Dream or Nightmare: (Practice Thread 18-24 February 2007)

[Mrs Redboots]

I thought dreams or nightmare, as it's test week for so many of us!

Dreams: The rink was clean and the ice was nice! Had fun skating with the Husband - we managed both Tangos and a Willow to the music, but I don't think anybody can be testing Level 4 Compulsories, as there was no Swing Dance - or even Rocker Foxtrot - played. So we just did a walk-through of that.

Nightmare: Everybody is so sick of dance moves! I don't know quite how many people are testing on Tuesday, but there were an awful lot of people practising either compulsory dances or dance moves. One skater is doing levels 4, 5 and 6 - and will probably skate ahead of Husband in the level 4s, as her surname is alphabetically ahead of ours. Which will queer his pitch nicely! OH well.

He skated really badly. So did I, although I did do one nice side of cross-strokes, and several of cross-rolls. I am not going to pass this test, but I don't think I'll disgrace myself. We shall see.....

We had to wait to get into the rink as no key-holder had arrived before we did. Fortunately one of the only two coaches who was teaching this morning (our coaches are away today) arrived at 7:25, so we didn't have to wait too long.

[DallasSkater]

Mrs. Redboots: Good luck vibes to you and your husband for Tuesday. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised. You have a good attitude about taking the test.

Dreams: Was introduced to the loop jump. Looking forward to the day I can do that one. Seems everything in the loop family will come easier once this jump is accomplished.

Back 3 turns are improving as I have concentrated them a bit more in the last few sessions. Able to do them but not with the flow I would like.
Really focusing pre bronze testing stuff too. I just want to take it and be done with it!

Spoke with the woman who is making a skate dress for me that goes with my music. She has it cut out! I am so excited!

Nightmare: Since my backspin is still not very good, the loop jump feels impossible at the moment. I can see the mechanics of it but just cannot will myself to do anything close to what is needed. I have reviewed the threads of this forum on the loop jump and am slightly obsessed with the idea of it.

Went to a freestyle session yesterday that was packed. Felt it was a waste of money as there were not that many people but felt crowded with too many lessons at once making space an issue. Went back for a very crowded public session last night (seven b-day parties at once!) I always count the sheets at the b-day party table before taking the ice on a weekend. At least there were only two of us in the middle circle so actually able to work a bit more on the back spin.

Last night a 10 year old went down beside me. I could see immediately that she had dislocated her knee. She was removed from the ice by ambulance service. Just reminded me on how quickly something can happen. The ice cleared of many kids after that as I think it reminded parents too!

Will have to skate a public session today as no freestyle available. Thinking about going to an alternative rink today as it tends to be a bit less busy than my rink on Sundays.

[Scarlett]

One skater is doing levels 4, 5 and 6 - and will probably skate ahead of Husband in the level 4s, as her surname is alphabetically ahead of ours. Which will queer his pitch nicely! OH well.

Just in need of an english to english translation :) What does queer his pitch mean?

[Derek]

What does queer his pitch mean?

I have always taken this to be making life difficult ...

[black]

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-que1.htm

[DallasSkater]

Dreams: Decided to try my home rink public since it was a time, energy and distance thing with free ice to boot. Not too shabby despite 5 b-day parties.

Worked only on back 3 turns and back spins...then tried a few loop jumps...I mean hops...I have to break the habit of watching my feet when I learn something new. I watch to make sure they are obeying orders to cross! Of course nothing else I have learned to date requires head and position as seriously as the loop attempt appears to take. When I would force my head and body up I would hop and hope! But still not happening...Was pleased to find the back 3 turn going into cross a bit easier today...(at least when I watched they crossed! lol)

Actually got several 3 revolution back spins today...although slow...and very inconsistent...this is progress. I remember having no ability to do even a 1/2 without plowing into my edge. Forward spins are still traveling the world. Hope new blades help.

Nightmare: Nothing except lack of space. Knew that ahead of time so coped appropriately.

[Rusty Blades]

Nightmare: Well, more just a bad dream . . . I intended to skate Saturday but was feeling VERY run-down and tired so I skipped. I wasn’t feeling any better today and would have really preferred to stay home, nap, and soak in a hot bath but I reminded myself that it is only 4-1/2 weeks to competition and I might feel like crap on competition day as well so I told myself “Suck it up and get out there!” I still felt tired and crappy and the rink was damned cold (despite being warm outside!) but I pushed myself to skate hard and focus on backwards and turns.

Sweet Dreams: Considering all the negatives, it was a good skate and the backward shows steady improvement. Even though I didn’t do my program, at least I know I COULD have done it if I had to (there just wouldn't have been anything left!)

[Isk8NYC]

Nightmare:
Four birthday parties, last week's returning pack of wild hockey skaters, too-loud **** music. Add to it cancelled/no show lessons and I was all set for a bad time today. But then, I had this ...

Wonderful Dream:
All different (read: older) skate guards this week and every one of them could skate! The manager was the hard**s who makes everyone wait until the Zam doors are closed. Result? A controlled public session that started ten minutes late (hockey ran over as usual) but the ice was cut properly.

Dream:
Pre-Prel MITF were all solid.
Scratch spin - managed a "Lussi" version with the little *click* at the end.
Sit, sit-change-sit - except for being cut off a few times, solid and centered.
Back Scratch - centered, better (not great) exit
Sit-scratch-change-back scratch - amazing. (I must have been dreaming!)
Salchows, half-flips and toe loops were just ducky.

Nightmare:
3s on the line were okay, had to stay in the middle due to the crowd.
Slightly cheated a few flips. Rotating most of the way, just need another few inches.
Chickened out on loops and landed them all as half loops. At least I'm trying, right?

[singerskates]

Dream: Won a Bronze medal at Skate Canada WOS Boston Pizza StarSkate Sectionals in Adult Pre-Introductory Interpretive FS against Adult Silver and Gold freeskaters. I'm just an Adult Bronze FS level skater and don't have that many field moves to speak of.

Nightmare: My freeskate and the coach who pestered me to no end while I was waiting to skate my freeskate after my warm up. I was the 7th skater to skate and had to wait and listen to her pestering me about picking up my Interpretive FS Bronze medal in presentation so that she could drive her skating student and other skaters back home right away even before the competition was over. They didn't want to wait until the medal ceremony to do my interpretive freeskate event medal presentation so that she could get one of the skaters home in time for work.

Because I was pestered so much, here's what happened to my freeskate.
"I'll tell you why I ended up 7th. Before I even touched the ice for
my freeskate after the warm up, this coach kept coming
up to me to bother me about going to pick up my medal from my
interpretive event about 5 times and would not leave me alone. She
just wanted to get the medal ceromony(sp)over with so that she could
drive her skater and the other people she brought back to their city
right away. I couldn't get her out of my mind and so there went my FS
program. I felt like I was a zombie for the first 30 seconds and then
I finally woke up to find out that I was way behind my music and had
to hustle to play catch up with the music. I totally changed
everything after the combination (messed up by the way on the flip
part). Then instead of my forward sit/broken sit, somehow I went from
a really bad forward sit to change to back sit (one rev) and out. I
then just was so far behind that I left out the first half of my
spiral sequence in order to get some speed going but it wasn't enough
speed to catch up, so I left out my third jump window (a solo flip on
the end of the LBI spiral) and went into a clumsy twizzles (don't do
them that bad usually) and stroking into my salchow/toe combo and
then I don't know how I got to the finale spin and finished with the
music. I was just so lost out there and not happy that the Lasalle
coach brothered me so much before my freeskate not allowing me to get
into my FS program."

[Sk8pdx]

Nightmare:
still am having struggles with loop, flip and backspins. On top of that I am going through a little bit of life turmoils. Good thing I have skating to help me escape a little. Pairs crossovers. seemingly simple, but nasty little demons! why does timing have to be such a

Dreams:
Went to Seattle to skate with Casey and met up with other pairs friends. Finally succeeded in a pairs spin! :) Scratch spin has been my most improved element. I can finally cross the foot over in front.

[Scarlett]

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-que1.htm

Thank you. That's what I love about these boards. You learn something new every day.

[Bill_S]

I still felt tired and crappy and the rink was damned cold (despite being warm outside!) but I pushed myself to skate hard and focus on backwards and turns.

Hmm, warm!?

Rusty, you often have posted about it being -20F or -30F in Canada where you skate. To put things in perspective, just what do you call "warm"?

[Skate@Delaware]

Singerskates: sorry to hear about your distracting coach. That really bites!

Isk8NYC: I always wondered what the big deal was on that "click"...now I know! My old coach always made such a scene if you didn't do it 8O but my current coach doesn't care.

Dallas: If it helps (and I've found you need to try different things to find what does and doesn't) try...back edges, back 3's, backspins, backspin-hops (scary but fun), and now recently I'm doing loops off-ice (non-rotating, just to get that leg up).

I think once I get the loop, we will attack the flip again then hit the lutz. She mentioned the axel also. Also asked me if I've made any progress on doubling my salchow....um, no, I've been too busy trying to get the stupid backspin and loop. And she wants me to start working on my sit spin again. Darn! I thought we could forget about that one for a long time!!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Isk8NYC: I always wondered what the big deal was on that "click"...now I know! My old coach always made such a scene if you didn't do it 8O but my current coach doesn't care.It's scary!!! The foot position (toe to heel) does lock your legs together and let you spin faster. It makes the exit swing harder, though.

[DallasSkater]

Singerskates: Congrats on that win! How frustrating that the coach would not leave it be for a while so you could focus. Sorry about that...but it sounds like you made a good effort despite the troubles.

Sk8pdx: Sorry to learn that life threw stressors your way. Skating is a great escape..glad you are using it to take mini vacations.

