An Hour Ahead -or- An Hour Behind (Practice Thread 3/5 - 3/10/2007)

[flo]

Practice 3/4 - 3/11
In "light" of the meandering daylight savings.

An hour ahead: had a great session with my coach and the program is really feeling good. I also picked out my next piece of music, something that must be skated to!

An hour behind: this year's costume!

[Team Arthritis]

An hour ahead: another clumsy Monday but I did get a recognizeable sit change sit and by golly I do believe that I like the back sit better than the foreward sit! The centrifical force actually helps you get the legs together on the back sit!

An hour behind: chicken Loops!
Lyle

[jskater49]

An hour ahead

My waltz jump which got scared and ran away for my competition came back to play today :D Coach helped me put my arms back, push my hip and chest forward more to get my leg up higher in my back spiral...if I can just remember that for my competition.

Got my leg in a nice attitude position and coach gave me better arm positions for my glide out of my waltz toe tap. If I can just remember how my leg is supposed to feel...if it's uncomfortable, it's probably right, if it feels good, I probably look like a dog peeing.

An hour behind I was actually pretty happy with my practice today

[coskater64]

Hour ahead:
Jumps seem to be getting better, nice landings loops are getting much easier to do, salchow loop loop is going well. Spins are getting better, camel back camel is starting to not look like a frog in a blender. Axel attempts are okay, I admit -- I am slightly terrified and just wimping out on the landing, double sows are much easier and timing works for me, currently cheated but idea is there and that makes me happy.

Hour behind:Seriously, could healing take any longer? It is such a long difficult process and I'm just not a patient person. I realize I am better but...oi vey! Oh well, figures tomorrow from the 5th,6th and 7th tests to work on stability and edge quality, then some dances. Tuesday and Thursday are my favorite days. :lol:

yall have fun!:halo:

[Derek]

Hour ahead:
I think I will regard mondays as my intense day now, at least during term time, as the rink is extremely quiet, so I can get some serious practice (during school holidays a different programme is in place and the rink is busy all week). Today was brilliant, only about 6 people on the ice, at some times I had the rink ALL to myself (sigh !). No massive progress on anything in particular, but I got two and a half hours of great practice in. A young girl told me my skating was 'wicked' and another hockey lad said 'you must be a figure skater then' ... I took that as a compliment. I finished the session by seeing how many consecutive three (waltz) jumps I could manage, spotting my sight on each one to avoid getting dizzy ... I managed 28, then promptly fell over, no idea which way was up (only two people on the ice, so falling was not a problem)!!! All in all, a fabulous afternoon, I can't wait for next week.

Hour behind:
Just the busy Sunday sessions really, but busy ice is better than no ice ...

[LilJen]

(Not looking forward to dragging myself out of bed an hour earlier on, of all days, my birthday!)

Hour ahead:

-Good practice today, with 3-turn pattern and waltz 8 continuing to feel more confident and secure.
-First "real" synchro practice last night was a great deal of fun and rather hilarious at times as I stumbled through.
-Finished sewing a skirt that might be wearable for comp on the 17th.

Hour behind:
-I really think I need a sharpening!
-Waltz jumps sucked today. (see previous comment--not feeling terribly secure).
-Nervous about comp on the 17th (though truly it's basic stuff that I can do), nervous about road-testing possible costumes in front of rink crew (can you say "I feel naked and oh-so-much larger than the teenagers"?) but it must be done 'cause I'd rather have a wardrobe malfunction at home than mid-comp.
-It *really* doesn't help with my right/left confusion to be copyediting a book on radiography, in which right/left is all backwards!!

[icedancer2]

Hour ahead: Went to the orthopod today - he told me my fracture on my right foot was healing nicely and I can move out of the aircast (boot) and into a hard shoe. 3 more weeks until I can even think about skating again (I can't imagine putting my foot in a skate right now!). We talked about physio, and he said, sure, why not -- although he knows that I know how to rehab this thing myself as I've done it before...

And the best part: I can drive!!!! No auto-racing-type driving (who, me?) but I can do some housecalls, which I need to do for my business, plus I don't have to be dependent on anyone to drive me anywhere!! I can actually go to the PT by myself! I can go to the store by myself! I can do anything I want (except skate and...

Hour behind: Walking without the support of the boot - I am still using a crutch - my prioception (balance) is all out of whack. Wondering how long it will be until I feel more comfortable and able to walk/move, etc. without assistance. Stairs are difficult, as are uneven surfaces... gotta call my PT and set up an appointment.

I went to my rink yesterday and watched the social dance session and socialized with my skating friends. It was fun to see everyone and it made me want to get back out there - everyone looked so beautiful!!

Can't wait to get back, but for now, just happy to be a little more mobile!:)

[Mrs Redboots]

Our clocks don't go forward until the end of this month - when we're in France, and an hour ahead of ourselves anyway. Gack - getting up on the Sunday morning is going to be soooooo hard and, sods' law, our class will be at 07:00 or something... and our body clocks on 05:00!

An hour ahead: I take it this is supposed to be the positive, since we remember which way the clocks go by thinking "Spring forward, fall back!"

Good lesson on Swing Dance and Willow Waltz today. Similar issues with both; getting an edge on the first part of the slide chassé, maintaining one's own circle there where your partner is coming round you - the one place you don't push at him! Edge quality, as always. Finishing the edges.

An hour behind: My Mohawks, which are still slightly uncontrolled, certainly as compared with Husband's. They are better than they were, though, but not yet reliable. We also still have timing issues - wish I knew what tempo they dance the Swing Dance to in France! Here it's 104 bpm and in the USA it's 96, so.... could be either, or could compromise at 100!

[Laura H]

Started group lessons again last night (adults). In a bad mood anyway before even stepping onto the ice due to dh going into "helpless mode" with the kids for some reason - he's an utterly competent parent any other time EXCEPT for when I have to leave to go to skating lessons on Monday nights!!

An hour behind . . .

1 - the ice. Left "as is" after hockey practice, it was NOT pretty.
2 - my blades. time for a sharpening! :giveup:
3 - jumps - pretty scary as a result of #1 and #2 above . . . 8O

An hour ahead . . .

1 - did some double 3's easily for the first time ever!
2 - one foot spin was "there" for me, causing my classmates to 8O
3 - (stealing from 8 y.o. DS' accomplishments since mine were kind of skimpy last night!) he learned (and landed!) his LUTZ this morning!! Didn't see it myself since DH took him to practice, but DS' skating buddy confirmed it to be true!!
4 - plus, got a sweeeet pair of blades for DS from "skating buddy" who has outgrown them . . his parents gave us a great price on them and they look pretty good - lots of blade left for DS.

[Isk8NYC]

An Hour Ahead:
Crossovers and edges are fine, but I keep forgetting to "point my toe."
My poor students are now enduring constant reminders about this, too.
Tsk, Tsk on me for not enforcing it earlier!

An Hour Behind:
Spins were great last night; not too much dizziness. Did scratch, sit, back scratch, back sit, plus one-foot spins in both directions. OoOoOoOo
Excellent turns and mohawks. They'll be gone by my lesson tomorrow. HAHAHA

Time Warped:
I started working on different spiral positions and almost crash-landed doing the forward leg lift. Have to do these backwards for a while!! LOL

This is fun: the test chair sent me a note about my daughter's test. Small problem: it's me who's testing! Replied with a clarification, just in case it matters.

[miraclegro]

An Hour Ahead: Great mohawk-back 3's into loops, programs coming along...

An hour behind: Groin strain, no workey on loops or camels right now, 2 weeks till competition, boot problems

[taijiya]

Hour Ahead: My previously tiny and tentative 3-turns are growing larger, and suddenly my back edges, L and R, are there--strong and steady and trustworthy. I'm not sure who was more amazed, me or my coach! LoR back crossovers are suddenly stronger, too. And the ice itself was perfect this weekend, freshly Zambonied, not too hard and not too soft. Just right!

Hour Behind: Mohawks are still shaky, and best done with the comforting wall nearby. And I really need to start doing something to build my endurance, because it still wears me out to stroke around the rink at any real speed.

~~taijiya (feeling more like an actual skater today!)

[jazzpants]

An Hour Behind:
Was starting to lose my flip... :frus: I think my timing's off.

An Hour Ahead:

Loop is still solid!!! :D
All spins but camel was there. (I didn't try any camel b/c I was fighting for that flip to come back.)
(Well, this is a good and a bad) Realizing that I'm really getting speed when I was doing some forward stroking and it didn't take that much to get some speed into my edges. However...An Hour Behind Again:
How the HECK am I gonna get my loop and flip jumps to get up to speed with my stroking!?!?!? 8O It's like pushing for my consistency for speed. 8O

[Team Arthritis]

Go DAncer2!

