9-12-2007

9:42p
Wednesday Night Skating
Started with my private lesson at 7:10 (early this week, he had a cancelation). We started with scratch spins, and let me tell you- right off the bat it was PERFECT. Perfectly centered, leg crossed, many rotations. I asked if we could just stop before I ruined it, but no- I ruined it. I did some okay spins, but none were as good as that first one.

Moved to two foot spins. I'm going to do it from a wind up like a scratch spin on the test and then just set my free foot down. The glide wasn't working, and he won't let me just stand still and twist into it. Those were fine, some better than others.

Then we did spirals. Ever since the fall I've lost my confidence on these. They are okay.

Onto jumps- waltz jumps I really need to look up, salchow I need to straighten my free leg and stop granny legging it, half flip I need to jump higher and push harder out of the landing, toe loop I need to stay on the axis. I don't know which jumps I'll be testing yet, probably waltz and toe.

Back to spins- sit spin. I got the "good for an adult" compliment. At this point, I'll take it. I've only been doing these things for two days- so actually, I'll take it as a great compliment. If I'm already "good for an adult" maybe someday I'll be good.

Backspin- I figured out my problem. My left leg is WEAK. I can actually do these BETTER on my right leg- and forward spins, spinning that direction makes me want to throw up. But my right leg can bend while hooking the spin, so it works. I need strength!

Then we moved the last 5 minutes of the lesson off ice, where he gave me stretchs and exercises. Sit spins, I'm supposed to practice right in front of the bench. If I lose my balance- I fall onto it, not the ground. Perfect for me who is scared of falling when I don't have to. The next exercise involved me stepping up and down off the bench raising my knees each time. I look like a lunatic. Third exercise involves waltz jumping onto the bench, and last exercise involves me toe-looping OFF of the bench, to practice steady landing.

SYNCHRO-
Went well, we learned more of the program and our pass throughs. Nothing was added that I really can't do (still can't do that mohawk) but there are things I can't do well, back spiral on my bad leg. I am in the lunge line in the lunge/spiral passthrough, so that's a good thing. I'm definetly the weakest skater, but they all assure me I'm weak on things that they worked really hard to learn last year. If only I had started skating, and moved a year or two earlier :)