Gordon's Sk8er Boi Blog

My adventures as an adult male figure skater in Tucson, Arizona Portland, Oregon Chandler, Arizona.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Basics

My figures lesson with Danette on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  It was kinda crowded so I didn't draw any circles... I warmed up with edges, FO8, FI8 and then I worked on some exercises Danette had given me.

Today's lesson:
  • B edge position -- more work on the back edge body position, working to stand straight, look where I'm going and hold that free foot in front and knees/thighs together.  We worked this on the wall and then on the hockey circle.  The R side is not bad at all but the L side is quite a challenge..
  • BO8 -- a layout in a random spot on the ice.  Better than I expected but I really need to keep focused, especially on the pushes, to be sure I'm pushing strongly but still have good posture/position.  Eeep.
We decided for Sherwood I'll do FO8, FI8 and BO8.  

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Tuesday, June 25, 2019

BXOs & 3s

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Private ice!  I warmed up with stroking, slaloms, circle-8 and perimeter XOs.

Today's lesson:

  • BXOs to BO edges -- we ran this move and it was better than last week.  Then we worked a bit on the CCW BXOs as they are kinda scratchy/scrapey and lacking power.  Mmph.  I really need to settle back on the blade more.
  • 3s -- just working to get the RFO3 more confident and get me to hold the entrance and exit.  Holly held my hand and we put the 3 at the center of the lobe and then I did the rest of a power-3 (but not the back choctaw!).
  • spins -- just a couple of minutes on these. They were not good :-(.
No lessons next week as everyone's on vacation (except me).

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Friday, June 21, 2019

Bronze Moves

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  I had private ice!   Unfortunately the ice, though freshly Zam'd, was pretty rough and rutted.  Yuck.

I warmed up with stroking, circle 8 and perimeter XOs.

For today's lesson I had printed out the feedback from my first try at the Bronze Moves test, almost 4 years ago.  So Holly decided we should run the test and look at everything in light of the feedback from then.

Today's lesson:

  • perimeter XOs -- in general these were pretty good.  Holly says they were pretty smooth and flowed well.  I would have liked more speed/power and better clockwise FXOs.
  • power-3s -- yuck.  definitely my worst move.  I feel like I'm just throwing myself around the ice.  Bleah.
  • back XOs to BO edges -- not bad.  Holly thinks they are passable.  I felt like I was too slow and my flow was sometimes lacking.
  • circle-8 -- for once these were really nice!
  • 5-step mohawk -- Holly thought these were much improved.  I have made some progress on not jumping the mohawk so much, but I'm still way up on my toe on the BO edge.
So... not really stuff I did not know but hopefully it gives Holly the info she needs to help me fix this.

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Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Edges & Waltz-8

My figures lesson with Danette on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  Nice ice, but a bit crowded w/dance and people running programs.  Ugh.

We started right when I got on the ice (first session of the day).

Today's lesson:

  • Edges -- we ran through each of these 2x but skipped BI edges.  We also worked the body position for back edges on the wall some.  Easy on the R side but my L side... ugh.  Danette wants me to really bring the free leg close up in front and bring the legs together (touching) and it's really hard on the L side.  Yuck.
  • waltz-8 -- just a few minutes on this.  Not so great.  3s were just so-so and the step forward on the L side was really bad.  Yuck.
After my lesson I had 15 minutes or so, so I worked on the back edge exercise some more.

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Friday, June 14, 2019

Power-3s

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 FS at Gilbert.  I had private ice!

I warmed up with stroking, slaloms, circle-8 and then perimeter XOs.

For today's lesson we focused on the power-3s from Bronze Moves.  The R side is still majorly stinky.  The L side is still not passable (IMHO) but considerably better.  So we worked mostly on the R side.  I'd like to say we made progress, but I don't think so.  Ugh.

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Thursday, June 13, 2019

BO8/BI8

My figures lesson with Danette on the 6 a.m. (!) FS at Chandler. Nice ice and just me, AnnaLi, Midori and Michelle.

