August 2011

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2011-08-01 12:47:00
Uh, I don't remember last week
Oops- I never posted last week! I wish I had fun exciting stories to tell like other blogs, but instead, I'll just tell you about my skating again. Tuesday- Power class, nothing remarkable. The ISI kids were all at world's so the ice was so empty. This is a theme of the week. Wed- Skated 30 minutes and had a 30 minute lesson. It was DIVINE. For the first 30 minutes it was just me, Taylor, Carson and his coach. Since Carson was mostly working on jump technique, he had a side of the ice, and Taylor and I used the other side. It was just SO empty. (And the ice was lovely). When my lesson came around, Taylor was done- so it was just me and Carson on the ice. I felt so badly I wasn't working on a program- what a waste of all that ice. I don't really remember the lesson now. I do know my backspin still isn't working right. I'm spinning really well, but my foot just WILL NOT cross, and when it does, I turn it out, which is apparently wrong. Sat- Skated 45 minutes freestyle, there were only 5 or 6 of us. Thank you ISI! I did one scratch spin that was LONG, and FAST, and CENTERED! Just gorgeous. Carson actually stopped his practice to comment on it. yay me. I did a few others that were good, but I wish those amazing ones weren't such flukes. Then, I had my LTS. Because two coaches were gone, they shuffled instructors around and Taylor taught our group. We started with sit spin, and she said it looked pretty good, just need to be lower. Entering for a 3-turn makes it a lot faster, so that's nice. The other girl in the class kept falling, so Taylor was trying to work out what she was doing wrong. After awhile I moved to backspin, and again- good rotation, right edge, foot won't cross. So annoyed! Finally, we did loop, and Taylor suggested I try to get more of the lift from my right knee. It seems to have some effect, because I don't clunk down so hard. Finally we did waltz jump loop and it wasn't as big of a disaster as I expected (its been a few years). I can't fully rotate the loop, but I can do half of one. Why is half-loop not half of a loop like half-flip and half-lutz? I can do that!
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2011-08-06 10:09:00
Was that really necessary?
So Saturday I look forward to LTS. (I used to look forward to Tuesday LTS but I really hate power, even if it is good for me.) I didn't used to take Sat. because it was just too crowded, but they seperated out the classes, so now there is a good one. At 9:15 they have "Specialty" (mixed level freestyle) which has 12-20 kids depending on the day, Freestyle 3 (my class, there are 3 of us), Adult (1 or 2 beginnger), Axel Plus (1 or 2) and Basic 7/8 (3 or 4). Today, two of the coaches were gone (but another was there, and I don't think she usually teaches Sat, so really, I think only one was gone.) The axel plus student and the Basic 7/8 students weren't there. So really, everything should have gone like normal. Specialty, freestyle 3, and Adult. If anything, there was actually an extra coach. But for some reason, specialty and freestyle 3 got combined, a giant herd of a class with 3 instructors. I didn't stay for LTS. Now I probably could have, and it probably wouldn't have been to bad, but I have had bad experiences with huge LTS classes. And this one would be MAJOR mixed levels, from like Freestyle 1 (if you are being generous- I'm not sure how one of the girls isn't still in basic skills) to kids in Juvenile (pretty sure one is intermediate actually- he does specialty instead of axel plus due to coach drama, actually lots of them do). There is just no way this herd would be a productive class for me. With 3 instructors for the 15-20 people who were there, why did they not just have our normal class and then 2 instructors for the giant group? (The giant group and axel plus were the coaches missing- but there was no axel plus student.) Let me just say, I'm annoyed. Freestyle this morning was decent though. Change foot spin is just not happening. Crossing my foot on my backspin isn't either. But other than that, things went well.
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2011-08-11 08:28:00
Back in the Game...
