Big Blue Test 2011

Sister C and I both completed the Big Blue Test today at IceTown in Riverside, Ca.

Sister C (does not have diabetes)

Beginning BG - 159 mg/dl (uh umm, yeah that's a little high for a non-diabetic person)

After Exercise BG - 92 mg/dl

Total drop = 67 mg/dl

Me

Beginning BG - 128 mg/dl

After Exercise BG - 126 mg/dl

Total drop - 2 mg/dl (so not fair!)

Christmas Wish List 2011 - Skating Edition

Last year by this time I had all my Christmas shopping complete, however not this year. 

To expedite shopping for  my family I want to make sure they know exactly what to buy. There will be no ugly sweaters under my tree! 

• OTB Tights
• Rockerz Skate Guards (in peppermint pink/black)
• Ice Halo
• Skating Safe Knee Pads
• Practice Skirts
• Zuca Bag
• Bunny Skaters painting
• 
  
• 
  

Footwork Sequence

It seems that when you pass the basic skills levels, in addition to learning "big" jumps, you are supposed to be capable of piecing together the basic skills to create sequences or patterns.

This is fine in theory, but in practice not so much. I've got a few footwork sequences I am working on for my lessons and for the Christmas Program.

Adult 4/Basic 8 Sequence: Forward crossovers (2) into forward inside Mohawk, cross behind, step into backward crossover (1) and step to forward inside edge
 
Solo Program: (L) forward inside Mohawk, L over R step (crossover ISI style) (R) outside Mohawk R over L step. 


Adult Group Program: 2 forward strokes, 2 forward crossovers, forward (L) outside Mohawk, 2 backward crossovers, Back Outside edge to Forward Outside edge transition, repeat 2x. 


All this is supposed to be accomplished with speed and grace.


I'll try to get it them all on video this weekend :)

True or False

It is National Health Blog Month, and while it isn't really relevant here, I liked today's prompt.

So I already posted this over at Mrs. Harer's Hollow, but I wanted to extend the offer to my readers here.

Tell us 3 things that are true about you, your condition, your Health Activism, or your life. Now tell us 1 lie. Do you think we will be able to tell the difference?

Exciting right? I happen to have a natural talent for making up "stories" so lets see if you can figure out which fact is not true. Leave your answer in the comments and I will enter all the correct answers in a give away for a really cool handmade diabetes awareness brooch or a skating diabetes awareness brooch!

1. I like to skate really really fast.
2. I recently landed my first waltz jump.
3. I am a lefty (I spin/jump CW)
4. I currently have lessons/rehearsals with 7 different coaches.

Okay so you tell me, which one is false. 

Outdoor Rinks in Southern California

As we head into the Holidays, outdoor rinks are popping up all over Southern California. Here is a list of rinks that I am aware of, if you know of any others please leave a comment.

The IE
Downtown Riverside



LA Area
Pershing Square
Santa Monica
Woodland Hills
Nokia Theatre Plaza

Santa Monica

The OC
Irvine Spectrum

Irvine Spectrum

San Diego
Viejas Center
Hotel Del Coronado
Horton Plaza

Hotel Del

Talent runs in the family?

I come from a skating family. Both my Aunts skated. In fact my Aunt Sandy skated professionally.

Isn't she lovely?
Aunt Sandy, I stole the picture off your Facebook page, hope you don't mind!

My cousin KJ skates on an up and coming synchronized skating team. My youngest sisters took LTS lessons before they moved out of state (and about 4 hours from the nearest rink.) 

When I was little my sister C, took LTS lessons also, but she is 3 years younger than I am, so when I quit she was still under 8 years old. 

Sister C hasn't been on the ice in 18 years, can some please explain to me, how she was able to do some really decent forward crossovers at the rink today? The girl didn't hang onto the wall at all and was zipping around the rink, like she was born on the ice.

Talent must run in this family!

Christmas Solo

Private Coach finished choreographing my Christmas Solo today. I was lucky enough to have someone available to videotape my first complete run through of the the Solo without the music. It's slow and stiff, but I've got a month to practice it. I'll post updated videos as it improves.

* This is the first run thru of the program, so please be kind!

Competition Update

Since I posted here about my plans and prep for the July Center Ice Arena ISI Open, I figured I should update you all on how it went. 

I competed in Delta with my Pirates of the Caribbean program and placed first!

I also competed in Delta complulsory; which included left inside 3-turn, Bunny hop, and lunge. I cleanly skated each element but then fell on a t-stop at the end. I placed 3rd. 

