Diamonds or Zircons (Practice Thread 3/25 - 3/31/2007) - Page 3

Rusty Blades · #51 03-28-2007, 02:18 PM

DIAMONDS! I have a WEEK OFF! Woohoo!

After taking to the ice for the first time (in 36 years) last January and skating my a## off for 14 months, I skated in the Canadian Adult Championships and came in 1 point behind the Bronze medalist (in Pre Introductory Interpretive). I also passed my Pre Intro test.

As a reward, coach gave me the week off. April 2 we start the preparations for the 2008 competition

(Remind me why I am doing this? Oh yea, it's "fun"....

)

dbny · #52 03-28-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

For me, it is the mohawk itself...I rush it, like I rush my 3 turn I want to get it over with...I need to just work on holding an edge - particularly on my right foot. I've been told, I actually do the rest of the moves pretty well, but ya know, actually doing the mohawk, kind of crucial..

Er, you mean Choctaw, right

: BI to FO. Holding that BI edge was crucial to me too. I was doing the pattern across on a line muttering out loud "hold it, hold it, hold it, NOW"

.

Isk8NYC · #53 03-28-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

Toe loops coming along quite nicely, I'm definately doing most of the turning on ice, with little air time, but I've got the technique down. Is it cheating if I pick more behind my left leg so it's easier to cross in front when I draw it back?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

Okay I'm trying to imagine the clock...um...I jump the direction most people jump - I pick with my left foot, draw the right foot back , crossing in front of the left before I kick forward...seems easier to do that if the picking foot is already a little behind the right foot. If I shouldn't do that, I'll stop before my coach scolds me in my next lesson! That will teach me to get bright ideas on my own!

Because your first post said "behind my left leg" I wasn't sure which direction you jumped. For reference: this is a CCW jump. I take it you spin that way, too?

Yep, sounds like a cheat: you're turning part of the jump on the ice, then jumping forward like a waltz jump. (Which explains your waltz jump's improvement: more practice! LOL) Some people refer to this as a "toe waltz" for that very reason.

If you check last week's practice thread, someone had some very good tips for the toe loop.

jskater49 · #54 03-28-2007, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isk8NYC

Yep, sounds like a cheat: you're turning part of the jump on the ice, then jumping forward like a waltz jump. (Which explains your waltz jump's improvement: more practice! LOL) Some people refer to this as a "toe waltz" for that very reason.

If you check last week's practice thread, someone had some very good tips for the toe loop.

No, I understand that I'm turning on the ice and that's a cheat, I'm still trying to get the technique down, my question is about where I pick, since I need to draw the leg back so that it crosses in front of the other leg, it's easier if I start by picking in crossed behind. I wondered if that was a good idea.

I should probably just wait till I have another lesson, I never can explain or understand these written explanations.

j

Isk8NYC · #55 03-28-2007, 03:35 PM

I teach this jump with a straight-back pick, not a "cross-behind the right foot" pick. Think "pick, pull, and pop" - I think the pick-behind gets all tangled up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubletoe

There are lots of skaters who hate the toeloop because it's so hard to resist pre-rotating the takeoff! There are several ways to pre-rotate the takeoff, and the reason they are so hard to correct is because they are so unconscious that you don't even realize you're doing it. Here are the big no-no's I've learned:

1. Turning your head during the 3-turn
This is currently my favorite mistake on my double toeloop entrance! Last week I finally learned to go into my 3-turn pretending I had a neck brace on, so that I could not move my head or shoulders during the 3-turn. I finally realized that if I have to look and re-focus to see the side of the rink I came from before picking, that means I turned my head during the turn. If I automatically see the side I came from as I exit the 3-turn, it means I managed to keep my head still.

2. Opening out the picking side shoulder on the 3-turn exit
Again, the neck brace image helps on this, but extend it a little further down to include your picking side shoulder. Shoulders should remain at 10:00 and 4:00 going into the 3-turn and coming out of it, assuming you pick with your left foot. And make sure your picking side arm is still in front of you when you feel your pick going into the ice.

3. Picking behind your skating foot
Whenever I think I'm picking straight back, I look at my ice marks and invariably find that I actually picked with my picking foot crossed behind my skating foot. It's hard not to do! My coach always says, "Pick at 7:00 or 8:00" and now I see why. When I try to pick somewhat to the outside instead of straight back, I find that my pick finally ends up happening straight back. Apparenlty, most skaters have this problem.

4. Making the 3-turn too round
Just like the flip, the toeloop works better from a straighter 3-turn. It helps to push out to the right of the line, do a long, straight entrance edge, then do the 3-turn to the right of the line, pick before or right on the line, and only cross the line on your landing edge. (This pattern works great for the flip, too.) But make the exit edge very short and pick before rising up from the 3-turn. You never want to pick from a straight skating leg.

