HP Got a little extra time in my lesson last night. She looked at my spins while we waited for my turn to get my music played. She pronounced the sit "getting there" and reminded me to hold the backspin longer on the camel/backspin. Then I went through my program for the competition on Sat. She said it had good parts and the footwork part gets stronger every time I do it. I had some trouble with the single loop at the end of the footwork, but after practicing it a number of times, it was right on.

Dell Flip - I am missing it about half of the time in the program. It is not consistent with any speed and I really have to think about it. We are still keeping it in the program. One more practice session before Sat.

This is from yesterday's private lesson -

"my iPod touch": I'm still flippin' and loopy! Again, spent a majority of the lesson working on the flip and loop. They're not perfect yet, but they're almost fully rotated, usually one foot landing, and at least recognizable enough that the coach called over the other private student (a little girl) (who is also trying to learn how to do a loop) to see my loop jumps. I really just need to spend an hour or so just working on these (not on lesson) to play around with them and get the rhythm down. With the loop, I just need to relax and "let it happen." And not forget to bring my arms along for the ride, LOL. I get thinking about my feet and then I forget about what my arms are supposed to be doing. On the flip, I have to make sure not to rush the mohawk, for some reason I keep trying to rush the first step and it just doesn't work out too well that way. Also to bend the knees during the mohawk. We got a chant going . . . stroke, stroke, BEND, BEND, pick&jump!! (forward stroke 2 times, then a nice smooth inside mohawk with BENT knees . . . some decent jumps that way).

She always makes me do waltz jump and sal to warm up. 1st couple of sals were dicey because I was rushing the takeoff - got much better results after waiting a split second longer before the actual takeoff (I think it just allowed my free hip to come ALL the way around and square up - feels a lot easier/better that way too!).

"BONUS app" - didn't have to go on the harness this time!!

"My Dinosaur PC": why do I keep landing flat footed on the loop and how do I fix that? Just think really hard about pointing the toe? Am I not getting enough height? I can hear the thud when it happens, but I'm not quite sure why I am doing it (just on the loop).

also, had to spend a little time at the very start of the lesson, picking apart waltz-toe loop - (knew I was in trouble when coach came over to inspect the ice marks!!). I wasn't fully rotating the toe loop for some reason. as best we could figure out, I just need to get down in the knee more & get a little more "spring" on the toe loop. I did finally get a few that she was satisfied with.

iPad Touch:
I was teaching camels, sit spins, and camel-sit spin combinations last night and I was able to demonstrate them. Yay me!

Mac:
Inside spirals are awesome when your skates won't let you do outside edges, hahahaha!

TRS80:
Really hate doing jumps on these skates. Terrifying and arrrrggghhhh...

IBM ThinkPad:
Footwork is clumsy, clumsy, and sloppy.

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Point the takeoff toe and keep it pointed, CHECK the shoulders to the skating side, and keep the free knee in front until the landing toepick touches.

Try doing backspin-jump-backspin as an exercise - since it doesn't travel, it makes finding the toepick easier.

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Good:
I'm just thrilled that I can now step on the ice after a 4 day absence and not teeter around like a newborn baby horse for the first 10 minutes. Also, I shocked myself today when the coach told me how to do a two footed spin, and I did it and actually got a couple of turns.

Bad:
Backward swizzles are causing me more trouble than I think they should.

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I'm a boy, and I can figure skate if I want to.

Impersonal Computers:
Managed to demonstrate a few straightened threes for jump entrances.
Spins were recognizable, but I think I can make it to Vancouver with the mileage points.

Big Macs:
I'm dying to jump but I know I'll kill myself on these skates.
Taught a student how to do a change-foot spin, but it was really hard to demonstrate because the right skate is so strange.

Wall-E:
My new skates have been shipped and are heading down south!
Hopefully, the snow will hold off until I can get the blades mounted and try the skates out.

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PC: Double run-throughs of program today.

MAC: Second run -through actually went really well. I think I have presentation skills finally Plus I didn't bail out on the last jump combo.

__________________
~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

Mac:

Went through the entire Silver moves test during my lesson tonight and my coach was in awe - I even got a "wow" on my power pulls!

Jumps were also quite good tonight. Everything felt very springy and my coach said I did the best flip she's seen me do in 2 years! It had lots of height, speed and for once, I didn't hammer pick!

PC:

Lutzes were not to be tonight but that's OK. The takeoffs just didn't feel right and now I that I think about it, I wasn't really reaching back with my right arm on the takeoff. I'll correct that in my next lesson on Sunday and I'm sure they'll be fine.

Spins weren't really happening tonight but I was also sliding around on my edges quite a bit, so I'm fairly certain I need a sharpening. I'll get that done after my Saturday morning club ice.

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Mac:

Finally got in a couple of decent tries at the spirals with my primary coach

PC:

Am trying to do the FO mohawks for the 8 step mohawks seq. Kinda not getting it yet. Almost killed myself thru the click of death too!!!
Forward power pulls SUCKED today!!!