Skate@Delaware: Wow that your coach is talking double salchow! Thanks about the loop. It did help me to try some different things. Had a make up lesson with a coach I have never had before on Saturday morning. Really helps to have all the input and she had some good suggestions as well on the loop. I then watched myself try to cross feet in mirrors just before a step class...it looks so much easier than it feels on ice. It will be a while for me to do this one I think.

[Emberchyld]

Nightmare: Public session yesterday was, yet again, insane. Most of us in the center quit early because it was total chaos. Even my "fix" from Saturday night, working on stroking and crossovers and little things that could be done "with the flow", like holding edges, didn't happen because these kids (and their parents) were particuarly unpredictable. You never knew when a little body would just fling your way.

Favorite moment? When all of the girls (about 10) from one birthday party decided to hold hands, start on one side of the rink, and skate straight through the center of the rink like a "wall of death". Quite a few people fell as a result of that one, and the guards didn't batt an eyelash.

Dream: Worked on spinning in the "lulls" between kids. Pulled off about two-three revs max on my scratch spin whenever I managed to get my foot around, and I can now do 1-footed spins in both directions pretty decently.

Dreamish Nightmare: Just saw the bruise on the inside of my right leg from where I whack myself with the back of my blade whenever I didn't get my foot all the way around on the scratch spin. Owwww...

[jskater49]

Dream

Sat in my Artistry in Motion class coach taught us to do LO 3 turn, toe tap, then RO 3, toe tap, into half flip. Since I have a half flip and not much before it in my freestyle program I decided to put that in my program. Coach was very impressed because you see, I hate 3 turns and am very bad at them, but these seem to work, as long as I dont' rush the 3s.

Nightmare

This isn't really a nightmare, just a challenge...I used to have a very nice lunge for an old lady ...then the arthritis in my knee got so bad I could not do them. Well the arthritis has subsided, but I have to get past the mental block to make myself go down into it.

Also fell a couple of times, but you know I think that's good for me to fall once in awhile to remind myself it's not the end of the world.

j

[Team Arthritis]

Dream
nothing else was working this AM, ice extra hard, when I started working my Flips per ISkateNY's pointers and was just trying to work pull back and pop of free knee up but the darned things kept rotating on me so I tried doing quarter flips (landing forewards on the pick still holding free knee up - sort of a toepickskip) and darned if they kept going all the way around! I swear I wasn't even jumping at all just got the free skate tracing to go all the way back to the pick mark and wasn't hard or scary and I was jumping a full flip with my upper body and arms still in the checked back position! THanks!
Lyle

[Rusty Blades]

Hmm, warm!?

Rusty, you often have posted about it being -20F or -30F in Canada where you skate. To put things in perspective, just what do you call "warm"?

ROFL!!! On the Great Plains we can go from -40C to 0C in a couple of days - heck, we can see temperature changes of 20C in an hour or two. We recently sent our sub -40C temperatures down east and are now basking in a heat wave just below 0C - people walking around with coats unzipped, some in shirt sleeves. There is a saying here on the prairies - "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute!"

[flo]

Dream: Went to an extra edge class Sat. Am with Mika, and had a nice FS session after. In yesterday's lesson we finished the choreography - love the piece.

Nightmare: my skates. Can't be in them for more than 45min. at a time or blisters. Grrrrr.

[Isk8NYC]

I swear I wasn't even jumping at all just got the free skate tracing to go all the way back to the pick mark and wasn't hard or scary and I was jumping a full flip with my upper body and arms still in the checked back position! THanks!
LyleCongrats! That's how I did a lutz the other day, just doing the entry right and not trying. LOL It sucks to struggle with things that USED to be easy. Don't stop skating, it's frustrating to try and come back.

Sat in my Artistry in Motion class coach taught us to do LO 3 turn, toe tap, then RO 3, toe tap, into half flip. Since I have a half flip and not much before it in my freestyle program I decided to put that in my program. Coach was very impressed because you see, I hate 3 turns and am very bad at them, but these seem to work, as long as I dont' rush the 3s.Good for you. Key is to tap sideways and not try to turn. One of my skaters "invented" her own footwork, including 3turn-toe tap sequences. She later changed it to 3JUMP-toe taps. Very cool to watch.

[jskater49]

Congrats! That's how I did a lutz the other day, just doing the entry right and not trying. LOL It sucks to struggle with things that USED to be easy. Don't stop skating, it's frustrating to try and come back.

Good for you. Key is to tap sideways and not try to turn. One of my skaters "invented" her own footwork, including 3turn-toe tap sequences. She later changed it to 3JUMP-toe taps. Very cool to watch.


Is a 3 jump a waltz jump and is a toe tap a side toe hop? Because eventually I'm supposed to put a toe loop on the end of my waltz jump but right now I"m just doing a side toe hop after my waltz jump to get used to picking after the jump and keep moving. It seems like the same thing as a toe tap.

J

[Laura H]

DREAM:

bunga pads. 8-) gotta be the best invention EVER. I invested in a pair of ankle sleeves and now I can lace my boots as tightly as they need to be and they are still comfortable, my heels were slipping a little and rubbing - not sure if it was that I wasn't able to lace tightly enough or just that my ankles are fairly thin anyway - either way, problem solved and skating is much more fun!! I ended up not going to my group lesson on Saturday - schedule wise it was going to be much easier just to go to the alternate lesson on Tuesday, so I'm going tomorrow instead. My kids were invited to a birthday party at the rink Friday night and DH and I tagged along too . . . rink wasn't too too busy and I got a lot of practice! The cool thing is that - not only did I apparently NOT embarrass my own kids - a couple of the kids' friends even complimented me on my skating - that was awesome!! :halo:

TOE LOOP!!! :bow: I need to get some video just to make sure everything looks OK, but I think I've got it solid! Pulling back on my shoulders to get the weight back onto the picking foot - works wonders!! :bow:

Salchow - DS says it's just still "eh" but he may just be giving me a hard time, I'm definitely scooping around and leaving the ice and landing on one foot, so that's progress over my futile skids backwards out of the 3-turn. Will see what the coach has to say tomorrow. 8O

Spinning - one footed from backwards crossovers - these have JUST started feeling natural for me so I'm taking it easy and getting used to the feeling - I'm going to start working hard on getting a deep entry edge & see if that will help the traveling (i.e. "pack a suitcase" variety). :lol:

NIGHTMARE - so far so good - we'll see how tomorrow's session goes!!

[flying~camel]

Dream:

Both of my programs at DBNAI on Saturday!

I landed the lutz in my freestyle & did the back camel in my interp!

In both events, I got 2 1st place ordinals, but ended up in 2nd overall.

Nightmare:

The fall at the end of my freestyle program.

I got a little too over-excited after landing the lutz and couldn't balance the adrenaline rush with the end-of-program fatigue and I fell on my final flip jump. :??

Oh well, I've got 2 months until ANs to work on it!

[kismet_78]

Dream: Axels seem to be back for the moment, yay!
Most of the program is now choreographed, and looks awesome - when my coach goes through it. Yup, that's definitely a dream for me :).

Nightmare: The new judging system is :twisted: . Since my coach decided to give me a level 4 spiral sequence in the program, I spent a lot of time today being twisted into bizarre positions and told to hold them for 4 seconds each. Looking elegant. Sure, no problem. And there I was thinking even if I stuff up the rest of the program, at least I'll still manage the spirals. That theory just went out the window.

Still falling out of camel spins, seems I'm again rising up into position too quickly. Which gets worse when I'm nervous. And I'm nervous whenever I think about the comp coming up. Whose crazy idea was it to start competing again anyway? :)

[flo]

Laura H - I need a bunga sock and take up the extra room!

[Isk8NYC]

Is a 3 jump a waltz jump and is a toe tap a side toe hop? Because eventually I'm supposed to put a toe loop on the end of my waltz jump but right now I"m just doing a side toe hop after my waltz jump to get used to picking after the jump and keep moving. It seems like the same thing as a toe tap.

JI sometimes mix up the terms because I teach both ISI and USFSA.

Instead of a 3turn, she would "jump" the turn on the same foot, ie. LFO-jump-LBI. Not a waltz jump, per se, since it's a one-footed jump. (very tiny and pretty easy.)

The "toe tap" is just a sideways toe-hop-toe-edge jump to change feet. I think USFSA does call it a "side toe hop" (Basic 5/6?) but I don't have any documents handy to confirm. I'll check later and update this post.

[Isk8NYC]

Public session; two privates followed by a not-too-crowded practice for myself.

Dream:
MITF - limited because of the crowd; what I did, I did okay.

Camel spins - six of them! They pretty much stayed put, too.
Back scratch spins - fast and tight. Managed to get out of three nicely, too.
Camel-sit-change-sit. Totally too high, but the motion was there. Yay!

Practiced waltz jump, salchow, toe loop, half-flip, and half-lutz. Felt pretty good.

Nightmare:
Salchows ARE easier from back crossovers, I surrender! :giveup:
I still hate Toe Loops. So there! :P
Sit spins are no fun with the sniffles.

[WannabeS8r]

I went skating today, during a public session.

Dreams
- Fast scratch/sit spin successful
- Camel spin, straight free leg and 4 revs (it's usually less than that, ha.)
- Back scratch, 5+ (Accomplishment!!)
- Solid Biellmann spiral across 3/4 or so of the rink
- High flip jump, solid landing. & consistent!
- Stag jump got a bit higher, yes!
- All jumps through lutz practiced
- The rink guards didn't notice me spinning the first 1 hr. :roll:

Nightmares
- Rink guards, of course. Those snobs. -_-
- After an hour they told me to stop doing "tricks".
- A little boy told me, "Do another twirl!" (I hate when people call skating elements tricks and twirls!)
- Rink was too crowded. :frus:

[Bill_S]

Nightmare: Broke a tooth chewing on a sandwich yesterday, and tossed and turned all night because of it. Couldn't get up at 4:45 am because I was so tired, so I skipped skating this morning.

