Ice Skating

Had my lesson on Saturday and another on Monday.  Don't seem to be making that much progress at the moment but I think that is probably because my head is full of law at the moment.  I have my exams in 4 and a bit weeks and am trying to study as much as humanly possible.  Don't think it  mixes very well with other things.

Got really frustrated last night when I took my daughter skating.  I am trying to do a mohawk.   Can do it fine at the barrier and with a coach's hand to to hold but as soon as I try to do it without I just chicken out and can't.  I guess it will come in time - like everything else it seems to take a long long time with me!

Anyway exams are over by 7th June and I have booked myself on the adult beginners 2 day course in Sheffield at the end of June.  I can't wait.  There are 4 of us going from our rink.  I think 2 full days of skating and off ice training plus a 31/2 hour drive each way will probably kill me but it will be great to meet lots of the other adult skaters.  I know a lot of people are gong from off the skating forum.

Also just to break up the studying I am going to the Ice Dance workshop at Solihull on 11th May.  There are now 7 of us going from my group of adult beginner friends so it should be really good.

I bought a dress a few weeks ago and somehow being extremely clumsy as I am managed to put my fingers through the material so I have now had to buy another one!  Must be more careful this time.

Have now officially joined the Ice Dance Club.  After going to last 3 workshops decided it was time to join and just get one with it.  The members keep telling us that most of them learnt the dances by just following around.

So that is what I have been doing!  I must say even thugh I am know where near being able to remember the steps to more than a couple of dances when you are following someone around you do think "actually this is vaguely familiar" so I guess over time you start to remember.

Went along this morning with a couple of other beginners only to find that they wre having an advanced workshop for half an hour before club.  The group were insistent that we come and join them so we did.  They were working on mohawks which I have never done before because I though I couldn't.  I still can't but someone kindly broke it right down and I now see what I am supposed to be doing and can manage them either way at the barrier.  Now I just have to pluck up enough courage to try them away from the barrier.

It was really good though because I think it helps being pushed outside of your comfort zone and I need to ask my coach to do this with me.  I think he is probably worried that it will scare me away.  The lady who was helping me this morning said "what is the worst that can happen, you get a wet bottom" and she is quite right of course I just need to get over this stupid barrier I have about worrying I will fall all the time.

We then had normal club afterward and there were loads of people the most I have ever seen.  But then of course I was worrying that I was getting in people's way!

Anyway have my normal lesson tomorrow and will try to get down to dance club again next week.

I actually ended up skating 5 times last week and have skated 3 times this week.

It is definitely paying off though as on Tuesday I attempted backward crossovers on my own.  I started off at the barrier and then gradually moved further away so I wasn't holding on at all and today I attempted a few in the middle of the rink.  Still can't do the "beginner" crossovers though but seem to just about to be able to manage the "advanced" and think this is purely because there is not so much taking the feet off the ice.

Also today I managed 2 out of about 20 3 turns where I didn't put my foot down as soon as I completed the turn.

Then I even attempted a couple of 3 jumps at the barrier.  I have never done anything like that but it actually wasn't anywhere near as bad as I would have imagined.

I can only think that my confidence must be gradully increasing and this seems to be purely because I am spending more time onthe ice.  Its just a shame I can't afford the time/money to go that many times every week.

I've skated 4 times this week, or will have when I have had my lesson tomorrow morning.  Thats really good for me and it has done wonders for my confidence as I now really want to have a go at backward crossovers unaided.

Went to Swindon Rink on Tuesday as my daughter had an in service day.  They ice was so much better than Bristol.   They have a broken zamboni at Bristol at the moment so the ice on Monday was like skating on gravel.  Went again last night and it wasn't too bad.

I still haven't cracked the 3 turns but I keep trying.  Met a lovely lady at Swindon on Tuesday who usually skates at Oxford.  My daughter and I were up in the cafe chatting for narly an hour after skating.

We talked about my fear of skating backwards and she gave me a lot of help.  The main one being that I should just get used to going around backwards till I feel comfortable in myself before I try and do anything too ambitious.  Apparently she had the same fear to the extent where her knees used to shake.  I'm not quite that bad but I did do what she said last night just skating around doing backward half lemons not really worrying too much about lifting the foot.  By the end of the session I did feel a lot better.

