Preliminary Test

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult FS.  So-so ice but only 3 skaters.  I warmed up with edges and FO8/FI8, then scribed circles and worked on 3s.

Today's lesson:

• FO8 -- just a couple of runthroughs and then we checked my circles with the scribe.  They were pretty good on the left foot, but on the right side I didn't quite fill out the circle.  Good tracings and reasonably good pushes though (lined up well).
• FI8 -- again a couple of runthroughs.  Not bad although I had some issues for some reason where I was too far forward on my blade and we discussed how to (and how not to) go about fixing that if it happens.  Not bad.
• waltz-8 -- just like 5 minutes on these.  Danette has me working to try to get a better rhythm on the BO edge so that I prep the step forward better.  Hmm.

No lesson this week.  Sherwood competition is coming up soon!

Perseverance

I skated the 5:15 FS at Chandler for practice, as usual.  This session is a bit different from the old 5:30 session from the spring, today there was a gaggle of about 4 girls I'd never seen who were not in lesson and who talked a lot and were not really focused.  And, they got in my way several times. Grrr.

I warmed up with Bronze Moves as usual, then some time on RFO3s from power 3; more circle-8, and some FXOs.

After that I went on to work on spins, starting with my spin exercise, then some spins from the windup, and then the backspin exercise. I did get a couple spins that were relatively okay.

I finished up with about 5 minutes worth of jumps.  Waltz jumps (not bad), salchow (mostly bad) and some toe loops (all bad).  I worked a little on trying to get the toe loop to come all the way around... geez.

3s & Waltz-8

My figures lesson with Danette on the adult freestyle at Chandler.  Only 3 adults and our (temporarily) resident pairs team.

I had a half hour to warm up (edges, FO8, FI8) and scribe circles.  I also spent some time on the back edge exercise Danette gave me.

Today's lesson:

• pushing -- I mentioned to Danette my issues I found with my L foot push on Tuesday, so we experimented  a bit.  I see a similar difference in patch skates, but it's not as pronounced, probably due to the superior flow of these blades.  Hmm.  I need to fix this in the gym I think.
• 3s -- we used my scribed circles to work on 3s for a while.  They did improve somewhat but no "ah-ha" moments.  I just really need to push into the edge, and then commit to making a quick turn.  I did fall on an RFO3, the usual slo-mo fall. lol!
• waltz-8 -- back to these for the first time in a while.  Actually they are mostly not bad except that the step forward is lacking.  I'm tracking the circle much better than I used to.  Still need to stand up straighter, and turn my freakin' head.  Much to do.

The Sherwood announcement is out now.  I need to decide what I'm going to do.

Perseverance

I skated the 5:15 p.m. FS at Chandler, as usual.  Not as usual, there was a pairs team practicing! Eeep. Fortunately they were not doing runthroughs so it was pretty easy to keep out of their way.

I started bringing a practice notebook with me and I had written up a practice plan -- let's see if this continues :-).

I spent 25 minutes working on Bronze Moves.  For the first time in a while I ran the whole test without leaving anything out, even the dreaded power-3s.  The BXOs to BO edges were really good!  I still need more work on the BO edge on the 5-step.

After the runthrough I worked some more on circle-8. I'm still not getting around on the R foot, though it is better since the blade move.  I did an experiment, and saw how far I could go on 1 push (on a flat) on each foot.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it was about 12 feet (!) farther pushing from the R foot than the L.  I don't know if this is left over from when I was off the ice (seems likely) or what, but clearly that's what I need to fix.

After that about 10 minutes on spins. I worked on the forward spin exercise, and then for a few minutes also on the backspin exercise.  Then I did some from the windup and got a couple that were pretty good! I was stoked.

Last 10 minutes on jumps. I did a nice waltz jump, then fell on the next 3 I attempted.  Gaaah.  Not sure what was up with that.  From there I worked on salchows and they were pretty bad, and I almost fell on one of those too. Geez.

Spins & Jumps & Backspin Prep

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert.  For some reason this session was really crowded this morning -- like 12 people instead of the usual 5 or so.  Oh well, it was nice to see everyone.

I warmed up with stroking and perimeter XOs.

