5-Step, Power-3s

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I warmed up with stroking and perimeter XOs, then did circle-8 and a little bit of 5-step mohawk.

Today's lesson:

• 5-step mohawk -- we worked on these a bunch, especially the L side.  Holly asked me to try to press the heel more on the FI edge and this did help to make the free leg not quite so out of control after the turn, so yay.  Also worked on trying to bend the knee more (flex the ankle) on the BO edge and that helped a bit also.  So there was some definitely improvement on these.  Yay!
• power-3s -- just a few minutes on these, all on the R side.  The turn itself is getting better.  We worked on the BXO/step forward as I have real issues getting my body twisted to do that back choctaw.  Ugh.  We worked an exercise down the red line to twist back and forth.  Eeep. I can work on this on my own, even off-ice.

3s

My figures lesson with Danette on the 6:30 (!) a.m. FS at Chandler.  We started right when I got on the ice.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- I needed a little warmup so we did edges (did FO twice).  Not too bad.  Still working on posture.
• 3s -- we spent the rest of our time working on my 3s to try to get them to have the right rise and fall in the knee.  We did some on the boards, then on the hockey circle.  We interspersed some two-foot turns just to feel how that works (they are much smoother).  I really feel like I just don't have the nice rise and fall in the knee when I'm doing these -- everything's forced and awkward.  Urph.

After my lesson I skated just another 15 minutes or so, working on waltz-8.

Bronze Moves

I skated the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert for my lesson with Holly this morning.  I hadn't skated freestyle for a couple of weeks due to work and scheduling issues so I felt a bit rusty!  Ice was kinda meh.  Just myself, Haylie, Q and Addy.  I warmed up with stroking and slaloms, then did perimeter XOs, circle-8 (which actually went well!) and BXOs to BO edges.

Today's lesson:

• BXOs to BO edges -- most of the lesson on these.  Holly wants me to get off my toe!  And to look over my free shoulder on the BO edge.  I also would like to skate faster.  Holly had me work on just doing BO edges down the line (no BXO0 to get me off my toe.
• 5-step mohawk -- just a few minutes on these.  They have improved somewhat, but the LFI mohawk is still pretty ukky -- the free leg after the mohawk is all swingy.  And I'm up on my toe on the BO edge (sound familiar?).  Ugh.

I still need to review my original test feedback and see where I'm at with these.  I was kind of hoping to test in August but... we'll see.

Edges, FO8/FI8

My figures lesson with Danette on the 6:30 a.m. (!) FS at Chandler.  Not the best conditions as there were about 6 skaters doing moves, runthroughs, etc.  We started right at the beginning of the session also, so I wasn't warmed up nor had I scribed circles.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- a little wonky at first (wasn't warmed up).  I had some good BO and BI edges at last!  Yay.
• FO8 -- I had some issues getting around at first, not sure why.  Lots of flats and generally wonkiness but it did improve.  You'd think I hadn't skated just last Thursday tho!
• FI8 -- just a couple of minutes on these.  Not bad.

I'm really missing the nice ice and conditions from adult skate, here!  Ugh.

Perseverance

I skated the Gilbert adult skate for freestyle today.  Ice was kinda bad (weird ice cut), 4 skaters.

I mostly worked on Bronze moves but also spent some time on spins, and did a couple of waltz jumps and salchows.

I spent some quality time on 3s and also on just BO edges.  Wow, in my freestyle blades I am not so great on these.  I'm really up on my toe, which is weird because when I do the BXOs to BO edges it's much better.  Weird.

B Edges, 3s

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler Ice Cafe.  As I'm starting a new job Monday (yay!) this is my last time skating this session for... a while, at least.

I warmed up with edges, scribed circles, and skated FO8/FI8.

Today's lesson:

• back edges -- we spent some time working on these.  They're really pretty good, actually.  I managed to make some real progress on the BI push so that my BI edge is correct from the beginning.  Yay!  Have to work on that a bit to keep it.
• 3s -- we are still working on the troublesome parts of the waltz-8, so today it was 3s.  We worked on them at the wall, then in the context of 3s to center.  There are a number of problems here, but in particular I'm still not turning into the circle enough, and I'm not "flipping" promptly from the FO to BI edge -- I'm in between for a bit, usually, which results in a nasty skid.  Urph.  There's just not a good flow to these.

Circle-8, Power-3s, Spins

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  I briefly had private ice!  Then later there were 3 of us.  I warmed up with stroking and crossovers, then did circle-8, perimeter XOs, BXOs to BO edges and a little bit of power-3s and 5-step.

Today's lesson:

• circle-8 -- Holly wanted to check on these.  They are okay.  I am pretty much making it around but really I'd like just a little more flow as I'm just barely making it back to center on the RFO and RFI.
• power-3s -- most of our time on these, working on the back lobe and step forward especially.  One final conclusion is to try to keep the free foot close on the final BI edge to stay standing straight and not widestep the step forward.  It helps a bit.  Working on not putting my foot down before the step.  Urph.
• spins -- just a few minutes on these at the end.  I did like 5 and got a couple that were okay.  I really need to hold the spin until the end and not give up.