Sharp Edges: Back on the ice after a ten-day break for illness.

Blunt Flats: Just about everything else! I skated very badly, to put it mildly. Mostly due to a total absence of energy and lack of fitness. Oh well, it will only get better from here on, I hope.

Ten days is a very long time in skating, and a lot of things have changed - one girl has retired and her partner was trying out two girls from Tashakat's rink in North London; another girl has decided to incorporate Sunday mornings into her practice routine ("Couldn't you sleep?" I asked her!). The lad who was trying out with several visitors is now skating with - or at least trying out with - a local dancer. And so it goes on.

All the same - and I'm tired now - it's good to be back!

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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!

Sharp Edges
Im testing my preliminary freeskate, my skill and my Fiesta and swing!!!!Can't wait I am very excited!!!!!!!!!


Blunt Flats
Didn't do a very good run through of my solo the other day, hope to get back up to standard tommorow.

Sharp edges:
Back on the ice after 4-day conference which I got 4-hour sleep a day. Amazingly, I skated much better at lesson. My instructor said to me that I have wonderful style. I understand this is probably equivalent to "You need more power to go with it".

Blunt flats:
My girls got their sit spin in two weeks. Mine just refuse to come to me after ... I don't even want to said it out loud.

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NetExpress

Sharp Edges:
Well, my back edges are finally starting to take shape! BO and BI. I have discovered that I am rushing my left side a bit and that's what's getting me off track. My current group instructor really seems to LOVE figures, so she's very, very helpful about body placement and timing.

My walk-throughs aon the waltz jumps are getting better. I need to practice shifting my weight from toe-pick to toe-pick. My set up and exit are "gorgeous", LOL! As if a waltz jump that doesn't get in the air can be considered gorgeous...

Two foot spin is still in good shape. They are also getting more consistent revolutions (5-6 or so). Centering has not yet been a problem for me. Knock wood!!!

My instructor is such a sweetie! She says that my upper body is always well-extended and strong. She firmly believes that my feet will catch up one of these days, LOL!

Left my skates for sharpening... I decided I'd better before our Synchro competition in April. Don't want them too sharp for that!!!

Sharp edges- In a lesson I actually got three revolutions on my backward spin!!! My coach was excited and ignored the fact I fell right after getting the third revolution.

Blunt edges- outside mohawks

Finally! I haven't been to a freestyle session in two weeks, and still no lessons. I'm hoping to get in a few lessons on Saturdays after the outdoor rink closes and I will be free to skate for myself elsewhere.

Sharp Edges
F and B cross strokes are still OK. FO threes are really coming back. I was able to attempt the actual Prelim pattern today. I do wish I could have a lesson though, because I can feel the differences between the L (very smooth, but early) and the R (exactly on time, but scraped), and would love to have some help with them. FI threes still scare me but I managed about 8 or 9 on each foot close to the wall.

FI Mohawks are feeling steady enough that I tried the 5-step Mohawk pattern and didn't freak out.

Managed two decent one foot spins from a pivot, but still not ready to go back to trying the wind up.

Once again beautiful bracket-3-bracket in my early morning dreams

Blunt Flats
The FO edges in the 5-step Mohawk pattern

Hubby can no longer skate with me on Mondays as he has started his new job, so I was pretty lonely being the only adult there. I was also out of breath after only one F crossover pattern!

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I got my backward crossovers today (counterclockwise only). Okay, so I've only been skating for a little over a month, but I'm enjoying it a lot and am excited that my back crossovers came together today. I got up to 9 in a row. I can't wait to learn some more new stuff.

That is great!!!

Crossovers are amazing things. They are one of the first major accomplishments of skating, because they are hard to learn. They show up again and again on moves in the field tests, getting stronger, and faster as you progress up the testing ladder. Having the good basics on crossovers is so improtant, IMO. So keep up the good work!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Sharp edges: Got a couple revs on my camel spin. Now I just have to straighten both legs. I'm making progress on exiting a back spin on my spinning foot - but it's still a work in progress. Worked with my MIF instructor on back crossovers - I had been doing them sort of incorrectly - hopefully this will keep me off my toes during my figure 8 pattern in the Pre-Bronze moves test. I also think my posture on jump landings and stroking is improving.