My wife tried skating Mon (knee surgery end Dec) and did OK until XO's - be careful with them. I still think the pool is where you should work out next. Good luck
Lyle

[jazzpants]

An Hour Ahead:

Got back my flip and keep my loop. In fact, secondary coach now is pushing for a loop-loop! Secondary coach wasn't too upset with the loop-loop b/c she thought I could do one. B/c she's pushing for a loop-loop, her need for SPEED starting showing up. She's right in that it actually made it easier to do a loop-loop. So I'm gonna keep at it. She also pushed for faster speed on the flip and well, once I was calmer I was landing them again. (I needed to slow down my entry. I was rushing it.)

I told her that I tried for a loop-loop this past Saturday and landed it. She gives this *stern look* and said "Actually I'm not that upset about it. I know you can do a loop-loop. I would be MORE concerned though if you tried for a flip-loop." :twisted:

An Hour Behind:
She started me on lutz today. And no, there's no wall exercise for it, so I was being "chicken little" going into it. She also said that I am flutzing (going on the inside edge before take-off and she wants me to hold off on the lutz until she fixes this problem.

So much for continuing the streak for surprising my coaches. I knew it had to end sometime. :lol: :P

Her exact instructions this week are "Don't do a flip-loop yet! And don't try for a lutz!" Of course, she knows that I'll be tempted to push myself and do it again. :twisted: But given the circumstances (and the need to push for faster speed on the loop and the flip...) I think I'll have plenty to keep me out of trouble this week! :halo:

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead:

An Hour Behind:
She started me on lutz today. And no, there's no wall exercise for it, so I was being "chicken little" going into it. She also said that I am flutzing (going on the inside edge before take-off and she wants me to hold off on the lutz until she fixes this problem.

Aahh, but there IS a wall exercise for the lutz! ;) It's just for the position and anti-flutz work, though. For a CW skater (picking and landing with left foot), this is it:

Stand on the ice with your right hip against the boards. Reach back with left foot as though you are picking on your lutz. If you are in the correct picking position, only these 3 body parts should be touching the wall: right hip (left for CCW), left foot (right for CCW), left hand (right for CCW). Yes, that's how far you have to be counter-rotated on the picking position! Now practice the same position on a big hockey circle and check to make sure your pick happens on the circle, not outside the circle. On an actual lutz, you'll be on a larger imaginary circle than the hockey circle so you won't have to cross the picking foot quite so far behind the skating foot, but this will give you the idea.

[tidesong]

An hour ahead:
I had a 30 minutes group class with Viktoria Volchkova 8O ... granted we only got to do basic stroking and spins but it was really really cool hahaha

After that for my regular lesson I was pretty nice and warmed up and during lesson I ran through my program once. Then we worked on some things to improve. And then did it twice back to back after... he was going to make me go three times but I was kind of dead after the second round... but hey I did complete three programs... and in the three programs combined, I managed two axels, and two double salchows (albeit iffy I remember doing some wierd hoppy, quick leg down? landings) (I popped each once...) so its not too bad ... its alot better than my old track record haha.

We then worked on my flying sit to get (back!) more air time... after some tries I managed to do one good one and then he said that was a fluke! ARGH I know its a gimmick but next lesson that beautiful flying sit is going to be there... haa....

And then I just remembered that my backsit.... I forgot to keep my back upright in it the whole of last night! Its amazing I managed to do any... I have to go back and try that during practise..

P.S. this is with a new coach... not sure if I mentioned, but I decided for a change and its working well so far, he's said things in new ways that's helping my jumps quite a lot and I'm happy (scared lol) that someones pushing me to do back to back programs at last.


An hour behind:

Well that 30 minutes class was supposed to be 2 hours. But... because it was temporary ice and the ice wasn't ready so it got cut short. Too bad I guess, but its still pretty cool that we got 30 minutes at all.

I'm still scared of programs. I shouldn't be but I know that stamina wise, I'm iffy and thats what the back to back run throughs will help me on... but I keep going into them with such a huge sense of dread! How horrifying!

I'm still dropping my shoulders into jumps especially when I'm tired. Its either the left or the right so well yeah I have to keep them level (no matter how tired I am!!!!)

[mikawendy]

I'm still scared of programs. I shouldn't be but I know that stamina wise, I'm iffy and thats what the back to back run throughs will help me on... but I keep going into them with such a huge sense of dread! How horrifying!

You know that happened to me once when I was on the ice about to start skating my program in an ice show (not even a competition). Because I was slightly nervous, I almost felt like "oh, golly, here I go" instead of being excited. I didn't want to repeat that feeling, so I changed my opening pose to something that felt slightly more exciting (to me, at least), and that seems to have helped.

[Isk8NYC]

An Hour Ahead:
Ran through PPMITF with no problems, even managed an on-center Waltz-3.
Same old spins, although I managed three camels without fail.
Demonstrated 'ripping edge' waltz jumps for student; she bailed and slid off the edge. Practice!

An Hour Behind:
Had to do lesson/test paperwork and make lesson arrangements, so I lost out on free ice!
Hockey was cancelled this week, so the rink staff let our freestyle run an extra 20 minutes.

Next week, I have two new private students that I absolutely adore - they're in my group lessons and they're soooo talented and nice. *Very excited*
Have my lesson tomorrow morning, but I can't sleep. Not good.

[Clare]

An Hour Ahead: My back crossovers have returned- phew! They're no better than they were before they took their unscheduled break but they're back and I will make them better!

Moving LFO3s are actually getting faster than the speed of a lame snail...coach actually exclaimed, "that one was fast!" this morning so I'll take that as a sign of improvement :)

Finally feeling some progress in my mission to rid myself of my left toe-pickyness in my basic forward stroking- helped by my coach skating behind me shouting "there's nothing wrong with that!".


An Hour Behind: FI3s still skiddy. I'm sure I must look like I'm attempting some kind of bizarre hockey stop rather than anything resembling a turn!

Clare

[Mrs Redboots]

Another hour ahead for Clare: My husband commented on how good her posture was! It's certainly a lot better than his, but that wouldn't be difficult.

An hour ahead: Lovely crunchy "rip" noise from my blades this morning, first time ever! We were warming up and coming round the end of the rink. And forget 4 pushes - we covered the ice in 3 without even trying!

Good lesson - worked on my step to forwards in the Willow & Swing Dance. Need to keep my weight over the edge longer, and not lurch into the STF.

Showed Clare the steps of the Novice Foxtrot. Let's hope she can walk through it with her coach next time.

An hour behind: Having to do both the Canasta and Fiesta Tangos for this year's dances. This morning we were working on the Canasta to the music and, naturally, kept getting muddled. If I didn't go wrong, he did, and if he didn't go wrong, I did! Sigh..... And another coach - not ours - pointed out to me afterwards that if Husband doesn't keep his hand in the right place, we will be marked down. He needs to straighten his arm more. My coach said I have to remember to keep his hand in the right place, but agreed there's often so many other things to think about!

[jskater49]

An Hour Behind

DD has a lesson a half hour before I get on the ice....she's crying because she hates her show program ("I Could have Danced all Night"), it looks like a little kid program, the footwork is too hard. Mind you she has only about 10 seconds of it choreographed. :roll: Sometimes I think the girl looks for things to be unhappy about.

Okay, what the $A%$&^ happend to my half flip--it used to be my best, my favorite jump. It would be my warm up jump because I wasn't afraid to do it, today I was chickening out of it, walking it. Hmmm, probably because when it was my best jump, I would just muscle through the 3 turn without thinking about it, jam my toe pick in and hope for the best. Now that I'm thinking it through, taking my time with it like the half lutz, it's scaring me.

Cha cha- I get this dance. I got it. I got the timing, even the little half beat on the chasse, I get it except that %&#% (yea the preacher is cussing this morning!) cross step behind.:frus:

Dutch Waltz - I think my edges were better, but the pattern was all over the place. I am going to break the record and fail it for the 4th time.

An Hour Ahead - Canasta feels good, I had the timing down, edges were as good as they get for me.

Ran through my freestyle a couple of times, did the waltz jumps, had some decent half flips, leg is hip level both forward and backward spirals, both spins working, practiced curtseying - all systems go.

j

[Team Arthritis]

Aahh, but there IS a wall exercise for the lutz! ;) It's just for the position and anti-flutz work, though. For a CW skater (picking and landing with left foot), this is it:

Stand on the ice with your right hip against the boards. Reach back with left foot as though you are picking on your lutz. If you are in the correct picking position, only these 3 body parts should be touching the wall: right hip (left for CCW), left foot (right for CCW), left hand (right for CCW). Yes, that's how far you have to be counter-rotated on the picking position! Now practice the same position on a big hockey circle and check to make sure your pick happens on the circle, not outside the circle. On an actual lutz, you'll be on a larger imaginary circle than the hockey circle so you won't have to cross the picking foot quite so far behind the skating foot, but this will give you the idea.

