Well I had a great skate today, just in the nick of time. My skating session on Mondays open skate made me want to hang up my skates for good, so this was just what I needed. On Monday, my scratch spins were horrid, and my flips, yes my flips of all things VANISHED. Talk about terrifying...I can usually do flips with my eyes closed. On Monday though, I either two footed them or popped out of them, I couldn't even tell you why. After doing several crappy scratch spins, I decided to make a vow regarding that spin.... I can do them. I know that. But I get into the habit of doing them poorly, just to "save" a bad setup, or because I'm lazy? Who knows. So I decided that from now on, I am going to focus on getting my free leg high in the beginning of the spin, and I will NOT pull the spin in unless it is perfectly centered. I figure that if I try this, it will raise the bar for my spins, and get me into the habit of doing them right, or not doign them at all...rather then just doing them sloppy. Well I tested that theory today and it WORKED! I had 3 of 4 spins that litterally drilled a hole in the ice, and the 4th one wasn't even that bad, though it did travel a little. I also tried my flip again today, and while my first one was shaky, I landed the next two in the smooth, familiar fashion that I usually land them in. YES! I wanted to throw my fists into the air in jubilation, I was so happy! My loops are also still quite good, I think fixing my arm position is really doing good things for this jump.
I felt brave today, and I decided to work on the lutz as well. I ought to kick myself for not practicing this regularly once I started landing it during lessons in August. Unfortunately, I haven't done that, and now my lutz is a remedial thing. My practice session today amounted to me first popping them and landing on two feet, to later sorta landing on one foot, but being too far forward or to the side. I think if I keep working at this, i will get it. I think once I get my legs and arms coordinated, it will come. Right now, I think I am totally forgetting about arm position, which is totally screwing up my balance. But now that I have found this jump to be "not so scary" I will vow to practice it at my sessions. Hopefully my lutz can progress to the level that my loop and flip are at...lets hope!
Wow, I can't believe it is November already! I visited my parents this weekend, and there is still a little bit of snow left on the ground. It has been really cold this whole weekend, not quite below zero but close! It actually made the rink seem warmer (in my last post, I mentioned that this rink is the coldest I have ever been to!)
As far as skating goes, I haven't updated this in a while, so I'll just lump my last couple skating sessions into one post. I haven't had a lesson since August, and probly won't for a while yet, so writing about every session would probably get pretty redundant...I'll just stick to what's new and interesting! A while ago, I was having trouble with my salchow, which seemed wierd because it was one of my best jumps. I figured out that I wasn't keeping my right arm checked long enough, because fixing that fixed my jump. I was bringing my arm around too soon, and it felt like I was really lurching forward in the jump. I was glad when I "solved" that little problem. I had a breakthrough with the loop the other day too. I can usually do a decent loop jump, but last session, they really had spring to them. It was a nice feeling. I went skating today at open skate, and although it was a complete chaotic mess, it turns out that it was worth going, because I think at this session, I think I figured out "why" I wasn't getting the height and spring in my loop. Not only do I have to make sure that I keep my right arm checked, but I have to bring it strait in when I do the jump. That probly doesn't make sense, but I was sorta scooping my right arm down during take-off, and that was bringing my upper body down when it is meant to go up. When I make a conscious effort to make sure the arm is checked, and make sure I bring it in strait, the jump is instantly better.
As far as spins go, my scratch spin has its days, but all in all it is getting to be more consistant. (I never thought I'd be able to say that!) My camel spin is also improving, though at it's own pace. I have days where I have good atitude spins, and days where they aren't so good. Same with backspins. I just need to work on technique and making sure my body is tight, especially with backspins, because this instantly helps the spin. My sit spins are good, they just aren't very low because I haven't been doing much to work my thigh muscles. (my own fault)
I have been trying to work on footwork too, just because it is something that I often put off. I am hoping that one of these sessions, I will either be bold enough, or just plain make myself work on the lutz jump. I know I can do them, I just wimp out because I haven't actually worked on them in so long. I hope to update this again soon, maybe with an update on my lutz!