My skates

I've had my new skates since August. They are the Riedell 435TS boots with the Ultima Matrix Legacy blade in pink!

 

At first I didn't like the blades, I couldn't stop and was terrified of tripping over the much larger toe pick. However I've adjusted, the blade sharpening has dulled slightly and I love them.  I recommend this blade for every low level freestyle adult. Plus it comes in cool colors like pink!

The boots I loved from the very moment they were heat molded to my feet. They are so comfy and I don't feel like they've had a break in period at all. I did spend the first two months skating with the top hooks unlaced, just to help with ankle bend and toe point. Now I lace them all the way. I also love the lace lock, it really does keep the laces from loosening.

My skates have one more feature that isn't found on most skates. It is my SkateSafe tag by FinishSafe. This handy little tag stores all my medical information which can be accessed via a pin number by rink staff or emergency response personnel. Now that I am no longer withholding information about my health, I feel much safer on the ice.

Standard vs Adult Test track

I am considering testing USFS MITF next year. Although I am having some trouble deciding between testing adult track or standard track. 

I don't think I plan on competing, but if I did want to compete USFS, I would need to test adult track. 

But the standard track seems to make more sense in skill chronology. 

If I test Adult Pre-Bronze, the test will include;

• Forward Perimeter Stroking
• Basic Consecutive Edges
• Forward and Backward Crossovers
• Waltz Eight
• Forward 3 Turn Pattern

I know I am capable of passing the Adult Pre-Bronze test, so I'll probably just stick with that. 

It's beginning to look a lot like

Rehearsals for the Center Ice Arena Winter Wonderland Show have been underway for 2 weeks. Every Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon, skaters of all ages and skill levels come together to learn and perfect their program numbers. 

I will be skating a solo as well as 2 group numbers. So I've been putting in a lot of ice time, and it has really paid off, but more about that later. For now I'd like to share with you the costumes for my group numbers. I happen to think they're very cute!

                

 

Adult Group Number, skated to Sheryl Crow's "There is a Star that Shines Tonight."

                 

 

Basic 4-8 Group Number, music unknown

Both dresses are by Revolution Dancewear. 

National Blog Posting Month 2011

Well this is new for Blade Bunnies, considering it didn't exist last November. For those who don't know how National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) works; it's basically a promise to post everyday all month long.

As far as I know, this is the only skating blog participating, so I hope I measure up!

Competition Prep

The Center Ice Arena ISI Open is next weekend!

Since I was injured in June (not skating related, I tripped over a curb!), I missed a little over 2 weeks of preparation and practice. This is a brand new program and the loss of practice time has really had an impact. I don't feel competition ready at all!

The program, which I love (Thank you Trista!) will be skated to Up is Down by Hans Zimmer from the Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds End.


I am competing at the ISI Delta level which requires; a Left Inside 3-turn, Right Inside 3-turn, Forward Outside and Inside edges, and a Lunge (or Shoot the Duck). Give or take a few minor adjustments, here is my program;

My new competition dress is a custom dress from Icexquisite. I love it!

 

So I've got the program, and the dress now all I need is the ice time to practice......

Practice Dresses

I learned a lesson at the rink this weekend.....

This is why skaters wear practice dresses.

I think I need to invest in some. Otherwise my new competition program may destroy my wardrobe.

Freestyle 1

Sorry for the disappearing act, my laptop died and I was too lazy to go into the office and use the desktop!

 

So I am officially a freestyle skater now! 

ISI freestyle 1 curriculum includes;

Pivots

Backward Consecutive Edges

Two Foot Spin

Forward Arabesque (Spiral)

Waltz Jump 

Half-Flip Jump

I am an USFS Basic Skills Member

Today at Home Rink, I received my official USFS membership packet and my membership card should be there next week.   

The packet included a record book, with all the USFS levels and elements listed in order, a sheet of gold star stickers, that can be placed in the book as each element is learned, a basic skills program patch and year patch. 

I am trying to decide where to put my patches; on my skating sweater, or on my skate bag, or somewhere else entirely? Any suggestions?

It was also our first day of Basic Skills lessons. It is just myself and one other skater in the Adult 4 class. Coach M is coaching Adult 4. I was sort of disappointed, the lesson plan didn't seem much different than it had been. I was expecting to work specifically on the list of Adult 4 elements, but we didn't. We spent more than three quarters of the lesson doing crossovers, then rushed through some forward outside 3-turns. Which actually brings up another frustration I have, Coach M teaches the arm position for 3-turns opposite of all my other coaches, I don't want to blatantly say he teaches "wrong", but it seems that way!