Dream: Dentist got me in a 3 pm today, numfbed me wiff nofacaine, put on a temporary crown, and was done in time for me to the last hour of freestyle at 5 pm. It felt REALLY good to be back on the ice after a week off.

[Isk8NYC]

I'm a sucker for punishment - went back to the rink for Freestyle tonight. Instead of public skaters, I dodged pairs skaters, two selfish "me first" freestylists, and a instructor who set up camp on a hockey circle.

Nightmare
Couldn't center spins, or hook any camel spins. (Maybe crappy ice is better for me! LOL)
Blew every salchow I tried. Fortunately, they didn't hurt much.

Dream
When I didn't get cut off, the spiral sequences were good.
Threes on the line!!! (I must be dreaming!)
Waltz jumps, half flips, half lutzes all okay.

Forgot to practice the Power 3's. Well, there's always tomorrow, right?

Oddment
Why do people find my skating in pantyhose so odd? I must have been asked about it five times today. Even stranger - they thought I was barefoot. LOL

[doubletoe]

Kismet - Cool! What spirals does your coach have you doing? And when do you need to compete with the new program?

[jazzpants]

I was going to go to my Club Ice session but since I was still shaken about that session yesterday with my loop, I wanted to go back to my home rink and trying tor redeem myself on that loop!!! Good thing I did.

Dream:

Loops are back! Either clean landing or hoppy one foot landings for the most part. At most I had maybe two two-footed landings and I immediately went back to the wall to fix it and do my "muscle memory" drill. At the end I managed to land it away from the wall, so I decided to test my luck and do the loop on the blue line.... and landed it clean! Landed it clean a couple more times and I've decided that I've redeemed myself... and quit on that note for the day!!! :mrgreen:
Camel spins are also back too, though again, the position could be a lot better...
Was playing around with a different arm position (one arm in front, one arm behind me) on the sit spin and it kept spinning and spinning in that position until I've decided to get up!!! :bow:Nightmare:
It was REALLY crowded!!!

Dream Again:
But a few of the skaters who hasn't been here in the Monday night session in a LOOOONG time came out of the wood to skate! So happy to see some of them. Along with my primary coach showing off parts of his new Interp program... it gives me A LOT more motivation to skate well, since there's no pressure and I could just have fun and push myself to do well in whatever I'm doing!

Funny response from primary coach when hubby told him that my loop yesterday went bust - "You should know better than to skate on Chinese New Year! It's bad luck!!!" :twisted:

(Yes, you read right, guys!!! Jay is coming back to do a Master Interp at AN this year!!! And the only thing I will tell 'ya is that he's not skating in DRAG this time!!! :lol: :twisted: )

[cassarilda]

Dream:
- WONDERFUL forward crossovers (CCW)... Im so impressed with myself.. I still need to work on my extension, back arm up slightly, and of course need to work on my CW way, but I'll get there :)
- I actually got decent three turns the other day.. no scratching, no throwing body around, it was a perfect dance three.. couldnt get it again until today.. i need to remember to keep my hips lifted.
- I was VERY good and did 5 laps of the rink stroking, proper (or trying) in a row.. i was stuffed by the end of it, but I did it!!
- Back edges.. YAY!!! Where is a dancing emoticon when you need one! :lol: BO are ok, BI need work but arent too bad..
- Forward edges, Im much more confident.. Im falling inwards on my FIs but not too bad.
- Mohawks - FI and FO ones are still good :)

I think I thoroughly impressed my husband today with it all :D

Nightmare:
- I still fell on a crossover, but Im learning to flip to my side rather than my knees
- Back crossovers - still not trying them.. waiting for my knees to heal again. :roll:
- Still cant spin for my life, but oh well :)
- Choctaws - not tooo bad, but not fabulous either.. for double (I think they are Killian ones - FI to BO), I cant keep my shoulder checked enough to do the 3rd step.. BUT Im getting there.. i think I need to lean back into it more.

On another note, hubbys friend came skating and he did really well.. Im also helping a few girls at the rink (basically just reminding them to bend their knees, and teaching them edges), and they are all improving, so it was a good day today.

Now Im off to torture myself in an hour ballet class, and then another 2hrs of ice skating at the not-so-good rink, just for fun though :)

[Emberchyld]

Instead of a 3turn, she would "jump" the turn on the same foot, ie. LFO-jump-LBI. Not a waltz jump, per se, since it's a one-footed jump. (very tiny and pretty easy.)


Ohhhhh.... so that's what my coaches mean whenever they say I jumped the 3-turn (I sometimes get a little discomboblated when I'm learning something new and somehow a lot of things get translated into "jumping a 3-turn"):frus:

(too bad I can't find a little lightbulb smiley!)

[jazzpants]

(too bad I can't find a little lightbulb smiley!)You mean this??? :idea::idea: :idea:

[Mrs Redboots]

Dreams: Dreams don't, alas, come true....

Nightmare: Didn't pass my level 3 Dance Moves. Not that I expected to. Have posted more detail in another thread.

[coskater64]

Dream:Getting stronger, did axels and double sows on the harness without that dreadful stabbing pain for the first time. Unfortunately, timing is off but jump is fine landings are a little far back for my liking but a lot better than 2/3 weeks ago. Spins especially sit are getting lower, have found very pretty variation for combo spin. Speed is coming back and single jumps are slowly getting bigger and much easier to land. Making footwork more difficult. Working on dances is going well, still need more power to keep up with MC partner.

Nightmare: After 40+ jumps on harness just a little sore and still have to go to ballet class. Luckily tomorrow is a Field move day. Kitten, Yoda fell of balcony, 18 feet, poor fella had to go to vet, very bruised tummy, was limping around house like elderly olde fella, then would attack his brother. Never knew kittens could act.

[jazzpants]

Dream:

Loops are definitely back! Today's work concentrates on moving me all the way towards the middle of the rink but still pretending that I'm at the wall. At times the landings were a bit dicey but most of them are still on the landing foot. I've had landings where I had to step out, ones where I'm doing a spin around, as well as ones that are clean and flows out. I also got more lessons on my spin entry. I have more homework to do but I managed to finally center my spins...

Nightmares:

Secondary coach was NOT happy that I went to my weekend rink to practice my loop drill b/c she was concerned that I would undo her "muscle memory" work on me. She's right! It was BAD on Sunday with the one consolation being taking a fall on the landing w/o killing myself. (It was a good thing that I had the foresight to go back to my home rink the next day to try again.)

More "muscle memory" work on me though... we'll see how long it would take for me to be able to do my loop clean facing any direction and at any rink and speed.

Funny note of the day: Secondary coach getting giddy over the fact that she can center her spins in my direction better than she can going her own direction! :twisted: :lol: :bow:

coskater64: I know cats have nine lives but I didn't think they would go and test out that theory!!! 8O 8O 8O

[Isk8NYC]

Ohhhhh.... so that's what my coaches mean whenever they say I jumped the 3-turn (I sometimes get a little discomboblated when I'm learning something new and somehow a lot of things get translated into "jumping a 3-turn")I saw a skater receive a "reskate" during a MITF test for jumping the threes on one side of a pattern. Fortunately, she settled down for the reskate and did them the right way and she passed.

[Tiggerwoos]

Dream: Kitten, Yoda fell of balcony, 18 feet, poor fella had to go to vet, very bruised tummy, was limping around house like elderly olde fella, then would attack his brother. Never knew kittens could act.

Awwwwwww... What is it with cats and death wishes. Glad he's ok though.

Nightmare:

Field moves: Couldn't get my act together. Felt like I had 2 left feet.

Dreams: Loop and flip slightly stronger. Salchows, 3 jump and cherry all improving and much higher.

[Jeanmarie]

Dream:
Went to the morning freestyle and I was the only one (YAY!). There was a hockey practice scheduled for right after the freestyle, it got cancelled, free private ice time (double yay)

Nightmare:
Dragging my toe pick on EVERYTHING ALLLL morning long. I swear if the flip wasn't my favorite jump I'd switch to hockey skates! http://www.skatingforums.com/images/smilies/frusty.gif

[doubletoe]

Dream:Getting stronger, did axels and double sows on the harness without that dreadful stabbing pain for the first time. Unfortunately, timing is off but jump is fine landings are a little far back for my liking but a lot better than 2/3 weeks ago. Spins especially sit are getting lower, have found very pretty variation for combo spin. Speed is coming back and single jumps are slowly getting bigger and much easier to land. Making footwork more difficult. Working on dances is going well, still need more power to keep up with MC partner.

Nightmare: After 40+ jumps on harness just a little sore and still have to go to ballet class. Luckily tomorrow is a Field move day. Kitten, Yoda fell of balcony, 18 feet, poor fella had to go to vet, very bruised tummy, was limping around house like elderly olde fella, then would attack his brother. Never knew kittens could act.


Great news on the axel and double sal! But what a nightmare about your kitten! We have two 10-month old kittens but they were just 10 weeks old when we got them. The agency we adopted them from made us promise to fence in our balcony (even though our other cat had never fallen off of it), otherwise we wouldn't have done it. But now that I'm hearing your story I am so glad we had to! Hope your little guy is all better soon. :( BTW, Yoda is such a cute name. What's his brother's name?

[Rusty Blades]

... Dentist got me in a 3 pm today, numfbed me wiff nofacaine .. was done in time for me to the last hour of freestyle

Ok, now that's really BAD Bill!!! The kiddies already think us "mature" skaters are strange - to have an adult skating around, mouth drooping on one side, and probably drooling to - THAT'S TOO MUCH! 8O 8O 8O :mrgreen:

[Bill_S]

The kiddies already think us "mature" skaters are strange - to have an adult skating around, mouth drooping on one side, and probably drooling too

And the parents probably thought I was intoxicated when I spoke in a slurred speech!

