We have lift off: Mission scrubbed Aug 8-14 [Archive]

Skate@Delaware

08-08-2005, 11:28 AM

Lift Off: sent in fall registration for classes! Only 28 days until home ice! One more session at host rink.

Mission Scrubbed: Ok, so you take lessons to learn to skate, and if you want to learn a routine you get someone to do choreography, right? Right! So what's so hard about that? Sheesh! Hubby figured that he'd learn a routine in a learn-to-skate class 8O and wouldn't need to get someone else to do up a routine.... :frus: When I mentioned going to the rink for another session and getting a coach for the routine (and the $$), well, he blew a gasket....DOH! I don't know what he was thinking! So, I got him straightened out (nevermind letting him know that I'm getting my own coach to work on pre-bronze moves...)

phoenix

08-08-2005, 12:39 PM

Lift Off: Twizzles have improved vastly as I've been really working hard on them. Can now do sets of double/double/triple/triple pretty consistenly w/ no toe taps. Also choctaws are *starting* to make an appearance. I taped myself last week & I saw a major flaw that I've been working on. Not there yet, but at least I'm going in the right direction.

Mission Scrubbed: Coach has been gone for 2 weeks, so I thought I'd get all this time to practice & there'd be some big improvements by the time he got back. Alas, car troubles, out of town relatives, & overwhelming work deadlines have meant I've missed more practice sessions in the past 2 weeks than I have for months! :frus: So much for impressing the coach....

skateflo

08-08-2005, 06:27 PM

Lift off: Coach very pleased how in one week I really 'got' the swing roll lobe into change of edge lobe. Now she's added extending the free leg back, under, to the side position (like when doing a good low crossover.) She's been teaching the new Adult pattern for pre-bronze; the inside 3 to an outside three to a power 3. She feels it will help my inside 3 confidence....so she says. But it was a fun 25 minutes.

Scrubbed: session was so crowded today that for the second 25 minutes, I dabbled with my spin, inside 3's, change of edge swings, but probably spent half the time getting out of other people's way.

Am also having more trouble with my arthritic right knee. Now the patella is acting up and it started vibrating tonight - like when the fracture I had last September had healed enough to start back skating. I've started back daily stretching of hamstrings, quads, IT band. I am NOT going back to the doctor!
There are none I know that understand how important skating is to me let alone how skating effects the knee.

Thin-Ice

08-09-2005, 02:34 AM

Am also having more trouble with my arthritic right knee. Now the patella is acting up and it started vibrating tonight - like when the fracture I had last September had healed enough to start back skating. I've started back daily stretching of hamstrings, quads, IT band. I am NOT going back to the doctor!
There are none I know that understand how important skating is to me let alone how skating effects the knee.

Skateflo--

I'm not sure where you are.. but see if you can find a SPORTS medicine doctor when you decide you DO want to see a doctor. If you're near a major medical school, it should be fairly easy.. but if not, call the nearest one and see if you can get a referral.

I went through 3 doctors telling me if skating bothered my (landing) ankle which I sprained many years ago, I should stop skating.. but I kept trying. I finally found one who said "If you're going to keep skating, you need to do this, this and this" and then if it still hurts, come back and we'll try something else". He understood what was involved and said my skating was as important to me as his running was to him.. and he didn't plan to stop running until he stopped breathing! :)

Mrs Redboots

08-09-2005, 06:27 AM

Scrubbed: The session this morning - was just about to get on to the ice when the Husband appeared and announced he had to go straight to work, and could we skate tonight. Men!!!! You would have thought he would have thought of that before I put my lenses in, trailed all the way down to the rink and changed into my skirt & tights! Plus I far prefer skating in the morning.... Grrrrrr..... so I am in a vile mood! Plus I then went home to cook supper, since we couldn't have what I'd originally planned so I had to make something that could be had cold, and cut my finger rather badly. I've stopped it bleeding, thankfully, but it is sore. And so I am VERY CROSS.

Skate@Delaware

08-09-2005, 06:57 AM

Skateflo--

I'm not sure where you are.. but see if you can find a SPORTS medicine doctor when you decide you DO want to see a doctor. If you're near a major medical school, it should be fairly easy.. but if not, call the nearest one and see if you can get a referral.

I went through 3 doctors telling me if skating bothered my (landing) ankle which I sprained many years ago, I should stop skating.. but I kept trying. I finally found one who said "If you're going to keep skating, you need to do this, this and this" and then if it still hurts, come back and we'll try something else". He understood what was involved and said my skating was as important to me as his running was to him.. and he didn't plan to stop running until he stopped breathing! :)
My chiropractor complains because he has to "fix" my falls-I tell him I keep him in business! He's also fixing my hunched shoulders with adjustements and exercises (years of bad posture and an auto accident) which he says will help my jump landing posture. My first chiropractor was a jerk-told me to stop skating, yeah like that's going to happen.

jazzpants

08-09-2005, 10:19 AM

Lift Off:

ask8ngcat and our co-masochist (with Mistress Coach) showed up at my home rink tonight to skate!!! Haven't seen them in AGES!!! And they still skated beautifully as usual!!! :mrgreen:
I managed 5-6 rev. on the backspin tonight. OMG!!! 8O
I am moving faster The moves are definitely more solid and steady.
Switching lessons to Thursday afternoons again! I can skate awake again!!! :mrgreen: :P :lol:
Mission Scrubbed:

