Big Hearts / Pointy Darts Lessons & Practices 2/2-2/8

Let's hear about your great (big hearts) and not-so-great (pointy darts) ice adventures this week!

Pointy Darts - I could have kicked myself for dawdling a bit too long this morning and getting to the rink later than was necessary. I'm just having trouble getting started in the mornings.

Big Hearts - I made up for it by pouring myself into my practice. Worked on my teeny weeny tiny baby flying sit spin until it was at least recognizable as such. Anyone have any hints on how to better get that "tuck"? I was all alone on the ice again, and was able to work on segments of my program over and over without running into anyone. Really made some progress on the steadiness of all footwork, use of big but smooth arm movements, extensions and toe points. Hope I can replicate this tomorrow in my lesson with coach watching!

Cinderella, I can't tell you how ENVIOUS I am every time you say you were the only one on the ice! Lucky you! For my practice sessions and lessons I am on public sessions and always need to be on the look out for little kids and unpredictable hockey players.

Your leg's OK?

HEARTS!: The jumps are coming! Starting to really jump the waltz jump and really jump the salchow. Toe loop is still very small, but also OK- not so scary. Forward Inside 3 turn is not always there, but has lost its terror.

DARTS: Every time I start to get comfortable, it's on to something new. This is exciting, but also keeps me humble. Working on back inside edges- very shaky. And starting the back spin- still all in my head, my body doesn't get it yet at all.

Doggone darts: No lessons this week from my coach, she is traveling and somehow I stupidly thought she was only going to be away this past weekend--I missed something, somehow, being generally brain dead last week. After getting a DEEEEEPPPP new filling in an upper molar last night, I was just kind of shot this morning, so I stuck to crossovers.

Happy Hearts Day: Hubby's coach offered to give me a lesson on Thursday, and since I know my coach won't mind, I'm going to have her look at my spins. She has a good critical eye and it will be good to have a different point of view. On the up side, my crossovers are pretty sharp now, and the backwards ones are getting smooooooooooth!!!!!!

Icer - it is only since posting here on these boards that I've realized how incredibly LUCKY I am with the ice situation here. Not only do we have ice year round, multiple choices when it comes to contract ice, a wonderful adult public skate for only $4 for 2 hours, and people who don't kick you off the ice when the time is up ... but often I am the only person on the ice. It's just AMAZING! I wish I could transport you here, as I would gladly share "my" ice with someone who is so cool to be making such great jump progress! They are near and dear to my heart, so woo hoo to you for continuing to work to make them big. There is nothing as pretty as a great big bee-yoo-tee-ful waltz jump, so keep at it. And don't let the back spin give you any sass. I STILL work on this spin every single time I practice because it is the essence of so many things to come, but it is a trickster and likes to tease. Perserverence is the key -- just never let it get you down and just keep trying till one day when your body kind of goes "oh yeah, that's it."

Yaz - yuk, sorry about the toothy problem, but totally cool about the interim coach. I love when a coach is secure enough to allow you to learn from others as well. It can be very helpful to get another perspective, so hope the time goes well!

I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I am just bouncing off the walls here. You guys know me as Cinderella on Ice and today I was more like Cinderella on Speed because I was just a maniac, maniac on the ice. Coach called to say that the never-ending snowfall would make her late, but instead of hanging around and wasting time (like yesterday), I got my butt out the door and onto the ice and got in a great warm-up of all my spins, flying and otherwise. I was pretty pleased with my baby flying sit and looked forward to showing my coach how "balanced" I was after the flying part. After running through some footwork pieces, coach made it there earlier than she thought, and we started my lesson.

She decided to check out the spins, and on the first flying sit she said in a flat voice, "That wasn't flying, that was a HOP!" Well, of course she was right, and just who was I trying to fool with that weenie little thing? So then I said I could do better, and I let forth an actual leap and a tuck (of the free leg), and lo and behold, a recognizable flying sit emerged! She liked that one so much, she said her trademark, "I'm not TOUCHING that," which means memorize that one forever more, don't do it again today, leave it alone and hope that it burns itself into your muscle memory.

So then we ran through only one of all the jumps, which she also liked. Then she had me do my full program and skate it with everything included. You know, it sure needs a TON of work, but now when I do it, I'm starting to really enjoy it and think, hey, that got a teensy weensie bit better than last time. Verrrry teensy, but teensy improvement nonetheless. And I almost landed the 2toe, just sort of 2footed it at the end.

Afterward I was winded, but she made me skate laps for another full playing of my music. Then she said that the whole first third of the program, up to the "dreaded" 2sal (which I cannot do) seems flat, like I'm spending the whole time dreading the "dreaded" 2sal (which I am). So even though I was pretty much spent, she had me do the program from the beginning to that point and said she wanted it "with feeling." So I got out there like I was Michelle Kwan in the last 15 seconds of her program where she whips the audience into a huge frenzy, flinging her arms up, opening her mouth wide, and throwing her energy out into the stands. OK, so no, I didn't exactly look like that, but to be honest, there was a glimmer of that "good" feeling and I really poured myself into the first part, ending with a fall on the 2sal that landed me on the ice with my legs crossed indian style and sort of spinning once around on my butt. So when I finished, I just threw my arms out like, THAT WAS COOL, and then we burst into laughter. I was totally wiped out, but so happy, because it was exactly what she was looking for and she is just the best coach in the world because she unlocked something joyous there and I am never going to perform my program with dread again.

