Moves

I have two lessons this week (one is make-up from last week), so today we decided to work on moves. I had a nice warmup on my newly-sharpened blades. As usual, it was a nice session with only 3 skaters.

Today's lesson:

• back Russian stroking -- we started with this as a way of working on the back pattern for some of the moves I'm working on (power-3, 3-turn pattern). So we worked doing the back Russian stroking down the rink. Sonya said I need to go out more on the first part of the lobe (push/weight shift) and also that I need to be facing out of the circle (arms extended), then face into the circle (rotate arms) before the BXO. It's starting to come together.
  
• 3-turn pattern -- just the right side on this (RFI3, LFO3). I actually managed to do a couple in a row, more than once (yea me!). I tend to rush these though. If I just relax and wait a bit I have plenty of time to set up (not so frantic) and that gives me better placement of the turns anyway.
  
• LFI3 -- I told Sonya I need to spend a little time on these every lesson until I am able to consistently practice them. My mind block on them comes and goes but it's pretty strong. We worked on them for a bit with not much success, and then Sonya suggested doing a two-foot turn (clockwise) and picking up the R foot right after the turn for the check. So i did a couple of those, then tried an LFI3 quickly. Yea! Of course, Sonya wasn't looking when I did it :-), so I did it again. I think I did 4 or 5, preceded by the two-foot turn each time. We'll keep working on it.
  
• waltz-8 -- We just had a couple of moments on this. I wanted to fix my 3-turn placement on this, so Sonya marked it for me and I memorized where I want to put those 3s. For the record :-) it's on the tip of the green pine tree in the center ice logo (right foot), and on the right side of the 2nd "O" in "Sherwood" on the left foot. My RFO3s are a bit stinky on the waltz-8, I don't curve the edge enough and I force them too much. But the placement is improving. Sonya also reminded me to hold the free foot in front on the BO edge (and look into the circle) and not move it back (or turn the head) until after the midpoint of the edge (the red line).
  

I felt really good after this lesson, and I was intrigued by the contrast between how I felt today vs. Sunday. Maybe I just need more freestyle time. The drive to and from the rink today was slowed by a) fog and b) drivers unwilling to drive the speed limit even though the fog wasn't that bad. Oh well!