Last Minute Changes

Coach K and I were planning to change my salchow entrance after nationals. However, the salchows have been bad - no, make that scary bad - since my new blades. So, what's the logical thing to do? We decided it was to change my entrance three weeks before my first competition. I'm now doing a mohawk instead of a 3turn, and putting my free foot on the ice before I jump. (No, there's no deduction for the free foot on the ice. Re: Tim Goebel and Brian Joubert) When I do it right, putting the free foot on the ice really straightens me out and forces my body to move together. It's a very strange feeling to change something you've been doing for eight or more years, but I think it will work out well. Today, double salchows were pretty consistent for the first time since I got the new blades.

And, did Coach K and I stop with the salchow? Of course not... The mohawk worked so well into the double salchow that we tried the double toe from a mohawk, and it was instant improvement. I may change it to a drop 3turn (LFO3, step to RBO, pick L) since that seems to work better in the program, but it's the same concept. I'm still having problems landing the jump, but the height, distance, and rotation have all improved. Now, I just have to figure out what to do with all that time in the air. Aka. stop freaking out and just stand up at the end.

And the good news of the day is that laybacks are becoming consistent. They're still too slow, but at least I'm not falling out of them early anymore.

With less than 3 weeks until my junior moves test/first competition, I'm beginning to feel the pressure. Of course, missing 3 days of skating, 1 ballet class, and 1 bosu ball class due to a nasty virus last week didn't make me feel better. I'm trying to make up for missed time this week. Today, I skated 1.5 hours at the expensive rink. I wish skating wasn't so expensive!