How is Skating?

[icy fresh]

We haven't one of these threads in a while, so I decided to start one. How is everyone's skating going? Have you done any shows/competitions/ tests lately or have any planned?

 

[dlkksk8fan]

I just started skating again after my two months off. I'm not going to think about testing until the summer. I haven't started taking lessons again, but I've been working on my bronze mif test. I would like to get my bronze freestyle routine started.

Happy Skating to All!

 

[julietvalcouer]

Well, I got a retry on Preliminary moves, but considering that was more than a week ago and I was getting sick then and am still sick now, I think I can forgive myself. And I passed the Cha Cha at the same session. I'm going to retest, hopefully on the 15th (that's exactly the required wait time from the day I tested.)

I have pretty new blades. Now I just need to work up the guts to switch them out, as they're dance blades and I've been on freestyle. But they're NICE dance blades.

 

[CDMM1991]

I might be taking my novice competitive test sometime this spring. I'm not sure though, I want my skating to be really solid before I take it.

 

[#1Kerryfan]

I haven't been skating much lately since I swim mostly. But when I do skate, it's pretty fun.

 

[Rusty Blades]

One month (18 hours) back after 36 years away and I have (had?) my forward edges back - good one day, right foot brain dead the next - but I'm happy. My first goal is all 8 edges back solid by next fall so I can start on Skills (MITF). With time booked in Arpil and May, and waiting for the registration for July and August, I think I'll make it.

 

[bethissoawesome]

Working on the elements for the PM and PPF tests to hopefully take this spring/before end of the semester in May. Slow but steady. I just started in the beginning of December, and I'm already the laughing stock of my family... the 20 year old Ivy League nerd (as I am so lovingly called ) who just decided to pick up skating one day after watching it my whole life... and now I go 5 days a week. Serves them right

 

[icy fresh]

Julietvalcouer- Good luck on your test on the 15th. I bet you'll pass over this time!
CDMM1991- OMG! That's incredible that you want to take your Novice freestyle test soon. You must be an awesome skater! I want to take my Novice freestyle at the end of this year, but I probably won't compete in that level until 2007.
Rusty Blades- wow 36 years away from the ice and you're back. That's amazing! How did you stay away from the ice so long? I don't think I'd be able to survive without skating.
Bethissoawesome- You must be like really smart ! I hope you prove your family wrong

As for myself, March is going to be a very busy month. I'm going to be competing twice at a competition in a couple of weeks and I'm really nervous.

 

[Rusty Blades]

wow 36 years away from the ice and you're back. That's amazing! How did you stay away from the ice so long? I don't think I'd be able to survive without skating.

I got "disillusioned" I started at 14 (too late) and worked REALLY hard for a few years (min. 20 hours/week). At 19 I crashed and ended up on crutches. When I looked at "my skating career" while recovering I realized I would have to move away from home and join a year-round club with top-flight coaches to go any farther - NOT an option, financially. I went to college, got married, had (have) a career, moved a number of times, and just "forgot" about skating until January. I no longer have any dillusions of grandure Now I am back to see how far I can go with a 56 year old body - Skills (MITF) first, then Freeskate. When I run into something I simply can NOT do, I'll switch to Interpretive. NOTHING will get me off the ice now!

 

[Mrs Redboots]

When I run into something I simply can NOT do, I'll switch to Interpretive. NOTHING will get me off the ice now!

We'll expect you at the European competitions in a couple of years, then! Start saving your pennies, because you certainly won't be the oldest skater there, and didn't you say you hadn't made international competition the first time around? You will this time!

(And for any other adult skaters out there, the closing date for the competition isn't until 15 March, so you still have a fortnight to make up your mind!).

 

[peachy]

As for myself, March is going to be a very busy month. I'm going to be competing twice at a competition in a couple of weeks and I'm really nervous.

Good luck at your competition!! What level are you competing at?

 

[lindasaffell]

Keep on keepin' on

Hi!

