Nov. 1st-7th lessons/practices

[dlkksk8fan]

Anyone out there practicing? Just thought I would start a new thread since it is a new month.

Well as far as lessons go for me I am still without a coach, however I've been practicing, practicing, practicing and it has paid off for my spins. My sit spin is now centered and fast. The camel spin is getting better and better with more speed and 4-6 rotations.

So how is everyones skating going?

 

[Glacierskater]

Anyone out there practicing? Just thought I would start a new thread since it is a new month.

Well as far as lessons go for me I am still without a coach, however I've been practicing, practicing, practicing and it has paid off for my spins. My sit spin is now centered and fast. The camel spin is getting better and better with more speed and 4-6 rotations.

So how is everyones skating going?

SK8FAN,

Excellent work on the spins. Isn't it a great feeling?

I am right there with you. I have been working on my sit spin and getting it lower with some new variations in arm position. I have also started nailing my camel within the last 2 weeks, thanks to some tips from one of my fellow adult skaters from our compeitive adult skater forum. I am also working on my camel sit, and my sit back sit.

I have started to work on hydroblading and I am sporting nice bruise on my spine. Not internal, but external. Every time I fall with this move, I land on the same place in my back.

My newest accomplishment is one that makes me happy. I do an uncaptured move when I go down the ice in the middle and grab my right leg with my right hand and extend it all the way up to my head, as far as possible. Then I head for the left hand end, and do a LI mohawk and on a LBO edge I reach down and grab an extended right leg with my left hand and pull it up as high as I can while going backward, then after I have rounded out the curve in the end of the rink, I step forward on my RFO edge and do a nice deep spiral. It is hard, and it is fun!
It takes lots of stretching and I work on it on my days off.

I have also been working on some footwork sequences for AN '05 programs. I about have my FS put togehter and I am working on my Interpretive within the next 2 weeks.

I am also working on perfecting my combo jumps and jump sequences. The lutz is killing me. I have just finished making my own crash pads. I have these bruises from my latest skating exploits and I tailored the pads to cushion those areas. Now I think that I will be able to just dig in and do what I need to do with the lutz and now worry about hurting myself. It's such a hard jump for me. I love the rest though.

Whew...I guess I had more to say than I realized. How is the coach searching going? Are you going to AN '05?

 

[dlkksk8fan]

That feeling of getting your spin centered and continuous is great! However I have to get over the dizziness I get when I keep spinning!
The secret for me with my camel spin is pointing my foot on my free leg. This gets me in control and I can work on keeping my spinning leg in the right position.

I do an uncaptured move when I go down the ice in the middle and grab my right leg with my right hand and extend it all the way up to my head, as far as possible. Then I head for the left hand end, and do a LI mohawk and on a LBO edge I reach down and grab an extended right leg with my left hand and pull it up as high as I can while going backward

I can picture you doing this move it sounds great! You are going to have to have someone get a picture of you doing this and post it here on GS to inspire all of us.

I've been working on combo jumps too. Toe-loop,toe-loop; waltz jump, loop jump; salchow,loop jump.

I haven't been very active in searching for a coach, but I do have someone at my rink that I think would be good to work with. As far as '05 NA I will not be there. I have never passed any tests nor do I have a program. However these are things I want to work on in the future. :yes:

 

[Summerkid]

I had my last lesson before the big test session next week. Just little stuff to remember at this point. Head up, shoulders back, point the toes, present to the judges. I'm very curious how the judges are going react to my skating--being the only adult with a bunch of 10-14 year olds doing Intermediate Moves. It's been 11 years since I've done any USFSA testing (and never Moves) so I'm a little anxious. Who knows...maybe I'll even give Novice a try if this one goes well.

 

[Mrs Redboots]

Good luck, Summerkid!

I am finding it's a case of "Honey, I shrunk the rink", especially on back cross-rolls, which are suddenly better than they've ever been. Everything suddenly has more flow and power, except, as always, my turns! In the NISA level 3 Dance moves test, one must do a lap of back cross-rolls and a lap of back cross-cuts, and these are my current bugbear - I can do a few, but then run out of steam. Today, though, I finally felt the position that I knew would be the right one to do them - sitting right down on my blade, shoulders back, etc. But I can't control it, and after a couple of cross-cuts, there I am hunched forwards again.

 

[Glacierskater]

I had my last lesson before the big test session next week. Just little stuff to remember at this point. Head up, shoulders back, point the toes, present to the judges. I'm very curious how the judges are going react to my skating--being the only adult with a bunch of 10-14 year olds doing Intermediate Moves. It's been 11 years since I've done any USFSA testing (and never Moves) so I'm a little anxious. Who knows...maybe I'll even give Novice a try if this one goes well.

