FO3s

 My lesson with Holly on the 8:45 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Ice was okay (no 8:30 cut), and once again private ice.  I warmed up with stroking, perimeter XOs, BXOs to BO edges and circle-8.

Today we continued our laser focus on my FO3s.  We spent a few minutes to get the LFO3 back to where we left it last week, and then continued with RFO3.  Ugh.  We did make some progress, but still more to go to get them as good as the L side.  Right now still very forced and I come around too much and put my foot down :-(.

8s

 My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler 1:15 FS.  Nice fresh ice, just 4 skaters.  I warmed up with edges and scribed circles.

For today's lesson, we ran through my 8s (except waltz-8):

• FO8 -- meh.  I did get around, so that was something.  A bit wobbly in places and my posture is still definitely lacking.
• FI8 -- not bad.  Posture still a bit weak though.
• BO8 -- couldn't make it around, but posture was a bit better.
• BI8 -- better than I expected -- a really good push for the RBI but some real issues with control.  Eeep.

No lesson next week but hopefully I can at least skate.

LFO3

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert 8:45 a.m. FS (I skated two sessions).  Ice was just so-so.... again, no cut at 8:30 and it was a bit torn up -- on the other hand I did have private ice so that's nice.  I warmed up with stroking, circle-8, perimeter XOs and BXOs to BO edges.

For today's lesson, we spent all (yes, all!) our time on the LFO3.  After some initial failures, there was PROGRESS.  As in, I did a number of really good 3s!  We kept working them to get them more consistent.  By 'good' I mean that there was flow into and out of them, there was control, they weren't forced, and the free foot was close, not swingy.  

I'm really happy with this!  Hopefully I'll have some time to practice this this week.

In other news -- I've decided I'm not going to compete this season.  I am getting so little ice time due to school and work, and that's not going to change until May (with a short break at Christmas).  It's just not practical to work on programs, and anyway, I really want to fix my 3s and mohawks and test Bronze moves again.  So -- no competing for me this year.  It makes me a little sad, but I know it's for the best.

Waltz-8

 My figures lesson w/Danette on the Chandler 1:15 FS.  Nice fresh ice, 5 skaters.  I warmed up with edges and scribed circles.

Today's lesson was spent entirely on the waltz-8.  Ugh. These feel so much worse than they used to -- that is what not practicing them does, eh?   We worked a bit on the threes, and a bit more on the BO edge and step forward.  Yuck.

Mohawks

My lesson with Holly on the 10:15 FS at Gilbert.  Schedule changed due to work stuff; I had private ice.  Ice was okay.  A brief warmup (that's the new normal).

Today's lesson was all on mohawks.  Holly brought out one of the plastic walker things and had me lean on it while I did my mohawks.  This did help me to feel the lean into the edge and they did improve significantly.  We worked them (mostly the R side) off the walker and I was able to maintain most of the improvements.  The key to this seems to be to really, really bend into the mohawk a lot more than I think -- like doing a spread eagle almost.

After that work, at the end of the lesson we ran the 5-step mohawk pattern.  While it was improved, the mohawks were not nearly as good as when I did them in isolation.  Lots more work to do.

Basics

 My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler 2 p.m. FS (schedule change due to adult dance camp).  I warmed up with edges and scribed circles.

Today's lesson:

• pushing -- we worked on this some more, both forward and backward.  I really need to stand up straight!  Danette videoed me so I could see what it looks like.  Ugh.  I tend to really crouch forward for the first several feet before I can stand up straight.  I know it my head what it should look like, but that's not what's happening.  Ugh.  
• FO8 -- these have really deteriorated.  I think it's a combination of lack of practice in patch and that I'm really out of shape right now.  Darn covid.  I was hoping to get back in the gym but not with cases being so high and no mask requirements AFAIK in the gym.  Ugh.
• BO8 -- just a couple of minutes on these.  Meh.  Push is weak.

I'm really not happy with where I am in my skating right now.  I knew this was going to happen when school started, but still -- not happy at all.  

Perseverance

 I skated the 1 p.m. FS at Chandler for freestyle practice today.  Ice was not the greatest (this session is after the ASU figure skating team practice), but only 4 skaters.

I was not in the most enthused of moods... warmed up with stroking, then worked on perimeter XOs, circle-8 and BXOs to BO edges to reinforce what I worked on on Wednesday with Holly.  Then I spent some time on jumps and spins.  A couple of good waltz jumps, but spins were not happening today and my salchow didn't show up either.  Finished with some work on the 5-step mohawk, trying to get my mohawks passable.  R side was okay, L side not so much.  Oh well.

Spins & Moves

 My lesson with Holly in our new timeslot, the 8:45 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  The schedule shows an 8:30 ice cut but it didn't happen, and when I asked I was told there was 'only one person here this morning' so they skipped it.  Of course it was clear from the ice that more than one person had skated on it..  But it was acceptable and we had private ice, so that was good.  I only bought the half hour so I didn't get more than a couple of minutes for warmup.

Today's lesson:

• spins -- I got a really good one, then a bunch not so great, than another really good one.  So my consistency stinks but yay for finding my way back to a good one!
• perimeter XOs -- working to integrate the fixes from my test feedback.  It's coming along but I need to work to stay on pattern in the FXOs.
• BXOs to BO edges -- again, working to fix the flats/BI edges that the judges mentioned.  A good correction from Holly is to use that extended free leg to 'steer' onto the BO edge so I am getting a good, convincing curve.  This really helped.

All in all a good lesson. I'm trying to figure out how to work this as far as timing is concerned.  The 8:30 ice cut time means I could potentially skate for 30 minutes before my lesson, but I'd have to sit in the lobby during the ice cut, which would be annoying.  Or I can see if I can buy the 9:15 session as well (they're all 30 min sessions now).  I don't think I can stay 'til 9:45 though work wise, so I'd have to pay for 30 minutes and just use 15.  I do need more skating time though.

Perseverance

 I skated the Labor Day adult skate today for freestyle practice.  Good ice, but a bit crowded -- 15 skaters.

I warmed up with stroking -- I'd not skated in my freestyle boots for like 3 weeks! Eeep.  After that ran through perimeter stroking, circle-8 and BXOs to BO edges.  Not that bad, actually.  

After that I worked briefly on 3s and mohawks, then went on to work on jumps and spins.  A couple of decent waltz jumps, a number of salchows (only one was good), a bad toe loop and a number of spins, including a couple of good ones.  It was good to be on the ice again.