Thanks this is great - same for the Flip??
Lyle

[Mrs Redboots]

Oh Joelle, I covet that black dress of yours!!!!

[Rusty Blades]

Ahead (I think): Another 6 minute warm-up, 2 minute wait, then program. After 3 days off the ice and a 6 minute warm-up, it wasn't my best program - my legs were really complaining by the half way point - but I hung on and got all the way through without anything falling apart. :roll:

Ahead (fer sure): Coach likes my FXOs, says they have improved .... ok, if she says so. She also commented on the improvement in presentation in the first half of my program (before I started struggling to hold the speed). :mrgreen:

I'm still scared of programs. I shouldn't be but I know that stamina wise, I'm iffy and thats what the back to back run throughs will help me on... but I keep going into them with such a huge sense of dread! How horrifying!

Tidesong: Just remember, like I told my coach "Only the first one counts in test or competition"! ;) I sometimes bail on my second run-through if I think it's going to be more harm than good.

our class will be at 07:00 or something... and our body clocks on 05:00!

I feel your pain Annabelle! I have been skating early mornings since 1 December (up at 3:45 and skate 7 to 9 a.m.). The competition schedule came out recently and my event is around 3 p.m. I need to shift my "peak time" SEVEN hours in the next 2 weeks! 8O

Friday will be a dress rehearsal with video - whoopee (I think). 8-)

15 days to competition ....... 8O

[Isk8NYC]

An Hour Ahead:
PPMITF were okay; still learning more on the Waltz-8. Never ends, does it?
My right outside edges felt like inside edges for some reason. I dunno...

Lussi-clicked scratch spins were good. I like that trick; don't like the steps into and out of the spin though.
Okay camel spins, great sit spins. Didn't try anything fancy.
Did a few bad spins, what else is new? No one got hurt, so it's okay.

Except for landings, Waltz, Salchow, Toe Loop were okay. Keep skidding on the Salchow and Toe Loop threes. Hmmmm.
Excellent 1/2 Flips and Lutzes. (Lutz is stronger with no edge confusion - go figure!)

An Hour Behind:
Scratch spin lasts too long :roll: so I practiced pique spins for PPF.
Still struggling with a too-deep landing and spin exit edge. Tried changing the arm positions in the hopes of getting it back under control.

Time and Space:
Practiced Tango stops and RFI Mohawks, my personal clunkers.

[Rusty Blades]

Oh yea, I forgot the major event of the month....

An Hour Behind: Well, more like "Lost In Space"! My coach didn't get her entry in in time 8O and has no other skaters in the (Canadian) Adult Nationals so unless she goes "just for me" (which would be a bit pricey) she wont be going. So off I go to my first competition and my first Nationals coach-less.

I am sure there will be someone there who can ferret out my hiding place and pitch me out onto the ice when it's time for my program :roll:

[singerskates]

An Hour Behind: Jump landing edges seem to be either landing on a flat or worse move from a flat to an inside edge on Tuesdays Public Adult Day Skate.

An Hour Ahead: Got my landing blade moved inward at the pro shop and now actually for the first time be able to move my right skate the same distance on inside and outside edges from 90 degrees. I use to be about 10 degrees to the right (outside) from 90 degrees and 50 degrees to the left (inside). Now I'm at 30 degrees both ways which should make for better right three turns, mohawks, loops, flips and toe loops. I wonder if this will be the cure for my barely squeeked out one rotation backspin?

I've been so frustrated with this because I have the rotation for my loop, flip and lutz but was always falling onto my inside edge on the right foot and two footing the landing ever since I've switched to the Gams and the Ultima Legacys (Feb. 2006) from my Graf Edmonton Specials and Pattern 99s (I managed to have warped Grafs that were injuring my knees to no end. That's why I switched boots and blades.)

Anyone else have problems with their blade mounting affecting jumps you once had? :?:

singerskates

[Isk8NYC]

Anyone else have problems with their blade mounting affecting jumps you once had? You're killing me with the math - I'm totally confused, but congrats anyway. :?? :?:

I've been having the opposite problem - I can't get OFF the deep RBO edge of my landings to make the edge more shallow or flat. Plus, my forward outside edge feels more like an inside edge and I skid every RFI3 unless I skate at a snail's pace. Come to think of it, my back scratch spin circles are pretty big (for me) and I struggle to pull out of the spin with that RBO edge. Grrrr.

I'm scheduled for a sharpening tomorrow. Have to ask the guy in the pro shop to check the alignment as well. Maybe I need the blade moved outward. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. :frus: :frus:

[jskater49]

Oh Joelle, I covet that black dress of yours!!!!

I really love it :P This is where I got it.
http://www.icessorizeunlimited.com/site/475661/product/JR-239

The first time I wore it, the zipper broke just before I tested. We safety pinned it and it just looked like the middle of the back was supposed to be open. They were very good about replacing the dress with another zipper and it didn't happen again. It helped that I lost a few pounds by the next time I wore it :oops:

But now I'm getting superstitious and if I don't pass my dances this weekend, I'm buying a new dress.

j

[Debbie S]

But now I'm getting superstitious and if I don't pass my dances this weekend, I'm buying a new dress.LOL! I tested Bronze MIF the first 2 times in the same dress (I had worn it for my old FS program and my Pre-Bronze tests) and failed both times. The 3rd time, I decided I was going to wear a different dress, and I passed. So that is now my new testing attire. ;) My coach tells me there is nothing "cursed" about the first dress, but I am not so convinced. :?? :lol:

[LilJen]

Hour Ahead:

Generally still decent on waltz 8 and PB 3-turn pattern.

Hour Behind:
-Field testing of possible competition attire today. Two pairs of tights were sufficiently warm but feet were a teeny bit squeezed. mental note to find some footless or stirrup tights for pair #2. Dress: I got it off e-bay and it fits delightfully except for the bosom region. Would be grand for a remake of Dangerous Liasons, but it's a bit iffy, even if I'm not going to do spirals on the 17th. (Plus, CHILDREN will be present. . . Basic skills comp) So. . . I *may* have a chance to recut the bodice this weekend, but if not, outfit #2 will have to do (yet to field test; I predict major static electricity issues with a double-layered mesh skirt).
-Waltz jump landings were really scratchy/scrapey. Call me crazy, but even though the blades pass the fingernail test, I still think I need a sharpening.
-No height on half-flips.

[Scarlett]

An Hour Ahead-
1. Started learning my program. Apparently my coach has high expectations because there are elements in the program that I cannot do.
2. Landed a couple of clean loops in front of coach.
3. Spins are started to actually look like controlled spins instead of my typical hope-for-the-best-twirly-one -foot-traveling thing.

An Hour Behind-
1. See #1 in an hour ahead.
2. Victoria Secret doesn't sell replacement tape for their backless-strapless bra. How on earth am I going to get the bra to stay on? :x

[Mrs Redboots]

2. Victoria Secret doesn't sell replacement tape for their backless-strapless bra. How on earth am I going to get the bra to stay on? :xYou can buy what my daughter calls "tit tape", but I can't remember what its official name is. It's the stuff that celebs use to try to prevent wardrobe malfunctions - Google tells me it's actually toupee tape. I'm sure you can buy some on-line.

P.S. We had a most enjoyable social dance session last night, always good fun.

[Sessy]

did a dry run video of my programme.. you know for my first skating comp in april.
man it feels awkward off ice
(well of like 2/3rds of it, I've yet to come up with the other third) and yeah it looks pretty bad - somehow I can't do the spinning or the jumping off ice and I only seem to be able to lift my foot in the bielman with my elbow in front instead of in the back on ice, for some reason... Ohwell, what do you think of like... the big idea of the choreography? Does it really suck?
cuz I've never made a programme before or anything and I don't know that much things that you can pass of for footwork and I've never made a programme before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-bszu_y7DQ

And do I look really cowish?

[Isk8NYC]

2. Victoria Secret doesn't sell replacement tape for their backless-strapless bra. How on earth am I going to get the bra to stay on? :xCould you have it sewn into the dress itself?

