Oops: Robert and me, practising our runs round the circle: Me: "Left! Right! Left! Right!"
Robert: "Are you sure you don't mean 'Right! Left!'"
Me, blithely: "No, this is my left leg!" Pause. Blush. "Oh, no, nor it isn't!"

Oh well, the coach agreed how much better our runs round the circle were, when we showed them off to him in a hiatus in our lesson.

Again, he kept us off the Swing Dance, so we danced the Fiesta (much better!), the Canasta and the Rhythm Blues, which was nearly disastrous as a young man started his parallel spin just in our line of fire, and I yelled at him afterwards, which I probably shouldn't have done, but I was seriously frightened!

Ooh! Dances seemed to be much better this morning; but I am seriously stiff now! I don't know whether it is just that I'm working harder now that competitions loom on the horizon, or whether I'm just end-of-winter unfit..... but I could hardly keep awake in Church!

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

Annabel, I misread your thread as "ouch or oops" and thought, hmm, that fits for me this week! No skating for me this past week because I've had a nasty cold/sinus infection for over a week. And I reluctantly decided this past Thursday to cancel my volunteer shifts at Worlds this past weekend. (When I started running a fever on Wednesday I had to decide what to do and figured I didn't want to leave my volunteer coordinator in the lurch by not telling her until Saturday when I was supposed to show up!)

Debbie S kindly offered to let me use one of her tickets to the practice session today (thanks Debbie!) but I stayed at home and rested instead.

(BTW Debbie, how'd your test and the dreaded loop go?)

Hi Mika,

I passed FS4! At the beginning of the lesson I told Ronnie (my instructor) how I'd landed them in practice Tuesday and Thursday - really, I did! We practiced them and, unfortunately, the only one I landed really cleanly happened when he wasn't looking. I landed some on my right toe pick (usually what happens is I have my feet crossed and don't really complete the jump, so this was a new mistake ) Several times, our instructor called us over to give us some tips, and I did demonstrate correct technique, albeit in slow motion. At the end of the lesson, though, he said that if I felt the jump was improving and kept practicing it, I could move up to FS5. Phew! I definitely didn't want to spend another 6 weeks in level 4. Now it's on the the flip and the camel spin.

In other news, my sit spin is improving and I can even do it in combo with a scratch spin. And, my scratch spin is improving to the point where it actually looks normal. Plus, I figured out how to do back 3 turns correctly. And, I rediscovered my LFI turn.

Hopefully, I won't forget how to do these things in the next week. I won't be able to practice again until next Tuesday b/c I'll be at Worlds. Hey, maybe I'll learn some things as I watch the skaters.

I hope you're feeling better, Mika. I'll probably see you next Sunday at MCI Center. If you decide to work a shift on Saturday, e-mail me by early Tuesday morning.

OOOH!

First time on the ice for 2 weeks and it went well.
My camel is still there, better than before - at least more consistent.
The backspin even appeared for a while.

I managed a few lutzes and one lutz-loop.

OOPS!
Field moves a bit scratchy but I did them twice and don't feel too bad about them.

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

can I first just say how much I enjoy reading these threads? I haven't posted very much so far, but lurking here inspires me to want to post more. also, may I say how nice it is to see other UK skaters here? sometimes I feel a bit isolated at times, given that scarcely anyone skates in my neck of the woods.

oops!
my dance partner has flu, and being something of a masochist apparently, he decided it would be a good idea to skate anyway. in addition to that, the blade screws had fallen out of the heel of one of his boots and he hadn't been able to have it fixed yet. poor thing, he was just falling apart! so, with that said, we settled on "walking" through some dances side by side, rather than exposing me to his deadly disease (and the risk of blades randomly falling off...) by skating in close dance hold.

ooh!
some good came of it, actually, because it enabled us to be a little more aware of our partner timing and matching our legs on extension and things. we've only been skating together for a little less than a month, and furthered by the lack of a proper dance coach (odd circumstances ), we still have a lot of rough edges to work out. I also figured out that I was leaving a step out of the silver samba, and I fixed that so it was fairly decent by the time I left. that made me very happy.

