This was the sort of morning when we came away from the rink going "Wow!" It wasn't that we had skated especially well - we didn't - but we learnt such a lot!

For instance..... we learnt that if I really skate in time with my counting, I can do the Swing Dance Mohawk - not well, but I can do it.

We learnt that the reason why I sometimes have trouble following Robert when he is doing a swing roll is that he starts to move his shoulders before he is at the cusp of the lobe.

We learnt that Robert needs to swing his shoulders round more when he does the Swing Dance Mohawk, so that he does it straight into my arms, not expecting me to catch up.....

All of which was pretty great. As was the fact that our coach said that all our work on swing rolls and chasses was paying off, and after we had done the Swing Dance once, made us work on the end pattern for the rest of the lesson!

We did a pretty gruesome Fiesta Tango, though, not in our lesson - got at the wrong angle and there was no way in the world I was going to be able to step forward for the restart.

Our practice was delayed by the ice having to be cut - the lad who usually does it on a Sunday morning is away, and someone came in to cut it but found nobody had switched the water on, so the cut was delayed by 30 minutes, delaying everybody else's start.

And, sadly, I have learnt that the BBC is not going to cover Europeans at all - and we no longer have British Eurosport.

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

Sat night -
Gruesome -whacked my poor right knee again on double 3's - OUCH.


Great - I got some decent spins going, couldn't cross my leg (DARN) but I was spinning (if not in an attractive position) on the average 10 revolutions. Spirals felt really nice.

Sunday morning -
Wore knee pad so ofcourse I didn't hit my knee.

Gruesome - spins, ofcourse were erratic and yuck for the most part.

Great - my salchow showed up, not big or airy but it was there. Waltz jumps actually landed on my toe!! My spirals were really nice and secure, I think it's time I get a picture taken so I can see how to improve them.

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

JDC1, what kind of knee pads do you wear? I got some at Sports Authority that are for multisport use (volleyball, etc.) and they're okay but really thick and kind of unsightly, even though my pants hide them some. When I'm working on something that I want the pads for, though, I just put up with it.

This is for Friday and Saturday since I didn't have a chance to post then.

Great!!!! A local college radio station was broadcasting at the outdoor rink I sometime skate at. It has been so cold that no one else was there for the first 15 mins of the evening session on Friday. The ice was GREAT, better than sometimes in indoor rinks, and the music was better than the sameol-sameol that gets played. It was really fun to have all the room--I could stroke around both ways and practiced swing rolls and spirals on my bad side.

FI closed mohawks are doing better--they're more closed and I'm skating into them more.

1-foot spins are doing well--my instructor now wants me to spin with my leg in front of me in preparation for learning the scratch spin. How exciting!!!!


Gruesome:
LFI3s. Arg. I asked my instructor if I could work on FI3s during class because they're just stinkin horrible right now. I can tell I just need to practice the right side more; it's nearly happening correctly. But the left side, I can't seem to hold that FI edge with my weight into the circle. I'll either be on a flat or be on an FI edge with the sensation that only my torso is into the circle and that my hips and most of my weight is out of the circle. Time to practice that edge and then hopefully the turn will work out better...


Edited to say: Congrats to Kimmie Meissner, the Novice champion at Nationals!! I don't know her personally but some of the girls at a rink that I skate at are friends with her. I think she might have skated there before going to where she currently trains.

Great
An enjoyable skate but always hard work after the weekend - I'm always tired at the weekend because of nightshift.

A couple of reasonable lutzes.

Still can't get the gruesome backspin and tried some back sits from inside 3 turn entry and from change.
I have the strangest feeling I am never going to get the upright backspin before I get the camel or sit.
At least the camel goes on a back outside edge! Pity I can't hold it for longer than one and a half revs though.

I was asked if I was doing the Adult Nationals!
I haven't got a programme, have no music and can't do any grace moves apart from spirals (I don't consider my lunge/drag "graceful"! )
Apart from all that, I'd be too nervous, skate worse and be mortified!