My Bronze moves practice...well, at least a runthru anyway. Just way too crowded!!! I did partial ones but not the whole moves. Still don't feel ready for the test... :(
Loops two footed landing (what's new?) Same with flips for the most part. Didn't bother with the lutz...
My chiropractor complains because he has to "fix" my falls-I tell him I keep him in business! He's also fixing my hunched shoulders with adjustements and exercises (years of bad posture and an auto accident) which he says will help my jump landing posture. My first chiropractor was a jerk-told me to stop skating, yeah like that's going to happen.Yeap! Sounds like my current (third) chiropractor and your first chiropractor was my second one. I have hunched shoulders too (occupational hazard). I'm sticking with my current one, obviously...

flo

08-09-2005, 10:47 AM

Lift off: got my video from the pairs camp - had a chance to see the death spiral with Oleg - too cool! 8-)

And thankfully - today a very safe shuttle landing :bow:

sk8er1964

08-09-2005, 11:44 AM

Skateflo--

I'm not sure where you are.. but see if you can find a SPORTS medicine doctor when you decide you DO want to see a doctor. If you're near a major medical school, it should be fairly easy.. but if not, call the nearest one and see if you can get a referral.

I went through 3 doctors telling me if skating bothered my (landing) ankle which I sprained many years ago, I should stop skating.. but I kept trying. I finally found one who said "If you're going to keep skating, you need to do this, this and this" and then if it still hurts, come back and we'll try something else". He understood what was involved and said my skating was as important to me as his running was to him.. and he didn't plan to stop running until he stopped breathing! :)

When I was injured, my sports med doc was a hockey player. He fully understood it when I told him that the goal was to keep me skating through Adult Nationals (about two months away), and then - and only then - would I consider a ban on jumping. He and the PT worked with me, I skated at my first AN (I was fortunate that my PT was located at the same rink as AN that year, and she literally did my off ice warm/up with me), then I worked on MIF's all summer until I got the all clear to jump again.

ETA: Lift off -- I showed my coach my axel-double toe attempt in my lesson yesterday. After the first one (which I fell on) he was grinning ear-to-ear. He later said he knww I was going to get the double toe soon, but he didn't expect it to come in the form of an axel-double toe! 8-)

flying~camel

08-09-2005, 12:05 PM

Liftoff:

Landed 4 out of 6 clean lutzes during my lesson (1 was 2-footed due to not being able to set up properly and 1 had a fall because I had too much height and couldn't control it 8O).

Shortly after my lesson, Mel on Ice and I attended a clinic put on by Kathy Casey. Her off-ice jumping class was great and the on-ice axel exercises she taught really seemed to improve my axel attempts :).

Scrubbed:

The session I had orignally contracted was cancelled because the Kathy Casey seminar needed to start earlier than anticipated. Thus, the session I did skate on was packed with 2 sessions' worth of skaters :??.

Today, my thighs are killing me from all the on- and off-ice activities we did during the seminar yesterday! I guess it's a good thing that I'm not skating again until Saturday at the earliest! ;)

AnnM

08-09-2005, 03:58 PM

Lift Off:
Today was kind of an "easy" lesson since my coach took last week off to recover from ISI Worlds. I had a breakthrough on back inside three turns and did my first nice, quiet one ever. Apparently I wasn't using my arms properly and it made all the difference in the world.

I had decided during my week off that the my next goal will be taking the ISI FS4 test. It makes more sense for me at the moment than going on to Silver MITF and FS. I'm barely at a "competitive" level in the Bronze category right now and I can still compete at the Bronze level if I pass FS4. From what I've read about Silver ladies in my age group, I need an axel to be competitive, and that won't be happening for a while. So I told my coach this morning and she supported me 100%.

Mission Scrubbed:
Hmmm, well, really nothing at all since we just worked on the dance pattern (which went much better after the breakthrough on BI 3turns) and on jump takeoffs. This is a first! 8-) Although I'm sure it will never happen again. ;)

batikat

08-09-2005, 05:11 PM

Lift Off:

Skated lunchtime patch and managed a Flip for the first time ever. Not a brilliant one but all the way round and landed on one foot which is a breakthrough for me. Of course I could not do another decent one the rest of the session. Loops were on and off but Ok on the whole. Got a bit of height in at least one of my salchow - toe-loop combos.

Got to watch a professional pair practising which was fantastic. They were running through some of their programmes with moves including the headbanger (which I can hardly bear to watch), various amazing lifts, a one hand platter spin and a few spins where the girl is in the splits position in the air while the man spins (right way up and upside down) and some amazing dismounts from these lifts.

Mission Scrubbed:

Well I was a bit lacking in motivation so didn't actually practice a great deal - I do find it hard to get motivated when my coach is away.

Terri C

08-09-2005, 06:23 PM

Save a spin here and there, and today was mostly mission scrubbed!
Had the crappiest run- through of my freeskate in weeks- it's bad when I miss the toe loop-toe loop combo, as I can usually do them in my sleep!
The ice was pretty chewed, and there were a few nervous kids that leave Hershey tomorrow and a few little ones!
Ok, so it was PMS and the weather (it's been raining here all day)

Lift off:
I've arranged to work the 3-11 shift at my job for the next three Wednesdays , starting tomorrow. It'll help me get more time in for Peach, as I'll skate the morning freestyle, then head home to bed!

mikawendy

08-09-2005, 08:55 PM

Scrubbed--No lessons until over 2 weeks from now :cry:

Lift Off--Was able to fit in an unscheduled lesson yesterday, and I got some good work done.

sceptique

08-10-2005, 07:09 AM

"Poiehali!" (c) Yuri Gagarin:

I'm on holiday from today for the next 20 days and I plan to skate myself to death (or almost)! At least 3 hours on ice + 1-2 hours off-ice every day.

