Forward Skating

For today's lesson we focused mostly on forward skating...

Perimeter stroking-- I need to get my weight firmly over the skating side, and delay setting the new skating foot down a little more. Need to get better push/extend/follow through from the stroking foot. End crossovers are a little better but still need to be sure to prepare properly and to stay turned into the circle throughout the end pattern.

Crossovers-- worked on staying turned into the circle, and keeping the trailing hand/arm up. Anna skated behind me and held my hand/arm up as high as it should be -- feels ridiculously high, but there it is. Now that I know that I can aim for it. Still need to stay down in my knees more.

Forward edges-- For the FO edges, I'm having a problem doing the "scissoring" arms correctly. I tend to scissor the skating arm correctly but the trailing arm tends to just rotate. I thought I had this down, so it's disturbing to see something wrong with these now. Grr. For the FI, the same problem and in addition I need to work harder still on getting over the skating foot and not letting the free side drag me inside the circle.

We also spent a little time talking through waltz jump preparation, and practiced the waltz jump entrance again. The rhythm/timing is important; need to swing the arms forward along with the free leg and at the same time that you dig the toe pick in and jump. Anna also suggested trying just a little hop straight off the toe pick, back on to the same toepick and push onto the opposite foot.

This was the first time in this new 5 p.m. Monday timeslot. I warmed up on the public ice for 20 minutes before -- it was very uncrowded (just me and another figure skater). The 5 p.m. freestyle was a bit crowded though -- 11 people. Still, it was workable.

I left feeling a bit frustrated with myself. I have been working on some of these things (crossovers in particular)for a long time now, really, and I really am frustrated that I have not improved more. Granted, I am at least a lot more comfortable with them, and that is certainly something. It is just that I see in my mind's eye what they should be but I can't yet make that happen. *sigh*