No lesson today.
Did field moves twice. The gruesome ones remain so (RBO 3s with mohawks) and the back swingroll things.

My camel spin is back. Was rising too much on the toe prior to the 3 turn. It won't go any faster though.

Till Wednesday......

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

Great:

My lesson on Friday was terrific. Coach liked the first part of the new program (I'm working with another coach for choreography). My confidence on the double jumps is coming back thanks to the work that we did last week. I've landed four double toes. The axel is back and as confident as it ever was (maybe I should whack my head more often - maybe it knocked the sense back into me ). It's amazing how good a coach's "I'm pleased with your work" can make you feel.

Finally joined the club that I wanted to join, and skated my first club ice. When I skate during the week, I'm usually the highest level skater there. It was nice to skate on a session with an adult who's at a higher level than me (she's a master-level) - now I've got somebody I can watch for tips and such!

I'm meeting with the choreographer/coach today - hopefully will get the rest of my program finished. I can't wait!

Gruesome:

Last week I banged my arm on a fall and the darn thing still hurts. It's my right arm, so even when I'm not skating it gets tons of use - like yesterday cleaning all my kitchen cupboards. Had to wrap it on Saturday to skate.

Great:
Pushed myself to do my program the whole thing through even when I missed the combination jump, and fell on my double salchow and axel.

Gruesome:
That made it a one jump program... only my lutz was clean and I don't know if I flutzed it coz I din bother to check.
At the end of the program my spiral turned into the awful airplane thing because I was too tired to lift my leg... how awful...

Great:
I tried the program a second time without the double sal and axel... I just singled them and I got in a decent spiral but fell on it!!! arrgh.

After that I practised the program in bits. It was pretty ok that way.

And the other stuff, Great:
Flying camel still around, did two big axels... but still killed alot of them... Double toe-loop improved!!! I finally got the timing of the jump although not good enough to land the jump yet...

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~
Tidesong

Great: skated at club and on Sunday and ran through my program at both. The energy is comming back, and things went well. I'm waiting for my paint supplies to arrrive so I can work on my costume for the Northern Virginia competition.

Great:

Passed my inter-bronze field moves this morning, finally! I'm actually looking forward to working on Bronze, I've been doing these for so long, but not any more.

Congrats Twinkle on passing the field moves. I don't know much about the Bronze ones (except my daughter fell backwards and winded herself trying one of them last week!) as I doubt I'll ever get that far but it will be good for you to have something new to practice. I've been doing the prelim ones for years on and off but am tempted to skip them by doing the prelim dance moves instead and then see what the new format will be next year. The daft thing is the novice dance moves (which I passed last year) included forward cross-rolls which is one of the prelim field moves !!!!

This is from Saturday, first chance I've had to write it up.

Great:

Worked on alternating FO3s with crossover. They are getting better, although I still find it hard to do the BI-FO choctaw after the turn. Needs more practice.

Went through the 14-step, British (prelim) waltz, Swing Dance and Fiesta Tango in dance lesson. Had a heart attack during the Swing Dance when my foot hit the foot of another skater while I was going backwards on one foot! Eek. Was ok though.

Worked on spins and loops in my freestyle lesson. The entry of my 1 foot spin is better. Spin itself - some of them were ok and got slightly better.

Turns were ok, pivots good-ish, forward spirals ok.

While I was practicing spins later on, I decided on a whim to try some anti-clockwise ones (I'm usually clockwise). To my great surprise, I could do it! I did some on 2 feet, then 1 foot from the FO edge, and although they felt a little strange, it actually felt easier than my normal direction and I got several smooth rotations. I was pretty surprised!! Entry from back crossovers didnt' really work though, but I told my coach later about the spins and we're going to do them next week in my lesson.

Grusome:

Didn't land a single loop on my left foot. The closest I got was landing on my left but with my right toe aswell. My coach reckons it's like a safety net, I really need to work on keeping all my weight over my left side and trusting myself to land on one foot (the left), and to just keep that right foot off the ice!

Spins weren't too hot. What's new.

RO mohawk was a bit dodgy, and back 3s didn't have a whole lot of flow out of them.