Private coach and I worked on spirals today. It was fun.... kinda. I am much more flexible on my right side, but more stable on my left, it is weird.  

I passed Gamma!

ISI to USFS Basic Skills

Home Rink is under new ownership and they are making some BIG changes!
They are adding a Pro shop and training the staff to sharpen figure skates (yay, no more drives to Anaheim for sharpening!)
They are renovating the Ice Cafe. 
There are rumors about replacing the ice surface.





But, the biggest change is the skating school. We are transitioning from ISI Learn to Skate to USFS Basic Skills.




Even as a kid I only skated ISI, so this is going to be an entirely new experience for me, but I am excited.  
USFS has a specialized adult curriculum, which feeds into the Adult Moves in the Field (MIF) testing structure. 


Last weekend the group lesson coaches began evaluating skaters, for placement into the USFS Basic Skills program. Coach M did my evaluation and placed me in Adult 4, which is the highest adult level. 

The Adult 4 curriculum covers;
A Forward three turns, outside and inside, R & L (I can do these!)

B Perimeter stroking with crossover end patterns

C Forward Outside to Inside Change of Edge Sequence

D Alternate backward crossovers with two foot transition

E Footwork sequence: 3–5 forward crossovers to an inside

Mohawk, 3–5 backward crossovers, step forward inside

the circle and repeat

F Power three turns, one direction only

G Backward Chasses on a circle, clockwise and counter

clockwise

But after discussing it with Private Coach we decided it would be best for me to use the standard basic skills curriculum, instead of the adult. So Private Coach evaluated me and placed me in Basic 6. Which covers;

A Forward inside three-turn—right and left—from a standstill

position. ( I can do these)

B Moving backward to forward two foot turn on a circle,

both directions ( I can do this)

C T-stop — right or left ( I can do these)

D Bunny hop ( I am working on this)

E Forward arabesque/spiral on a straight line, right or left 

F Forward lunge, right or left ( I can do these)

And USFS has the cutest mascot, Snowplow Sam.

Frabjous Day!

Lessons last weekend consisted mostly of evaluating students for placement into the USFS Basic Skills program. In the adult group lesson, I was first to be evaluated.

Things went really well at first. Until Coach M, asked me to do an forward inside three turn. I had been working on these, but had not been able to get them yet. I didn't want to give up and just not try, so I decided to just go for it.

And..... it was perfect! I have no idea how I did it, but I did!

So while I was warming up for my private lesson, I tried to do it again and couldn't. It was very frustrating.
I told Private Coach, about my miracle and the subsequent defeat, she suggested I try it again. I went for it and ..... It was perfect!

Right now about 3 out of every 5 of my inside 3 turns is good, they will only get better.

Since I was high on confidence, Private coach suggested trying bunny hops again. I've been struggling with a mental block on bunny hops for a while now. Magically, I did it! It didn't have much height, nor was it graceful, but both feet did leave the ice!

I am so happy! To celebrate this I blinged out my blades.

Movin' on up

I am ready to test ISI Gamma!

It was like one day my left forward outside three turn, just happened. One minute I couldn't do it, then I could! That was the only element holding me back in Gamma.

Private coach and I have been working on Delta elements. I've had a good (passable) lunge since January, we'e worked on consecutive forward edges. My inside edges are really good, outside are wobbly, but passable. That leaves bunny hops and forward inside three turns to work on before I can test Delta. 

Unfortunately, I will not be able to take weeknight lessons at The Other Rink for the next 8 weeks, because of school. I have classes every night. So my hope is that I can continue to work with Private Coach on the Delta elements, that way when I do go back to lessons at The Other Rink in June, I will be able to sign up for Freestyle 1. 

I am so excited! 

Withholding Information

I talk quite openly about my type 1 diabetes on my other blog, but here at Blade Bunnies it rarely gets mentioned. Maybe that is because I haven't mentioned it to my coaches the rinks either.

I had a near emergency last week at Home Rink. I had to leave in the middle of the lesson to test and treat a severe low blood sugar which forced me to tell Coach M (who teaches my Saturday Adult Group lesson) about my diabetes. 

I carry emergency diabetes supplies in my skate bag, but if no one knows they're in there, it's not going to do much good. This week I will make a point of telling Private Coach and Coach Mel at The Other Rink about my diabetes. Because I know that one piece of information could someday save my life. 

