This is for yesterday morning:

Glitter:

I LANDED MY FIRST EVER FLIP!!!!!!!! OMG, it was amazing!!!! We started on learning the entrance during a lesson before Christmas, and haven't worked on it since, but yesterday morning we concentrated on jumps in my lesson, got to the flip and after a couple of goes I did it!!! You should have seen me, I shrieked "WOO HOO!!" really loudly, lol. Probably scared a few people! I just can't believe I did it! And I proved it wasn't a fluke by landing a couple more! I was beaming for the rest of the session, you could NOT wipe that smile off my face! Am I odd in thinking it's much easier than the loop? (Which took me a lot longer to land) (I was SO happy! lol. One more jump to go before starting on the axel... which both excites and scares me! lol)

Did other jumps during practice and in my lesson, and they were all pretty good. Waltz, salchow, toe loop, and also landed a few loops. The good thing with the loop is that the entrance is getting more consistent (before, I was doing it slightly differently every time, which isn't good when you're going for consistency), and my coach said some of them were actually getting quite a good jump, quite good distance. I've just got to concentrate on keeping my other foot off the ice.

Back cross rolls were pretty good, and I had a good dance lesson too Everything was pretty good! 3 turns were good.

Did all the field moves I learnt a couple of lessons ago, and they're all so much better than they were! BO3-mohawk sequence both ways, FO3-BO double 3 both ways, double 3s changing feet to do the other foot, then back again etc (both FO and FI double 3 sequences) were also much better.

Spins - weren't too bad. I got about 4.5 rotations from standstill going anti-clockwise. Most spins weren't quite as good as last week, but I could do them, and a few were quite good.

My edges were good, and there wasn't as many people as last week, though still quite a lot. The ice was better too.

I was really tired by the end! I really felt like I was on fire, really motivated, and I'd been twirling about practically non-stop! It was a fantastic feeling (Can you tell I enjoyed myself? lol) And after the dance interval (I did all the dances solo), someone asked me to dance with him for one of them next week! lol

Goo:

Um... the session ended. And I hurt my toe a bit on a bunny hop! Lol

All in all, a great morning! I'm so glad I went now, I wasn't sure if I would because I wasn't feeling very well...

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

CONGRATULATIONS RACHEL! WELL DONE!

I have my new skates and used them in my lesson.
Glitter:
I worked on my Novie Field Moves. Worked on my Forward Crossovers and I don't think I toe-pushed very much! I have to remember to push down harder in the knees.
Backward Crossovers in the anti-clockwise diretcion were quite good for someone who has brand new boots, but doing them in the other direction was not very good!
I did my Forward Spirals and they are so much better in the new boots. I actually surprised myself!
The Forward Inside and Outside edges were apparently excellent. The striking on them is excellent and I was told if I do it like that in my test I will pass them no problem.
Worked on the 3-Jump. We worked on the push down on the knee before the jump and it really does help to bend down really deep in the knee! It felt quite good in my new boots.
Also worked on the salchow. I couldn't do it at first in the boots, I would freak out just before it, but I did maage it in the end. It is much better than it was. I have to remember to hold the back inside edge for a bit longer and also pull in with the arms. I fell over doing the slachow when I actaully managed to jump but that was only the first time!

Goo:
My backward Crossovers in the clockwise direction were so hard to do. That isnt my strong side anyway and I had new boots. I really have to keep on working at this side.
Hope my skating goes very good tonight!

Rachel, that's fantastic! I do long to see you skate.....

I, too, was jumping up and down going "Who-HOO" this morning, but this was at the news that we are to be allowed TWO dance intervals on a Thursday evening under the new regime. ALL UK SKATERS PLEASE NOTE! (The evening starts at 7.00 with Dance Club, and I'm afraid we're going to have to pay again to stay on, but worth it!).

Also good news that, although we will not longer be sold season tickets, we can buy as much patch ice as we want for £10.00 per week - a bargain if you have 3 or more patches per week, which I shall, I think.

But the important part:

Glitter: I think we got some good stuff done this morning. We were still having problems with our runs (progressives) round the circle in Reverse Kilian hold, especially going clockwise, but not too badly. And we were having serious problems doing swing rolls in waltz hold when Robert was going backwards. We showed this to our coach, and then he looked at what we did when I was going backwards (which was faster and smoother and we stayed in hold better). Reckon that it's down to my not pushing hard enough, so we tried that and I tried to push more, and to keep looking over Robert's right shoulder rather than moving my head about, and it was better.