Blunt: Loop jump still nowhere to be found. Forget the flip. Sit spin still not low enough. Attempts to do a camel-sit unsuccessful. Alternating 3s still need work, although my inside 3s have improved since I started practicing them again (my outside 3s were so bad that I focused most of my attention on them).

And literally blunt: my blades, which need a sharpening. I'm going to try to get that done on Friday.

Nick, congratulations on your crossovers - you will need to work them every single practice, by the way, as they will go on telling you how to improve them.

Watched a child trying her first-ever forward crossovers this morning; she managed very well indeed, I was very impressed to hear that it was her first try!

Sharp blades: We skated last night at another rink, and then I (glutton for punishment) put in another hour this morning at my home rink. Three hours has really helped get my skating back together again! But I am really rather stiff! I know I have taken exercise, let's put it that way!

Blunt Flats: Why is it that I can do a LFI3 nearly always reasonably well now, but can only do a RFI3 when positioned facing the barrier. I suppose it is to do with the rotation..... Having said that, I can almost nearly do FI twizzles, great fun playing with those.... Most things worked well this morning, I thought, except my FI3s.

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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!

Talking of sharp edges, I didn't do many field moves today.
The ice felt harder than usual.

sharp edges

Backspins....mmmmmmmm
A thing I've been doing all wrong....
After the 3 turn, I've had my free leg out to the side, instead of it being in front, and that's why I was going on to inside edge all the time.
If I can get the free leg in front and turn the hip out, and keep my weight forwards, and get the sweet spot,,,,, it works.
Hard to get them all to work together though.
Nearly had great Humpty Dumpty falls on it too, except I made like Bambi and saved myself from falling.



Blunt flats
Everything else,,,,didn't do any jumps at all.
Just camels and sits and many backspins, most of which were blunt.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Bad, bad, bad. Coach walked off my lesson yesterday in anger & frustration. Very, very bad.

I had to go back & teach later, & had a rehearsal I had to be at this morning. Every time I step on the ice, I cry & have to quickly hide it. Can't skate, don't want to skate, want to stay off the ice for awhile. Can't do that; have to teach, pretend I know what I'm talking about. Have to show up for group rehearsals & do difficult things whether I feel like it or not.

Very, really, bad.

Awww, backspin. I think we have all been there! Believe me, I know just how you're feeling. I promise, this will pass, it just does take a little time. Hope skating gets better for you soon.

That's extremely unprofessional, IMO. I want my coach to be encouraging especially when I am having big problems and feeling frustrated. Fortunately, she is.

((((backspin)))) Don't let your coach's poor behavior get to you.

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Sharp Edges: I actually had some speed and flow while doing warm up stroking. I also managed a fairly decent scratch spin. We worked on jumps (waltz, toe, sal) for the whole lesson and I didn't fall once. It was the first time I had tried any jumps in months and months. By the end of the lesson, waltz jumps had come back nicely.

Blunt Flats: The jumps were super-tiny. I am scared of leaving the ice!!! And I had a tendency to want to slow down to minimum speed on every single jump. Also, my new coach wants me to pull in the free foot when doing the 3-turns for the toe and sal, in addition to tweaking my check position slightly. The "old way" of doing things is so solid in my muscle memory that I had a really hard time making the adjustments.

Nearly 2.5 hours on the ice this morning - I think I'm dead! My thighs......

