First Lesson in a Month
Let me first say that I love my coach! I was a little disappointed in my skating today, but at least now I know what's wrong and how to fix it.
We started with the intermediate MITF test. Here's the breakdown...
Forward Power Circles: I need to lean into the circle more, and a little more forward. Keep the free leg high and almost out to the side on the first four crossovers - these should be almost at a standstill. Look into the circle, not straight ahead. (that was freakin' hard for me - I must be really used to looking straight ahead) As the outside foot crosses over, point the toe into the circle. The last few crossovers should be fast and marchlike. Don't do junior moves - no extension across the rink to finish. The last edge should be held on the circle.
Backward Power Circles: People got in my way, but coach said that these are fine. Just remember to make the first 4 really slow!
Backward Power 3turns: These still need work. Lean into the stroke pattern down the side of the rink. (this part is pretty good) Use more of a snapping action to get the free leg in front for the first 3turn. After 3turn, keep knees close together, free leg should reach into the circle. Push into each 3turn. Keep knee bend throughout pattern. Make the pattern flow. Don't stop to set each 3turn.
Backward Double 3turns: These need more extension and could be more dancelike. A few skidded 3's, but probably not noticeable to the judges.
Brackets: No comment on these - I guess they were ok. Either that or they were sooo bad that coach couldn't bring himself to work on them.
Inside Slide Chasse: Coach still wasn't thrilled with these, and I thought they kicked butt. Need to turn out free leg and point toe more on slides. Lean back on power threes. Trust the edges. Look up.
Coach says there's a test in October, but it's not through the club I belong to. I can test on that session, or my home club has a session in November. I'd really like to get these moves out of the way and start on novice. I'll have to see if I can get onto the October test session. Usually out-of-club testers get last dibs on a test session.
We also worked on fixing my jumps as usual.
Axel: Don't skid the entrance edge. Vault off the toepick. I have plenty of height, don't rotate so tight.
2Salchow: We actually did singles and salchow-backscratch as a warm-up. Coach immediately noticed that on the salchow takeoff, my knees were close together (very bad). We worked on my entrance edge. LBI edge with free leg behind and R shoulder held back. Let the edge curve, and bring the free leg around wide. Vault off of the toe. Right toe should turn in as the leg comes through the jump and R hip should snap underneath me. Arms should pretty much stay put until my R hip snaps underneath me - pull in when that happens. I think that my arms were either drooping, or I was trying to use them to vault and putting them up to high. I didn't land any 2sals in lesson, although I landed several later. All of these corrections made the jump seem easy. I wasn't stuck on the takeoff anymore. I had plenty of height. All I have to do is not freak out, and I land them.
2Toeloop: We were almost out of time, but coach wanted to see 2toes. I popped my first one. Coach must have been in a generous mood b/c he didn't throw anything at me. We worked on checking the FI 3turn, sitting on the RBO edge, bending the skating knee, reaching back with the picking foot, putting the picking foot in the ice and pulling the skating foot back in a smooth curve. Then, let my right side come through the jump. My last attempt felt so smooth, I couldn't believe it. I didn't get to see if I got any more distance, but I didn't cheat the landing! Can't wait to work on these tomorrow!
I also showed coach my gift from the skating gods... The camel-sit-layback. He said it was very nice. Oh, and he said a lutz that I did during warm-up was beautiful!
I was a little depressed that coach didn't notice much improvement in the moves, but most of our work today was just polishing them. Last lesson, I was still having problems with the patterns. I think that I made some real progress today, especially on my jumps. It was a positive lesson - no yelling or throwing things (don't think coach is abusive - he's mostly just joking when he does things like that, and it certainly motivates me). Although, I did get dragged around by the wrists a few times b/c I skate too slow :)
We started with the intermediate MITF test. Here's the breakdown...
Forward Power Circles: I need to lean into the circle more, and a little more forward. Keep the free leg high and almost out to the side on the first four crossovers - these should be almost at a standstill. Look into the circle, not straight ahead. (that was freakin' hard for me - I must be really used to looking straight ahead) As the outside foot crosses over, point the toe into the circle. The last few crossovers should be fast and marchlike. Don't do junior moves - no extension across the rink to finish. The last edge should be held on the circle.
Backward Power Circles: People got in my way, but coach said that these are fine. Just remember to make the first 4 really slow!
Backward Power 3turns: These still need work. Lean into the stroke pattern down the side of the rink. (this part is pretty good) Use more of a snapping action to get the free leg in front for the first 3turn. After 3turn, keep knees close together, free leg should reach into the circle. Push into each 3turn. Keep knee bend throughout pattern. Make the pattern flow. Don't stop to set each 3turn.
Backward Double 3turns: These need more extension and could be more dancelike. A few skidded 3's, but probably not noticeable to the judges.
Brackets: No comment on these - I guess they were ok. Either that or they were sooo bad that coach couldn't bring himself to work on them.
Inside Slide Chasse: Coach still wasn't thrilled with these, and I thought they kicked butt. Need to turn out free leg and point toe more on slides. Lean back on power threes. Trust the edges. Look up.
Coach says there's a test in October, but it's not through the club I belong to. I can test on that session, or my home club has a session in November. I'd really like to get these moves out of the way and start on novice. I'll have to see if I can get onto the October test session. Usually out-of-club testers get last dibs on a test session.
We also worked on fixing my jumps as usual.
Axel: Don't skid the entrance edge. Vault off the toepick. I have plenty of height, don't rotate so tight.
2Salchow: We actually did singles and salchow-backscratch as a warm-up. Coach immediately noticed that on the salchow takeoff, my knees were close together (very bad). We worked on my entrance edge. LBI edge with free leg behind and R shoulder held back. Let the edge curve, and bring the free leg around wide. Vault off of the toe. Right toe should turn in as the leg comes through the jump and R hip should snap underneath me. Arms should pretty much stay put until my R hip snaps underneath me - pull in when that happens. I think that my arms were either drooping, or I was trying to use them to vault and putting them up to high. I didn't land any 2sals in lesson, although I landed several later. All of these corrections made the jump seem easy. I wasn't stuck on the takeoff anymore. I had plenty of height. All I have to do is not freak out, and I land them.
2Toeloop: We were almost out of time, but coach wanted to see 2toes. I popped my first one. Coach must have been in a generous mood b/c he didn't throw anything at me. We worked on checking the FI 3turn, sitting on the RBO edge, bending the skating knee, reaching back with the picking foot, putting the picking foot in the ice and pulling the skating foot back in a smooth curve. Then, let my right side come through the jump. My last attempt felt so smooth, I couldn't believe it. I didn't get to see if I got any more distance, but I didn't cheat the landing! Can't wait to work on these tomorrow!
I also showed coach my gift from the skating gods... The camel-sit-layback. He said it was very nice. Oh, and he said a lutz that I did during warm-up was beautiful!
I was a little depressed that coach didn't notice much improvement in the moves, but most of our work today was just polishing them. Last lesson, I was still having problems with the patterns. I think that I made some real progress today, especially on my jumps. It was a positive lesson - no yelling or throwing things (don't think coach is abusive - he's mostly just joking when he does things like that, and it certainly motivates me). Although, I did get dragged around by the wrists a few times b/c I skate too slow :)
posted by Jennifer @ 3:38 PM
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