My daughter skated at the Bristol Open last week and came 2nd to last in her competition.  I was really pleased though as this was her first "proper" competition and after a few dramas earlier in the week, such as skating off half way through her lesson on Monday in floods of tears because she "couldn't do it", I thought she did really well and wasn't too nervous.  We are going to have a go at Guildford in the summer so that gives her a few months to work on her programme.

It was a real eye opener for me though as I had volunteered to help never having been to a skating competition in my life.  I was down on the gate making sure everyone was there for their warm up and crossing the names off the list as everyone skated.  It was a long day from 7.30 to 4.30 when we had to leave and just to make things worse the heating had packed up on Monday night so it was extra cold.  Have to say I was absolutely shatter afterwards!

Anyway Daughter has decided after this that she wants to take her skating seriously now as up to this point it has really been just for fun.  I chatted to a lot of people standing on that gate on Wednesday and it seems that we are looking at practice 3 plus times a week.  So I think we are going to have to factor a before school skate in once a week.

I saw advertised in the iskate magazine a dance workshop and social and competition at Solihull on 11 May.  I have emailed to see if it is suitable for beginner beginners.  Had a very nice response which said it was and that a few people from Bristol Club usually go.  So am going to go along to that and see how I get on.  I am also going to go to the adult novice workshop being held in Sheffield in June.  I am determined to crack this backward skating one way or another!

My Daughter actually had me doing backward crossovers the other day on a quiet public session.  I am finding it easier to do the "advanced" once rather than lift the foot over.  This was of course with her holding onto my hand don't think I have a hope of doing them without yet.  My coach is still trying to get these backward chasses out of my but I just cant hold the edge with my foot of the ice for more than a second.  I think my main problem is that I am just not moving fast enough. 

We had another Dance workshop on Sunday morning where we did Canasta Tango.  I have been getting my coach to teach me the steps to this one so it wasn't too bad.  The hardest part I find is the swing after the cross roll I'm obvoiusly not doing right as I seem to just keep going straight and when I was  actually dancing with someone they were sort of having to pull me round.  But thats 3 dances now although next time we are going to go back over what we have done as each time we learn a new one we tend to forget a bit of the last one!

Then had a lesson last night but wasn't really in the mood.  Wanted to concentrate on backward skating as this still is very poor however we started off with this but the lesson soon got round to dance!  Also spent a lot of time chatting to one of my fellow adult skaters who is one of my Daughter's friend's Dad.  About 6 weeks ago he had a fall and cracked two ribs so they haven't been coming on a Monday.  It was his first time back on the ice last night but he said he felt OK just a bit wobbly.

Daughter had our local competition Saturday and then her first Open next Wednesday.  She was practicing really hard last night although she is quite nervous about it all.

Well, i've been ill again!  This time I have tonsillitis.  I always get this if im run down.  I just think working full time, studying and having a family gets a bit too much sometimes!

Anyway went for my lesson on Saturday morning.  Daughter had hers at 7.00 so it was another early start.  She was exceptionally grumpy even for her and was having one of those days where she just couldn't do anything so she was not happy!

Anyway I have a very wobbily unconfident lesson which I will put down to being ill.  Working mostly on the Canasta Tango .  Have gone through the whole dance now and the only bit I am not too sure of is the cross roll with the swing after.  I think I am trying to make more of it than I should by trying to do some sort of crossover and then completely change direction with the swing which, of course, puts you completely off balance.  

Anyway I am going again on Thursday just to a session as one of my friends wants to start skating.  She was asking me about courses and said "right so after a 6 week course I should be able to skate like them on dancing on ice" - Its funny how people assume it doesn't take long.  My coach was saying the other day that they get a lot people who have half a dozen lessons and then give up.  He said he is impressed by long I have kept it up.  Not sure if thats a compliment or not as I take so long to learn anything!

Had a day off work yesterday and went with a friend to Swindon Rink for the day.