Dream (I think): Coach just asked me to participate in the March 3 skating competition here at Ohio University. I've resisted in past years using my capacity as the competition photographer as an excuse to avoid competing. [Insert sound of chickens clucking here]

Coach is wiser beyond her years though, and suggested that I enter just the Adult Team category for scratch spins. She knows that she can probably ease me into the competitive scene slowly, and that I'll eventually get hooked.

I accepted today, so this will be the first ever competition for me - even though it's just a skills-level contest in the larger competition. Hope I didn't do something foolish!

[Skate@Delaware]

I was going to skate today at the freestyle session, but my mom wanted to go to the grocery store...so I planned on taking her. Called her on the way to her house to have her say, "I'd rather wait until tomorrow when the sale ad comes out, plus it's senior day tomorrow and I can get my discount." :x Although she doesn't live too far from me, by the time I go home, change, get my stuff, and head to the rink, the session would be over :frus: MOTHERS!!!!! URGH!!!!!

[Rob Dean]

Nightmare: Two of the last three sessions I've been on have had awful ice. I should be able to ignore it, but when you want to practice the *&^%$ APBM 3 turn pattern, it doesn't add to your confidence to know you could be caught in a hockey rut at any moment. Yesterday morning's lesson session was bitterly cold as well as having bad ice; I'm afraid that I was most likely a disappointment to my coach as I wasn't attending well. I booked a last minute lesson with my back-up coach last night as well, hoping to finally get through the Fiesta at the social dance meet immediately thereafter. Almost...did the first two cycles acceptably at tempo, and couldn't do it again for the rest of the evening. :frus: Needing to reschedule next two lessons due to work and home commitments, too. :x Never rains but it pours...

Dream: Well, had a decent session with the back up on the Willow Waltz at least, and used the bad ice/cold session to go over the Ten Fox with my primary, so I hope that some of that will stick.


Rob

[jskater49]

Won't skate until tomorrow but I got my DVD back from my compulsary pre-bronze moves competition (that I won, thank you very much)

Woah...looking at yourself skate is hard--I really imagine myself looking much nicer...

Dream - I smiled the whole time and kept my head up and actually looked like I was enjoying myself. Last time I watched a tape of myself I looked terrifed.

Spiral - I actually got my leg up pretty high, the problem was that my knee was bent and my upper body didn't go down far enough. But I held a good long secure outside edge.

Waltz jump - both feet actually left the ice. I have been known to weanie out on my waltz jump under pressure.

Nightmare

Just cuz my head was up does not mean my posture is any good. Ick - rounded hunched shoulders!

And I definately rushed my half lutz after all the time my coach spent with me working on slowing down, picking, drawing back and then jumping, it was pick and jump

Dream - I really looked adorable in my brown checked jump n style dress :D

[Emberchyld]

You mean this??? :idea::idea: :idea:

:bow: Oops, did not think to hit the "more smileys" button. Thank you!


I saw a skater receive a "reskate" during a MITF test for jumping the threes on one side of a pattern. Fortunately, she settled down for the reskate and did them the right way and she passed.

Is this pretty common? I never really understood what I was doing :halo: until i read it here. Of course, now that I know about 3-jumps... I probably won't be able to do them :lol:

[WannabeS8r]

Nightmare
I was going to go skating today before school, but I forgot to switch my alarm. :twisted: shame, shame. . .

[Isk8NYC]

CONGRATULATIONS, JSKATER49!


IAlthough she doesn't live too far from me, by the time I go home, change, get my stuff, and head to the rink, the session would be over URGH!!!!!You mean you DON'T keep a bag of skating clothes in your car trunk at all times? Since I teach or skate pretty much every day, the skate bag's always packed and ready to go. If I wasn't planning to skate, but change my mind, the clothing bag is a handy impulse-helper! LOL
Is this pretty common? I never really understood what I was doing :halo: until i read it here. Of course, now that I know about 3-jumps... I probably won't be able to do them :lol:Based on what I've seen at the handful of test sessions I've observed, cheating the threes by jumping them is NOT common at the pre-juv or juv-MITF test level, but a lot of skaters add one or two to their freestyle program as connecting steps and footwork notes. It's more common in ISI because it's an uncaptured maneuver. (Which means it can be included in any level program.)

ETA: In the UK, I think a 3-jump is the name for what we US skaters call a waltz jump.


After teaching an hour-and-a-half tonight, I found myself with a less-than-crowded freestyle and a bit of free time.

Nightmare:
Every one of my MITF spiral patterns was interrupted by other skaters. At least I wasn't in danger, which was yesterday's situation.
Still, managed a few decent spirals - really have to work on the strong lowering of the leg as I change spirals. (A few ankle-weight sessions should help a bit.)

Flip: I'm not keeping my foot in front, which is part of the chickening out.
(Tip courtesy of an old skating friend who is a great coach.)

Dream:
Camels were great, even the crappy demo ones I did for my student. I'm still working on turning the free toe out/up.
My student hates camels and "can't do them" so I of course want her to relearn them my way. LOL

One of the teenage assistants remarked that my sit spin is lower than hers.
I think it was a compliment! (A bit back-handed though, donchathink?)

Half lutzes are overrotating. That's a good sign, I think, except I need a strong half-lutz!

[Clare]

Dream: Had a really good lesson this morning and my FI3 is back :D . It's a bit skiddy, for want of a better description, but it's there for the first time in weeks so I'll take skiddy and work on it! Coach also said my FO3s looked better than he had ever seen them, even the bad side was working today :)

Nightmare: Again, my back crossovers refuse to co-operate on the early morning session :(

Clare

[Skittl1321]

Dream Today was LTS test days and my coach decided to go ahead and test me b/c if I had stayed in LTS I would have been in Freestyle 1. I passed Freestyle 1 AND Freestyle 2!!! YAY ME!

Anyhow, yesterday was the most awesome of skating days. I did ALL FOUR backward 3 turns! I did my backward inside edges with my head and arms in the right place each time. I was able to work on my backspin (although it still sucks) and it's getting better. I learned the waltz-8 pattern. I got complimented on my perimeter stroking pattern.

The funny part- during practice a woman came up to me and said "wow. you can do a backspin?" I wasn't sure what to say. My backspin involves starting with a 2 foot spin, and picking my free leg up while I wobble out 3 rotations or so. If I am wobbling along exactly on my sweet spot, I try to cross into an actual backspin position, otherwise, it's "storked". I was amazed another skater recognized what I was trying to do.

The inspiring- A new adult showed up at our rink. She was running through all of her singles, although I didnt' see her do an axel, she might have. Anyway- when she was starting she was just doing waltz jumps, and they were amazingly large and floaty. It was SO beautiful to see that in a waltz jump, it was like she never came down. My coach demonstrates waltz jumps that are big and powerful, but these were big and graceful- I'm so glad to see adults doing this sort of thing.


Bad Dream Well, not everything was perfect. I've worked so much on my inability to do my hands/head/feet on my backward inside edges, that I completely lost my coordination on my backward outside edges. We spent about 10 minutes working just on BO edges. These edges make me want to cry sometimes. They are just so hard to get right!

Boot problems- Well I fix one thing, another goes wrong. The gel pads are an incredible help and my ankles are no longer being shredded to pieces- but now for the first time, my ankle bones are starting to have too much pressure. The width at the metatarsal is better, but now my big and little toe are starting to have pressure spots rubbed. (I think I might get gelly-toes to fix that...I'm just wondering if it will add too much width, and I'll start losing feeling again.) Anyhow- I'm at the 6 month mark with these boots, and at one year I am getting either customs or split widths-at least. I hate getting rid of them before they aren't good anymore, especially since it's more discomfort than pain, but I think a years use is okay to try a new pair.

Nightmare The ice show I had agreed to be in in April, well we don't have to use a "themed" routine anymore so I am taking it as a chance to do my freeskate- BUT WAIT- club members can do 2 routines. No thanks, one is enough. Somehow I got trumped on that, so I am also doing my spotlight. BUT I don't have a freeskate or a spotlight yet! So by late April I have to have learned and "perfected" 2 routines! EEK. (The freeskate will be to the little swans dance from swan lake, and the spotlight is either Gotta get a Gimmick or Stuff Like that There)

[Hannahclear]

Wrapped up four consecutive days of skating. Multiple full run-throughs with music each day, except Sunday, which is just too crowded. I'm skating pretty clean programs. The elements are never as clean or crisp as I can do them when I have the music going and the pressure of the timing to fluster me, but I have come a long way from last year (oh I'll do a run through when I can do it right attitude).

Lutz/loop/toe is consistent, though sometimes eeked out during the program. Same with back camel/back sit and flip/toe. They are much stronger elements when I do them out of the program, but they've gotten much more consistent. My footwork is steadier and I'm managing my flying back sit, though it's slow and not technically perfect.

Hoping to skate with fewer little trips and more speed at my next competition!

Moves are going ok. I still can't really do the 8 step counterclockwise, but my cross strokes are coming along, even the back ones, getting less toe picky. My 3 turns are also improving, though the RFI/LBO ones drive me insane! Non-spiral leg straightline is still embarassing, but it's getting LESS embarassing. :lol:

[Laura H]

Congrats on passing 1 AND 2, Jessi, that is awesome!!

Don't worry about the show - I'm sure you will do fine - you still have plenty of time to get routine(s) together! :halo:

[Laura H]

DREAM: Got off work a little early yesterday to get in some practice time during the public session before our group lesson. Despite the fact that both of my (8 yr old) sons came along too (and they have this KNACK for skating up just as I get ready to go into a spin or jump :giveup: ) managed to get some practice in before the group lesson. Group lesson went fine . . . and I got the coveted "nod of approval" from the coach after demonstrating the salchow for her!! YES!!