I had 15 minutes to warm up (edges) and scribe circles.

Today's lesson:

  • BO8 -- not bad, but inconsistent.  I did one first set that was pretty much okay, but the next set I had some issues on the LBO.  We also worked to try to get me to hold the free leg/foot close on the RBO the way it is on the LBO, and I was able to do this (yay!).  We also worked to have me looking into the circle at the start (helps to hold the skating shoulder back, too).  All in all not perfect but really not too bad.
  • BI8 -- we worked a bit just on the push, as I'm still tending to wide-step the first push.  Danette reminded me that my weight should be on the L foot as I push (w/quick tempo) onto the R foot.  We worked this on the boards/blue line and on the circle.  Needs more work!
All in all not a bad lesson.  If I had been able to sleep decently the night before it might have been even better!  Oh well.

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Perseverance

I skated the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Decent ice and just 4 of us (me, Drea, Maria and a younger skater I don't know).

Due to a miscommunication I didn't have a lesson today.  I warmed up with stroking, then ran through Bronze Moves, then spent some time on 5-step mohawk.  I noticed my LFI mohawk is okay when I'm going into spins, but not so great in this move, so I tried to make it feel like the spin setup.  This actually kind of worked!  I think the difference is that in the spin setup I feel like I'm leaning into the FI edge more.  Anyway I did a reasonably okay set of 5-step.  The BO edge is still a little scrapey though.

I spent a little time on 3s also.  Still kinda stinky.  I finished up the last 10 minutes or so working on jumps and spins.  I got one okay spin and a bunch of ucky ones.  A nice salchow and waltz jump.  Didn't do any toe loops.

Sunday, June 09, 2019

Perseverance

Gilbert had some FS time this morning so I skated for an hour for practice.  Nice ice and just me, Maria and Drea.

I ran through Bronze Moves, then spent a bunch of time working on 3s.  I started on the crease, then moved to the wall to practice holding the edge longer before the turn.  Then I ran the R side a couple of times.  I think there was some small improvement but I'll have to keep at it.

I spent the last 10 minutes or so working on jumps and spins.  A couple of decent salchows, but the usual cheated toe loop.  Ugh.  No good spins.

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

3s & Step Forward

My figures lesson with Danette on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  About 8 skaters, so not the best environment for figures between people practicing dance and programs.  Ugh.

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

Today's lesson:

  • 3s -- we spent about 25 minutes on these! First we worked them on the wall, then on the hockey circle with Danette holding my hand, then without.  Urph.  The LFO3 is better, of course.  It's all about the rhythm, and not rushing things.  I really don't know how these got so bad!  Of course they are a bit harder in patch skates.  On the left side I often get a nice "flip" from forward to back, but the RFO3 is usually too slow.  Urgh.
  • step forward -- just a few moments on these.  They are actually improving, I think.  I'm getting a better rhythm and not rushing so much.  Yay!
I realized today that I really need to replace my laces on my patch skates.  They are pretty frayed!  Fortunately I do have another pair of blue ones to replace them.  I should order some more though!

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Tuesday, June 04, 2019

Power-3, Salchow

My lesson with Holly on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Okay ice, just 4 skaters or so.  I warmed up with stroking, circle-8 and perimeter XOs.

Today's lesson:

  • power-3s -- still working to get both a better 3, and a better step forward, esp. on the R side.  We ran the move, then worked just on the step forward.  Holly asked me to have a softer knee on the LBI, and this did seem to help.  I probably ought to just practice the back choctaw in general.
  • salchow -- just a few minutes at the end of our time.  They were ucky, they got better.  Once again, if I am patient and don't rush it is okay.  When I rush it gets gross.
I was looking at my online profile on US Figure Skating and realizing it's been almost 4 years since I first attempted the Bronze Moves test.  Uck, that is way too long!  I know I broke my ankle the following year, but really, I need to buckle down and just get it done.


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