Slow But Steady

Before my lesson I got some feedback from Marge (a judge) on my waltz-8s as I was practicing them. She says my 3-turn is too early (she's right) and she had some other feedback as well.

Today's lesson:

• FXOs -- these are coming along. Anna says while my extension is improving I need to be sure to get the leg fully extended so it's straight, and hold just a moment at that point. She also wants me to work on pushing more firmly with the blade on the underpush, so that the blade almost become parallel to the ice; curling the ankle a bit. Still, there seems to be real improvement in these in the last couple of weeks and I'm not sure why. I still need to avoid rushing them though; when I take my time they are pretty good, but Anna noticed that often the first few are better than those that follow; as I go faster I tend to rush them, or perhaps the speed is the issue.
• BXOs -- these are improving also. Anna really had me working on looking over my arm on these -- I think she's not going to put up with me looking down or toward the center of the circle anymore. They are still pretty scratchy but Anna says I'm starting to get a real cross on the bad direction, finally. I think in another month or so these will be worth looking at.
  
• Spins -- still working on these. They were better today than Friday (always better with your coach around!). I'm still tending to wide-step the step forward and Anna says I need to feel the tension in my arms when I'm stepping forward; also wait a little longer for the step forward and keep the free leg back straight on the step forward. Still, they are coming along slowly; Anna says that if I keep working on them I'll start to feel where the spin should be and it will just happen, instead of forcing it like I am now.
  
• Power pulls -- Anna wanted to look at these. We looked at both forward and back, and interspersed them with doing some slaloms. Apparently I'm cheating my slaloms somewhat by generating the change of edge by pushing instead of pure knee action. You should be able to do these with your feet glued together, but I can't. I can do these just a little, but I have trouble getting the knee rise and fall to work. Anyway, Anna decided we would focus first on the forward power pulls and she wants me to work on them.
  
• 5-step Mohawk -- Anna wanted to work these in the pattern ("big") instead of down the line as we've always worked them before. I did my first set and went in with a lot of speed -- Anna said she'd never seen me skate into anything that fast before except crossovers! Well, it was a bit too much speed for me to feel comfortable (although I didn't lose control) so I slowed it down after that. I find them actually a little easier in the pattern since the lobes are much bigger. However the bigger lobes definitely show up the problems in my timing! Anna made me do an entire side down the rink -- I wound up doing 7 lobes instead of the prescribed 5. Anna says I shouldn't worry about it, when I do them with more speed they will be the right size instead of a little too small as they were. Anna says I should work these, but always in the pattern now and not down the line.
  

The special treat for today was that my Dad and stepmother happened to be passing through town and got to see the last few minutes of my lesson (the 5-step). They're the only members of my family to have seen me skate. Anna was really excited to get to meet them, as was skate buddy Nicole. It was a good feeling.