I am going to see if I can get someone to video what's going on, from a couple of different angles. Perhaps then coach & I can figure out what my brain is making me do.

Whatever it is, I don't do it when I do forward power 3s (and I definitely maintain and can increase speed on those during execution)

Thank you, That makes me feel better. I couldn't do them very well a child either - better than now, but not great. I have been keeping an eye on Ebay, That's where I got the skates I'm currently using - So far I haven't found anything in my size that I like. There are also new companys that I'm not familiar with. When I was younger I remember SP-Teri, Harlick, And Reidell. Now there are other and I don't know if they are good or not (see the topic about boots here and you'll see why it's confusing) Basically I really need to go out and try them on. If I like the feel of a certain boot I'll look and see if there are any up at Ebay. Thanks for the advise.
Cid

Running Smoothly:

I passed two more elements on the silver Skate Star test (salchow and upright spin)

My teapot/shoot the duck is getting better, although it's still not low enough to pass

I started learning a backspin again, and although it will definitely take practice, I think I stayed on the BO edge for a revolution! It's a start.

Limping badly:

Near the beginning of the session, I was doing backward crossovers (clockwise) and someone was coming round the other way. Being me, I was the one who tried to avoid them. I tried to stop, but didn't realise how close I was to the barrier and slammed into it. It hurt!!

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

A video of it sounds like an excellent idea, you'll see exactly what's going wrong.

It occurs to me that if you can mostly do them when by yourself, and have terrific 3-turns when not dancing - what if it's your coach's fault? Could he somehow be pulling you off-balance, quite without realising it?

Would you be able to dance with someone else, say at a social dance session, or when you are practising, and see if you can do them with them?

Rachel, congratulations on passing some of your Silver Skate-UK; when you come to start the standard tests, I can see you absolutely walking the first couple of levels!

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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!

Thanks!

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

Smooooooooooth - gosh, I was so worried that I would be feeling a "letdown" after all the excitement of ANs and wouldn't be able to concentrate this week. Instead, my practices yesterday and today just ROCKED! I spent a lot of time working on the moves my coach gave me to help with my extension, free leg turnout, and toe pointing, and feel that even in only 2 days, I've made some progress. She also has me starting on choctaws (ewww) and some power pulls with 3 turns, changing from forward and backward to forward and again backward, to help make me smoother in footwork sequences. After two days, my legs feel like they've been toasted!

Even though she told me to take it easy this week, I felt really powerful today so I also worked on some jumps up through the lutz/loop, and I liked the flow I was getting on the landings. I also worked through all the spins, and it was one of those "centered" days where the tracings were in harmony. Even the flying camel/back sit/sit was all contained in the same circle. Yowza!

Hubby videotaped and he seemed very surprised at the improvements made since only one month ago. He said I looked all smooth, flowy, and sexy. That was the nicest compliment of all!

SMOOTH: Lesson today ROCKED! We worked on cleaning up the 2-toe today so that is becomes as consistent as the 2-sal. I was getting the consistent position and feel at the end of working on those (oh, and they were landed, too). Worked on the 2-loop as well and, boy, are these every getting better (and closer to being landed). If I can just squeeze top of thigh better, I can probably land it consistently.

ROUGH: Started working on walleys. Boy, are these WEIRD feeling! Also worked on the flip and 1/2 and I could not get my mind wrapped around the concept even though I used to own this skill. Any suggestions?

Cinderella, CONGRATS again on the win in Gold!

Running smoothly i learned the quickstep today and it is lots of fun. i really like that dance, i haven't skated it with the music yet and i am sure that it'll be harder but w/e it is still fun. I did my blues to the music today for the first time and after i got adjusted to the music it went pretty well

Limping badly i was so tired that i didn't have that good of a practice before my lesson. i did a few of my dances but they were all so blah, i just didn't feel like moving, unless it was in the direction to a bed, pillow and a blanket. but i've worked hard all week so i guess one bad practice is allowed