Oh, and the adults-only class will definitely be back next session - it starts 3/5. Won't the others be surprised to see my salchow?!

NIGHTMARE: DS' mental block on his change foot spin - I'm hoping his coach can do some sort of mind meld thing today to settle him down (he has a private at 5:00pm). Comp is in 10 days . . . ack!! He only has one other person in his Freestyle 3 group, so I guess the worst he can do is 2nd . . . but I know he would be a little embarrassed to nail his salchow and toeloop and fall out of the change foot spin. (on the plus side, he has become quite good at the forward spin - he is so busy thinking about the switch to the backspin that he forgets to be worried about the forward spins - too funny!).

[Mrs Redboots]

Yay, jskater, yay jessi, yay everybody......

Nightmare: Had to have both couples lesson and solo lesson today as missed yesterday. In couples lesson, was told to push at Husband, not around him (this is in waltz hold, with him going backwards and me going forwards). Did so, kicked his blade, and ended up on the ice. I now have a bruised thigh, wrenched rib muscles and a sore upper arm. Sigh. To add insult to injury, coach said it was all my fault as I'd had my feet too far apart! :roll: By the time it was time for my solo lesson, I was so stiff I begged for only 15 minutes, rather than my usual 30.

Did I say I'd finished with those dance moves? Guess what we did today? No, not the cross-cuts (thankfully), but the cross-rolls as an exercise. Ages ago, I had this exercise with forward cross-rolls where I start slowly and speed up. So I did that, and it wasn't great as I was out of practice, so he made me try doing it backwards. Now, why couldn't I have done the wretched things like that yesterday???? :?: :frus:

And we worked on back crossovers, and I cannot get (clockwise) or keep (anti-clockwise) my weight over my inside hip.

Dream: Not a lot.... we did a nice swing dance, I suppose.

[jskater49]

Not much to dream about at this morning's session - the 3 turn toe taps I was doing so well on Monday were not happening today..although I was getting off the ground for my waltz jumps which didn't happen on Monday.

I cannot get my foot behind me for the cha cha...

Lunge is coming back nicely...

Nightmare -- both my daughter and I are competing at Eastern Iowa Invitational in two weeks. She's doing Intermediate FS and testing her Novice moves...probably the same day and she ALWAYS freaks out two weeks before...so there were tears on the ice...but she did land her double toe which is her goal for the competition.

j

[Laura H]

J, that's pretty cool though that you are going to be participating in the same comp - have you done that before?

DS is going to his first comp (ISI) Sat after next - our first experience with this side of skating . . . and I think I'm stressed enough for BOTH of us!! Trying to keep it to myself, though!! :lol:

[jskater49]

J, that's pretty cool though that you are going to be participating in the same comp - have you done that before?

Yea, I often will sign up for an adult comp if they offer one when my daughter competes - since we are going anyway. I still remember hearing them announce my name and hearing my daughter from the stands "GO MOMMY!" and the time she made a sign for our car "My mom is going to beat your mom at Winterfest" :P

j

[Isk8NYC]

... and the time she made a sign for our car "My mom is going to beat your mom at Winterfest"How cute!

Dream:
Other than the Waltz8, the other PP Moves were fine.
Have to remember to POINT my free foot toes down and make sure I can fit all the lobes on the edges.
PM Spiral pattern is coming along, but I still "clomp" my free foot down when switching feet !

eta: I can almost (but not quite) do a tango stop on one side, but only using the back outside edge behind the rocker. I keep skittering when I try to stop with the rocker and I can't get weight on the stopping foot. Bonus: my t-stops on that side are dead-on accurate. I'm going to try and do one-foot t-stops next - maybe that'll help the tango stops.

Nightmare:
Waltz8 timing was off completely this morning, but I didn't warm up before skating, so maybe that's why. 1-2-3-4-5-6...
No time for any freeskating, boo hoo. :cry: Had to go to work.

[Scarlett]

Dream-
For some reason, my moves were on today. Where oh where is a judge when you need one? Coach was pleased though.
Forward upright spin has finally reappeared.

Nightmare -
Salchows and lutz attempts could only be described as comical today.
For some reason, my boots just hurt today. I came off the ice and retied them but it didn't help. My left foot is still unhappy.

[Rusty Blades]

Nightmare: I was SOOO stiff today! The poor old muscles just didn’t want to move - even the off-ice warm-up and flexibility exercises didn’t help. Coach showed up and she was in worse shape than I was. Poor thing has a BAD cold.

Neither Good Nor Bad: Did more backwards, some FXOs, a bit of turns, and then ran through the back half of my program for coach before I sent her home to rest. Nothing gained, nothing lost.

{Off-topic Nightmare: I went off to do an equipment installation at one of our offices and heard the blizzard warnings for all of southern Manitoba. I wrapped up the installation as quickly as possible and headed for my shack in the hills in some UGLY driving conditions - they say it is going to get a lot worse before it blows over later tonight.}

P.S. Congratulations to everybody who passed ANYTHING!

[e-skater]

Dream:

Getting more and more used to new boots and blades. I'm beginning to like them now.

Waltz / loop has stuck with me. Had one really good one today.

Straight line brackets are still mostly working. I wouldn't, say, put them in a program just yet! LOL! And, thank God my current music is such that straight line brackets would go very well.....or my coach, being evil, would put them in.

Tried, at my coach's suggestion, a catch foot camel today. This truly is a dream! I almost had it on the first try. I think it might be something I can do before the world ends.

Made progress on my "sit" spin. I've retained (amazing as that is) staying over the left side, and keeping my legs much, much closer. What happened today with the start of "folding" or bending at the hips and getting out front like you're supposed to be.

Nightmare:

The flippin' flip jump! One good one then many that didn't work. All my "breakthroughs" have evaporated again! :frus:

Back camel. Yikes. And to think this element is actually in my program.
I have absolutely NO push, as yet, into the back camel.....mind is totally blank, despite concerted efforts by coach to get me to understand. :roll:

Back inside threes. Actually I did do them today, but they are quite poor, and I'm more like the "bobbing drinking bird" than anything else!

[doubletoe]

Dream Today was LTS test days and my coach decided to go ahead and test me b/c if I had stayed in LTS I would have been in Freestyle 1. I passed Freestyle 1 AND Freestyle 2!!! YAY ME!

Wow, that's wonderful!!:D :bow:

[xofivebyfive]

Dream: I tried my loop after 3 months of not being able to because of my tendonitis(which I still have unfortunately) and thankfully can still do it.

Nightmare: My free leg/foot, hikes up my right leg when I go up to jump, which is going to turn into a nasty leg wrap I think.

Anyone have any tips on not using my left foot to help me jump, so that it doesn't go all the way up to my thigh?(My lower left leg is like, parallel to the ice when I do it. Does that make sense?)

[bootcovers]

Dream: At last night's lesson, we did so well with our forward stroking and forward one-foot glides that our instructor introduced us to skating backwards and backwards one-foot glides. 8O MUCH harder than going forward! By the end of a half hour of practicing, I could lift one foot briefly off the ice. I skittered in all directions in that brief moment. It's lovely that there's a thread in the forums on just this topic!

Nightmare: Constructing skating dress number two has been a real learning experience. I come from a background of sewing for various historical reproduction events (Victorian and earlier), and this is my first attempt at sewing lycra. Every step of the way, from cutting onwards, I've made the wrong decisions and had to figure out how to make it work. Oh well...I won't make the same mistakes on dress number three (which I will start as soon as I finish learning how do to things wrong on dress number two).

[Emberchyld]

Skated at a new (to me) rink today because I've missed freestyle at my usual rink for a few days now and couldn't miss another day. Cute little rink, with a charming staff, but I almost felt clautrophobic on this tiny ice... I'm spoiled by olympic and hockey sized rinks! I don't think I'll go there regularly, but it'll be a nice option for when I can't get to my main rink for freestyle.

There, I also met my first mini- skating primadonna. Actually, she looked eerily like that little girl from the Ice Princess movie, and did say "Uhm, Excuse me, you're in my way," in that same tone. I was just waiting for her to say "Uhm, like, you're squishing me!"

Nightmare: The ice was so hard (and the echo in so loud) in this rink that I heard every little scrape-- even things that I thought were clean, like my bxos, were so conspicuously loud on this ice.

Ever since I got my blades sharpened, I've felt like I'm a bit too forward on my boot. Probably my imagination, but I do feel the teeniest bit off-balance now, and that just threw me off on the littlest things, like mohawks, and my waltz jump landing, always before the only nice thing about my jump, has become too toepicky-draggy.

Dreams: After multiple bruising whacks and a few little pricks right above my inside right ankle, I actually managed about 3 revs each on 2 scratch spins. So far with the odds, I'll have a truly ugly leg well before I can consistently scratch spin.

Thanks to the very hard ice and being so aware of my toepick, I managed to really focus on getting UP on my toe on the waltz jump instead of jumping practically from the flat of my blade. My arms and body placement were probably not very pretty, but I did feel a major difference in the reee-each and height of the jump. And it proved to give me more height on the half-loop-ish thing that I've been learning. so, yay for hard ice.

[Skate@Delaware]

You mean you DON'T keep a bag of skating clothes in your car trunk at all times?
Um, no...because I would also have to keep my skates in there...and although I have a van, it would get very crowded fast (I have some emergency stuff, boots and a camping heater, my archery gear, hockey gear, etc.).....I hate to skate in cold skates. Besides, I live 8 miles from the rink and mom is 6 miles beyond that....