My skating stuff

My Skates

I currently skate in a pair of recreational Riedell 115RS.

But, I also have a pair of Jackson Freestyle boots with Mark IV blades. They're in desperate need of sharpening, and I need to have them stretched/punched out. Since I am not working on jumps right now, I don't feel like it is necessary to use this boot/blade combo.

 *I am loving the looks of Riedell's new Eclipse blades, so I may switch out the Mark IV blade for the Eclipse Volant.

I have pink Centipede guards, which I use religiously!

Pink soakers are always on my blades when my skates are not in use.

My Skate Bag

You can see in the picture the soaker bags, I made. These are great for drying the blade, but I also store my skates inside them. Which hopefully prevents dings and scratches from the skates bumping together.

I do not have a Zuca Bag, at first I thought I wanted one, but I am happy with my current skate bag. It is pink and zebra print. It has zippered pockets on each end, for gloves etc. A long zippered pocket in front, perfect for storing blade guards. And the center has enough room to hold 2 pair of skates.

Thanks to the $1 bins at Target and JoAnn's I have a seemingly endless supply of pink gloves.

For practice ice and lessons I usually wear Danskin Now Dri-More Pants, $9 from Walmart, they're comfy and easy to tuck into my boots.  My favorite skating sweater is by Kenneth Cole, it is grey and has lovely little feminine details on the pockets.

I use Mondor Knee Highs for practice ice, and I fold the tops down over my boots. For competitions/shows I use Capezio footed or OTB tights.

I don't have any skating dresses right now :( but as we speak a custom dress is being made for the upcoming Anaheim ISI Open by Kristen Aiello of ISkateWear.com.

Making Progress

I've struggled with forward outside 3-turns since September. My problem is two-fold; I keep opening my hips, and my weight is not centered over the blade, but is shifted towards the toe pick instead, both of which cause me to put my free foot down.

Over my last two lessons I've finally been able to consistently complete right forward outside 3 turns, but I continue to struggle on the left side. Interestingly enough, the left side is my weaker side on forward crossovers, so I'm thinking I have issues with the left forward outside edge.

Which is why this weeks skating homework includes forward outside edges in addition to lunges, FO3's, and FI3's.

Power Skating = Working Out

I guess I didn't really understand what I was signing up for when I chose Power Skating as my elective class at the Other Rink. I've been in the class for two weeks now, and I am certain I've discovered no less than 10 new muscles.

Class typically begins with F/B swizzles (this helps everyone "find" their edges, apparently). This week we did a stroking exercise, again fairly basic, nothing too intense. But then, comes the crossover marathon.

There is no other way to describe it. BIG circle, skating fast and maintaining proper edges and arm position for 3-5 minutes each direction. No joke, this elevates my heart rate the same way running on a treadmill would. By the time we do F crossovers in each direction, I am huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf, while all the little 5 year olds are staring at me as if I am having an asthma attack or something. Then we do  it backwards!

Image "stolen" from Honnen Ice Rink,  not mine. 

I am more comfortable with B crossovers than F, but trying to do them in a BIG circle, with the correct position, weight transfer and edges while avoiding 10 or more other skaters doing the same thing is HARD! Maybe I should rethink my desire to try synchro?

Senior Ice'Kateers, from Anaheim Ice.

I guess there is a good reason it's called power skating. 

Hello, Welcome

My first blog post, I am so excited. I do have another blog, for all the "other" things in my life, but skating seemed to be taking over, hence it now has it's own space here at Blade Bunnies. 

Hi, I'm Judie and I am a skateaholic, or something like that. I take both group and private lessons. 

My skating schedule looks like this:

Sunday:  30 minute warm up, 30 minute private lesson and minimum 30 minute practice at Home Rink. 1 hour pilates at Drayson Center. 

Monday: no skating

Tuesday: School, no skating

Wednesday: 30 minute group lesson, 30 minute Power Skating class and minimum 30 minute practice at The Other Rink

Thursday: School, no skating

Friday: Practice session at The Other Rink

Saturday: 30 minute group lesson, 30 minute private lesson, and minimum 30 minute practice session at Home Rink. 

In addition, I work full time. 

Basically this blog will document my journey in the wonderful world of figure skating. Some posts to look forward to; my equipment, to compete or not to compete, ISI vs USFSA, figure skating clubs, AOSS (adult onset skating syndrome) and lots more.....