice & smooth. Did lots of patterns too, not bad.

Hard Times: I've been so bad with skipping practices lately! I have got to get more disciplined to get my butt out & to the rink!