We had a bit of a drama first though because when I arrived to pick her up she had "lost" her contact lens in her eye.  I have done that myself before and you can usually manage to get them out.  But no, I could see it but we couldn't get it out so we had to make an emergency trip to the opticians who put some dye stuff in and said there was nothing there which was really strange.  So by this time her eye was really sore and then also orange from the dye which wears off in its own time!

We eventually got to Swindon at about 12.30 after then taking the wrong exit from the motorway and coming across the "magic roundabout" which was interesting.  Whoever dreamt that one up?  My Husband very kindly forgot to  let me have the sat nav out of the van.  So it was a case of just finding the rink by smell!

Anyway we still managed to get 3 hours on the ice and it was really good.  The ice was much smoother and harder than Bristol, no nasty lumps and bumps.  For the first time I managed to do backward chasses properly lifting my foot right off the ice.  So now I know I can do them.

We then working on a few other things, forward crossover and 3 turns.  But mostly on the Dutch Waltz.  We were given a sheet with the steps on Sunday and so now I have it written down I have memorised the steps.  So we did it over and over again in proper hold.  Me being the man because I am taller.  So we can do all the steps but are about a million miles too fast.

We then had something to eat and came back to Bristol.  We then had a shared lesson at Bristol at 7.30.  Do you think I could do the backward chasses - not a chance.  My friend told our coach how good they had been this morning, I'm not sure if he believed her though.  I think a lot of it was do with the fact that I was relaxed, I wasn't sleepy and I wasn't frightened of falling over any of the lumps and bumps we usually have at Bristol.

We then both did the DW with  him and he made us slow it right down which was much better.

We then worked on the steps for the Canasta Tango as that is the next dance we do at our workshop on 2nd March.  It would  nice to be able to have an idea before then.  Once we can do 4 dances we can join the Sunday morning dance club.  Skirts are compulsory apparently so that should be interesting.  Although I am sure no one will be the least bit interested in my legs!  

Have just come back from my 3rd Ice Dance Workshop.  This time my Daughter came with me, she hasn't been able to come before.

At first she was moaning about progressive runs because obviously they are different to crossovers and what she is used to doing.  Then we went through the dutch waltz.  So myself and the other beginner adults are struggling to remembers the steps and she just shoots off round the rink somehow remembers all of them!  

Before we went she said "I'm not dancing with some man!" bearing in mind she is only 10.

She ended up staying on for the ice dance session, I saw her skating round with two different partners and she seems to have learnt 3 dances today.  Annoying isn't it!  She is now hooked and wants to do ice dance and free skate.  No reason why not except  that I guess that means a different coach and another set of lessons for ice dance as her current coach only does freestyle.  Still at least it is something that she ovbiously loves and is good at.

I managed to get round a couple of times but now have the dance sheet.  I definitely seem to remember things better when i have them written down.

Next time we are doing canasta tango which should be a laugh.  I am going to have to get my coach to show me how to the chasses step in that one because it looks like a dead cert for falling flat on my bum!  

Anyway I have so much to work on now.  Would like to remember the stops for novice fox trot and dutch waltz for next time.

Need to work really hard on the backward skating because it still eludes me.  I am having a day off on Wednesday and me and my friend are having a skating day.  She needs to visit Les Westaway for a decent pair of skates so we thought we would go up in the morning and spend the day at either Bracknell or Swindon rink for a change to Bristol.

All that talk of pancakes on here yesterday!  Then Husband phoned on the way home "are we having pancakes tonight" - well only if you go and buy the pancake mix on the way home.

Anyway no pancake mix they had sold out as usually.  I know its lazy but they seem to come out better that way.  So I made the batter which was a mistake because I then end up standing there for ages trying to cook these stupid pancakes that just stick to the pan.  The pan I have is far to big and I keep thinking next year I will buy a proper one and never do.  We managed to eat what we had which was a bit of a pancake mess.

I should have know better because I can't make batter, last time I tried to cook toad-in-the hole it went in the bin and a trip to take-away followed!

Saturday morning lesson time is very quiet because its quite early - no music.

Soooo I'm doing my forward crossovers anti clockwise and can hear this strange sould like someone sharpening a knife.  What is I ask my Coach?  Its you not getting over on your edge!

