Any competitive skaters?

[Joshua]

What level are you? What kinda skills do you do at that level? Have you won any competitions?

[aehodman]

Well, not right this moment (I'm pregnant so no competing for me for awhile), but I started on the USFSA adult competitive track about a year ago. I won my first competition at the Adult Pre-Bronze level, and have won the bronze medal at both competitions I have skated in the Adult Bronze level -- one of which had nine total skaters in it and was my first try at the higher level, which made me pretty happy, and the other was at State Games last month, which is my area's hardest USFSA competition of the year.

Joshua -- do you compete too?

[aehodman]

At the Adult Bronze level, these are the elements I do for my program:

side spin (similar to a layback)
lutz/loop combination
sit spin
waltz jump/half loop/toe loop combination
flip/loop combination
falling leafs, inside ina bauer

When I get back to competing next spring, I am hoping to include two lutzes, one in combination and one single, in my program. The Adult Bronze level doesn't allow you to do axels or any double jumps, but your spins are unlimited.

[Joshua]

though I'd love to compete in the future. Sounds fun. I was just wondering who among our MKF posters skate for more than just fun. That's really cool. Wish ya all the luck in the future and best wishes with the baby!

[wunderbere]

Just a curious question from someone who is considering the possibilities of motherhood: are you still practicing while you're pregnant? If so, how far along in your pregnancy will you continue to skate?

[aehodman]

Thanks for the well-wishes, Joshua! ;) And I think you should definitely try competing. It's everything you've heard Michelle talk about and more! ;)

wunderbere -- I am still practicing (in fact, I was 2 weeks along at State Games and didn't even know it!), although I have gotten a wide variety of opinions on the subject. A coach I know is at about 6 months and still teaching and doing jumps and spins on the ice, but my doctor asked me to stop jumping for now (it's too risky for a fall and too jarring on my body). I am about 2 1/2 months along and still doing some spins, though, although we seem to be concentrating on Prelim and Pre-Prelim Moves, as we never really had time for them before, going from competition to competition. The book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" says basically that if you've been skating for awhile, you can continue to do it with extreme caution (another vote for the 'no jumping' rule, I imagine, as falling is very, very bad). I will probably stop altogether when I start to feel uncomfortable (spinning will most likely go in a week or so, I'll keep on with edges and Moves after that) and when my feet start to swell too much and I run the risk of stretching out my skates (otherwise I'll have to buy a new pair when I get back on!) I am guessing this will be at about, oh, maybe around 5 months.
The one thing they do stress is that if you skate a lot now, you need to keep up with some sort of low impact exercise if you stop skating to keep in shape and stay healthy. I am probably going to start doing water aerobics (our gym has one just for pregnant ladies!) or something like that.
I hope this rather rambly message helps! ;)

[wunderbere]

AEHodman:

I appreciate you sharing.... And no, you were not rambling. Everything you shared was very interesting and informative to me. It's great that you're checking out water aerobics to keep up with your fitness. That's my main concern--getting out of shape because of taking a break from skating.

I wish you a wonderful pregancy and a healthy, happy child! Best wishes!

[aehodman]

;)

Thanks for the well-wishes! I admit that my skating has caused quite a bit of controversy amongst my acquaintances and friends (they think I'm nuts and that I'm gonna fall down at any second). I think it's really up to the person, their coach, and their doctor all working together to tell them when or if they should stop skating, and I think a lot depends on how long you've been skating or what you are working on. People like Nancy Kerrigan who have been skating all their lives probably could skate for months and months, whereas people like me who started only a few years ago as an adult need to stop much sooner. I do worry a lot about falling down though, because of how bad that could be, so I probably will stop sooner than I had originally planned, once I get those water aerobic classes all worked out! I wish I could be like Nancy Kerrigan and be skating in a show at 6 months, but I am not quite THAT brave or confident in my skills. :)

[Victoriacai]

I'm a juvenile skater.

[GMAN]

I sometimes skate competitively

[Luv2Sk8]

I compete next week! wish me luck!

