Edges, FO8, FI8

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult FS.  I had a few minutes to warm up and scribe circles.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- as usual.  Still having some issues with my LFO.  Everything else was pretty good.
• FO8 -- Meh. We worked a bit on the LFO and posture in general. 
• FI8 -- just a little time on these.  Need to be more consistent on upper body position and 're-setting' every time I start a circle.

I had a few minutes after my lesson so I worked a little on serpentines and BI8.

Perseverance

I skated the Chandler adult skate today.  Okay ice and just seven skaters.

After warming up I ran Bronze Moves.  Mostly okay.  My CW XOs were better! I bent my knees more and pushed into a bit more.  Yay!  Circle-8... just not happening now.  Geez.  They used to be so good!

After that I worked on spins a bit -- actually not bad.  Mostly pretty good, just a couple duds.  Then a couple of waltz jumps.

Edges, FO8, BO8

My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult freestyle.  I had first lesson, and since it was crowded I left right after my lesson.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- Still having some issues with the LFO -- getting on a flat.  Urgh.  The rest were okay.
• FO8 -- mostly okay except, again, for the LFO.
• BO8 -- Danette had me hold the stick to help me control my upper body.  The LBO is really stinky!  RBO is not bad at all.

Patch Perseverance

I skated the Chandler adult FS for patch practice.  Only a half hour, as I was running late due to work.  Ice was really bumpy!  Not happy.  Just six skaters, so that was nice.

I warmed up with edges, then did FO8, FI8 and waltz-8.  Some quality time on waltz-8.  Most of the 3s were ucky but I did a very nice LFO3 which was only slightly skidded.  

Finished off with some work on the BO8.  Still having issues with LBO circle too small/cutting in.  Urph.

Moves, Spins, Jumps

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate. I warmed up with stroking and crossovers.

Today's lesson:

• perimeter stroking -- we worked mostly on the CW FXO to get a better crossover.  We made some progress but I really need to work more on these on my own time.
• spins -- About the same.  I'm really pleased that (knock wood) I seem to be holding on to the progress I've made.  I did several that were pretty good, and even the worst ones were still better, I think, than a few months ago. Holly wants to start working on a simple sitspin.  Not so sure about that.
• jumps -- I did a couple of waltz jumps to warm up, then one salchow that was, actually, amazingly good.  So we moved on to toe loop.  Eeep.  I fell on these twice, both times after the 3.  Not sure what was going on.  Oh well!

Perseverance

I skated the 11:45 a.m. adult freestyle at Chandler today to get some freestyle practice.  Nice ice, 8 skaters.

I spent most of the session working on moves -- I did all the Bronze moves except power-3s (I'm so lazy!).  Including some quality time on the circle-8 -- it is not any better, though.

Also spent some time on spins.  They did improve and the last one was really quite nice.  I want to be sure to work on these every time I skate!

5-Step Mohawk & Spins

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  There was a Zamboni issue, so we started almost 15 minutes late. I had a very brief warmup.

Today's lesson:

• 5-step mohawk -- This was not too bad, actually.  I remembered "head and shoulders" to keep my shoulders down and head up, and I also managed to remember to PUSH BACK on the BO edge.  Holly asked me to make the 4th (especially) and 5th steps curvier/lobe-ier and I was able to do that by leaning into the FI edge a bit more.  So, good times.
• spins -- I wanted to work on these since they were pretty good a couple of weeks ago and I didn't want to lose that progress.  I did several that were pretty good!  I need to be more consistent on feeling that snap of the free leg in and up.  Holly reminded me not to neglect bringing the L arm around when stepping into the spin.  I am doing better about not rushing it.

All in all, very happy with the progress here. I want to spend some time on spins every week so I don't lose this progress.  It's been a long time coming and I feel like I'd just want to die if I went back to how they used to be.

Edges & FO8

My lesson with Danette on the 11:45 a.m. adult freestyle at Chandler.  I had first lesson so no warmup.

Today's lesson:

• pushing -- we took some time to work on just pushing and gliding on a flat down the line, with good posture.  My posture on the R is notably inferior to the L - I tend to crouch forward when I push. On the L I can make it about 3/4 across the short axis of the rink on one push, on the R only about half way.  Ugh.
• Edges -- Not too bad. Lobe size on the BI edges is a lot more consistent now, so that's good.
• FO8 -- Meh.  Still having issues with the LFO.  It's all posture; I'm not sitting firm on the edge, my upper body is too square and it pulls me off the edge and I can feel it go flat.  Yuck.

Circle-8, Jumps

My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  I warmed up with stroking, crossovers and circle-8.

Today's lesson:

• circle-8 -- since I was already doing these.  They were better today. Holly fixed one issue -- I was not moving my R hand forward for the LFI.  I had the L hand forward the whole time which made it hard to keep the rotation still on the 2nd half of the circle.  If I start out with the R hand forward then I can move it back at mid-circle and it moves my R shoulder back so I'm okay.  Yay!
• waltz jump -- it took me a couple of tries to get a good one, but I did.  Nice landing.
• salchow -- Mmph.  A lot of time on these.  I'm still rushing, I think.  I did a bunch that at least looked like a jump, but I'm jumping too late.  Grrr.
• toe loop -- eep!  Had not looked at these in a while.  Some okay, some not, all cheated.  I'm still not letting my legs come together and around.  Ugh.

After my lesson I worked on spins for about 15 minutes.  Not as good as last week, unfortunately.  I know I was usually trying to hard and I wasn't getting my free leg to snap in like I was last week.  Uck.

Patch Perseverance

I skated the Chandler adult freestyle for patch practice -- no lesson this week.  I warmed up with edges.

After that I worked on FO8 and FI8.  Still having some issues with the LFO; I need to work more at holding the R shoulder back and sitting back on the blade.  The FI8 was okay.

Next, a little bit of time on waltz-8.  I had not looked at them much.  Ugh.  I mostly focused on the FO3 and holding the exit.  It did improve.  I need more on this.

I finished by working on BO8, especially the LBO.  It did improve a bit.  Still need to work more on looking into the circle and really holding that first position w/ L arm back and free foot in front.