Then I notice he is bent down peering at the ice - how strange!  Come here he says - because the ice is lovely and smooth I can see my tracing - Uh Oh TWO lines, now that can't be right can it when you are supposed to be on an edge! 

Very interesting though because normally I would never be able to hear that sound with music on nor see the tracing because it would be lost amongst all the others.  So there are defintely some benefits to gettin up early on a Saturday morning!

Funnily enough clockwise forward crossover and chasses are fine.  Must be because I much prefer being on my right leg.

Wish the same could be said for backward chasses but they are just rubbish whichever way I go.

Someone said to me the other day when I was moaning about how long I have been skating and how little I have improved, that is not the length of time as such but more the amount of hours and when I though about he is right because I really only get to skate a couple of hours a week so I am just going to have to fact it that it is going to take a long time.  Unless I can somehow wangle some more ice time! 

I am now having two lessons a week.  My regular half hour on a Monday night and now a shared lesson with a friend on a Saturday morning which is great fun.

She prefers to go later in the day on a Saturday but we had to go for 8.00 a.m. this week.  She loved it.  I told her she would!  I just love being able to go in the morning as you are all bright and bushy tailed.  I find on my Monday night lessons I am not so bright eyed as I have been at work all day, drive home to pick up Daughter and quick change, 40 minute drive to Bristol.  Then I usually chill out for 20 minutes with a coffee while Daughter has her lesson and then have my lesson.  Then we don't usually get home till 9.30 and I won't have time to eat until then.  Not ideal!

I was chatting to someone last night about basically how rubbish I am even though I have been skating for a year and a half and he said don't think of it in terms of years months but hours.  Then I worked it out on the way home and I only skate about 2.5 hours a week.  The trouble is there is no point trying to go on a session anymore as my Daughter wants to practice her programmes, jumps etc and can't do that on a crowded session so we tend to go on patch but with work can't get there till 7 and it only runs till 8.30.  So we go Monday, ocassionally Wednesday and Saturday morning.  Again Saturday morning patch is only 1.5 hours.  

Although Daughters coach has said she can have an extra lesson on a Saturday morning at 7.00a.m. which would mean getting up at 5.30a.m. which I don't mind.  It would mean that the rink would be pretty empty and then we could stay down till 9.30 so might be good.

Last night I made a real effort to stay on and practice properly which I did and I actually found that once I got into it I didn't feel as tired as I thought I was.

Daughter was doing a wicked impression of me trying to do backward chasses, a lot of limping like movements and looking like I am about 106.  How sad.

We had an ice dance workshop at our rink this morning for all us beginners.  We did novice foxtrot which was fine.  But last time I did this when we paired up to skate properly I danced with one of the instructors and it was great.

This time, however, I paired up with a friend who is on of my Daughter's friend's Dad.  He is about the same level as me.  What a difference.  We were tripping over each others feet and then nearly crashed into the barrier.  Still we managed to get round a couple of times and din't actually fall.

There were quite a few of there and we have asked if we can do this more often.  The guy who runs the club is going to try and arrange another one for a couple of weeks and he says there are about 8 dances which only involve forward skating which we should be able to learn.

Next time he said we might try Dutch Waltz.  On of the ladies showed me a book they had which tells you the steps she said you can also get dance steps from the interent.  Does anyone know of a webside where I might be able to get hold of these?

Had a shared lesson with my friend this morning.

We both want to do dance so our coach has us "trying" to do chasses in a serpentine pattern.  You actually wouldn't think that would be that difficult but we were both struggling with the change of direction and I seemed to keep cheating by doing a sort of two foot slalom.

We eventually got the hang of it and then after our lesson tried to carry on on the session.  It was pretty busy this morning - the start of the Dancing on Ice influx I think.  Apparently it was so busy yesterday afternoon they ran out of skates.