Nightmare: I think I was too tired from all my workouts today for skating...gym (which was a kick-butt session) then an archery session at home. Worked on backspins, backpspin-hops for a while then loops. Fell onto my knee (and hip again) during one ill-fated loop. It's swollen and will be a pretty bruise!!! Spun a bit, then tried some crappy sit-spins. I can get into the position if I'm not moving...the second I start moving, I can't....serious mental block. I was even padded up...:frus:

[Sk8pdx]

Dreams:
It is as if I had an epiphany in the night, woke up and said, "I am going to land my loop today!" and I DID! like 10 times!!! Everything just sort of *clicked* at todays practice. I am getting all of my weight onto the right side. the rbo edge is still a little shallow and the landing is cheated but I am landing on 1 foot instead of giving up and two-footing my landings. Metaphorically speaking, I feel like a 1 year old who has gone from a crawling loop to one who has taken her first step. Finally I am seeing some progress after about a year of going at a snails pace. I have to thank some of my pairs friends at practice last saturday who helped "coach" me a little on my RFI 3 entrance into the loop. (too pre-rotated...). It really made a difference. Oh, and I can't forget Casey who kept nudging me to keep going even when I wanted to give up...:) It has all really paid off. I am delighted.

No nightmares for me... I'm on cloud 9!
yippeeeee~sk8pdx:D

[mikawendy]

Congratulations on your loop, Sk8pdx!

All in all, it's been a very "loopy" week for a bunch of y'all! :D

[jazzpants]

Congratulations on your loop, Sk8pdx!

All in all, it's been a very "loopy" week for a bunch of y'all! :D

Yes, quite a "loopy" week! First me, then Skate@Deleware and now Sk8pdx!!! WOO HOO!!!

http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/musik/l045.gif

Skate@Delaware (Skate@Deleaware) and Sk8pdx!!! Congrats on landing your first loops!!! :bow: :bow: :bow: (And Sk8pdx, I hope you are rewarding yourself with those chocolate covered strawberries and champagne.) ;)

http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/nahrung/f010.gif http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/musik/n015.gif

[Isk8NYC]

Congrats to all the Loopy Skaters, and to Skittl1321 for passing FS 1&2!

Nightmare:
There's never enough time to skate after work anymore. Too many work deadlines and skating student lessons.

Felt dizzy while spinning, but I got in a few good scratch and back scratch spins. Didn't have time to try any sits or camels. (Too bad - the ice was really good!)

Dream:
My student asked about the different turns that we have in skating. I explained and demonstrated 3-turns, rockers, counters and brackets along with mohawks and choctaws. I think she wants to pursue ice dancing, so that means I'll be passing her along to a different coach. Dance is not my thing at all, given my crappy footwork.

[e-skater]

Congrats to all the Loopy Skaters, and to Skittl1321 for passing FS 1&2!

Dance is not my thing at all, given my crappy footwork.

Nah, if I can do it, anyone can.

And I want to join in your congrats to all! It's so encouraging to hear!

[Team Arthritis]

Nightmare:
couldn't get to sleep now for the seconde night in a row so I took a sleeping pill and made myself go to the early FS. Now my rear hurts from tripping over my toepick! Some weeks I'm just not meant to skate early! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/traurig/a025.gif
Lyle

[Mrs Redboots]

Well done and :bow: :bow: :bow: to all of you who are landing your loop jumps now.

Okay, next challenge - salchow-loop in combination. Which is what the Husband is working on, also loop-loop (I've told him to do loop-loop-loop-loop until he gets dizzy!). I can't even begin to think how to do a loop jump, although I've done one off-ice a time or two. Not interested, though.... just have fun watching the husband struggle with his loop & his flip.

[jazzpants]

Nightmare:
couldn't get to sleep now for the seconde night in a row so I took a sleeping pill and made myself go to the early FS. Now my rear hurts from tripping over my toepick! Some weeks I'm just not meant to skate early! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/traurig/a025.gif
LyleMe neither! At times I wonder how I managed to drag myself thru morning commute traffic to a big city, find parking, get skates on, and "sleep skate", much less take instructions from secondary coach. http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/d020.gif http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/a020.gif If she asks "How are you?" and I say "Awake," it's a good day!!! :halo: :lol:

[Emberchyld]

I hate to skate in cold skates. Besides, I live 8 miles from the rink and mom is 6 miles beyond that....


Ouch, I learned that this winter when I kept forgetting to take my skates out of the car. If I have time, I sit there with the heat on and aim the boots at my heater. Not good for the smell in the car, but works in a pinch.

Now that I've caved and gotten myself a Zuca (I just couldn't cram any more junk into my saddle skate bag!), I'm still working out the "carrying the bag from the car to my apartment" thing without looking like I'm constantly going on a business trip to my neighbors. Thank goodness for warm weather coming up!

[kateskate]

Dreams
Still very excited and happy about my test pass!

Nightmare
Didn't actually skate today as my teacher was late and I lost it, finally snapped and I managed to work myself up into a state and ended up crying and having a word with him about it

But did I mention I'm still happy about my test :D :D

[BatikatII]

kateskate: sorry to hear you had a problem with your teacher - you seem to have posted about your coach not turning up a few times - is this the same coach each time? You seem to have been very tolerant so far. I'd have lost it long ago!

I still have post-test-euphoria even more than 3 weeks later! Enjoy!:D

dreams:Had my first free lesson today after nearly two weeks off (due to having to sort out building work we are having done and also kids half term). I often find a break does my skating a power of good and am happy to report this was no exception. Skates felt OK (even with bunion! (chiropracter tweaked it yesterday and it's really helped!!!!)) and ice was nice. Did lots of moves of the non-test kind (ones coach makes up usually) and a few OK spins, even nearly managing a back spin (well it would have been good enough for passport - not for level 2!!!). Ran through my programme with the music, that I have not skated since before I damaged my back in the summer and coach was impressed that I remembered it and even landed the jumps (well OK, I did two-foot the flip) and salchow - toe-loop combo was not the best. I realised I hadnt' actually done a spiral for about 6 months and was a bit wobbly but it ended up as a change edge spiral so it was OK:lol: All in all a pretty good skate.

We then looked at changing my step sequence to include double back 3's since I really like these now and while running through it, I landed the flip at the end. Yay!

Afterwards was chatting to a friend who hasnt skated for ages and later ended up going out to lunch with her and yet another skater friend I hadn't seen in ages as she stopped skating after breaking an ankle and doesnt' come to the rink now her daughter is at Uni.

Moseying along the local high street later I even found a flooring shop which helped me to decide what to do about the floors in our new extension!

So all good today!

[flo]

Dream? : Have an appointment for boot fitting next Thursday.

[kateskate]

kateskate: sorry to hear you had a problem with your teacher - you seem to have posted about your coach not turning up a few times - is this the same coach each time? You seem to have been very tolerant so far. I'd have lost it long ago!




Yep it is the same one. I've been very tolerant for 2 years.

[Skate@Delaware]

Loopy skaters....I luv it!!!!

Lyle, if it's ANY consolation to you, every time I rolled over, I either hit my knee (which is now bruising and swollen) or my hip-I swear I have stress fractures from all the times I have landed on it!!!!!

And to make matters worse, I was questioned today at work if I got into a bar fight (just joking) because during my archery practice on tuesday my bowstring hit me in the face and now I have a nice bruise along my jaw...8O I should have said "yes" to the bar fight...

seriously needing those chocolate-covered strawberries!!!!

[jazzpants]

Loopy skaters....I luv it!!!!Yeah, we're all LOOP-Y skaters there!!! http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/35.gif:P :lol: (Okay, who else here is ready to join the LOOP-Y club here!?!?!) ;)

Dream:
Well, it's far from perfect and it's still slow as molasses and I can only do them in certain circumstances, but I STILL own the loop jump!!! :bow: I also STILL own a 3-rev camel, though 1) I have to warm up into it with a few duds and 2) the spiral position still sucks but it's getting there.

Nightmare:
Primary coach worked thru the beginning of my program and added on... (guess what?) A LOOP into the program!!! 8O 8O 8O AI YI YI!!! I think I'm gonna ask my secondary coach to gradually work me toward a faster entry too, in addition to working on my flip. (Yes, I am playing around with a "wall flip" to get me to eventually land it clean as I did with the loop, if you can believe it...) :lol:

And to add to the good news: I've asked Jay to film my loop for "prosperity" and handed him my cell phone. He handed the phone back to me and said "You don't need that! And there's plenty of time to go and film your clean loop now!!!" ;)

[Skate@Delaware]

Jazz: for the first few spins/jumps that don't turn out....you get "do-overs"!!!!!:lol:

And my coach freaks if I do anything close to the wall!!!8O Sometimes I do my 1/2 lutz really close...just for kicks...yeah, I'm a freak..used to do that with the toe-loop too, see how close I could get! I think she used to punish me with those darned ISI-style back crossovers (lift, place foot across, push, repeat :x )

[jazzpants]

Jazz: for the first few spins/jumps that don't turn out....you get "do-overs"!!!!!:lol: Nice to see *someone* agrees with me here!!! :halo: :lol:

And my coach freaks if I do anything close to the wall!!!8O Sometimes I do my 1/2 lutz really close...just for kicks...yeah, I'm a freak..used to do that with the toe-loop too, see how close I could get! I think she used to punish me with those darned ISI-style back crossovers (lift, place foot across, push, repeat :x )Well, at first my coaches were wary of that idea... but as I've learned thru the years, everything I learn new always starts from the wall...

I also have a "wall FO-BI bracket sequence" too. I hope it will be away from the wall by year's end in time to show to NYC coach. :) (I only have FO brackets away from the wall so far though. NYC coach makes it look SOOOOO easy and tells me it's EASY!!! Yeah, riiiight!!! :roll: :P )

[Sk8pdx]

Kateskate: Glad to hear you are still reveling in your test success and appreciating the moment!

