Monday Practice at OIC
Given that I should be reading 100+ pages of dense scientific literature right now for my Thursday MT, I felt like I should do my write-up for Monday practice instead. Here's to hoping at least 10 pages of that is references...
I actually arrived at OIC semi on-time at 11:40. The usual people--David and Chris, aka Ponytail Guy--were there along with a very small smattering of public session skaters. I actually started out with a "fast" lap around the rink, complete with FXOs around the corners. Not too shabby.
Then I started on the the hard work--backwards stroking. I had been looking forward to working on it but it was just not coming along. As expected, my left backwards outside (LBO) edge is stronger than my right, and I'm close to actually having the appropriate weight distribution and turn out when I attempt it. I could also hold the free leg almost completely straight out, and hold the glide for maybe like, five seconds. The RBO edge was wobbly at best, I could not get my free leg out, and 80% of the time I'm still scraping along on the front of my blade instead of putting my weight on the ball of my foot, which I could accomplish with about a 60% frequency on my LBO. I think this is just further confirmation that I'm destined to be a clockwise spinner and jumper. Of course I just have to make it difficult on myself!
I fell trying to get my free leg straight on the RBO, right on the hip I previously bruised in my apparent drunken Halloween carousing two nights prior (in actuality, my crappy ballet flats slipped on our dining room hardwood floor--not as exciting of a story). My first thoughts were I need Stéphane Lambiel to help me with my "physical therapy", hurr hurr and dwelled on that for what must've been an inappropriately long time until I finally got my ass off the ice. I then realized that I am probably running out of steam because I haven't eaten breakfast yet (no, I'm not going on a "figure skater diet", I have just been too lazy to buy groceries for the past 2 weeks or so) and went to OIC's meager concessions stand, which actually offers salads and has nothing on the greasefest that is the concessions at my good old home rink, GG. Even after five minutes of waiting around, no one showed up, so I was forced to make do with the vending machine and proceeded to shovel M&M cookies in my mouth.
Of course, Ponytail Guy finally plays something non-Michael Bolton just as I got off ice--Andrea Bocelli's Con Te Partiro, which I ACTUALLY WANTED TO SKATE TO. However, it seemed like some public session lady was complaining either about the music (How dare she hate on Con Te Partiro? At least it's not Birthday Sex! I miss Denmark...) or Chris jumping around too much in front of her wee little children. Deal with it, lady, it's an ice rink!
Worked more on backwards stroking and talked a little to David, who re-introduced himself to me even though we've talked like a million times already. I only started remembering his name last week so I told him not to feel bad at all. I had my iPod plugged in the rink after Ponytail Guy took a break and David asked me if I was a music major, since I kept playing mostly classical music on my playlist. I took out all the Lady Gaga mainly because I didn't want that public session lady to whine again. I told him that I mostly played songs from my favorite skaters' programs (Otoñal was playing at the time) and that it's motivating yet frustrating at the same time because I want to be just as expressive but IT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I SUCK.
I took a little break and worked on two-foot three turns, which haven't really improved any. I tried putting my weight on the outside foot since I think you learn outside three-turns before inside ones, which doesn't make any sense to me since outside seems so much harder. I still can't do this with any real speed and I think I only have a one-splat-per-practice threshold in me at best.
Unchained Melody (the only nonclassical thing on the playlist) came on and there was only a minute left in the session, so I did two laps of mostly forward stroking to it and tried extending the free leg and holding the edge out as long as possible. I could hold it for 3/4ths of the long end of the rink now, which was unthinkable only a month and a half ago, though a spiral is still well out of my reach due to flexibility problems. I'm taking it one thing at a time! It does make me groan, though, when I think of how long it took me just to get that down forwards, and the massive amount of work I'll need to do to get my backwards caught up.
I may be tired and disillusioned at the end of a session, but the minute I step out of the rink I always look forward to the next time I come back. Figure skating, I have truly, madly, deeply, irrevocably fallen in love with you.