Today's lesson:

• spins -- we did the exercise near the boards, then from the windup.  I actually got a couple that were not bad!  For some reason I was not as enthused as I probably should have been.
• jumps -- a couple of waltz jumps just to warm up, then some salchows.  Most of them were relatively okay. Finished up with some toe loops, most were crappy except that the last one was pretty good, actually.
• backspin prep -- Holly gave me a couple of exercises to work on to prep for backspin as we won't have a lesson for the next couple of weeks.  The first is just standing at the boards on my R foot and working to turn the foot on the sweet spot so I can feel where it is. The second is something I actually started playing with on Tuesday -- the backspin equivalent of my forward spin exercise.  So stand on the R foot and push/swizzle backward around and then try to pick the L foot up. This is a lot scarier! Eeep.  I'll have to work on it.

Perseverance

I skated the 5:15 PM FS at Chandler as usual for freestyle practice.  I was a little tired since I skated earlier and it was a long day.

I warmed up with Bronze moves, and spent a little extra time working on 5-step mohawk to try to get my BO edge better.  Then I spent about 10 minutes on spins and got a couple that were okay.  Finished up with 5 minutes on jumps. Nice waltz jump, a couple of good salchows and a bunch of crappy toe loops.  Oh well!

Edges & 3s

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult freestyle.  Weird schedule this week so I only had 45 min to skate, and had my lesson with no warmup :-(.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- a little rough (no warmup!).  Still trying to adjust to doing 5 lobes/edge.  Still need more work on the BI push.
• 3s -- the remainder of our lesson.   I'm not sure how worthwhile this is to work on in the lesson, actually, as I feel like I just need to really spend a lot of time on them.  I had some feedback but it wasn't anything I didn't already know.  I know what I'm supposed to do, I just can't get myself to do it. Hmm.

After my lesson I had about 15 minutes so I did FO8 and FI8 and some more 3s.

Spins & Jumps

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert, as usual.  I warmed up with Bronze Moves.

Today's lesson:

• spins -- most of our time for today.  Worked on the exercise, then from the windup.  I'm having some difficulty remembering to bring my arms in and up, and to keep my head up. Bleah.  I did get a couple that were okay, though.
• jumps -- one (nice) waltz jump for warmup, then a bunch of salchows.  I didn't really like any of them, as none were as nice as the one good one I had on Tuesday. Oh well.  I need to skate more!

All in all an okay lesson, considering I felt a bit cold and tired the whole time. Oh well.

This afternoon I took my skates to Kelly and he did the final mounting on the right blade now that I'm sure (for now, lol!) that it's where it should be. Yay!

Patch Perseverance

I skated the 11:45 a.m. adult freestyle at Chandler today (no Ice Café for the next 2 months).  No lesson this week, so I just had patch practice.  Besides the usual gang of crazies, it was nice to see Elena, Katy, and Caitlin on the session today!  I had not seen Caitlin in many moons, she's been off the ice.

I ran through edges - I had to remind myself to make 5 lobes, not 4, so I took more time with them than usual. Then I ran FO8 and FI8.  After that I went on to spend some time on the back edge exercise Danette gave me... the LBO is still a struggle to get the weight back on the blade.

After that I went on to work on BO8 for a bit.  These were actually really nice!  I'm not sure if it's because of the exercise I had just done, or what, but they just felt really easy and confident.  Yay!  I finished up with some time on 3s.  I worked mostly on RFO3 and I did get better at holding the entry longer, and pushing down on the pinky toe as I go into the turn.  So, they did improve.  Then I spent a little time on LFO3 and of course these were much, much better.

All in all good practice!

Perseverance

I skated the 5:15 (changed from 5:30) p.m. FS at Chandler as usual.  Presumably because it's summer, there were only 5 of us on the session, which was nice.

I spent the first 20 - 25 minutes working on the Bronze Moves (I skipped power-3s though).  I'm pleased to say that the RFO side of the circle-8 is improving, and that while I'm still coming up a little short on the circle, it's only 3-4 feet and not the 8 feet or more it was before.  So that's progress.  I still feel there's a lot I need to improve in the way of flow on these, though - in order to pass the test I think I need to look a lot more confident and have more speed than I do now, although I've definitely improved.  And of course the power-3s will need to look a lot better.

From there I worked on spins some more, both the exercise and then from windup.  I got one kinda nice one from the windup, but most were kinda stinky.  Still I feel like I am getting a better feel for things and I now feel like I know where it should be and how it should feel.

I finished up with some jumps.  A bunch of salchows (only one at was really nice, alas) and a few toe loops for good measure.  Eeep.