This is for yesterday morning:

Donuts:

I had such a good skate!

We only concentrated on the prelim foxtrot in my dance lesson - this was because it is the simplest and we were concentrating on details that are applied to all the dances, lol. Such as the exact pattern, and where your feet/legs/body/hips/shoulders/arms/head/eyelashes are at every moment, the exact direction to go in, etc.

Had a brilliant freestyle lesson! It was only meant to last 15 minutes but it was 25! We went through the jumps first, and worked on arm and leg movements to make sure it's exactly right. Waltz jump was good, so was salchow (more knee bend to get it bigger). I think the toe loop is my favourite jump. I did a normal one, and my coach was surprised that I'm already using the right arm movements naturally! lol. Also made more improvements on the loop, and landed some more. It's definitely starting to feel easier and more natural. I also did a waltz-toe loop combo, haven't done it for ages but I still got it! 8) Oh yeah, and she said we're gonna start working on flips next lesson! Woohoo!!!

Still in freestyle lesson (we got through a lot! lol), 1 foot spin not bad. (actually, the first one I did (from standstill) was the best I'd done all morning! lol). Still travelling a bit but not as much as before. It's definitely improved though - I was finding the right part of the blade automatically for the first time!!!!!!!! This is feeling more natural too. Yay! And we worked a lot on the "hook" of the spin, which I have been having a lot of trouble with, ie I couldn't do it. I got a lot of "almost"s, mucho improvement.

Double 3s good - my RBI3 has returned and I did numerous good BO3s (read somewhere what practicing BO3s on your landing foot can help with the loop). Also, my FI and BI pivots are still improving, both ways.

D'oh:

Um... the session ended? Oh yeah, and my ankle aches a bit. That's it!

Rachel x

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

I had the lesson to myself this morning, as Robert is still in Scotland. He said on the telephone last night that he was very stiff, so I don't know how much walking he will get done today - nor how well he'll be able to dance tomorrow night I am still open-mouthed at his luck at having his test postponed....

Doughnuts: Ran through my free dance twice in my lesson; we have made one final tweak to the choreography - the only problem now is ending it! I don't slow down enough, and the only way I can reliably stop is to do a snowplough..... oh dear....

Someone put a Blues on and I ran through our Variation Rhythm Blues solo - surprised myself that I covered as much ice as I do when I am dancing it with Robert! Now, if only I could do that with the compulsory dances I'm doing for Oxford.....

D'oh: My backwards stroking is still dreadful - I simply can't get the sort of push I want. You know, right down to the toes so you are practically pre-extended when you lift your foot off the ice. It just doesn't happen. I was either too straight in the knees, or hunched forwards.... WHY can I not master this most simple of all skills, that most people find far and away easier than forward stroking????? I know, visualise a string between your shoulder-blades pulling you back, but it doesn't always work....

We dancers kept getting in the way of the free skaters! It happens, but it's annoying for the poor free skater who is trying to have a lesson. Of course, we say that they are in our way, but that isn't always the case!

I had to go to the rink on public transport, Robert still being away, and had forgotten how thoroughly nasty early-morning buses are on a Sunday. Stink of beer..... And there was nobody to cook me my Sunday-morning bagel when I got home.....

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

I like the name of this!
Donuts:
My program is coming along very good! yippee! i ran through it 2 times today and i might have to run through it maybe 2 times tonight!
i can feel my speed increasing in my backward crossovers, it feels really good! i also worked on my forward crossovers and i am trying to get the right technique. it was hard. oh well, i will work on them tonight.

D'Oh:
I don't think anything was D'Oh this morning, actually my spins were not the best but they were ok.

Why don't you experiment with a one foot snowplough? Not neccesarily with the other foot off the ice, but with only one foot doing the actual stopping. It can look more elegant than a two foot snowplough (if that is the problem), and you can experiment with varying knee bend, body position and arm position to suit the program. (Does that make any sense?) Just a thought! (Or you coud work on a 1 foot stop, kind of like a hockey stop but with - if you're turning clockwise - your left foot stopping you and your right foot held out in front of it. I think it's actually called a show stop? Correct me if I'm wrong, which I probably am, lol)

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

Today I skated at the public session at a different rink (more figure-skater friendly--I don't think they even rent hockey skates out) and one of the rink staff had a lovely sit spin. So did someone who was skating with him--hers was even lower and the free leg was very turned out. It was neat to watch. Another girl had a killer scratch spin but then was trying to practice her lutz and axel (and this was a fairly crowded public session)!

