Skating Saturday
Feb. 1st, 2014 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icepixieFirst private lesson with C today! Effectively it was more like my seventh private with her, because I was the only person in her class for a while at one point, which is one of the reasons I knew I liked her style. We didn't go over much in the way of new things, but we spent the time cleaning up old stuff. This is good, because whether I ever learn another trick or not, my overarching goal is to make everything look confident and deliberate rather than timid and awkward. (I would say "graceful and speedy," but I feel like those might be out of my reach. I'll take looking like I at least intended to do 90% of the movements I make.)
I'm going to work towards testing, primarily moves but also freeskate elements, because why not. This dovetails nicely with the adult edges/moves class, in which we're doing a lot of Bronze patterns. (Moves in the field are done in "patterns," i.e., alternating forward crossovers around the rink.) So we worked on cleaning those up, and now instead of "do forward crossovers down the line," it's "inside edge makes a lobe (aka an arc) that takes up this much space, cross here, put your other foot down here." The patterns work much better this way. I might actually be able to work on the presentation stuff we're learning in class now that I don't have to worry so much about what my feet are doing.
Last night in class, we learned crossrolls, which look fairly simple. It's basically a funny-looking forward crossover with no stroke in the middle, right? Ha. They are in fact tools of the devil. I kept getting about three of them and then grinding to a halt. I learned today that momentum comes from an underpush by the leg that becomes the free foot after the cross (so, for right over left, the left needs to push as the right leg arrives on the ice). Technically you need to do this on forward crossovers as well, but because you get power from the outside half-swizzle thing before the cross, it's not as disastrous if you don't have much underpush. These guys, you're effectively stuck in glue if you don't. So now I have something to practice the hell out of this week.
We spent the last half of the lesson on spins, because my two foot spin has been languishing for about six months now. Apparently I was doing it "backwards," so we broke it down entirely and have started building it up again. I'm not getting any more revolutions yet, but it feels way more like a spin than what I was doing. YAY.
Finally, we did more pivots, and not just the easy forward ones. No no, I get to work on the backwards pivots. Back inside, eh, not too hard. Back outside, though.... I will say one thing for them: You start from an inside three turn, and when I have something else to focus on, I can actually do a passable inside three turn. I just can't think about it too hard or I crap up.
(Another point in their favor is that they're the prettiest pivots. ONE DAY.)
In regular class today, we worked on @#$%!ing ballet jumps some more. My hatred for this jump knows no bounds. I can hop onto my toe pick okay, but hopping up and down on said toe pick like a pogo stick? Nope. I don't know if it'spants-wetting terror a healthy sense of caution, a strength issue, a "need to jam that sucker deeper and more securely into the ice" issue, or what. That said, I can now do a not-horrible side toe hop. (Uhhhh, ignore the axel there. Look at what she does after the axel.) So maybe there's hope.
Anyway, so that was almost two and a half hours of skating today, plus assorted activities this afternoon, and now I am bushed. My legs are probably going to hate me tomorrow.
I'm going to work towards testing, primarily moves but also freeskate elements, because why not. This dovetails nicely with the adult edges/moves class, in which we're doing a lot of Bronze patterns. (Moves in the field are done in "patterns," i.e., alternating forward crossovers around the rink.) So we worked on cleaning those up, and now instead of "do forward crossovers down the line," it's "inside edge makes a lobe (aka an arc) that takes up this much space, cross here, put your other foot down here." The patterns work much better this way. I might actually be able to work on the presentation stuff we're learning in class now that I don't have to worry so much about what my feet are doing.
Last night in class, we learned crossrolls, which look fairly simple. It's basically a funny-looking forward crossover with no stroke in the middle, right? Ha. They are in fact tools of the devil. I kept getting about three of them and then grinding to a halt. I learned today that momentum comes from an underpush by the leg that becomes the free foot after the cross (so, for right over left, the left needs to push as the right leg arrives on the ice). Technically you need to do this on forward crossovers as well, but because you get power from the outside half-swizzle thing before the cross, it's not as disastrous if you don't have much underpush. These guys, you're effectively stuck in glue if you don't. So now I have something to practice the hell out of this week.
We spent the last half of the lesson on spins, because my two foot spin has been languishing for about six months now. Apparently I was doing it "backwards," so we broke it down entirely and have started building it up again. I'm not getting any more revolutions yet, but it feels way more like a spin than what I was doing. YAY.
Finally, we did more pivots, and not just the easy forward ones. No no, I get to work on the backwards pivots. Back inside, eh, not too hard. Back outside, though.... I will say one thing for them: You start from an inside three turn, and when I have something else to focus on, I can actually do a passable inside three turn. I just can't think about it too hard or I crap up.
(Another point in their favor is that they're the prettiest pivots. ONE DAY.)
In regular class today, we worked on @#$%!ing ballet jumps some more. My hatred for this jump knows no bounds. I can hop onto my toe pick okay, but hopping up and down on said toe pick like a pogo stick? Nope. I don't know if it's
Anyway, so that was almost two and a half hours of skating today, plus assorted activities this afternoon, and now I am bushed. My legs are probably going to hate me tomorrow.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-02 12:39 am (UTC)ETA: One thing our instructors make us do for that back push is to get into a crossover on a hockey circle, then do *only* the back push over and over (without uncrossing your feet). It is horrible but effective.