Anyway it all came to an abrupt end when a little lad fell and his Dad skated over his hand.  There was an awful lot of blood and as we saw it happen my friend went off to the First Aid room with them (she is an A & E Nurse).  So by the time that was sorted it was time to go.  She advised the parents to take him to A&E as it was quite a nasty cut and she said he lost quite a lot of blood.  That's the first time I have seen an accident as bad as that and it makes you think.  The little lad was only about 4 too so I don't expect he will want to come back in a hurry.  I am going to make sure I always wear gloves from now on as my friend said if he had been wearing them that would defiitely have lessened the damage.

Thanks for the comments on the impact shorts.  I have bought a pair which I wore to my lesson Monday.  I kind of half hoped that I would have some kind of awakening where I suddenly improved drastically because the fear of falling had disappeared.  Alas!  Wishful thinking!  Didn't make much difference really but I suppose next time I fall it wont hurt so much.

However, I did have some kind of of awakening because I was telling my coach all the things I am doing wrong so I guess if I know what I am doing wrong at least its a start on being able to fix it:-

3Turns - I haven't got my foot tucked behind in the T position.  Its somewhere out to the side so when I turn I am sort of using it to swing round so then I put my foot straight down with no backward glide.  Also "3turn" made me think about this in her comments.  My upper body position is so wrong.  I am dropping my lead shoulder and do not have a good posture at all.  So two things I can work on there.

Backward chasses - feet way too far apart and also I'm not going on to the outside edge at all.  If anything I am on an inside edge.  This is because, I think,  I am not leaning into it all and also when I lift the leg I am lifting sort of from the knee and not lifting the hip/shoulder at all.  So again a few things I can work on.

Forward crossovers - although these are much improved I am still not leaning onto the edge very much and also for some reason the foot crossing over is pointing the wrong way so taking me off course a bit.  Cant hold the cross under properly either.

Then I had a bit of paddy because my coach was trying so hard to get me to do the backward chasses.  He was holding my hands and trying to get me over on the outside edge.  But its like my body  wont do what my head wants it too.  Its sooooo frustrating!

I'd just like to know what people's opinions are on impact shorts.  Since my accident with the chewing gum the other week (and I've still got the huge bruise), i've been considering getting some as I think it may improve my confidence with the backward skating - then on the other hand it may not because it could all be in the mind!

None of the skaters at my rink appear to wear any protection (that I can see anyway) perhaps its well hidden.  Some of the shorts I have seen though look as if there is so much padding they could actually be quite restrictive.

Had a shared lesson with my friend yesterday.  It didn't look too promising to start with as there was no barrier up for lessons and so we had to have it on session - Saturday morning session with all the teenage hockey skaters.  However, I have to say that it was the best lesson I have had in ages and I really enjoyed it.  I definitely got a lot more out of it.   We working mostly on forward XOs in both directions trying to get the cross-under part.  Then we worked on 3 turns for a while.  It was just too busy to do much in the way of backward stuff.  I think, for me at least, if I am with someone else and they are happy to try something new then I will too.  Whereas if its just me then I am just as likely to say no as I don't think I'll be able to it.

My friend got me to attempt backward crossovers the other week.  We tried anti-clockwise as I seemed to be happier that way with her skating forward and holding on to her hand with my left hand and my right arm free.  It wasn't as bad as I would have expected except at one point as I wasn't looking at her but to the centre of the circule she said " I can't get my arm any higher".  Every cross over I was doing I was bringing my front arm up higher and higher and my friend is a lot shorter than me so she had her arm practically above her head!

We have decided to try and have a regular Saturday lesson in addition to the lessons we have on our own.  The only problem is that our coach seems to be completely stacked out with lessons at the moment and we aren't sure he will be able to fit us in.  He is going to come back to us tomorrow.

Went skating with my friend L on Thursday night.  We went to the pub for a drink first.  Haven't been to that particular pub in a very long time and it is now some sort of heavy metal place.  Not that that bothered us particularly just think we probably looked a bit strange sat there with our skate bags!

We have decided to try and skate together on a regular basis as we are both around the same level and seem to be able to persuade each other to try things which we probably wouldn't if we were there on our own.

Had a bizzare accident though.  there were lost of teenagers around and there were all sorts of things on the ice, tissues, coins, sweets.  I was having a go at my disasterous backward stroking and was actually starting to feel every so slighty more confident.  Someone must have spat chewing gum out on the ice which had frozen into a little rock.