So yesterday during my lesson we rechoreographed my program. It now contains all the elements I need for my Bronze Freeskate. Now I just need to be able to do it! Carson encouraged me to sign up for any test sessions I can, and know that I might get a retry. I think that is okay- because I know if I were to take Prelim, these elements are not good enough. But they are just as good as the bronze skaters in the area, one who passed just last December- I just have to find that judge! Carson wants to showcase a lot more power in the program, and more connecting steps in hopes that a powerful program with good artistry will get a crappy loop overlooked. Does anyone know if the judges expect my foot to be crossed in the backspin? I have a rockin' backspin- up to 10 revolutions and well centered without my foot crossed, but I can rarely get the darn thing over. I'm working on it. So now I just have one problem: there are no freaking test sessions scheduled. Quad Cities just had one. Hawkeye only has one in the Spring. Eastern Iowa usually has one late fall, but I have to pass by December so late fall is really late, I'd like to do a test before then so I have chance to do a retake (and hopefully it won't be like when I did my bronze moves: EIFSC and DMFSC scheduled their tests 22 days apart...thankfully I didn't need the retake). Des Moines doesn't have a calendar up yet. So now I'm trying to figure out what other options are: Is there an Illinois club closer than Chicago? How far away is Ames? I am so jealous of people whose clubs have regular test sessions. Of course, right now I'm not even a member of a club. I kind of want to join Hawkeye, but committing myself to 4 years of unknown fees kind of stresses me out, so I think I'll just be individual. Since I won't be testing there (Bronze free is my last test until they change silver moves again) and don't use their club ice (when they have it) the only benefit is reduced show fees. I can either not skate the shows like I've usually done or just pay $10 more. But it is cool to be announced as representing a club, so I'm kind of sad about that. Lesson yesterday went well: First half was rechoreographing program. Second half was loops and backspins. I need to do a lot of off ice loops. I can't even hop very high on my left foot off ice, no wonder I don't get the toe point necessary to take off and land on my toe pick. Practice ice before my lesson was insance. I've been spoiled- for 2 weeks in a row it has just been 3 of us. Yesterday there were probably 20 skaters of an incredible range of levels. There was one almost collision by two lesson skaters and a mini-flare up between the coaches that was kind of funny to watch. So the coach whose student almost got run into (lower level) pulled her to the boards to allow the high level skater to jump through their path. The high level skater skates in, then chickens out. Her coach screams at her- because the path was cleared just for her, and she didn't do the jump. That girl is super nice, but she doesn't watch at all. She nearly ran into me later, but I DO watch. Super fast paced sessions like this can be good. I have to jump faster, or abort all my attempts (also don't start a camel in someone's jump path- that's just rude. Of course, that skater IS just rude, even off ice). I often just follow Taylor into jumps- as she has speed to command the space, and also jumps CW. I have to enter spins fast. There is no staying in place. And that is the bad thing. I still have elements, like loop and backspin that need to stay in place. You can't practice them on crazy sessions like this. Apparently Cedar Rapids ice is down, so that explains some of the crowd, it may calm down a bit in a few weeks. Power class on Thursday was same as ever. Burton was gone again so I asked Carson if instead of a lap of knees to elbows (basically slaloms with your elbows touching your knees- so killer calf workout) we could do power pulls too, but that was the only change. My arms hurt going to LTS, but the next day they killed me, and they still hurt. I am guessing it was tricep dips as that is the only different thing, but the pain is below my armpit, which is not my tricep... It is the same pain I had a while back and ended up having to get a sports massage to fix. That massage was crazy painful, so I hope it goes away again. Just like last time, I can barely lift my arms to change clothes, but when I'm on the ice, it doesn't hurt at all. So weird.
