Crabgrass:
I thought we didn't have skating tonight, but we do - I have two students scheduled. I'm just worried that the third half-hour is going to be cancelled, so I can't book a third lesson.

Started working on off-ice jumps. I can't even do a full rev off ice anymore. LOL

Daffodils:
Did my off-ice exercises. Back's still tweaked, but it's not too bad. I love my new exercise equipment - a $4 mat and a $5 weight ball from "Five Below." (BTW, they have a lot of exercise things, name brand btw, for cheap!)

__________________

Daffodils My surgeon released me today and said I can skate whenever I feel up to it. He also gave me one more month of PT, since while I have a good functional range of motion it's just not quite back to where it was. He agreed with me that it's much easier for the physical therapists to stretch my ankle than it is for me to do it, and said I should be pretty much back to normal in a couple of more months.

So, maybe the end of the summer I'll be able to skate again!

__________________
August 22, back on the ice!

__________________

Great news, sk8pics! (Remind me what your injury was? I have another 2.5 weeks before I can put weight on my broken left [and landing] ankle. Would be interested to hear about your PT.)

daffodils
(I think) I landed a toeloop. Not sure if it was a toe-waltz, but it felt like a teoloop. Did something vaguely resembling a salchow! and also some waltz jumps which were OK-ish.
Forward spin coming along.

crabgrass
Forward spin travels around the world... my tracings are like __%()£(*£&(" instead of a nice ((())) (or you know what I mean...)
Backward spin is very cautious and not really a spin yet.
I started learning the loop, but keep trying to jump too early.

and the most annoying crabgrass of all is that my digital camera did not work at the rink. so no videos yet.

__________________

crabgrass: red-eye flights, jet lag, missing my kids

daffodils: visiting new rinks, feeling pretty good even after an all-night flight because skating just does that!

PS - did I see anyone here at Oakland 6:30 this morning?

Woohoo! Congrats! I second Isk8NYC's suggestion of a Pond meetup - OK, maybe not the first day you come back...

Daffodils: Skated in my club's recital on Saturday. The good news is that I skated better than at the dress rehearsal. I actually did both spins correctly and did the forward scratch again in the finale (I don't know why, but that spin has been a disaster for me lately).

Crabgrass: Messed up both loops. Grrrr. Just further evidence that freestyle is not for me - lol. I still have the Chessie Open next month, but I think that will be my last comp for a while.

The show also included a judge's critique. 3 judges were invited, and the skaters were divided up between them - so they each had about 10 apiece. My judge was a nat'l level judge, who probably doesn't judge anything lower than Juv, so I'm sure seeing an Adult Bronze skater was quite a change for her - lol. She gave me some good feedback about my overall skating - she liked my spiral, said I covered the ice well and "listened to the music" - she says one thing she likes about watching adults skate vs kids is that adults listen to their music and relate to it. She said I had good flow and good transitions, but that I'm a bit scratchy (what else is new?) and should work on skating on my edges and getting more speed.

She also told me that, while she didn't count the overall revs in each spin, she didn't think I'd done enough for credit. I didn't argue, but I was pretty sure I'd gotten at least 3 on each foot in the combo spin and definitely more than 3 on the forward scratch. At the end of the critique (we each got 5 min), she handed me the paper she was using - the test chair had provided judges with each skater's level's WBP requirements - and after I left the room, I glanced at it and....it was totally wrong!!! I couldn't believe it - the WBP for Bronze were essentially the WBP for Masters - a max of 7 jumps, with an axel required (in Bronze...yeah, right! ), with doubles and triples permitted. And it said spins needed to be at least 5 revs total and 4 revs on each foot - no wonder she thought I hadn't done enough revs! Actually, I think I did get at least 5 on the forward scratch, but being a high-level judge, she probably didn't start counting until I crossed my leg over into spinning position - I know I didn't hold that for 5 revs, but hey, after the way things have been going with that spin lately, I was glad to be standing up.

