3s

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  Good ice, but a bit crowded (14-16 skaters). I warmed up with stroking and then ran the perimeter XOs, BXOs to BO edges and circle-8 from the Bronze test (circle-8 was fine).

For today's lesson, we spent a little time going over the comments from the judges on my test.  For the perimeter XOs, circle-8 and BXOs to BO edges the comments either suggested that I was really nervous and it showed, or pointed out some things that are fairly easy to fix (e.g. the flats/BI edges on the BXOS to BO edges).

We're going to focus on improving my 3s and mohawks for the next few weeks and see how that goes.

After that conversation, we spent the remainder of our time working on the LFO3 by itself and then also in the context of the power-3.  We actually made some good progress!  Apparently I can do good 3s (at least on that side) when I really concentrate.

Bronze Moves Test -- "Retry"

 My Adult Bronze Moves in the Field Test today at the Ice Den Chandler (Desert Ice Skating Club of Arizona hosting).  I arrived at the rink about 6:35 for a schedule warmup of 7:19 and scheduled test time of 8:07.  The test session started at 6:15 a.m. and I was the last skater of the 2nd group of tests.

I got to the rink, ate a banana, relaxed a bit, then got my skates on -- just as well, as they were running a bit early.  I got on for my warmup around 7:02.  Warmup went okay, although I was definitely feeling the nerves. I did a couple of laps of stroking, then ran through the perimeter XOs, power-3s, 5-step mohawk and BXOs to BO edges.  A few times I had to dodge other skaters so it was not a perfect runthrough, but it was kind of okay.  I also spotted a reasonably clean spot to place my circle-8.  Then warmup was over.

Hurry up and wait!  I sat and chatted with Holly and tried not to think.

Finally, it was time for me to skate. I skated out to the judges (Hal, Molly and Ken) and Hal basically gave me some encouragement and off I went.

1. Perimeter XOs -- My knees/legs were shaking so badly on the FXO part!  Ugh.  So I was slow because I was convinced if I pushed too hard I'd fall.  Yuck.  The last two FXOs around the end were particularly iffy.  The BXOs were better and I felt better.
2. Power-3s -- for some reason I felt okay for these.  They were about the same as they've been in practice.  I did try to get better BXOs but without much success.
3. BXOs to BO edges -- I though I had decent speed and flow on these.  Yay!
4. circle-8 -- I was pretty nervous about this too.  I went out to my chosen spot and, Deo gratias! it was relatively clean.  I was nervous that I would push too hard and lose my balance (done that in the past), and not push hard enough and not make it around (done that too).  I started (LFO first) and it was okay.  Made it back to center and tried to get a decent push for the RFO -- I came up a little short, but went ahead and pushed to the RFI and it was okay. Made it back to center okay and pushed to the LFI and it was okay -- I made the LFI circle smaller and so I made it back just fine.
5. 5-step mohawk -- It was relatively okay, i.e., about the same as it's been.  A bit rough in spots and scrapey.

I finished, and as I was skating back to Holly, Hal said "Thank you Gordon." so I knew no reskate.

When I look at the above notes and compare them to the my last try at this test (6 years ago to the day!) (see it here ) -- it's very similar!  I don't know if that's good or bad.

Finally, they brought me my test sheets.  I did not pass.  Here's a brief transcription of the judges' comments (H=Hal, K=Ken, M=Molly):

1. Perimeter XOs
   (H) F - has some flow but no strength
   B - lots of 2 foot skating
   (score -1)
   (K) edges fairly shallow
   (score 0)
   (M) Very tentative, not demonstrating "strength) (arrow to underline of that word on the test sheet criteria)
   (score -1)
2. Forward Power Three-Turns
   (H) Not completing move
   lacks crossover after 3's -- 3's need more control
   (score -1)
   (K) R - no entry edge on turn
   L - free leg wild
   use the ice
   did 3 turns but no ice coverage
   (score -1)
   (M) on a straight line
   not achieving expectations -- YET
   (score -2)
   
3. Alternating Bkwd Crossovers to BO Edges
   (H) Back edges need to be BOutside edges
   most BI with a couple flats
   (score -1)
   (K) flow ok
   lacking strength
   (score -1)
   (M) B edges are flats or insides
   (score -1)
4. Forward Circle Eight
   (H) Rt outside not back tocenter
   Flow not continuous
   (score -1)
   (K) edges ok, flow lacking
   (score 0)
   (M) circles are very small, but few wobbles
   (score -1)
5. Five-Step Mohawk Sequence
   (H) Edge quality lacking
   not really mohawks
   (score -1)
   (K) edges shallow
   step 3 dragging toe pick
   lacking ext. (extension)
   (score -1)
   (M) Lacking control - check (arrow to criteria on sheet)
   (score -2)

Final comment from Hal: "Keep working - skill development still needed"

If you don't know, the way the tests work these days is '0' is passing and then it goes up or down from there.  You need a 0 or better to pass.  I got a -5 from Hal, -3 from Ken and -7 from Molly.