Goo: My Mohawks! We walked through the end pattern of the Swing Dance, and with Robert doing the Mohawk it wasn't so bad. But when I had to do it - oh dear. First time of asking I tipped forwards and we ground to a halt. So the coach said to think of finishing in landing position (well, he didn't quite say it, but it was what he meant, only inside edge not outside, of course), so I tried that and nearly slipped and did wrench my back. Not too badly, but I'm aware I own one, if you see what I mean. Then we did the dance to the music, and of course the Mohawk went totally rushed and out of control..... Really frustrating.....

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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!

Why? lol

P.S. Another question for everyone - does anyone else like field moves? (moves in the field in the US, I think). I haven't done them for long but I really enjoy practicing the ones I've learnt so far, but posts from people I've read make me think not many people enjoy them, and my coach said most of the kids don't like them either. I love it though!

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

A tip my old coach gave me for the mohawk in the swing dance (which I couldn't do very well at first, my mohawks weren't exactly good), is you know the bit just before, when you're doing some forward steps? On the last two before you turn the mohawk, make them curve round more as if you're going to end up in front of your partner, as if you're skating round in a circle to end up in front of him facing him. The mohawk ends up smoother and with less of a jerk. Also, when you do the RFI edge for the mohawk, make it curvy and almost step it wide a little (instead of straight forward). These both make it easier, for me, and I think it means you don't need as much turnout for the mohawk, which might help too. Also, I noticed that it feels a lot better when I concentrate on using a lot of knee bend.

You probably know all that stuff anyway but hope it helps!

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

yes! i guess im weird for it too, but i love doing moves in the field. the first test was a little too basic (probably b/c i was ready to test for 6 months before i could get to a test session) but after that they are more fun. but i guess thats cause i'm a little bizzare and i enjoy doing three turns and mohawks up and down the rink over and over....most people i know despise them.

Worked on really bending my knee after the push off in stroking and than gradually straightening it, then bending again... otherwise, my coach said my stroking is really good! Then we did a cross over inside edge sequence. You strat doing one RoL x-over then glide on LFI edge, then LoR x-over glide on RFI enge and so on. Those things are pretty fun!! hehe Then we did some forward x-overs both ways and my coach had me really twist at the waist and reach my back arm out..oww that hurt my back/shoulder after awhile. Skating hurts when done right!! The last thing we did was work on some waltz jumps for like 2 mins

Indeed - but it does help if your partner is in the right place at the right time... still, we can only be doing this dance better than last year, and at that, it was better then than the year before..... One of these days we'll get it right!

The reason I long to see you skate is that you've made such superb progress. And yes, I like working on Field Moves and Dance Moves, too.

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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!

I think that field moves are quite good but they make me tired easily. When I do my novice field moves I have to do them about twice in my lesson and I get so tired after it, and its right at the start of the lesson. I will hopefully be able to do my Novice Field Moves soon. On Thursday last week people in my rink were doing their tests. I was going to do my field moves but I got my papers too late and wasn't quite sure if NISA would except them so I am waiting, but I now have to do something called the passport scheme, does anyone in the UK know what you have to do for the passport scheme? Is it basically the stuff you do in Grade 10? Thanks

Congratulations, Rachel!

It'll be a while before I get to start learning the flip, as I failed Freestyle 4 yesterday.

Glitter:
My sit spin, power 3's, and spirals were all good enough to pass level 4 and move up to the next level.

Goo:
My loop jump...um, stinks. Therefore, I need to repeat Freestyle 4 in the next lesson session. It wasn't a big surprise, really, since I never mastered the jump. When I do get off in the air, I never get a full or even 3/4 rotation, plus my free foot comes straight down on the ice - no running edge - and I end up bent forward. I suppose it's better than it was at the start of lessons, when I could barely get off the ground.

I thought the problem might be a lack of conditioning, b/c I hadn't been to the gym in a long time -my only exercise was skating. So I went to the gym and worked out two weeks ago, and felt rather sore the next day, and then a few days later heard on the news that several cases of Legionnaire's Disease had been reported from people who had worked out at my gym. Apparently, the bacteria that causes the disease is spread through water - showers, water fountains (both of which I've never used there), and air conditioning. Ugh! So, I've stayed away since. I may try to get there this week. A friend noted this was one of the few times exercise could be hazardous to one's health!