The judge probably wondered what I was doing in Bronze, if I couldn't do a "required" axel or doubles or triples. Since she likely doesn't judge adult events very often, if ever, she probably didn't know what she was looking at was wrong. The other 2 judges there (1 in particular) do judge adult events, so they probably would have picked up on the error....but the issue is not the judge, it's the info she was given. Quite irritating.

The test chair apparently copied the WBP from the rulebook. Is the rulebook that messed up? I don't have this year's rulebook, just last year's, which has the correct WBP for Bronze last year.

I also noticed that the judge's notes seemed to be based on IJS. She had abbreviated each element and then wrote GOE numbers next to them (of course, the negative GOE's on my spins would probably be different if she knew that I did in fact achieve the required number of revs). She also wrote the PCS abbreviations with notes next to some of them - nothing next to CE or IN - perhaps that's an example of why Bronze, or any lower level program, should not be judged with IJS - there's just not that much to judge in each category - after all, how many transitions and choreo and interp can you really put into a 1:40 program that also has 4 jump elements, 2 or 3 spins, and a footwork/spiral sequence of some sort? Of course, if it had been a comp, she might have been easily able to fill in those 'boxes' and just left them blank b/c it was just a critique and she focused on the other areas, who knows.

__________________
Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

Hee, well, I don't know! My first time back skating will be with my rockstar coach, so we'll see.

Liljen, I, too, broke my left ankle, and that's my landing leg. I, too, was not allowed to put weight on it for about 6 1/2 weeks. So, at about 5 1/2 weeks I ended up with a blood clot in each lung that had come from a blood clot in my leg. So, if you have any swelling or discomfort, run (okay, hop!) to your doctor! An ultrasound will pick up any clot in your leg and you can get it taken care of, instead of nearly dying as I did. (Not to be melodramatic...)

I have an appointment Thursday with the same physical therapist I started with, back in November. I'm expecting lots of funny remarks from him, and also that he will push me pretty hard. PT last time included lots of manipulation by the therapists, and it's really true that no pain, no gain saying. They also had me doing weight training, some cardio, and various balance exercises. It was excruciating to try to stand just on my injured leg, and even to balance for an instant was really difficult! By the end, I was balancing on 1 foot ona foam platform, walking a foam balance beam (on the floor, not elevated!), and standing with my feet on a slant board while I tossed a 7 lb ball at a trampoline backboard and caught it. I'm envisioning that he will put me on the trampoline thing for some balance exercises this time, but we'll see. Also by the end last time, they had to work really hard to stretch my ankle because it had loosened up so much. Hopefully it will only take a few sessions for it to loosen up to that point again, and then they can take it further now that they don't have to worry about screws breaking. And since it's all really well healed.

Liljen, feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the well-wishes!

__________________
August 22, back on the ice!

Daffodils: Skating on miami beach and getting asked numerous times by kids if i was somebody famous er,..... like shizuka arakawa... hahaha...And, "Wow you spin really fast and jump really high."

Crabgrass: The tiniest *indoor* rink I have EVER seen. Having to cut down on every jump/spin entrance to accomodate the space available, plus the tots skating by. I think it was only 1/4 the size of my home rink, about 200ft long. And leg cramps?!? from I suppose dehydration or lack of postassium. That was a first, probably due to the weather.

__________________
Keep Evolving. "From this moment forward, every voice that told you - You Can't - , has been silenced." - Freedom Writers

Pat, I'm so looking forward to hearing this news for a LOOOOONG time. It means that assuming everyone is still in NY come Christmas time when I'm visiting again that we'll have another New York Christmas skatingforums.com Meetup!!! (All you peeps out there that can drive in to Manhattan or Brooklyn for Christmas!!! Pencil me in for around Christmas!!! I'm coming back again!!!)

Daffodils: The back sit is definitely getting close... I hope it stays this time... I think I also got in some relatively decent tries at camels too!!! There's hope I can make my "almost camel" a "definite camel" yet! Can't wait to see if I can make it a camel-sit and put it in my program!

Crabgrass: All jumps... it was quite crowded and I could not get enough room to set up for a jump w/o ending up jumping on top of a kid....

Daffodils: That said, I did get in a few GOOD flips tonight. A bit shaky and scary on the landing but not bad.

