Updates on everyone | Golden Skate

Updates on everyone

icy fresh

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
So how is skating going for everyone? I haven't been here in a while! I hope everything is well.
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Icy-
I've been practicing for my Adult Bronze MIF test for next Friday. I practiced so hard last week that I pulled a muscle in my butt and couldn't skate for 4 days.
Back on the ice this Monday and everything is fine.
 

icy fresh

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
That's awful about your muscle! I'm glad that you're better now. I hope that you do skate well for your test and pass!
 
I

IcyBallerina

Guest
My axel is finally consistent (and MAN does it feel good) and I'm getting closer and closer to landing double sal (funny how anything more than a week is way too long).
Spins are getting so much better, which is crazy exciting as I've hated spinning (especially camels) since I was a wee thing. My layback is just not what it was over the summer, but I'll be stretching my back and hips more, and I'm sure that soon I'll be able to see the ice behind me again. I've started working on flying camel for synchro, and I think soon I'll try bielmanns seriously (hopefully rotations>2 and speed>2mph).
I'm taking intermediate moves in a few weeks (nerves! Oh well, I'll just have to practice until they're perfect) and if I pass, I will have gotten five of eight moves tests in less than a year! Who knows, maybe I can get novice too.
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
I'm trying to shake this cold thing...no fever but coughing, runny nose, tiredness, and I've lost my voice so I can't yell at my kids (to their delight-they've been pushing my buttons...)

Went up to the Halloween Classic at Aston on Saturday, but left early because I felt so crappy......then realized after I left I forgot to order DVD's of the pre-bronze and bronze freestyle skate:disapp: Didn't get to watch improv skating or pairs....only testing session.

No skating today-no rehearsal for the show....recuperating.

That being said, Friday I skated and did much better than earlier in the week (when the bug hit me hard). My spins were good and centered. I was able to glide out of the landing on the Salchow a few times (I've had a problem with stopping). Realized that my CW crossovers stink and need work.

No skating until Tuesday, when I should be better (I hope!)
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Skate@Delaware said:
Realized that my CW crossovers stink and need work.
)

This really worked for me and I don't know if you tried this or not for CW x-overs (I'm assuming you're talking about the foreward x-overs, the backward ones come much quicker in both directions with practice but it doesn't seem that way with the foreward ones). My coach made me do crossrolls (alt fwd x-overs ) and told me to keep my legs in the crossed position for an entire circle and then do another circle with the legs in another crossed position (ie first one would be the right over left leg, second would be left over rt [the hard position])- basically looks like a figure 8. It was murder keeping my legs in the left over rt position (for clockwise fwd crossover) and keep the momentum to finish the circle. But I kept doing it and now I don't even think about clockwise x-overs. I just do them automatically and as easily as counterclockwise crossovers.
 

backspin

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
I passed my first pre-gold dance yesterday, which is definitely one of the crowning achievements of my life so far! AND that means I am now cleared to do AN this next year if my partner & I decide to go for it. :clap:
 

nicole_l

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Last week I went skating and managed to squeak out an axel, a double toe, and a double sal. I hadn't skated in like 4 months so I was pretty happy.
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
soogar said:
This really worked for me and I don't know if you tried this or not for CW x-overs (I'm assuming you're talking about the foreward x-overs, the backward ones come much quicker in both directions with practice but it doesn't seem that way with the foreward ones). My coach made me do crossrolls (alt fwd x-overs ) and told me to keep my legs in the crossed position for an entire circle and then do another circle with the legs in another crossed position (ie first one would be the right over left leg, second would be left over rt [the hard position])- basically looks like a figure 8. It was murder keeping my legs in the left over rt position (for clockwise fwd crossover) and keep the momentum to finish the circle. But I kept doing it and now I don't even think about clockwise x-overs. I just do them automatically and as easily as counterclockwise crossovers.
I haven't tried anything to help my crossovers (uh, avoidance?) I'm willing to give these a try! CW are horrible (i'm not comfy going that way)....I also have to work on extension with the crossovers (in addition to that under-push)! I really let them get sloppy (my bad!) Skating tomorrow so these are on my to-do list!

Backspin--CONGRATS!!!!:rock:
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Skate@Delaware said:
I haven't tried anything to help my crossovers (uh, avoidance?) I'm willing to give these a try! CW are horrible (i'm not comfy going that way)....I also have to work on extension with the crossovers (in addition to that under-push)! I really let them get sloppy (my bad!) Skating tomorrow so these are on my to-do list!