Oooh! The ice Sunday at public session was freshly cut and hardly anyone there....very nice! At first I thought it was too darn fast, I'm not used to it being so good. Back crossovers were not noisy for once as I'm getting comfy sitting back fully on my blade. It's only taken me an eternity to figure this out Dances felt good, even the dreaded end pattern on the Fiesta Tango. Too bad I had no partner

Oops! Fell out of a camel spin on my bad knee. The good news is this is the first time I've fallen on that knee since I started using Skatingsafe knee pads. They are wonderful! Jumps were so funky I'm lucky I survived them. Better luck next time.....

Oooh: Started BUNNY HOPS tonight! Heheheh. Skating just gets more fun every week! I'm thinking that I need to think of a new name for this move, because people look at me funny when, as an adult, I say that I'm working on bunny hops. My dad thought it was hysterical! Also worked on edges a bit (inside only), doing them along the hockey line. And tried spirals, too. All in all, lots of fun this evening!

Haven't practiced much I'm volunteering at Worlds and I have some tickets. Sitting for hours watching skating can be EXHAUSTING.

Any how Monday Night practice -

OOH - hhmmm not much ooh. We worked on our group program and it felt better.

Ouch - my left foot. It still hurts from the tendontis. Haven't skated in over a week so everything kinda felt "ouch". :-)

__________________
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

Due to Spring Break, the freestyle session was cancelled for last night, but did skate the adult only public session.

Oops: I CAN"T BELIEVE IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK SINCE I SKATED LAST!!!!!!

I skated like I had been off the ice for months, no maybe years. Feet wobbled, ankles wiggled, knees quivered, and my entire body went through a blackhole into another dimension where skating doesn't exist.

After a half hour of trying to warm up doing terrible stroking, I tried to do a mohawk sequence. Keep in mind that I can do a right mohawk sequence with a blindfold on, my left leg tied behind my back, and rusty, dull blades. I fell after stepping out from the back outside edge. I don't even know why I fell. Fortunately, I was just a little bruised and didn't hit my head on the ice too hard.

I'm just hoping I got it all out of my system last night, because I start a couple of new classes (ISI Gamma and Delta) tonight.

*OoOh*
Saturday was kinda a weird lesson, my coach wasn't there, and they didn't find a coach to replace her, so one of the coache's daughters coached me for a day. It was kinda weird cuz she's a sophomore in high school like me... lol She told me she used to compete in pairs and went to Junior Nats, but quit cuz of injuries. She will probably be in Disney on Ice this summer! Yea, soo she didn't really know what to teach me so she showed me how to enter spins from back x-overs holding the RBI edge b4 stepping up into the spin....it went pretty well except for the actual spin part I'm really spin impared...at least so far. She also taught me the waltz jump from back x-overs...wow you get so much more speed and height that way...the jumping forward part is kinda scary tho!! Also, we tryed spirals and omg I though I was gonna fall or something but I did it!! It felt so cool...like flying!! I did an inside edge one and she was the that's the harder way!! I guess practicing the spiral position off ice for so long helped me do it on the ice..the only thing is it's harder to lift your leg when you're skating.

*Oops*
My spins are really blah...I haven't really practiced them so that's why Also, is it normal to be kinda freaked out over waltz jumps...I mean I can do it, but I can never really straighten my right leg as I jump and lift my hip and just jump as high as I can. I can do it on the floor tho... I guess it's my sence of self defense but it really doesn't help me while skating!!

Yes, it's perfectly normal to feel the way you do about that jump. I think what you are describing is what makes the axel so hard to learn too. If you practice them a lot, eventually they will be comfortable for you and you won't even think about it anymore. Sounds like you are doing really well - keep it up!

Oooh: I'm back on the ice and in physical therapy for the past week. Muscle hurts like the dickens, but at least it looks like I will be able to compete at AN after all. Will start up on the axel again tomorrow, but won't be doing any doubles again for a while. I'm looking at AN now as an adventure in injury skating - I just want to have fun and do the best that I can.

Oops: My stamina is nil . After just 2/3rds of my program I was seriously huffing and puffing. So the last two days I've been running sections with little rest between them trying to build up. My usual stamina builder (jump rope) is not really an option right now so I have to find an alternate way.

Gary, are you sickening for something? Sometimes one's skating disappears if one isn't quite well.....

Astar, what sort of age is "a sophomore in high school"? Our system is different, and I'm not sure what the equivalent is here.

Well, Wednesday is my solo lesson. Got to the rink just in time to see my husband get off the ice - he had gone down earlier, and had to leave for work! So we didn't get to practice together, but that was okay. Did my exercises, and got very frustrated for a bit, so asked for my lesson 15 minutes early! (Coach was free, so no problem).