So, today: BO 3-turns seem to be coming; still ugly and wicked, but it took me much longer to get my forward ones to this stage, so I assume that they'll stabilise in 2-3 sessions' time.

Some progress on backward cross-rolls; edges are getting more confident; b/w x-overs - almost none of that horrible scrapping sound, maybe occasionaly, when I start losing concentration or see someone dashing straight at me and get startled.

Overall, good, steady session.

Houston, we have a problem:

Got chucked off ice after 2 hours because of Seniors practice (though got to see Jenna - British Ladies No 1 - practicing), and there will be no school ice tomorrow because of tests. Which means public sessions: not too bad by itself as they seem to be quite empty lately, but I sort of got used to good ice and people knowing what they are doing and being aware of other skaters (i.e. not stopping to chat with a mate straight on your path when you are trying to learn a jump).

It seems that I need at least an hour to warm up - stroking, edges - before my legs start to remember what skating is supposed to be about. Whech means I haven't managed to get much done today. By the time I left I felt I could use another hour or so. Well, maybe I'll get some more tomorrow.

Mrs Redboots

08-10-2005, 07:26 AM

Mission aborted: We did train last night, but might as well not have bothered - appalling run-throughs of our free dance, made mistake after mistake and he dropped me twice in our lift, the last time ricking my back. Which is fortunately okay again today, but I am a bit stiff. Only good thing was that our friends/rivals were also training, and while they will probably win the compulsory dances, we can and have beaten them in the free dance. Mind you, the way they, and we, were going last night, that might well change in the coming weeks (but our spin was definitely a lot better than theirs, and so was/is our lift, when it works, which it did extremely well once!).

I am definitely in pre-competition funk now, couldn't sleep, worrying about the compulsory dances, worrying about the free dance, and the competition isn't for another ten days! Sheesh.... but hopefully I'll have it over and done with now and be looking forward to it. Should be a great weekend, whatever.

Lift-Off: Today we worked on our compulsory dances, and I know we did a superb Riverside Rhumba. Golden Skaters' waltz - officially our better dance - still appalling, though. I cannot seem to get upright posture, good kneebend, extension AND edges all in the same dance! One of the four if you're lucky!

My lesson today was surprisingly good. I am almost beginning to get the feel of the cross-cuts, at long last, but only almost. And the back cross-rolls are definitely coming, my forward cross-rolls are to die for, and I am even beginning to manage the level 4 moves, although I highly doubt I'll have them anywhere near test level before the rules change! Get my level 3s first, I think, and they're not ready, either!

Worked on FO, BO and BI edges, all "coming-along-nicely", especially the BI edges, which actually got a bit of "growl" in them. Also on FO and BO chasses, which weren't just so good. The absolute worst was doing BO chasses across the rink, in small semi-circles and you couldn't change lobe until you got back to the red line, so the whole thing had to be about the size of a hockey goal..... NOT fun! Still, did them.

Coach was encouraging; he pointed out that everything goes to pieces the week before competition, but it'll be fine on the day. And even though there's very little ice next week (bloody hockey - why couldn't it have been the following week, which would have suited all of us infinitely better!), I've been able to book us a final lesson on the Thursday evening, just before we go.

Raye

08-10-2005, 11:57 AM

Liftoff

I leave for Peach three weeks today! :) :) :)

Houston we have a problem:

Last session of summerskate is tonight! Home club will be getting ice in on August 26. In the meantime, unless I can find a rink within driving distance, I am limited to off-ice workouts between tomorrow and the 26th. :frus: :frus:

Mrs Redboots

08-10-2005, 02:33 PM

Houston, we have a problem: In that I have a cold! No wonder I've felt depressed these past two days, and people kept asking me if I were tired! Oh well, at least it'll be over by next weekend.

flo

08-10-2005, 03:04 PM

Mrs. Redboots - how's your finger? Hope you're feeling better soon.

jazzpants

08-10-2005, 03:25 PM

Mrs. Redboot: Sorry to read that you have a cold and cut your finger! Hope you'll feel better soon!!! :( (Were you tempted to give hubby the finger?) :twisted: :lol: :P

Can't decide whether this is a "lift off" or a "mission scrubbed" but secondary coach didn't want to work on my artistic program again this week. EIther her back is still bad, or she's just not in the mood.

Lift Off:
Show forward power 3's to secondary coach. She seems happier with it... but didn't say much about it. Well, outside of that one side is stronger than the other... (but DUH... I already know that...) :roll:

Otherwise, she didn't make any comments or offer any suggestions on improvements... so I guess I'm good to go now.

Scrubbed:
However, she did just found out that I've never done a BI3 before... so she made me do one. Initially, she was sympathetic about my learning a BI3 at long last... until she asked me if I could do a BO3 and I showed her that I can... Her response was "GET BACK THERE AND DO A BI3, YOU BIG CHICKEN!!! If you could do a BO3, the BI3's the same thing!!!" :twisted: So here I am stuck for the rest of the session with trying to go on the heels of my skating foot on the BI edge so I can do a good BI3 on it...with 18 skaters zipping along on the FS session! When I was still chickening out, she gives the speech about the movie "Man Of Honor" and how if the diver can do all these things with a prosthetic leg that my BI3's "are nothing." (Boy, this woman can rant!!! LOL!!!! :roll: :twisted: :lol: )

But I'll be good and go back and practice that in between the time that I have to "hurry up and wait" (do rehearsals for show) this weekend! :P

luna_skater

08-10-2005, 03:47 PM

We have lift-off! BACKSPINS! Finally! Figured out that the trick for me is to cross my free foot over as soon as possible, in order to keep my hips lines up. Was getting consistent backspins of a few revolutions, all centered, at the end of the session. Hallelujiah! Flips also good today. Coach loves the three-turn entry, and the jump feels really solid. Just need to work on getting more height. Waltz-loop improved in height, speed, etc. Loop getting lots more height than before. Lutz is still my weakest jump, but also greatly improved. Back-outside cross-foot twizzles have also improved...I need to be able to do these for synchro this year. Improvements on the backspin are definitely helping in this area!

Mission Scrubbed: Haven't had a chance to work on camel spins in a few practices, so those are going nowhere fast. That's about it...it was a good day!

mikawendy

08-10-2005, 04:03 PM

Scrubbed:
However, she did just found out that I've never done a BI3 before... so she made me do one. Initially, she was sympathetic about my learning a BI3 at long last... until she asked me if I could do a BO3 and I showed her that I can... Her response was "GET BACK THERE AND DO A BI3, YOU BIG CHICKEN!!! If you could do a BO3, the BI3's the same thing!!!" :twisted: So here I am stuck for the rest of the session with trying to go on the heels of my skating foot on the BI edge so I can do a good BI3 on it...with 18 skaters zipping along on the FS session! When I was still chickening out, she gives the speech about the movie "Man Of Honor" and how if the diver can do all these things with a prosthetic leg that my BI3's "are nothing." (Boy, this woman can rant!!! LOL!!!! :roll: :twisted: :lol: )

My sympathies, jazzpants! To me, BO3s and BI3s are miles apart from feeling similar. I haven't worked on BI3s since group lessons a while ago, and they were pitiful when I tested them in group lessons and since have become nonexistent for me. I have trouble actually making them turn instead of being a sort of slo-mo spin on the ice with no FO edge at the end....

jazzpants

08-10-2005, 04:18 PM

My sympathies, jazzpants! To me, BO3s and BI3s are miles apart from feeling similar. I haven't worked on BI3s since group lessons a while ago, and they were pitiful when I tested them in group lessons and since have become nonexistent for me. I have trouble actually making them turn instead of being a sort of slo-mo spin on the ice with no FO edge at the end....The worst part for me is that my BO3 are still wimpy, but obviously not wimpy enough for the secondary coach to go "mid-evil" on those BI3... (i.e. I can do BO3's...)

*sigh* On the "Lift off" side, if I get this, it's another thing to add to the list of "neat tricks" for my choreography... :P

NCSkater02

08-10-2005, 06:37 PM

with 18 skaters zipping along on the FS session!

Whistles--looks sheepish--as she and her coach are the only ones on the session.

We Have Lift Off:Private ice for $6.50. Coach was really impressed with how my mohawks have progressed, but that didn't stop her from trying to improve them even more.

Mission Scrubbed: My blades, and the proshop that is or isn't ordering the new ones. I have no rocker, and it's getting frustrating.

Thin-Ice

08-11-2005, 02:38 AM

The worst part for me is that my BO3 are still wimpy, but obviously not wimpy enough for the secondary coach to go "mid-evil" on those BI3... (i.e. I can do BO3's...)

*sigh* On the "Lift off" side, if I get this, it's another thing to add to the list of "neat tricks" for my choreography... :P

WHEN you get BI3s, you'll also have overcome a big hurdle on Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile and Silver Moves tests!!!

jenlyon60

08-11-2005, 12:11 PM

Lift Off: 2nd pattern of Tango much better today than 1st pattern. Both patterns today better than yesterday, which was my first day back after a week off to go watch as much as possible at the Lake Placid ice dancing competition .

Coach had me do a variation on the alternating forward power crossovers where I only do 3 sets down each side of the rink (instead of the 4 + set-up to go around the end done for Pre-Juv), and really focus on presentation as well. Went better than I thought... I got past the red dot on the far end by the time I finished the 3rd set.

Mission Scrubbed: Intro 3's only sort of worked today. They were consistently working before the new boots, and I think that the intro 3's are the last vestige of getting used to the higher heels.

Skate@Delaware

08-11-2005, 12:47 PM

Lift Off: Sent off an email to a coach. Trying to find one so I can work on and finally test pre-bronze....hopefully I will hear something positive soon. Also, we are going skating at host rink on Sunday, possibly for the last time (boo-hoo, WAAAH!) Some of their weekday sessions have been cancelled. Plus, got to go school clothes shopping for brat daughter and boy :twisted: .

Mission Scrubbed: Last of the summer off-ice conditioning classes was held last night...no more classes until the fall sessions pick up in about 3 weeks. I'm afraid I'll gain weight now (I'm lazy and un-motivated on my own). Guess I'll spend some time jumping on the trampoline, working on my backspin, waiting for the ice rink to re-open......in 20+ days....

dbny

08-11-2005, 02:34 PM

Skate@Delaware

08-11-2005, 04:53 PM

Mission Scrubbed:
Did not get to skate again while away camping. The weather was just too good for anyone to want to leave the lake. Got home from camping Monday night and woke up sick as a dog on Wed morning. Some kind of stomach bug. So much for starting in to skating right away!

Lift Off:
Tummy is definitely on the mend today and hope to start skating next week after all the camping stuff is disposed of and I have some strength back.
I hope you are feeling better! There is definately a bug going around here as well...several people have been out of work with it (I missed one day this week). Don't get dehydrated, especially in this heat. Constant sips of water go a long ways instead of gulps if you are nauseated.

dbny

08-11-2005, 07:56 PM

I hope you are feeling better! There is definately a bug going around here as well...several people have been out of work with it (I missed one day this week). Don't get dehydrated, especially in this heat. Constant sips of water go a long ways instead of gulps if you are nauseated.

Thank you. Tummy trouble always makes me feel like I'm dying, so it's good to know there is something going around. Hubby has been bringing me iced ginger ale, which is just right at the moment.

Terri C

08-11-2005, 08:06 PM

Lift off:
The ice was nice and most of the kids I skate with are at Hershey!
My scratch spin rocked- a couple of weeks ago, secondary coach wanted me to pull in faster to get more speed 8O ! At that time I thought she was nuts, but now, my spins are fast and centered! Now to get that going with the backscratch and sit!

Experimented with what I think are slide chasses that I might put into my Interp program- I'll let secondary coach look at that next week!

Mission scrapped:
There was a loose wire in the sound system that made it hard for me to hear my music when I ran through my freeskate. All I could do was wonder what part of the program I was at music wise instead of focusing on elements! :evil:

Debbie S

08-11-2005, 08:25 PM

Lift off:
Am consistently getting 3 revs on the backspin. I had a little trouble with some today, but I think that's b/c I was trying to go too fast. I even got adventurous and decided to start trying it from an FI 3-turn instead of a standstill. It's coming along - at least I can actually spin instead of doing basically a FI double 3!

Moves are coming along. The RFO power 3's are still a bit wonky, but I don't feel like I'm slowing down halfway down the ice.

Mission scrubbed:
Spins still travel. I did one forward scratch that stayed relatively in the same place (not the use of the word "relatively") but it seems like the more I try to press down on the ball of my foot, the more I travel. :?? :frus:

Still can't land a flip on 1 foot.

jazzpants

08-11-2005, 08:48 PM

DBNY: I hope you'll feel better REAL soon! Stomach bugs are definitely :evil: !!!

Mission scrubbed:

Working on runthru for the Bronze Moves test. I'm definitely NOT testing Bronze Moves in Sept. :giveup: (Will likely do it in Oct instead.) Tried to switch back to public session again and there are just WAAAAY too many kids to practice with!!! (I have about...oh, 50 today!?!?!) 8O
Almost sliced a kid (who decided to run right into the center of the public session ice :evil: ) on the leg while I was trying to do a sit spin! Had to abort sit spin instead. :frus:
Lift off:

We did go thru small patches of the power 3's and 5 step mohawks. When I concentrate and don't go lazy on the moves that it's pretty decent!
Backspin is kinda still there...
An adult male skater who has won a title or two and is a major inspiration for me showed up on the ice with me at my rink today! He is skating beautifully as usually. He's also as kind and nice as usual too!!! Too bad he's leaving tonight to go back home. I won't mention names... you know who you are if you're reading this! :bow: (I also wished that I could stay longer to skate with him, but I had to get back to work right after my lesson...) :frus: He's really encouraging me to do Sectionals this year. (And I will... just a matter of which level I'll be skating at...) ;)
Edited to add: I found my old Yanni music program tape! Gotta make a copy to bring to a rink so I could start working on my Bronze FS program! :mrgreen:

mikawendy

08-11-2005, 09:50 PM

I'm definitely NOT testing Bronze Moves in Sept. :giveup: (Will likely do it in Oct instead.)

Jazzpants--We can commiserate with pre-test jitters this fall. I'm hoping to have mine ready to test in October or later. (It may be later, as my power threes and five-step mohawk are both hopeless on my bad side 8O --funny that the two moves that involve turns are the ones that foul me up! I also think it's interesting that the 5-step, which contains no crossovers, is the one in which I have the most trouble sustaining flow and speed and edge quality....)

Thin-Ice

08-12-2005, 02:32 AM

Mission scrubbed:

Working on runthru for the Bronze Moves test. Tried to switch back to public session again and there are just WAAAAY too many kids to practice with!!! (I have about...oh, 50 today!?!?!) 8O

Hey JP--

Silicon Valley is next week.. so EVERY freestyle session at EVERY rink except MAYBE your weekend rink (my other rink) is crowded now! In fact, my primary coach -- who is fearless in crowds -- decided Redwood City was too crowded to do even parts of program run-throughs for the first half-hour of the freestyle session today. Instead we worked on "pretty pieces to put into programs... LATER".. which was LOTS of fun, since there were no real expectations.. and who knew I could actually do a teeny-tiny little baby (yes, I really mean ALL those adjectives) inside spread eagle (but only in one direction)???

sk8pics

08-12-2005, 05:57 AM

who knew I could actually do a teeny-tiny little baby (yes, I really mean ALL those adjectives) inside spread eagle (but only in one direction)???

LOL, I call that my spread "eaglette!"

Lift off: Finally I can actually practice the right power 3-turns myself without help! Very excited about that. Let's not talk about the left ones :roll: . Also back outside edges were much improved in just a week, which also improves the bronze move where you do the alternating back crossovers with a back outside edge in between.

