Backwards...

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  I just had about 10 minutes to warm up.  4 skaters, nice ice as usual.

Today's lesson:

• stroking -- just a lap.  I'm a bit faster.
• F slalom -- just half a lap. Okay.
• BXOs -- I told Holly we needed to get me working on skating backwards since I've been... reluctant to do so.  So we started with BXOs, working to de-scrape them.  I tend to lean out of the circle when I get going fast (a fear thing, I assume) which makes it harder.  Holly made me cross and hold, which did definitely help (and was kinda scary). I need to work this more.  There was some definite improvement though.
• BI edges -- we did an exercise of just skating shallow alternating BI edges down the line.  This actually was not too bad.
• B flat -- (always wanted an excuse to type that :-) ) Same setup as above but just holding a backward flat.  Ugh!  Left foot was okay but right foot, could not hold a straight line.  We worked it for a bit and it got better, but I'm still getting way up on my toe and couldn't make myself set back on it.  Urph.
• LFO3 -- we had just a few minutes left so we worked on 3s, just the LFO3 as it turned out.  With Holly holding my hand I can do a really nice 3 with the free leg close... without, though, I revert to my usual problem with my free leg popping out after the turn, and not really coming "down" in the knee after the turn.  So at least I know it's possible for me to fix.

All in all a really good lesson and I feel I'm making good progress.