Sweet/Stinky practices and lessons 6/6-6/12

[dlkksk8fan]

STINKYWell they did it to me again at my rink with two bus loads of kids:sheesh: Showed up for adult session and the kids were still on the rink. Was told they would be off soon, which was another 45mins. Once they were off the rink management refused to clean the ice for our session. After 2 hours of kids skating the ice was awful!! I was ! I finally gave up and went home and walked instead.

Nothing to sweet about that.

 

[starshinexavier]

Sweet: It's official. I got the letter today in the mail from the coach of the synchro team, inviting me to be on the junior team. We have our first team meeting on Saturday. What makes it better is that it's a brand new team, and it looks to be a fun and rewarding year trying to make a name for ourselves. I can't wait until we start practicing!

Happy Skating!

 

[Cinderella on Ice]

dlkksk8fan - Stinky is right. What's up with the rink these days? Sounds like they're willing to risk themselves a lawsuit if someone gets hurt. Not smart economics in my book.

Starshine - woo hoo, woo hoo! While I had no doubt you'd get the offer, it's great to know that now it's official. How fun to be in right from the start. Be sure to tell us all about it.

 

[starshinexavier]

Don't worry about a thing, Cindy, you'll hear ALL about my new synchro team. So much so that you'll be able to picture our program, outfits and everything! I can't wait!!!!

Happy Skating!

 

[Yazmeen]

Good for you, Starshine, congrats! I don't think synchro will be in the cards for me anymore. I have some major issues with the coach--she seems to want higher level skaters than me. Unless there is a REAL effort to make our adult team for all levels this coming season, I'm out.

Sweet, sweet, sweet: Good lesson and practice this morning. It was so good to be back to lessons. We worked on crossovers and stroking to eliminate "toe pushing" as much as possible. MAJOR progress with the stroking and forwards, and the backs indeed seem to flow more and sound less scratchy. Millimeter by millimeter...

Since I'm going to exhibit my foot work program, Coach changed the end to include a two foot spin (ISI rules do not permit anything more than half jumps in a foot work program, and no spins are allowed). Its a nice ending, prettier than just the circular glide and pose I did when I competed it. Also discovered the problem with the back spiral/waltz jump. I have to remember to keep looking forward until I'm fully upright out of the spiral. I kept trying to twist for the jump before I was ready. All in all, a good morning. Back on ice this afternoon for an exhibition rehearsal at the other rink. Hopefully, I might get to help with the group lesson's kids numbers, which will be fun. A VERY skate-ey day!!!!

 

[Cinderella on Ice]

Yazmeen - oooh, a skate-y day, those are the best! Wish I could see your footwork exhibition. I know how hard you've worked on it. Hope you give that ending spin a special little twirl!

Starshine - and of course there will be PICTURES, lots and lots of PICTURES!!!

Sweet Treat - My lesson and practice this morning were as sweet as candy. Started off with jumps today, and quickly zoomed up to the axel. Imagine my surprise when my coach suddenly asked for a loop/loop. Hmmm, I thought, didn't she really mean a salchow/loop (preparation for my non-existent 2sal), or a toe loop/loop (preparation for my equally non-existent 2toe)? But no, she meant loop/loop, as in preparation for my never-tried-before-in-my-life 2loop!!! Of course, the results were actually more comical than athletic, but somehow it just made me smile to think I was breaking new ground in my skating career. I finished up my practice working on my also non-existent layback spins, but lo and behold, they are starting to exist! Yes, coach saw me while she was working with another student and commented that they were really starting to come along. So yay and yay and even more yays.

Nothing STINKY about today!

 

[starshinexavier]

Yes, Cindy, there will be loads of pictures! I'm asking for a digital camera for either my B-day or Christmas, so I will have one before we start competing! Sounds like you've been working hard too. Your 2 loops will get better don't worry. It took me forever to get mine. Just wait until you're almost forwards again to jump, and really focus on bending your right knee and keeping your hips and shoulders square. Keep up the great work!

Yaz, that's too bad about your synchro experience. It's harsh when coaches do things like that to skaters. Just go out there and show her how amazing you are! Dazzle her with your footwork sequences!

Happy Skating!

 

[Yazmeen]

Another good day of crossovers and stroking today, little by little they keep getting better. Its cool, I actually have pretty "silent" stroking now. It still feels weird to turn out my push foot that much, but it makes the stroking a lot better.

Sigh. I spent two or three minutes today just watching one of my coach's young students alternate back crossovers on the circles in preparation for a MITF test. The child's edging was so natural and deep. It was good for me because it helped me visualize more what I had to do. Again, sigh...I'd KILL for flow like that little one had!!!!

