Spin Till You Win .... Or Not

Today (yesterday) ... I decided to devote my entire skating session to working on the Back Spin.  I tried to keep in mind all of the things my coach said on Monday.  I worked on trying to close my hip and cross my leg over and staying over my back outside edge.... nevertheless ...... the video speaks for itself:

Back Spin Envy

I met this guy Michael Rubke at Adult Nationals in Scottsdale Arizona this April. He skated great and gave me some advice on the backspin.  Coaching is very important, but if you don't have somebody to emulate or watch it's hard for me to learn new things. Once I see it done many times i will know when it feels right on the ice.  As a child I could not afford very many lessons so much of what I learned came from watching others.

Michael Rubke Back Spin Demonstration

1st Lesson In Nearly A Year ..

I wish I had the camera rolling during my lesson instead of my pre-lesson practice.  Which by the way I over did it and was thoroughly exhausted (not just warmed up) by the time my lesson started.  Bad idea!

Concentrating on my lesson and not the video below.  We worked on my nemesis - the Back Spin.
I have had many suggestion from many people about how to attack this spin.  All of the comments are appreciated and some of them even helpful, but in the end, I have to answer to my coach who says things like ... "Who told you to do THAT?" ....

The problem with my Back Spin is that it is not even a Back Spin.  It's a forward inside spin.  As she explains it to me I am not finding my edge primarily because I am not in control of my free leg and my hip.  I tend to hold my hip open and I need to close it and cross my foot over and commit to being on the back outside edge.  This is so much easier said than done.

Exercise  Step #1:

Back crossovers then hold left leg out at angle (pre spin entry position) while staying on the circle and maintaining back outside edge

Exercise Step #2:

Bring free leg into crossed over boot position (i.e.: jump position) and bring arms into jump position - YET ... hold the edge without caving into too tight of a circle.... very hard unless you have a strong core.

Build Core.  Pilates, Ballet, Bosu Ball, etc.

Not related to the Back Spin, she also told me my landings are not checked - which totally explains why I fear and rarely feel comfortable in a combination jump.  Without a strong core and check position, it's impossible to reach back for the next jump.

This video shows nothing of the above lesson ...

Back Spin Practice

It was pretty crowded today at the rink so I just let the camera run from center ice for 20 minutes.  I didn't capture much except some of my back spin practice.

Unfortunately the camera stopped before I started working on camel spins.  I really wanted to see what that looked like.

The two gents with helmets on are my ice friends Dr. Wayne and Dr. John.  They are in their 80's and both retired physicians who love to skate and chat.

Basic Jumps & Spins

I was on and off the ice rather quickly today.  I warmed up by a few laps of stroking, followed by a few laps of stroking with inside edges, followed by backward crossovers and stroking, followed by some stretching at the wall.  Much to my surprise ... after doing about 10 Waltz Jumps and 10 Toe Loops and attempting to do some Loop Jumps (which jump off my right leg ...) I managed to pull a groin muscle in my left leg during the preparation position (crossovers, change of weight to right leg and pull in).
Ouch.

Hope it heals soon.

Private Ice ... The Sound of Silence

I was late to the rink.  What a shame.  I had the whole ice to myself today.  With only 45 minutes left in the session I made good use of it.  I turned on my camera early and even though I edited the skating in between .... this video is longer than most.  BE WARNED you may fall asleep at the keyboard.

7:14 minutes.  Longer than my own attention span.

I did some warm ups, ran through my program for the first time since last July.  Way slow and behind the music - which I was not listening to at the time I was skating.  I attempted a few new things today.  Twizzles and a Camel spin and some potential elements for 2 new programs I hope to put together for competition.

Back on Home Ice

I finally drug myself to the rink today.  It was one of the first hot days in Spokane.  85 degrees.  I was driving with the convertible top down and the rink didn't even seem that cold today!

Much to my surprise and delight; I found 4 other adult skaters there.  Some of them I may have mentioned before.

1: Jill (ex - Holiday on Ice skater from 1958)
2: John (retired doctor and recreational skater
3: Father Joe (retired Catholic priest and recreational skater)
4: Cary (ex competitor and Holiday on Ice circa 1970's and is skating therapeutically "doctors orders"

I was actually the YOUNGSTER of all of us!

