Spins & Salchow

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert Adult Skate (since I was off).  I warmed up with stroking and crossovers.

Today's lesson:

• spins -- I did a little better at keeping my free leg from flying away from me today, so that was good.  Still need to improve on staying over my skating side.
• salchow -- we hadn't worked on these in a while.  As usual they are better when I don't rush! I did some okay ones.

Patch Perseverance

I skated the Gilbert adult skate today for patch practice, my first patch since 12/18.  Eeep.  It was kind of a crowded session since there's no adult skate at Chandler.

I ran through edges, then worked on all my 8s (FO, FI, BO, BI).  I am still not getting around the circle sometimes, and I did a basic push to see how far I could go on a flat.  It's just barely blue line to blue line.  I seem to recall that this used to be at least 20' further (well beyond the blue line); so that says to me that I (common refrain) have to get back to the gym and restore my muscle tone to what it used to be.  Eeep.

3s To Center & Waltz-8

My figures lesson with Danette on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  I warmed up with forward edges and scribed circles.

Today's lesson:

• 3s to center -- we had not looked at these in a long, long time.  Danette held my hand to help me get back to center after the turn so I could work on the back choctaw for the next circle.  This was pretty rough and I don't have near enough flow but it was interesting to work on.
• waltz-8 -- just a few minutes on these.  They were better than I expected, once I started holding that free foot in front on the first part of the BO edge.  Still pretty rough though.

Spins & Toe Loop

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert.  Okay ice, just the usual crazies present.

I warmed up with stroking, circle-8 and a spin.

Today's lesson:

• spins -- just a few minutes on these.  First one was not bad -- as usual subsequent ones were not as good.  Ugh.
• toe loop -- Just meh.  We're still doing these on the line.  Holly wants me to bend the knee more after the turn but I'm having a hard time making that happen.  Urph.

We discussed the upcoming competition season.  I'm not going to do a free skate this year.  My 'Exorcist' free skate is kinda old and I'm just not in the mood for it.  I'm going to just do my two showcase programs.

BO8, Serpentines

My lesson with Danette on the 7:30 a.m. FS at Chandler.  I warmed up with edges, and scribed circles.

Today's lesson:

• BO8 -- some actual improvement on this -- push is a bit better and I'm doing a better job of holding my positions.  The LBO seems a bit easier.
• serpentines -- hadn't touched these in a long time. My push is stinky.  We worked on bringing the free foot forward sooner so that it's set long before the change of edge.  I'm still on a flat for way too long during the change of edge. Yuck.

Perseverance

I skated the 8:15 FS at Chandler this morning.  Originally I was going to have a lesson but Holly was sick, so no lesson.  I had just had my blades sharpened on Sunday so I mostly skated around to get used to them.  Nothing fancy just stroking and crossovers, a couple of spins and some circle-8.

Salchow & Toe Loop/Walley

My lesson with Holly on the 8:15 FS at Gilbert. Okay ice, just me, Q and Addy.

I warmed up with stroking, slaloms, a circle-8 and a spin.

Today's lesson:

• footwork -- we took a couple of minutes to look at the beginning footwork from my dramatic program.  Holly had me add a chasse' before the swing roll/change of edge.  It's an extra push and it also makes it look a little more like something.
• salchow  -- just a couple of minutes on these.  First ones were bad, then I got myself to hold the exit of the 3 and stretch the arm back and voila! Much better.
• toe loop -- Holly wanted to look at changing the entrance to the toe loop to make it a toe walley**.  She felt this would help me improve the jump.  So instead of an RFI3 entry it's an LFO3 and a step to the R foot while the L leg swoops around behind.  The advantage of this for me is that it actually gets me to bring the whole L side around so the takeoff is not cheated.  We'll explore this more next week.

**I'm not convinced this is actually a toe walley, as AFAIK I'm still taking off the same, just a different entrance.  Anyway toe walley (not the same as a regular walley) is scored the same as a toe loop AFAIK so it's all good.