 So!  I'm disappointed, but I honestly thought passing was probably not going to happen.  Even though I felt that I am skating these better than I did the last time, I knew that 6 years is a long time between tests and I was going to be crazy nervous (and I was, and I think it showed especially in #1 and #4).

So why did I test?  To get through it, to get some feedback (which I did! Good feedback).  Of course I'm a bit disappointed, and I would like to have passed.  But that's the way it goes.

So what's next?  After my last test I decided to work on skating faster -- I took power with Holly for several months and then I changed coaches and broke my ankle and .... stuff happened.

So what's next?  After reading this feedback and re-reading it from 6 years ago... I really need to fix some things in my skating.  My 3s, which have little control. My mohawks (see Hal's comment).  I do think if I did a better mohawk I would not be dragging my toepick so much and my 5-step would be much better.

The issues with the BXOs to BO edges are fixable, though I was surprised at Ken's comment as I though the flow was pretty good and I was generated good power.  The issues with the perimeter XOs are mostly nerves (though not entirely), which hopefully I can get better at.

I had hoped to test again this summer before my schedule goes nuts in the fall, but I don't see much point in testing if I don't at least fix my 3s and mohawks and that's a big project.  Ugh.  I'll talk with Holly about it on Wednesday.

Bronze Moves

 My lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult FS.  Pretty good ice, although, while it had been freshly zammed it was still kinda bumpy.  I had the first lesson.

I ran the whole test with no warmup but otherwise mostly like it was a test.  It actually went okay, and I did make it around on the circle-8.  After the runthrough we worked a bit more on the circle-8 and also the 5-step.  Also, Danette suggested that I move my power-3 start down the axis a bit; as it is, I do 4 and then I'm only at the far blue line; if I move the start down it's more centered and looks like I'm using more of the ice.  So we practiced that.

After my lesson, I stayed 'til the end of the session and worked more on the circle-8.  I tried running it in a not-so great part of the ice and I didn't make it around.  Ugh.  I also ran the 5-step some more; I am really on my toe on the BO edge.  Yuck.

After I got off and was drying my blades, I noticed that the back of the right blade is loose!  Just a bit.  Is this the cause of my issues?  Maybe, or maybe not.  I'm going to fix it, obviously, and hope that it is/was part of the problem, if not the whole cause.  We'll see.

Taking tomorrow off from skating as I've skated 4 days in a row and I feel like I need a break.

Testing Saturday early!

Bronze Moves

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  The ice was really bad (had not been zammed in hours), about 12-14 skaters so a bit crowded.  I had a long warmup and ran the whole Bronze test except for circle-8.

For today, we ran the whole test as if it were the test, complete with Holly standing where she'd be and coming back for water, etc.  In general it went okay, except for circle-8.

After the runthrough we ran the circle-8 some more.  Holly says if I don't make it back to center I should just pretend that's my new center, lol.  No scooter pushes!  Anyway, don't know what to think.

Progress

 I skated the Chandler adult FS for freestyle practice. Fresh ice, 7 skaters.  I warmed up with stroking, then ran the Bronze moves.  DEO GRATIAS!  I made it around (barely) on the circle-8.  Everything else was reasonably okay.

After the runthrough I worked some more more power-3s, 5-step mohawk, and did the circle-8 about 7 more times.  The first 3 were mostly okay -- yay for Grant fixing my blades!  The last 4 were a bit short; I don't know if that's because I moved on the ice or was just tired or what.

Anyway, progress, for which I am extremely grateful.  On the other hand -- the test is Saturday.  My warmup is at 7:19, but I don't skate until 8:07. Ugh.  So I won't be very warmed up.  Also, the test starts at 6:15, so by the time I skate the ice will be pretty beat up.  Let's pray I can find a reasonably clean spot for my circle-8.

Circle-8 Saga

 I skated the 1:30 p.m. FS at Chandler.  Nice fresh ice but a bit crowded.

I warmed up with stroking, then ran the Bronze Moves.   No progress on the circle-8; everything else is about the same.  I got off the ice early and took my skates to the pro shop and Grant stoned them for me.  I'll find out tomorrow if it helped.  So far it's not looking good.

Circle-8

 My lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult FS.  Due to the impending test and my current issues, we worked on my circle-8 in my freestyle blades.  

Due to a prior work meeting, I only got to skate for 30 minutes (my lesson time); so we warmed up in-lesson with stroking and perimeter XOs.

After that we spent our time on the circle-8.  At one point Danette had me run my blades on the plastic door guard (on the bottom) to dull them a bit.  Overall, it improved slightly, to the point where I could pretend I'd made it back to center and just start the new circle from wherever.  We'll see.

Circle-8

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  Good ice, about 12-14 skaters.  I warmed up with stroking, then ran the first four Bronze moves.

For today's lesson we spent all of our time on the circle-8 since that's the point of biggest concern.  I'd like to say we made some progress, but no.  I really don't know what is going on and Holly doesn't either; this was fine on Friday, so it's either the sharpening, or, I'm being mental about the sharpening (this is definitely possible).  All I know is that I'm testing a week from Saturday and now I can't do this move.

