In honour of the fruit after which the Peach Classic is named!

I think we're probably all exhausted and few of us are skating much. Certainly husband didn't want to skate today, and I only went down as I had another appointment booked for the end of the patch, so thought I might just as well pretend to skate!

Beautifully ripe: Was able to talk to my coach about my goals for this winter. Wish I felt he took me more seriously - but Husband is reluctant to change coaches as, as he says, what could anybody else do with such dreadful raw material to work on? But he (Coach, I mean, not Husband) will work with me on the Foxtrot and 14-Step, as I'm making no progress on these with Husband as he (Husband, not Coach) is a bit pants at partnering them, and as I can do all the other level-6-and-under dances practically to competition standard, it's high time I could do all of them!

Mouldy & past it: Didn't really skate. Did manage some work on the Level 3 Dance Moves, and a bit of Circle Cycle, but that's all. Found it impossible to time the inside-outside change-of-edge exercise in the Circle Cycle, but it was beginning to come.

Lesson tomorrow, plus it's our day for visiting Tashakat's or Saffy's or whatever she's calling herself these days' old rink, so we should get a lot of skating and get our boots back under us. Mustn't slack off too badly now, as the British Adults is in less than a month!

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

Moldy & Past It:

I took fall last week that I thought was just a big bruise to me knees... But over the past 7 days my knees are have been killing me in a deeper way, so I had to cancel my skating and ballet until Friday. I don't think it is a serious injury, but it hurts, so I am now even sure what to do medically. Arg.

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Natalie

http://www.ILoveTaB.com

I would go see a doctor if your knees have been hurting for that long, particularly if there is still swelling. Hope you feel better soon!

For me:
Ripe - ran through the Bronze moves a couple of times yesterday (rink was open for a few hours) and got through them; also landed some clean loop jumps that actually felt as if they had come off the ground

Moldy - running through the moves test made me realize my endurance is a problem (I was huffing and puffing after each move); I should start practicing more than one session at a time

Moldy and Past It: I might as well get the bad stuff over with first. I feel that "Moldy and Past It" describes exactly how I felt this morning as our ice schedule has now changed and rather than skating in the early evening, I found myself standing dazed and confused on the ice at the unGODly hour of 5:50am. I felt like I had Linkin' Logs for bones and wadded up rags for muscles. My crossovers are still not ripping into the ice like they're supposed to yet. Oh well. Rome wasn't built in a day...yada, yada, yada.

Ripe (And not in the Britney Spears stanky way either!): Despite feeling like utter crap on the ice this morning I managed to produce one of every freestyle element that I'm planning for my program except for the combination spin at the end. I'm hoping to finish with a forward camel, catch-foot half-Biellmann thingy, sit, change to back sit, pull my arms behind my back in the back sit, pull up to back scatch with my arms behind my back. I've done bits and pieces of this planned spin but haven't put it all together in one attempt just yet. I'm hoping to build up to it in the next week or so. All in all, considering I had to drag myself to the rink at 5:50am when I was used to skating at night for the past three months or so, and considering I was barely awake, it wasn't a bad session. So, TWO POINTS for me for not killing myself or anyone else!

Frank

Sounds very neat-o; can't wait to see it! (And it's very similar to one of my spin combos.)

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"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
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FrankR: 5:30am???? From evening sessions???? You are NUTS!!!! EEEEK!!!

(Of course, you're talking to the queen of "don't give up sleep for ANYTHING...")

__________________
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!!!

Amen to the sleeping in AND to the "omg that spin sounds so awesome". Although if I had the time and money I'd bother getting up early a few days a week for near-empty ice time.

Moldy Ick - the rink was freezing yesterday and the ice was way too hard. I'm used to a somewhat "cool" rink with medium ice hardness. Dunno, but I kept slipping off of my edges and I couldn't center a spin to save my life. I wasn't the only one with these problems at least.

Ripe I finally have my loop back. It's not 100% consistent, but I land it more often than not. I think out of all of my attempts I only botched 2 or 3 jumps with a 2 foot landing. Now I just need to refine the technique on it so I get more height and flow.

I figured out how to keep my chest down in the camel, but now I can't figure out how to keep my momentum going. I get around 2-3 times and then just fizzle out. I know that you will never "gain" speed in a camel, but if I push any harder into it I'll lose my position. Grrr. I HATE this spin.

My rink is doing a christmas show and my coach and his wife suggested that I do a little something, maybe even with other adults in our group class. I was thinking of choreographing something myself since my coach is limited on time. If it's corny oh well - it's not a competition or anything

I also think I'm going to start testing in the near future. I don't want to compete really but I'd like to have "goals" to work towards rather than a mish-mosh of stuff. If it weren't for the backspin I could pass up to Pre-Juv at this point...must start working on backspin soon!!!