Blunt Flats: My coach! I love the man dearly, and he's a superb teacher, BUT..... he gave me such a simple correction on my changes-of-edge, which absolutely transformed them, and why, why, WHY didn't he say that 2 years ago???? But, as his wife said when I moaned, it's quite possible it was something he hadn't seen until that minute. All the same..... He then asked what had gone specially well, which was my FI edges, so I had to show him them. They were fast, they were flowy, there was no slowing-down on the push, my shoulders did exactly what I wanted them to do, and I generally was seriously pleased with them. Was he? Was he 'eck! "You aren't pointing your toes. Now do that again, and this time point your toes!" I nearly strangled him......

Sharp edges: All the same, he did say I'd done "exceptionally well" at the end of the lesson. But it's proof positive you can't ever rest on your laurels in this sport!

My FI edges were superb, even though I do say so myself, even if I didn't point my toes! My cross-rolls were also superb, only of course the edges not deep enough for my coach, and when I deepened them, of course I leant forwards slightly and there was just a tiny scratch of toe-pick, not really noticeable but just enough to slow me down a fraction.

BO edges worked okay when I found the courage to hold the edge for 3 beats. I can either go fast, or I can get edges, not both! Didn't do BI edges in my lesson, but was pleased with them in my practice.

All in all, though, in spite of wanting to clobber my coach - which was really me-not-him - it was a great morning!

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

Blunt Flats: Before my lesson, my power 3's on the left side. And... my quads in general, from doing some weight training last night.

Sharp Edges: I did the Blues choctaw twice in a row in the proper hold with my coach. Not yet at full speed, but, I did it.

We ran through the entire Adult Bronze MIF test, with only about the same amount of "between time" as if the test were for real. It was okay...coach had suggestions on every element, but still said that things were looking strong overall.

(((backspin))) hugs to you. I hope everything starts going better for you soon.

Sharp edges--
Had a nice long practice on a nearly empty session. Just two peope in freestyle lessons, one in a MIF lesson, two other skaters, and me. I had lots of room to practice my jumps with connecting steps into them and the spiral sequence from USFSA FS 4.

Sit spin felt good--I wasn't always successful at entering, rotating, and getting up out of the spin, but I think I'm learning the timing and the back position. (If only I could get closer to the ice! Mine is rightly called a half-sit right now, I think)

Blunt flats--
I had wanted to see if flo wanted to come up to the rink and practice too, but she was sidelined with a cold--I hope you're feeling better soon, flo!

Dratted backspin! (I don't mean _you_, backspin, I mean my pathetic backwards spin ) I had a little more success starting from a RBO three, then stepping to LFI to start the spin.

Salchow has a cheated entry where I'm putting weight on my other foot before taking off of the BI edge. (Coach prefers that I not do the touch down before taking off.)

Loop is totally scary and I haven't tried anything but the entrance-hop-checkout...

Oh, sure, kick a girl when she's down.....

*Blunt Flats*
There were more people than usual at the public session so it was difficult to find room to practice jumps. Not to mention outside spirals..

*Sharp Edges*
I think my waltz is finally moving in the right direction. Ever since I started trying to get a better outside edge on the take off it comes a lot easier! And its a lot less scary!

Improved salchow by jumping out more. I used to jump straight up and I would often land forward and with zero speed. Now I actually get a good run out so it's easier to put toe loops on the end of that

Last week my coach showed me the half loop which she thought I already knew how to do. I didn't but I picked it up pretty quickly and on the next practice I was doing half loop sequences and half loop/sals pretty easily. Does this mean I will get my full loop jump pretty soon? How long did it take everyone to go from half loop to loop? Hopefully I'll start the loop Saturday!

Sharp edges - my novice moves are getting more steady, and the moves that have power as a focus are actually being powerful! Freestyle dress is coming along very nicely, tried it on tonight.

Blunt flats - still can't do the layback at the very end of my program (turns into a headback) even though I can do it fine outside of program, camel spin from 3's turned funky so had to go back to crossovers into it.

