Ice Time ... Finally

Building our home has been taking up most of my time these days, but I finally got a chance to skate yesterday.  Unfortunately there was a pack of little kids I had to dodge so I didn't dare set up my camera at one end of the rink and leave it there.

I tried a few spins including a camel and even a back camel attempt.  I was actually quite pleased to get 4 revolutions out of my camel spin with my leg up.  As for the rest .. not much to brag about.

Last night I had my 3rd ballet class.  (private lessons so far!)   I'm trying to remember all this French terminology ... it's as hard as the dancing.

Each class starts with barre exercises:

demi-plié 1st and 5th
grand plié 1st and 5th
tendue 5th
dégagé 5th
grand battement 5th

She attempted to teach me this in center:

assemblé
sauté
glissade
grand jeté

(You won't be seeing any ballet video for a while!)

I have to say that the turnout is really hard, but it's already made the spread eagle in skating easier ...

Meanwhile... back to skating.....

1st Ballet Class in 53 years...

In other words... first ballet class EVER!  Here is what I attempted to learn tonight:

5 Positions
Demi Plie
Grand Plie
Tendu Battement
Battement Dégagé

Sorry, I forgot the rest because I came home and had a glass of wine.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary (back on the ice)

Today marks my 1 year return to the ice anniversary.   A year ago I decided it was time to get back on the ice and start exercising regularly (doing something I love).  It paid off.  I skated frequently, snow skied frequently,  went to the gym regularly, changed my diet and strived toward some skating goals.  Most of which I achieved I am happy to say.

All that took about 6 months.  Not bad.  Then summer came.  I got off the ice and stopped my regular skating and exercise regimen and then fall came ... the holidays.... and here we are again.

I gained back about 10 lbs of the 30 lbs I lost last year.  Not bad considering how much I ate and how little I exercised toward the end of the year.

Today was my "day one" of this year.  I had hoped that I would have progressed enough to attempt going to Adult Nationals in April, but that does not seem possible now.  Not a good showing anyway.  So my goals this year are just to keep skating.  Hopefully I can test up to Adult Silver Moves In The Field before too long and finally take my Adult Bronze Free Skate test before next summer arrives.

Here's a few snippets from my practice today:

Warm Ups On A Sad Day

Before I left for the rink I heard briefly about a school shooting.  It wasn't until I got in the car and was headed to the rink that I heard the unbelievable early details of the elementary school shooting in Connecticut today.

I proceeded to the rink to try and skate, but my emotional state left me weak and sick to my stomach and I didn't get much practice in other than the raw footage you see below.   Senseless.

Center Ice Practice

No progress today.  I practiced a lot of stroking and Moves In The Field off camera.  Due to the number of people skating today I only taped from the center ice.

Working on Three Turns for the Silver Moves In The Field.  My posture is terrible.  I really need a lesson.  Perhaps next week.  I would really like to take the Silver MIF test in January.

Really excited that my ballet barre arrived the other day.  I am going to dedicate an extra bedroom to a warm up and stretching studio.

No Video This Week

Another week with barely any ice time.  I skated on Tuesday for part of a public session, but the ice was crowded with a class of learn-to-skate toddlers and I couldn't leave my phone resting on the rails.

I did see my skating friend Jill who is bravely skating at 76 years young!  Another helmet wearer.  I suppose if I am still alive and skating at 76 I too will wear a helmet at that point!  She skates very gracefully and loves to practice figure eights.  She used to skate with Holiday On Ice (circa 1958).

Today I went to the rink to watch some of the girls from the Lilac Figure Skating Club test.  There was one younger adult who tested Intermediate and passed.  I overheard she was judged on the "standard track" and not on the "adult track".  She was very pleased indeed.  I watched the young girls testing Pre-Juvenile on the standard track.  Those moves bear the closest resemblance to my next test which will be Adult Silver Moves In The Field.  Hopefully I can shoot for January 2013.