[Thin-Ice]

did a dry run video of my programme.. you know for my first skating comp in april.
man it feels awkward off ice
(well of like 2/3rds of it, I've yet to come up with the other third) and yeah it looks pretty bad - somehow I can't do the spinning or the jumping off ice and I only seem to be able to lift my foot in the bielman with my elbow in front instead of in the back on ice, for some reason... Ohwell, what do you think of like... the big idea of the choreography? Does it really suck?
cuz I've never made a programme before or anything and I don't know that much things that you can pass of for footwork and I've never made a programme before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-bszu_y7DQ

And do I look really cowish?

Most programs feel more awkward off-ice, which is probably why we do them ON-ice!:lol: But off-ice run-throughs are a good way to cement the pieces of your program to the music.

And if I had to pick an animal you looked like, it would NOT be a cow, maybe a giraffe... you're so slim and have such nice long legs and arms.

Good luck with your program!

[Sessy]

Giraffes can jump right? :lol:

[doubletoe]

did a dry run video of my programme.. you know for my first skating comp in april.
man it feels awkward off ice
(well of like 2/3rds of it, I've yet to come up with the other third) and yeah it looks pretty bad - somehow I can't do the spinning or the jumping off ice and I only seem to be able to lift my foot in the bielman with my elbow in front instead of in the back on ice, for some reason... Ohwell, what do you think of like... the big idea of the choreography? Does it really suck?
cuz I've never made a programme before or anything and I don't know that much things that you can pass of for footwork and I've never made a programme before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-bszu_y7DQ

And do I look really cowish?

Cute!! And no, not cowish at ALL. ;) Now start doing that stuff on the ice instead of the floor before you twist your ankle! :lol:

[doubletoe]

You're killing me with the math - I'm totally confused, but congrats anyway. :?? :?:

I've been having the opposite problem - I can't get OFF the deep RBO edge of my landings to make the edge more shallow or flat. Plus, my forward outside edge feels more like an inside edge and I skid every RFI3 unless I skate at a snail's pace. Come to think of it, my back scratch spin circles are pretty big (for me) and I struggle to pull out of the spin with that RBO edge. Grrrr.

I'm scheduled for a sharpening tomorrow. Have to ask the guy in the pro shop to check the alignment as well. Maybe I need the blade moved outward. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. :frus: :frus:

It's also possible that your blade might be mounted diagonally instead of straight from front to back. I used to have a similar problem on my left blade and that turned out to be the problem.

[doubletoe]

Thanks this is great - same for the Flip??
Lyle

No, no, no! This exercise is wrong for the flip because the whole point of the exercise is to get you to take off from a back outside edge! For the flip, do the 3-turn on a hockey circle so that you exit the 3-turn with your picking side facing the inside of the circle (for the lutz, you'd be going the opposite direction and picking side would be facing outside the circle). Now reach straight back to pick, *without* crossing the picking foot behind the skating foot. Look at your pick mark on the circle. It should be right on the circle, not to the inside or outside of the circle.
The point is, for either the lutz or the flip, you need to pick right on the circle you're creating with your edge. For the flip that means to the side of the skating foot and for for the lutz it's behind the skating foot.

[Sessy]

Cute!! And no, not cowish at ALL. ;) Now start doing that stuff on the ice instead of the floor before you twist your ankle! :lol:

I already twisted it five weeks ago I think I've had enough twisting for now. :lol:
Tipuntebenajazik. (Russian something to keep the evil away when somebody says things like that). :lol:

But thanks :)

[Team Arthritis]

Nice Sessy! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/tiere/a055.gif
Lyle

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead
After viewing the video from Saturday's competition, I made a list of things I need to fix in my program. This morning was my first day back on the ice and I brought the list and went over it with my coach. In just 20 minutes, we managed to fix 3 or 4 things on the list! Woo hoo!

An Hour Behind
Um. . . Gee, nothing! (Hmm, if I don't skate my program I don't tend to have any backsliding to report, LOL!)

[Sessy]

An Hour Ahead
After viewing the video from Saturday's competition, I made a list of things I need to fix in my program. This morning was my first day back on the ice and I brought the list and went over it with my coach. In just 20 minutes, we managed to fix 3 or 4 things on the list! Woo hoo!


Good work! :lol:

[Scarlett]

Could you have it sewn into the dress itself?

How would one go about doing that? I honestly have no sewing skills at all.

I might try the body tape. I guess a couple of pieces on each side will hold the girls up. Why oh why don't figure skating dresses have built in bras....swimsuits do. (ok not all swimsuits but the ones whose sole purpose is to look cute in do)

[jazzpants]

An Hour Ahead:

Scratch, back and sit spins are okay.
Loop was landed clean and it's starting to build up a wee little bit of speed now.
Managed a loop-loop jump towards the end. First one didn't land clean after the second loop b/c not enough flow and speed coming out of the first loop. Second one was successful!!! :mrgreen: :bow:
Landed the flip clean. I wonder if "Gold Man" student has been conspiring with primary coach. THIS week it was "Gold Man" student's turn to say "What was THAT???" :P :D (You know darn well what THAT was... :twisted: ) Primary coach then had me do them on the blue line facing a totally different direction and kept reminding me that "ice is ice." (No, I still don't believe it!!! :P ) Thankfully, that flip jump was clean also!!!An Hour Behind:

Of course, primary coach had to push his luck and make me do a waltz-salchow-toe loop-loop jump sequence!!! :roll: No I didn't land the ending loop clean. But primary coach thought it was a good effort b/c it touched the landing foot first before I had to put my other foot down. "Gold Man" student seemed impressed.
Camels sucked!!! :frus:
Not much progress on the back sit yet, though primary coach reminds me that I'm skating a LOT better this year and he's very confident that I will get it this year.
*Someone* at my rink has a BIIIIIG MOUTH and told my primary coach that I have a lutz!!! And no, he does NOT read this board!!! (Guilty party may be reading this and she KNOWS who she is!!! :twisted: ) Anyway, he wanted to see my lutz. I landed the last one clean, but it was a wimpy teeny tiny one w/not much flow and way too much turn on the toe pick! Nevertheless, primary coach admits that they weren't bad. (Doubletoe, thank you for the lutz tips! I will try your wall drill suggestion the next time I skate on my own...) And rest assured for the secondary coach... this will be my last try at a lutz this week. Don't want to learn bad habits and all...YAAAAY, doubletoe! Good to know that the problem areas are just quick fixes!!! :D

[Sessy]

How would one go about doing that? I honestly have no sewing skills at all.

By hand, with diagnoal stitches so it can still stretch in width and heighth.

[jskater49]

How would one go about doing that? I honestly have no sewing skills at all.

I might try the body tape. I guess a couple of pieces on each side will hold the girls up. Why oh why don't figure skating dresses have built in bras....swimsuits do. (ok not all swimsuits but the ones whose sole purpose is to look cute in do)

Sewing bra cups in a dress really doesn't take much skill - This does require hand sewing, needle in, needle out...:D

Buy the cups at a sewing supply or fabric store...Put the dress on and stick the cups where they need to be and pin them in the dress. Now you don't want to sew the whole cup onto the dress. Just kind of tack in on from the top of the cups - if you have them in the right place, it's alright if they hang a little, especially if the dress is one of those tight fitting ones, but if you try to sew around the whole cup you will get puckering problems.

Don't ask me why I know this but Frederick's of Hollywood sells the kind of tape to tape your bra on too. I've done that but I found it very painful to get off :oops:

j

[Emberchyld]

An Hour Behind:
Was me this morning... I'm finally pretty much over this wierd cold-like thing that had me stuffy in the mornings/nights, and exhausted the rest of the day, but it attacked the snooze button this morning as a last hurrah... just to try and keep me from ANY freestyle session. So I was 20 minutes late to the last freestyle session that I could make this morning (and, consequently, 20 minutes late to work!:frus: )

Still can't get any "real" spin entry... all of my spins start from standing still. When I try to crossover and step into them, I'm alllllll off-center.

BO 3-turns. I think they were invented to try and cull out all but the strongest of skaters. The rest of us kill ourselves trying not to fly backwards over our blades (or worse, lean so far forward that the dreaded toe-pick scrape happens...)! Argh!

An Hour Ahead: Stroking and crossovers felt really good-- especially CW XOs. It's nice to feel comfortable enough to FLY around those hockey circles! *Whee!!!*

Ignoring the spin entry thing, spins from a standstill were nice and centered and I'm really learning to keep off of the toepick on my CW spins.

Every other 3-turn (R&L FI and FO, R&L BI) is finally starting to come together cleanly.

I blame it all on the underarmor coldgear compression mock that I was wearing. In white. I never realized how much I need to hoooollld that tummy in and keep my posture up when wearing that thing until I saw my reflection in the plexiglass. I think sucking it all in helped a lot with balance!

