Perseverance

I skated the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I was planning on having a lesson with Coach Holly but it had to be canceled, so I just skated.

After Friday's workout I was not in the mood to run my programs!  So instead I worked on chunks from them, especially the free skate.  My spins were really bad today, I did not get any good ones.  Salchows were also yukky.  I spent some time working on toe loops on the boards and out on the ice.  I'm still landing the two-footed, I don't know if it's just lack of nerve or what as I feel I really could land them if I tried.  Grrr.

Program Workout

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Really crowded today as there's a test session this afternoon.

I warmed up with stroking, spins, waltz jump and salchow.

Today's lesson:

• free skate -- we ran this THREE times, 2 of them back to back.  Eeep.  I'm still having issues with the salchow -- I think it's mental as I usually had a good entry and position and then somehow biff it at the end :-(.  Grr. On the positive side I'm doing all the elements! My spins were not so great, though.  I had a good one in warmup but not after.
• dramatic -- It was okay.  I did the bunnyhop! With no warmup!
• light -- not bad. I did the bunnyhop but the salchow was bad.  Oh well.

Holy cow!  5 runthroughs in 30 minutes.  I was wiped out. Geez.

Working The Trouble Spots

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe. Nice ice, 6 skaters. I warmed up with edges and FO8/FI8 and scribed circles.

We decided to continue working on some of my problem areas...

• step forward -- We did these down the line and later on a circle.  Basically working to get the step forward to be more secure and not "out."  We made some progress in getting me to relax and be able to turn the foot and push.  It needs to happen with a good tempo, if it's too slow then the edge goes back into the circle too much.  At the same time, though, I need to turn all the way forward, not just most of the way.  Ugh.  Still, I've had this problem forever so it's not going to be fixed just like that.  Sadly, I am one of those skaters for whom almost nothing comes easily.
• 3s -- working to fix these to be less scrapy and forced.  We did a bunch on the wall, then on the ice also.  The LFO3 is really nice -- in particular there is a nice rhythm to the down-up-down.  That doesn't happen on the RFO3 which is why it's so horrible.  Not sure how we will fix this.

After my lesson I had about 10 minutes so I worked on 3s some more.  Ugh.

Perseverance

I skated the 5:15 FS at Scottsdale for practice.

I'm not really used to these crowded freestyles (about 16 skaters) but it's getting better.  It helps that I know most of the coaches.

I warmed up with jumps and spins, then ran my free skate with music.  It was mostly okay except that I still biffed the salchow :-(.  I worked on that and some other stuff, then ran my dramatic program.  It was mostly okay.

All in all it was a good practice.  I'm finding it hard to get ice time in with my current schedule so I'll take what I can get.

Program Prep

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  My first time in this time slot, and moved to today since there's no ice tomorrow (hockey, of course).  I am not a morning person so this was a bit of a struggle for me, but I made it and was productive so yay me!

We ran my free skate twice, with some time in between to work on the salchow.  I'm still having issues coming into this from the lunge before as I just don't get over my L side very well; we also discovered I was kinda rushing things.

We also ran my dramatic program (good, and I even did the bunny hop yay me!) and my light program (chickened out on the bunny hop and a couple of small issues but mostly okay).

I'm glad I still have 4 lessons before MidWinter!

Waltz-8

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  A little more crowded than usual, but nice ice.

I warmed up with edges, scribed circles, and worked on FO8 and FI8.

Today's lesson was focused on the waltz-8.  We ran it once (kinda rough) then worked on the problem areas a bit.  Next we worked on the step-forward exercise down the line.  I could usefully spend a lot of time working on this exercise because it does make me confront my weakness, especially the LBO step forward.  Ugh!

From there we worked some more on the waltz-8, and broke out a bit to work on the exercise Danette gave me a long time ago of skating a back edge against the wall.  This has gotten better but the LB edge is still a bit rough.

All in all some good work.  I'm trying not to despair on this whole thing ( waltz-8) since it's been forever.  At the same time I do feel like we are actually getting at root causes of some of the issues so that gives me hope.