So I'm repeating Freestyle 4. Hopefully, my class will be mixed and have some people in the next level, so that I can try to practice some of the level 5 skills, along with that darned loop jump.

Debbie- That's terrible about your gym! I think I'd be scared to ever go back there! I wonder how it got in the water in the first place? Eeek...

Glitter- Not much...started making changes to my freeskate program for AN's, that went okay, but my lesson is too early in the morning for me to be fully functional, especially if I don't eat breakfast, so hopefully it will go better tonight. It was good to get started on it though.
Started working on adult silver moves in the field. The eight step mohawk and slide chasses are kind of fun...I hate the stupid three turns in the field though.

Goo- I have been trying to land an axel for about two years now, and am still not even close. Well, I shouldn't say not even close, but thats how it feels. I start the jump nice and tight in the air, but half way through I pop open because I'm afraid to fall. I'm just gonna have to get over it...I refuse to take my silver adult freeskate until I'm landing it though.

Yes!! Well, I haven't officially started working on them, but I've done a few in an edge class I took and they were really fun. It's a good thing I like them since in the US, you HAVE to do moves to be able to pass the freestyle levels.

And BTW, congrats on landing the flip!!!
And congrats to DebbieS who got accepted to business school!!!
And yay to Annabel because her rink gets an extra dance session. I don't do dance, but I see so few dance sessions at the rinks I do go to. I feel sorry for the lone dancer in a freestyle session with people whizzing by doing jumps at full speed.

And for yesterday's outdoor skate:

Glitter:
FI closed mohawks are improving. Still not to the quality my instructor likes (but she does dance, too, so she demands really precise foot placement in mohawks).

Spins were really good! This surprised me because the outdoor rink is usually too windy to get good spin practice going. One-foot spins were good, and two tries at the scratch spin worked well. I think it was just a fluke--I really haven't learned to control my balance in them yet.

Was fooling around and did a weensy spread eagle. It was quite a concave one (very curved) but still, it felt neat!

Goo:
Tried to do the step sequence in USFSA Basic 8 (2 forward crossovers, FI mohawk, cross behind into back crossover, step onto FI edge) and realized that I cannot yet do mohawks at the same speed I can do crossovers. I did the two crossovers, then my body said, NOPE!

BI-FO choctaw into forward spin is just NOT happening yet. The wind-up is fine, but when I step onto the FO edge, I come to a griding halt.

LBO landing edge (I'm CW) didn't seem so good. The tracing had snow to one side of it, so I think my pick might be digging in or I might not be truly only on the outside edge. I tried putting my weight farther back, but it still made the same kind of double tracing, a line with lots of snow on one side.

Goo:

Well, I took a shot at the bronze moves test today, and...was within 0.1 of passing. Oh well, you get up, you try again. I have looked at it as a mighty expensive critique. It was worth a try, even if I wasn't on top of my game. Since committing to the test last month, I have been sick, and have developed an irritated right hip. Something will have to be done about the latter I believe, as in a trip to the doctor. The irritation is not going away.

I will say that we had a tough group of judges, and they were mighty picky about my test. Not to mention, as some of you very well know, some of the remarks were contradictory on the individual moves. Well, I know what needs work, and now I'm off to fix it. I have a nagging thought in the back of my head, however...the first three tests today were pre-juv moves (2/3 passed), and most of the bronze moves are out of that test. Those that passed were very quality tests. I skated in the second group, and I can't help wondering if there was some influence or some impression of those standard track tests that carried over into my scoring. If I had been first, who knows. Anyway, we'll try again. I needed something to motivate me a bit more, and this did it.


Glitter:

Bound to be something later in the week to talk about...

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.

First thing, congrats to Rachel on her flip!!! WOO HOO!!!

As for USFSA Bronze Move to MissIndigo, I've discovered that those "prelim moves" elements on the Bronze Move test are actually MORE DIFFICULT than the pre-juv moves elements for some reason. In any case, it's money well spent, b/c you know what you need to work on to pass... and you know now that you're very close to being ready for Bronze Moves. (0.1 below passing overall is VERY CLOSE to passing to me...)

