More BI3s

Today's lesson:

• FI edges -- review, since we'd not looked at them in a while. In general they are fine, but Anna says I'm still rushing the position a bit. She'd rather I'd have more of a "set" and complete the rotation etc. more slowly and deliberately. As it is, it's "top of the lobe and you're already done!".
  
• FO edges -- amazingly enough, Anna had nothing to say about them!
  
• BO edges -- bleah! Still coming back to the line diagonally on the left foot, which makes the right-foot lobe too small. The key seemed to be on the left foot, to extend the free foot straight back coming back to the line; gives a better draw-in and better lobe.
  
• BI edges -- problems here mostly in getting a good draw-in on the foot and keeping the free hip up.
  
• BI3s -- the bulk of our time today. We worked mostly on the right foot, but also some time on the left foot. We started by doing an LBI edge into back two-foot glide, then a back two-foot turn. I'm really impressed by how much easier this is now and how much less scary. From there we went to LBI edge to RBI edge and get into position for the turn. It's coming along. I almost did one, but I don't think it quite counts. The key factors seem to be to really get the shoulder back and be looking over it, and to get the free foot in the correct position from the get-go, i.e., not allowing it to ever be behind but stroking and picking it up in front. After a lot of time on the right foot we worked on the left a little, but it's rough -- not surprising since we've spent almost no time on it. We finished up with Anna asking me to try a (rough) double-3, i.e. in this case an LFO3 and then LBI3. It sort of worked and was surprisingly not scary. Anna said to play with it, although the form will not be correct; just to get familiar with it.
  

In looking around me at the freestyle session this morning, I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that of the 12 skaters on the ice, 8 of them were Anna's. I don't know if that is just coincidence or what, but it does contribute to a sort of "homey" feeling that is nice. I also had a nice chat with "Tough Love" Tracy, who "encouraged" me in person to get my butt out of bed and to the rink :-). Thanks Tracy! :-)