Off-Ice Training

Sonya had been wanting to do some off-ice training with me, to introduce me to some jump prep exercises I need to start doing; so we did that for 15 minutes today (at 8 a.m.), then finished up with 15 minutes on-ice.

Off-ice:

• Jump check -- this is just jumping up, landing on one foot and checking out. There's actually more than you'd think to worry about though -- like bringing the knee up in the right position and bringing the arms through correctly.
• 1/2 turn -- Jump up, do a half-turn and land, either on one foot (ideally) or two.
• 1/2 turn - 1/2 turn -- same as above, only two in a row quickly without checking between.
• full turn -- actually right now more of a 3/4 rev turn. I could not make it all the way around (had a dumb fall).
  

Sonya said she'd like me to about 10 of each of these before I skate, every time. On the turns it's important not to try to turn, just jump up. The rotation should actually come from bringing the arms in (the snap). I had problems keeping my body aligned straight up and down so clearly I need to work on these more. I had actually been exposed to this stuff when I went to the Zimmerman/Fontana clinic back in Tucson last year.

After our off-ice time, I got on the ice and warmed up and we finished on-ice:

• FO3s -- about 10 minutes on this. We managed to get them in much better shape. The RFO3s still are weak, though. Corrections were to turn in the circle better, and to bringing the trailing hand into the circle a bit after the turn.
  
• Lunges -- the LF one is pretty good, but Sonya said I need to keep the trailing leg straighter. RF is weak; Sonya suggested I think of pushing/keeping the trailing heel back/down.
  
• Spirals -- Sonya said my LF spiral is "solid". Need to keep the chin up and feel like I'm pushing the hips back. Sonya says the free leg is almost where it needs to be (yea!). RF is weaker but not bad.
  

After the lesson I worked on back edges some more, and a bunch of 3s plus some BXOs, FXOs and Russian stroking.