Off Topic I had a dream last night that I was doing loop loop and waltz loop combos. Maybe it's a sign of things to come? The mechanics of it make sense...maybe I'll try it on Thursday

Thanks! Let's hope I can produce it. Hopefully it will all come together. I've also been toying with a camel-layback (which you saw when you came to visit at the beginning of the summer). If that takes shape, then I might insert a layback after the half-Biellmann thingy and before the sit as well. That all is contingent upon my becoming a vastly better spinner in the very near future. I can't really complain. Originally, the catch-foot forward camel was supposed to be in my program last year but I just couldn't get it in time. Already, it's gotten better than last year. I'm just hoping my spinning learning curve increases in slope exponentially.

Frank

Hiya jazzpants,

I know. It's not fun getting up for that session. Unfortunately, that really is the best time for me to skate and the sessions are nearly empty so I have to suck it up and get up in the middle of the night to skate. As bad as it sounds, it's not really all that bad. Once I get used to the routine of skating at that time I'm okay. It's making the adjustment from evening to morning sessions the first week or so that's excruciating.

Frank

I guess that means I best get to work on my axel--although my current 3 weeks off from skating will not help in this regard.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Moldy: The beginning of my routine! My "choreographer" gave up and skated away (my daughter), but I've got several weeks to come up with something...

Ripe: The ice is great and my spins have come back from summer vacation!

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Beautifully ripe:

had another dance lesson,my flips and lutzes are getting better

mouldy & past it:

my axels were not so good today

~Cutie

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lol, Jazzpants! I'm also one of the "sleep and go" clan...sometimes I get to work in the morning and realize that I've not fully looked at myself in the mirror

There are 3 sessions per week that I *could* go to that all start at 6:00 a.m. but I've never even considered going to them!!!

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Beautifully Ripe : my sit spins are AWWEEESOMEEEE. but thats basiclly it.

Mouldy and past it : oww. i fell really really really really really hard from the back of my blade getting stuck in the ice. my coach said i like 3 feet in the air but i landed right on my tailbone. ouch. and my camel is a mess. I didnt practice many jumps today. And the bottem of my skate got like chipped off. I have no idea how. I felt like i did absolutly nothing to day. All thiss on the first day of school. ANNND. we've been doing axel prep for a long time, and i still havent got on the harness. I dont know why we did spins for our lesson today. rawr.

Am I the only one that is anti-harness? I think I went on it once when I was taking lessons... I could never see the benefit of it. Maybe I'm more of a drylander fan when it comes to learning new stuff. So yeah, Kit Kat, don't freak too much about not getting on the harness yet

Ripe - jumps are feeling much more secure. I think I'll be able to start on axel prep again soon. I used to be pretty secure in my axel but I think I've lost a lot of power in my legs over the last few years, so I'll take it from the beginning.

Mouldy - OMG my spins. I was never the world's best spinner but I used to have a good sit spin and a decent flying camel. Maybe it's 4 years off ice, or two fast blade changes, but it's just scriiittchhh onto the toe pick and horribly off-centre. Anyone else who moved from a crappy blade to a decent blade who has advice? (I went Single-Stars 10 years, Cor Aces 1 month, Phantoms now)

I hate the harness I haven't done any on-ice jumps in it, just off ice but it pulled too much, couldn't breathe, yanked me, and I hate it! Felt too much like a puppet! I guess I hate losing control......and having someone else pull the strings? (control freak) and don't want to become dependent on it (like one girl at my rink-can't jump without it)

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

My coach uses the harness for some of his skaters - you should see the speed he has to go with one young man working on a double axel & his first few triples! Wow..... He ends up more out of breath than his skater does!

Meanwhile for today:

Beautifully ripe: Managed to do some good run-throughs of our free dance with the Husband, including one to the music, and I think we know where we are rushing things in the step sequence and ending up having to stand and bow at each other waiting for the next bit of music! I also think we may have decided on music for next year, or at least cut it down to one of two songs by Kirsty McColl (or even a combination of both!).

In my lesson today worked on my level 3 dance moves, my solo Dutch Waltz & Canasta Tango for the November competition, and started work on the Foxtrot & 14-step with my coach. Not the world's greatest run-throughs, but it's easier with him than with the Husband!

Mouldy & past-it: Tried to do changes-of-edge with the Husband in Kilian and Reverse Kilian hold. This was not brilliant, and shows why we are having trouble with those dances that contain one (Riverside Rhumba, Fiesta Tango). Back cross-cuts still don't work properly, but cross-rolls coming along.

But oh dear, in the Canasta Tango I went so out of time on the one-beat edges, just like I always do in the Riverside..... I don't think I'm very good at one-beat edges. Maybe I need to practice just skating round in hold or solo when the elite dancers are working on their Paso Doble.....

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

Ripe: lesson was spent more chatting w/ coach than skating, but that was actually okay because last week we were both a little snippy w/ each other so it was nice to kind of reconnect. I played the music I'm considering using for my junior freedance test & he okay'd it & said he'd cut it for me.

Moldy: I used my ipod shuffle to play the music for him--found the piece, then hit the back button for him to listen from the beginning.... I realized while driving home that I'm pretty sure I made it skip back one more song, & since he listened w/ the earphones, I have no idea what music he heard!! There's 6 hours of music on that thing, & several Monty Python sketches....... .......so I'll have to try to email him the music file & ask if that's what was playing when he listened.....oy.