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2011-08-18 11:01:00
Schedule Change
My lesson time is moving AGAIN. Carson starts school this week, so no more Wednesday lessons. We are moving to 5:00 on Thursdays. It is a public session, so I have to pray that 1) hockey doesn't buy it (the rink doesn't think hockey will start until 6, so we should be good, 2) the ice doesn't suck (I hate crap ice), 3) it's not insanely crowded (it shouldn't be until Christmas). Honestly I have to think I'm lucky with this move. Another choice was Thursday at 6:00 a.m. (Carson said he's a college student, he is done with morning skating!) That would have meant me getting on the ice, taking a 30 minute lesson and immediately leaving to get home and shower and leave for work by 7:15. The other choice was Saturday morning freestyle, like I used to do. That would be 8 or 8:30, not too early, but I'd have to cut my LTS class. I just see no point in taking two lessons in the same day, I don't get any benefits from it. Carson tells me this is a really good move- boosting my skating to 4 days a week now (30 minutes power Tuesday, 1 hour practice Wed, 30 minute lesson/30 minute practice on Thursday, 1 hour practice/30 minute lesson on Saturday). I'm worried what my knees are going to think about this, but so far so good. I found out an Iowa club is having a test session in November- but it's all the way across the state. I'm still looking for other options- maybe Illinois or Wisconsin in late September? I just don't know if it's a good idea. My loops SUCKS. My sit spins were getting really low, but I made the mistake of taping it- NOT low. So sad. Also, my toe loops are GONE. So cheated. Stupid new blades- I had them great before I switched. I can't believe it. I'm so mad. Making good progress on camels, but my upper body is just way too high, and just like sit spins I fall too far inside. I think this might be me subconsciously protecting myself from falling. I don't think about falling when I spin, but if I'm really pushing my body to the side it is supposed to be, a fall would take me over the outside, with no way to catch it. When I fall inside, I just put my leg down. Still, I think Carson is pleased with the progress- I haven't hit a limit there yet. Backspin is still frustrating as anything. I am spinning GREAT. I mean really great spins. But my leg WILL NOT cross. If I turn my leg out, I can cross over, so Carson said for now I should just do that. We need to get good crossed backspins, and then later we can get the leg to stop turning out. Practice before my lesson was okay. It's hard coming straight from work, because even if I pack an apple to eat I am famished. My lesson is fine, because I'm doing what I'm told, but self-directed practice is just hard. Some little snowplow kid got sent out on the ice (the rink should have told him no) and Carson nearly killed him during his lesson (he takes a lesson before he teaches mine- sweaty gross coach...)- he was doing backspins into loops, and thankfully he saw the kid and was able to stop spinning, because like a fly to a bug zapper the kid was going straight for him. Since he was doing loops- his free leg was held out, waiting to pull in at the jump- it just would have been a swinging guillotine if he hadn't seen the kid in the blur. I'm scared to skate on some of these freestyle sessions- I cannot imagine what the kid's Mom was thinking! Later when the kid started crying and tried to get off the ice, the Mom put him back on, and crawling on the ice pushed him away from the door to make him do wiggles. At this point, Burton finally said something, they both got off the ice, and then once Burton turned away the Mom shoved the kid back on the ice (but at least she stayed off). A rink with rules would be nice (although that means I probably wouldn't be able to do my lessons on publics...) I also decided on a club to join. I am going to join the Desert Ice Skating Club of Arizona. I decided Hawkeye's collegiate membership was just way too expensive, especially since it is paid year to year, and doesn't guarantee me there are no fee increases. I don't like being held hostage to fee increases! (And you know rates WILL go up over 4 years). I was just going to join as an individual member. But a friend pointed out I could save $70 by joining her club. Since I don't skate qualifying, being in another section isn't a problem, my coach is fine with it- and for me, it's just about the money. I am a little nervous the club will vote sometime in the 4-years to require volunteer hours or a pay-out, but really, ANY club could do that to me. (It does make me wonder if I should just pay the extra $70 to go individual...I mean, I save $70 if they don't do that, but if they do it can be like $150 a year...darn, I thought I had a decision made...) So now I have a tie to all the sections! I live in Iowa, am going to represent a club in Arizona, and get the collegiate rate because I go to a school in Massachusetts! (Also, despite some club officials around here telling me they aren't sure if "part time" students can have the rate -according to USFS member services, they can- I'm not a part time student. I take 9 hours a semester as a grad student, that's full time! Even if I also have a full time job!)
