I think I'm dead...

With so few lessons before this potential test (no information is up yet, so it is possible it won’t happen)- I asked Carson if we could add some lessons, especially if he wants me doing a flip.   So I had a lesson this morning.  I remember why I don’t like lessons on the same day as LTS- I think I’m dead.  Really dead. 

I went to freestyle at 8:00 and skated to warm up.  Carson wanted to start off ice, and to be able to do off ice, I need to be warmed up.  I know it sounds backwards, but off ice is so hard on my knees.  Most skaters use it as a warm up, but for me- it is harder.  I guess that kind of makes some sense, since the purpose of it is  to strengthen me for the jumps I can’t do…

I worked on the step forward for my toe loop, and it is getting better. I am also able to do the backspin well from skating, but I don’t have a very elegant transition to the backspin from the landing edge of my backspin. I also don’t know if it is the rearranging of elements or me just being insanely out of shape- but getting through my program is SO hard.  Did our rink change altitude?

So at 8:25 I get off ice and take off my skates and we do off ice.  Starting with skips, then grapevines, running backwards.  Then half rotation two foot jumps, full jumps with a landing.  Off ice flips.  Then skipping backwards(omg hurts the knees!).  Um okay- this is where the dead started.  And I’m expected to get on the ice now?   Maybe 15 minutes?

We did a couple half flips and went to the harness.  The focus was on pulling back to my toe pick, ‘h”ing my knee.  Even with the harness, I can’t get all the way around.  After about 10 minutes, we do 5 minutes of loops.  Carson says he isn’t pulling the harness at all, and my loops are 90% great.  Rotated, high (for me), and landing on the toe pick.  Plus, I’m skating into them faster.  I clearly don’t need the harness.  But mentally, I do.  I know that if the jump goes bad (and I don’t think any actually did) he’ll catch me.  So when I get out of the harness, I can’t do the same thing.  I need to get rid of that problem.  Sports psychologist?

So when my lesson ends, Carson says he wants to stick with the loop in the program.  Okay- that’s doable.  I still may not be able to do it, but at least I don’t have to learn a whole new jump in 6 lessons!  If the plan was for this summer, it was a bit more approachable.

LTS was fine.  I was dead, but it went pretty well.  My back 3- Mohawk-crossover pattern for FS5 is getting better.  My spirals still suck, and I don’t use my shoulders enough to 3-turn comfortably. I’m too good of a skater to have the 3-turn problems I do.  I love waltz jump-falling leaf-toe loop. I bet it doesn’t look as pretty as I’m imagining though.