Moves

Today's lesson:

• FXOs -- in the Moves pattern. I wasn't happy with the bad side, but it was better than it's been. My extension was horrible, though, and Sonya reminded me I really need to push the stroke all the way out.
  
• BXOs -- in the Moves pattern, of course. Sonya says these have improved a lot since I started with her; but they are still quite scratchy. I'm having issues getting turned into the new circle when I'm crossing -- I can't get my hip back. Sonya told me that when I rotate the arms for the new circle I need to think of really pulling the shoulder back, and looking over my hand and keeping the chin up. I tend to drop the chin (even though I'm looking over the hand, more or less) -- it really helps to keep it up. Still, these are improving.
  
• Forward 3-turn pattern -- We spent some good time on these. We looked at how to get into them, and I decided to start from the crease, have 3 strokes into an RFI swing roll, and then start with the LFI3 side -- Sonya felt it would be best to start with the more difficult side, and I agree. On the RFI3-LFO3, we worked through them trying to get the placement of the turns better. On the lobe with the turns I should be placing the turns at 10 and 2 (if it were a clock). As in my practice yesterday, after I do one lobe of turns the back lobe tends to be a bit surprising/awkward/confusing. Sonya told me that I really need to keep going when I have a problem or make a mistake -- I have a habit (I know others struggle with this too) when I make a mistake of stopping and restarting, or stopping to think. Obviously the test isn't like that, nor is competition -- I need to just keep on going. As it is, my body gets used to stopping and so I don't get the feel for what it feels like to do a complete set, what the cadence is like. These are coming along, but of course the LFI3 is still holding me back.
  
• Spins -- We had about 10 minutes left, so I asked to look at these. They are continuing to improve. Sonya reminded me to feel like I'm pulling my L shoulder back, and also to really bring the free foot in firmly. She also said I need to not bail out so quickly -- and of course she's right. I tried hanging with it a bit more and it did help a lot. I'm still going up on the toe but not quite as badly. I'm really happy with my progress on these and I think I am not too far from turning the corner on these. I need to keep working them. Of course right now we are just working them from a standing start. I've practiced the BXO entrance a lot, but not recently. Marrying that up with what I'm doing now might be a bit of a challenge.
  

As far as Moves are concerned, I mostly have to fix the LFI3 and get the 3-turn pattern down, and get my FXOs and BXOs a bit more solid. Once that's in place I think I can pass the test. Maybe in August? I'll have to ask Sonya about that at some point.