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2011-08-24 08:00:00
Tuesday
A new session of LTS just started. Apparently in addition to the 10% off you get for early registration, you get 10% off for taking multiple classes, and 10% off for being in the club (and they just add the discounts so it is 30% off, not taking each discount out of the amount remaining). LTS just got cheap enough that I really don't have to even consider teaching, which is nice, cause it's not worth it. Now that I practice 3 days a week, I'll have to pay for some ice time (because each class only gets 1 skating pass a week) if I can't bum guest passes from other people (you get 3 per class). But if we can trade guest passes, that could work out to a little less ice time to pay for. I don't really get why the rink gives the club discounts- it seems like they are pretty much guaranteed club skaters will take group freestyle (at least at our rink) so it's just giving money away... Not going to complain either. \ So power class: H. didn't come back :( But C., from Saturday joined the class. I hope her parents are okay with power (she takes Sat freestyle too) because it really is good for us as skaters, but since it is technically a freestyle class, if they complain, I think it will have to go back to freestyle with 3 minutes of hockey lines at the end. Carson doesn't have a 5:45 class, so he came off ice and had us do jumps and stuff for 20 minutes before LTS. Iowa hockey was having tryouts and was looking like us like we were crazy while we were running grapevines and stuff. Who are they kidding? They do that too! C. has never done a power class before, and has weak basics, so I was a speed demon on crossover exercises yesterday. I told Carson that in 3 weeks she'll be beating me. So crossover exercises were like normal, but then he also added in a spiral exercise- spiral flat from the wall to about the red dot, go on an outside edge around the red dot, and then come back to the wall on a flat. It is SO hard to get back onto that flat! Really takes a lot of control. Also- my arms are opposite of everything they are supposed to be. I think I hold them strong, because they aren't flailing, but they aren't "checked". After that we started hockey lines. In between hockey lines and wall sits we did swizzles down the rink, and then back to the wall, backwards. I kick ass at swizzles. I was almost a lap ahead of C. (and always beat H. at them too). For the last hockey line we did forward skating to the line and then backwards skating back to the wall. Apparently I also kick ass at backward wiggles. Must be all those years of teaching snowplow sam- haha. I liked that better, because I stop stronger going backwards (weird) and also because I don't worry about toe picking when skating really fast backwards (normal). Carson said "it's a good way for you to learn to stop and change directions quickly. Of course, that doesn't really help with figure skating." But I guess if I ever switch to hockey, I'm set! You know what I hate: backward stroking when the rink is crowded. I much prefer alternating backward crossovers, because the curve means I can see better where people are. Backwards stroking is really difficult to tell who is behind me. Is this a "Jessi can't turn her head all the way because of the fusion" or do other people have a tough time telling who is behind them when they are skating in straightlines? Also- I hate backwards chasses.
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2011-08-29 11:34:00
Saturday skating
Oh man, I was tired on Saturday- we had people over Friday night and I stayed up late, and then I didn't sleep well either. That said, I skated fairly well. I ran my program and if it didn't have a loop in it, it would be fantastic. Sadly, it has a loop in it. Sure wish I could do one :) Our class went okay but the passive agressive ice territory battle raged on. First, the class: H. wasn't there on Saturday either, just C. I hope she comes back. Maybe she just didn't sign up since this session started at the same time as school, so kids don't have their schedules set yet. We started with moves: Power 3 turns. I passed these AGES ago, which means I stopped working on them. Man that was bad. They are not what they used to be. I should go back and work on all my old moves, because man, use it or lose it. Then we did the FS3 spiral sequence. On one side: nice spirals, on the other side: nice mohawks. Sure would be nice for all the good to be on one side, so I could at least do it the full way through, I'm not asking for perfection on both sides :) Then we moved onto spins: started with scratch spins (FS4 has a change foot, and Carson had never seen C.'s scratch- turns out we'll have to "fix" that first...) My scratch spin was pretty decent. I'm doing it from a wind up again, and it isn't as good as from a 3-turn. I need to tell myself the entry is the EXACT SAME