Moves & Jumps

My lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert. I warmed up with Bronze Moves.

Today's lesson:

• 5-step mohawk -- working to de-scratch these.  JJ pointed out that the scratching actually started with the 2nd step, not just the 3rd.  So I worked on pressing the heel on the 2nd step and then doing the same on the 3rd. We made some progress working it on the circle, then tried it in the move.  Ugh.  A lot harder in the move.  I have to really focus on being more deliberate and not going on autopilot.  Oh well.
• circle-8 -- wanted to try this on the somewhat crappy ice since Gilbert is where I will be testing.  It was... okay.  Just barely okay.  I really need to push harder at Gilbert since the ice is softer and doesn't flow as well.
• waltz jump -- we worked on improving the check on the landing and getting more spring.
• salchow -- I had done a really nice one yesterday, and I managed a pretty good one today too, then some that were not so good.  After that they improved a bit.  Keys seemed to be to relax (lol), hold the LFO a bit and then hold the LBI a bit with a good strong check.

Preliminary Test & Serpentines

My figures lesson with Lynne on the Chandler Ice Café.

Today's lesson:

• Edges -- These are pretty good.  Even the BI edges are pretty strong.
• FO8 -- pretty good for no warmup.
• FI8 -- Nice.
• waltz-8 -- These have definitely improved.  Weakest point now is the LBO edge still curves inside the circle a bit, and the step forward is not on a good edge most of the teim.
• serpentines -- the push is still lacking on these but the change of edge (both of them) is getting better; and even the push has improved so that I almost got all the way around on two of them.

After my lesson I worked some more on waltz-8 and serpentines.

Spins

My spins lesson with Lynne on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  I warmed up with Bronze Moves then spent more time on power-3s.

Today's lesson:

• standing start -- these started off just so-so, then improved (several 3 rev spins), then got worse again.  Ugh.
• windup -- I had one 2 rev spin.  Same issues as usual, I'm rushing too much.  Meh.

After my lesson I warmed up my jumps.  I did a really good salchow!  By "really good" I mostly mean that the timing was actually right -- there wasn't much "jump" in that jump but the timing was good.  Then I ran my free skate program. Meh.  Finished late.

Power-3s, Toe Loop, Loop

My lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert, as usual.  I warmed up with the Bronze Moves test.

Today's lesson:

• power-3s -- we worked on the RFO3 side.  Mostly we worked on doing a better job of the BXO and step forward.  I realized that part of the issue was that the BXO really was cruddy and weight stayed on the outside too much.  We spent quite a bit of time on these.  Part of is that I am tending to rush the BXO and not take my time.
• toe loop -- still working to get my weight onto the toe pick.  JJ says I really just need to think about the entry and not worry about the jump right now.  I spent some time looking back in this blog -- it's distressing to see how long I have been working on these and they still stink.  Grrr.
• loop intro -- still working on the drill JJ gave me -- RFI3, 2-foot turn, hop.  This is getting a lot easier.

After my lesson we talked briefly about the Bronze Moves test.  The conclusion is to take the test June 26th at Gilbert, as standard adult and not masters standard.

Preliminary Test & Serpentines

My figures test with Lynne on the Chandler Ice Cafe.

We started my lesson as soon as I got on the ice.  In some ways not optimal but it is good practice for the test (no warmup as a simulation for nerves).

Today's lesson:

• edges -- pretty good.  I'm really pleased that the BI edges are improved enough that the first lobe is almost the same size as all the others. 
• FO8 -- I forgot to mark my center for this but decided to just go with it.  Actually I was okay as I just looked for my push-off mark.  A little wonky on the first LFO (a bit flat) but other than that not bad.
• FI8 -- pretty nice.  Didn't mark my center for this either as an experiment. It was fine.
• waltz-8 -- wow!  These were actually so much better!  I was really really happy with them.  I am holding the BO edge long enough and that is making the step forward and FO return a lot easier.  I'm still a little inside the circle on the BO.  We did them again and they were even better!  I'm really excited at my progress on these.  Still some work to do on making sure I step onto a good FO edge at the end but that is coming too. Yay!
• serpentines -- just 5 min or so on these.  The change of edge is a lot better and smoother and I feel like I have more control.  The main weakness now is the flow and push, I am stil about a quarter-circle short of finishing each 1.5 circle side.  Grrr.

After my lesson I spent the rest of the time working on serpentines and on practicing pushing.

All in all a great lesson!  I'm really pleased with my progress.   We have 6 or 7 weeks before I will have to commit to what figures to do for the Sherwood competition.  However the Chandler rink schedule is going to change for the summer after next week and I don't know how much figures ice I will get.  :-(

Spins

My spins lesson with Lynne on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.

I warmed up with Bronze Moves, then worked some more on 5-step mohawk and circle-8.  These are improving slowly.  I think they'll be ready to test in late June.

Today's lesson:

• standing start -- these started out not so great, but they did improve.  I did manage one 4-rev spin and several 3-rev spins.  I'm really lacking in consistency though.  I feel like I know all the pieces of what I need to do but getting them all to happen at the same time is the problem :-(.
• windup -- these are not as good (as usual), but I did manager one pretty nice 2-rev spin.  It's just a lot harder for me to settle down and not rush for this.  Grrr.

After my lesson I ran my free skate program.  Realized after the first 25 seconds or so that I was forgetting the little side toe hop after the waltz jump so I restarted and put it in.  Yay!  Salchow was not so great and the footwork needs work.  The lunge was really nice and low/solid though.

Moves, Jumps, Dance

My lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I warmed up with Bronze moves as usual.