My apologies: This video wasn't sitting at the proper angle and the feet are cut off!

My New Club Jacket

Ok, it's official.  After returning from Adult Nationals I realized that if I intend to go next year (and or compete anywhere locally under the club name) I need to get a club jacket.

I don't ordinarily skate on club ice.  I have the luxury of being one of a few adult skaters at my rink and my mid morning skating and lessons can be done on our public session.  I am so grateful to the rink and my coach for this.  Skating is EXPENSIVE.  But for me it's more about having the ice to myself as an adult and not having 20 Preliminary-Intermediate level skaters to dodge while I am practicing my Moves in the Field.

So now that I have the jacket, I better get back on the ice and start preparing for my next goal:  a competition in June and July and taking my Adult Bronze Free Skate Test and  Adult Silver Moves In The Field Test.

My Trip To Adult Nationals (as a spectator)

Just got back from 4 nights in Scottsdale, Arizona where the 2013 Adult Figure Skating Championships were held.  There were a total of 488 competitors over 4 days of competition.
Singles, Pairs, Dance, Dramatic and Light Entertainment categories.

I hope to attend next year as a skater in both the Technical Free Skate and the Dramitic Free Skate Bronze level.  It's going to take a lot of hard work.

After many hours of watching previous years on Ice Network, I was not surprised by the diversity of age and talent.  Primarily I went to witness, first hand, how the logistics, competitiveness, support and camraderie among skaters (especially my age) was.   I was very pleasantly surprised.  I was so interested in watching the skating I didn't take any photos of the venue or the crowds.

Personally I had 2 skating friends competing.  Hank Landis (Adult Silver Mens IV Free Skate) and Sheila Geisler (Adult Bronze Ladies V Free Skate) - both representing Spokane and the Lilac City Figure Skating Club.  They both did us proud.  Hank (Ralph) Landis placed 3rd out of 5 gentlemen in his category and level.  Sheila Geisler placed 2nd out of 7 ladies in her category and level.

Adults are grouped into 2 categories.

1. By skating ability
  a. Bronze
  b. Silver
  c. Gold
...... after that you must incorporate yourself into the "standard track"
 d. Intermediate
 e. Novice
 f. Junior
 g. Senior  (Michele Kwan, et al)
.
...... those who skate at the Adult Gold, Intermediate or higher at Adult Nationals may qualify to compete in the Championships round at Nationals by placing 1st-4th at Sectionals (Pacific - Mid West - Eastern) in March of the same year.

Skaters of any age do not need to "qualify" to skate at Adult Nationals except for Championships.  You only need to have passed the Free Skate Test of the level you are competing in prior to a specified date before registration to compete.

Have I lost you?

Secondly, Adults are broken into age groups for a somewhat fairer playing field.
Group   I: 21-30 years
Group  II: 31-40 years
Group III: 41-50 years
Group IV: 51-60 years
Group  V: 61 and older

There is a little more to the rules, but I will stop here.

I am currently skating as Adult Bronze Ladies IV (there, I gave my age away).
Before I can skate at next years nationals I have to pass my Bronze Free Skate Test.
I have already taken my Bronze Moves In The Field Test and I am currently practicing my Silver Moves In The Field.  Moves are much easier to accomplish than the free skate.

Ok, enough blather.  Here's a few shots of my friends in Scottsdale:

Here's Sheila in her sassy program.

(That beautiful dress was made by Hank!)

Sheila is rightfully proud to wear that medal

Forget the audience.  How about all these judges staring at you, critiquing your every move?

Beautiful line on a Spiral

And the crowd goes WILD.

Sheila is on the bench cheering Hank on (bottom left)

My friend Penny is on the bench as well (bottom right)

My Own Dance Studio

No more excuses.  My house is complete and I now have to make use of this exercise room.
My plan is to dedicate an hour a day to ballet, off ice skating workouts, Pilates, yoga, stretching, weights, conditioning.   2 more weeks and we will be moved in.