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

The quickstep is fun - I can't do the "real thing", but I can just about do the dumbed-down version, a.k.a. "Festival Quickstep", my coach to the contrary! At least, I could if my husband were better at timing, as I am in a complete muddle about the step sequence across the rink, which is exactly the same in the two dances - 2 inside edges, run, then cross in front, cross behind with change of edge (how many beats is that - I'm sure it's only meant to be one), inside chasse and then run again..... (The dumbed-down version then does a LFO swing roll with change of hold from Kilian to Reverse Kilian, cross-step, chasse, RFO swing roll with change of hold back into Kilian, then LFO, RXB, LFO, RFO, LXB, RFO, LFI, RFI and recommence). But that music is fast - and I expect even the Blues felt incredibly fast when done to the music for the first time (hee-llp, I can't stop before doing the Choctaw!!!!). My Blues is dreadful, it covers about 1 square foot of ice, but properly done, it's one of the more beautiful dances. And even a Rhythm Blues can be glorious, done by an expert, or at any rate by someone who's just about to go up to Bronze!

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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!

Running Smoothly: After my horrible practice on Wed I was dreading Fridays skate. But it was GREAT!!!! I even stayed on for a second session because I was having so much fun.

Got my lutz back. I'm still not letting it happen naturally and am forcing it, but it is so much better than Wed.

Did a bunch of sit-back sit spins. They aren't perfect but they are a start

Camel spin is still a bit wonky but did some nice ones.

When I get the perfect timing on the flip its huge. I was over rotating some and scared the living daylights outa myself

Worked on axel entries. Waltz-loops, waltz-backspin, etc

Limping badly: my recent meltdowns have probably cost me the chance to test in spring school.

My loop jump is kinda skidding these days. I think I've lost the timing.

Wednesday

I enjoyed skating.
Did field moves and jumps to flip.
Backspin still there but quite pathetic.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Went to one of the other rinks today that I will be skating at from now on with the exception of lessons. See my post from earlier in the week for details. Saw some of the other kids that I skate with at my primary rink that we're all leaving because we have a jacka$$ for a rink owner!

Managed to do LFO power 3's on the long axis today!!

Also walked through flip!!

smoothly:
Great dance lesson, managed to remember the pattern and got the timing, it looks like I'm testing 3 or 4 dances at the end of this spring session.

limping:

I'm skating on beginnner kid ice because I'm no-test, and I'm the old lady out there. I half jokingly said that I would still be the oldest even if all the kids added their ages together, and the coach started to add out loud, good thing he can skate fast because he was getting the death look from me. The problem with kid ice is that they don't know the dance patterns that well and we had a few close misses, as they were standing around chatting in the centre, the boards, all over.

limping badly:

The rest of my life. My time on the ice, despite my beginner skill level, is the most precious time of the week right now and I need the stress relief of skating. I don't know what I'm going to do when spring session is done.

RUNNING SMOOTHLY

The rink near to me (and on my way back from work) does evening classes for adults ..... I was thinking of joining up to get back into it again

LIMPING VERY BADLY

LITERALLY .... got back from holiday last night, bruised but happy called in at the stables this morning to drop some stuff off and say 'hi' and was asked to bring a horse up to the school. OF COURSE I wasn't wearing 'correct' footwear and the damn horse goes and stands on my foot which is now black and blue, swollen, black between my little toe and the next and sore as heck .... oh, and I can't walk properly Do you think that someone is telling me NOT to go back to skating?????

Congratulations to everyone who has passed tests, cracked new elements and who are generally having a good time with their skating

Lx

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The best whisper is a click

((Hugs)) Is your rink only seasonal? Is there no other rink you could go to? (When I'm at home, ie. not at uni, it takes me between 1.5 and 2 hours just to get to the rink. It can be done though.) If there is really no other ice you could get to, maybe you could try doing some rollerblading? It might be good, before you can get back to the ice.

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

Quite the opposite. It looks to me like someone is telling you to stay away from horses and is making skating more available to you once again.

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Don't you know you can't skate with your wallet in your pants and no change either. LOL

Take it easy and God Bless.

Brigitte

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

icenut84, my home rink is seasonal and finished back in March, I'm already skating 45 minutes away on the only rink with ice (that I can afford), and it's done in May. Most of the summer ice is taken by hockey schools or competitive training programs. There is ticket ice at the regional center but it works out to about $20/hour, that's not in my budget. Coach says a break is a good thing, ice will be back in August and I should buy a new bike and keep my fitness up.

