Fresh snow: We actually had some and it's quite pretty. I got off the plane from warm Florida and woke up after a nap to snow.
Working on choreography for Nat's program. I love the music and I'm making skretches of costume ideas.

Old slush: need those skates sharpened!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Fresh Snow: Started working on music for my twins' programs. Did off-ice exercises yesterday. Focusing on hip strength this week to stop the "BI edge hip drop."

Old Slush: No lessons yesterday, although one student called to schedule at the last minute. Didn't feel like dealing with the public session for one lesson, so I took the day off and got ready for the week.

Flurries: Went to a rink I've never visited before yesterday. They have Sunday AM freestyles, so I'm going to try and work one into my skating schedule, even though it's a 45-minute drive.

<<Think good thoughts that I'll get out of here early and have time to skate before teaching tonight.>>

Flo - great title!

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Fresh snow-
Camel spins are starting to improve. You can actually see what I am attempting.

Old slush -
The condition of my driveway/walkway. I actually slipped on the ice on my way to rink.
Jumps were way off today. I bailed out of a waltz jump (yes a waltz jump) and decided that loops were not in my future today. Luckily my coach is away this week.

Fresh Snow
- My Sunday session was less crowded yesterday, since half of the regulars were at Nationals instead of zooming past me or into me.
- Got more comfortable with the axel from the new entrance and landed the ones I tried in warmup yesterday.
- Finally started landing double salchows again, and I know exactly what I fixed to make it happen.
- Am making progress identifying the culprit on my flying camel (I need to keep that free hip closed and facing down instead of letting it open out--Open hips are great for spread eagles, but bad for spins!).

Slush
- Chickened out of the axel both times when it was time to actually do it in a program run-through.
- My double salchow landings were still showing that little cheat mark < which means they could get downgraded to singles and get additional points subtracted on the GOE (i.e., an almost clean double worth less than a single! Arrghh!)
- Still managed to screw up my flying camel half the time. If only it were just ONE thing I did wrong on that spin. . . sigh. . .

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Fresh Snow
for the first time in 2 years (since my back fusion) I was able to do handstands in yoga class. Sorry, OT
Lyle

Fresh Snow:
Sit spin was okay.

I did a backspin wall exercise that secondary coach had given me. Had ONE good back spin and I swear it felt like it was on a solid BO edge...

Old Slush:
Then the ice got too slushy and the backspin went to hell after that! (How did I *DO* that one good spin anyway!?!)

No clean loop landings. Had one scary but clean landing on the flip...the rest was rubbish!!!

Scratch spin was traveling. Camel was iffy. Back sit from a pivot still refuses to go on a BO edge. (I figured I was too tired and that I better hold off on working on back sit from a back pivot until I get my backspin fixed first before I even attempt another back sit.

Fresh Snow again:
I sorta tried to fake one (or at least start getting the feel of it) by trying to do a back sit going thru a FI3 entry. One of my fellow skater says "Not a bad attempt actually..." (I think I've at least managed a back squat spin... LOL!!! )

HOORAY LYLE!!!

REALLY OLD SLUSH:
Apparently my weekend rink gang are pretty much "going wherever their coach is...", so I think we're all gonna disband. One of the ice dancers (who's probably 67-68 years old but still ice dances like he's 30) says that if his coach retires after March then he will hang up his skates too.

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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!!!

Just curious, how far cheated is that on the 2sal?

any idea why the axels went away?

I'm just learning my front camel - Lillian suggested that I open my free hip, or maybe keep the hip closed but open from the knee down, is that right?


THanks for your detailed posts. Sorry for all the questions, I'll probably never get to your level but I can daydream and imagine
Lyle

Aww, thanks, Lyle. But never say never! I was skating my first competition in Bronze less than 4 years ago (at 38) and I didn't know if I'd ever land an axel in my lifetime back then!

Ah yes, the eternal question about why axels come and go. Same reason cats always want you to let them out when they're in and let them in when they're out, I suppose. Axels just mess with your head and there are so many things you can do wrong as you step out onto the takeoff edge (some of which are just mental, but others which are very specific, like forgetting to keep the right shoulder back). I was stepping out for the axel right out of an Ina Bauer-loop landing before and I just wasn't getting enough outflow on the loop landing to set me up well for the axel. So I took out the loop and am now doing it from an Ina Bauer-RFI3turn, which is a new entrance. But now I have TOO much speed and it's scary to take off on an axel with speed (unlike the lutz or flip, which need some speed). Forget to keep the right shoulder back as you step out, or hold back and fail to get the weight onto the front of the foot on the takeoff edge and . . .it's waxel time!

On the camel, play with it and do whatever helps you get into the spin and stay into the spin. The flying camel is done on a back outside edge, so opening the free hip too much puts me on too much of an outside edge and I end up doing big outside edge circles instead of spinning, so I need to keep the free hip facing down and just let the foot turn out a little. But on the forward camel spin, I think it should be fine to turn the hip out because you're on an inside edge. On an inside edge spin, the equivalent problem would be having the free leg falling to the inside, putting you on too much of an inside edge). But hip closed or open, what's important is that you have the free leg extended and trailing *behind* you on the entrance to the spin.

