Friday, September 18, 2015

We Did A Lift !


Ok, it was just a "carry lift" but it was still ME with no blades on the ice for a few moments!
Great practice with Hank today.  He is such a good sport - I really enjoy skating with him.  

My diet is going well and I weigh 127 now.  The last 10 lbs are harder than the first 10 were.  I started at 140.  I'm sure Hank wishes I were 110 !!!  

It's nearly time to start thinking about music for our program.


Learning The Canasta Tango

After a few 30 minute ice dance group classes and a little practice on my own with Mike we took a stab at the Canasta Tango.  First shadowing, then just holding hands and finally in what I just learned to be "Reverse Kilian" position.  Man on the right, lady on the left.  Sheesh.  I thought freestyle and moves in the field had a lot of rules.

This was a 6:00 a.m. session.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Long Overdue Freestyle Lesson

I have really gotten behind in posting my videos.  Ever since returning from Sun Valley.  It took me forever to sift through all the video and edit the clips.  Now it seems I am skating more and have less time to edit.  I will try and get back on track this week.

This was my first freestyle lesson with my regular coach for months.  I have so much to work on between now and MY competition season which is basically from March-April !!!  Am I the only figure skater who HATES competing, but does it anyway to have something to work toward?

I love the idea of it.  Getting a dress, choosing music, choreographing a program.  But it is never enjoyable when I can't skate to my own expectations of myself.  Serious flaw!

Todays' lesson was split in 2 segments.  1st part was jumping and working on correcting some problems with my take off position, landing position and edge control.

Part 2 was working on my backspin.  Nuf said.


Friday, September 11, 2015

Ice Dancing Too

If I don't already have enoug on my plate...... I am also trying to get serious about learning how to ice dancer. As always .. My interest is primarily recreational but for me the only way I can get better at anything is to go "all in" as they say in the poker world. I like the idea of learning the dances and taking and passing the tests - potentially competing, but I am more interested in the accomplishment of learning the dances.

I have potentially found a partner, although I am not 100% sure he feels I am a good match for him. He is a USFSA judge and skates recreationally so we would be attempting the same tests together for the first time each.

So this was our first practice together... Testing the waters so to speak. I hope it works out.
We are both taking a group dance class together but the class is on 30 minutes a week on freestyle ice ... Really hard to achieve much.


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Pairs Lesson 4

We had a very short 30 minute lesson with Chris Anders tonight- Went over tracking and tried to correct some issues with our Throw Waltz and Salchow.






Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Pairs Practice .....

Hank and I getting in some much needed practice on a public session. Lesson tomorrow.


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Fall FS Session

I guess it is fall... it is September... The kids are all back in school (yeah). I decided to skate an extra session today because I was starting an ice dancing class and I wanted to be warmed up ahead of time but all I practiced was freestyle.

My phone ran out of juice before the dance class. We did some warm-ups; swing rolls and chassee's and then we reviewed the Dutch Waltz and we tried to learn the beginning steps of the Fiesta Tango.
 I don't need to tell you it is difficult to practice the dance pattern on a freestyle session you were always in everyone's way and vice versa.

 My video today are snippets from my freestyle singles practice. I am skating with a very sore hindquarter so to speak. If I wasn't so shy I would take a picture of this bruise it is something to behold ...the mother of all hematomas.


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Back on Home (FREEZING COLD) Ice

Hank and I finally got together for a quick public session. We haven't  skated together in several weeks plus I got injured when I was in Sun Valley falling on a flip jump. This was the first time as an adult skater that I have ever fallen so hard on my butt cheek. I have a bruise that I cannot publish the size of my hand ...where the sun don't shine!  It was a pretty good session considering how much pain I was in especially when I fell again on the same place !!

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.