Donuts:
CW crossovers (and CCW weren't bad considering it's been 3 weeks since I last skated)

RFO 3-turns (nearly did an RFI 3-turn, which I haven't learned yet, then wound up in puddle at one end of the rink)

I did my first back crossovers (CCW) today!!!! I started by working on my RBO edges and picking up my front foot, just to see where the weight should be. Then I thought, hmm, why don't I just cross my left foot over and put it down. It wasn't pretty but I did a few in a row. Almost nearly wiped out, too, so I'm glad my next lesson series starts Saturday, we'll be working on back crossovers there. (I tried CW but couldn't hold the LBO edge well enough to feel very comfortable lifting the free leg. It was somewhat crowded, so it was hard to practice this edge while looking out and moving away from traffic.)

Dunno: (halfway between Donuts & D'oh)
One foot CW spin--was okay sometimes but travelly. I couldn't count my tracings because the ice was soft and puddly (but somehow not hard to skate on).

D'oh:
Stroking! I don't know where my toe point and edge pushing went! It felt !terrible! even though I made myself go around the rink a few times before starting to work edges, crossovers, etc.

Could you try finishing the dance by travelling backward somehow and then do a backward one-foot snowplough? I find these easier and a bit more graceful looking than a forward snowplough or forward one foot snowplough because in the backward snowplough, the leg/foot of the stopping foot are turned out (you're stopping on an outside edge).

Somehow I think it is easier to come to a quick stop with the backward snowplough--maybe the weight going backward onto the outside edge that grabs the ice has something to do with it. On forward snowplough (two or one foot) I can only coast to a stop and can't stop as quickly...

Donuts
Only 3 on the ice.
I didn't fall today.
Flip was fine, and managed the lutz.
Flip-loop was a bit iffy though.
D'oh
Parallel and backspins not so hot.
Especially the backspin.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Icenut said:Trouble is, if I could do those, I wouldn't have a problem.....

And Mikawendy very sensibly suggested:
Well, you see, that's what I had been doing - turning round and going backwards, and in turning round I had lost such a lot of speed that it was easy to come to a very tidy halt and twirl round (not, alas, a pivot, which is too hard for my feeble prowess). However, neither my coach nor I could think what I could do going backwards - I had originally been doing left-right-left on two feet and then back cross-cuts, but I am now doing back cross-cuts in another part of the dance, and no point in repeating them; my continuous back cross-rolls are not yet good enough, and I'm all chasséd out by that stage. But the one thing I haven't yet done are forwards cross-rolls, and if I just turn round on 2 feet still going forwards (or even on 1 foot, as I don't have to go backwards) I don't lose any speed, and I actually gain speed on forwards cross-rolls. So what I need to be able to do is twirl gracefully to a halt and the final curtsey!

Oh well, there are still 3 weeks.

Doughnuts: even though I haven't yet skated today! I came home from work to find a telephone message offering me the use of something I shall badly need if I am to do the interpretive programme I think I'm going to do..... No more details until it's been finalised, but that is a Big Step Forwards. I'm not even going to start work on it seriously until after Oxford Seniors, but it's great to know that the prop is there and waiting.

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

Donuts (fresh glazed): We had the most perfect, smooth, just the right texture, temperature and "feel" ice yesterday at my home rink. Since I'm still just "playing" until the new skates are ready, I just did edges and some things. Back outside edges were the BEST they've ever been, insides flowed better, too. Forward inside pivot out of stroking was smashing, ouside edge spiral nice, waltz jump out of crossovers was postively Krispy Kremey!!!!

Dunkin' Munchkins, not full Donuts: Back edges out of back crossovers with speed. I have to get my head together to do the first one--I keep trying to do another crossover! Not too bad, though.

D'oh, and I DO mean D'OH!!!: I recently got my 30 year old Schwinn bike rehabbed to give myself some good leg muscle building cross training. Got the helmet, decided to take the bike out yesterday morning for the first time. This critter has toe clips--those metal cages to keep your foot from sliding too far forward on the pedal; HOWEVER, sneakers in 1972 were not as big and heavy as they are now. I checked both sides, and my feet appeared to move in and out of the clips OK. Walked the bike across the street to a quiet cul de sac, (Thank Heaven) started riding, and couldn't get my left foot into the toe clip. I braked put my left foot down, and attempted to get my right foot out of the toeclip. It wouldn't budge, I lost my balance and bike and I went down to the right. THANK GOD FOR SKATING INSTINCTS--when I realized I was going to fall, I shifted my weight to my right hip and butt. As a result, I just ended up with a half dollar sized bruise on my hip (I had denim stretch shorts on, another Thank Heaven, heavier fabric) and no other damage--not even scratch. Fifteen minutes later, after a quick trip to the basement for a screwdriver, the toe clips were in the trash and I was off on a good ride!!!

BIG WONDERUL CHOCOLATE DONUTS WITH SPRINKLES: I called Klingbeil, and barring no unforseen circumstances, I will get my new boots with new blades this Saturday!!!!! Oh, I hope there won't be any holdups!!! I can't wait!!