Mac:

One side of the mohawks was well enough where the coach decided to try the entire pattern. Not bad for a first try with the new mohawk try...

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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!!!

Lesson this morning!

Bad:
Was in a minor car accident on Monday (as in both cars driveable, not even fixing mine until I'm away for ANs, didn't even call police) and my lower back was a teeny bit sore on and off all week, REALLY noticed it today when I went to do a back sit.

Had problems with the sound system at my rink, it was very irritating. The CD players would not play CDs, the only way to play our music was via iPod hooked up to it and the wire we had was very pesky and wouldn't work unless it was draped over the top of the sound system just right, and it still sounded like total crap. That really pisses me off when you have to waste so much ice/lesson time messing with the rink's crappy equipment. Good thing I even had my iPod on me, usually I don't, and wouldn't have had music at all.

Good:
Coach started going through my program and polishing it up. Really, really like the nice transition he put from my loop jump into the spin after it that changes my forward-back sit combo to a back sit-forward sit-pancake. Which (see above) I couldn't really do today, but when I can it will be sweet.

We played with my step sequence a little bit, too, and once I get it down I think I'll like it. I now have to touch the ice before my RBI counter to give me some more up/down stuff going on, he took out my super comfy RBI double 3s and put a rocker choctaw (and that's my side for those) and some thing that feels really goofy in the middle of my power 3s, but goes with the music well so once I get over the awkwardness it'll work.

And nothing is more fun and hilarious than making my (straight male) coach do choreography to girly music. I think I'm going to deliberately pick girly music from now on because it's so amusing to watch him.

Lutzes are getting better, he had me do a few drills today that really seemed to help. Want these back to where they were before I got hurt

Also started working on wallys, coach wants to put one in toward the end of my program. I tried to teach these to myself earlier this year but they were weird, and all I did was changed edges before taking off and just did a really bad loop instead. He just had me doing counter drills and then thinking of a counter but jumping before the turn (and only doing a half wally), once I get this down I'll try the full thing. Not sure if I'll get it in time for my program at ANs but I'll try. They look so easy once you get that awkward takeoff down.


Tonight I'm going to Wal-Mart for inspiration and maybe a costume for my LE/C program (ha ha yes, Wal-Mart is the inspiration for my interp...), hopefully cutting the music, and starting choreography tomorrow.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

Ipod Touch: Good lesson this morning. The last couple of times we have "split" my lesson time - 15 minutes first thing on the session, then she teaches a couple of her kids who have a tendency not to show up on time, then she comes back to me. Works out fine because we have been spending the first half on moves, then I finish getting warmed up and we move on to spins or jumps the second half.

Consecutive edges, only minor nitpicks on the forward ones. Backward ones were better than last time.

Flips were nice and big today.

Had time to work on the axel during my second half. I'm getting over my right side much better than I ever have. Now I just need to jump a little bigger so I have a little more air time to finish the rotation.

Dell: Got busted for toe-pushing on the crossovers on the ends of the forward perimeter stroking. Oddly enough, I did it worse on my CCW ones which are supposed to be my "good" side.

PC all the way - Ran over by the flu truck since wednesday afternoon.
Cancelled my lesson this morning, didn't even see Jeremy on TV, was too busy shivering under the covers.

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It's all about the dress!

You can watch it online!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/261848...43984#35143984

I hope you feel better soon!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Off topic, I know, but you should always at least call the police and report the accident. I was in a very minor fender bender about 4 years ago and the other driver sued me after the fact, claiming all kinds of things, and fortunately we had called the police and so had his record of how minor it was.

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August 22, back on the ice!

Rachel - car accidents must be going around. Although mine was admittedly not minor ... Glad to hear that you're ok and the car is too.

I broke my no-skating rule when I got an unexpected day off this week. But it was nice to finally do something fun rather than workworkworkworkwork, and I felt much really good afterwards. Plus, I tried out the new Senior moves patterns - really not that scary! Spirals are much easier, and the step sequence actually removed the evil double rocker and is totally manageable. I'm so relieved, because I don't think I will be able to test before the changeover, and was despairing of ever passing a more difficult Senior test. Now I think the new moves might actually be better!

Hi

This is for my Tue and Fri lesson and practice this week (had lesson on Friday evening too, coz coach said that she has an available slot at 8:00 p.m.)

Macs (Good, coz I like Macs too)

Forward and backward crossovers: seemed to be getting more power and speed.

Waltz jump: well, at least can trace the jump on the ice.

Toe loop: well, I suppose that it is okay. (Coach got a scratch spin rush this week for me, did not ask me to do any jumps on both days' lesson)

Salchow: I can feel that the jump is higher.

Change foot spin: well, not too bad, given that I have a full day's work just before skating.

Backspin: the open leg position is getting better, just cannot cross for more than 1 rev yet.