Today's lesson:

• 5-step mohawk -- about 15 minutes on this. We worked on stabilizing the BO edge of the move.  In the past I've been waaaay up on my toe, dragging my toepick on that edge; so we made some good progress in fixing that.  If I can reinforce this in my practice I'll feel like this move is more or less ready to go.
• toe loop -- ugh.  We worked on getting me to bring the RBO edge around and not have me feet too close together.  We actually made some progress on this.
• loop prep -- we revisited the drill from last week, which I had also worked on briefly yesterday (Mohawk, two-foot turn, hop).  That actually is pretty comfortable (even the hop) so now we are working on doing it on one foot :-).  That will take some work.
• swing rolls -- I'm considering taking the ice dance class Chandler is going to offer in June and July, so in prep for that we spent just a couple of minutes on swing rolls.  They actually have gotten a lot better than I remember... but I need to try doing them at tempo now.

Serpentines

The second half of my "doubleheader Wednesday" with Lynne, my figures lesson on the Chandler Ice Café.

Today's lesson was focused (again) solely on serpentines.  Today we focused on being sure to not anticipate the change of edge and to make it smoother.  Some progress...  I still need to improve my push and flow though.

After my lesson I worked on waltz-8 and a little on BO8.

Spins

My spins lesson with Lynne on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  Private ice!

I warmed up with Bronze moves, then went back and worked some more on circle-8 since I'm still having occasional issues with it (how embarrassing!).

Today's lesson:

• standing start -- ugh.  These were pretty bad.  I have neglected them for a couple (?) of weeks and it really showed.  I think the best I did was 2.5 revs and most were just really horrible.  Yuck.
• windup -- these were also really pretty bad :-(.

After my lesson I had a few minutes so I ran my free skate.  Not that bad in the great scheme of things other than a horrible salchow.  I am still forgetting to do small things (until right after I should have done them) but it's not too bad.  I'm still skating too slowly though.

Push & Waltz-8

My figures lesson with Lynne on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.

I warmed up by running the Preliminary test as usual, then scribed some circles and worked some more on waltz-8.

Today's lesson:

• push -- We spent a few minutes just working on pushing harder/better.  We took some video so I could see what I'm doing.  While I definitely can push harder, I am seeing that I am still a little forward when I push, and that I also need to lock more core better when I push.  Beyond that I can do a better job of bringing the free foot in more promptly after the push.  I'll need to keep working on this but it was instructional. 
•  waltz-8 -- the R side of this has really improved!  The LBO feels a lot more like a normal LBO now and I'm holding it long enough now and tracking the circle much better.  We spent more time on the L side.  I found that if I really lock that R shoulder/arm/hand in on the push to the RBO then I have a much better edge (not going flat) and so I'm not tracking inside the circle so badly.  I need to work this more.

After my lesson I worked some on BO8 and serpentines.

Bronze Moves

My lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I warmed up with Bronze moves.

Today's lesson:

• Perimeter XOs -- working to get a better cross on the FXOs.  If I do them slowly and deliberately I can do a better (not great, but much better) job with some kind of crappy underpush.  I really wish I could get the kind of power other folks get on this move.
• Circle-8 -- Still working to get a better push and more consistent flow on these.
• Power-3s -- we just worked the RFO3 side.  JJ had me work a drill to just do them down the line and try to keep the lobes small and come back to the line more perpendicular (not diagonal).  He also had me do another drill to stand on the blue line facing the boards and then without moving my L foot, turn and step with the R foot onto an RFO and do an RFO3.  Yikes.

I'm a little frustrated, but really I just need to keep pushing in a focused way to fix some of these remaining issues -- not just because of the test, though that's important, but also to just improve my skating.

Preliminary Test & Serpentines

My figures lesson with Lynne on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  I got to the rink a little late and so we started pretty much as soon as I stepped on the ice.

Today's lesson:

• FO8 -- not bad for no warmup.
• FI8 -- not bad.
• waltz-8 -- my LFO coming back to center was not so good (but I made it) and in general it was about the same.  Again, no warmup so all things considered I'm not complaining.
• serpentines -- the bulk of our time on these.  Change of edge has improved and it's mostly fairly stable although the LFIO seems to have an issue with my free leg waving somewhat circularly on the change of edge instead of passing straight back.  I think this is a lack of nerve/trust of the edge on my part.  Still not making it around my circles though.

After my lesson I had about 20 minutes and I used most of that to work on pushing harder.  The drill is just to push on an edge (I did all 4 forward edges) and try to make it around for 1.5 circles.   I'm generally not making it though :-(.  I feel like my flow is decent, I just need to be able to push harder and still control it.

Jumps

My lesson with JJ on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I warmed up with Bronze moves... meh.

Today's lesson:

• toe loop -- we continued from where we were last week.  JJ had me work to bring the L foot around, not too close to the R foot.  JJ says it's not going to feel the way I think it's supposed to feel and I think he's probably right on that score and that is part of the problem.  Hmm.
• loop intro -- we spent a few minutes on this.  The drill JJ gave me was to skate on the hockey circle, do an RFI3, hold the free foot in front (at first he had me do a crossover), then do a two-foot turn to forward and a two-foot hop to backward again.  Hmm.
• salchow -- just a couple of minutes on these.  It appears the big problem now is to hold the free leg back (not out) after the 3.  Ugh.  Not much progress on these.

We have another lesson tomorrow (yay!) so hopefully we can work on Bronze moves and then revisit loop and salchow.

Perseverance

I skated the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  I had a pretty good skate!

I spent the first half hour or so on Bronze moves.  I ran the test, then worked some more on 5-step Mohawk, circle-8, perimeter XOs and also the dreaded power-3s.

For the second half hour I worked on spins, toe loop, and I ran m free skate once.  Program was a little rough in spots and the salchow was horrible; but not as bad as I expected.