Breezy, Cheezy Lessons & Practices, 8/9-815

Cheeze ball: Ick, the right back crossover yet again, but it did improve with some work. Sigh. My left's are bloody flowy and wonderful, the rights, a whole other story.

Breezy: Worked on the final gasp for my footwork program, at our summer exhibition next Monday. Coach had good tips. I like this program, I'll miss it, but I'm ready to move on.

Wind beneath my wings: I ALMOST have an Ina Bauer!!! I finally am getting the hang of putting the free foot back and getting some glide. Big progress considering its only the second time I've worked on it. Just a little more turnout and I'll be there. Flexing the foot up really helps. Whoo hoo!!!

Haven't been posting for a long time. Lots of personal/family things to deal with recently. Kind of exhausted. Back on the ice last week and getting ready for the Pre-Bronze and the Bronze MITF tests at the end of the month.

Thank goodness my MITF elements are coming along nicely. For the Pre-bronze elements, I'm still working on improving the FI3s pattern. I want to improve the transition step to make it looks more effortless. Other than that, it's looking promising.

For the Bronze elements, it's actually easy for me. I'm really lucky on this one.

I still have 3 more weeks to practice my MITF elements. I think I'll do OK. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Cheezy: back crossovers in an 8. Experienced the lovel "click of death" followed by a slide on my butt through a huge puddle on the ice. Wearing my faded jeans so it looked like I had an accident.

Breezy: The forward crossovers in the 8 look damn good. Quiet, good control, and a reasonable posture. Power 3's are much improved as well except I tripped on my toepick and went down again, soaking the front of myself this time.

Off to Adult Skate Week in Lake Placid on the 22nd with a list of things my coach wants me to practice. She wants me test PM this fall.

Luen: SO GLAD to hear from you. PLEASE keep us posted on your test experiences. Several of us are in the "toe in the water" testing phase with USFS, and your input can only help. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

Breezy Had a fun lesson yesterday even though it was all moves! All the bronze moves as well as the alternating FO3's. My coach was very happy with some of the improvements, especially on the alternating back crossovers, which I did almost on pattern on my own. He also helped me with a set so I did do it on pattern and I was going so fast! Also plain back crossovers in both directions are the best they've ever been and I'm flying, about 3/4 as fast as when my coach helps me. It's fun! Also for the first time I can imagine myself doing the power 3's correctly and covering the ice. And, for the first time I was able to do both sides of the 5 step mohawk on my own. The left forward inside mohawk is way easier for me, but now I'm making progress on the other side, and especially being able to step forward from my RBO edge! I never did that on my own before yesterday. Yay!

Cheezy The ice was weird yesterday, and I tripped over stuff 3 or 4 times. Fortunately they cut the ice right before my lesson!

Yaz--Hang in there on the crossovers! Do you mean the right over left back crossover is your problem one? That's the one that's more natural for me, but my coaches have all often said the other direction is technically better. They're finally pretty even now though!

Happy skating,
Pat

Yes, Pat, that's my problem child. I seem to have trouble keeping my weight over my left side. I use the opposite crossovers to set up for jumps and they're just fine. Little by little...

Breezy: Made some headway on the back power threes. Coach was finally happy with them--for the first time.
Cheezy: Brackets in the field. Note to self: Keep your eyes up and arch your back. This is not patch.

My coach lurves to call me "grandma" across the ice or my dead grandma skates faster than you. I've got to work on speed. Maybe I should get my skates sharpened while I'm at it.

Cool breeze: Good practice today, right back crossovers decided to work--hopefully they will remain in town for tomorrow night's exhibition!!!!

That Ina Bauer is coming, and I tried a Kwan spiral today for the first time in ages, inside to outside, and suddenly I can do them without reversing my arm positions, just by changing my weight balance. Its still a baby move, but hey, I'll take it!