Doing the happy dance (and a little nervous about the new skates),

Beth 8)

Hmm. Another possibility - my favourite way to stop is by doing a kind of spread eagle. You go forwards on 2 feet, then start to rotate your body to e.g. the right a little and turn your right foot to backwards at the same time. You are in a sort of inside spread eagle position but you can bring it to a stop straight away, which is what I do. You end up doing 3/4 or a full circle, quite small though. I love doing that! (And I don't have particularly open hips, so don't worry about that, and I've never learnt a proper spread eagle). You don't have to be able to do a spread eagle, it doesn't last long and you stop almost straight away. I kind of taught myself that way to stop - I don't even know if it's a proper move or if I invented it! lol. Try it. It probably won't feel very natural at first but gets better and better. I'm now teaching it to myself going the other way. It feels graceful and is a nice way to stop! Maybe you could try that? Hope that helps!

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

How about this?

On two feet, take up a "dive bomber" position with arms, both arms straight, shoulders angled slightly downwards to one side, left arm and hand pointing downwards and right arm and hand pointing upwards (palms down).

On two feet, take an edge and curve round the dropped arm (anti-clockwise taking a gradually tightening edge so that you spiral towards the centre of the circle.

After about one to one-and-a-half revolutions, do a two footed three turn and continue the movement backwards, progressing in a fairly tight circle (almost like a two foot spin). You will slow down and should be able to end up facing the judges by braking imperceptibly with your toe picks. Or you could lift left foot and dig in toe pick to stop.

As you are going backwards, change your arm position so that arms are stretched above head, palms pointing inwards. Or alternatively,as your program has a Scottish theme, finish off with right elbow bent with right hand knuckles on hips and left hand above head in a sword-dancing pose.

Donuts - I can consistently do a salchow now but it's still kinda funky but atleast it's happening. Next private lesson we'll work on fixing it. Mohawks are getting better, we're practicing them ALOT now so that's good. Last night's lesson was all MITF so it was very gentle on my knees and back. Brackets actually have flow now, could be much better, but they never had flow before.

D'oh - My left knee and ankle have been really sore, I think it's from practicing my scratch spin (or more accurately TRYING to practice my scrach spin. :-) anyway so I am having to crack my ankle constantly and rotate it. I read in this book about choreography for figure skating that after you skate you can put your legs up, like put them up against the wall and you lie flat on your back and actually it does feel really good. My left leg is the bad leg because I have bursitis in my hip (have for years) and as a result I've favored the leg and developed some other problems in the leg which if I didn't excercise hard wouldn't be as noticeable. Am starting sharing a personal trainer next week so hopefully he can help me address this problem.

Back on the ice last night for the first time in a while. FINALLY got over my cold, but I'm still babying my shoulder (strained rotator cuff muscles).

No donuts or d'ohs. Couldn't practice much of anything as I wouldn't allow myself to use my arms at all until this shoulder heals. Basically took a speed skater's stance with my hands clasped behind my back.

I never realized how hard it is to do a mohawk or 3-turn without using your arms.

Still, it was great being on the ice!!!!!!!

Doughnuts: My last lesson on my old skates!!! (Barring unforseen circumstances at Klingbeil). Worked on finessing waltz jump arms out of crossovers, getting half flip fully around and relearning ballet jump.

D'oh: Half lutz. Geez, this is awkward; however, it become more doughnuts than d'oh as we worked on it. I have to remember to really get that right foot behind (almost a reverse crossover) for the intial pick, and then bring the left foot around and through. Still, its such a weird feeling jump.

I'm picking up the new blades tonight, then its off to Klingbeil and back to the sharpener, and I should be trying them out at Freestyle on Sunday. Coach wants me to do 10 minute shifts--get the intial feel, stroke for 10 minutes, go off ice, loosen laces. Re-lace, try crossovers for 10 minutes, off ice, etc. Then try edges for 10 minutes, you get the idea. I'm nervous and excited and I can't wait!!!

Beth the jumpy little squirrel doing the happy dance

Thanks to all for their suggestions. I haven't had a chance to do the dance since I posted (last night was Dance Club, and there isn't much time for your own affairs).

Gary, it may be hard to do 3-turns and Mohawks without using your arms, but it is extremely good for your skating to try! My first coach used to say that arms didn't matter - as long as you had full movement in your shoulders, you could be a double amputee of the arms and still skate extremely well. So the more you practice the better!

Anyway, for Dance Club:

Doughnuts: Finally saw my dear husband for the first time since Thursday! He was incredibly stiff, but it didn't stop him dancing. We danced well, I thought.

