Weekend Update

I have a few rowing posts I keep wanting to write, but I've been really busy...

But since most of you follow the blog for skating, I'll make sure to write that post.

This Saturday morning was a fabulous freestyle session.  Regionals was this weekend, so the coach with the most skaters was out of town.  Even though only a few of his skaters were competing, the rest took the day off, since their lessons were canceled. The first half hour of the ice was just me and one other skater (and her coach). The second half hour I had my lesson and there was a third skater there too.  Fabulous.

Since the ice was so clear, Carson and I really took advantage of being able to run dances, with music.

But first, the half hour before the lesson.  My knee has really been bothering me (but not really my knee, I think it is my IT band, but it hurts to bend, so we are calling it 'knee'- I go to PT on Wed. This is a rowing issue, not a skating one, so it is different than the previous knee issues.) so I took it kind of easy.  Warmed up all the dances.  Did some backspins.  Tried to do some scratch spins, but the bend on the entry is too harsh.  I didn't jump.  Did some three turns.  I need my skates sharpened.

I only made it about 20 minutes before I was worried about my knees so I got off ice and stretched and talked to a skater putting on her skates.

When Carson got on the ice, we started with the Cha-cha.  I still don't have music for that, so we haven't done it with proper timing, but we did work on it partnered.  Man, I love this dance.  It should switch place with the Rhythm Blues- it is so much easier.  Other than needing to not look down, I didn't get many comments on this one.  That's a really good thing.

Next we moved to the Rhythm Blues.  My step behinds are still kind of stilted, and I bend at the waist when I do them. I need to focus on using my knees (which presumably would be easier if both were fully functional, but I don't think that is the issue, so I can't really use the excuse).  Carson is still just holding me when I do them, he isn't skating along with me.  However, that is really the only problem here.

Canasta Tango is going well.  I am a bit early on the second slip step, but otherwise the only thing Carson told me was to make sure I didn't get too swingy on the step BEFORE the swing roll. He said he was worried he would kick me (I told him if I survived synchro, there was no way he was going to take me down...)   I did kick him slightly on a progressive on like our 4th pattern, but it isn't generally an issue.  Here I started focusing on not looking down and I really hate that.  It isn't so much seeing my feet- but seeing his.  If I can't see his, I worry the timing was wrong.

I sailed through the Dutch Waltz.  It was really fabulous- we fill the ice and it just feels like I'm skating with confidence.  I can think about things like extension on swing rolls (I just imagine Meryl Davis level of extension...please don't burst my bubble if you ever see me) and toe point.  Here I wasn't looking down and it felt okay. 

I think there will be a test session in February.  I better be injury free enough to utilize it!  Wish there was one sooner...I could probably do two of the tests now.