Jazzpants: Well, the bubbly and strawberries will need to wait. Someone passed on a bad case of the cold and flu. I guess hot toddys will do for now. (a little chamomile tea with lemon, honey, and peppermint schnapps). ;) So I feel pretty loopy enough as it is. Today it just got worse. ... I am also taking echinacea and goldenseal 2x a day.

Dreams:
I was afraid I would wake up today and forget loops but they were still there at practice today!!!

Nightmare:
Going on the downside of flu season. It is so hard to practice sit spins, Camel-sit spin with an already runny nose (eeewww!) and a stuffy head. :cry:

[sk8_4fun]

Dreams : My brand new skates are really comfortable straight off, I wore them 2 1/2 hours tuesday and thursday and they dont hurt!!!!:D and I did my best 3-jumps ever yesterday, I'm delighted.

Nightmare : nasty cold bug has finally caught up with me and the echinacea didn't stop it this time. My head is full of nasty stuff and I can't sleep :frus:

[Mrs Redboots]

Dreams: Quiet patch, seriously good ice.....

Nightmares: The sound of toe-rakes in the early morning! Mine, of course.

Dreams: Although I did manage a totally silent end-pattern on the Fiesta Tango which was super! Husband and I worked through all our dances, as well as playing with edges and turns.

Nightmares: After he'd gone, I suddenly realised I had nothing to practice! Not that that actually mattered, there's plenty of exercises out there. But I really need to make a list of things to work through, so that I don't go and not practice something that needs work.

The things that seriously need work are:
Continuous FO3s (kept touching down)
Back outside edges (scrapy-scrapy-flatty-scrapy)
FO twizzles (impossible!)
BI brackets - kept doing counters which is fine, but not what I was trying to do!
FI 3s, BO 3s, BI 3s
Jimmy Young's awful cross-roll exercise where you do 3 crossrolls and hold the 3rd right round a circle. Could do it fine on the R foot but kept doing LFO3, which wasn't what I was trying to do at all! Only did the forward version of that exercise, didn't try the backwards at all. Nor the inside-edge version.
Clockwise back crossoversDreams:
Things that went well:
Back inside edges
FI twizzles - actually did them moving!
BI twizzles - got one double, although I couldn't repeat it!
Changes-of-edge, especially (and surprisingly) inside-to-outside
Anti-clockwise back crossovers (well, they need work, but....)
Forward and back cross-rolls with increasing tempo
Skating backwards at speed
Forward and backward Russian stroking (the latter still too slow)

[jskater49]

Dance lesson today

Nightmare

I got out the test comments from the last time I tested the waltz and canasta and coach and I went over them. What was not helpful - One comment..."good timing" another comment - "not skated to music" Okay so the judges don't all count the same :cry: Both my daughter and my coach and I agree, the waltz timing was fine and one judge was counting funny that day...and the Canasta was on and off. But all agreed that the edges were too flat

Coach watched me and said I can get a good edge, but the pattern looks wrong because I don't always finish the edge, and there is too much flat skating in between ...I need to finish the edge which will insure I start the next one on a good edge.

Tried that with the Dutch Waltz, edges better but guess what- timing was off. The good news is that I'm good at getting back on when I'm off so I'm not clueless about the timing.

I know I need both...but if I have to sacrifice one, I still think I need make sure the timing is on even if I sacrifice edge quality.

It's kind of aggrivating because I've seen 7 year old beginner skaters barely on time with little edges pass this test... grrr...

Dream Even if they aren't great, dances are looking better.

J

[Rusty Blades]

Nightmares: Cut this morning's session - head is all stuffed up, feeling drained. Saw my doc yesterday and she says I have a B12 deficiency and that's why I tire easily and take so long to recover from each skating session.

Dreams: I haven't got anything that will kill me 8O and it is all treatable. The cold will go away on its own and I am popping B12's so hope to be on the ice again soon - only 3 more weeks 'til I leave for competition. COM'ON B12!!! :roll:

[Team Arthritis]

Loopy skaters....I luv it!!!!


And to make matters worse, I was questioned today at work if I got into a bar fight (just joking) because during my archery practice on tuesday my bowstring hit me in the face and now I have a nice bruise along my jaw...8O I should have said "yes" to the bar fight...

seriously needing those chocolate-covered strawberries!!!!
Yeh just tell em, bar fights are for Sissies! OI things we do in the name of fun:giveup:
Lyle

[das_mondlicht]

Nightmares
Still fighting winter blue. Looking for panacea...

Dreams
Finally, I booked one 15-min lesson after my last one at the beginning of Jan. I am glad I did because I have been slacking off skating since I came back. We went over Bronze moves. I am surprised that I didn't get too rigid. A nice weight-shifting correction on the power-push of BXOR perimeter. I actually sweated when traveling down one side after the correction. It is amazing how the little change makes it work more effeciently. On BXOR to BO, coach held my hands to let me feel the speed she looks for. It was flying speed and I actually liked it. At the last minute, I learned forward power pulls. It was hard to hold a glove between thighs...But it was fun. Before getting off ice, I practiced figure-8 XORs and peeked a girl preparing intermediate moves. My XORs are a little bit faster than her power circle at full speed...:lol:

[jazzpants]

Nightmares
Still fighting winter blue. Looking for panacea...
I'll give you one.... SPRING is coming!!! :D :D :D

Of course, there's also the "that time of the month" blues that puts a "cramp" in my lifestyle... now THAT is bad!!! :x (And unfortunately coming very soon for me! :x )

[Bill_S]

Dreams: After having practiced bracket - bracket - bracket on each foot at the ice rink 'till I'm sick of them, I tried it on my PIC skates at the roller rink last night. I DID IT! Right foot only though.

On ice I have little or no difficulty doing them slow and edgy on my right foot, but PIC skates are much more difficult to control than ice skates. I flipped them back and forth on the edge of control at the roller rink. Still...

I'm glad I was able to do that because doing an element on my PIC skates means I must have MASTERED it on ice.

[Emberchyld]

Dreams: Had a part-day off of work today (was supposed to be a full day, then turned into a half-day, then got stuck at my desk until it became a 1/4th day...:giveup: ), and I was lucky enough to go for 2 hrs to a local rink during their 6 hr session.

It was just a fun skate... everything felt solid... I was the best on the ice in figure skates-- there was a lovely woman in hockey skates with amazing skill, and the guards, of course (although it's not saying much about me because I would have been the worst on the ice in the open freestyle on the next rink over!). Kids asked me to help them spin, one footed spins were great, kinda did a scratch spin (the bane of my existence) and, wierdly enough, pulled off a good scratch spin in me bad (CCW) direction, did jumps, spirals, everything, and felt soild and pretty. No pressure and perfect.

And then, as I'm just stroking and playing with crossovers, I see, out of the corner of my eye, a familiar hairstyle on a person bending down to pick up some junk from the ice. Lo and behold... Peter Turgenev http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/liebe/love-smiley-015.gifhttp://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/liebe/love-smiley-015.gifhttp://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/liebe/love-smiley-015.gif stepped in from a rink side door, picked up some of the public skate sticky labels that were littering the ice, and left again.
I think he was there to pick up one of his students for a lesson, because he was back on the ice for a few minutes a little later.

:oops: I stayed out of the center most of the time when he was back on the ice, but made sure to stroke as perfectly as possible :halo: ... and then I couldn't resist doing onnnnnneeee one-footed spin in the center:oops:, and he was gone shortly thereafter. You would think I would be over being star-struck with all of the people that I've seen at that rink and at the adult camp, but, nope:D

What a Dream!

[coskater64]

Dream:
Managed 4 days of skating about 1-2 hours each time, 2 days with heavy jumping and in the harness working on axels and 2 sows. Getting back to usual schedule 2 pilates classes, 2 pointe classes and one class of Bikram Yoga. The yoga is hot yoga and I remembered it being uncomfortable if you wore too much so I wore boy shorts and a bikini top, worked well, drank sooooo much water I almost swam home. Felt so good after it was done, didn't do too much because skated well the next day, highly suggest it for those who want both strength and flexibility. Worked on dances today, went well, coach noticed I am actually taking instruction much better.:twisted:

Nightmare:
Kittens love playing outside and they are very quick and quite, must watch them like a hawk. Both are learning to climb 50 ft spruce out back, at least Yoda already knows how to fall.

[Skate@Delaware]

Nightmares
Still fighting winter blue. Looking for panacea...
I'm getting the blahs!!!!! Happens about this time every year...I thought by NOT doing the spring show it would not be so bad, but I think maybe it's just a combination of WINTER, WINTER, and WINTER!!!!! I'm anxious for spring! But I go on a trip to Europe during Easter break, and by the time we (daughter and I) get back, we will have missed the spring show and the closing of the rink for the season. It's a bit of a lose-lose situation.

Maybe I need more sunshine...and time outdoors.

This is sort of skating related, I switched chiropractors two months ago. This guy is starting to do me some real good! After 3 years with the other guy-I wasn't making any progress...this guy is actually giving me EXERCISES to do! I get adjusted (and they aren't cracking loud crunching ones either) and I'm sore the next few days!

I have also started up with yoga. Today was my first day back (did it 20++++ years ago). Boy, am I tight!!!! Bad news...hip flexors and knees....Yikes! That's ok, I can bend I just need time! I'm wondering if this is part of my "lack of sit-spin" problem? (I can only go down so far....)

Watch out, Doubletoe!!! I see splits in my future too! Maybe by Christmas!

My next trick is to find an eating routine that works-without bottoming out my blood sugar while giving me enough "stuff" to get by. I eat mini-meals now.

And I visit my new doctor next week-finally! It's good because I have medical tests that needed to be gotten and you have to have a Dr.'s order...keeping my fingers crossed I don't want to hear anymore negative news for a long time-had my fill for a while!!!

Hopefully I will get to skate tomorrow! Knee looks good, feels good!