regardless of which motion you do into it, but for some reason it doesn't work that way. My sit spin got compliments- it's going fast and centered, still not very low though. Oh, and we did shoot the ducks: hahahaha! Backspin is frustrating as always, I'm crossing more often (turned out) but if I'm turned in like I'm supposed to be, my leg goes to stork position :( Last, we did loops and waltz-jump loop combos. This is what is keeping us from passing FS3 (or is it 4? I don't remember). I'm okay with it. I've been in this level for over 3 years I think. I need the loop, could care less about the combo, but I work on it. So ice wars: These are the classes right now: 2 in FS3, 2 in axel plus, I4 (I think, I counted while they were moving) in "Specialty" (which just means mixed level). Specialty started with the coach breaking them into 2 groups (if these kids would be willing to take from other instructors, there could just be two classes!) one group starts stroking, then the other does alternating crossovers. This means, that the other two classes get squeezed to the center of the rink, because the speed differences are so great they are all over the rink. No big deal, just stay in the middle. Then they switch to mohawks in a straight line down the ice. This takes up the most of the left side of the rink, no problem, we move over slightly. Then, rather than returning to "their" side of the rink, the class stays and uses the circle on "our" side of the rink. The circle we had more or less been standing on. Okay fine, we move over to the other circle, axel plus goes to the other side of the rink. Then, they leave the circle, and start doing choctaws (maybe? Not much was happening, which is why I think that's what it was- they are hard, and only a few kids are high freestyle), the class expands out to the hockey goal line, we are still on the other circle, as they start working on them, their class expands out to the middle of our circle. At this point, I tell Carson I'm moving to the middle of the rink (which is BARE- axel plus had 3/4+ of the rink, the rest of us squeezed into the edge, since Carson wasn't moving our class) but C. stays in the corner. I feel like some of this is passive agressive behavior, some of it is just complete unawareness, and some of it is the skaters not realizing they are in someone else's way either. I realize a class of 14 should get more ice than a class of 2- but it shouldn't be a class of 14! There are at least 2, possibly 3 other instructors that don't have classes during this timeslot because Speciality is a giant class. If they were divided by actual levels, rather than "we take from this coach" this would be a non-issue! And besides- if that class would just pick a spot and claim it (usually they get the center)- the rest of us wouldn't have to move to new ice spots constantly. It is SO annoying. Also annoying- missing classes due to vacation. I can't do make ups because, well, I take classes both days. In other news, I'm not aiming for Adult Nationals this year anymore. I'll post later why.
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2011-08-29 20:00:00
Not going to nationals...
Why? Well, two reasons 1) It just isn't realistic and 2) I blew the budget. Number 2 is more fun, so let's start there. If you read my other blog, you already know this, but I got a Bernina sewing machine! An Aurora 430. I can no longer afford to go to Nationals next year, as in addition to time off work, hotels, gas, entry expenses, etc, I like would also be traveling to multiple test sessions (likely with hotel costs) just to pass the test (see reason #1). It's too much money after such a large purchase. I know you are all thinking "but that's in April!", so I'll just say, if you don't know anything about sewing machines, well, it made my skates look inexpensive. And #1: I'm just not bronze level yet. Multiple test sessions? That's because we don't think I'm going to pass, and I need to find the judges that passed another skater in the area... I will start competing locally bronze, as I'm better than many PB around here, and it's not fair to the no-test skaters who have to skate PB anyway. But the fact is, to pass the test, you need 3 single jumps. I do not have 3 single jumps. My loop is NOT a loop. It is a loop entry, a teeny hop, and then full rotation on the landing (well,what I didn't pre-rotate on the entry). No loop. Maybe I'd find a judge who would pass me on the strength of everything else, but I'd have to expect to get a few retries. I just don't want to pay for that right now (back to #2). I had no problem getting to nationals and taking last place, but it makes more sense for me to be realistic and not get there yet. It will be back in Chicago eventually, I'm sure. Maybe then I'll have had a loop long enough to pass the test... (once I do that, it's gone. NEVER in programs.)
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