Oh, god. My life is so embarrassing.
I actually arrived at OIC semi on-time at 11:40. The usual people--David and Chris, aka Ponytail Guy--were there along with a very small smattering of public session skaters. I actually started out with a "fast" lap around the rink, complete with FXOs around the corners. Not too shabby.
Then I started on the the hard work--backwards stroking. I had been looking forward to working on it but it was just not coming along. As expected, my left backwards outside (LBO) edge is stronger than my right, and I'm close to actually having the appropriate weight distribution and turn out when I attempt it. I could also hold the free leg almost completely straight out, and hold the glide for maybe like, five seconds. The RBO edge was wobbly at best, I could not get my free leg out, and 80% of the time I'm still scraping along on the front of my blade instead of putting my weight on the ball of my foot, which I could accomplish with about a 60% frequency on my LBO. I think this is just further confirmation that I'm destined to be a clockwise spinner and jumper. Of course I just have to make it difficult on myself!
I fell trying to get my free leg straight on the RBO, right on the hip I previously bruised in my apparent drunken Halloween carousing two nights prior (in actuality, my crappy ballet flats slipped on our dining room hardwood floor--not as exciting of a story). My first thoughts were I need Stéphane Lambiel to help me with my "physical therapy", hurr hurr and dwelled on that for what must've been an inappropriately long time until I finally got my ass off the ice. I then realized that I am probably running out of steam because I haven't eaten breakfast yet (no, I'm not going on a "figure skater diet", I have just been too lazy to buy groceries for the past 2 weeks or so) and went to OIC's meager concessions stand, which actually offers salads and has nothing on the greasefest that is the concessions at my good old home rink, GG. Even after five minutes of waiting around, no one showed up, so I was forced to make do with the vending machine and proceeded to shovel M&M cookies in my mouth.
Of course, Ponytail Guy finally plays something non-Michael Bolton just as I got off ice--Andrea Bocelli's Con Te Partiro, which I ACTUALLY WANTED TO SKATE TO. However, it seemed like some public session lady was complaining either about the music (How dare she hate on Con Te Partiro? At least it's not Birthday Sex! I miss Denmark...) or Chris jumping around too much in front of her wee little children. Deal with it, lady, it's an ice rink!
Worked more on backwards stroking and talked a little to David, who re-introduced himself to me even though we've talked like a million times already. I only started remembering his name last week so I told him not to feel bad at all. I had my iPod plugged in the rink after Ponytail Guy took a break and David asked me if I was a music major, since I kept playing mostly classical music on my playlist. I took out all the Lady Gaga mainly because I didn't want that public session lady to whine again. I told him that I mostly played songs from my favorite skaters' programs (Otoñal was playing at the time) and that it's motivating yet frustrating at the same time because I want to be just as expressive but IT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I SUCK.
I took a little break and worked on two-foot three turns, which haven't really improved any. I tried putting my weight on the outside foot since I think you learn outside three-turns before inside ones, which doesn't make any sense to me since outside seems so much harder. I still can't do this with any real speed and I think I only have a one-splat-per-practice threshold in me at best.
Unchained Melody (the only nonclassical thing on the playlist) came on and there was only a minute left in the session, so I did two laps of mostly forward stroking to it and tried extending the free leg and holding the edge out as long as possible. I could hold it for 3/4ths of the long end of the rink now, which was unthinkable only a month and a half ago, though a spiral is still well out of my reach due to flexibility problems. I'm taking it one thing at a time! It does make me groan, though, when I think of how long it took me just to get that down forwards, and the massive amount of work I'll need to do to get my backwards caught up.
I may be tired and disillusioned at the end of a session, but the minute I step out of the rink I always look forward to the next time I come back. Figure skating, I have truly, madly, deeply, irrevocably fallen in love with you.
Oh, god. My life is so embarrassing.