[TheGr8Sk8er]

Good luck Lauren! I am an intermediate skater, a usual jump to have in your program is a double axel, but some people have triples. I won't be competiting until next summer though (I want to get into novice and work in my presentation, spins, and of course I better get some triples for Novice :) )

[Luv2Sk8]

Ooo don't say that about intermidiate, I'm in novice and struggling with my d lutz (again) so I've yet to hit a d axel consitently. Only a few intermidiates have d axels at regionals. But by Jr Nats most have that and 1 or 2 triples. It stinks :( jumps r icky

[TheGr8Sk8er]

What region do you live in luv2sk8? At local competiions, a girl in novice did 2 triples and got 4th :(

[Luv2Sk8]

But that doesn't mean they're not good. I said I compete novice, not that I win Novice.
O by the way at my competition I came in 15 out or 16 in my short (pretty good considering the only element I didn't screw up was an axel) and had to scratch from the long :( cuz I didn't feel well.

[twixbar000]

I'm an Open Juvenile...I compete in Southwest Pacific regionals next weekend....wish me luck! and good luck everyone else at regionals!

[GMAN]

I`m going to get to compete again!!!! I don`t know when I can`t wait!!! My teacher said that I`m ready for my next competition!!!!

[julycoccinelle16]

I'm Junior competition.

[aehodman]

Welcome to the board julycoccinelle16! Good luck this season in all your competitions and please be sure to let us know how they go! I am very envious of all of you guys competing this season -- I am an adult skater who is now 7 months pregnant, so no competing for me until at least next summer.....

Sk8 Gr8 and welcome agaiN!

[jkovner]

I'm in intermediates (Men):
In my short I have:
Axel, combination spin (camel-sit-change-sit), diagonal ftwrk, double lutz-double loop, sit, double flip.
In my long I have:
Axel, double flip-double toe, combination spin, inner spread eagle-double loop, double lutz-double toe, double sal, double toe, sit-change-sit, short entrance double lutz, flying sit.
I'm working on consistency and double axels now. I'm pretty close--about 1/8 of a rotation short--but can't stand up on it.
My crossovers suck though :( . Gotta work on polish and stuff. Next year I'm gonna be a novice! Soo excited!

[theRedViolin]

Yes I am a competitive skater! I am an Intermediate! I can land double axel double toe combination, and my triple sal chow. I am from the Southwest Pacific Region. I wen to Junior Naitonals Last sesaon. I didnt do so well I got 10th =p. I feel on that double axel! I didn't make it this year I got 5th in my region. I feel on doubel axel! Again! I wasn't feeling to good though. I am an alternate now.

Oh cool JKOvner I am same level what region are you from?

[jkovner]

I'm from North Atlantics, the crappiest region in the whole nation!!! Unless you're a intermediate/novice guy, in which case its actually pretty hard.

[figuresk8erzrock]

i compete novice and i can do up to triple loop
and all spins

[icejoanna]

I have just competeted in freestyle 1 last month. i am actually just a beginner that i have been skating for about a year. Anyway, i won two gold medals and one silver. Afterall, it's a MARVELOUS experience for me and i really long for the skating competetion next year. At that time, i will be competiting in freestyle 2......perhaps.:RB

[egskater0003]

Well I've competed in one comp this year and won so that was good, but the best part was that I was really nervous at first, but as soon as I got on the ice and skated my program, I felt great and all nerves were forgotten.

I'm only adult freestyle 1 so my program was super short and not very difficult compared to the others that compete here.

fw pivot
back inside & outside edges
mohawk into 1/2 flip
waltz jump
2foot spin
3turn into 1/2 flip
straight line spiral on a flat(I think it's actually a little harder to try to hold a nice spiral position on a flat than on an edge)

Working on the 1/2 lutz on my own and a flip. Off ice I get the necessary revolution for a flip but just not quite there on the ice. I'll either get 3/4 revolution or a full revolution but then I'll two foot it. My 1/2 flip is definately my fave jump, the most consistent and most powerful. Esp when I go for the Flip(not half flip), I get a lot of speed and power and I feel like I can actually get some decent height into that jump. All others like toe loop, salchow, waltz, & half lutz, I can do them but there's not the same speed and power in them and confidence I might add.

Funny thing is, I THINK I'm skating at the speed of light, but when I watched a video of myself, I'm was like "that's it?" I thought I was going so fast but really I was super slow!:b

[livetoskate]

Hi everyone-
I compete in adult competitions at the Silver I level. My next competition will be the Adult New Year Invitational at the Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, Virginia, Jan. 31st weekend! Is anyone here going to compete there too? I'm still working on axels (it's been... over 7 years since I started attempting axels), dbl salchows, and now dbl loops. It looks so easy when others do it! I also have had the experience of thinking I was flying on the ice, yet seeing myself on video and realizing how slow I really was. I broke my ankle trying to do a double flip last year, so I probably will never attempt that again. :)
Judy