Nothing too fancy for me, I am continuing, though, to enjoy group lessons. I feel just a little bit plateaued right now, far too early -- no matter how much I WANT to feel the right balance and edges, I am not feeling it comfortably. Then again, nobody in my class wanted to try forward crossovers yet, either. Ho hum, I know you all are thinking! But for us adult beginners, those basics take some time, I guess. I am working on getting out onto the ice twice every week, excluding lessons, and remembering what it is I am supposed to practice. (Does anyone else experience this: our brains sort of block out the hard stuff that we need to practice, when we are on the ice? It's a real struggle to *remember* to practice some backward skating much less to feel that the session is a good one for me to practice it!!)

I'd like to get out to see the next local competition, we had some snow cancellations here earlier in the year. I don't expect to be IN any competitions but I enjoy watching good skating!

 

[icy fresh]

Good luck at your competition!! What level are you competing at?

Hey! Thanks! I'm really nervous. I'm going to be competing as a Juvenile.

 

[Teresa Dawn]

You are lucky though, I skated in my teens a bit (just once or twice a week, I passed my prelim dances and was ready to pass the Junior Bronze but ended up quitting due to expenses and a dog bite on my ankle that swelled enough I couldn't put my skate on for 6 weeks, and I was landing my toe jumps consistantly plus the axel, though never with much height, I could almost do a double flip, usually two-footed though, but I could never do a salchow or loop though lol!) Anyways, I miss it soo much. I don't know how much I could still do, I mean I know I can still do back & front crossovers, and I could probably still do my flip but not much else. I'd LOVE to go back into adult classes (even a basic beginner one as I'd like to improve my stroking power before trying to go back to where I was) but they just don't offer them here. I'd have to go to another city and I don't have a car.

Hi!

Nothing too fancy for me, I am continuing, though, to enjoy group lessons. I feel just a little bit plateaued right now, far too early -- no matter how much I WANT to feel the right balance and edges, I am not feeling it comfortably. Then again, nobody in my class wanted to try forward crossovers yet, either. Ho hum, I know you all are thinking! But for us adult beginners, those basics take some time, I guess. I am working on getting out onto the ice twice every week, excluding lessons, and remembering what it is I am supposed to practice. (Does anyone else experience this: our brains sort of block out the hard stuff that we need to practice, when we are on the ice? It's a real struggle to *remember* to practice some backward skating much less to feel that the session is a good one for me to practice it!!)

I'd like to get out to see the next local competition, we had some snow cancellations here earlier in the year. I don't expect to be IN any competitions but I enjoy watching good skating!

 

[lindasaffell]

Anyways, I miss it soo much. I don't know how much I could still do, I mean I know I can still do back & front crossovers, and I could probably still do my flip but not much else. I'd LOVE to go back into adult classes (even a basic beginner one as I'd like to improve my stroking power before trying to go back to where I was) but they just don't offer them here. I'd have to go to another city and I don't have a car.

Well, you are young, yet. I'm in my fifities! So I can use all the good luck I can muster .

Yes, I am fortunate, I am in an area where there are really a good number of places to skate, I'm VERY close to the one with the best practice hours for me. And I don't have moves to miss from when I was younger, I guess, that's my good luck too, in that way!!!

I hope you soon have a way of getting back to skating, Teresa Dawn!

 

[Teresa Dawn]

I don't mind so much even that, I would just like to skate again. Of course there are public skates in the winter, but they don't allow figure skating, and the staff don't do anything... Everyone goes whatever way and it's quite dangerous. They play basket ball on the ice (no closed of designated area, so half the time your skating and suddenly a basketball comes flying in front of your feet) and they also do "ahem" wrestling matches on the ice... they aren't organized but they aren't forbidden either... it's so crowded with things and ppl flying every where... I dunno, it's really not the same as having an actually practice session...

I do however have a nice big kitchen for practicing my sock-footed kitchen skating ROFL!

 

[Rusty Blades]

I do however have a nice big kitchen for practicing my sock-footed kitchen skating

Really?

I thought I was the only one that did that

 

[Teresa Dawn]

Really, kitchen skating should be a recognizeable Olympic sport don't you all think? Anyone want to start a petition with me? ROFL!

 

[icy fresh]

I am so relieved that I passed my Novice moves today. I've had stomach aches all week and it was like a cloud was lifted off my shoulder when I found out that I'd passed. Now I can actually sleep at night, but I have a competition next weekend, so I still have a lot of preparation to do.

 

[Teresa Dawn]

Yay Congrats!