Indeed it did loops in regards to the sweeping the arm. "Imagine you are pulling the curtain away..."

He was laughing because in your words from last night, I to had a lightbulb moment. When he said hyperextend it all clicked. Locked leg didn't do much for me. He said, "It's the same thing." I said, "Well, you better just stick to using hyperextend for me."

Oh-on the sit with your arms behind you, he said to think of it like a layback in terms of your back position and you have to keep your arms close to you, not stretched. It's easier to demonstrate then explain.

Great:
Secondary coach is at Regionals... guess who gets to sleep in a bit...

Grim:

My computer at work went down for the count with a Spyware virus... the good IT folks were trying to fix my computer... GRRRRR!!!!

Great:

They told me as they were about to start a CHKDSK that I probably should take an extra long lunch break!!! So guess where I went???? RIIIIIGHT!!! The ICE RINK!!!

Rink was pretty empty (okay, ice was sorta crappy...) Moves went okay.

Did land a couple of loops with a new arm position I'm trying out. It's definititely working out quite well (when I get it!) b/c it's giving me the extra rotation I need to land on that one foot!!! Now to land and GLIDE, not land and hop!!! (Yeap! Boys and Girls!!! More speed!!!)

Grim:

Starting to build up some speed on my program but it looked clumsy and I nearly killed myself in the process. But hey, my coaches want me to take more chances!!!

__________________
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's the new arm position? One day by accident I did a loop and my arms kind of went up over my head and I got REALLY good height. Just curious to know what you're doing

Well, kinda hard to describe (hope I can describe it well enough) Also, Keeping in mind that I jump lefty and from a back crossovers entry. When I am gliding on the LBO edge my right arm is slightly across the right of my chest at the 11 o'clock. (I should feel my arm pushing on the chest) The left arm is behind me but is straight behind me... As I curve in, the arm in the left (back arm) scoops "down" and then "up and around" to my left chest.

The hard part I'm trying to figure out the timing of the jump. And I'm still experimenting with this so... But it's certainly giving me better results than usual... (Also, keep in mind my problem is with getting enough rotation to help land on one foot rather than on two feet (b/c I was under-rotating.) My primary coach think my loop is pretty decent otherwise...

__________________
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!!!

for practice session today (13 Oct):
Grim: (let's get this out of the way) Migraine hit this AM so I was feeling really relaxed on meds, soooo, spins were really crappy. Jumps-Practiced the loop-still working out all the details of the timing, positioning, etc...

Great: When you can't spin-ya jump (and spiral)!!! Worked on adding ooomph! to waltz and punched out some very good ones! Then added some speed to the salchow and managed to do some from back crossovers and keep enough momentum going to actually exit and glide out of it (on one foot!). Toe-loop-did one where I felt I actually picked instead of waltzing around...still needs work though. Although I did add a bit more speed and it wasn't as scary as I thought .
Added: Spirals were great also! Was able to hold the LFO edge around the big circle and really ride it, then change feet to the RFI and take a wobbly ride around...gotta work on keeping free leg turned out more though. Forgot to work on Mohawks

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

Grim: Interbronze field moves. I did check with NISA and indeed there is no problem going from level 2 dance to interbronze field moves - well no problem for them but big problems for me. Not sure I can ever get the alternating outside 3's to standard. Surprisingly to me the alternating inside 3's seem relatively easy, even the scary LFI3 but at least with those you get a crossover in between. Back 3/mohawk one is well nigh impossible.

Great: Did my program to music for the first time since the adult championships at Sheffield. It wasnt' too bad but it did show how rusty you can get on a programme if you aren't doing it regularly as I managed to exit the first spin in entirely the wrong direction. I'm not sure I'll ever use it again in competition as I doubt I'll compete again til Bracknell next June and I might have decided on new music by then - at the moment I cant' find anything I like. I have come up with a possible idea for daughters new artistic though and coach seemed to like the music so it may work.

Did a couple of lovely spins and nearly got 2 revs on a backspin without falling over forwards which is great by my usual standards!!!

__________________
'skating is not just a sport - it is an obsession'

Great: Combos needed some work, so I did everything but the lutz in combo with the loop today. Went better than expected; I haven't tried some jumps with a loop for a while so I was pleased! Did one REALLY nice toe-loop/loop. Backspins improved! Been working on them in isolation (i.e., not as change-foot spin), and and feeling much more centered. I'm also getting braver with the speed on the pivot.

Another bonus...not feeling pain in my ankle any more. I don't know if I was over-working it...I haven't cut back on ice time at all. I'm just happy it's not throbbing when I come off the ice any more!

