Patch Perseverance

 No lesson with Danette today, so I skated the 9:45 a.m. FS for patch practice.  Fresh ice, but still kinda bumpy unfortunately.  Four skaters.

I warmed up with edges, then worked on FO8, FI8, BO8, and BI8.  FO8 is still pretty stinky.  FI8 was nice. BO8 was not great but flow was good. BI8 was better than I expected... small badly formed circles but flow as okay.

I also spent a little time on FO3s, they were pretty bad.

FO3s & Spins

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert adult skate (schedule change just for today).  Good ice, about 11 skaters.  I warmed up with stroking, perimeter XOs, BXOs to BO edges and circle-8.

Today's lesson:

• FO3s -- we worked mostly on the RFO3.  These are almost there!  Toward the end I was getting the right kneebend etc., but Holly is still (barely) holding my hand.  We worked on the LFO3 for a couple of minutes.  I'm rushing these, unfortunately.
• spins -- I needed a little break so we spent 5 minutes on these.  Very inconsistent.  I do have to remind myself that I have improved a lot from a couple of years ago.  I really just need a lot more time.

F8s & Serpentines

 My figures lesson with Danette on the Chandler 1:15 FS.  Beyootiful ice and just 5 skaters.  I warmed up with edges, then scribed 3 circles (additional circle for serpentines, per Danette's request).

Today's lesson:

• FO8 -- eep.  Really rusty, not good form.  They did get better.  Not impressed.
• FI8 -- not so great either, but better than the FO8s.  It's all posture issues. Yuck.
• serpentines -- mmph.  We did both sides of these.  Besides my total lack of flow and crappy pushes, the changes of edge are not too great.  Even the outside to inside!  Yuck.  I really need to be willing to push onto that new edge.

Jumps & FO3s

 My lesson with Holly on the Gilbert 8:45 a.m. FS.  Ice was meh.... private ice though.  I warmed up with stroking, perimeter XOs, BXOs to BO edges and circle-8, then a couple of waltz jump.  I fell on the first one (couldn't hold the landing) which hadn't happened in a long time.  No harm, no foul.

Today's lesson:

• FO3s -- still working on these.  I got the LFO3 back in just 3-4 tries.  RFO3 is still a work in progress, mostly my mental state to really try it.  Ugh.
• jumps -- a couple of nice waltz jump, and then a pretty good salchow!  I was jazzed. 

I'm really heartened to be making on these 3s, and hoping that my lack of ice time isn't hurting my MITF skills otherwise.  In a couple of weeks we should be able to take my 'fixed' FO3s for a spin the power-3s and I imagine that will take some work also.  Eeep.

Serpentines

 My figures lesson with Danette on the 1:15 FS at Chandler.  Really nice ice, 5 skaters.  I scribed circles and warmed up with edges.

For today's lesson, we worked on serpentines.  I had briefly worked on these last Monday, but we had not worked on them in a lesson in ages. Eeep.  My pushes and flow are just not up to this, and my changes of edges stink.  The outside to inside change of edge takes to long, and the inside to outside.... I got on a flat, couldn't really get over to the outside. Ugh.  Lots of work to be done here.

Perseverance

 I skated the 1 p.m. FS at Chandler for freestyle practice.  Okay ice.  We had our dance team and another dancer, and also 3 hockey kids in lessons, so it was... interesting.  I tried to work on moves for a bit but the hockey kids (the two younger ones) were always in my way so I gave up and worked a bit on jumps and spins (got a couple of good salchows!) and then a bit more on FO3.  Not the best of sessions.

FO3s

 My lesson with Holly on the 8:45 a.m. FS at Gilbert.  Okay ice, and just one other skater.  I warmed up with stroking and perimeter XOs.

For today's lesson we continued plugging along on the FO3s.  We spent about 5 minutes getting the LFO3 back in shape, and the remainder of our time on the RFO3.  Ugh!  We did make some good progress and it is allllmost there.  Particularly on the R side I need to really reach into the circle and keep that free hip up.  I'm confident we will get there next week or the week after!  Then to start working the power-3 pattern!

Patch Perseverance

 I skated the 1:15 FS at Chandler for patch practice today -- no lesson today.  Nice fresh ice, 6 skaters.

I warmed up with edges, then ran FO8 and FI8.  Then I spent a small amount of time on 3s in isolation (ugh), and then ran waltz-8, mostly the left side 'cause I'm a chicken.  Finished off with a BO8 and some quick work on serpentines -- these seem to have totally deteriorated from neglect.  Ugh.