Mission scrubbed: Literally. My coach wants me to do my waltz jump out of more speed and without slowing down so much on the back edge right before the jump, and rightly so. But wow, it takes a lot to make me actually follow through with the jump that way. It will take a little time. Also, I'm getting ready to send my skates in to have the tongues replaced, and I'm also arranging for new blades. Logistics, logistics. It will work out but I'll probably be off the ice for 2 weeks. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself!

Happy skating,
Pat

The Ice Demon

08-12-2005, 06:05 AM

Mission Scrubbed
Not a great skate on Tuesday,everything was inconsistent even axels

We Have Liftoff
Had a brilliant skate today, everything was on, which is amazing considering how tired I am. Camel-hop-camel is working, spins were good. Worked on 2 loop first time in ages. Axel is back and working fine. Really enjoyed my skate. :D

jazzpants

08-12-2005, 10:54 AM

Hey JP--

Silicon Valley is next week.. so EVERY freestyle session at EVERY rink except MAYBE your weekend rink (my other rink) is crowded now! In fact, my primary coach -- who is fearless in crowds -- decided Redwood City was too crowded to do even parts of program run-throughs for the first half-hour of the freestyle session today. Instead we worked on "pretty pieces to put into programs... LATER".. which was LOTS of fun, since there were no real expectations.. and who knew I could actually do a teeny-tiny little baby (yes, I really mean ALL those adjectives) inside spread eagle (but only in one direction)???First thing, congrats on your eaglette! (Coining sk8pics' term...) Yeah, and I have to keep that in mind too! (Which is probably really why my primary coach switched me to the public session this week...)

Hmmm? I wonder since everyone will be at Silly Valley next week that means I'll have a quieter FS session next Thursday? :D (Of course, this would also mean that I won't have my morning lesson with my secondary coach, since she will have her hands full with her kiddie students...) :twisted: http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/cwm/3dlil/sleep.gif :lol:

aussieskater

08-13-2005, 06:08 AM

(*** warning - looking for sympathy here***)

This week has definitely been a "mission scrubbed" week. I haven't been near a rink since Sunday (ie: a week ago). Late Sunday night, I came down with the flu (the real influenza, not the "I've got a flu-ey cold" sort), and slept for all of Monday and Tuesday. Lunchtime Tuesday, I get a call from school to please come collect my 6yo daughter as she's got it too. I got us both to the doctor that afternoon, to be told "no training for you until Sunday, and here are some antibiotics for the secondary infection". Then Wednesday, the 3yo came down with it, then Thursday the husband did.

Friday, I got all 3 of us (self and kids) back to the doctor with my chest full of unmentionable stuff, and was given a different antibiotic, since the first one had had no effect. By this time, the 6yo has croup, I have bronchitis, and the 3 yo is on the mend (good). Today (Saturday), the croup continues (how loud is that seal bark!?), and the 3yo is developing a secondary infection (rising temperature and I can hear the rattling in the chest).

I'm supposed to be back at training tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 6 am, and we compete at Nationals in less than a week. And I've missed the entire week, flat on my back or staggering after sick kids.

Sob.

Casey

08-13-2005, 07:58 AM

(*** warning - looking for sympathy here***)
*hugs!* I hope you have a sudden and speedy recovery! I always use goldenseal when I get a cold or flu, it's a real lifesaver. Of course, I take about 5 times the recommended amount on the bottle, but it gets the job done - I'm not one for antibiotics. I hope you make it to Nationals completely healed up in any case and that your skating goes off without a hitch!

TwirlGirl10

08-13-2005, 09:23 AM

Mission Scrubbed
Double salchows were really bad, I two footed all of them :frus: Maybe my coach will put me on the harness. Sit back-sits were pretty bad too.

We Have Liftoff
My program was much better and my axels had a lot more height! Field moves test was good, even the spirals, which still need a little bit of work. Testing them next week :)

Melzorina

08-13-2005, 09:41 AM

MISSION SCRUBBED

My ice skating mission was scrubbed today, when I got to the rink at 6.25am this morning, it was shut. I went back to the train station, and my train pulled up, I asked the conductor where it was going, and luckily it was to my destination, so I pressed the "door open" button to get on, and he'd locked the doors and he just went, and left me on the platform! He KNEW I wanted to get on the train.

So annoyed! So, I just went home and didn't go back, it would have cost too much for so little time skating, not really worth it.

Extremely annoyed, I wanted to work on my backspin, I'll have to suspend it for another week now.

slusher

08-13-2005, 10:51 AM

Mission scrubbed:

Booked a big lesson with the coach on a public session. Big mistake as one of the local summer camps brought their kids over for the day. I did carve out a little space for myself in an end circle, doing some big waltz jumps in the little kids faces will do that, but it was basically (almost, see below) a waste of time and money. This session is usually empty so I was quite upset, there were things I wanted to do with the coach, oh like dance, and we couldn't. The summer camp kids, AND THEIR LEADERS were absolute idiots, throwing things around and wrestling on the ice. I know it's a public session and I can't always do what I want, but it would have been difficult even to skate laps of the rink.

Lift off:

Before the hordes of kids came on I did two nice sit spins, not centered but I had control of them which has never happened before. I also did a very nice loop, faster than ever before, and the coach saw!