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Wow! If you can do THAT, then. . . Axel shmaxel! LOL!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Fresh Snow:

• Finally I am back on the ice! I have been off since January 4th in a walking cast for my right ankle.
• I got new skates! They are grey suede with light blue laces (Klingbeil). They fit my feet wonderfully. My old Grafs will be a back up pair. I loved them, but they broke down pretty fast (18+mo).
  
• Ice was really empty, so worked on full moves patterns to break in my boots

Old Slush:

• Even though I have been in a walking cast since January 4th, my ankle isn't really better The pain isn't agonizing, just nagging. So, the doctor and physical therapist want me in the cast for another 3 weeks! I am in Sun Valley, Idaho only until the beginning of March, and it is skater's paradise! I get free ice since I did the club's website (still a work in progress btw), love my coach, have lots of free time since I am just working freelance, and often only have to share the ice with 1 or 2 other people. I wanted to get the most skating possible out of my time here, but now it looks like I won't be able to. Arg.
• Love my new skates, but they are still not 100% comfortable -- just that general stiffness that comes with new boots.

__________________
--
Natalie

http://www.ILoveTaB.com

TaBalie...I love the boots!

Wow, those are SO CUTE!! I don't dare skate in boots that cute. . .I'd ruin them the first day with scrapes and blade jabs and slices.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

OH, they are cute!!! I guess when you're back in SF, I'll just look down at your skates to find you then! (Yeah, I know. It's sad to leave Sun Valley. I could only imagine how nice it is up there skating with the stars and the outdoors and all.)

You just reminded me... I have to start saving up for my replacement purple boots! It's 2 years old as of this month, so I better start saving for a new pair. (Oh, the pain of needing to spend even MORE money... )

__________________
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!!!

Fresh snow:
Gah, I got my blades sharpened! Was quite scary until I skated around for a while. Landed a nice axel right in front of my coach. Coach: "I saw that! " Double sals were good today, I slowed down the takeoff a lot and that seems to help. I tried some double toes on a whim and they were so. much. better than ever before. What seemed to help was to wait for a long time on the BO edge and not rush the pick.

Old slush:
Double loops were terrible. I couldn't get my legs tight together. Rockers and choctaw pattern (!) was really shaky in MIF test runthrough. Let's just attribute that to two days off, shall we? And we still don't know who the judges are for my test next Tuesday.

STILL haven't choreographed program for Sectionals. At least I've picked music thanks to ISk8NYC!

Ohhhhhhhhh!!!! PRETTY Boots!!!

Details of "backspin wall exercise", please!!! I'm to the point where I feel like I may need another two years to get a consistent backspin.. and am willing to try just about anything to shorten that to an 18-month waiting/working period.

Thanks!

Beautiful boots, taBalie!

Old Slush: Back still a bit sore, bad enough to affect my skating. Was particularly having trouble with rear extension, and kept sticking my bum out. Meanwhile, Husband was sticking his bum out too, as he often does when skating backwards, so as you can imagine, our work in waltz hold didn't look too great! We ended up having to do several laps before our coach was satisfied!

Am watching the Europeans as I write, and forgot to turn them on and missed the Kerr's compulsory. grrr.

Fresh Snow: It actually was snowing on the way to the rink! Only a flurry, and it didn't lie (thank goodness!), but snow it was.

No good skating news - I am not skating well just now with this back. Did go up to "the stretch room", as it's called, and stretch out afterwards, and borrowed one of their gym balls for some exercises.

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

I'll let you know when I actually *get* it... right now it's not even working that well for me!

__________________
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!!!

Me2 ME2 mE2
Lyle

I've PM'ed it to you guys!!! Don't have it quite yet though, I'll warn 'ya! Hope it works better than me as of now.

Fresh snow:
Well, I figured out that I can do the loop... if I was near the WALL!!! Landed clean a few mini ones right in front of my secondary coach when I'm near the wall. Another coach also stood there and watch just to make sure that secondary coach wasn't dreaming about it. (The other coach then promptly takes his gloves and smacks me around...)

Old slush:
Now why oh why does she make me do guessing games when I'm barely awake and haven't had my coffee yet. She made me describe what you do when you're "checking" a 3 turn. She was looking for a particular word -- which turns out to be "twist." As for coffee -- ran out and didn't have enough time to make another batch.


But getting away from the wall? Needless to say, except for my lessons, I am to do those mini-loops along the wall until it's drilled in my head and I can do them in my sleep. THEN she'll try it away from the wall again. (Yes, we're dealing with whatever head stuff is going on with the loop head on...)

More fresh snow:
Well, I have to keep at it, but my waltz jump has improved and the free leg is finally kicking thru! HALELUJAH!!!!

__________________
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!!!

Thanks everyone!

Jazzpants - Congrats on the loop progress!!! How close to the wall were you when working on the loop? My problem with the loop is that when on the back outside edge I delay, and delay, and delay, and delay, and delay jumping (ie. chickening out). Then my coach suggested I try it from a right forward inside 3-turn. At first I would do the 3-turn and immediately jump -- the loops were tiny, but they were there. Then gradually I started really checking the 3-turn, then jumping, and the jump got bigger, better. For some reason the 3-turn entrance really helped me get over the fear I had.

