A new practice thread for the week! sorry if Sweet and Sour has been used before I don't really remember what has been used or not!

__________________
beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

The only Sour is that I won't be skating this week unless I can find a public session I'm not used to skating.

Didn't skate last night as I had "taxi" duty for the kids. Wednesday's skating classes are over for this session.

I did have a relaxing fishing trip last weekend and rested my back (sciatica), so I should be ready to hit the ice as soon as I can find a session.

DBNY I'm glad you had another successful, if wet, vacation.

Sweet: Fourteenstep. Speed is good, and we got some little glitches in the placement of the pattern sorted out today. Still a bit behind on timing, but it's getting there! More improvement on three-turns in isolation. But so much to think about!! My main task now is to get them down to muscle memory, so they flow with the dances.

Sour: The European. After feeling so good about it yesterday, today it could not possibly have sucked any more than it did. But I'm determined to get it right!

Sweet:

* I had a VERY GOOD lesson today. Coach pronounced my alternating back power crossovers (or whatever they're officially called) very strong. I almost ran into the barrier coming out of the last sequence on the first side before transitioning to the "across the rink" before the 2nd side. So I have to allow for a bit of lobe-reshaping on the last sequence to give myself space to do the transition and set-up to go across the rink cleanly.

* 5-step mohawk sequence... much improved today... knock on wood. The whole sequence felt fairly smooth even the pesky RFI-LBI mohawks that I had been over-rotating into and rushing. Still has aways to go before being testable, though.

Sour:

* The weakest item today was Tango. Mostly I am lacking control on the RFI after the LBO swing and immediately before the promenade. I find that step sequence extremely awkward with partner (coach) and by myself it's very misshapen and wide-stepped. But the hated RFI3 was mostly better.

EXTRA: Good luck to all the skaters from my rink going to the Dance competition up at Lake Placid!!! (and to all other skaters also...)

Sweet: My coach asked me to put more extension/power into my axel takeoff. After I got over the scariness, the jumps were quite big, and the flow out was good. Later, when he was getting the harness ready for us to work on the double toe, he told me he wanted me to go do an axel - to get my confidence up for the 2toe. This made me feel good because it shows that my axel is here to stay! First 2loop in the harness was good.

Sour: I feel like I'm on a big, very long plateau with the double toe. I've seen zero progress over the last few weeks - I know this isn't true because the takeoff is much better, but darn it! I want one fully rotated and at least landed on something other than my backside.

__________________
"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Sweet: I have a new secondary coach!!! Now I have to think of an appropriate nickname for her! So far it's just your typical first lesson with a new coach and review...

Sour: I HATE my loop!!! I HATE my flip! And most of all, I HATE my backspin!!! They're EVIL!!! EVIL, I tell 'ya!!!

__________________
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!!!

Sweet:

~I got to have group lesson with 2 extra people,both of them are friends of mine who dont take them anymore but decided to drop in just for fun. It was a blast.

~I have an old book by Meribel Vinson (mother of Laurence Owen, 1961 US Champ and Olympic silver medalist in her own right) and its mostly figures. i tried the first two (FO and FI 8s) and they were a lot of fun and super easy.

~I got my skates back!!!!!!

~I skated to the end of the session.

~I figured out a new way to lace so my skates are supportive

~I stuck to my diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sour:

~I fell hard on my right knee again

~My spirals were low.

Sweet: Worked on basics all morning in my lesson because my back was playing up and, anyway, I'm not working for anything special just now. Discussed what to do for next year's Creative programme, but no real ideas as yet. Mohawks Much Improved, as were back inside edges.

Was massaging and stretching my back afterwards, and something went "click", but so far I'm not sure if that's good or bad! Good, I think, but it needs to rest now.

Sour: Anti-clockwise back crossovers simply didn't work at all, and clockwise ones were awful. As were my back chasses. Deep sigh. Didn't skate much outside my lesson because of my back. Even deeper sigh.

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

Sweet: Test day today and I passed my Harris Tango So now I'm on Sr. Silver Dances

__________________
beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

Congrats!!!

__________________
"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

WAY TO GO!!!!!!!

Oh, Brilliant! I can't even begin to do that Tango, and I know JenLyon struggles with it, you must be really good! Many, many congratulations.

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

Thanks everyone!

__________________
beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

Sweet: My ankle I sprained 4 months ago is almost 100% better.

Sour: The rink is closed for the summer.

I sprained my ankle earlier this year and was off for maybe two-three months and I know how much it stinks not to be on so hurray!!

__________________
beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

Sweet: Got complimented on my soft knees today. Am happy about my speed on the 14-step.