Program Prep

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert.  Alas, this is my last time in this time slot for a while, as school starts for me on Monday and I'll have to move my lesson earlier to make it.

I warmed up with stroking and then did some jumps & spins.

Today we focused on the free skate mostly, and also a little time on the light program.  We worked through some elements in the free skate, then ran the program twice.  Eeep!  I am really out of shape right now, it's bad.  I was a lot more winded than I expected to be.  That's what comes from not having been to the gym for like 4 months  :-(.

After that we ran the light program once.  I dropped the prop part way through (I wasn't wearing the correct shirt w/breast pocket, so it was more awkward than it would otherwise be) and had to pick it up, which put me behind.  It was okay, more or less.

After that we ran the free skate one more time, then worked on the salchow a bit before we had to get off.

All in all, not bad.  I'm concerned about my stamina, and most of my spins were kind of wonky.  Also I'm landing the toe loop two-footed (especially in combination) and most of my salchows were not so great.... so what was good?  Ha! Well, mostly that I pretty much got through everything and remembered where to go, and I at least attempted the elements.

Oh, we also decided to add a lunge in the free skate after the first spin as there was kind of a gap there.  It's fine.

I finally got signed up (yesterday?) for MidWinter -- all three programs.  Eeep!

Perseverance

I skated the 8:30 a.m. FS at Chandler today.  Okay ice and just 3 skaters and 1 coach - I had private ice the last 15-20 minutes.

I ran all three programs and worked on the elements thereof.  I'm feeling a lot better about them in general.  There are still some definite weaknesses, especially in the free skate, but at least I don't feel like I'm facing this huge unknown, so that's positive.

Working The Basics

My figures lesson with Danette on the 8:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  Just 3 skaters and 2 coaches. 

We started right at the beginning of the session so I didn't get a warmup.  We ran through edges and they were generally okay.  Then we ran FO8 and spent a lot of time working to fix the body position, first on the RFO and then on the LFO.  Ugh.  The push is generally a lot better but having issues controlling the rotation after the first half of the circle.  We finally made some progress.

After that we spent a few minutes working on FI8 and they were generally much better.  Phew!

After my lesson I had just 5 minutes or so, so I worked on the step forward exercise that Danette gave me a while back.  It felt relatively okay.

Free Skate Refresh

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert.  I warmed up with stroking, then worked on jumps and spins.

Today's lesson was a refresh of my free skate ("Exorcist").  We started with the 2nd half of the program and worked through the mohawk/cross-mohawk/cross footwork into the "twirly arms"/spiral sequence and a go at the waltz jump->toe loop combo (eek).  From there we went back to the beginning and worked the toe loop and spin and then especially the footwork before the spin, which is weak.  After the spin I have some crossovers into the salchow.  Holly thinks we should change the salchow entrance as I have issues getting into it -- I'm just not on a good edge and it's hard to do from basically a flat.  Ugh.

So little time until MidWinter!  I think it will be okay though.  It came back pretty readily today, I just need to get back to the gym (which didn't happen today, I worked until 8 p.m. yuck!).

Perseverance

I skated the 8:30 a.m. FS this morning at Chandler, my first skate of the new year!  Ice was okay and just 3 skaters and 2 coaches.  It was bitterly cold in the rink (and outside) and I just couldn't warm up.

I sort of walked through the free skate and both showcase programs without actually doing them.  I then spent the remainder of the session (I got on a little late, and had to leave a little early, both due to work) working on jumps and spins.

I got one (ONE) good salchow.  Ugh.  The rest were mostly an okay entrance but landed on two feet, or other issues.  I got no good toe loops.  I also worked a little on waltz-toe combo since there is one in the free skate (I had forgotten this until I watched the video!).  Meh.  It happens but it's not a good toe loop either.  And no good spins, either.  Basically, one of those days where the only real accomplishment seems to be the fact that I got out there and skated.  Ugh.

In other news I have booked my flight for PCAS, and my hotel room for MidWinter. Still need to book hotel for PCAS, and to register for each.