Summerkid,

Don't worry about being the only adult testing with kids. I find them a great support. They are way more supportive than the skate moms at my rink. I guess part of that is because you are out there busting it with them. Just skate for the love of it and you will do fine.

 

[Summerkid]

It's just really funny because as a coach, I've got some of these kids in my power classes, flow classes, and will be choreographing their group number for the ice show. I do think that they find it interesting to see a coach skate. I don't remember my coaches ever doing much more than standing at the boards let alone doing an axel or a double or even a figure.

 

[Glacierskater]

I think that it is inspirational. My coach needs to test her silver moves and FS. I keep trying to get her to do it.

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Today I got to share the ice with two senior pair teams that are practicing for the Pacific Coast Championships. Both teams and their coach were very nice and they made a big effort not to knock us old skaters over! They skate so FAST!!!!!

 

[Yazmeen]

Sorry to have been absent lately guys, but between my new job and getting ready for the Halloween classic (see that thread), I've been super busy.

Well, the Classic motivated me to improve my basic skating, and I'm making gains in leaps and bounds already. My coach is right--motivation is indeed replacing fear in my brain, and I'm starting to skate into elements better and faster. It was actually fun to do high speed spirals! Next Sunday (a week from now), I'll start some solo dance lessons with a great coach I assist in group lessons. I want to improve my edging and turns and moves, and my regular coach thinks this will really help.

No skating for me this weekend, I just arrived at my hotel in New Orleans--my group is putting on an educational symposium here as there is a huge physician meeting here (AHA). Off to get some good food at one of Emeril's restaurants with the troops tonight, then its work, work, work tomorrow. Happy skating!

 

[Skate@Delaware]

More Power! Sure!

Tonight we departed from jumps (darn, even wore my crash pads!) to work on power pulls and other assorted moves. By the time we were finished-the muscles in both of my feet hurt! I know I will be sore in the morning also.

I had also signed up for ice dance -wasnt sure my schedule and pocket book could take it, but everything worked out. Dutch waltz review. I am the only adult in this class....... I am still 'bobbing' on my progressives. I knew that I was since my crossovers still suck. Oh well.

and I'm still not centering my spins--gotta get my skates sharpened....

 

[GordonSk8erBoi]

For today's lesson we spent most of our time reviewing the group number I'm in for the rink holiday show. I got to learn a new "trick"., the forward-to-backward lunge/3-turn. This is a fun little move! The secret seems to be to keep your weight on the outside edge, otherwise there's no control at all.

For the remainder of my lesson we reviewed bunnyhops, and then worked on forward and back crossovers. I had a minor breakthrough on my FXOs, I managed to get some real lean and edge on them for the first time ever. I was pretty stoked.

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Skate@Delaware- Just wanted to say welcome to GS!

 

[icy fresh]

Skating is going well for me. Yesterday I passed my Juvenile moves, Preliminary free, the Swing Dance, the Cha-Cha, and the Fiesta Tango!

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Skating is going well for me. Yesterday I passed my Juvenile moves, Preliminary free, the Swing Dance, the Cha-Cha, and the Fiesta Tango!

Icy Fresh- Congratulations on passing all those tests!

 

[Mrs Redboots]

Wow, well done Icy_Fresh! I am impressed. And envious!

 

[Petlover]

Congratulations Icy-Fresh! I skate both freestyle and dance, and know that dance is quite a bit harder than most people think it is. To get passable edges while keeping up the timing is a real challenge.

 

[nicole_l]

I finally got back to the rink (I've skated 3 or 4 times in the past 4 months). Man, I really need to sharpen my skates. Spins were awful. Axels are getting better. My double sal is my most consistent jump, but not today! I landed 2. Double toes are getting better, loops were okay, flips were okay. I have no stamina left.

But it felt great just to be out there skating. Amazing.

 

[icy fresh]

Thanks everyone for your congratulations :agree: I really appreciate it
I totally agree about people underestimating dance; it really is hard

 

[Summerkid]

I wanted to post an update. I did not pass Intermediate Moves...in fact, I fell--bad backet sequence. Felt shaky and nervous all day. Also, we only had a 4 minute warmup. I'm not saying we deserved a 15 minute warmup but 4 mins weren't enough for me. My new game plan is to prepare for the "test" parts of the test--the short warmup, counting to 10 and then starting the next move, building up the ole stamina. This sort of stuff caught me really off guard. I had done runthroughs of the test but I needed to do more. Plus, learning to relax is another goal. I passed some of the moves by a few of the judges so I wasn't totally unprepared but I wouldn't have passed me if I was a judge.