Glitter:
Is it just me, or is anyone went through hell learning the power 3's? I'm much better at it. (i.e. as of today's practice I could do them on both sides about 75% consistent, though slow...) But not that long ago, I couldn't even do LFO3's or that BI-FO step from the crossovers!!! (Which is why I consider it a MAJOR "glitter" for me.)

Rest of Bronze moves is showing promise. I hope to be ready by May of this year (my coach's goal for me) and take the test in June (since they're no May test session at our rink.)

Goo:
Anything freestyle... even scratch and sit spins are bad. I don't wanna talk about the loop... AUGH!!!

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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!!!

Well done Rachel on your flip. I know the feeling of not being able to wipe the smile off your face....I was like that with the lutz for weeks!
I grumble about field moves but I don't really mind them. They are a challenge.

In my lesson we worked on my programme but didn't get very far, or at least I didn't.

Change foot spins (fell on one and was ouch) were same as last week, so no improvement there.

My camels are back..

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MEL
Absolute Skating

I haven't had a lesson in about two months....sigh...I've been treated for "piriformis syndrome", which is a muscle that runs from your hip into your rear end and lies over the sciatic nerve. The tightness and pressure has caused my leg to go numb all the way into my foot. It's much better now, and the good news is that this is sometimes called "tight butt syndrome".....it's nice to hear I have a tight butt at my age!

My dance partner has also been injured with a muscle tear in his neck from digging in the yard. We finally danced together last weekend....but all our work on the Fiesta Tango has been lost. Here we are finishing the end pattern before we even reach the long axis of the rink! We do have a tendancy to rush those steps....

Glitter: At least I'm back to skating on a more regular basis....and the massage therapy I'm getting is heavenly!

Today started a little awful because I was late and then the ice was terrible. Everything was a ltitle off and I kept on losing speed because the ice was so rough that I got too tired to do anything. After the ice resurface I did my program twice. My combination spin is a lot better today but my layback is off... so strange

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~
Tidesong

Glitter!
Well I asked my friend to see my double flip and the very first one I did I landed it! It was so cool.

Goo
When I wanted to show my coach I landed...on my butt. She said, "You're not suppose to land sitting down! You don't love me."

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I passed Junior Moves! ::happy dance::

What's a yuffie? Beats me... it sounded funny so I'm using it.

Saturday's class was a goo lesson. Except for lunges which, like always, are a really sparkly glitter.

I'm so frustrated woth FO3s. I've been working on them for five months now and haven't been able to do one ever. I've tried in an open position, a closed position, with a swing through on the free leg, eleven different arm positions and I just can't get them to save my life. And I was mostly irritated because there are three women in my class who have never tried them before Saturday and they could all do them on the first try. FOUR instructors have tried to help me and I just can't get them.

This is what I know: I'm on a solid FO edge going in. Just before the turn, I rock back onto the flat -- I can see a double line on my tracing for about a blade length. I turn and drop my free leg back to the ice. I have enough speed going into the turn that, though I drop my freeleg right away, there's about 3 blade lengths where I'm on the BI edge. There's no double line there.

Everyone who helps me says I'm soooo close! Grrr! I started on the wall and had great success there -- good form, etc. But then I took them away from the wall and they've fallen apart. When I try them back on the wall I find I'm moving too fast to try them there safely. Tried with my instructor on the wall and ended up getting my toepick stuck about a foot off the ice in the plastic advertisement cover. Who knows how that happened!

OK. So everything wan't goo. I worked on my forward edges and found that the FI edges are very even, steady and that my t-push is becoming more natural and I'm not thinking about it any more. FO lobes are even, but I'd like them a little larger and faster.

Fortunately this week isn't as busy as the last few have been -- I should be able to get some practice in, maybe even during the day when there's fewer people on the ice. Since I'd been rehearsing the show I haven't been able to get on the ice any other time than my lesson and I think it's been weeks since I've done crossovers! Shame on me!

Rachel, Congratulations on your first of many flips!

I love Moves, it's almost all I do.

Elsy2, sorry about the piriformis syndrome, and about the "tight butt":

MissIndigo, I think you are probably right about the judges being influenced by the earlier tests. Congrats on giving it a try and coming so close. I'm actually a lot closer to being able to pass the Bronze moves than I am the Pre-Bronze moves because of those *&#! alt FI threes!