Holly suggested I might consider taking the test in my patch blades.  While that would solve the circle-8 problem, I really don't know what it would be like to try to do the other moves in patch blades.  I feel like I would be going REALLY fast and it would be scary.  Still, maybe it is worth a try.

Circle-8

 I skated the 11:45 adult FS at Chandler for freestyle practice.  I warmed up with stroking and then ran the Bronze moves test.  In general it went okay, except for the circle-8, which was pretty much the same as yesterday.  It's just not happening.  

UGH.

Trouble

 I got my freestyle skates sharpened on Saturday as I was sitting at 45 hrs of skating on them, which is about my limit and clearly I would not want to test in really dull blades... except that I woke up in the middle of the night last night wondering if the only reason I've finally been able to do the circle-8 the last couple of weeks is precisely because my blades are so dull?!  I did not sleep well.

So today I skated the 10 a.m. FS at Chandler and .... yes.  Although the blades don't feel overly sharp (I can stop, and I don't have that 'stuck to the ice' feeling I usually have with fresh sharpening), I am stuck.

I ran through the Bronze moves and for the most part they were okay, although I don't feel like I am flowing as well.  But the circle-8.... I am back where I was a month ago.  Granted, the ice was pretty torn up and there were 13 skaters, so it was hard to find a spot that wasn't too bad.  Still, I only made it around about 3/4 of the circle even when pushing from the R foot, which usually worked.

Anyway, I worked on that a bit and then gave up and spent the rest of my time on the 5-step mohawk and the power-3s.

I'm really concerned, to put it mildly.  My only hope is that as I get some more time on these blades that things will improve and I'll be okay.  I sure hope so, otherwise I'm toast.  Ugh.

Bronze Moves

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate.  Good ice, about 12 skaters.

I had  very brief warmup and then we started my lesson.

• perimeter XOs -- pretty good.
• power-3s -- about the same.  I changed the entry to just one step so that I am making my axis closer to the boards.
• BXOs to BO edges -- pretty good, despite people getting in my way.
• circle-8 -- Made it around.  Holly marked my circles with a pen and they were decent size and not too far off each other.
• 5-step mohawk -- about the same.

After the runthrough we ran the power-3s again working to get a better BXO; a little bit of progress.  Then we ran the circle-8 again in a different spot and it was okay.  Then we worked on 5-step mohawk for a few minutes, concentrating on getting a better curve and point of the toe on the 5th step.

Test is 2 weeks from tomorrow!

Perseverance

 I skated the adult FS at Chandler today for freestyle practice.  I warmed up with stroking, then ran the Bronze moves test.  In general it was good, and circle-8 cooperated with me!  I'm beginning to think I might pass after all.  We'll see.  After the runthrough I worked some more on the power-3s.

Waltz-8 Elements

 My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler adult FS.  Good ice (we're on the west rink now), but a bit crowded.  I had first lesson, so no warmup.

Today's lesson:

• edges -- bleah.  I just felt a bit... off.  And my feet hurt, and it was difficult to work with so many people skating around.  Things were okay, but not my best for sure.
• step forward -- we spent most of the lesson working on this.  It's definitely one of my biggest problems; I need to stand up straight and then just TURN my body. Ugh.
• 3s -- just a couple of minutes on these.  I really lack control on them.  Urph.

The high point of the day was seeing both Karina M. and Sammi U.!  Karina was just leaving and Sammi was on my session.  I had not seen Karina in literally years and Sammi, probably a couple.  Yay!

Perseverance

 I skated the 1:30 p.m. FS at Chandler for freestyle practice.  Good ice, a bit crowded (10 skaters) with everyone running programs. This session was on the west rink, which I haven't skated at much but I've been told is usually the surface for tests so it's good to be on this ice.

I warmed up with stroking and then ran the Bronze moves test. I felt just a bit off, probably because I'd not skated since last Wednesday.  The moves were mostly okay; in particular the circle-8 actually happened.

After the run through I spent some time working on the power-3s, and especially trying to get a better BXO on the R side.  Not a lot of progress though.

Moves

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate. Good ice, about 14 skaters.  I warmed up with perimeter XOs and power-3s.

Today's lesson:

• perimeter XOs -- not bad.  Flow was not as good as usual, but okay.
• power-3s -- about the same. After the runthrough we came back and worked on them more to get the BXO to be a real BXO and improve the pattern.  I moved the initial 3-turn a bit earlier so that my axis would be not on the dots -- Holly pointed out that the axis doesn't have to be on the dots, and it doesn't make sense to have the first 3 on the dot and then subsequent ones closer to the boards.  This way my axis is consistent.  Then we worked on bringing the BXO around more.  The first one was not good (put my foot down) but after that they did improve.  I really need to work these in the 3 weeks left to me.
• BXOs to BO edges -- good.  
• circle-8 -- actually okay!  
• 5-step mohawk -- okay.  We worked some more on them after the run through to get me to settle down into the ice a bit more.