More Woodshedding

Today's lesson started out by reviewing forward edges. We ran through them like for the test; FO out and FI back (no "presentation" though). The FOs are okay, the FIs I still need to work on lifting the free hip a bit. Anna says I need to look down the line as I'm coming back to the axis, and to think about progressing a bit. Also it would help if, along with lifting the free hip, I managed to keep the free foot firmly in front of the skating foot coming back to the line. Hmmph!

Next we went to back edges. First BO edges, which are improving but still rough. Anna reminded me that for these I need to be looking down the line the whole time as well, and to think of going "out" more (i.e. a little straighter). Next we went to BI edges, which took the bulk of our time for today. These are slowly improving (long way to go though!). We worked on getting a better push, holding the "set" position and getting the free foot in front, and improving/smoothing the rotation. For these I need to be looking over the shoulder at first, then toward the line as I come back to the axis. In contrast to the BO edges, for these I need to think less "out" and more "diagonal" both "going out" from, and "coming back," to the line. In looking back, I see that I was introduced to the BO edges in February, I think (!) so I have been working on them a long time. Of course I've been working on most of this stuff for a long time.

For the last bit of our time Anna showed me a pattern that she wants me to practice, it's more or less the same as from the USFSA Basic 8 curriculum. It's done on a hockey circle and consists of forward crossovers into an inside Mohawk, then a cross-step, then a step forward (BI Mohawk). There can be some back crossovers in there too for speed. Anyway, the Basic 8 one is a cross behind but she said I can do a cross in front for now -- that is, skating backward (e.g. RBO) cross the free foot inside the circle, but cross it in front not behind. Anyway, Anna says this is a nice combination of things. I managed one or two in each direction so that was good. I'm sure at some point I'll have to do the cross-behind though.

For the very last part of our time Anna showed me another pattern she wants me to work on, FO spirals. I think it's a simplified version (or not) of the Preliminary Moves pattern (which is FO and FI spirals). Anyway, it's just doing alternating FO spirals on lobes down the rink similar to the perimeter crossover pattern. I tried it once and discovered that I needed a) bigger lobes (!) and b) to get into the spiral position faster.

And with that we were over our time by 5 minutes or so. Anna wants me to work on these patterns and we'll look at them again next Friday. She asked me how much time I would have to work between now and Monday, and at first I said just Saturday at the Zoo and the Sunday 9 a.m. freestyle; but later I remembered that I am off on Monday (Columbus day!) so I will have more time Monday. So she said we'll possibly look at one of them on Monday (or not).

In looking over my blog I'm realizing that I am, in some respects, far behind where I'd hoped to be by this point. For example, it's October and I still haven't learned a waltz jump. I'm a little disappointed, but that's tempered by the realization that I really am progressing and a lot of things are become easier and more solid. For example, I was warming up today and I intended to do an LFO edge and did an LFO3 instead. A lapse in concentration? Sure, but the point was I was able to do a 3-turn without really thinking. Okay, it was kind of a scrapey one, but still -- there's something to that. Also in the warmup today I did the best one-foot spin I've done to date -- a solid 3 revs! Of course Anna wasn't looking at the time :-(. Still, the point is that I am in a good place in my skating, I think, and I should not be too frustrated by somewhat artificial goals when I otherwise think I'm making pretty good progress.

I asked in the office and was told that the Wednesday night public session has indeed been changed to 7 - 8:30 p.m. indefinitely due to hockey. Considering the condition of the ice and the shortness of the session I think I will be better off trying to skate the adult session at lunchtime on Wednesdays too -- it's only 10 minutes less time, the ice is better, it's less crowded. It's hard to get away from work that much (3 long lunchtimes a week) but I can go ahead and stay late on Wednesdays to make it up so I think it will be okay.

I was talking with Lisa H. after the session -- she's very excited, having just done her first flying sitspin today. She did 4! She says they were small, but hey, you have to start someplace. Congrats Lisa!