Mrs Redboots

08-13-2005, 12:20 PM

(*** warning - looking for sympathy here***)Oh, poor you! Will you be well enough to compete, do you think, given that "real" flu is almost always a solid fortnight of hardly being able to get out of bed? At least mine was only a feverish cold - I'm planning to skate tomorrow, as we have our lesson, and I've got to preach later, anyway (assuming I have any voice - not quite sure what I'll do if I don't!). I should be well again by the time of the Scottish championships next weekend. I plan to be, anyway!

dbny

08-13-2005, 12:54 PM

(*** warning - looking for sympathy here***)

(((((aussieskater)))))

OMG, it's bad enough to have the flu, but now you have to cope with an entire sick family too! I hope you all recover as quickly as possible, and special hopes for your making it to nationals.

Terri C

08-13-2005, 08:24 PM

I, too came down with a bit of the stomach bug today! First my brother got it and threw up a couple of times, then I had nausea and the runs.
Only skated for a hour today and well, it wasn't a productive one.

mikawendy

08-13-2005, 08:33 PM

aussieskater & Terri C--
I hope you're both feeling better soon!! No fun to be sick (and also caring for sick ones while sick).

<<<hugs>>>

aussieskater

08-13-2005, 09:23 PM

Oh, poor you! Will you be well enough to compete, do you think, given that "real" flu is almost always a solid fortnight of hardly being able to get out of bed?Well, I don't know - I trained this morning (20 min on, 10 min off, coughing) and got through, but I was nothing like my usual self. Fortunately, there are just on 2 weeks between the onset of this bug and the actual comp (the bug set in last Sunday, the comp is this coming Saturday). To make matters worse (not for me, for the team), another of us has *just* gone down with it and missed training this morning. And I'm not the only one. One of the longer-standing team members commented with wonder this morning that she's never seen so many team members so sick so close to the season finale...

Casey

08-14-2005, 02:28 AM

This evening I went skating for a couple hours. I was a bit doubtful because I went on Wednesday and it was absolutely AWFUL - had maybe 2 good jumps at the beginning of the session and that was it, and couldn't spin more than 4 or 5 revs.

Well tonight was just FANTASTIC. Everything felt so confident and secure, spins were back (mostly anyways, about 90% of what they have been on good spin days). Jumps were nice and big and clean. Finally got around to trying a toeloop-loop near the end of the session, and shocked myself by fully rotating it and landing it clean. Then did it again, then underrotated the next one, and then decided to call it a night and got off the ice 1 minute before the deadline. Nothing too extraordinary outside of the loops, but just really felt confident and good skating! It was a pretty dead night too, no more than 15 or 20 people on the ice at any time, and I got compliments from like 5 different people, which is always nice. One little girl asked if I was in the Olympics, and when I said no, she said "you should be!" So cute! I wish!

Of course, my heels hurt a bit now, but I was thinking about it while on the ice, and figured out that they hurt more when I did spins and moves than jumps, and then I noted that if I pushed my foot up towards the toe, the pain went away, because the back of my heel *wasn't even touching the back of the skate*!!! God, I knew they were too big, but never really tried shifting my feet around in them. Of course, any sort of knee bend would push the heel back, and aggravate the heel. Likely it got irritated in the first place because it kept sliding forward and then getting mashed into the back repeatedly. Oh well. I was thinking constructively, and I think what may work is stuffing a piece of thick foam behind each heel, which will make the boots fit better and keep the sore spots from touching the back of the boot altogether too.

Mrs Redboots

08-14-2005, 07:18 AM

Lift-Off: Finally felt well enough to skate - well, I think I was well enough yesterday, but the Husband disagreed. Coach said I looked awful (do you like coaches?! I said it was just because I'd forgotten to do my face, but he said no, it was more than that. So rude!), but I managed to skate pretty well, just the same. More rests than usual, and I was as breathless as I used to be when I was fat.

Our free dance is going okay - we had a good run-through to the music. And the Riverside Rhumba, although we do mistime it. We did a Golden Skaters' Waltz at the very end of the lesson, to be told we had good extension, but no toe-point, "But at least you match!"

Mission aborted: No morning ice next week due to hockey school! :( Just what we want with a competition next Sunday. Oh well... so only 2 more training sessions between now and then, unless we go to Alexandra Palace on Wednesday, but I doubt we will. I suppose we'll be okay, but I wish I hadn't missed three training sessions due to this wretched cold!

NCSkater02

08-14-2005, 07:58 AM

We Have Liftoff: Spirals are back. I've been working on them for a while, but without the forward lean. Coach had me do them, and said they look better than before I broke my ankle. Go figure.

Mission Scrubbed: Back edges. I've got the basics down, but can't seem to get the pushes strong enough to get back to the line or the lobe size anywhere near equal.

I got the rink manager to check on my blades (that were alledgedly ordered July 16th) They were backordered and are supposed to be released (or in--not clear which) Aug 15th--that's tomorrow. If they come in sometime this week, I can have them mounted Friday while I am off. I can't wait--maybe I can do 3turns and spins again, without skidding out of them.

sceptique

08-14-2005, 08:31 AM

Lift-off:

What a session was today! First of all, yesterday in a desperate attempt to do something about my right boot that is about to give me a bunion (if haven't already) I put a hockey puck inside, laced it tight and left overnight. Today it felt much more comfortable, and maybe for that reason, or maybe 5 days of 4-hour practice finally paid off, but I felt like things were definitely improving. Group coach complimented me on my gliding and even asked to demonstrate it to the rest of the group. :oops: Spiral is getting higher, tea-pot - lower, backward cross-rolls - faster. I even manage to get a decent spin entry that made me feel like I'm actually spinning. :idea: Couldn't quite replicate it though.....

