Rant-y / Rave-y Lessons and Practices August 24 - August 31 | Golden Skate

Rant-y / Rave-y Lessons and Practices August 24 - August 31

rachelstarlet

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Rant-y / Rave-y Lessons and Practices August 24 - August 31

Hey, no one's started this yet that I can see, so I guess I'll just jump in and do it this week!

Tell us all about your good (rave-y) and not so great (rant-y) experiences in your lessons and practices this week.

(Sorry about the lame adjectives, I couldn't think of anything, and I wanted to write about skating!!)
 

rachelstarlet

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
My last private lesson w/ Joy today... she wanted to go through some basic stuff and make sure I was set for the next couple weeks when I might not be having regular lessons or practices.

Rant-y: I dunno why, but I was having performance troubles today... I would get asked to do something, and I'd start going the wrong way or just get confused. It was weird. I think I'm just tired and stressed. I couldn't do inside 3s at all today.

Rave-y: Joy wanted to check out my spin at the end of the lesson today and on the first try I hit the best one I've ever done. It wasn't extremely fast but it had more rotations than usual (usual is like 3, I think this one had 5) and it was centered and didn't scrape and my arms worked and I came out of it gracefully and we were both like "Whoa!" Because I always grumble about spinning. (Yeah, I know I should be more positive!) Anyway, that was great. Edges were nice, and I can even kinda do backwards ones down the line now. We worked on jumps which was good because it's hard for me to have the motivation to work on them by myself. I can still do a toe loop better when it's combined w/ a waltz jump. Still, both are very small and cover like two feet of ice and I don't completely rotate the toe loop in air, but it's good. I was getting tired and weird like I mentioned earlier and in one waltz/toe attempt I totally didn't hit the ice with my toe pick and just kinda turned around and fell. It was kinda funny. Finally, I learned a mohawk step sequence thing which was just stroking into a mohawk, putting the other foot down, stepping forward, and then repeating. I like it a lot (but when I was practicing it going CW I fell HARD, ugh). I think I prefer working on edges and turns and footwork type things better than jumping and spinning, which is kinda interesting. But I know my preferences could change as I go along. ANYway, it was a good lesson!
 

blurrysarah

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Rave: Synchro on sunday was dress rehearsal. I was really impressed with how tight we were on our first run through cold. Long program dresses are uber-pretty! And....I finally got a fitting for new boots! Going for Risport RF3 Super light. Haven't ordered any yet, I'm going to have to ask my coach about a discount she said she could get...I did however order my blades online and saved around AU$80 from what they would have cost here in Australia, so I'm rather chuffed.

Rant: Dress rehearsal was for State championships next week. Excited but terrified at the same time. I don't exactly enjoy performing all that much, I've gotten a little better at not stressing, but it still isn't really enjoyable.
 

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
FINALLY back on the ice today!!! We worked on major edge refinement--not an easy thing because I have a fresh sharpening and my edges were really sinking.

Rant, rant, rant: Finally discovered a BIG old problem with my right backward outside edge. Once I push off, my skating foot goes flat or to an inside edge prior to holding an outside edge. Grrr...we worked on an exercise on the circle, using it as a visual to keep the skating foot on an outside edge. Major work needed here. :( :mad:

Let's go to a Rave: BIG improvement on back inside edges, and we refined my pushes for my forward edge technique too. Hubby had a lesson with my coach today as his is on vay-kay, and of course, he gets a right forward inside three turn on the first try!!! But then, he admittedly struggled with them afterwards a bit. I do envy him sometimes--he's a very natural "turner."

GREAT NEWS!!! We have a Synchro coach moving into the area and she wants to start an adult Synchro team at our rink!!! My coach even wants my hubby on it with me, and he didn't say "no" immediately. There's another adult male at the rink who is her student, and she wants him to join, too. I'm definitely up for it!!!:D
 

luenatic

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Yazmeen said:
Finally discovered a BIG old problem with my right backward outside edge. Once I push off, my skating foot goes flat or to an inside edge prior to holding an outside edge.

Yaz, just a thought. Try bending your knee more and see if it helps. You should feel like you're sitting on a chair! I know it's easier said than done. But it's true. Once you bend your knee, you'll be on your outside edge and gliding on the back of your blade. It takes time to get used to because you'll be skating much faster. It's scary at first, but you'll love it.

I must admit, it takes very strong thigh muscle to be able to have deep knee bend. Lots of off ice work. Good luck.
 

aly*cutie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Rave- I had a perfect lesson!! I did everything right! And I actually did a perfect camel spin! lol! I got down really really low on my site spin and my jumps were just perfect!!!

Rant- I couldn't remember the freestyle 4 footwork my coach taught me to go on to freestyle 4.
 

luenatic

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I had the MITF class last night and it was actually pretty OK. The pain in my ankles went away 95% (YEAH!!!!) I could actually do back pull and back 3s. I couldn't believe it. We also did some double 3s for 5 minutes.

Since my ankles are getting better, I didn't want to push them too hard. I skipped the private lesson. My coach was actually glad I did. She's so tired yesterday, she wanted to go home. I made her day and she's happy as a clam. :p

Happy skating everyone.
 

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Ranty: Nothin' much!!

Ravey: First off, luneatic, MAJOR thanks!!!! More bend helped that outside edge tremendously.

What a lesson!!! 45 minutes in the harness working on jumps. We began with lenthening edges and getting more distance with the waltz. Then on to salchow to get it higher and with more distance. Then toeloop--FINALLY found my problem with this jump, which admittedly I have only done rarely. I kept picking out to the side, not behind. You really have to get the picking foot behind, pretty much crossing over the other foot. Once I did this, I was able to get around much better. On Tuesday, it will be "jump in harness, jump without harness" time for my jumps to test the improvements. Whoo hoo, what fun!!!:D
 

blondeanglskate

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Rave-y: Passed Basic 7. Know everything on Basic 8 very good. My salchow is getting great. My scratch spin is finally getting nice. And I learned 2 new jumps, half flip and toeloop!!

Rant-y: Fell hard on my back on my loop jump but after stretching my back out I was fine. Then after I had landed my half flip a few times I lost my landing and feel sooooo hard landing on my chin i think where the ice and glass meet smashed it hard, you could see the bone, and I had to get 7 stitches. :(
 

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!
On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Yowch, blonde, that sounds really yucky. Was there lots of blood and did everyone freak out? I hope you had a plastic surgeon do the stitches so you won't have too much of a scar!

RAVEY - I am higher higher higher than the clouds today because I landed 5 out of 6 axels after not having done them for over three months!!

I dutifully taped my cast back on in order to practice today, and worked primarily on all of the elements needed for Adult Gold Freestyle. My camel/sit/back sit still needs work, but it is at a "passable" level, so it's more a matter of better holding my positions and relaxing into the spin. All the single jumps and combos were on, and today I felt super RAVEY about my split/falling leaf/toe loop--especially the split! For some reason my back spin and scratch spin were "on" too.

All in all, it was a great run-through and then I had the nicest compliment of all when I came off the ice. One of the moms did a double take when I sat down next to her and she went, "Oh my gosh, you're not a KID!!!" Apparently from a distance she thought I was a 16 year old and when she heard I was 46, she kept saying, "But you were doing AXELS!" It was one of those moments that make you feel really good about yourself.
 

icedream

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Rant-y: my coach said i probably won't pass freestyle 4 (not surprised!) but classes haven't even started yet so i'm pretty hopeful...

Rave-y: My loop used to be pretty terrible but I can actually do it fine now (out of a RFI 3). Also, my flip is getting way better! I'm so proud :)
 

Lanie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Today's practice session was just a wonderful day for me. I've been having breakthrough, great days more often than bad days and it's so cool!

Rave-y: My friend Vanessa, upon seeing my out of control sit spin, suggested my arm positions and said I should be like I'm pressing down on a table. Well, I try it, and I get about five revolutions and exit gracefully. It was much lower than before, too, thanks to the shoot-the-ducks I've been doing to work on that. I stand there going, "WHOA!" and it was nice and centered; I could see the ice tracings wonderfully. I was so happy. So I do some more sit spins, and then go on to the scratch spins. My problem is the whole keeping-out-the-leg thing, and I'm trying to conquer it, but not yet! Oh well. I worked on some jumps, and my waltz jump is a lot bigger, and I did some nice flips and salchows.

Rant-y: The scratch spin! Alas. Anyone have tips?

My stepmom and dad came early to see how I was doing and I did my sit and my dad was cheering and clapping and my stepmom was too. I did the waltz pattern and the salchow pattern and did a little inside spread eagle-turn-waltz. It was fun. It's fun making up stuff! Anyone else do that?

But the best part was when this little girl, about ten, was sitting with her dad taking her skates off, told me I did really well. Okay, she said, "You did really good!" but it really made me feel nice. :)
 

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!
On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Lanie - I agree with you totally, the compliments you get from the kids are just the best! I think it's because they are so truthful and have no reason to "lie" to you about what they see.

Congrats on your improved sit spin. I'm going to keep those things in mind, as I know that sometimes my arms are out of control!

I'm sorry that I don't have any good advice on the scratch spin, except don't fall out of it dizzily and shout "WHOO!" at the tops of your lungs like I did at the end of my silver test!!! :\
 

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Rant: Hubby and I did our last Saturday skate for the summer at one other local rink. Unfortunately, it was a 90 degree day, and the ice was really soft. Gee, ever try to do edges on soft ice after you've only had two hours on your blades after your last sharpening??? It was hysterical. I'd push off and slow to a stop halfway through an edge. Hubby kept perplexing over his three turns because no matter what he did, he'd scratch on his toepick. It finally dawned on both of us that we had sharp blades and were simply sinking in too much!! :( At least it was great ice for waltz and other half jumps!!! :p

Ravey: One fun thing--this was a basic rink with a tin roof, and we skated during a raging thunderstorm. Between the rain on the roof and being the only two on the ice able to tune the radio in to our favorite alternative college radio station, we at least had a good backbeat!!! :p

Happy Labor Day, y'all!!!
 

blurrysarah

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Rave: Won State Championships Junior Sync division on the weekend! Our short program skate was the best skate we've ever done, the long not so good. But we still won anyway because of our speed and difficulty versus the other team.

Rant: I fell on my bum in the long program on a bit of piddly footwork, lucky for me the ice was smooth and the slide broke my fall. I couldn't believe I'd fallen on such a lame move. Another girl had fallen earlier in the program so I didn't feel too bad. First gold medal I've ever won.
 

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!
On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Blurrysarah - AWESOME! Sounds like you weren't blurry at all, but sharp as a tack. Hope you're huffing on and polishing your shiny gold medal. What a great feeling that must be!

Sorry to hear about the lame-o footwork spill. It's always the silly stuff that catches you unawares. At least there were no broken bones like someone I know [**looks at weenie wrist which has just been freed recently from its fiberglass prison**].

Congrats on the awesome achievement! :D :D
 
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