Author Topic: What did you achieve this week  (Read 630150 times)

WednesdayMarch

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5104 on: December 15, 2017, 07:23:09 pm »
The problems your guy is having are the same as mine! Getting the foot in so close is harrrrrrrrrd.

The thing that seemed to help this week was when I explained that if he's waving his free foot around away from his skating foot, then it means that his weight is in the wrong place...
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

FamilySkater

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5105 on: December 15, 2017, 07:36:53 pm »
Is there a name for the type of turn forward to back, both feet on the ice but not both turning at the same time, or is it just a silly thing I do because I can't go one footed?
It goes like this: two foot glide going anti-clockwise, weight on the right foot while the left foot slides round to face the opposite direction, then weight on left foot and body facing backwards while the right foot turns to join the left foot.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5106 on: December 15, 2017, 08:59:32 pm »
Is there a name for the type of turn forward to back, both feet on the ice but not both turning at the same time, or is it just a silly thing I do because I can't go one footed?
It goes like this: two foot glide going anti-clockwise, weight on the right foot while the left foot slides round to face the opposite direction, then weight on left foot and body facing backwards while the right foot turns to join the left foot.

Nope.  I think that would be termed, "fudging it"!  But if it's any consolation, I don't think you're going to find Mohawks much of a problem, if you're doing what I think you are...
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

FamilySkater

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5107 on: December 15, 2017, 09:55:42 pm »
Nope.  I think that would be termed, "fudging it"!  But if it's any consolation, I don't think you're going to find Mohawks much of a problem, if you're doing what I think you are...

Yes, my fudging it move  ;D
I guess it is a bit like a Mohawk (just YouTubed) but without lifting the feet. I wasn't very brave at lifting my feet off the ice at all initially  ::) I'm going to spend lots of time over Christmas mohawking around in the hope that it happens when I next get on the ice. I might even have my own skates by then.

And to keep this thread on topic: This week I got much better at two foot turns (although forward to backwards easier than back to forwards) and did lots of backward two foot and one foot glides. I really want to do 3 turns but keep dropping my foot.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5108 on: December 15, 2017, 10:32:17 pm »
I guess it is a bit like a Mohawk (just YouTubed) but without lifting the feet. I wasn't very brave at lifting my feet off the ice at all initially  ::) I'm going to spend lots of time over Christmas mohawking around in the hope that it happens when I next get on the ice. I might even have my own skates by then.

And to keep this thread on topic: This week I got much better at two foot turns (although forward to backwards easier than back to forwards) and did lots of backward two foot and one foot glides. I really want to do 3 turns but keep dropping my foot.

Next thing to YouTube is spreadeagles!  On inside edges.  Start small...

Sounds like you're making good progress.  Two foot turns from backwards to forwards involves shifting your weight further back on the blades and that is quite difficult, especially given that the natural tendency of most people is to lean forwards rather than back.

With the three turns, do you mean you're putting your free foot down, or you're dropping your skating foot/ankle inwards and falling off the edge?  Either way, it's usually just confidence.  What you probably need is a coach or friend to stand there proffering a "magic finger".  Because it's amazing the things that people can do when they are literally just resting one finger on the hand of someone else; not being held up, pushed or shoved but just knowing that finger is there, like some kind of safety net.  A lot of it is "headology" you know.   ;)

An example of that is rockers.  I used to love rockers.  Now I can only do them with the help of a magic finger.  It's all about confidence and I don't have that bit yet.  It'll come.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

FamilySkater

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5109 on: December 15, 2017, 10:43:57 pm »
With the three turns, do you mean you're putting your free foot down,

Yes this. Start the turn on one foot but finish it on two.
Hoping to get a coach after Christmas too. Hope they have magic fingers.
 ??? :o :-[

The Sacred Voice

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5110 on: December 16, 2017, 12:19:25 am »
Is there a name for the type of turn forward to back, both feet on the ice but not both turning at the same time, or is it just a silly thing I do because I can't go one footed?
It goes like this: two foot glide going anti-clockwise, weight on the right foot while the left foot slides round to face the opposite direction, then weight on left foot and body facing backwards while the right foot turns to join the left foot.