D'oh! However, half way through the session, my left blade suddenly decided it wanted to be sharpened. I spoke to the man who usually sharpens them for me, and he can't do it until next week. I have put a bit of an edge on myself, with an oilstone, and will get my coach to do a bit with his hand-sharpener, but now they want to be sharpened, nothing else will do. And I hate the first hour on newly-sharpened blades!

Robert went off and danced with someone else during the Golden Skaters' Waltz, which is one of the dances we are practising for competition, which wouldn't have mattered, but it was the only time it was danced that session. Oh well.....

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

This is actually a true story. I was skating with a friend (I forget where, I'm such a rink slut. :-) And there was this young guy there with the kinda half arms with the little hands at the end, I think it's a birth defect that was kinda prevelent in the US, I think some chemical like "ceramide" or "salidimide" caused it. He was JUMPING and skating like you wouldn't believe so yeah my guess is you could skate if you were a double amputee and pretty fearless. He did seem to fall alot when he jumped so maybe arms help but they aren't necessary. :-)

I do agree with you. I have been able to do a little, but I've not been able to put much shoulder rotation into the turns for fear of straining the muscles. But you're right, it has taught me a whole lot more appreciation for bent knees and good balance.

thalidomide, probably. it was a drug given to pregnant women to prevent morning sickness but ended up causing birth defects.

my old coach used to tell me the same thing, that your arms are just extra you can do anything in skating without them. i always had trouble using my arms cause i'm an irish dancer....no arms there

I heartily concur on the arms. The less arms I put into three turns, the better they are.

Beth

I wasn't feeling very motivated today due to the fact that my daughters beautiful and sweet natured bunny has caught myxamatosis and we have to make the decision whether to let the vet put him out of his misery tomorrow. It's hard to let him go but I guess he's not getting much out of life at the moment. Wish I'd known about the importance of getting bunnies vaccinated.

Anyway my coach took pity on me and didn't make me practice the compulsory dances (which I don't enjoy much but I am supposed to be competing in 3 weeks)

so do'nuts
getting my coach to show me how to do double 3's (Fo3, BI3). Following on from posts above about arms I asked him what I should do with my arms for these and he said 'as little as possible' - the theory being that if you can do these (or anything else) using just knee bend/ body weight movement then you are free to add in expressive/decorative arms later. I can nearly manage these starting with the RFO3 but find it much more difficult to get the weight shifted back on the left foot (now maybe if I had less weight to shift it might be easier )

d'oh
he then said he'd have a look at my spin - well that has gone completely to pot - travelling everywhere, mainly because I am failing to get a deep enough curve on my initial LFO3.
He then decided we'd try sit spins instead - well I'd never tried these before and I had no idea how to get into it. I tried a few and he thought practising the position in a 'teapot' (shoot the duck??) might help. He demonstrated and then commented how it was getting more & more difficult for him to get back up from these with every passing year (and he's a good 10 years younger than me!!!!)

(back to do'nut)
Anyway amazingly it seemed to do the trick - I tried the sit spin, got into the position, did two very smooth revolutions rose up and finished off with a couple of beautiful upright rotations. I think I surprised my coach as much as myself. He looked at the tracing (lovely circles all on top of one another) after and said 'well I daren't ask you to do another one' so we left it at that but i am looking forward to trying it again!

In other circumstances i'd have been thrilled by today's lesson and my sit spin but sadly it doesn't seem as if anything can help my poor bunny

When I was learning 3-turns my coach actually had me do them with and without arms to get a feel for the importance of bending the knee.

Hay-loo everyone!

DOUGHNUTS!!! ok, FINALLY, FINALLY landed a clean double axel on one foot... from a spread eagle (is way easier for me). :: does a dance ::

D'oh!!! errr... after forcing myself to skate with a cold...it turned into a wonderful sinus infection. Hmmm...fell over on a cross over this morning... my low point!!

*patt99*

Sorry to hear this. My oldest son (17) lost his pet rabbit last month. He was very sad as his bunny has been his security blanket in times of stress for several years.

Sadly, life goes on in this continuous cycle.

My best to you.

Donuts
Initially the only one on the ice, I did a 2.5 minute warm-up (or thereabouts as I didn't have a stopwatch!), then tried to do my programme and it was a complete and utter D'oh !!
Not to be outdone but missed jumps and aborted spin and slips and trips (this was all in the first MINUTE), I tried again.
I managed it - just - in my lesson.

The lutz is also D'oh. I don't have anything to put in the Donuts today.

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

Donuts - I love donuts. I went to the public session to practice a bit, and for a social skate. I had some nice camel jump camels, huge flips and a couple ok double sals. The nicest part of the night was a comment from someone who had been to the recent show where I skated my Golden Pond program. He said he really enjoyed the performance, an that he could feel the skating and see a loon floating over the ice. Made my season!