Crowded!!!!!! Again.

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

Well done twinkle!
I've been working on Inter Bronze field moves for a year now.
I feel miles away from testing them though!
Congratulations!

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

Another GREAT lesson! I just having the time of my life! Oh, sure, so all I got tonight was foward crossovers, but hey, it was only my second lesson.I actually started right crossovers last week but that was towards the end of the lesson when there wasn't much time left. Tonight I spent most of my time on left forard crossovers, and now they feel almost as secure as the right ones. I only fell once, but not too hard and it didn't hurt at all. I also worked a bit on skating backwards. I'm not going real fast yet, but at least I have not fallen! Anyway, boring as that may sound to those of you who are more advanced (which I guess is just about all of you!), that's all I did, but I'm happy with myself!

Because of the holiday today, I had my lesson on a crowded public session. Nevertheless...

Great
Did my first ever one foot spin from a wind up, really stepping into it, 3 turn etc. Got at least 6 revs...and hubby saw it I had just finished my lesson, in which coach had me do a deep LFO edge into 3 turn and spin. When I went to practice it, I just suddenly put all the steps together in my mind and tried the spin from wind up and it happened. I couldn't stop grinning for about ten minutes. It was a real thrill.

I'm beginning to get the RFI Mohawk after crossover that I need to transition from F cross strokes to B cross strokes. Don't know why this is so hard, except maybe that I'm almost on a flat at the end of the rink.

FI threes a little better. Can once again do the R, but still have to two foot the L.

Waltz jump was still there today.

Gruesome
My success with the waltz jump prompted coach to introduce me to the Salchow I used to do these on roller skates, with an entry from B crossover. I even remember doing them on the ground after I quit skating, but they sure seem far away now.

FO threes are in the same limbo as ever. I think I really must start some kind of exercise to tighten and strengthen my stomach muscles.

__________________

Great:
American Waltz this a.m. Felt light and waltzy and I didn't have any problems with shoulders or closed hips. Pattern was right where it should be on every run-through. Mom came to watch, as she had the day off, and an adult friend I haven't skated with lately told her I'm looking really good. At least one dance went well.

Gruesome:
Rocker Foxtrot this a.m. No way in h*ll am I testing it next month if I don't get some improvement going, like, tomorrow. Will have to get back on coach's case about working my butt off on the American and testing that instead, because I honestly think it's closer to passing than the Rocker.

Right knee has been sore off and on for about two weeks, but has been more "on" than off since Thursday or Friday. Usually these things go away by themselves, but they sure are annoying in the meantime.

Congrats to twinkle and dbny!

Great:

Forward power 3's are good, except for an occasional tendency to scrape my toe pick on the turn. Spirals are good, except that I need to stretch more off-ice to increase my flexibility (I can get my leg high enough, but I'd like it to be higher) - any tips?


Gruesome:

Loop jump is still nonexistent. I started doing the back crossover entry, then the skating director at my rink, who was helping out w/ lessons told me it's easier to do it from an RFI turn. So I started trying (unsuccessfully) to do it that way. Then, this past week, my regular instructor (skating director was otherwise occupied during our lesson time) told me that the RFI turn method is harder, so I went back to the crossover method again. Any thoughts on the RFI turn/crossover entrance? Anyway, I still haven't really done a complete jump yet, although I do think a result of my aborted attempts has been my acquisition of a back spin, so I guess these past two weeks haven't been a total loss.

We worked on sit spins for the first time. I can tell this is going to be painful - I guess my bend is OK, but I know a good sit spin should "sit" more. I've been practicing shoot-the-ducks, but, of course, I run into the same problem. Sigh. And I'm only up to 1 rev before I lose control of the spin and need to put my free foot down.

Great: Skated to day at lunch. The program parts went reasonably well. The rink has a bubble over it, and it was interesting to watch (from on the ice) the snow sliding off the bubble.
Flying cammel from new entry is getting better, and I added a couple brackets to the program. Now to paint my skirt!

Got the second 1/2 of my program done.

