XOs & Spins

FS lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert, as usual.

Today's lesson:

• FXOs -- JJ wanted to look at these so we did... in the Moves pattern. Not too bad but lacking in speed and power. JJ said form was good.
• BXOs -- as usual, rather scratchy on the CCW side. JJ reminded me to keep the arm/shoulder pulled back and to look where I'm going. I really need to work on these, I tend to do them once and move on but I should spend some time de-scratching.
  
• Spins -- once more into the breach! Actually, I did several that were not bad and one 3-rev spin so I guess I am making some progress after all, even if it's agonizingly slow. We had some discussion about where I should be looking in the windup; in the past I've been told to look back (to my R) but I realized I was not doing that anymore. So I put that back in; the result was that my BI edge was much, much more secure and I could push off it pretty well into the FO edge. The rest was pretty much as usual.
• Backspin prep -- JJ had me work on the entrance, just feeling the 3 and bringing in L foot close in. We did this on the blue line a bit and then more extensively at the boards. I think I have a feel for it but I'm curious how I'm going to get past the fear of having my feet that close together (crossed!). Hmm...
• Jumps -- in the last 2 minutes or so I did a waltz jump, salchow and toe loop. Waltz jump okay, salchow was late on the jump but felt good otherwise, toe loop still cheated but otherwise okay.

After my lesson I stayed for the following session, just myself and one other skater. Worked on my spins (got one more good one and several not so), a bunch of time on power-3 and 5-step mohawk and other stuff as well.