My coach preceded the actual step into a spin from the windup with this exercise that really helped me: From a standstill, go into a very deep FO edge on the spin foot. Have your knee deeply bent and you can start with your shoulders counter to your direction to get a bit of the wind up feel. Make a half circle, three turn, and spin. Keep your freeleg extended and don't spin after the three turn until your freeleg comes around to almost in front of you. This is really just the step in without the B crossover thereby eliminating the Choctaw. I do it on a hockey line to get the timing.

Goo
My coach just called to cancel today's lesson, as her toddler has a fever and she has to get to the doctor, whose only available time is my lesson time (that's for the doctor, not the coach or tot). There are so many bugs going around in NYC right now. I know whole families who are sick, so I'm not counting on getting a make-up lesson on Wed.

Hope I'll have some glitter to report after today's practice.

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Glitter: Ran through all the elements for the pre-pre moves and it is pretty solid....

Goo: My spiral..I look so much like a wounded Albatrous....it's no Nicole Bobek spiral that's for sure!!

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

How's your forward power 3's (from the prelim or Bronze Moves)? I'll bet on it that if you have those consistent on your RFO3 side that it should be a bit easier to do the spin entry w/o coming down to a grinding halt. (Guess how I know this...)

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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!!!

I'm no instructor but from your description maybe you are trying 'too' hard - if you keep changing things perhaps you haven't allowed yourself time to get the feel of the turn. You are obviously making the turn so is it just holding the edge afterwards that is the problem?
What helped me was keeping the freeleg close to the skating leg through the turn as this prevents the freeleg pulling you off balance. I also practised holding the back inside edge in isolation (without the turn preceding it). You can do this from back crossovers and then hold on the inside edge in a check position (like the entry steps to a spin before the BI to FO choctaw). This gives you confidence that you CAN hold that BI edge.
The other problem I have had is over-analysing things and then they never work. You have to 'feel' it and this usually happens for me when I am trying to explain to someone why I can't do something, whilst showing them at the same time. Because I am then more relaxed because I am not worried about succeeding or not, I invariably find I have just successfully done what I am telling them I can't do!!! Crazy but it works for me!!! Of course because I am talking to someone, I am also keeping my head up and not looking at the ice which also helps.

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything your instructors haven't said but keep the weight forward (but not on the toepicks!) through the turn; bend the knee on the FO edge, rise up for the turn and sink back down after the turn to make your BI edge solid. Try it to music as having a rhythm to do it to can help (waltz rhythms are good for 3 turns). I lead with the same arm as the skating leg and this turns with your body (i.e the arm and body stay in the same position relative to each other through the turn) to end in the check position.

You can also try 'NOT-doing' a 3 turn - For LFO3 - with Left arm leading, push onto a strong forward outside edge with deep knee bend and just hold it for as long as possible as it makes a tighter and tighter circle - eventually you will find that you HAVE to turn as the deep edge more or less makes the turn for you and Voila! you have done a 3 turn without even trying!!!

I'm sure you'll get this soon and then you will wonder how you ever couldn't do it. Good luck!


I did an on-ice power and conditioning group class today and was shattered at the end of it. The coach wanted us to do 'lazy loops' which is basically a small BI circle so the tracing leaves a nice loop shape on the ice. We'd done these previously from FO3's but at the time I could not for the life of me understand what was required until he explained it as a 'salchow without jumping'. Suddenly it clicked and I could do them.
Today he wanted them done directly from BI edges - much more difficult - but easier once he put on some rhythmic music to do them to. Most of my tracings still looked like 'peanuts' rather than 'loops' though from having the weight too much over the toepicks.

I think the cure for the grinding halt....which I am always doing out of shear fear of spinning.....is more knee bend, way more. But you have to be prepared to enter the spin faster.

And speaking of spins, what dbny has suggested is right on. I couldn't center spins the other day, and the whole problem was not keeping the freeleg back long enough on the entry. Holding it back longer and waiting for the proper moment to bring it forward fixed the spin right away.

Yay, jazzpants for achieving consistency in the power 3s!! Those things are really nasty to learn. They're the sort of move you can spend a lifetime perfecting. I passed Preliminary moves a long time ago, but I still have to work on those suckers!