And MORE daffodils: I have a skater that was a former "show skater" complementing me on my skating, though obviously coming from her I was a bit about it! (I guess she noticed me when I was doing my straightline footwork for my program, huh?)

__________________
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!!!

Mountain Cup next year, Pat?

I am using a public terminal at the airport and it is hard to type!

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

Crabgrass:
I swear my right boot is a different size than my left. It could be my foot has grown smaller or it could be from leaving my skates in the car. I need a Klingbeil appt! LOL I have to keep retying that right skate multiple times.

My turns and edges seem off somehow. If you don't use 'em, you lose 'em, I guess.


Daffodils:
Did some really good upright and sit spins.
Jumps that I did, even combinations, were pretty easy and strong. Must have been high because the little kids applauded.
The skaters tried to talk me into trying a camel, but it was too crowded.
Ran through the Dance tests with one of my students; seems like it might be a good fit for her.

My little student NAILED her FO three-turns and the one-foot upright spin yesterday.
(This one is a cutie - whenever she has a crummy lesson, she comes back twice as strong for the next lesson.)
My tag-along student (whom I love having around) NAILED both the FO and FI threes.
(Kid's got talent and we get along really well. I'm not sure how to approach the parents about privates since they work for the rink.)
My bigger student JUMPED during her Waltz Jump yesterday. Plus, she picked MUSIC that she wants to skate to this year. She doesn't want to compete or do a show, just wants a routine. Okaaaay...
(I think she secretly wants to perform...)

__________________

Crabgrass

So Saturday my daughter and I are both going to a graduation open house and she talks me into walking "since it's only a block or so" or so maybe a half mile, which wouldn't be a problem except I wore new sandals and by the time I was at the party I not only had two blisters on each foot - they had broken and were bleeding already.

So I bandaged and stuffed cotten around them and got my feet into my boots today and while it hurt terribly to put on the skates and walk down the steps to the ice, once I started skating I didn't feel a thing.

Started out slow today, and my left power 3 turns, which I usually turn too late, I noticed today my turn was too late in the arch. O well, that could be a good thing, means I can hold it longer.

Daffodils

Mohawks are coming along. My two foot spin really is fast and keeps on going except in my fs program I put my arms over my head and that is slowing me down. My toe loops are ugly and cheated but I am JUMPING and jumping pretty high for me. That's progress and I'll take it.

j

Crab grass Its half term hols here next week and my sessions are cancelled

Daffs Passed the Passport Silver and Gold in dance today so I'll be starting Level 1 dances and Level 1 field moves this week!

__________________
Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Wow, congratulations! Will you be competing at Bracknell, do you suppose? It might be worth discussing this with your coach - the information you need is all here, and it's always good to see new people trying out at competition. I think the lowest level dances are the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango this year, and if you can pass Gold passport, these will hold no terrors for you!

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

Hi Mrs Redboots, How was Estonia? Thanks for the link. I am hoping to get down to Bracknell, but purely as a spectator this year. I hope to start competeing next year when I have a bit more polish!? I can't wait to come down and cheer you all on though, and also get an idea of what its all about. My coach is very enthusiastic about my 'ambition' to compete so hopefully I will be in a position to do so by next season. Thanks again.

__________________
Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Crabgrass! I was awakened at 1 a.m. by the outbreak of hostilities for World War III no, wait, it's just thunderstorms! Managed to catch an additional hour (I think) in the lazyboy before leaving for the rink at 5 a.m.

Daffodils: Despite being less than awake, I had a good skate this morning and a good workout (puff puff puff!). I was pushing for deeper backward edges (minor improvement), longer backward glides (getting better), more backward speed (coming nicely), and worked on my weakest turns (CCW).

Crabgrass: Just wasn't getting the spins pulled in today - just ended up being fancy turns - LOL!

Unknown sprout: I have come to the conclusion that I have just about reached the limits of my present physical abilities/condition. To continue to advance in figure skating (which I love now even more than I did as a teen) I need to make some MAJOR lifestyle changes 1 - QUIT SMOKING! 2 - Loose 35 to 40 pounds, 3 - Build fast-response muscles and improve my overall conditioning, and 4 - Make off-ice training a priority in my life (rather than "fit it in" where I can). I am on the threshold of starting jumps and these four things are a serious impediment to my progress. They are things I should do anyway and for other reasons but this time they are in the way of something I am passionate about. Time to "put up or shut up"!

