Touchy-feely new age jumps
I learned from P today that I almost lapped JL on the stroking when we were taking our tests together. Ha! I was so into counting my strokes to make sure I got the right number, and so nervous in the first place, that I never even noticed. (I can't imagine I actually came that close to her; surely self-preservation instincts would've kicked in within about 15 feet.) P was like, "I'm going to have to pay more attention to relative speediness when I schedule these things in the future..."
Now it's on to Bronze Moves in the Field. I like these better than Pre-Bronze; they're a bit more interesting, and since 4 of 5 go along the length of the rink they're easier to practice when traffic is heavy. Plus I use a couple of them as warmups already, so it's just refining something I already do! And this test appears to be primarily about extension and power, which are probably my two biggest strengths.
Good Skate Tech moved my blade again yesterday, and I think I finally am happy with it. (I thought that last time, but this time I really mean it!) It's not a battle to get to an outside edge on that foot anymore. This improved my toe loop tremendously, since I wasn't unsettled by trying to hold the edge on the preceding inside three turn. I think it also improved my nascent back scratch spin, though more that was probably due to D teaching me a nifty little entry trick to it that gives it more (terrifying) momentum to begin with.
I'm back in spin hell on the forward scratch, since I need to start doing it from a real entry rather than a standstill. Ugh. On the other hand, at least that's actually sort of happening now, instead of being completely nonexistent like that last time I tried it a couple months ago. Hooray.
The mechanics of a one-footed salchow are still befuddling. P was like, "I wish I could give you concrete instruction for when on that long spiral in on the LBI edge to jump, but it's one where you just have to feel it. The edge will just pop you into the air when it's time." Unimpressed, I said, "So it's the touchy-feely new age jump?" P: "Yeah, pretty much." Bah.
This entry was originally posted at http://icepixie.dreamwidth.org/964584.html. It has
comments over there.
Now it's on to Bronze Moves in the Field. I like these better than Pre-Bronze; they're a bit more interesting, and since 4 of 5 go along the length of the rink they're easier to practice when traffic is heavy. Plus I use a couple of them as warmups already, so it's just refining something I already do! And this test appears to be primarily about extension and power, which are probably my two biggest strengths.
Good Skate Tech moved my blade again yesterday, and I think I finally am happy with it. (I thought that last time, but this time I really mean it!) It's not a battle to get to an outside edge on that foot anymore. This improved my toe loop tremendously, since I wasn't unsettled by trying to hold the edge on the preceding inside three turn. I think it also improved my nascent back scratch spin, though more that was probably due to D teaching me a nifty little entry trick to it that gives it more (terrifying) momentum to begin with.
I'm back in spin hell on the forward scratch, since I need to start doing it from a real entry rather than a standstill. Ugh. On the other hand, at least that's actually sort of happening now, instead of being completely nonexistent like that last time I tried it a couple months ago. Hooray.
The mechanics of a one-footed salchow are still befuddling. P was like, "I wish I could give you concrete instruction for when on that long spiral in on the LBI edge to jump, but it's one where you just have to feel it. The edge will just pop you into the air when it's time." Unimpressed, I said, "So it's the touchy-feely new age jump?" P: "Yeah, pretty much." Bah.
This entry was originally posted at http://icepixie.dreamwidth.org/964584.html. It has
comments over there.