Jet Lag: Found out today that I'm flying to France on Sunday and staying through until Thurs.. I hate last minute, rushed trips, but I'm looking forward to sneaking out during lunchtime with my nice little rental car and doing some SHOPPING! Yay! (mmmm..... chocolate....)

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead:

Scratch, back and sit spins are okay.
Loop was landed clean and it's starting to build up a wee little bit of speed now.
Managed a loop-loop jump towards the end. First one didn't land clean after the second loop b/c not enough flow and speed coming out of the first loop. Second one was successful!!! :mrgreen: :bow:
Landed the flip clean. I wonder if "Gold Man" student has been conspiring with primary coach. THIS week it was "Gold Man" student's turn to say "What was THAT???" :P :D (You know darn well what THAT was... :twisted: ) Primary coach then had me do them on the blue line facing a totally different direction and kept reminding me that "ice is ice." (No, I still don't believe it!!! :P ) Thankfully, that flip jump was clean also!!!An Hour Behind:

Of course, primary coach had to push his luck and make me do a waltz-salchow-toe loop-loop jump sequence!!! :roll: No I didn't land the ending loop clean. But primary coach thought it was a good effort b/c it touched the landing foot first before I had to put my other foot down. "Gold Man" student seemed impressed.
Camels sucked!!! :frus:
Not much progress on the back sit yet, though primary coach reminds me that I'm skating a LOT better this year and he's very confident that I will get it this year.
*Someone* at my rink has a BIIIIIG MOUTH and told my primary coach that I have a lutz!!! And no, he does NOT read this board!!! (Guilty party may be reading this and she KNOWS who she is!!! :twisted: ) Anyway, he wanted to see my lutz. I landed the last one clean, but it was a wimpy teeny tiny one w/not much flow and way too much turn on the toe pick! Nevertheless, primary coach admits that they weren't bad. (Doubletoe, thank you for the lutz tips! I will try your wall drill suggestion the next time I skate on my own...) And rest assured for the secondary coach... this will be my last try at a lutz this week. Don't want to learn bad habits and all...YAAAAY, doubletoe! Good to know that the problem areas are just quick fixes!!! :D

Hey, you are having big breakthroughs on those jumps! Good job!!!
Yeah, I was thrilled that these 3 fixes this morning were as easy as they were. Unfortunately, they did not include the axel or the double salchow. . . :roll:

[tidesong]

Oh no doubletoe your axel and double salchow in the videos were beautiful... I have faith in you!!!

An hour behind:
I tripped and fell at home and hit my knee on my tiled floor so it has a bruise and missed a day at work and will lay off skating for a few days because I'm paranoid about falling on it or making it worse... I'm so upset about this freak accident gah! Just when things looked like it would be getting better

An hour ahead:
I have no more excuses not to do my hamstring strengthening exercises at home recommended by ballet teacher. This should help with the knee in general by balancing out my crazy quad muscles.

[Isk8NYC]

Being incredibly stupid, I had my blades sharpened and adjusted yesterday.

Taught last night and really felt off-balance with that right foot. I'm wondering if his adjustment increased or decreased my discomfort. At least I could stop! LOL Have to really give the skates a try today.

[Laura H]

An Hour Ahead . . . (without setting foot on the ice) I was able to locate a (reportedly) reputable sharpener and my skates are off to him, so my next lesson should be a little more secure! And my DS has officially joined the "loopy" club - it was a pretty bizarre feeling to come in towards the end of his lesson and realize "omg . . . that's a LOOP!" - they looked so smooth that I didn't recognize them as loops at first! :oops: last time I saw him working on them he was still trying to get his balance right and they were just little awkward hops.

And his coach and I discussed the fact that now that the comp is OVER . . . DS has a beautiful (and consistent!!) change foot spin :frus: :giveup: - guess he just had to nail it once in competition to know that he could do it?

[kateskate]

Hour ahead
Programme run through was good
Spins generally feel secure -especially evil camel spins - it only took me years and years!

Hour behind
Axels - grrrrr. I'm prerotating. Why can't I get this stupid jump!!!!!!!!!!! So so annoying. I can't even begin to explain how frustrating:frus: :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus: :frus:
Double salchows although better are still underrotated
Back sit although basically correct, looks awkward.

[jskater49]

And his coach and I discussed the fact that now that the comp is OVER . . . DS has a beautiful (and consistent!!) change foot spin :frus: :giveup: - guess he just had to nail it once in competition to know that he could do it?

Did he do it in the competition. My dd is notorious for getting something AFTER the comp. SHe used to have the wonkiest camel spin - she would put her leg out to the side and actually be able to spin that way...which was much harder. Coach tried and tried to get that leg back...and she seemed to do that sideways thing forever...she even had to redo it for whatever test you need the camel...day after test, camel is beautiful and she never did the wonky camel again. :roll:

anyhooo...

Hour behind - fell on that step behind for the Rhythm & Blues, and I did the same thing I did in competition in January, zoned out, did a dutch waltz progessive for the second progressive and fooled myself into doing the dutch waltz, all of a sudden, I look at me feet that are on the outside edge, when I'm supposed to be doing inside swing rolls. HOw did that happen :?: Note to self...keep focused during the whole dance...

Hour ahead - timing is good for dutch waltz, edges better, still need to finish every edge, but it's good to go...

Oh yea and I was reading the rules and I don't even need to test these silly dances...if you cross from standard to solo you can pick up where you left off at solo. Good to know. Because I just don't think I'm testing the dutch waltz a fifth time:roll:

j

[Laura H]

Actually, yes, he did nail it in competition (much to my surprise!).

And I asked him later how he managed that - and he said that he just told himself that now was the time that he had to do it, and so he just did it! (now if I had only known that ahead of time, I might have gotten a little more sleep the night before!!). :roll: Seriously, I don't know that I EVER saw him get it right on the first run-through, before the day of the comp!

[Laura H]

I am laughing about "wonky camel" - I think you may have coined a new phrase!!!

[Rusty Blades]

An Hour Ahead: Today was full dress rehearsal and the costume is gorgeous, just perfect for my number and for the venue! It moves well and the only problem is to sneak a little elastic into the waist - somehow it is much tighter than in the trial run a few weeks ago. (Either I am bloated, which is possible today, or finishing the waist band made it smaller.)

5 Minute warm-up, 6 minutes wait, and a program run-through .... not bad; could always be better but not too shabby for an old broad considering that just over one year ago, I couldn't skate AT ALL!

13 days to competition ....... 8O

[Laura H]

Good luck, Diane!!

[Terri C]

My only posting this week, but that's life for ya!

Hours and Hours ahead:
I WAS DISCHARGED FROM PT YESTERDAY!!!!
Skated early this morning at another rink. It was worth it to get up the same time I do for work on my day off and get my skating done by 9am!
Jumps were good and I had time to stroke at the end to get stamina back!Managed to do the first half of my test program (without music) error free!

Hour Behind:
Sound system at the rink was not working, so I couldn't do my program with the music or put any music on!
Spins were a little off.
No lesson this week.

[Isk8NYC]

Congrats Terri C!

[Mrs Redboots]

Welcome back to the ice, Terri C!

As for me:

One Hour Behind: Only skated for an hour this morning as I had a lot to do. Still having problems with the RFO3 in the Willow Waltz - I'm not sure whether I am deliberately trying to push past Husband rather than striking at him, or if he is stepping just a little too far out of my way, but I rather suspect it's a little of each. Totally bottled the first one, but after that they were fine.

And then we went on through it, and I did the most appalling wide-step on the 2nd STF, really lurchy, and squawked rather loudly, so he goes, even more loudly, "Do excuse my wife!" which had me laughing so hard I couldn't even begin to do the Mohawk. And at least one of the coaches was in fits, too.

And am still coming up on my toe on the STFs when I dance with him, and it's totally silent solo, go figure....

We also worked on the Canasta, where we still have one or two issues. He's determined, quite rightly, to make this dance really good, as it's allegedly easy. Yeah, right....

And we ran through the Fiesta Tango, and needless to say Husband muddled his steps and started doing a chassé when he should have been doing a plain vanilla LFO, RFO! Not guilty, m'lud!

I didn't stay on long after he had left, but long enough to play with my FI3s; my LFI 3 is still diabolical.

An hour ahead: Husband's jumps have made a reappearance, and he did a really good salchow-loop. I said he ought to do 3-jump-loop as axel prep (not that he is ready for an axel yet, but he's determined to land one before he is 60, which is only 3 3/4 years away!).