Grim: Spins sucked overall. Could not center anything. The ice was REALLY crappy though, so it can take some of the blame.

__________________
~No thinking, breathing, or hesitation!~

Grim

So I finished the choreography for my little duet for the holiday skating show.

Then today I get an email saying that tickets for my FAVORITE musician are going on sale.

Guess when the concert is?

So, no holiday show for me. I called my partner and she said she understood how much the concert meant, plus her baby has been sick so she doesn't even know how much she can practice. It sucks though, I was really looking forward to it, especially since I had done my own choreography.

At the actual rink, the only thing that stunk were my camels. My coach took a looksee despite my protests and simply stated "You don't practice this very often do you?" He then proceeded to mock my technique, saying that I looked like a dog chasing its own tail. Complete with barking. I laughed about it, but between you all and me I'm a little embarassed. I've made a resolve to work on it for at least 15 minutes at every session until I demonstrate some sort of progress. I just can't seem to keep my chest down. Years of ballet training (mistresses yelling "CHEST LIFTED!!!!") is hurting me in this spin. Sigh. I guess the only way to improve is to keep at it and since I've not been working on it, it's gotten rather...well...let's just say it's regressed.

Great

Spins were weird today. Either they were PERFECTLY centered - tight, tiny circles, or SUPER travelly and out of control. I think toward the end of the session and definitely by the end of my lesson I had regained some control that I lost over the past couple of sessions. Same thing with the sit spin. I did a great sit for the coach and a couple of really good ones - full sits with a nice center and good position. The sit spin has always come so naturally to me...stupid camel.

Jumps were amazing tonight. I got applause from some bystanders when I was working on my flip jumps towards the end of the session. I was getting huge height, someone asked me how I "hang up in the air like that". Teehee. I think I've "mastered" the entry on the flip for the time being - that whole slingshot thing. I also did several good loops, including a loop-loop for coach that prompted a high five. He was funny with my waltz and salchows though - he kept asking me to "please TRY to remember what he teaches me from lesson to lesson". He knows I can do it since I've done it before - in this case a fully extended waltz jump and a nice open position in the salchow. Hey, I DO write this stuff down, I just need to have it beaten into me every once in a while.

I only attempted ONE lutz before I realized the session was over. I think I would have had very good luck with this jump if I had more time. Stupid 2 hour session.

Spirals were very nice. I experimented with some arm positions and REALLY lengthening through the legs. I think it paid off, my spirals felt very solid and pretty. I need to work on my RFO spiral though - I tend to do LFO way more than the right and the difference between the two is quite noticable. I have a sasha spiral on the left and a slightly above average spiral on the right.

Well, speaking of all of that I need to get stretching! Let's hope I'm heading into another good run of skating - the past week or so has been not so good, I could use a nice couple of progressive and encouraging sessions.

So that's where my jumps went! Sunshinepointe's got 'em!!! (Maybe I have it back in time for Skate SF, please!!!)

Grim:

• Looks like I'm still not getting the time or the lower back. Then again, having the loop jump towards the tail end of my program isn't exactly fun either!!!
• Tried to do a flip. Same problem.
• Tried to do a lutz. Lutz went on vacation... and primary coach is cracking up b/c I'm flutzing!!!

Great:

• I had two run thrus of my program I did miss a couple of sections where I was slightly late, but did pick back up and ended on time on both runthrus!!! YIPPEEE!!!!!!

__________________
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!!!

The alternating inside 3s are less easy than you might think, as each lobe has to be the same size, including the lobes on the crossovers! I can't do them yet (they are level 5 dance moves), but am beginning to be able to do the outside ones (which, in level 4, also have a crossover! I wonder what they'll do when they make them all "Skating moves"). The back3/Mohawk is TOTALLY impossible, I can't even begin to do it. Husband, alas, can....

As for me, last night's skating was okay, but only okay. I was very tired, and had neuralgia, and my knee still hurt. But I found, in my warm-up, that I still have a rather dainty cherry flip (toe loop).... it does leave the ice, anyway! Doesn't go anywhere, though. Still can't spin. Spiral okay, and fast, but not very high.

I only stayed on for 45 minutes of the dance club, as I got very tired. As there were only very few of us at the start, we'd put on our "Relatively Easy" tape, which meant that you didn't get much rest! But I did leave the Husband to do his Fiesta Tango and 14-step by himself, and was in no mood to try a Foxtrot, so got some rest. But when my free leg stopped extending, it was time to get off.... no point in dancing badly.

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

I skated today and hopefully it will be my last skate in a plaster cast as I'm off to the fracture clinic today and hopefully cast will be removed.

Great
I haven't been on the ice for 2 weeks and it was only the 4th skate since breaking my wrist 7 weeks ago so I was pleased at how at ease I felt on the ice given the little time I've skated and the fact that my cast is still on to remind me not to fall on that arm!

I'm not really doing any free though I did try a basic upright spin. In fact I did 3 and all were good so I've not lost the ability to spin. Apart from that it was field moves - prelim and inter-bronze ones, or easy ones as I put it to my coach. I had no problems with the consecutive FO3s and inside threes, and can still do the change of edge exercise.

Grim
Nothing more than the frustration at not being able to skate "properly". Still if all goes well at hospital later and the cast comes off, I'll be back to it "properly" after half-term!

Nicki

Great: Back on the ice today after 3 weeks off. Skated better than I expected just 5 days after the marathon.


Grim: My hip and hamstring are still sore. I don't know if its skating or running that is aggrivating it. I have not been able to practice a camel spin for at least 5 weeks. I may have to withdraw from Skate SF if it doesn't improve.

I finished the Long Beach Marathon 20 minutes slower than my goal. 4 months of training for that. It's kind of like training all year for AN and then falling on your butt...twice Yes, I did that too.

YIKES, Patty!!! Get thee to a doctor to make sure nothing is wrong. You do NOT want to skate on a bad hamstring or hip!!! (Voice of experience here!!!) And I hope it's nothing bad too. I do hope to see you in a couple of weeks...

Don't worry. Haven't done the ice blessing yet... but the YB rink is being repainted and sniffed up as we speak for the event!

__________________
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!!!

Great: Jumps get better axel-1/2 loop-2 sow is getting good for timing landing on 2 sow is very exciting. Jumps are getting bigger and 2 toe is coming back. Spins are solid, new layback feels nice still working on speed of actual spin.

Grim: Quit dancing with partner, personality conflicts beyond .... (gads). Will dance solo from now on too bad, intermediate FD was really nice. Oh well such is life.

Emotionally draining week, may need to borrow knife collection. ;-)

__________________
Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Oh, Leslie, so sorry to hear that! A pity, just when your free dance was coming along.....

Well, they are all back from Scotland, so the ice was full again this morning, although as it's the start of half-term here, not as full as some Saturdays.

Great: It was good to see everybody again and catch up on all the gossip! We had good run-throughs of most of our stuff, too - it's amazing how aware we are getting of our faults, though. After the first run-through of our free dance, the Husband said that it was a bit scrappy, and mentioned one or two things that hadn't gone just so well - but, as I pointed out to him, three months ago we'd have killed to have been able to skate it as well as we just had! You're just so never satisfied in this sport!

Grim: Ice was slow again, as it was well-used! And my knee still hurts a bit. Didn't do enough work on my solo things, and did a very poor lap of back cross-rolls. And we are still having trouble pointing our toes, and, worse, bringing our feet together on some of our steps. But then, I suppose, we never did.....

Mind you, our coach was skating with one of his pupils this morning, and talk about pots and kettles - so we yelled "Point your toes!" at him as he went past.....

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

Grim: another migraine! I really hate this weather!!!! And the ice was really crappy-looked like the surface of the moon!!! We arrived early for public skate and I guess I was cold (feet were freezing) and I fell on a waltz jump right in front of the lobby! Doh! And, husband bailed out of lessons tonight....

Great: After we warmed up on swizzles and edges, tonight was jump night! If she'd have said that last year, FEAR would have gripped me and made me physically sick! Instead, I was really excited to show how much better my Salchow and waltz was. Cool, huh? I got nice air on my waltz (finally starting to happen) and had more speed on the Salchow which helps keep it going...

Worked on the loop (still ain't happenin), then learned the flip-I remember this from last year (when it was scary and I couldn't do it) but I can do it fine this year! Of course, I'm only getting 1/2 way around, but it will get there.

I asked if picking in for the flip would help with picking in for the toe-loop, coach said it might over-power the toe-loop.....I don't know-I have problems with picking in, mine is still too much the toe-waltz.

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

PattyP is my new hero! Running that far, without the incentive of someone chasing you with a gun or even a buffet at the end ... wow!! YOU ROCK, even if you did finish slower than you wanted. At least you finished!

Thanks!!

There was free beer at the end! I think that's the only thing that got me to the finish line this year.

Great

Pretty much everything I worked on. It was strange - I worked through everything a bunch of times and with a few exceptions everything was fabulous. Jumps, spins, footwork.

I did not want to try the layback at a public without my coach there.

Grim

Needless to say I got bored easily. I know you can always make your jumps higher and spin positions better etc. I just felt pretty satisfied with my work.

I did work on my camel a lot today. My inability to keep my chest down is starting to get on my nerves. If I straighten my skating knee, the chest comes up. If I leave it bent, the chest stays down. Sigh. At least I was able to get around a couple of times with it today, despite it looking terrible.

I tried working on my lutz but there was really no room at the public. I kept waiting for an opening and then if I took it I was paranoid some kid would end up behind me so I two footed every landing. Or at least this is what I'm telling myself. Truthfully I'd rather fall with a one foot landing but I didn't want to go skater bowling. But now that I have both my loop and flip pretty consistent (can you believe THAT???) I'm trying to get the lutz consistent and its just hard to work on. Maybe tuesday if this stupid hurricane stays away.

That's it for me today really. Nothing new and/or interesting to report, just three hours of hard work on the same stuff

Ok, my videos are up! Here is the link-I'm open to any criticism. Hopefully, I will have a video of my salchow up soon. If you get a chance, take a look at my photos too http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/pictures/ ! I'm trying to get more of the shows.

http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/video/

The one: Scratch Spin Stuff was for someone on another board and for one of my fellow adult skaters-so I made a "movie" for her to watch to help her out. I know my jumps are pathetic, but my edges are better, as are my spirals (wish I'd had the camera in a different spot).

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

Great:

• After the ice cut, the rink started clearing out. And the ice wasn't perfect, but it was definitely smooth enough that I could do some skating.
• I landed four flips and four loops today. Tried the new arm position for the loop and it worked again! Spins worked. Footwork worked. Just about everything I've tried has worked.

Grim:

• 5 step mohawks still "hoppy." Still need to show to coaches to see if I'm actually on an edge instead of a flat... (I don't think I'm on a flat...)
• Backspin kinda wimpy today.
• And why couldn't I for ONCE be able to land a few flips and loops IN FRONT OF MY COACHES!?!?!?

__________________
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!!!

Hi there!

I love watching other peoples videos - very inspirational.

My biggest critiques are the following:

1. Take your time in your jumps. You're kind of whipping through them and sacrificing height Think slow, open, controlled and this will help you get better hang time.

2. Nice spirals, but watch your knees - on a couple, especially the outside edge spirals I noticed your knee was pretty bent. I suffer from this too unfortunately, but its something I really try to think about.

3. Your edges were nice, except in your back edges you were looking down at the ice. Also a nice position for the free leg for forward edges is tucked behind the skating leg (for back edges keep it trailing in front)

I'm very excited to see more videos from you, especially that salchow! Keep up the great work you're doing so well!

Skate@Delaware: I wish I could watch your video, but since it's a WMV player file, it tends to just freeze on certain frames instead of just show a streaming framework. (I can see the sound of the skates and the music though.) And I'm on DSL too, so this is really strange. (I have Windows XP SP2.)

I may have to try the video at work when I'm on a lunch break. Maybe it'll work there. (Then again, given how our firewall's been having problems of late...)

__________________
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!!!

Great:

LOOP!!!!!

And I'm half-way through my programme. Another 45 seconds to choreogaph, and I will have my first skating piece.

Also, did one accidental amazing sit spin.

Grim:

My knees! My bum! My elbow (toe pick!)! I feel like I've been doing 20-hour shifts in a coal mine, and I have back-to-back boxersize and streetdance sessions in the gym tomorrow. Where's my "Deep Heat" spray?

__________________
My other car is a Zamboni

I just realized that I could post here every day of the week if y'all wanted reports on my little kids hockey team (that I also volunteer with). However, on to figure skating:

Grim:

Loops at speed. I am r e s i s t i n g coach's "idea" that I need to change my jump entry technique. Coach is right and I know it and coach knows that I know it, but it is SO hard to give up the familiar to go back to the beginning. So, I continue to try to hit the loop in my program (after skating the length of the ice at full speed) and pop it with laughter, (giggleloop) and then get 20 minutes of "the other way is going to be so much better". Good thing coach has a thick skin because it ain't pretty.

Great:

All the work on loops has improved my flip. It is no longer so scary and even scarier, I can do it faster than the loop at present time.

Still out in the ghoulish mist:

My arms. They're so annoying and don't do what they're supposed to. They need to go to arm school.

Just plain fun:

Learn to skate has started, I teach two classes a week, and I can't get through the grocery store without some little pumpkin throwing their arms around me and telling their mom I'm their skating teacher. Not really, I'm just a PA, but fun it is!