Hot: Axels and axel-loops remain strong. I'm at about 90% success rate, and 100% success rate when no one gets in my path. My Silver test program is coming together nicely. The beginning and ending are done, I just need to do a middle section with a loop, salchow and a layback.

Not: My spins are traveling all over the place, unless I do them at a crawl. WTF. About the only one centering with any consistency is flying camel. The test session in November where I was supposed to test the American was cancelled. I was really hoping to get my remaining Silvers (American, Tango) finished by the end of the year, but I don't think I'll quite manage to do Silver FS and two dances on one test session.

Good luck! I can't wait to find out about the embarassing part

Is Jay a big MK fan?

I can HARDLY wait to see what Jay has come up with... and if Jay says it's worth doing, I KNOW it's worth watching. You're not going to "get clobbered" by me.... we're both just going to go skate, then watch Molly M. wow the crowd, while we cheer her on AGAIN!

You can test as far up in moves as you want, as long as you've passed the preceeding MITF tests... so go for the Silver Moves and Bronze FS on the same day. At least you'll feel really warmed up for your FS! We have one little girl at our rink who has only passed Pre-Juve FS -- but has already passed her SENIOR moves.. and boy does her FS look good since that's all she HAS to work on... she has amazing edges and upper body control.

From my group lesson last night:

Hot: Salchows . . . would you believe I'm actually ENJOYING them now? Wow!!! I didn't have very high expectations for last night's class because my mid-week practice was kind of "eh" but somehow everything came together and last night I was able to land salchows on a fairly consistent basis (and leaving the ice, even!) during both the group lesson and the public session afterwards (and one of the other coaches said "nice salchows!" as I was leaving the ice . . .so yay! they're even RECOGNIZABLE! ).

Also worked on the toe loop last night . . . had done these before but it's been a while . . . didn't work on them at all while the rink was closed over the summer. After a couple of toe waltzes for practice we worked on pick placement and I actually managed some satisfactory toe loops as well.

Backwards crossovers in a figure 8 pattern got a nod of approval as well (apparently I now do those better than forward crossovers . . . who would have ever thought THAT day would come?? ).

So not: waltz was a little higher but still feeling WEIRD at times. hmmm. Tried not to beat myself up about it since the other jumps were going really well!

Still plugging away on the traveling problem on the one foot spin . . . did lots of T-push drills and left outside edges, working on keeping the right side back. At some point I hope my body will get a clue . . .

Didn't go to the rink today, my ankle didn't feel up for it with the weather changing from rainy to clear-sky sunny to rainy again within the course of the day. I did practice a little on the spin trainer though, and it's looking visibly better than in older video's from last summer, which is good. Any comments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXnQ31Mh8H4

It just never ceases to amaze me how much that thing does for my backspins, and how little for my forward spins! At any rate, I'll do a little stretching later and hit the gym, maybe, else tomorrow.

You'll join the love-to-jump club in no time!

Hot Coach gave me the first draft of my program today, we spent the lesson going through it. I'm excited, I love this music, and it's going to be a stretch for me.

Not so No practice between last week's lesson and today, it simply was not possible. The result of course is that all my elements were pretty sad.

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It's all about the dress!

Not So Hot: Developed a REALLY sore throat on Sunday, felt like cr@p ever since. Never did really get into the swing of things today - groggy headed and not great muscle strength but


Hot: ... most things were working pretty good under the circumstances.

Spins seemed to be particularly dizzying today. (I wonder what I look like when I exit a spin with crossed eyes?)

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Oh, I've always loved to jump . . . Salchows were just really hard for me to get the hang of, for some reason!!

Yup! Gotta see what 'ol Molly has for her artistic this year!!!

It's not that shocking. It's just more "audience participation (his phrase, not mine)/shake your booty" type of thing, rather than the footwork that we were doing all along. It's just that I prefer doing "skating" than gesturing, that's all. I feel like a Cameron Diaz pretending to be "ditzy blond" doing it!!! GRRRRR!!! (Maybe I should get some vodka nips before I try this number? ) And it will get changed after Skate SF!!!

As for the MK fan thing, dunno... I know that he knows the family himself. I'm just raggin' on his 2002 program at AN, that's all. I would LOVE to see him top the MK program though.

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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!!!

A cold will often make a person dizzy doing spins. Something about ears or something. Don't worry, it'll go away as soon as your throat's better.

You're bringing your free leg in much earlier than your arms. Try both at once. Your free leg also looks overly crossed - above the knees. They should be crossed at the ankle.

I'm anticipating a Not at skating today because every time I say how good my axels are going, they fall to pieces. Sigh.

On the backspin, or the forward spin? Or both? both probably...

So what you're really trying to say here is, your axels are going lousy and therefore today's session will be hot.

Hot: Skating actually didn't hurt this morning - I was so afraid it was going to that I was very tentative! I've been so stiff and achey these past few days.

So not: However that didn't mean I had any energy, as I had none! I knew I wouldn't make it through a 30-minute lesson, so we agreed that I could drop out when I'd had enough, and Husband would finish the lesson on his own. This is what happened, and in fact it was good for him as the coach really helped him with his spirals.

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

hot:
landed first really good double axel yesterday! 1 1/2 weeks till sectionals-couldn't have come at a better time.

also hot: SP and LP have better energy.. they are almost all on time now, lol.

not hot:
popping jumps. wastes time, energy.

also: triple sow.. they've went from rotated/almost landed to mostly cheated/popping this week.

Yay!! What level do you compete at? Don't worry, you will get your triple sal back just in time. You're probably just rushing/forcing the takeoff because you're uptight about it.

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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

Reminds me of my coach's favorite saying, "If you're traveling it's because you're trying to go somewhere! Stop trying to go somewhere!" LOL! In other words, make sure you aren't covering any distance on the ice on your entrance edge; just go around so that you stay almost in the same place. That could explain why they only center when you do them at a crawl, KWIM?

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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

That's actually very good advise... Gotta try thinking of it that way, maybe I'll stop going places

Oh yeah, I've collected lots of "frequent traveler miles" over the years myself!

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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

LOL
Yeah if only you could get trips to antarctica for those huh?

The forward spin looks OK. The backspin is definitely crossed too high, and you're lifting your hip to do it.


Well, they were actually not too bad, but I didn't get much of a chance to practice them today. I had a 20min dance lesson and 30min freestyle lesson, and we worked on change-edge spirals and program choreography in my freestyle lesson.

Hot:

My new blades! I skated in them for the first time today and wow- my jumps are bigger and they make my skates feel so much lighter!!


So Not:

With new blades comes a new rocker. Since I wore my last blades to where they were just about flattened out, getting readjusted to having a rocker is.... uh interesting.

And now, a random question:
Another club in our area is having their annual competition and again, they are only offering Artistic and Showcase events for adults, no freestyle.
Do other clubs do this and if so, why?

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

So not: Not skating related, but, someone hit my car today They pulled into a spot on the right, I pulled into a spot on the left and as I was pulling in, they pulled out of the spot and before I could honk my horn, they hit my passenger door. It sucks.

Went skating today...and the scratch/back scratch and the back outside brackets were frustrating me even more.

Hot! Lutz, flip, and loop were really good today. Worked on some axels and they were also pretty good...still two footed, but closer.

Back inside double 3s decided to make an appearance which is fine by me

I'm hoping to test my Intermediate moves sometime soon, so I really hope that I can get those brackets.

Oh, I feel like I'm already there most mornings at our rink, 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