I'm so jealous of everything you're learning! Our rink cancelled all its spring classes, so my friends and I are all scrambling to find a replacement that doesn't require a car, and concentrates more on skating than shooting.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-02 01:36 am (UTC)SO EVIL! Like an outside swing roll, only worse. (I'm amazed they make you do them for hockey. Do they have a hockey application, or is it more of a strengthening/technique thing?)
ETA: One thing our instructors make us do for that back push is to get into a crossover on a hockey circle, then do *only* the back push over and over (without uncrossing your feet). It is horrible but effective.
Yeeeees, I learned that one today too. I actually learned it a long time ago in my Alpha class when we were starting forward crossovers, but quickly stopped practicing it because HARD. But I know what I'm doing on Wednesday morning.
I'm so jealous of everything you're learning! Our rink cancelled all its spring classes, so my friends and I are all scrambling to find a replacement that doesn't require a car, and concentrates more on skating than shooting.
I just found out my rink is closing entirely from April to September this year for repairs. WOE. There's a rink about a thirty-minute drive away, so I can still skate on Saturdays, but I'm not sure I want to do a weekly lesson if I won't get much in the way of practice time. Maybe I'll do a biweekly or monthly lesson and practice on the other Saturdays. (They do also have a 6:30-7:30 AM session on weekdays, so I could theoretically go to it and be at work at about the usual time, but I'm not sure I'm dedicated enough to get up at 4:30 in the morning. ...Let's be real, I'm not that dedicated. Getting up at 5:15 for my weekly 7 AM session at this rink is bad enough.)
I hope you find a good class! I would think being in Boston would give you options, but I can see how many of them might not be feasible without a car. Might a Zipcar or similar be possible, especially if there are several of you to split the cost and you can take public transport to a central location?
no subject
Date: 2014-02-07 02:04 am (UTC)They don't, really. This is one of those "instructor is a figure skater" things: crossrolls are her favorite warmup. And I suppose they do force you to know *exactly* the margin of error on your edges. \o?
quickly stopped practicing it because HARD
Ah, yes. That sounds familiar.
I just found out my rink is closing entirely from April to September this year for repairs. WOE. There's a rink about a thirty-minute drive away, so I can still skate on Saturdays, but I'm not sure I want to do a weekly lesson if I won't get much in the way of practice time.
WOE, indeed! Ours is in the middle of renovations, so every so often we get emails like, "Due to falling construction material UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE the ice surface is UNSAFE for SKATING." (There is never further notice.) Might it still be worth the lesson, especially if you have a small class again? You're right: the practice time definitely pays off, but maybe it would at least keep your feet in.
But 4:30 wakeup calls? Yeah, no. I hear you; any earlier than 5:15 doesn't happen. That's part of why we're having trouble with Boston-area classes, actually; hockey, at least around here, is stricter about the child/adult division - which makes complete sense! - but we're too old and have to be up too early for the 10 PM adult sessions to be workable. Your zipcar idea has merit, though. Hmmm.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-07 11:34 pm (UTC)Ah, I see. We have one of those. She gave one of her private hockey students an honest to god figure to work on once.
Also, I'm having trouble picturing crossrolls as a warm up. Right now, they're something to be attempted only after much limbering!
Ours is in the middle of renovations, so every so often we get emails like, "Due to falling construction material UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE the ice surface is UNSAFE for SKATING." (There is never further notice.)
That's...helpful?
Might it still be worth the lesson, especially if you have a small class again?
Well, I'm switching over to privates entirely now, so classes don't much affect me anymore. I figure if there are enough freestyle sessions in a block on Saturdays to give me a half hour of instruction and 90 minutes of practice, I'll keep up with the lessons. I find I really need about 1.5 hours of practice to really get everything covered in 30 minutes of instruction to sink in. If there's less than that, or if it's really insanely crowded, then maybe I'll drop down to a lesson every other week, with extra practice on the alternate weeks.
But 4:30 wakeup calls? Yeah, no.
Exactly. They have a 7:30-8:30 session, which would put me at work a little before 9:30 (and mean I only had to get up at 5:30), which I suppose technically could work if I'm willing to stay until 5:30 and forgo a lunch break, but I don't think I am. If they just had a session at 5 instead of 4, I could at least do an afternoon/evening, but nope. Ugh.
10 PM adult sessions
OH MY GOD. Who goes to these? Do they have jobs? I wouldn't mind some evening skating times, but I'm thinking, like, 6 or 7 PM. Jeebus.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-14 01:13 am (UTC)That's HILARIOUS. I mean, I would die, but as long as it's happening to someone else....
Every other week sounds like it might work for lessons! Within a not-optimal schedule, of course, but better than nothing.
I think the 10 PM times are for college students and future beer league players and people who either don't need to clock in or can set more flexible schedules. Or possibly they're meant for athletic vampires.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-14 03:05 am (UTC)Hahaha, yeah. I actually enjoy attempting figures, but my edge control is nowhere near good enough to actually do one yet. Well, except for the Forward Circle Eight on the Preliminary moves test (which I'm not even going to be tested on, because I'm sensibly testing Adult track). That one's fun. I have a hard time doing it on an outside edge, but I've got the inside version.
Every other week sounds like it might work for lessons! Within a not-optimal schedule, of course, but better than nothing.
Yep! We'll see if my coach wants to do that, though. I suspect she may want to have someone in that spot every week. Maybe I can set up an every-other-week schedule with another of her students.
I think the 10 PM times are for college students and future beer league players and people who either don't need to clock in or can set more flexible schedules. Or possibly they're meant for athletic vampires.
I'm gonna go with that last one.