Somehow I managed to skate over it I then fell backwards in sort of slow motion but also managed to land on it.  Which was extremely painful!  you know the sort of pain where you feel sick for a bit.  I know have a huge black bruise on my bum which really hurts!

Had a lesson this morning where I concentrated on forward XO in both directions because I would really like to get these right.  They are a lot better than they used to be.  Then my friend, daughter and I stayed on the session and just messed about trying different things, it was really good fun.

My friend and I have decided to have our indivudual half hour lesson each week but we are also going to have a lesson on a Saturday which we share.

Well, it was the first performance of the Christmas show last night.

They all skated really well, the only problem was the music and PA system.  We had a couple of ocassions where the music just stopped dead, then it was jumping in one track and they forgot to change the CDs after the interval so when they came back on it started the music from the first half!

Ah well, all the kids really enjoyed themselves and now they have to do it all again tonight.

Even though I have been down to the rink A LOT over the past week I haven't had a chance to skate because everyone has been rehearsing.  Was going to go down this mornig as I have the day of work but phoned the rink just to check on school parties and they have 200 kids coming today so decided to give it a miss!

As well we will all be back to normal after Christmas and so will have to get back into some kind of routine then.  Have had to alter lessons etc with Christmas so am having a lesson on Saturday.  Which will be  my first time on the ice in nearly 2 weeks!

Monday there was no one at the rink.  Two coaches and about six students.  Everyone else was apparently at a wedding.

What a difference it made to me.  I felt so much happier!  I'm having a realy problem with confidence i.e. always worrying about where the good skaters are going to go and am I in their way.  Previously we have never had any rules on patch but now a notice has gone us about staying out of the way of people doing programmes, which is common sense really. got to be Skate UK level 4 to go on and another one was no jeans.  Not that I ever wear jeans but I don't get that one.  At least they didn't make skirts for girls compulsory!

Anyway we worked really hard on my backward skating and backward chasses because that was what I said I wanted to do.  I have to get it at some point.  Coach made a big thing of saying I HAVE to sink down more on the skating foot to make sure ALL my weight is over that foot.  I played around for half and hour after my lesson and I guess I must have been doing something right because my thigh muscles really ached the next day.

 

We have lots of visits to the rink coming up this weekend as they are trying to get everything done for the Christmas Show.

We have to go in on Friday at 8.00 p.m. and then Saturday morning for 6.15a.m back on Sunday morning at 10.30a.m for my lesson and then Monday night for our usual lessons.

Bristol Zoo is having an outdoor rink this year and they have asked the rink to do something to open it.  So the girls who are in the number "Frosty the Snowman" are going on Saturday at 1.30 to open the rink.  Its all a bit chaotic as they wont get their costumes until Saturday morning.  It will be really lovely to see daughter skating for that though.

Had my usual lesson Monday.  I am slowly getting the hang of the backward chasses ever since coach said I was making too much of the push.  It is now much more controlled and my feet stay relatively close together which obviously gives you much better balance.  Before I was a bit like "spotting dog" (for those old enough to remember) lurching from side to side.

Also worked on forward cross overs in both directions which were good.  Starting to get the hang of the cross under CCW but not so good CW.  Will have to keep practicing.

Also had a go at 3turns.  These are getting better although I am still putting my free foot down as soon as I have done the turn.  Coach keeps trying to get me to keep my foot in a "T" postion but it just doesn't seem to want to stay there at the moment.

Sadly daughter threw a wobbly on Monday night.  She was tierd and not 100% well I think she has still got a bit of a virus.  Her coach said something she didn't like and she stomped off after her lesson and was crying her heart out in the toilets!  She says she hates her coach and wants to change.  Managed to calm her down later.  She has never said anything like that before so I think it was just a case of being overtierd.  I see from Clare-O's post that it even happens to adults sometimes so nothing unusual.  I have to say I feel that way sometimes when I get really frustrated.

It was all something to do with her Cherry Flip.  I think she is taking off with her foot in the wrong place and keeps doing it and she is getting really frusted now.