Adult Silver Moves in the Test

1. Eight-step mohawk sequence

The skater will perform two eight-step mohawk sequences counterclockwise. The step order is: Forward crossover into a LFO mohawk, followed by LBI, RBO,
LBI cross forward and RFI. The skater should maintain a march cadence (one beat per step). Between the circles is a two-beat left foot transition. The sequence is then repeated twice in the opposite direction. Introductory steps are optional. This move may start in either direction. Focus: Quickness, continuous flow and strength

2. Forward and backward free skate cross strokes

The skater will perform free skate cross strokes the length of the ice surface.
Forward cross strokes will be skated for one length of the rink and backward
cross strokes skated for the second length of the rink. Introductory steps and end
patterns are optional. This move may start on either foot. Focus: Continuous flow and strength

3. FO-BI three-turns in the field

The skater will perform forward three-turns alternating to backward three-turns covering the length of the rink. One length of the rink will start with RFO-LBI three-turns. On the second length of the rink, the skater will perform LFO-RBI three-turns. The end sequence and the choice of introductory steps are optional. This move may start on either foot. Focus: Edge quality

4. FI-BO three-turns in the field

On the first length of the rink the skater will perform RFI-LBO three-turns.
On the second length of the rink the skater will perform LFI RBO three-turns. Introductory steps and end sequence are optional. This move may start on either foot. Focus: Edge quality

5. Consecutive outside and inside spirals

The skater will perform right foot and left foot spirals. The outside edge spirals
will be skated for the first length of the rink. Forward crossovers may be utilized
(optional) around the end of the rink. Forward inside edge spirals will be skated
for the second length of the rink. The exact number of spirals will depend on the
size of the rink and the strength of the skater, however a minimum of four spirals
down each length of the rink must be skated. The extended leg in the spiral should
be held at hip level or higher. Introductory steps are optional. Focus: Extension and edge quality

Adult Silver Moves in the Test (cont’d)

6. Forward and backward power change of edge pulls

The skater will perform consecutive power change of edge pulls — FIO to FOI — for the full length of the rink followed by backward change of edge pulls — BOI to BIO — for the second full length of the rink. The skater will change feet at the center of the rink. Introductory steps and end sequence are optional. This move may start on either foot. Focus: Continuous flow and strength 

Post Turkey Trot

I am thankful that Thanksgiving is over.  I must say, I love the holiday.  I love every morsel of the feast, the libations, the leftover dinners, the turkey sandwiches, the turkey soup, etc.  However, a summer of a lack of skating, going to the gym and NOT SAYING NO to fattening foods and extra helpings caught up with me.

So today I am back, hopefully on track.  A few weeks of rigorous calorie reduction, increased exercise and willpower should do the trick.

Oh yes, back to the basis of my blog ... skating.  Technically I think this has become a v-log.  I post mostly videos and not too many photos.

Today I skated twice at two different rinks a few hours apart.  Lesson learned today: My joints and muscles didn't appreciate an explosion of exercise in a cold rink, followed by a ride in a hot car, followed by another cold rink.  Simple rules in sports... WARM UP-EXERCISE-COOL DOWN-REST ..... or else you will get injured!

This is a raw clip from my first practice.   This is a pretty typical practice session for me when I am not working on elements for a test or getting ready for a competition (my one and only thus far).  Skaters generally just wander aimlessly on the ice until some little voice in their head says ... "do this" or "try this" .. sometimes it's a conscious plan.  Other times it's really random.  Today it was random.

Slow Motion Anayization

I skated at Frontier Ice Arena today.  My friend who lives closer to this rink met me there for the "adult" morning session.  With about 10 skaters it felt so CROWDED!  I know I am spoiled having a rink to skate public sessions at that is really quiet.

Skating with a friend means not getting much practice in.  We end up going round and round while chatting and freezing.  At the end of the session I did a little jump and spin practice and decided to slow-motion all of it so I could try and analyze what's good, what's bad, what's wrong.

Attempted A Back Camel Spin !!

I dragged myself to the rink today.  I can only equate this feeling to going to the gym.  If you go often, you enjoy it.  If you haven't been for a long time, you dread going.  I know once I get on the ice I will enjoy it.  Even if it's a bad practice day.  Even if it means taking several steps backward before I can progress forward again.  Being on the ice has only two drawbacks:  #1 it's cold (I really hate being cold) and #2 it's hard when you fall wrong.  Actually at my age it's hard when you fall right!

On a positive note; I did skate today AND I attempted something new.  A Back Camel Spin.  This came out of nowhere.  It wasn't in my head to try it.  I think I was going into a Back Scratch Spin but I wound up trying the Back Camel.  There is plenty of room for criticism, but I thought it was a good start.

At the end of the clip my skating friend Hank came by to say "nice attempt".

Dusting Off The Halloween Cob Webs

After another WHO KNOWS HOW MANY DAYS off ...... I snuck into the rink today for 30 minutes of practice.  Seriously, I don't even know where to start.  I have been away from the gym about as long as I have been off the ice.  UNKNOWN.  It feels like I was abducted by aliens and they have now returned me to earth to pick up where I left off.

Worked on basics today.  Not much else to say.  Did I mention I gained 8 lbs?


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