Sour: Seriously injured my toe this morning, and was worried I wouldn't be able to skate. I suffered through it, but now my toe is a variety of colours and hurts twice as bad. Not good. Three turns are good in isolation, then suck the big one when I have to time them properly for the European. The Ten-fox and I are at odds as well. The pauses in the timing are throwing me off.

Overall, just not a very good start to the day.

good job

Sweet:

~I HAVE MY WALTZ JUMP DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! My private coach ask me what i wanted to do and Im all waltz jumps. And she told me to show her one and i did and it was perfect.

~I had fun skating to music.

~I got my lunge lower.

~I found out that theres a streaching bar at our rink

~I got better arm positions on my spiral

~I got better back xovers.

Sweet: NUTTIN'!!! Well I take that back... the FI3 entry to the backspin is getting a bit better now...

Sour: I got gang coached today by BOTH my primary and my new secondary coach. Both were both going back and forth mentioning what was wrong with a particular move. By the time I got done, half the Freestyle session were having a good laugh at my expense!

The secondary coach says that she's gonna let me get away with stuff like that. And my primary coach then says "Yeah! I think I'm gonna be tough on you like <secondary coach's name> there!"

Did I mentioned that this is my very FIRST Freestyle morning session in about 6-7 months!?!?! (And I'm definitely a night owl!!!)

__________________
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!!!

Had a group lesson yesterday--

Sweet--
Got blades resharpened

Learned the 1/2 flip--now all I have to do is increase the height so it's not a fliphop...

Worked on stroking and I had more speed and power than I recall having. I think it's all the show practice, edge classes, and the nice sharp blades.

Did an RF spiral at the end of practice and got screams (the good kind ) from my instructor and another. The zam was coming out or I'd have gone around to do another one--I almost felt like I could have gotten my leg higher than it was... I also worked on my BAAAD side (and I mean BAAD...) earlier in practice and my LF spiral on a flat was the best I've ever done it, with the free leg turned out behind me over the tracing instead of out in doggie/fire hydrant land.

Sour--
Dratted choctaw into forward spin is getting the best of me. I can't seem to get the deep RFO edge that I need to turn the 3 and spin. My instructor also thinks it's time for new boots (and this was the first time on the ice that I noticed they're not supporting me well, especially landing from jumps...so yay, NEW BOOTS, here I come...)

Worked on waltz jumps, which were fine, but I can't get the timing of the LBO-RFO mohawk right. I keep rushing it and not moving my arms correctly so that I can use them during the jump. The same RFO edge that I need for spins feels scary when I go to take off for the waltz jump.

All Sour. My toe has gotten worse and worse; the whole thing is purple now, so I couldn't skate this morning. Now I can't skate until Tuesday, so I only have three lessons left before test day.

Oh dearie I hope your toe gets MUCH MUCH better before test day!

__________________
beks~
"winning isn't everything... wanting to is."

" the only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary"

"It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at pracitce that counts; it's what you put into the practice."

Sweet:
My synchro team actually has our new long program done all the way through, there's a few rough spots but it's coming along nicely. I also managed to add a little more speed and height to my salchow, and i'm about 1/4 of a rev away from a loop


Sour:
My spins - the most frustrating, inconsistent move I have. One week they'll be fast and centered and I'll actually FEEL that blade sweet spot. Next week they are back on the toepicks, travelling big inside edge loops and I'll be wobbling around like an awkward spinning top.

Sweet: Robert and I had such fun this morning; we're planning to enter the British Adult Championship (our Adult Nationals), and one of the requirements this year for Elementary Dance Couples is a Tango OD. We haven't got music yet - our coaches are looking some out for us - but we decided that time is pressing, so we would start working on things we can do, that can be put into the music. And find out what we can't do, too! We have a lovely end pattern now! But we need to find some "Highlights" - one friend suggested side-by-side drags, but I can't do a drag, alas.....

Sour: My back is still painful..... it was fine yesterday, too! Rats.

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

SWEET: Worked a lot on foward outside edges, and coach was VERY impressed. This was just my third private lesson, and he said he's so pleased with my progress. WOO-HOO! I'm going into FO3s with more speed, still need a little more flow coming out of the turn, but its coming. FI mohawks are looking and feeling much better, as are back crossovers. Basically, I'm just loving skating right now!

SOUR: The bruises around my ankles. I'm still trying to break in my boots, and they hurt so bad! I've been working a lot on bending my knees more, but the deeper I bend, the more the boots hurt, they are so stiff. Any suggestions for relieving the pressure on my ankles?