Also, was sorta mean to a girl on the moves session tonight. She's 16/17ish, very nice, on her Prelim moves. I was trying to concentrate on practicing my stupid bracket-3-brackets (which were all off balance tonight) and she kind of started to talk to me and I pretended I didn't hear her and kept skating. I like almost everyone I skate with, but I really need to start focusing on my skating and practicing the entire session, rather than practice a little, then get interrupted and start chatting with everyone who starts to talk to me.

sharp edges: leaving for nationals in a week and 1 day!!!!1

blunt edged: yesterday at synchro i was skating backwards, doing nothing special, and i tripped myself and fell REALLY hard on my butt. now my tailbone hurts, and i cant bend over and walking is painful. im praying that i get better b4 nationals!

When I interrupted someone who wanted to practice seriously, she very sweetly said to me: "I usually ask people not to talk to me when I'm actually on the ice, as I need to concentrate; let's chat later, when I have a break." Which was fine by me, and she got her message across without being unpleasant about it.

Well done! I am seriously impressed! My husband just managed to do it in a dance interval last Monday with a more experienced skater, but I noticed they had to stop and do it from a standstill before continuing with the dance! I don't dare even think about doing the Blues with a partner yet!

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

Sharp edges:

I passed the bronze "Star" test! I'd already been passed on two of the elements (waltz jump and LFO spiral). I have now passed the other two - 2 foot spin, and bunny hop into forward drag (lunge). Last time I had a lesson (a few weeks ago), my hop-drag was decidedly dodgy, and coach seemed v. impressed by the improvement on it yesterday! She said to do it again to check it wasn't a fluke, then when I did it again she passed me. On to silver...

Ran through the silver elements too, and apart from the teapot (see below) I can do them. I'm going to practice them and try to improve the quality on all of them etc, but it's great. I feel like I'm finally getting back "in", after my skating seemingly getting worse rather than better following about 6-8 months of no lessons. My 1 foot spins were better than normal too

My BI3s were better too. I've been able to do them for ages, but recently I was having problems with the runout from them. I can now do them better. Still want to improve the speed of the exit, but they're definitely better than they were.

I also ran through the elements on the bronze dance test - not bad, mostly.

Blunt flats:

When I got on the ice, I'd only gone about 20 feet, stroking, when I fell! D'oh. I was doing swizzles/sculling/whatever you call it, where your feet go out and in. I like to do them with my feet going quite far apart - but when doing them yesterday, i got to about the third one and my feet slipped out sideways from under me and I slid forwards across the ice on my backside! It was quite funny actually, I was chuckling every time I thought of it during the session At least I didn't fall in the splits...

I also fell a couple more times! Which is weird because I hardly ever fall. But I look on it as a good thing, I don't want to be scared of falling.

One of the elements on the silver test is a teapot/shoot the duck. Coach wants it to be low. I can't do it low! So I'll have to work on it and try to increase my strength etc, but something tells me this element might hold me back from progressing onto gold for a while, as I can do all the other things.

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

Synchro practice last night. We finally got to the end of out program!!

There's some killer (well, for me) footwork in a circle at the end -- it's pretty much the footwork sequence for ISI FS2. Well, the "step behind" has me pertified. I don't know the real name, but we skate on a RBO edge, cross the left foot behind onto a LBI edge. SCARY!!! Especially at full speed -- zoiks!

And I had my first ever fall where I was going fast enough that I slid. Yes, I fell out of the footwork circle. To justify, I WAS skating on freshly sharpened blades and we were trying to stop and I really bit it -- my feet just went out from under me and I slid out of the circle and what felt like 90 miles an hour, skidded ten feet or so before finally coming to a stop, soaking wet, LOL! No lasting effects, though. I landed on my well-padded hip and my calf and my forearm, but there was enough momentum that I didn't smack or land like Maria Butyrskaya, LOL! In fact, I was complimented on the grace of my fall.

Maye this will have a positive effect on me -- perhaps since I fell like that and suffered no lasting effect I will be able to get over me fear of falling while jumping??? Let's hope so!!!