Sit spin: well practised on them, seemed to be getting slightly lower, and the good thing is that I did not fall over at all.

Loop: tried them during Tue's practice after lesson, at least doing something resembling them, and landing on the correct feet too.

Scratch spin (with leg in front): well slowly able to hold leg in front for 1 to 3 revolutions, before crossing. I suppose that that is an improvement.

One foot spin: when hit right on sweet spot on the right feet blade, can hit anything to between 11 to 21 revolutions.

PC (Bad, as using my mom's PC now, which is really slow)

Mohawks (both left and right): needs to work on them. When doing separately, it is fine, when doing them after crossovers, tend to rush them and so lost the shape.

Entry position: coach fixed it for my scratch spin. Well, eventually got it.

Scratch spin (with leg wider at the side): cannot do it yet. Once come to the front, will have lost the height and the momentum. Coach getting increasingly frustrated with me, as will just ask me to work on this for half of my lesson (15 to 20 minutes) and not do anything else. However, she also asked me to do the spin with the leg in front method. I then get confused. She then told me after my lesson that please to practise more (well she must be referring to the spin.) Well, not that I do not practise, just that I do not know which way to practise.

Saw a very good Chinese coach there, he has lots of students and teaches very well. Even 2 of my current coach's students already changed to this Chinese coach, so must be something to do with my current coach's teaching method. I just need a good tact about how to explain to her if I am going to switch coach, as do not want to burn bridges with her, as may need to go back to her again in the future. Well, I could consider Friday night lesson, earlier night time session with current coach (requested her not to touch on scratch spin), and let the Chinese coach fix me (his current lesson availability is probably at 9:30 p.m.) Still have 2 more lessons with my current coach before I made up my mind as to whether to switch coach. My coach does not teach on Monday, Wed evenings. So maybe if tell coach that I cannot skate on Friday evenings coz of work, maybe that will work, I do not know. Wish that something is going to work out.

Practised on lots of scratch spins Friday after lesson, the way that I could do it with leg in front. Eventually left the rink at 9:30 p.m. as my legs getting cramps. If I continued to skate, will have an accident.

Hubby thought that I have been swallowed by the ice as got home so late.

MAC 1st place at the competition today!! Plus my mom came to see me compete for the first time today. Everything just felt wonderful, jumps, spins, footwork, spirals My mom could see a difference from the last time she saw me skate, more confidence, more presentation skills/extensions.

PC The last spin and jump were a little shaky compared to the warm up. Plus I had to kind of fake the ending so I would finish facing the judges, everything was reverse from my home rink, but overall a very good day.

Now I got to keep working so I can get to ANs sometime soon...

__________________
~Always Dream!~

Check my progress at www.freewebs.com/sk8tegirl06

Hi sk8tegirl06

Congrats on getting 1st place in the competition. You should make it to the AN one day.

How old are you currently? You must be the future star of ice skating.

londonicechamp

Report from today's lesson & practice:

Mac:

Flips continue to be awesome! I'm concentrating more on the takeoff and now they are huge and have lots of ride out on the landing! Flip-loop was also really awesome, too!

Lutzes were WAY better today than on Thursday. I think once I start bringing my camcorder and can see what I'm doing, I'll be able to fix all of the little issues I'm having with it!

Camels and sit spins were pretty good today, too. I'm working on sitting much lower in my sit spin and actually had a couple of low ones that I was able to exit!

PC:

It was not a good moves day. 3s in the field were "meh" but I did just get a sharpening and am readjusting to actually having decent edges again!

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I've got mad salchow disease!

Mac: I took my Int. Moves test and managed to finish all the moves fairly easily.

PC: I fell on my back power 3's and ran into the wall at least three times along with a trip (all on the same move...) and got a retry from two judges even after a re-skate (one gave me a 18.7 and the other 18.8 I believe...).

Mac: One judge (supposedly the strictest) passed me over by .2

PC: I'm not that frustrated that I didn't pass (even though I felt that I skated fairly well other than that one move), it was the point spread between the judges that got to me. One judge passed my brackets over by .1 while another had me under by .2 - that's alot!!! While one judge said I had good acceleration on my cross-overs, another said i started increasing speed really late. And now I have to find another test session that fits into my schedule (hopefully before the end of the school year) so I can pass before the test changes.

FlyAndCrash - Sorry to hear about the back power 3's giving you trouble. They were the bane of my existence when I tested Intermediate MIF! Now I do them as a warmup every time I skate, figuring someday I'll have the guts to retest. . .

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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

iPad:

Been snowing of late. Lots of places to ski. Joined fun classes in Salsa and Swing, Viennese Waltz.

PC:

Sick with the ick the past few days. Can't skate, dance, or join ski trips, else might give other people the ick.

Couldn't do nothing but surf the stupid internet.

Must be a new computer virus. It's all Microsoft's fault.

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