It was quite a treat to be working with a past olympian. I was fortunate that she was willing to work with me at the request of my coach. It's amazing what this person knows (and by contrast what I don't know ) and how talented she is. Now - I just hope that I'm up to the program! 2 1/2 weeks to my first competition in 2 decades.....

The RFI turn method is harder when you are traveling at speed (it sure is for me) as you have to check the three turn with the free foot in front of you, and you must keep your shoulders and hips square. It is also key, when using this method, to keep your right hip low. Otherwise, if the right hip pops up, your loop will become a half-loop. Also, remember to straighten your jumping leg and roll gently off the toe pick into the air.

I learned the loop jump this way. It made it easier in the beginning as the three turn entry helped generate some rotational momentum. Checking the jump was the hard part, and I had some scary and painful falls on my right hip when I didn't check.

I still do the majority of my loop jumps from the 3-turn entry. I can do them from the back crossover entry, but I have a tendency to prerotate my shoulders. In time I will correct this I am sure--I just need a stronger check with the right shoulder. Sometimes performing a couple of backward power 3-turns helps set up the rotation correctly, as well as the position...since I've turned around a couple times already with my right hip low and free foot crossed in front of the skating foot, I am set to jump. Gets the shoulders right too...Checking with the shoulders is a necessary and common theme no matter which entry you choose.

To trick myself into doing a loop jump, I will often do a half-rev jump, like a half-flip, immediately do a RFI 3, and then the loop jump. My favorite thing to practice as of late is footwork into a ballet hop into a loop jump. This sequence challenges me into checking that 3-turn properly, and it's an attractive-looking combo when done well!

Good luck with your loop! Hope this advice helps some!

__________________
All that glitters has a high refractive index.

Great:

Just being back on the ice this week! Last week I was fighting stomach flu and was so weak I couldn't skate. So, I am starting to build strength gradually again.

Squeaked some loop jumps out yesterday even if I didn't feel like I had any business jumping. Coach was right there to correct me if something went wrong.

Finally decided to enter my second set of power 3 turns from crossover, stroke, stroke, left swing roll, then right power threes. Works great!


Gruesome:

Not being able to skate my usual length of time--skated light for about 45 minutes yesterday, skated for about 30 minutes today. Will skate for a short time tomorrow.

Worrying about my moves test in three weeks...ugh. I don't want to put off trying any longer though.

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

WAY TO GO DBNY & TWINKLE!!!

My Monday night skate was a little blah as I was feeling "under the weather". Not much motivation to skate. I didn't want to miss seeing my young (and some older) friends, though.

One young girl at the rink has decided that I'm the only person who can lace up and tie her skates properly, so she seeks me out, grabs my hand, and sweetly asks if I'll tie them for her. Of course I can't resist, so while her mom is tying her brothers skates, I tie hers.

Another young girl (maybe 5 or 6 years old) who used to take lessons has now joined me on the freestyle session. She doesn't want to take lessons, so we skate together and I try to fit some lessons into our "play". Last night we raced each other doing forward and then backward swizzles. She chased me around the circle while we were doing one foot pumps. We tried to see who could go the farthest on a one foot glide. Now I've got to come up with some new games for next week.

By the time the adult only session along with my lesson started, my hip joints were sore and I was feeling pretty weak. Did some front and back crossovers, edges on the line, and outside threes on the line that kept scratching on the left. I think it was just my weariness. I only stayed about 15 minutes after my lesson to catch up on gossip with some adult friends, then called it a night.

Maybe this "bug" will be gone by Thursday night's skate. I hope.

Wow - DB, I can't spin like that yet!!! Well done!

Today's lesson went really well. We started with working on changes of edge - he says they are improving. They aren't totally reliable as yet - I lost it completely at one stage. I think I hadn't stepped properly on to an edge, and there was no way I could change it! But they are coming, and he says they are much better.

Then we did patch - oh dear! I simply couldn't get it all together. Himself says I need to learn about the running edge, how to keep an edge going without a push. And, of course, how not to rotate my shoulders too soon, and all that sort of thing. This is being very good for my skating!