This sound a lot like the turn to forwards step you can do when going backwards, but you're doing it forwards, which is unusual. You know, it's funny you should be describing that move, because my group skating lesson coach way back when I started once taught us this step to backward thing almost exactly like you're describing. He never gave it a name and to this day I have absolutely no idea what that move was all about because we never did it again after the one lesson on it (which I was fine with because I had no idea how to do it)  :D
I'm blogging about my skating journey, please read along at dontexcelaxel.blogspot.com

The Sacred Voice

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5111 on: December 19, 2017, 04:05:42 pm »
PRAISE BE! TODAY, I DID MORE THAN ONE COMPETENT UPRIGHT SPIN WITH LEG OUT AND THEN FREE FOOT BROUGHT IN TO THIGH BEFORE FINISHING CORRECTLY O0

You have no idea how long I've been trying to do this for; little ol' basic upright spin has been a monumental challenge. Almost everything else I've learned in skating has been a case of just practising it for a few weeks and I'm inexplicably and magically loads better at it*, but upright spin has been the one area that has eluded me for ages. I've been struggling with them for so long that I think my coach was largely running out of pointers for me on them, we've both known it's just a case of me needing to keep going at them until my body gets to grips with them.

The sad news is that I'm probably only skating once more before the Christmas break and that'll be two weeks of no skating so I'll probably have lost all my progress by the time I return :(

Other good news though, I've finally made the decision to move my lesson time out of a public session and into a patch session, because practising things like the Lutz just take up a bit too much space with lots of people running around. I don't have a problem working around people on public generally, but finding windows for longer jump windups on public can sometimes be tricky.

Very pleasing to see progress on my upright spin though! :D

* My backwards one foot slaloms are my current miracle of learning, a month ago I could barely do one or two, now I can do 7 or 8 in a row and I'm starting to push the lobe size out a bit (on my good leg, bad leg is still coming along).
I'm blogging about my skating journey, please read along at dontexcelaxel.blogspot.com

WednesdayMarch

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5112 on: December 19, 2017, 10:59:54 pm »
PRAISE BE! TODAY, I DID MORE THAN ONE COMPETENT UPRIGHT SPIN WITH LEG OUT AND THEN FREE FOOT BROUGHT IN TO THIGH BEFORE FINISHING CORRECTLY O0

Well, this is BRILLIANT!  Seriously.  That's wonderful.  It's a fabulous feeling when suddenly something goes right - and more than once!

The thing I was taught by somebody who I went to specifically for help with spinning, was to feel like there was a plumb line suspending me from the ceiling and that went right through my body vertically from the top of my head to the ball of my spinning foot.  I'm struggling with spinning now, as I get really dizzy and dance blades aren't really designed for it, so I can appreciate just how good it feels when they go right.

And don't be too downhearted about potentially having a fortnight off and losing all your progress and momentum.  It doesn't always work like that.  You may well find that the rest has actually helped and you're skating better for it...

Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

The Sacred Voice

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5113 on: December 20, 2017, 02:49:50 am »
The thing I was taught by somebody who I went to specifically for help with spinning, was to feel like there was a plumb line suspending me from the ceiling and that went right through my body vertically from the top of my head to the ball of my spinning foot.  I'm struggling with spinning now, as I get really dizzy and dance blades aren't really designed for it, so I can appreciate just how good it feels when they go right.

And don't be too downhearted about potentially having a fortnight off and losing all your progress and momentum.  It doesn't always work like that.  You may well find that the rest has actually helped and you're skating better for it...

Yes! I've been told something similar about bits of string attached to my head; I do have some problems with maintaining a good posture after doing the 3 turn entry, I go in low and try to straighten my leg after I've started the rotation (coach has said this is fine), but sometimes I just don't get the upper body well aligned so can never stabilise the rotation and fall out of it all. My main problem though is that I just cannot find the sweet spot of the rocker for the rotation at all, I've always ended up on the toe pick or skidded the back of the blade into the ice. Curiously, my coach did the beginning exercise of backspin with me a while back and whenever I try pivoting into backspin then I can feel the sweet spot so much easier, even if I can't hold it well yet.

I'm hoping to squeeze in another day long stint on Friday, but I strongly suspect it'll be mad busy, even in the patch sessions, so I'll have to see how it goes.

We will all get there if we continue to practise and believe! O0
I'm blogging about my skating journey, please read along at dontexcelaxel.blogspot.com

Leif

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Re: What did you achieve this week
« Reply #5114 on: December 20, 2017, 07:36:24 am »
I'm 49 and my spirit animal is Orinocco...  Whereas once I could skate all day, these days I do need a nice nap - usually after about 40 minutes!

Backwards to forwards?  Literally stepping from a backward edge to a forward one?  That shouldn't be causing you a problem.  Take it slowly and just skate backwards on one foot, keeping the free foot very close to the skating foot, ideally in a "T" position, or with heels together and feet at right angles.  Then turn your entire body in the direction you want to go, lead with the same arm as currently free foot, bend your knees and push onto that free foot in a forwards direction. 

Of course, if you're talking about "two foot turns", then you're on your own, mate.  They're mardy bastards.   :P

Thanks. I can do the backwards to forwards transition as you describe but I'm not convinced I do it right. It feels like I hop from one foot to the other as I turn.



 

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