You could be right (the SAME horse stood on the SAME foot again today!) but I'm as obsessed with horses as I was skating ........ unfortunately skating is a little less available to me (and has been for some time) so I need to get the 'bug' again ..... I'm hoping that the adult group lessons will get me back into the swing of it again I've already missed the first one (I was on holiday) and won't be able to go tomorrow (my foot) so will wait till the next set start .......

Lx

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The best whisper is a click

After following all the various threads related to AN I decided to re-evaluate where I am in my skating after 11 years out of Learn To Skate. The results are embarrassing. Had a session of practice before my session of lesson with my coach so experimented with the USFS adult MIF and FS test elements.

Limping badly - oh my, please don't laugh at me but I still cannot do a 2 foot or one foot spin! Not even close! We have worked on this periodically over the past 5 years! 2 foot is a nightmare, can't feel the flat of the blade and balance point to keep rotating. 1 foot is making some progress if I could remember to not rush bringing my free foot around. Grrrr....

Running Smoothly - now here is where I felt really good about myself. The only things I can't do well are the alternating 3's - the forward is pretty good, but have never done inside 3's away from the boards until recently and they are very shallow but coming along. Everything else has great speed, flow, good edge control - of course it really helps when there are only 3 other skaters on the ice and I don't have to worry about the wee ones not watching where they are going. I can really fly when I have the space. Sometimes I think I have too much power! But I love doing edge work and my new exercises for focusing on riding the back of the blade has done wonders for my posture and other moves so I do them first and the muscle memory carries me on to my other items to check off.

So I lack spins and alternating 3's. With those I could pass prebronze and bonze MIF and the Prebronze test elements. At over 57 now, I told my coach that I just had to pass SOMETHING before I was 60!

Skateflo - don't be discouraged. It sounds like you definitely have some things under your belt and I would strongly encourage testing at the appropriate time to give you a nice confidence boost. It's great to have goals and then achieve them. You'll find that you are more eager to work on new things and who knows...those pesky old spins might show up as well!

Good luck to you and keep us posted.

P.S. Oh, and if for some reason one of the tests doesn't go well, don't despair on that either. One of the "girls" that I met at Midwestern Sectionals had "finally" passed one of her tests (it might have been Bronze FS) after several tries. The reason I don't know which test it was, is that we were so busy SCREAMING OUR HEADS OFF, I never caught exactly which accomplishment it was!!!!

How about Pre-Preliminary Moves? For me the challenge on those was the waltz-8, which came two weeks before test time, and left right after I passed.

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I thought about PPMIF but decided that if I ever wanted to do one local competition just for the experience, I would need the adult track to qualify. Even if they change the AMIF in the coming years, I figured that I wasn't going to push the age envelope with my knees and other body parts starting to fail.....

my Friday lesson was better than my Wednesday lesson... Maybe I got things out of my system with my mini-tantrum on Wednesday. Not cured by a long shot, but better.

Until the last few minutes, we did nothing but 3-turns. Well, I did nothing but 3-turns... started with a round of forward power 3s. Did the left side quite nice, started the right side, had to avoid one of our dance teams and lost my brain and forgot what I was doing, started to do another sequence on the left side, realized that wasn't right. So then went and did just a right side series.

Then until near the end, I did 3-turn drills... CCW progressive, LFO3, RBO, repeat. Ad nauseum, and trying to speed up and make the brain and muscles react faster. Then added in extra strokes, so it was left stroke, right stroke, CCW progressive, LFO3, RBO, repeat. And occasionally the chicken factor crept in, so I think there is something wonky with the body occasionally.

For the "reward", we did 2 almost-complete Paso patterns (all steps but the ladies swing mohawk, which we haven't worked at speed yet) and 1 half-pattern of the Blues, starting with the cross-roll at the end of the rink.

I love doing these, and I do one back crossover in between also. And I also do a version with inside mohawks. Lots of fun, but scary with any kind of speed!



Oh, believe me, I would never laugh at anyone for this! I am also rotationally challenged, but I have a feeling we're going to go back to working on spins very intensely after my next competition! I had the simple one foot forward spin for awhile, but if I don't practice it consistently, it goes far, far away! Good luck to you, and hang in there! It sounds like there's a lot you can do, even if spinning is not one of your strengths!

Pat