We did a relatively good Swing Dance, NAD on it. And I did a lovely lap of changes-of-edge to finish with, and 1.5 laps of the extended inside edges from the level 3 Dance moves, sort of like Russian stroking but you only get to change feet once. The first half-lap got a bit off-pattern as I had to weave round someone.

So it wasn't a long session, but it was good. Mostly.

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead: Today was full dress rehearsal and the costume is gorgeous, just perfect for my number and for the venue! It moves well and the only problem is to sneak a little elastic into the waist - somehow it is much tighter than in the trial run a few weeks ago. (Either I am bloated, which is possible today, or finishing the waist band made it smaller.)

5 Minute warm-up, 6 minutes wait, and a program run-through .... not bad; could always be better but not too shabby for an old broad considering that just over one year ago, I couldn't skate AT ALL!

13 days to competition ....... 8O

Sounds like you're on track to be where you need to be at your competition! Work really hard in the coming week,, but be sure to scale back in the week leading up to the competition so that your legs will be well rested. :)

[doubletoe]

Oh no doubletoe your axel and double salchow in the videos were beautiful... I have faith in you!!!

An hour behind:
I tripped and fell at home and hit my knee on my tiled floor so it has a bruise and missed a day at work and will lay off skating for a few days because I'm paranoid about falling on it or making it worse... I'm so upset about this freak accident gah! Just when things looked like it would be getting better

An hour ahead:
I have no more excuses not to do my hamstring strengthening exercises at home recommended by ballet teacher. This should help with the knee in general by balancing out my crazy quad muscles.


Ow, ow ow!! So sorry about your poor knee!!
Yes, hamstring exercises REALLY helped me get rid of my knee problem! We skaters have disproportionately strong quads that pull on our knees, and hamstring exercises are amazingly effective in resolving that problem. You have a very smart ballet teacher!

[Isk8NYC]

An Hour Behind:
I got to the rink about five minutes before my first student. Ended up teaching most of the session, which left me with very little time to test my skates.
Toe loops are giving me fits all of a sudden.
Spins were traveling a little, but I probably needed a warmup.

An Hour Ahead:
Back spins were scratchy but well-centered.
Outside edges were still 'wonky' but no worse than before.
Jump three turns were much more sure and controlled.
Half-flip and lutz were okey-dokey.


Now for Something Completely Different:
I probably should know this, but I don't: The US is changing to Daylight Savings Time this Sunday. Does everyone around the world change on the same date, or is the time difference now reaaaaaally confusing?

[icedancer2]

Now for Something Completely Different:
I probably should know this, but I don't: The US is changing to Daylight Savings Time this Sunday. Does everyone around the world change on the same date, or is the time difference now reaaaaaally confusing?

US and Canada are changing this weekend and extending an extra week in the fall (the first week of Nov, IIRC) -

Europe is on the "old schedule" - the first week in April I believe is the change, or the last week in March.
Don't know about the rest of the world.

I think it's a total bummer - I don't like daylight savings time!

[Rusty Blades]

I think it's a total bummer - I don't like daylight savings time!

I have disagreed with the whole concept ever since I first started working with Greenwich Mean Time many decades ago. Time zones are a hold-over from the 1800's (when they went away from "local solar time") and "Daylight Savings Time" ceased to make sense with electrification in the 1930s and 40s. MUCH simpler if every body uses GMT - then you only need to know what hours they work, not what time zone they're in and whether or not DST is in effect. In the years I dealt with companies world-wide, it was the ONLY way to coordinate activities. It really isn't hard to adjust to GMT with a little practice.

[Emberchyld]

Now for Something Completely Different:
I probably should know this, but I don't: The US is changing to Daylight Savings Time this Sunday. Does everyone around the world change on the same date, or is the time difference now reaaaaaally confusing?

Nope, it's still really confusing :D... but most schedules were off from North America's by a week or so, anyway, so we're just going to be confusing for a little bit longer (good for me... I'm travelling during DST, so by the time I get back, I can just readjust to the new time with little problem...)

[Bill_S]

It really isn't hard to adjust to GMT with a little practice.


Considering our county's willingness/ability to use the metric system, you are now officially declared an optimist.

[Sessy]

What are DS and PT?

HOUR AHEAD:
Anyway yesterday, all the big girls were at the challenge cup in the Hague (netherlands), if not skating themselves then as support team for the 2 girls that were skating (or 1, it was uncertain to the last point whether Michelle would compete or not due to surgery several weeks ago)

So, there were no skating trainers either and they decided to let Evgeni teach us. Evgeni is a Ukrainean ballet teacher who's been teaching figure skaters ballet and cleaning up the programmes of the competing girls for years and years and he knows exactly what figure skaters need. The problem however, is that his Dutch isn't all that great. He's got enough vocabulary to explain something, but he isn't able to explain it "in a different way" when somebody doesn't understand it the way he explains.
And all the little kids in our club, well they just have great difficultly grasping the concepts he's trying to explain, so eventually he just got so frustrated that he just focussed on me entirely and I had like 20 minutes of private spin seminar!

I'm almost, almost, almost there on the camel. I already had a camel of 4 revs, Evgeni makes me step into it a little bit differently and there's just too many things to mind all at the same time for the camel to really work at this point, but if I practice it for a while it'll be there.
And also, I accidently did a real layback instead of a camel yesterday (he had me practice the camel in a sort of arabesque position first) and I think I know what was going wrong on the layback as well.

I'm worried the club might not like this sort of favouritism on the part of evgeni, but we'll see. Also I did ask him that next time he might wanna spin first, then do 3-turn exercises, because spinning on scratched up ice is not very funny, some girls were falling just because they hooked into grooves in the ice. Cuz he's never skated and ice isn't like floor where you don't have that problem.

HOUR BEHIND:
Those bumps on my feet are driving me mad. The skateshop guy tried to dent my skates with one of those big metal things with a ball and a ring at the end, but they just bent back... I guess Risports are really more indestructable than is good for you! Definately getting Jacksons next season. I'm thinking competitor or elite? What's best for learning doubles? Cuz I fully intend to learn those on my next skates.
Anyway the bump on my landing foot is also now purple and hurts even when I walk in my most comfortable boots and that's like :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Tell me, how can one possible f**k up one's feet in 2 months time this badly doing nothing other than normally eh? I only skate 4 times a week.

[Mrs Redboots]

Europe is on the "old schedule" - the first week in April I believe is the change, or the last week in March.
Don't know about the rest of the world.Last weekend in March and change back last weekend in October. I seem to always manage to be on the Continent, which is an hour ahead of us, and end up jetlagged.

[jskater49]

We also worked on the Canasta, where we still have one or two issues. He's determined, quite rightly, to make this dance really good, as it's allegedly easy. Yeah, right....

.\

What do you struggle the most with in this dance? The judges really hated my edges (or lack thereof) and I could not get the timing until I changed music. I was trying to to it to Hernando's Hideaway and the melody of that distracts me from the beat.

j

[Morgail]

Hour Ahead: Passed the Dutch Waltz!! :D

Hour Behind: Retry on the Canasta Tango (for edges and timing) and the Rhythm Blues (for timing). All the music was different which made me panic and mess up my counting. Oh well...I like the Canasta, so I don't mind practicing that some more. Not so happy about having to continue practice on the Rhythm Blues though :roll: .

Going back to test Bronze Moves and contingency Bronze FS in 7 hours...hoping the 5-step mohawk is with me today.

[DallasSkater]

Sessy: DS is short for dear son, or darling son...PT is Physical Therapy.

Morgail: Congrats ont he dutch waltz pass! Good luck on the Bronze testing today! Have a strong skate!

[mikawendy]

Considering our county's willingness/ability to use the metric system, you are now officially declared an optimist.

Tee hee! Too funny, Bill_S! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

What do you struggle the most with in this dance? The judges really hated my edges (or lack thereof) and I could not get the timing until I changed music. I was trying to to it to Hernando's Hideaway and the melody of that distracts me from the beat.

j
At the moment, in getting the first run of the dance at the right angle so I don't flatten off the first swing roll, and keeping our upper bodies both facing the side barrier on the first edge after the second swing roll, and only turning on the slide bit. Husband turns (I think) too early! And his head movements aren't always totally at the same moment of mine.

Of course, we are also terribly apt to do a change-of-edge instead of the second swing roll, as here we use the ISU Tango music for both the Canasta and the Fiesta tangos, so, when you are working on both as hard as we are, it's terribly easy to get muddled! Our starts are completely different, but that doesn't always help.