5. Turning forward on the toe before jumping
This is usually a result of doing one of the other no-no's, but it can also just be from spending too much time on the toe (another one of my favorite mistakes!). If you don't pop up quickly when you pick, the foot will start to pivot on the ice and you'll end up with your foot facing forwards on takeoff. That is technically a toe-waltz jump (or in the case of a double toeloop, a toe-axel). Neither counts as a correct toeloop.

jskater49 · #56 03-28-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbny

Er, you mean Choctaw, right

: BI to FO. Holding that BI edge was crucial to me too. I was doing the pattern across on a line muttering out loud "hold it, hold it, hold it, NOW"

.

No, I really mean the mohawk. The forward step isn't a big issue for me. It's the forward inside mohawak. Really

Should have had that mastered in basic 6 (back when in the dark ages when basic skills only went up to 6)

j

Team Arthritis · #57 03-28-2007, 04:16 PM

Hey thanks for the toeloop lessons 2toes and ISK8NYC, they sound just like my coach! My toes are starting to get more flow but when I simply try to do a waltz toe I get all stiff and lurchy and lose my draw. This is especially troubling because I've only recently been able to get draw on my toeloop. ANy thoughts? Looking at coach imitating me it looks like I'm turning my upper body into the turn, ie no draw because my shoulder check goes out the window.

Also any thoughts on how to flatten out my RFI3?
thanks
Lyle

dbny · #58 03-28-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

No, I really mean the mohawk. The forward step isn't a big issue for me. It's the forward inside mohawak. Really

Should have had that mastered in basic 6 (back when in the dark ages when basic skills only went up to 6)

j

We are talking about two different moves

! My first comment, about the Choctaw, was referring to the power threes. Now I see you are talking about the 5 step Mohawk

. Duh

jazzpants · #59 03-28-2007, 05:36 PM

Step 1 - Head towards wall
Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)
Step 3 - Head straight up
Step 4 - Head dialog towards direction but away from wall (towards the axis)
Step 5 - Head towards the axis line.

(At least, this is how I think of it when I do the 5 step mohawks anyway...)

And yes, the mohawk is easy to do but HARD to master!!! When I was doing them in the past, I was either wide stepping or hopping the mohawk. It took me AGES to finally get it down to the form where it was acceptable for Bronze Moves and I'm still working on making it even BETTER now. (Sad that I will no longer see my Ice Dancer Guy skater at the weekend rink to show him if I'm right or not since the weekend rink is gone now.

He highly contributed to my getting the FI mohawk done right.)

jskater49 · #60 03-28-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbny

We are talking about two different moves

! My first comment, about the Choctaw, was referring to the power threes. Now I see you are talking about the 5 step Mohawk

. Duh

Oh yes. Choctaw in 3 turns is a problem for me as well, I don't quite finish the crossover I'm in such a hurry to get going on that 3 turn and I think that is part of the reason my turn is not at the top.

Now I'm thinking the forward step in the 5 step is let's see a mohawk????

j

xofivebyfive · #61 03-28-2007, 06:15 PM

Diamonds!- I'm finally allowed to skate again! YES! I did a loop for the first time in 3 months and it was really good. My camel spin was fast and centered as were the sit-backsit and back scratch. My coach also assured me that I was doing the toe loop right despite its gross ugly feeling. I also learned how to fix my free leg on my flip/lutz/loop jumps. I had been jumping so that I would probably develop a wrap leg if I didn't change what I was doing. She told me to point my foot and engage all of the muscles in my leg instead of letting it just hang there and go with the flow. And what do you know. She was so excited because it was apparently much better. Oh man, I love skating.

doubletoe · #62 03-28-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Arthritis

Hey thanks for the toeloop lessons 2toes and ISK8NYC, they sound just like my coach! My toes are starting to get more flow but when I simply try to do a waltz toe I get all stiff and lurchy and lose my draw. This is especially troubling because I've only recently been able to get draw on my toeloop. ANy thoughts? Looking at coach imitating me it looks like I'm turning my upper body into the turn, ie no draw because my shoulder check goes out the window.

Also any thoughts on how to flatten out my RFI3?
thanks
Lyle

Thanks to Isk8NYC, everything I was going to say to answer your questions is already in the post above, LOL! Push out to the right for the 3-turn entry, pretend you have a neck brace on, and pick at 7:00.

Isk8NYC · #63 03-28-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubletoe

Thanks to Isk8NYC, everything I was going to say to answer your questions is already in the post above, LOL! Push out to the right for the 3-turn entry, pretend you have a neck brace on, and pick at 7:00.