Oops: The frustration was because I wanted to practice my waltz 3s, but the circle I usually practice them on was being dug up like a ploughed field by a young lad who doesn't skate much any more, and when he does, his doubles are.... well - he does dig up the ice, rather! He was made to mend it when he'd finished. Anyway, I decided to go up to the other end of the rink, and went up there doing rather good (even if I do say so myself as shouldn't) outside swing rolls. But when I got there, I held the LFO edge and found it was too steep for me to do a 3-turn off..... so I wasn't pleased! Then worked my 3s, but up there you could see the tracings, and they weren't pretty! Not good.

Ooh! Good lesson, though. The Interpretive/Artistic went well and I think we've tweaked it a bit. I know the main thing to work on, though. Ran through it after my lesson, but didn't check the sound level, and it was too quiet, so not a good run-through!

Free dance is okay, too. Coach likes the way I've tweaked it - and, best of all, in one of the run-throughs I actually did the Mohawk without braking!!!! Only snag was, I was going too fast backwards and nearly fell over my own feet.... One run-through I got the spin all wrong, too, and of course that was the one the coach saw! Then I missed the Mohawk altogether, and got cross - only my coach and his next pupil thought I was annoyed as she'd got in my way, which I wasn't, and she hadn't, or wouldn't have if I'd done the right steps (I was probably in her way!). Anyway, I made sure she knew afterwards that it wasn't her fault, and not her I was cross with!

At the end of my lesson I had to work on my mohawks for both the swing dance and the fiesta tango - was told they were "much better", which is nice, but a bit dispiriting as what on earth were they like before

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

Could have been "road lag" (similar to jet lag, but from driving too long). I took my girlfriend's son back to college on Sunday. Originally, she and I were going to drive him up to Des Moines, IA on Sunday, spend the night, then drive back to St. Louis on Monday (I took the day off from work). She came down sick on Saturday and couldn't make the trip, so I drove straight up and back non-stop. 832 miles and 13 hours behind the wheel. Her son can't drive because of vision problems. I got back home around 12:30 Monday morning.

Last night, I took my ISI Gamma and Delta group lessons for the first night.

The next oldest person to me in the Delta class was about 12 years old. Even though I was the "old man" in the group, we had a lot of laughs. I did spend about 10 minutes of the half hour helping a young girl who was trying to skate with a big blister on her instep. I always carry bandaids in my wallet for emergencies.

The Gamma class was for adults. Of the five in the class, most are really working on Beta elements, but the coach gave me individual things to do while the rest practiced back stroking, etc.

I did feel more comfortable and balanced than on Monday night. It's amazing what a little regular sleep can do for you.

mrs redboots, a sophomore in high school is grade 10, generally aroudn 15-16 years old

gary, i feel your pain, i was off the ice for only a week, and i went back yesterday and could do nothing! the session was a disaster and i dont think i accomplished anything! oh well. theres always friday.

Oops ~ double axel, I just don't get the height I need. My position is ok but I don't have enough air time.
double sals stunk so bad today, I hate this jump

Oooh! ~ nice 2lutz2loop on the first try and in the program, did 2 full runthroughs of my long for the first time, double flip was solid and my wrap was better, my new double toe 1/2 loop 1/2 flip axel sequence is working. 2loop2loop was easy. Choreo is finally molding and I am on time. Spins are ok, need my skates sharpened.

Gary & lisabelle: I have found that my comfort level after a break can vary considerably. Sometimes only a week is enough to through me completely off, while other times, I'm fine after two or three weeks. I think maybe Gary has something there about the lack of rest being a significant factor.

Oops
The entire past 2 1/2 weeks

Oooh!
Finally, today I got on the ice and felt right! My FO alt three pattern was much improved, and my one foot spin is back. I even did a few BO threes with a very small spot from hubby, who told me later that I had good flow and looked at ease on the ice today.

Hope it's all still there for my lesson Monday. I missed the last one because I was moving stuff out of town and couldn't get back in time.

__________________

you know i bet that does have a lot to do with it, i'm usually fine coming back from breaks (even as short as a week) cause it tends to make me "unlearn" my bad habits...but this week i was coming back from one of the most stressful weeks of my year so far. so you know, that must have been it.

Thanks - here you would be year 11 and doing public exams at that age....

