Waltz-8 Elements

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  Nice ice, but a crowd (for that session) -- 7 skaters!

I warmed up with edges, scribed circles, and then did a really terrific FO8 and FI8!  After that I worked a bit on my step forward.

Today's lesson:

• step forward -- a large chunk of our lesson was just working on the step forward.  Ugh.  Really I don't know what to say about this other than that we spent a lot of time on it and it's still not improved, really.  At least we are addressing it because this is probably the single thing that is most keeping me from passing my Preliminary test.  Grrr.
• edges -- we had a couple of minutes at the end of my lesson and so we went through all 4 edges.  They were pretty nice, for the most part.

After my lesson I stayed a bit longer than usual and worked some on the step forward, waltz-8 and then a little on 3s.  I also managed to fall 3 times, lol.  No harm done.

Moves

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  Nice ice and just two of us for most of the session. I warmed up with stroking, perimeter XOs, circle-8 and BXOs to BO edges.

Today's lesson:

• circle-8 -- I was able to get around okay although the RFO is still weak.
• power-3s -- meh.  The 3 is still too early in the lobe, but the back lobe is improving.
• BXOs to BO edges -- these were actually not bad at all.  My flow has improved and even the RBO is looking a lot steadier and I'm not on my toe nearly as much.
• 5-step mohawk -- this is slowly improving, but it's not consistent.  We spent some time just working on the mohawk.  On the L mohawk I still tend to do the "flamingo leg" as I come off the L leg.  Holly thinks I should try to have more curve on the LFI edge before the mohawk.
• perimeter XOs -- just a couple of minutes on these.  They are actually improving and the flow is better.  The mohawk from the forward to backward halves of the move is pretty wonky though.  Ugh.

Perseverance

I skated the Gilbert adult skate for practice.  Good ice and just 5 skaters.

I warmed up with stroking and slaloms, then did some spins and jumps.  Then I worked for most of the session on Bronze moves.  I could NOT get around the RFO on the circle-8.  Ugh!  On the other hand my BXOs to BO edges were not bad at all.  I also spent some time on working on 3s and on the mohawk from the 5-step. 

Moves & Spins

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  Nice ice, 5 skaters.

I had 2nd lesson today so I had plenty of time to warm up.  I ran through Bronze moves and also worked on jumps and spins, in particular trying to fix my toe loop.  Ugh.

Today's lesson:

•  circle-8 -- I had finally gotten all the way around in warmup and so Holly had me do this for her.  The first time the push was not quite adequate, so I did it again and it was fine.  Yay!
• 5-step mohawk -- a bunch of time on this.  It is slowly improving.  Still trying to get off my toe on the BO edge -- I can do it in other contexts but for some reason it's difficult here. So I worked on pushing more into the BO edge and also to flex my foot to get my weight back on the blade.  It was better but still needs more work.
• perimeter XOs -- just once through these.  They were actually not bad at all, the best I've done in a long time! Yay!
• spins -- just a few minutes on these.  I got 2 good ones and a bunch not so great.  Urph.

Basics

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  Nice ice, 5 skaters.  I warmed up with edges, scribed circles, and ran through FO8 and FI8.  I had a little extra time so I started working on my step forward.

Today's lesson:

• step forward -- we worked on these on the line, and then on the hockey circle.  Ugh.  A large part of it is the upper body position, and keeping my back to the circle.  Yikes.
• waltz-8 -- just a couple of minutes on this, doing the steps on the hockey circle and not on a smaller circle.
• 3s -- we naturally flowed into these from the waltz-8.  Working to not force the turn and to try to keep the upper body quieter.  I did some nice ones, but a lot of not-so-nice ones also.  eeep.

3s/Power-3

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  I warmed up with stroking and slaloms, then did circle-8, waltz jump and spins.

For today's lesson we focused on my 3s in the context of the power-3, and then by themselves.  As we found last week, making me actually do a "real" BXO on the back lobe not only is important in itself but helps the 3.  We then spent some time getting me to try to have more control on the 3 itself and to place it better in the lobe.  Ugh!  We spent a fair amount of time on this without a lot to show for it.

I think we came to the conclusion that one possible issue is that I am not getting a very deep RFO edge.  It's not secure, and I think that's one reason I tend to rush the RFO3.  The LFO3 is better in part because I lean into it more (and it's my natural rotation direction of course).

I think we'll try to spend some time on that.  Unfortunately with Fiesta this coming weekend and other stuff going on I won't get much time to skate this week.

Patch Perseverance

I skated the Chandler Ice Cafe for patch practice today.  I didn't bring my scribe.

I warmed up with edges, then spent some more time on 3s, on the boards and on the crease.  Next I worked a bit on the step forward on the big circle.  Sometimes they are okay but mostly they are not :-(.  Next I worked on waltz-8.  I should have brought my scribe as it's hard to tell how bad the step forward is without it -- I'm pretty sure I was still too early though.

After that I spent the last amount of time on BO8 and BI8. My RBO was nice, but the LBO was really shallow.  Grr.  BI8 circles were really small.

Preliminary Test

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  I warmed up with edges, scribed circles, then worked on FO8, FI8 and 3s.

Today's lesson:

• BO edges -- Danette wanted to look at these first.  They were not bad
• FO8 -- not bad.  Still need to work on posture.
• FI8 -- not bad.
• 3s -- Danette wanted to work on these before we worked on the waltz 8. We worked them against the boards and then also on the crease.  Working to get them not so forced and to have more control.
• waltz-8 -- about the same as they have been.
• step forward -- we worked on these down the line, and then on the big circle.  Ugh.

Moves

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate. Nice ice and only 4 skaters!

I warmed up with stroking, some spins, circle-8 and some crossovers.

Today's lesson:

• circle-8 -- Holly wanted to see how this looks with the blade change.  I'm getting almost all the way around, but not quite.  I feel like the remainder of the problem is definitely me -- need a better push and a little better edge.
• power-3 -- Quite a bit of time on these.  We worked on fixing the back lobe to have a real BXO which feels weird, but actually made the 3 a little better.  I think I need to be more thoughtful when I practice these to really do good BXOs and 3s.
• 5-step mohawk -- eep.  The R side is much better, but even that's a bit rough.  We worked on getting me off my toe on the BO edge.  Holly reminded me to push into it, which helps a bit to get me off the toe.  Grr.
• perimeter XOs -- just once through these.  Actually a bit better.  Holly reminded me to come into the boards more on the 2nd and 4th lobes on the FXOs -- when I do that I don't have issues with running out of rink.  The BXOs are mostly okay.

Holly asked me when I want to try to test these.  I honestly don't know.  If I can get consistent practice time then maybe the end of summer?

Perseverance

I skated the Gilbert adult skate today for freestyle practice.  I had Kelly adjust my right blade on Saturday (it took him less than 5 minutes!) -- he moved the heel end of the blade to the inside just a couple of millimeters.

I worked on Bronze moves for most of the session, then worked on some elements -- 5-step mohawk on the circle, and 3s on the crease.  I spent a little time on spins and waltz jump also.

I think the blade change helped a little, but I am still having issues with circle 8.  It does feel better though, and I got around a bit more but still a bit short.  I'll have to keep working on it.