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Yesterdays lesson was sweet, sweet, sweet. Started with jumps, waltz, salchow, then toe loop. Then my coach said I want to see a toe loop, toe loop combo! I've never done one before but to my amasement and his I did it!!! And not just one time but a lot of times. Yippy!! We then moved on to back spins. I've never done a back spin before so for about 5 mins we worked on them and I still couldn't do one. Then we went to the boards and he showed me and told me(he likes to talk a lot) how to place my body so I would be in the right position for the back spin. Well all that talk worked and I was able to do about 4 revolutions! I think my coach was impressed because he told be that most of his adult skaters take about a year to get one.

I'm not even going to mention my stinky loop jump

 

[Cinderella on Ice]

dlkksk8fan - just had to pop in and say how MAJORLY impressed I am that you were able to do the backspin. Most of us struggle to get the spin in the first place, and then to keep it (it likes to take vacation breaks).

Sounds like you are going to be on top of it right from the start. Good for you!

And I, for one, did not notice any stinky loop jumps!

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Back to lessons after six months without them. AAAAIIIEEEE.

Monday - did okay, didn't fall. Three turns were NOT there.

so I practiced today, had the rink with only two other people (whoo hoo!), and did right forward crossovers for five minutes straight. I HATE right forward crossovers with a passion (why can't I just always go backwards?), but they were a bit better after that. Got my three turns back and started dinking around with double three turns and did two really bad ones. Yay!

Laura

Backspin? I haven't even tried that yet. I'll probably kill myself...

 

[starshinexavier]

Laura, sounds like you're adapting to the ice again nicely! Those crosscuts will be super after working on them solidly again. Sounds like your 3 turns are super! Good job! Must feel nice to be back on the ice again, eh?

Cindy, check your PM's!

 

[sk8pics]

I had a great lesson last night with my secondary coach! We worked extra time since my primary coach has been away, and it was just so much fun! My back inside edges were the best they've ever been; and the back outsides, too! We worked a long time on those because I am suddenly finally able to do the push onto the LBO edge myself and get almost all the way around the semicircle before losing my balance. It was all very exciting. We also did the alternating back crossovers to back outside edge move from the bronze moves test and that was really good also! He is giving me very minimal support. And managed to do all this without freaking out any time we were in traffic. (Actually went in between a pair that had skated out to do some sbs spins, and they actually waited for us to pass through.) And last thing was the backward perimeter crossover stroking also from the bronze moves test. Making slow progress on that one, too! I tend to not hold the first push on each crossover long enough so I get off pattern, but it's fun!

Happy skating everyone. My primary coach is back in town today; don't know if I'll have a lesson with him today or not, but he will be so surprised by some of my progress!

Pat

 

[dlkksk8fan]

PrincessL-glad to hear you are back on the ice, 6 months is just too long to be off.

Even though I am exhausted from yesterdays graduation ceremonies for my two sons, the youngest from middle school and the oldest from high school, I was able to gather some energy for some skating practice.

I practiced that crazy back spin until I feel flat on my a$$ and sort of twisted my knee. Got back right in there and kept on trying the spin. I was doing fine until one got too fast for me and down I went right back on my behind-ouch! Afer that I decided that I better just practice my edges

 

[lil_icesk8er915]

Sweet and Stinky!-During the school year we only had enough money to pay for 2-3 hours of ice a week, but now that it's summer I skate 2-3 hours a day! I'm a little out of shape and this was a tiring week! But I'm VERY happy that I'm skating more!

 

[Yazmeen]

Go, li'l ice: Glad to see you're back on ice!!!

WONDERFUL skate today. Just me, hubby and hubby's coach on Wintersport ice today. We both had lessons, his coach sub-ing for mine as my coach is away this coming Tuesday. She gave me more good advice on crossovers. Seems I need to bend more on my backs after I cross. We worked on basic alternating spirals, and she pronounced crossovers and spirals much improved. WHOO HOO!!

Hubby also hit his best salchows ever today. A righteous 90 minutes on ice, including the last few minutes watching one of the sled hockey skaters tool around with grace, form and speed. This skater has lost both feet, and his moves were fab. Very cool!!!! Its fun to finish off at Wintersport and watch the sled hockey skaters get moving. They are beautiful on the ice and define strength. A GREAT DAY!!!

 

[lil_icesk8er915]

Thanks Yazmeen! WOW! The Hockey Guy lost both of his feet and can still skate!? That's really amazing! I'm glad you had a great day!

 

[Yazmeen]

li'l ice: He's a sled hockey player, meaning he skates seated on a sled than runs on side by side blades similar to skate blades. Its very cool to watch. The player uses two short hockey sticks: One to propel himself along the ice, almost like "rowing," the other to hit the puck. The player is strapped into the sled and balances along as he glides.