__________________
--
Natalie

http://www.ILoveTaB.com

Right at the wall, actually.

Well, my primary coach thinks that I delay too long going into it and I should just "stop thinking about it and just JUMP!!!"

My particular fear issue seems to be a combination of falling (which is weird b/c I've now fallen a few times on other things) and on leaning into the circle on the landing. Having the barrier there to break my fall helps me to get more lean into the circle when I land and I end up landing it clean. Secondary coach also notices that I reach for that wall to hold on to, which also helps the lean into the circle. So what she wants me to do for now is to build up muscle memory of when I land it right and "get used to the lean." She doesn't want me to do them away from the wall for now (except during my lesson with my primary coach, of course.)

__________________
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 with Lyle! I doubt I'll make it to your level, but it's great reading, and great detail. Must start dreaming immediately! LOL!!!

Lyle....NAH! Your accomplishment is *definitely* "fresh snow"! And good for you.

Jazz.....good again on the loop work. You are gonna hit that one day really soon on open ice and the light bulb will come on and stay on. I just know it.

TaBalie.... love those very pretty and delicate looking boots. I would not dare put such a lovely pair on my feet. The very first day I stepped out on the ice in my first pair of custom boots I had a fall and got a big long slice down the side of one!

Fresh Snow:

---Started breaking in a new pair of boots Monday. While I did fall, at least I did not have a three inch slice in one of them, like the last time I skated in a brand new boot!

---Can now (...and "suddenly" it seems....) do some version of forward/back/forward/back/forward brackets, in a "straight" line, though I am aware of distinct edges when I do it, which means there must be the slightest of curve I guess? R side is kind of ok, L side is not so great, but I can eke it out.

---Landed two sal / toe loop / loop combos better than last week. One waltz / tap toe / flip.

---Making progress on the first of the Bronze level dances, the "Hickory Hoedown". Love that corny music and YEE-HAH beat. Am getting the drop three on the end pattern.


Old Slush:

---No "back" in the back camel....still. I just don't get it. I'm aiming for staying in the same circle as that created by the forward camel, yet every time I feel like I've done that, I look at the ice print --- and see a three turn, long edge, and the other camel attempt two feet away! It's not really a camel either. Sigh. Which makes it very hard to get to the third spin in the combo, a "tuck backspin".....

---My L knee did something on Friday. Some sort of tear or ...? I've hurt that knee so many times skiing it's pathetic. It may be coming back to bite me now that I'm pushing to lower my "sit" spin. I think that is what precipitated this, though it didn't show up until later. So being careful now on what I do while skating. Icing, compressing after activity, etc.

---Lutz attempts are actually improving, if even in nano-measurements. BUT there is about a six-inch flutz line still. Grrrr. Flip entry, LBI edge? Poor...it wanders....trying to fix that. Afraid of going for flip out of change edge spiral, LFO edge being last edge in spiral. I've only done it once, and it was really, really pathetically slow. I have balked EVERY other time I've tried!


---After glancing at the "breaking in new boots" thread, I'm ashamed to admit that while my feet feel very comfy, for the most part, in my new pair (ankles are a bit pushy), the tongues are quite stiff and I can't bend. It was like that last time, too. But, once broken in, LOVE THEM! Right now is not fun, plus the blade actually has a rocker, and my old ones are fairly flat.

Fresh Snow: Saw coach again, she was at Synchro sectionals for the week. Did 3.40 program clean, of course I have no doubles at the moment but I have managed a flying sitting, actually it is more of a big hop but ... it's fast and centered and done out of an inside spread eagle. Program is very serene and lyrical a total departure for me, but jumps are nice sow and flip are best of jumps with lutz coming in 2nd. Spins are all fine, all things considered.

Slush: Can't do rbi quick rockers, rbo yes the others no, leg on layback must be in an exact spot or pain is ...bad. Still going back and forth between strength and flexibility once I get stronger then more flexible and have to rebuild strength, it is a vicious cycle and rather annoying...sigh what's the old saying...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I need a tattoo ...

__________________
Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Congrats on the handstand, Lyle! I never was good at those but did win the *headstand* contest way back when in my gymnastics days. Now? Headstands hurt my head!!

For yesterday's session:

Fresh snow:

Can I repeat myself? I think I do all the time merely by saying, "hey, I actually got to go skating and got a good practice session in." It's not really so much that I go skating really infrequently; maybe it's just that it's such a struggle to fit it into my schedule (plus the 1.5 hrs of driving associated with each trip to the rink) along with everything else? Anyway, it felt good to be out there and work up a sweat! Did lots of work on 3s, oh yes, and ran through all 3 prelim dances with dance buddy.

Old slush (aka all snow in Western Washington! Didn't know there was any other kind of snow until I went to college in VT!)

Inside 3s: Yuck!!! Will hit on these in lesson tomorrow.

Not looking forward to Feb, when one sheet of ice will be dismantled, and later in the spring, when the Monday midday session will disappear until the fall. . . I love that uncrowded session!