***the ever popular Monty Python freedance***

Beautifully ripe:

Back to working on my artistic program today!!! YAAAAAY!!! And we were working on sit spins too!!! What a CHANGE!!!

Secondary coach asked if I hooked up a rocket to my back or put something in my Wheaties today b/c I was moving FAST this morning!!! She looked like this I simply told her "Errr... I'm awake now???"

(An 8:15am lesson is early for me... I know. I'm so bad!!! )

Mouldy:

Oh, dear! Where did my program go???? Totally missed the RFI3 and turned the wrong direction on anonther section too!!! YIKES!!!! (Must go thru runthrus more often now too... Skate SF is coming up! And I got Bronze moves in Oct!!! Can you say "MAJORLY stressed!?!?!" )

__________________
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!!!

Beautifully ripe: Not to much. I did a few good run throughs of my program.
Mouldy & past it: My (primary) coach got very very upset with me today for no reason! I was doing my best and I guess she didn't think so. I messed up on my program really bad during my lesson (and this is because she just keeps adding to it!! and I can't remember everything) Mind you I have had this program for maybe a month and am competing with it in two weeks!!!!!!!! I swear sometimes I want to Maybe it will be better friday working with my other coach.

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SKATING: It's the feeling you get at the end of a hard practice when you pushed yourself to the limit. It's a part of YOU, something you LOVE and HATE. A bond that NO ONE ELSE understands, but that's okay, because every time you get out on the ice it isn't just you; it's all the friends and coaches, all the practices, the pain, the tears, the memories,the laughter, the "off" competitions. It may seem, skating is really a team sport, it's more than just a sport. IT'S A WAY OF LIFE."

Beautifully ripe:
Finally, a steady lesson schedule for the fall!
Good back crossover to back extension move, considering that this and most of the Bronze moves took hiatus while preparing for Peach.
Decent effort on a camel spin- coaches are now getting Terri on the camel wagon and methinks I will not allowed off!
Backscratch is making it's way back!
Starting to work on flip.
Was asked by primary coach to be a demonstrator at the PSA seminar that will be at my rink on Saturday. I'll be demonstrating the 5 step mohawk sequence.

Mouldy and past it:
Power threes- no continous flow and strength,as the left side is great and the right side sucks.
Was dragged back on the sitspin wagon (*Terri sees NoVaSk8r pumping fist and saying YESSSS!!!*) and will not be allowed off ever again (I was given a reprieve for Peach).
I've come down with a post Peach cold!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Hey, Terri--I'll trade you your left side for my right side! My left side power 3s are the ones that really suck for me! And they're the side by which I'd skate by the judges, all the better for them to hear my toe picks scraping!!!
(But my 5 step mohawk is equally bad on each side, lol!)

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Mouldy - everything around here, and my allergies are making me nuts! I have an artists booth at an upcoming festival, so I've been spending more time painting and making tiaras than on the ice.

Ripe - back on lesson with my coach (we took the summer off). We worked on our pairs interp for Halloween classic. It's going to be lots of fun and imaginative. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Beautifully Ripe:
I tried the 8-step mohawk pattern for the first time in months today and the clockwise direction didn't go so badly. It was slow, but I managed to place the pattern correctly and keep an even tempo. After all the trouble I've had recently trying to fix my forward inside three turns, I actually pulled off several silent ones on clean & even entry and exit edges. Backward crossrolls were still good as far as technique (hadn't done these for months either); they just need more speed.

Mouldy and past it:
The 8-step mohawk in the counter-clockwise direction. I totally chickened out when it came time to do the outside mohawk and my feet just didn't want to do the back crossover. Forward crossrolls are sucky as well; I can't get a nice extension on the push out while in the crossed position for the life of me. I think it's because there's too much fat on my inner thighs.

Mouldy:

Took a spill sliding on my butt on the ice while doing alt. back crossovers. You would THINK the coach would say "Are you okay?" NOOOOO! He starts clapping and says "YAAAAY!!! Jazzpants FELL!!! YAAAAAY!!!" Even after I got up....he keeps cheering. No asking if I was okay!!! EVIL COACH!!! (Left butt is a bit sore... and I have an office job!!! OWWWWW!!!! )

Ripe:

Bronze Moves went okay except for that one case mentioned. He loved the flow in the forward crossovers and he liked my second runthru on my 5 step mohawks the best.

Looks like people are noticing that my stroking speed is improving... A LOT!!! So it's both my coaches sees that I'm faster now... GOOD!!!! (Also bad... now they expect that in everything else I do now... EEEEK!!! )

Interesting coach moment:

I have a lesson today at the beginning of the public session and had to warm up for the lesson... so I just doing some quick laps around the rink and try to warm up quickly before coach comes on the ice and does my lesson. Primary coach shows up, sees I'm stroking pretty quickly and strokes around and matches me. I see that he's trying to get my attention so I slowed down and he says "So why are you stroking around so fast?" Me: "Errr... because I'm trying to warm up for the lesson and isn't that what you do to warm up for your lesson???" (Of course, primary coach then has this then this look like "Geez, I should have known better to ask that question.")

__________________
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!!!