It was just so complete and well-stated.

doubletoe · #64 03-28-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isk8NYC

It was just so complete and well-stated.

Aww, thanks.

I spend so much on lessons that I figure I should try to take good notes, LOL!

dbny · #65 03-28-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

Now I'm thinking the forward step in the 5 step is let's see a mohawk????

j

Agreed

.

jskater49 · #66 03-28-2007, 07:46 PM

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????

j

mikawendy · #67 03-28-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????

j

I was wondering about that, too. Is it computer-programmer-speak?

phoenix · #68 03-28-2007, 08:13 PM

Diamonds: did a semi-decent program runthrough today. I need to work on the beginning, which has gotten ignored too long due to my grave concern about the rest of the program!! I saw a girl doing a cool warmup exercise & tried it. It's hard, but really good--it's rocker/choctaws, bracket/3's & power pulls all wrapped into one! I can only do it very slowly yet, but will keep playing w/ it.

Zircons: Czech crystal, actually, glueing on my dress tonight. I've broke down at the last minute & decided I wanted sparkles for AN! Can't afford Swarovski right now, but these look really good, very flashy, for much less. I didn't get a ton of them, but I think they do add something. Hoping I will be worthy of them!!

jazzpants · #69 03-28-2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jskater49

Hey Jazzy pants!

What the heck is a "head dialog"????

j

In what context? "Head dialog" is usually conversations that goes on in my head to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do!!!

icedancer2 · #70 03-28-2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzpants

In what context? "Head dialog" is usually conversations that goes on in my head to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do!!!

Well, you use the word head in several ays in your post - "head dialog" now makes sense. But head up? (step 3) That means you keep your head up or... that you head uprink (as in "head for the hills!")!

A lot of head talk there...

Emberchyld · #71 03-28-2007, 08:33 PM

Now I know what I'm doing wrong on the toeloop! But... but... how do I get all the way around without the cheat?

Diamonds:
Pretty coal-y today. My spirals felt nice (and look like a nice 90 degree arabesque).. now I need to get more comfortable with leaning forward to go towards a nice... hmm... 150 degree spiral?

3-turns are much better. What I find funny is that, since my coach has had me working on a the toe loop with a RI3 entry, my inside 3s have become much nicer and cleaner than my outside 3's... funny how that works, huh?

Ahem... and toe-waltzes

are getting more comfortable

Coal:

Spins-- ARGH! My spin was sooooo broken today, and when trying to work on my (nonexistant) entry from crossovers, I wrenched my poor, bursitis-ridden hip (ilop-something... uhm... inner hip), forcing me to cut back drastically on the rest of the freestyle session.

And a non-skating lump o' coal: I have a coworker who is such a lazy, untrustworthy, idiotic #@$@$ who has been assigned to my project for the past few months and who makes me not want to come into work in the morning (and I love my job-- he's ruining it!). Even though his title is higher than mine, my boss has now assigned me to baby-sit him and make sure that he does his work (meaning that I then have to stay late to finish mine, while he goes gallivanting off having done nothing all day!). I soooooooooooooo didn't want to leave the ice today and dreamed of staying on freestyle all day! /end rant (sorry, I HAD to get this off of my chest!)

jskater49 · #72 03-28-2007, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzpants

Step 1 - Head towards wall
Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)
Step 3 - Head straight up
Step 4 - Head dialog towards direction but away from wall (towards the axis)
Step 5 - Head towards the axis line.

I thought you were talking about my actually head facing the wall...now I'm thinking you just mean - entrance edge is toward the wall, but when you get head dialog towards direction ... I'm kind of lost. No that' s a lie. I'm not kind of lost. I'm totally lost.

My problem is that for the mohawk as soon as I start that edge, I wanna put my foot down...way before the rest of my body is ready to turn and I end up with an ugly scraping two footed mess!

j

jazzpants · #73 03-28-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icedancer2

Well, you use the word head in several ays in your post - "head dialog" now makes sense. But head up? (step 3) That means you keep your head up or... that you head uprink (as in "head for the hills!")!

A lot of head talk there...

Oh, I see....

It means "head towards" the wall or the axis line. (The direction you're going towards is probably a better description.)

Here, I drew a little diagram...

(Of course, keeping in mind that you need to be on an edge, you need to curve the straight lines a bit... but that's the general idea you should be going for in the placments of your steps...)

sk8pics · #74 03-29-2007, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzpants

Step 2 - Head dialog towards direction but still towards wall (away from axis)

I think you mean diagonal here, not dialog. Right?

Isk8NYC · #75 03-29-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk8pics

I think you mean diagonal here, not dialog. Right?

I've skated with her; she definitely DIDN'T mean dialog - she doesn't hang out on the ice like I do!

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