__________________
Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Good for you - now do it!


Congrats sk8_4fun !

__________________

Second that--you'll feel much better & even live longer too!!

Daffodils: Woo hoo--I skated for 15 minutes yesterday, & it did not aggravate my pulled muscles! It was very slow & careful small movements, & no knee bend on the bad side (which definitely hurts it). And after 15 minutes of basically skating around like a person on a public session, I was really tired & sweaty! Yikes--looks like the strength/stamina is shot! But I was happy that it held up and will try another 15 minutes tomorrow.

Yep, that's the best way to do it! When certain habits are incompatible with a lifestyle you are committed to, it makes it a lot easier to change those habits (especially if you come up with specific goals you want to achieve in your skating). Replacing cancer sticks with celery sticks sounds like a great idea!

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

GO RUSTY BLADES!!! GO!!!

I've been in your shoes where I was definitely around close to 30 lbs overweight. As soon as I get the weight off, I felt a LOT better about myself and I was more confident with myself in doing the physical things that I have to do (like skating and just plain going SHOPPING for clothes!!!)

Now if I could only convince my primary coach to give up the cancer sticks...

__________________
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!!!

Thanks guys!

I have exchanged a series of emails with my coach this morning and she said "My goal for summer is to start to push you out of your comfort zone.. I think you are capable of doing more than you think!" Oh oh!

Then she sent me a copy of the Yearly Planner she has prepared for me OMFG! I had BETTER make those changes or I wont survive the coming year - LOL! If I can do 80% of what she has planned, I will be THRILLED!

__________________
Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Dianne,

I'll second what everyone else says about lifestyle changes. I was looking for one when I took up skating -- and my weight has been holding at 55 lbs less than it was when I started (just over three years ago now) for most of the past year. It's been easier to maintain the motivation with the skating as the goal.

My coach is probably going to have to work on my comfort zones this summer, too. I've been working intensively on the fiesta tango this month, and I've come to the conclusion that fear of going flying at the mohawk is the main reason progress has stalled. I may take a cue from the Fear of Falling thread and apply a medicinal dose of something before my next coaching session on Thursday. You can call that my crabgrass for the week...

Rob

daffs: landed loop and flip in practice, even landed a loop loop.
even managed the flip in programme. Did both loop and flip for the first time succesfully in programme last week.

crabgrass: looop was a bit iffy in programme

ended up with an extra dance lesson directly after my free lesson as dance coach is off for two weeks after I get back from my hols next week and there are competitions approaching.

daffs: free dance is now complete and I can just about remember it

crabgrass: dance lesson was on the public session following patch and the local 'youths on probation' group were back on the ice (they seem to have been missing for a few weeks ). They are fairly wild teens who skate with no regard for their own safety or anyone else's so trying to do my free dance was a little difficult.

Also had worn my skating dress today thinking I'd only be on patch so was a little self -concious but actually dont think anyone really took much notice and it did seem to make some of them more ready to get out of my way when I was skating to my music so perhaps it was a good thing. And one of the regular beginner chaps did compliment me on it

Estonia was great - I reported on it elsewhere.

As the others have said, you have a reason to do this, so it should happen. But please go slowly - I gave up smoking after losing 40 lbs or so some years ago now, and then didn't know who I was any more. That was before I started skating, and the weight went back on and brought its friends with it, although most of it's gone again now. Not all....

I don't think that's possible. I had a go at him two years ago.....

As for me:

Daffodils: Skated last night and again this morning, with 45 minutes' of lessons with our two coaches this morning. Consecutively, not concurrently (we can't afford them both at the same time!).

Crabgrass: Was very tired indeed last night and not really feeling like skating, so we just messed about and tried to choreograph our very silly routine for next month. Willow waltz not great.

Daffodils: Had fun with our free dance this morning, which is looking good.

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