Gary, I expect that the long drive was why your skating wasn't so good....

Haven't skated myself yet today (leaving for the rink in about 3 hours), so can't comment on mine.

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

Now tomorrow morning. Skating went well last night - we had an excellent turnout for dance club, but then a committee meeting after it which went on for ages and past my bedtime!

I'm tired this morning so not skating; will probably go down and skate the teatime patch. If not, tomorrow is another day!

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

ooooooooooh yesssss!!

had a good skate day!
attempted a layback spin position without falling over - did a salchow and salchow/cherry combination at some speed from mohawk steps/ back crossovers in jumps class. Ran through my free dance twice - once not particularly well but the second time was great - hardly any people on the ice so a clear run and everything worked and came at the right time to the music. At least now I know it CAN be done. Just have to work on making it every time and not just occasionally.

In my lessons this week I attempted to learn the Fiesta Tango - hmmm - not so easy. And then tried it with my coach as he was determined to prove it was harder with a partner than solo. He was right!!!
Also did a couple of reasonable sit spins and worked on my jumps.

OOOPs
Still can't get that Loop jump down.

Oooh! -- Okay, let's look on the positive side. Knee bend was good this week and back crossovers are stronger and more powerful. As I start learning coreography for my first competition program, I have nice artistry and grace. One of the young skaters I skate with who is at a much more advanced level than I am gave me a high five after I ran through the first 1/4 of my program with the music - it was very uplifting to get that encouragement.

Oops! -- Now for the reality. Learning a ballet jump/toe loop combination, and I was completely stiff and tense which resulted in throwing my neck out of alignment and neck pain (I have pre-existing neck problems anyway). Building confidence on my small jumps is another issue. I have a block when it comes to doing the waltz jump on a circle away from the boards that I'm working through. Overall confidence and relaxing needs to be improved. And I'm especially getting nervous because the first competition is coming in 4 weeks and we have less than 1/2 of my program coreographed!

~Anna

No, I disagree with your coach - I find that dance much easier with a partner. For a start, you have to do the Mohawk when the music says, no chickening out or slowing down which I'm apt to do if I skate it solo. Then you have a partner to haul you backwards so you cover 3 times as much ice as you can do alone. At least, that's the theory. Now Robert, my beloved husband and dance partner, would doubtless agree with you (but then, he always messes up on the change of edge, which is the one step in the whole of the dance that I do far, far better than he does!).

Haven't skated today, needed a day off and had other things to do (yes, I do have a life!); will skate tomorrow.

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

Opps
Practicing my program I fell on the spiral and for the first time ever hit my chin! I broke my number one rule of not getting back up and keep skating. My chin is "scuffed" and my elbow is a huge knot sporting the wonderful blue and black colors. Normally after a nasty fall I get back on the ice when I am feeling better but my coach (who was at the rink coaching someone else) told me to get off the ice and come back another day. So here goes to tomorrow...

OuCH Sk8clean...follow my lead and get an icebag on that elbow (I have one on now for "tennis elbow". You're lucky you didn't split your chin open and become a member of the "Chin Club"

This discussion here of the Fiesta Tango is interesting. This is the first dance where my partner and I have had some problems. I have to really hold my left shoulder back hard on that change of edge (RFOI-swing) or who knows where he'd be yanking me off to. On the end pattern I seem much slower with him....he tends to rush the timing. I can do the end pattern nicely solo....hmmmmm, must be all his fault!

Didn't skate last week because of spring break. Went back on Monday.

Monday: Started off really badly, but tried not to let it get to me. (Thanks for all the advice in my other thread a few weeks ago - seems to be working!) Then I took a short break because I just kept falling on the loop and flip. When I went back, I nailed the loop and flip right away! What do you know... even my spins were better (centered one forward spin). Backspin is getting better too, by that I mean I don't get stuck on the wrong part of the blade right away. heehee

Friday: I think I'm finally getting that cross-foot spin! I can't believe it. It just suddenly happened, and I got my free leg around and across. I even centered a few of them. Whoo hoo! I've been working on this so hard...

Sit spin is not as good as a few weeks ago, but still there. I felt I gave my beginning camel and backspin a good attempt too. All my jumps were not too bad. I'm not consistent with them, but at least they are all there. All in all, I'm pretty happy - I'm just going to take these few months without lessons as a time to play and not expect too much to push the next thing.