Mission scrubbed:

Is the next one a nation-wide Hockey School Week? Because our morning ice is cancelled as well, same as Mrs Redboots'. Well, maybe it's ok - I can still go to public sessions, but at least I'll get some sleep and do some off-ice that I've been neglecting this week.

What really makes me pull my hair is my spins. 2-3 revs at best!! I know they will come, but I just don't know from which direction. I've been experimenting with speed, arm positions, shoulder positions - anything. Still can't quite hold the balance. I can recite the theory in my sleep but it still doesn't quite transfer to what my body is doing. "Something is rotten in Denmark" (C) :frus:

Mrs Redboots

08-14-2005, 12:08 PM

Is the next one a nation-wide Hockey School Week? Because our morning ice is cancelled as well, same as Mrs Redboots'. Well, maybe it's ok - I can still go to public sessions, but at least I'll get some sleep and do some off-ice that I've been neglecting this week. I don't think so.... as far as I know, Alexandra Palace's is the week after! I, too, am looking forward to sleep - I don't have to get up early until next Sunday, by which time I'll be in Scotland anyway!

What really makes me pull my hair is my spins. 2-3 revs at best!! I know they will come, but I just don't know from which direction. I've been experimenting with speed, arm positions, shoulder positions - anything. Still can't quite hold the balance. I can recite the theory in my sleep but it still doesn't quite transfer to what my body is doing. "Something is rotten in Denmark" (C) :frus:No, mine neither! And, sadly, ice-dancers need spins these days. Husband and I have a very respectable spin in our free dance, but it's a linked-arms spin, both of us on a LFO edge, not a conventional "pairs" spin, which we still can't do. Neither of us can spin solo, either! Ah well....

CrossedBlades

08-14-2005, 04:43 PM

Mission Scrubbed: My quiet, Sunday-afternoon session seemed full of evil children today - several of whom insisted on crossing through the coned-off center ice after the rink guard explained that they didn't need to go there. :roll: Count me in for the can't spin club - my attempts were just sad today. Also botched a lunge and banged up my other knee (at least I match - did a job on the other on Fri)

Lift-off: Waltz jumps are slowly imroving - I now go a foot or more instead of 6 inches, and I'm entering with actual speed. Hey, progress is progress. Toe loop is coming, and I managed some decent waltz-toes today. Fundamentals finally seem solid (back x-overs and the lot).

Skate@Delaware

08-14-2005, 05:32 PM

Lift Off: Went skating today, possibly for the last time at host rink on public session, but maybe we will go one more time... Brought one other person with us which made for a full van, and she pitched in for the gas which really helped a lot! Ok, I finally got ONE scratch spin that worked, even though it traveled to asia and back, but my leg was up and it was 10+ revolutions....(yeah, it traveled about 8 feet and I forgot what my arms were doing, right now I don't care.)

Mission Scrubbed: Spent the first hour working with hubby on his edges, 3-turns, and crossovers. He is still not bending enough. I think he gets frustrated because he sees me do things and expects to be as good-I'm not bragging but he's a beginner and I'm an advanced beginner. Simple fact. I've fallen more than him. He sat out the last half of the session instead of working on his back swizzle-pumps that I asked him to do. Just because I'm a free teacher doesn't mean he will get off easy! AAAGH! Students! Then I brought my mp3 player and fm transmitter, but for some reason it wasn't working as well :?? at least I had a backup CD. I'm tired now.

*JennaD*

08-14-2005, 06:01 PM

Aww I wish I was skating right now!! I have 2 weeks to go until I can get back onto the ice....why won't my rink open early???

Skate@Delaware

08-14-2005, 07:50 PM

Aww I wish I was skating right now!! I have 2 weeks to go until I can get back onto the ice....why won't my rink open early???
I wish I could move to a place where the rinks never close.....maybe when hubby retires.....

dbny

08-14-2005, 09:48 PM

I was thinking constructively, and I think what may work is stuffing a piece of thick foam behind each heel, which will make the boots fit better and keep the sore spots from touching the back of the boot altogether too.

For a while I wore a pair of someone else's custom Klingbeils that had heels too deep for my feet. I bought a pair of thick silicone insoles and cut pieces to fit the heels. It worked really well, and I would have kept those boots except that the toe boxes were really two narrow for me.

cutiesk8r43

08-15-2005, 12:23 PM

lift off:
landed some good axels today

mission scrubbed:coach was sort of in a bad mood today, program still needs work.
~cutie ;)

kiwibabe

08-15-2005, 03:05 PM

Lift off: In adult session last night I was helping someone learn to do backward crossovers and I was showing her my poor attempt at them when I realised I was doing them in the direction that I couldn't do! 8O So after much laughing at my self I tried again and I can now do them, yay.

Been working on my outside edges for weeks and I'm finally getting good at them, even my coach said that they were much improved. I finally got the pattern right for the dutch waltz and can do the whole pattern without stuffing something up.

Mission scrubbed: I still can't do forward 3 turns, its all a mental problem, I can do them when someone is there to spot for me but as soon as no one around I chicken out. Cross rolls still scare me after falling over doing them a couple of weeks ago. I'm completely useless at the canasta tango, more likely I can't remember the pattern.