And we finished by working on Mohawks. As in the Swing Dance and/or the Willow Waltz. My bugbear. I think he finally realised the sort of problems I have, as I had to push off on an inside edge round the hockey goal, and (allegedly) do a Mohawk at the top of the lobe. Well, yes, um.... but we persevered, with me holding his hand. Oddly, I could do a closed Mohawk quite easily, but an Open one? No way..... But then he said I wasn't rotating at all, and I should look over my shoulder back the way I had come. At which point, another coach came over to speak to him, and I just went on working while they had their conversation (I will keep the record straight by adding that the second coach apologised profusely for disturbing our lesson - it was something that couldn't wait, as it was to do with the school class that was about to come in). Anyway, although I couldn't get to the top of the lobe, it all suddenly came together, and the Mohawks were greatly improved!

So in my practice I walked through dances like the Willow Waltz and the Swing Dance, trying to get the Mohawk to time. By the end of the session, I had managed to do the Willow Waltz mohawk giving each edge very nearly (not quite) its full value, so I called it a morning! Also walked through the Foxtrot and the 14-step, neither dance I can really do well, but fun to play with for a change. And I did quite a good Fiesta solo, but I really do need a partner for the end pattern! Ah well....

All in all, a Good Skate Day!

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

(((Debbie))) I learned the loop from the back crossovers.
I find it easier to do a loop with speed this way as my timing on the LFI 3 turn entry while going fast is too dangerous for me!


Great & Gruesome

There were tests on this morning, so some of the youngies stayed on.
Our elite ice dancers were warming up and got involved with the kids, doing some jumps and spins. I knew they could bo do triples in their singles (both Gold level free skaters and ice dancers) a few years ago, and that he can still do all doubles. But what he was doing today amazed me. I don't know if his dancing has improved his overall skating or what, but he did brilliantly fast spins and steps like Yagudin, delayed single axel like it was going for a stroll. Stroking and runs....scarily fast. How could someone so good give it up?

Anyway, I was rubbish, so won't bore with details.
Getting progressively more annoyed with the backspin.
I'm going to ignore the upright. It's consistently wrong, so it needs stripped. I'm going to get it either on the backsit or camel from a 3 turn.

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

Gruesome: Trip to Orlando last week for hubby's conference--don't get me wrong, I love Disney and had a great time, but the weather was the most MISERABLE we've had there in years during January. Rarely went above 60 degrees, windy most days. On Friday night we were watching "Fantasmic" outdoors in MGM in 31 degree weather!! Thank heaven I packed my skating team/instructor jacket and gloves, or I'd have been in trouble. Of course, this week, its warming up down there...

Great Ones: First lesson in more than a week yesterday: Worked on footwork, and found I can do pinwheels and "Paula's Perfect Pirouette" on both sides, so alternating sides will go in my upcoming footwork program. (PPP: Outside three, pick back with free foot, slide foot back almost like jumping, do a quick turn forward on the pick and other foot to face forward, repeat--a buddy at adult skate at another rink named it for my coach since he liked it and Paula didn't have a name for it!!!) Mohawks with crossover feet went better, too, now we just have to cut the music and get it together. Of course, I'M on a business trip next week and won't get to it until I get back.

Worked on jumps. Got intial arm position before waltz jump out of crossovers better which improved the initial outside edge and made for a better jump. I just love breakthroughs!!! Toeloop is still pretty good, waltz-toe combo getting there, waltz-toe out of crossovers, well, that was the first I tried it--pretty gruesome!!! I have to remember to transfer my weight to the "picking" leg for the toe. Still, PROGRESS!!!

Thanks for the insight, Miss Indigo and Mel. I wonder if maybe part of my problem is that my right shoulder and hip are out of sync - I tend to feel twisted around when I take off. I also have a tendency to want to whirl myself around, when I should probably just be jumping up. It's a lot easier, though, to think about what I have to do than incorporate it on the ice as I'm doing it - my assignment for today's practice, I guess.