So, you'd think that would be the end of it, seeing as I was like a limp spaghetti noodle, but no, now she decides we will work on the 2sal. I still need to "get" the timing of the take-off, but the last one held promise. THEN we started back on the flying camel and a couple of other things till my hair was limp and damp and it really was time to leave the ice and get to work.

I've decided my coach really IS my Fairy Godmother because she knows just the right buttons to push to keep me enthusiastic and motivated. Now I understand why people use personal trainers because as dedicated as I am, I would never be able to consistently work myself as hard and effectively as she does.

Cinderella, you sound just like Janet Lynn who won the heart of the WORLD by laughing joyfully as she spun around on the ice after a fall at the Sapporo Olympics (well before my time as a skating fan- would love to see a tape of that one).

icer, I have seen a tape of that, its unbelievable, she just grinned and laughed and got back up and skated beautifully. I have NEVER seen anyone handle something like that with such grace and humor (it actually was a funny fall on a sitspin IIRC, she just sort of had her feet go out from under her and tipped over). I have her book, and she was incredibly proud of her bronze medal and being a person of strong faith, praised God for what she saw as His blessing her with it. She is an amazing woman.

Cinder: WOW!!! I wish I could have seen that runthrough, sounds like you were pretty amazing, too. Good luck with that 2 sal-its coming along just fine.

Darts: Pain in my behind from falling on jumps. Nothing serious, but it doesn't feel too happy when I'm sitting in the wonderful chairs that we have in lecture halls here. Spinning is an issue too, but one that I will overcome. Non-skating related, I have 2 midterms coming up this week, and I'm not looking forward to them at all, especially chemistry. They will be over soon enough though. Cindy, I miss being on here all the time too, and miss you too. Sadly my schedule doen't really allow for it. It sounds like you're skating amazingly, and will be fantastic at AN in April. Keep up the great work!

Hearts: I've got my 2 sal and 2 loop back after gaining weight. My timing's back, and the sharp skates help a bit too. My coach's got me working on 2 toes and 2 flips, and they're not too bad. Most of them are pretty much fully rotated, but some are a bit under rotated too. Most are 2 footed, but it's a start. Non-skating related yet again, me and my friends went tonight to look at off campus housing for next year, and ended up signing a lease for a new apartment one block away from campus. It's really overwhelming thinking that I'm really moving out.

Happy Skating everyone!

Sorry to drive by post, but I'm in a rush.

Big Hearts - Today's skating practice was great. I started off too slowly, more dawdling this morning and some struggles until my feet stopped hurting. But then I kicked in and practiced flying camel spins and flying sit spins for most of the session. I think I've finally discovered the "sweet spot" on these blades, and suddenly the spins were much faster, more powerful, and more revolutions. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same on Friday afternoon.

Starshine - it's always great when you can stop by here. Congrats on getting the 2s back! We knew they wouldn't stay away for long. We understand how all your new activities keep you busy, so keep trying to post here whenever you can.

Icer and Yaz - wow, it was a little humbling to be even mentioned in the same sentence as Janet Lynn. She was popular when I skated as a kid, and I actually shared the same ice with her a few times when we would go for private pairs lessons to Rockton, IL to the Wagon Wheel rink (which sadly, no longer exists). What I remember most about her was that incredible smile -- she warmed the ice with her enthusiasm, energy, and passion. After that Olympic performance that you mentioned, she became almost a cult figure in Japan, where they use her as an inspiration for determination and perserverance. She's someone who makes you proud to be participating in the same sport.

Thanks to you guys, maybe I will check out her book.

Darts: Really, none this AM. Just no skating this weekend, yet ANOTHER business trip. After this one, I'm finally off the road (er, out of the air!!!) for a few months.

Be my Valentine: Instead of a spin lesson, I had hubby's coach look at all my basics that my coach has been steadily improving to get her opinion. Her basic advice with stroking (Paula: please don't shoot me for my language here, but its too funny not to say it

"Bend deeper in the knees and lead with your TA TA's!! Stick 'em out!!!" (She admitted with kids she tells them to "stick their noses in the air and be snobs" to get the correct upper body position). Well, it worked!!! She got me deeper in the knees with all my crossovers and holding the second push to help eliminate toe pushing. She also related the exit from my spins, where I had a weak push, to the exit from jumping and my brain finally clicked on. All in all, it was great to have someone else look at these skills and critique them. A great lesson and a good morning!!!

Yaz and her famous Ta Ta's....

Ha ha, Yaz! Guess I'm going to have to go out and get some Ta Tas, since I'm not particularly overwhelmed in that area, so to speak.

Pointy Darts - I'm not really sure I achieved everything I would have liked to at yesterday's practice. I just didn't seem to have the same concentration and oomph that I usually bring to Friday afternoons. Part of it stems from something stressful that's going on at work. But still, with so little time left before I have to compete, you would think I could wrap my brain around this and get moving.

Big Hearts - On the other hand, I spent a ton of time working on the flying camel and flying sit (and the combos using them). In fact, when I looked back onto the ice, the entire area where I had been doing them was just shredded to smithereens from all of my attempts. So obviously I worked up a good sweat and I WAS hard at work, despite how I felt about it afterwards. I feel like I am finally getting a small to moderate "tuck" in the flying sit, rather than just a baby hop.

Pointy Darts - because I wasn't "on," I wound up not working on either footwork or my program at all. So those will be the first things needing attention on Monday.