It would probably make your life easier if you just focused on getting the cross position and staying in it for now before worrying about the extension in the push off and the underbrush. [this is all based on my experience, you can do with my advice what you wish :)] The reason why is because the extension and the brush underneath (to get that extra push) require the body to balance and the thing that tests the body's balance is the crossed portion of the x-over. Once the body gets comfortable with crossing the feet in that direction, the other components of the x-over become easy.

I've been working on fwd x-overs for a year and a half and would struggle practicing cw x-overs. I've worked with a private coach and group lessons and I was always frustrated and they would make me repeat the cw x-over over and over again and it never got easier. I'm working with a new coach and it's only been 3 lessons with him so far, and just a week of doing circles with my feet in a crossed position has done wonders for my cw x-overs. Now they look pretty good and I'm able to move on to other forward stroking that incorporates fwd x-overs in both directions.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Skate@Delaware, do you suppose that cold worked its way up the east coast to New Hampshire? Sounds like what I have, achey, tired, runny nose, sore throat. (No kids to yell at for me, though!)

backspin, which pre-gold was it? That's so awesome! Congratulations!

dlkksk8fan, your're testing Friday (11/11)? Me, too! I'm taking Rhythm Blues (my last preliminary dance) and pre-pre MIF. My coach has gone from being iffy on the MiF to cautiously optimistic. Today she told me to remember to look confident, no matter what happens.
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
juliet-oh ya looking confident is a big help. I had a lesson yesterday with another instructor (my coach is out of the country with her ice dance team) and she said to perform and smile.

good luck on Friday!
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
julietvalcouer said:
Skate@Delaware, do you suppose that cold worked its way up the east coast to New Hampshire? Sounds like what I have, achey, tired, runny nose, sore throat. (No kids to yell at for me, though!)

If that's what you have, then be a good girl and be sure to get plenty of rest, drink TONS of fluids, and don't over-stress yourself!! Lots of people around here are sick with either this cold or the flu...

I hope you get well soon!
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
soogar said:
It would probably make your life easier if you just focused on getting the cross position and staying in it for now before worrying about the extension in the push off and the underbrush. [this is all based on my experience, you can do with my advice what you wish :)] The reason why is because the extension and the brush underneath (to get that extra push) require the body to balance and the thing that tests the body's balance is the crossed portion of the x-over. Once the body gets comfortable with crossing the feet in that direction, the other components of the x-over become easy.

Sounds like a good plan! I'll give it a go! Let you know later how it works.:agree:
 

backspin

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
julietvalcouer said:
backspin, which pre-gold was it? That's so awesome! Congratulations!

It was the Blues. The only unfortunate thing was I really like that dance--I finally get to work on a dance I enjoy, & then I go & pass it & now will have to work on something else! That's okay though, I'll take it. Probably heading into Kilian Country next. :agree:
 

Mrs Redboots

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
We have just finished our competitive season on a very high note, having finally beaten our closest rivals! Not yet in the compulsory dances, oddly, but in our free dance - we've been very, very close all season, although they had slightly more technical content in their dance than we did. But they didn't have a great skate in this last competition, and we did.... :D :D :D

And, back in training, we are playing with new elements for next year's dance, and already have a new spin, which we can actually do! To our surprise....:thumbsup:
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
backspin said:
It was the Blues. The only unfortunate thing was I really like that dance--I finally get to work on a dance I enjoy, & then I go & pass it & now will have to work on something else! That's okay though, I'll take it. Probably heading into Kilian Country next. :agree:

Hee, that's how I felt about the Canasta Tango, but then I started the Fiesta Tango (and if I pass Rhythm Blues on Friday, I can go back to working on that one instead of RB, which I'm getting really tired of.) And I got a look at what's even farther ahead--one of my coaches demonstrated the Hickory Hoedown and I said what I'm sure are going to end up being famous last words, "That doesn't look THAT hard." (I'll say in my defense, that was a response to her comment that this was a dance most of her students want to avoid like the plague. It doesn't look THAT horrible--deep edges on the end pattern, yeah, but they're OUTSIDE edges, and it's a fast three-turn, but why else am I practicing these turns over and over and over again if I'm not going to do them fast at some point?)
 

backspin

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
julietvalcouer said:
(I'll say in my defense, that was a response to her comment that this was a dance most of her students want to avoid like the plague. It doesn't look THAT horrible--deep edges on the end pattern, yeah, but they're OUTSIDE edges, and it's a fast three-turn, but why else am I practicing these turns over and over and over again if I'm not going to do them fast at some point?)

Actually most people hate that dance due to the hokey music rather than because of the difficulty. :laugh: The steps themselves are interesting, and you get to change partner positions, which makes it even more interesting. But the music-----oooohhhh, the music........make it stop! :banging: (where's that cute little barfing smilie when you need it!!?)
 
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