Wednesday, May 29, 2013

My Lesson On Video

I had a lesson today with my coach Berkley.  For 15 minutes we worked on some fundamentals of my jumps and landings that are in need of correction in order for me to progress.  My landings arc too much - so I need an alignment basically.


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Just A Regular Day Of Practice

I have a lesson tomorrow, so I didn't want to skip the ice today.  I never really got in the groove today, so I just made the best of my time.  You can tell in my spirals that I am not stretched out or warmed up. My skating leg is really bent.  (NO NO)

On my last lesson my coach told me to change my jump landings so that I am not still "rotating".  You have to be able to check your landings (stop the rotation) so that you can pick back for a combination jump.  My waltz jumps are sometimes big, but they pull around and that keeps me from doing the Waltz-Toe Loop combination.

I did one today.  I also did a Toe Loop - Loop combination I was happy about that.  Also new on this clip is a little "ballet jump" and some connecting steps.


Friday, May 24, 2013

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:


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

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

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

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 ...




Saturday, May 18, 2013

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.


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

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.


Friday, May 10, 2013

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.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

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!


Getting busy on these Silver Dances

I have been working on these silver dances too long!   Planning to go all in on them until I can test them in the next few months.