[Skate@Delaware]

DS is also short for d*** son if he is giving one ATTITUDE like mine gave me this morning!:x

Lets start with the mediocre-an hour behind: Loops....sit spins....scratch spins...nothing new to report so I won't beat a dead horse

An Hour Ahead: here is the GOOD stuff, but it isn't totally related to my skating! The skating director asked me (again) if I would like to participate in the rink's summer skating shows....using the artificial ice....requiring a BIG committment of time on my part....but there are benefits such as FREE training and discounts on skate stuff used in the show (blades, boots, tights, etc). So, I said YES. I'm such a sucker for shows! And I want some focus to be on adult skaters so I am hoping to draw some attention to that aspect.

Also, she asked me if I would consider being a skating instructor in the fall!!!!!!!!!!! This is something that I have been wanting to do and now I finally get to! The pay is low but there are perks. I can work a few evenings and Saturday during the Learn-To-Skate time, which is really nice!

Ok, skating stuff: I worked on my backspins and loop. I did manage to do several backspins properly and did manage to land some loops with barely a toe-tap but most were 2-footed. Which was better than left-foot landings! I feel this is progress.

I worked with another skater on her picking technique for the toe-loop and explained not to stab the ice with her pick but to vault....she did get it so I am glad for her.

Today's session was fairly light by about 1/3 less skaters than on Sunday or Wednesday!

[Raye]

Oh yea, I forgot the major event of the month....

An Hour Behind: Well, more like "Lost In Space"! My coach didn't get her entry in in time 8O and has no other skaters in the (Canadian) Adult Nationals so unless she goes "just for me" (which would be a bit pricey) she wont be going. So off I go to my first competition and my first Nationals coach-less.

I am sure there will be someone there who can ferret out my hiding place and pitch me out onto the ice when it's time for my program :roll:

We can be there for each other, Dianne. I won't have a coach either.

[Sessy]

Artificial ice? What's that? 8O

Is it made out of something other than water?

[DallasSkater]

Skate@Delaware: Oh yeah! lol..that is another short for DS!

[Morgail]

An Hour Ahead: I passed Bronze Moves and Bronze FS!!

An Hour Behind: When I skated out for my program, I caught my blade in an ice gouge and fell on my behind:oops: Now it kinda hurts...

[Rusty Blades]

We can be there for each other, Dianne. I won't have a coach either.

Thanks Raye! Does that mean I have to find your hiding place and drag you out to the ice? LOL!

An Hour Behind: I intended to skate today but was SOOOOO tired that I decided to pass rather than skate tired and risk something stupid.

An Hour Ahead: Instead of going to the rink, I ran a few errands and picked up the last of the stuff I needed, had a long afternoon nap, and got everything done that I needed to do before leaving next weekend. Hope to have the zip to skate tomorrow....

[Skate@Delaware]

Artificial ice? What's that? 8O

Is it made out of something other than water?
Yes, it is made out of plastic and they buff the top with silicone to increase the glide factor. There are benefits and drawbacks to skating on it. I'm looking forward to it!!!!

Benefits:
You can skate in summer without cranking up your electric bill!
It's portable
Because it's harder to push/stroke across you really build up your legs!
It lasts for years before needing a "resurfacing" which is a sanding
You can have ice shows anywhere-malls, senior centers, schools, hospital auditoriums, etc.

Drawbacks:
The silicone oil leaves a residue that can stain your clothes if you don't know how to wash it out
it makes a "clunky" noise when you land your jumps
Because it is not as slippery as ice, you really have to push to get anywhere!
It's expensive to purchase

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead: I passed Bronze Moves and Bronze FS!!

An Hour Behind: When I skated out for my program, I caught my blade in an ice gouge and fell on my behind:oops: Now it kinda hurts...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!:bow: :bow: :bow: That is a big, big step! :D

[jskater49]

HOUR AHEAD

PASSED MY DANCES YAY!

Hour Behind - it was probably a gift, but I'll take it.

I also competed in freestyle at a very low key competition, it was actually Adult Bronze but there were only two of us and we are both pre-bronze skaters but she can do a lutz (sometimes). SHe is soo much better than me that even though she messed up all her jumps, she still won, but I knew that going in, she asked me to compete so she wouldn't be alone and I figured a little practice in front of the judges wouldn't hurt.

Hour behind - Waltz wheenie today. Started to do the splits when I was trying to do a lunge and I don't do the splits...so that was not a good thing

Hour ahead - in practice and warm up I was getting scared of my half flip and I just said, "Self, it is bad enough you are a waltz wheenie, we are NOT going to be afraid of the half flip" and did a decent one in my program. I thought I had a really good one foot spin. Afterwords strangers who really had no reason to be nice to me came up to me and called me GRACEFUL. I'll take it.

One lady did ask me if I just started skating "Yes I did" cuz it's kind of complicated, it's not like I've been skating a lot since I started (Mumble nearly 10 years ago) -I've been off the ice for three years, I never had as many lessons and skated as much as I have now.

j

[jazzpants]

Congrats to Morgail and Joelle on their respective tests!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/musik/l045.gif http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/musik/k055.gif

Morgail: Are you now thinking of going to Adults Nationals? If so, what age group are you in? I might be skating with you at Lake Placid if you're a III in 2008! :D

Joelle: Are you feeling relieved knowing those dance tests are done? Or are you still in a mode of disbelief that this is actually happening? :D

[Sessy]

Because it is not as slippery as ice, you really have to push to get anywhere!
It's expensive to purchase

Exactly HOW expensive?

8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O


If I win the lottery I want a patch of that stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:


Man this really would be something for the Netherlands I guess?!


But doesn't plastic sillicone really dullen the blades? Do you use special blades?

[jskater49]

Congrats to Morgail and Joelle on their respective tests!!! :bow: :bow: :bow:

http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/musik/l045.gif http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/musik/k055.gif

Thank you thank thankyouverymuch:bow:



Joelle: Are you feeling relieved knowing those dance tests are done? Or are you still in a mode of disbelief that this is actually happening? :D

I am relieved..it had become a personal mission and it seems like practicing and practicing them I wasn't getting any better (I honestly don't believe I did them any better than the last time I tested) and now I can go on to other things. After mids next week I'm going to really work on Bronze moves (my dance coach does moves) and keep learning dances just for fun. Hopefully between the moves and higher dances, the edges will improve.

j

[Isk8NYC]

Congrats to Morgail on passing most of her tests -- there were a lot of them!

Congrats to Joelle on passing her respective test and taking silver in her first competition.!!!


An Hour Ahead:
All of my students won 1st or 2nd place in yesterday's in-house skating competition.
My envelope-pusher (as usual) had to challenge what I taught her and ask the judge.
I got in some good practice on edges and turns. Not enough room or time for jumps and spins.

An Hour Behind:
Yesterday's schedule was zany, due to a hockey tournament, an absent instructor, and the in-house skating competition.

I was soooo cold and tired by the end of my usual 'marathon saturday' that I left the freestyle even though I *could* have skated.

[jskater49]

[CENTER]Congrats to Morgail on passing most of her tests -- there were a lot of them!

Congrats to Joelle on passing her respective test and taking silver in her first competition.!!!



THank you, I take congratulations however I get them, but it wasn't my first competition...I actually got a silver last week under the same circumstances (two of us) and I competed a little several years ago, but I never skated as well as I do now.

In fact, even though I didn't really skate as well as I could have, I am so much better now than I was a few years ago when I was at my old club - all the kids who remember me came up and said "You REALLY did a good job" you could tell they were comparing me to how I used to be ( I would be so nervous, I would skate with my head down looking terrified - now at least my head is up and I smile) and I was saying "Yea but I can do even better, really!"

j

[Skate@Delaware]

Exactly HOW expensive?

8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O


If I win the lottery I want a patch of that stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:


Man this really would be something for the Netherlands I guess?!


But doesn't plastic sillicone really dullen the blades? Do you use special blades?
I know our little patch of 20x30 cost about $15,000 and that wasn't the "best" quality!!!
Yes, it does dull the blades, you have to sharpen them every 20 hours so we get "cheap" blades to use. Last year they did not use cheaper blades but this year everyone is getting GS3 blades. Not sure what they are but they are under $60.

Luckily, I still have an old pair of boots that fit so-so, so I will slap these puppies on and skate with socks!!!! I will be the "skating mom" again!!!

[Sessy]

So how do you pick for the toeloop and the flip on plastic ice?

[Skate@Delaware]

So how do you pick for the toeloop and the flip on plastic ice?
Everything is done the same, you just have to push harder in your stroking. That is the only difference!

I watched their shows over last summer and their skating was exactly the same as on the ice...just took place in a smaller area.

When we start practicing next month, I will start a separate thread if you like.

[Sessy]

Everything is done the same, you just have to push harder in your stroking. That is the only difference!

I watched their shows over last summer and their skating was exactly the same as on the ice...just took place in a smaller area.

When we start practicing next month, I will start a separate thread if you like.

I would like that very much! Wow.

I found a company in England who sells it and I'm thinking... 9 panels of 1x1 metre would be enough to practice jumps and spins!... Put it in a room someplace... mmmmmm dreams dreams dreams. :lol:

[Morgail]

Thanks everyone!! It feels good to be Bronze:)

Morgail: Are you now thinking of going to Adults Nationals? If so, what age group are you in? I might be skating with you at Lake Placid if you're a III in 2008! :D

I'm not sure if I'll go next year. I may wait a year so I can ease into competing with some local competitions first:) I get so nervous! I'll have to talk to my coach about it. Let's see...I have an early April birthday, so by mid-April next year I'll be [rusty brain wheels are turning] 29. So I'd be in Bronze I or II...I can't remember what the age cutoffs are.

[Skate@Delaware]

An hour ahead: had my lesson today which went fairly well. We worked on moves (or a move) which was Power 3's. The one's I did for a show were not done correctly (the pitfalls of show skating). She showed me the correct way. I need to hold ALL the edges and make them more "lobe-y".

An hour behind: then we moved into spins. My rushing into things is still there, I rush the edges....much to her aggravation!!! (and mine). I know to slow down and keep the edge l-o-n-g but for some stupid reason, I don't do it.

Then we worked on the sit spin....and tried something different! We tried it from UP and going down...and she said it was much better, but I need to get over "it" and push beyond my comfort zone to actually sit! I know this....

So, after lesson I worked on the loop a bit and did some where I landed barely 2-footing. :roll: Everything is just so frustrating!!!! I am sooo much better at archery than skating...and that bothers me too!

[Isk8NYC]

Thank you, I take congratulations however I get them, but it wasn't my first competition...I actually got a silver last week under the same circumstances (two of us) and I competed a little several years ago, but I never skated as well as I do now.Sorry about that! I was thinking of Maineskate, who's testing and competing soon. :oops: Congrats again.

[doubletoe]

HOUR BEHIND:
Those bumps on my feet are driving me mad. The skateshop guy tried to dent my skates with one of those big metal things with a ball and a ring at the end, but they just bent back... I guess Risports are really more indestructable than is good for you! Definately getting Jacksons next season. I'm thinking competitor or elite? What's best for learning doubles? Cuz I fully intend to learn those on my next skates.
Anyway the bump on my landing foot is also now purple and hurts even when I walk in my most comfortable boots and that's like :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Tell me, how can one possible f**k up one's feet in 2 months time this badly doing nothing other than normally eh? I only skate 4 times a week.

Go to a podiatrist, and bring your skates with you! Don't let it get worse!

[doubletoe]

An Hour Ahead
Got my axel back!! I knew the problem was with my RBO preparatory edge and the transition to the takeoff edge, but I couldn't figure out exactly what it was that was wrong. Today I figured out that the RBO edge just needed to be rounder, and then I figured out how to get it rounder. When it felt right, I tried an axel and landed it solidly on the first try. Yay!!

An Hour Behind
Wasn't able to do a program run-through today because the session was too crowded. (My usual Sunday rink was closed, so this rink had its usual crowd plus about half of those who normally skate at the other rink).

[tidesong]

Congrats on the people that passed their tests!! And good you got your axel back doubletoe :)

[Sessy]

Go to a podiatrist, and bring your skates with you! Don't let it get worse!

Not gonna work that way here. Your home doctor needs to send you to a podiatrist and that's a nightmare to get arranged. The only job the home doctors seem to be good at seems to be to prevent you from seeing the specialists you really need to see (which they kept up so long that a bladder infection turned into a kidney, pancreas, and some other things infection in me a few years ago). I don't have the time and energy to go and whine once a week that I need to see one - and even when I saw one a few years ago for a different problem, they're just SO unqualified.
Same for the urologists and immunologists I had to see. They just went like... Well, you might wanna accept you're not gonna get better.
I'm like WTF?! They're like. Bye, I'll tell my secretary that she shouldn't make appointments for you anymore, you should see your home doctor now he can prescribe you all the necessary painkillers and send to a psychologist to accept that you're not gonna get better... So we went to Russia and subsequently Ukraine, where it took them 3 years, but they did fix me up to the point where I'm studying, working and skating (even though I regularly am seriously ill and in a lot of pain, but hey, it's an improvement! And we're not done going to the ukraine every summer to continue treatment yet).

I might see one in summer when we're in the ukraine, but mainly I'm gonna try switching into jacksons. I'm very much fed up with this "unbreakable" idea Risport has for their skates. Jacksons felt more comfortable.

And really, the 1 thing you don't want in the netherlands is seeing a doctor, any doctor. I've got a couple of other friends who fell seriously ill and eventually emigrated to England and Belgium and other countries because they were desperate to get proper medical care.
Which is not really weird, cuz all the dutch med schools are the same in quality, they don't recognize med schools from other countries, and to get into a Dutch med school, you have to be lucky in a lottery! If they have 5 000 places and 15 000 appliants, they write the numbers of the appliants, pull out 5 000 numbers and those get to study. And then it's virtually impossible to get kicked out, no matter how bad you do. It could be that you study longer, but then that's less than 3000 euro a year. Recently, there was a research that concluded that virtually no last-grade med students had sufficient CPR skills. And there was this TV programme about med students, not to mock them or anything, really serious. And they all went like... Yeah well cpr is boring and yeah I failed it but that's okay cuz that grade's compensated by my grade for surgery/pediatry/whatever is their area of interest so that on average, it's a pass and thus I passed both, CPR too. The one thing you don't wanna hear from your doctor when you're dying is that his CPR grade was compensated with something else!!!
As for good grades vs "pass", it seems to be Dutch culture that you're not allowed to get good grades. You get good grades in school, other kids will make your life a hell and even teachers tell you, what do you need such good grades for? Take it easy, enjoy life! And indeed, why would they? All the hospitals are government-funded and whether you're good or bad, you get paid the same anyway.
Is it any wonder Dutch health care sux?

I'll just step off this soapbox now...

And go buy me some jacksons.

[Mrs Redboots]

But Sessy - our lot try to go to the Continent for treatment as it's so much better there....

Seriously, though - could you go to your local pharmacy? Here, we're encouraged to take minor complaints to the pharmacist, who will know if you seriously need to see a doctor, or if they can recommend something, and it may be something as simple as a pad in the right place which will do the trick.

Alternatively, show your feet to your coach, who may well have ideas - you probably won't be his or her only pupil with foot issues. And/or your skate fitter.

[jazzpants]

An Hour Ahead
Got my axel back!! I knew the problem was with my RBO preparatory edge and the transition to the takeoff edge, but I couldn't figure out exactly what it was that was wrong. Today I figured out that the RBO edge just needed to be rounder, and then I figured out how to get it rounder. When it felt right, I tried an axel and landed it solidly on the first try. Yay!!WOO HOOOOO!!! You got it back!!!! And since you know what is wrong and how to correct it, you'll definitely keep it now too!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Sessy]

But Sessy - our lot try to go to the Continent for treatment as it's so much better there....

Seriously, though - could you go to your local pharmacy? Here, we're encouraged to take minor complaints to the pharmacist, who will know if you seriously need to see a doctor, or if they can recommend something, and it may be something as simple as a pad in the right place which will do the trick.

Alternatively, show your feet to your coach, who may well have ideas - you probably won't be his or her only pupil with foot issues. And/or your skate fitter.

Well, the Dutch people do too. Usually, to France or Austria or England, sometimes to Spain or Belgium. That's continent too... Even to the point that most health insurances encourage people to go get their knees operated in Spain and such. Because it is done within a few weeks and is done well in Spain and in the Netherlands you have to wait for a year to get a torn meniscus repaired. And they're cheaper in Spain too. So of course insurances love to send people to get their surgeries abroad. And people just love getting medical aid fast.
Pharmacists actually don't prescribe things here...


I talked to my skate fitter and he went like... "yeah what did you think was gonna happen skating as much as you do? Those won't go away, not skating that often."
Thanks a lot... 8O
But he's probably right, if I don't skate for 2 days, it doesn't hurt anymore, not even after the first skating session after that. Anyway, starting next week there is only 1 hour of skating a week anyway and starting april 14th there's no skating anymore till september.

[doubletoe]

WOO HOOOOO!!! You got it back!!!! And since you know what is wrong and how to correct it, you'll definitely keep it now too!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Well, that's what I'm hoping! FX!