[Scarlett]

Dreams:
Add me to the loopy club. I landed 6 of them today. I won't tell you how many attempts but even the failed attempts were actually landed on the right or in my case left foot.
Backspin is getting more consistent. It is actually my most consistent spin.

Nightmares:
Waltz 8 of doom...do they really want two equal circles twice? Who does that?
Forward spins....laughable.

[doubletoe]

This is sort of skating related, I switched chiropractors two months ago. This guy is starting to do me some real good! After 3 years with the other guy-I wasn't making any progress...this guy is actually giving me EXERCISES to do! I get adjusted (and they aren't cracking loud crunching ones either) and I'm sore the next few days!

I have also started up with yoga. Today was my first day back (did it 20++++ years ago). Boy, am I tight!!!! Bad news...hip flexors and knees....Yikes! That's ok, I can bend I just need time! I'm wondering if this is part of my "lack of sit-spin" problem? (I can only go down so far....)

Watch out, Doubletoe!!! I see splits in my future too! Maybe by Christmas!


Wow, awesome ways to improve your strength and flexibility! What kind of yoga are you doing? I went to a few Iyengar yoga classes (they are sticklers for correct positions, which is good) and I could definitely see how beneficial it could be. Unfortunately, I just didn't have the time to keep it up, and I already had two physical therapy sessions per week and 30 minutes of stretching I was doing every day. . .
Speaking of which, I used to go to a chiropractor, but after I got an overuse injury in my knee almost two years ago, I had to go to a physical therapist and now I know why physical therapists aren't quite sold on chiropractors. My physical therapist has taught me so much about my joints and muscles and I credit her 100% with my big breakthrough in flexibility. With the exception of chiropractic adjustments (which I still get if I have a jarring fall), my PT has given me so much more in regards to any skeletal-muscular issues. So if you ever get the chance, get a doctor to prescribe some physical therapy for you, then learn all you can from your PT! :P

[mikawendy]

Dream: There's a HUUUUUUUUGE test session at the rink tomorrow, but the freestyles this evening weren't too crazy. Everyone was actually feeling punchy and cheering each other on in their moves and their programs. I'm not testing tomorrow, so I just tried to stay out of everyone's way.

Also this week I think I have finally come to an understanding with the sal, which previously had been my least favorite jump. I'm finally getting three good knee bends and better lift into the jump. I think it's because my check before the jump is a lot better--as I jump, I sort of feel like I'm jumping against my arms/torso.... (hard to explain in words, but it's a neat feeling).

[singerskates]

I was going to skate today at the freestyle session, but my mom wanted to go to the grocery store...so I planned on taking her. Called her on the way to her house to have her say, "I'd rather wait until tomorrow when the sale ad comes out, plus it's senior day tomorrow and I can get my discount." :x Although she doesn't live too far from me, by the time I go home, change, get my stuff, and head to the rink, the session would be over :frus: MOTHERS!!!!! URGH!!!!!


I hear ya!!! My mom tries to get me to take her places too when I have skating sessions. I tell her that she'll have to wait until I'm done my session and then I can come over to pick her up to go shopping. I also call back right after my skating session to see if she changed her mind by then. Sometimes she does but most of the time, she's learned to go with my schedule.

You might want to pick up your mom early next time before your session to have her watch you skate and then afterwards eat out together and go shopping with her. Make it a guys night out. After all, your mom just wants to spend time with you and hear your voice. She misses you.

singerskates

[singerskates]

Dream : ran through both my freeskate and my interpretive programs today without feeling like I was going to pass out for a change from no air. Have asthma. Will skate.

Nightmare: All the forms I had to get done and sent in for Adult Canadians. Why can't we be able to register online for Adult Canadians? Skate Canada would get their cash sooner and I would have to try to get to the post office on time.

Next Nightmare: Condition of ice today. It was like they went straight down to the cement last night and just poured hot water and quick freezed the ice about half an hour before we stepped on the ice today. Every step I took on the ice made the ice crack all the way down to the cement. Here I was skating backwards and I thought I was scrapping my toe picks again even though I've fixed the problem just because I heard all the noise. It was just he ice breaking away everywhere I went. When I went to catch my spins, I couldn't get out of the hook because the ice broke so far down that I was in a deep hole in the ice. It was interesting but scary. Anyone ever get ice like that?

Because of the ice, I was hesitate to really jump today, especially my toe jumps. I also sort of laid off of the spins after a point.

[Rusty Blades]

Nightmare: All the forms I had to get done and sent in for Adult Canadians. Why can't we be able to register online for Adult Canadians?

I AGREE! It would also save the expensive postage (express post or courier) since they only gave us 25 days from when the registrations became available to when they have to be received in Ottawa!

Every step I took on the ice made the ice crack all the way down to the cement.

One of the rinks I skated at in the fall was like that when their ice was new. Three of us took to the ice and every once in awhile there would be a BANG! like a shotgun going off and everybody would jump and grab their heart! 8O It sure does wake you up!

Nightmare: I was feeling better than yesterday but the weather isn’t! Blowing and drifting snow, freezing rain. I went as far as the village (12 miles) for breakfast and thought, “Do I REALLY want to drive an hour to the city and an hour back in this to skate for 2 hours?” I decided not to risk my truck or my body for 2 hours of skating. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow and I can make it to the session at the rural rink.

Dream: I gave myself an "attitude adjustment" yesterday 8O I was watching last year's C.A.N. and comparing myself to the other skaters (mostly with negative results) and getting a real strong case of "pre-competition jitters" and wondering how can I weasel out of it? Which caused me to sit down and think about why I am doing this. In the end, I have adopted a new motto for the next 4 weeks: LIGHTEN UP! And have FUN!

[Skate@Delaware]

I hear ya!!! My mom tries to get me to take her places too when I have skating sessions. I tell her that she'll have to wait until I'm done my session and then I can come over to pick her up to go shopping. I also call back right after my skating session to see if she changed her mind by then. Sometimes she does but most of the time, she's learned to go with my schedule.

You might want to pick up your mom early next time before your session to have her watch you skate and then afterwards eat out together and go shopping with her. Make it a guys night out. After all, your mom just wants to spend time with you and hear your voice. She misses you.

singerskates
I would LOVE to be able to do that with her...but she suffers from agoraphobia and social anxiety (and other health problems)-so any outing is an extremely painful ordeal (for everyone involved)! She rarely calls to be taken out-only when she really needs groceries or is anxious about something. It does get exasperating, at times but she is my mom and I love her!

She is 71 years old and it is slooooowly getting worse. :cry:

[Terri C]

I tried to post yesterday, but my computer wouldn't let me...so here goes!

Yesterday:
It was my first time on the ice for a week and a half due to work obligations.
However, I managed to get quickly back into the groove and did some really nice spins and did all singles through toeloop with no pain on the landing leg!

Today:
Good spins, did all jumps through toeloop, saving the salchow for lesson. When coach asked for salchow, I told her that I thought it was gone after all the weeks of no jumps.....
BOY WAS I WRONG!!!
It came back pretty nice and with good height too!
Then things got better when Coach asked for loop- this was the jump I did where I fell and got hurt.
I did some nice ones, granted from a standstill, but landed right on the toe. Per Coach, I need more height, but with the injury and not being able to jump, I'm so happy to get my Bronze mojo back, I'm freakin Mary Poppins!

[WannabeS8r]

Dream
- I went skating today in the morning... had to wake up at 6!
- Landed all my jumps (toe, salchow, loop, flip, stag jump)
- Got more height on the lutz. Now it's cheated only by a 1/4 rotation. :lol:
- Practiced catch-foot spin and got 5.5 revs: my coach counted!
- Lower sitspin.
- Faster backspin.

Nightmare
- Flutzed all my lutz attempts.
- Became worse at a camel spin. The highest I got was 3 slow revs.

[LilJen]

Nightmare:

The weather has been conspiring against me all week. Would have practiced Wednesday, only we had this freakish, once-in-100-years freezing fog that didn't lift until it was too late (no visibility whatsoever, so driving to the rink was out of the question). Today: We're under an ice storm watch so I skipped the late afternoon session. Where's this horrendous freezing rain that's supposed to be making everything a nightmare and cutting down trees?? Grrrrr.

Oh well. At least I skated on Monday. . .

[Isk8NYC]

Nightmare:
I felt really exhausted today at both rinks.
Not sure why, but the couch and "The Tenth Kingdom" DVD are both calling me - might put PJ's on first.

Didn't practice the Waltz8 today. Not in the mood in the least.
In fact, I just did the edges on the line and a few spiral patterns, then gave Moves a rest for the day. Instead, I did freestyle in between lessons.

Dream:
While teaching loops with a RFI3 entry, I got annoyed and said "I hate that entrance." So, I taught my lower-level skaters how to do it from my usual entrance and I managed to two-foot a landing for the first time! Yay me! They managed to get more than 3/4 of the way around and stay on one foot! Yay them!

Waltz, Salchow, Toe Loop, Half Flip, and Half Lutz - all clean and ready.
Cheated a few full flips and lutzes, but they're still under construction.
My split jump is getting so much more height. I'm stretching and hoping to make it look better in the air.

Sit spins were fine, and I squeaked out a few attitude spins and two laybacks. Scratch spins are a-traveling, for some reason. Hmmm. I think I need a sharpening.

Tango stops on one foot are stronger, almost there!


Cute story: I have a very nice assistant instructor for my last group of the day. (Good thing, too: I'm tired by the fifth hour!) The girl told me that she hates spins - can't center them at all! Today, I caught her demonstrating spins from crossovers where she stopped and turned completely around before starting the 3turn! We spent the rest of the session fixing that habit for everyone. I saw her still working on it later, which was rewarding.

[Rusty Blades]

Where's this horrendous freezing rain

Up here in Manitoba. . . . . want it? :roll: