Champ/Chump, lessons & practices 9/21-9/28

Figureskates · Sep 21, 2003

Working the nightshift I guess I can start the the new week.

Champ: Salchow is really getting consistent. I need more height and speed but I figure that is just a practice thing. Coach is pleased with the results. Waltz jump is good as ever. Alternating 3s are looking under control and they look nice and even.

Chump: Spins. I managed to toepick my shin today trying to bring my free leg close to my spinning leg. I wobbled and just toepicked my shin. I had just gotten my skates sharpened so I ripped right through the pant leg. It's okay but I bled like a stuck pig and since I skate barefoot, it ran right into the boot, so I have a real mess now.

Lanie · Sep 21, 2003

I went to the rink today with a friend... she took some pictures!

My Ina Bauer

With friend!

Opening pose to my program

Champ - Got some nice spins down today, and went through what we've got done of my program.

Chump - Skates suck. Enough said.

Some girl broke her wrist today when she ran into the boards head first, and paramedics and the fire department came over! Freaky. She got a concussion.

Cinderella on Ice · Sep 22, 2003

Hi Lanie. Thanks so much for the GREAT pics! You're are just a little cutie and I bet you look great out there on the ice in person. I'm lusting after your Ina Bauer as I haven't even begun attempting them yet, as I'm still working at getting the flexibility going to turn out my hips that much.

I'm curious as to how you post pictures here (I just don't know how.) I'd love it if more of us would do so. If you want to send me a PM or something, I'd love instructions.

As a fellow wrist-breaker, I can officially say "yowch" to the poor girl who slammed the boards. But I can also say that it's not something anyone should let stand in the way of their skating or to inspire fear of any kind. As awful as it sounds, once they put that cast on, you can skate just like before and work your way through the injury. The worst part is regaining the flexibility after 5-6 weeks of immobilization.

Thanks again for the pics!

Cinderella on Ice · Sep 22, 2003

Sk8r1964 - I've been out of town and off the boards, and just wanted to give you a big WOO HOO on passing your Intermediate!!! You are an inspiration, and I hope that that's me someday, after I work my way through the "adult" side of things.

Great job!

Yazmeen · Sep 22, 2003

Chump change: Did Freestyle practice on Sunday with my buddy Anna, and we were both grumbling over back edges, especially outsides. She gave me some help with my edges, which was nice.

The Champeeennnn!!: I returned the favor to her on salchow, showing her how my coach told me to "hook" the back inside edge before the jump. We also spent some time talking and found out we're both somewhat ambilvalent about competing USFSA--we've just seen so many "abuses" and problems in judging. ISI is fun and relaxed. We both plan to test, but we'll see on comps.

Then it was on to working with groups again--it was fun to be back and helping with the kiddles!

starshinexavier · Sep 22, 2003

Champ: Not a whole lot. There are 106498635086293876208 little people on my session that don't get out of your way, so I really don't ever get to practice that much. Off-topic, I'm having a blast at university. I have super friends and we're having so much fun together.

Chump: Evil little children. Oh, I got on the wrong bus, and had to find my way to where the right bus lives, so I ended up being a half hour late for skating, and then to top it off, my coach wasn't there. To top it off, it was raining.

Happy skating!

Yazmeen · Sep 23, 2003

Chumply: Hubby is majorly sick with a bad cold--had to miss his lesson today. Me, I'm pumping vitamin C and gargling Listerine to avoid catching it!!!!

Championship season: More MITF today, and made MAJOR improvements to crossovers. I learned to "push off in slow motion" (take my time with the push) on the forward crosses. Suddenly toepick scrape went away--I was lifting too quickly (WHY do I always rush everything???) Then, she corrected my body position with the back crossovers. Literally, with the backs, coach had me stand straight, lift my chest, bend my knees and look back over my arm, then hold the position for crossovers. It wasn't easy, but again the scrapiness is going away.

Big breakthrough on back edges too--With that positioning move for crossovers, we discovered the problem was more in my hip than my shoulders. I keep trying to bring the wrong hip forward with back outside edges. Its hard to make a major change like this, but I could already see improvement after just a few minutes--that "swizzlley" portion of the RBOE began to go away. PROGRESS!!!!

Figureskates: Take care of that leg--HEAL!!!! Doctor's orders!! :laugh:

starshine: Here's to a "kid free" session for you soon!

Lanie: Looking good, great pics!!!

Cinderella on Ice · Sep 23, 2003

SUPERCHAMP - Today was a wonderful lesson and skate practice. I've been off the ice 11 days, so we took it a little easy, though I did work my way through my jumps up to my axel and then we practiced the 2sal take-off many many times so that it becomes embedded in my brain. Then she choreographed my footwork sequence, which is all quick and bouncy and reminds me of ... TIGGER!

SUPERCHUMP - Yes, Tigger, except for the fact that I look more like a cow on skates and it is very pathetic right now. But that's what practice is for, so I will be practicing my runs and skips and flicks and quick mohawks and tap toes and tap behinds until I look like someone who belongs on the ice and not like someone who is slipping on banana peels! If he hadn't passed, I could have been played by John Ritter, so I may have to look to Chevy Chase to capture my pratfalls when they make the film of my life.

I'm so excited about all this new stuff I'm learning. I really don't feel "chumpy" at all. Gosh, I LOVE skating!!!!!

dlkksk8fan · Sep 23, 2003

Champ practice-see Chump practice

Chump practice- today was a day for falling-7 times! OUCH!! I forgot what it felt like to fall. After falling on my spins and jumps I decided to just slowly work on my cross overs around the rink. At least everyone else was skating good.

luenatic · Sep 24, 2003

Figure Skate, hope you feel better now. HUG.

Lanie, those are great pix! You're very pretty. You look kind of like Godeeva.

Champ: Nothing to write home about.

Chump: Still learning the flip. Again, they're all cheated with only 3/4 rotation. But I'm brave enough to add more speed into the jump. That really helps. Now I just have to pull my leg into the back spin position while in the air so I can complete a full rotation.

In the MITF class, we're learning bracket. Oh boy, I don't like all these twisting.

flutzilla · Sep 25, 2003

Great thread!

This is a great thread! I used to post in these when they were at Rinkside but I haven't in forever!

Champ: My competition this past Sunday -- except for the camel/sit, and having to skate against the book, it went really well, and my program got a really nice compliment. So everything is going in the right direction program-wise.

Chump: The camel/sit. There should be some kind of exemption in which people who have had c sections do not have to do a camel, EVER!! I cannot get my leg behind me, and forget the whole dropping it into a full sit position. Right now it looks like more of a "look, I dropped my keys" position.....:\

Cinderella on Ice · Sep 26, 2003

For me, Wednesday was "Tigger Day," as I spent the majority of my time working on my new Tigger-like footwork. Obviously it's going to take some time for me to feel secure in the steps so that I can develop that light, airy, bouncy feeling. In the meantime, it's pretty comical, and I can see folks with that "huh?!?" look on their faces as I clod past them.

No kidding, what really helped was that the whole time I was slogging through the footwork, I was singing the Tigger song in my head, with some modifications:

"The wonderful thing about skating—
This footwork has wonderful things.
My top is made out of rubber;
My bottom is made out of springs.
I'm bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun
But the most wonderful thing about footwork,
Is now I'm nearly done."
:laugh:

It helped to give me that bouncy feeling that I'm trying to have. It didn't hurt that halfway through the practice, the other two people left and I was all alone on the ice and could "flounce" to my heart's content without worrying how I looked. I think I've made progress. Now if only I knew what to do with these arms!

Yazmeen · Sep 26, 2003

Cinder: THANK YOU!!! I'm a huge Tigger fan and just love the "Tigger Song" and that gave hubby and me major giggles!!! :laugh:

I'll have to remember that when I do footwork!!!!

Unfortunately, I caught hubby's cold, so I may not be on ice this Sunday. Cold's always nail my vocal cords, and speaking
in my "teaching voice" doesn't help. I'll have to play it by ear.

Yesterday, coach and I worked on spirals--that was my first hint I was getting sick, I was just off in general. I don't do great spirals, but even my regular balance was off. On the good side, coach and I are working on music for Artistic and Foorwork programs, so that's a plus.

Seriously, stay healthy everyone. Cold season is starting early here (PA/NJ), so watch out. As for flu, this is predicted to be a majorly BAD flu season, and shots are recommended for everyone. Please consider it.

Hugs,

Dr. Yaz

sk8er1964 · Sep 26, 2003

Yazmeen said:
Seriously, stay healthy everyone. Cold season is starting early here (PA/NJ), so watch out. As for flu, this is predicted to be a majorly BAD flu season, and shots are recommended for everyone. Please consider it.

Hugs,

Dr. Yaz

Good advice, doctor. (BTW, I was amazed at how many skaters at last year's AN were doctors or in the health field - skaters were invited to submit bios.) Anyway, I used to believe that flu shots gave you the flu -- but now I get one every year and haven't been really sick (except for the sniffles) for years.

All the better to keep skating :love:

Figureskates · Sep 27, 2003

Considering I am getting over the bad cold that Dr. Yaz is referring to, I made it out on the ice for a lesson yesterday.

Considering how weak I still am, I had a good lesson. The only thing we did not work on were spins since that was what I got a leg gash from last week (It has healed up pretty well except for a large and ugly scab!!).

Champ: Alternating 3's were pretty good other than I should stand up more and not rush the 3 turn. I have a tendency to turn to early and not at the top of the curve.

Cross-over 8s, got to bend my knees a little more. It is not quite as smooth as they should be.

Chump: We passed on the jumps today since we didn't want to risk jarring the scab on the leg.

It felt good to get out on the ice after a week of feeling lousy.

icenut84 · Sep 27, 2003

Cinderella on Ice said:
"The wonderful thing about skating—
This footwork has wonderful things.
My top is made out of rubber;
My bottom is made out of springs.
I'm bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun
But the most wonderful thing about footwork,
Is now I'm nearly done."

That was great! You should use that for your signiture

If I was doing footwork and singing that, I'd have to stop from laughing too much

Lee · Sep 27, 2003

I'm hooked -- two sessions and two lessons, and I'm hooked.

From yesterday --

Champ -- feeling more secure with edges going forwards, learned Canasta steps, stayed on the ice for almost 1.5 hours, and new (used) boots didn't hurt feet at all. The kids on the ice are just fine with me being out there -- I've been a 'rink mom' for years while Brat Daughter skated, so they know me well, and they think it's neat that I'm skating.

Chump -- right outside edge still 'chatters' but I'm not sure if it's the blade setting or me, because when I really focus on 'settling back' over my right heel, I seem to be able to control it with no scraping. LO is soooooo smooth, as are both inside edges -- not sure.

Avoided killing off small child skater, but sprained thumb in process. I was working Canasta and she was doing a back spiral -- we didn't see each other until the last minute, and I don't stop very well. I made sure I didn't hurt her (she's just a little thing), but did something to thumb either hitting the ice or holding her out of the way. I fell, she didn't -- thankfully! She apologized all over the place -- was no more her fault than mine. Thumb is swollen and hurts -- thankfully, it's the left hand, so writing and work isn't at risk...

I have to miss Monday's session to do some professional development stuff for work *pout* but I can't wait for next Friday! I may see if my coach can squeeze in a second lesson on Fridays for me...just a little antsy to learn, I am!

Have a good week, everyone!

rachelstarlet · Sep 27, 2003

Yay, I skated today! And for those of you who were here over the summer, it was reunion day for me and Tricia, because she came up from WSU to visit me (about an hour and a half south of Spokane) for the day. It was nice to skate w/ her again, and she hadn't been on the ice in a month. We mostly just messed around with our little skills, so I don't really have a champ/chump this time. Ohwell, I will make some up

Champ: Tricia was impressed with how all of a sudden I can spin better w/o working on it too much. I hadn't realized that it was so noticable a change, so that made me feel good. Still hard to keep them in control, but it's getting better. Waltzes are getting better too.

Chump: I just don't think I'm ready to give my all to the toe loop yet. I need a coach to help me with it because I'm having problems with picking - firstly, I can't get enough power out of it, and secondly, I don't think I go in straight enough or something. I dunno.

There were these little girls there that were ooohing and aaahing over us, it was cute. And the rink guard guy was really nice too, we talked to him for awhile. They didn't have any guards back in Lynnwood. Weird. It got really crowded by the end and we couldn't get a lot of good stuff in but we worked on stroking and crossovers which can always use a little attention. AND I had a disposable camera in my bag so we took a few pictures. Once I develop them I will post!

(PS: Is Glacierskater around anymore?)

Cinderella on Ice · Sep 27, 2003

icenut - you're right, I was pretty much cracking myself up, singing the modified Tigger Footwork song, but it really helped to get me into that bouncy flouncy mood that the moves seem to require. My coach may decide to disown me when she sees what I've done, especially if I start moving my lips while I'm doing it!!!

Lee - welcome to the passionate and insane world of skating. Looks like you've kicked off with a strong start, and there's nothing wrong with giving up your job and all your worldly possessions, just so you can indulge in your new habit!!! Great job on the edges.

Rachel - GREAT to hear from you and glad you and Tricia were double teaming the skate guard and everyone else. I feel like we haven't heard from glacier in awhile on the boards, though I believe I had a more recent email from her and she was just up to her eyeballs in alligators.

Oops -- gotta log off. More later ...

singerskates · Sep 29, 2003

Lee said:
I'm hooked -- two sessions and two lessons, and I'm hooked.

Welcome to the world of adult skating. Are you planning to compete Lee? If so, click the www link below for Competitive Adult Skaters.

Champ/Chump, lessons & practices 9/21-9/28

Figureskates

Lanie

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!

Yazmeen

starshinexavier

Yazmeen

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!

dlkksk8fan

luenatic

flutzilla

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!

Yazmeen

sk8er1964

Figureskates

icenut84

Lee

rachelstarlet

Cinderella on Ice

Bless you, Fairy Godmother, I'm Having a BALL!

singerskates

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