4:10p of pivots and waltz jumps
Skating last night was fine. There is one girl in my class who is driving me mad. She skates way to close to me. I'm not sure if she skates way to close to everyone or just me. Another girl also kind of "clings" to me, and always comes to me to either show off or because "I can't do it!"(both girls do this) but when we actually skate she keeps her space. Usually, it doesn't bother me, but last night we were doing a lot of backwards stuff and pivots. When someone moves in closer than leg distance to you, while you are doing pivots it either results in a real quick abort (often resulting in me falling) or kicking her. I was tempted to "not see her" but of course, each time I did. Finally when I was working on ballet jumps in place (the teacher drew us each a box- I was clearly in my box) and she ran into me saying "watch out" I said to her "I am very careful to watch where you are skating, but YOU need to not skate so close to me." She gave me a dirty look, but I think she must have forgotten, because later she was just as clingy telling me why she hated pivots.
Anyway, the skating. We worked on holding the landing position in a circle. This is tough because we essentially use an extended goal line circle- which is very small and there are 6 of us, including one very tiny, young girl, who doesn't move fast. My legs are much longer and I seem to move faster, so I am often aborting what I am doing so as to not run into or hit someone. I also skate CW and everyone else is CCW. I practiced the landing edges CCW on the circle, and then just moved aside and ran through it a few times CW- where it is, thankfully, much stronger.
Then we worked on waltz jumps. A few of the girls said they could "do" them- and everyone one who could did it opposite the rotational direction they should have. I think that's interesting. Anyway, I of course do go the opposite way, which I think confuses the kids, so I try not to point it out. (For example, when we walk through it, I either try to stand behind everyone else, or if for some reason I can't I walk through it "wrong" because the girls will often try to follow my arms, since it is "harder" to mirror the instructor. But of course, my arms- if I am doing them "right" are opposite everyone else's) Luckily, so far, I have had no issue with just switching the direction- and for jumps and spins, if the instructor says right, I do left, and vice versus. My waltz jumps were complimented, although they are not worthy of it. They are slowly leaving the ice more than a step. But I wouldn't yet call it a jump. While doing independent practice I threw in a few toe-loops too, but I noticed today i more toe-waltzed them. This jump is easier to make leave the ice.
We also spent a lot of time working on pivots. My backwards pivots with the right foot in the ice are awesome, if I do say so. I got heaps of praise for them, which made me feel good. My forward pivots with my left foot in the ice are generally good, with the right foot in the ice are okay, and backwards with the left foot in the ice, not so good. I like doing pivots. I've also noticed that if I go around more than 3 or 4 times I am starting to dig a hole into the ice with my toepick. It used to barely leave a mark. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but it might have something to do with why I can get around so many times on one push now.
Then we worked on mohawks. My left foot to right foot mohawk isn't horrible. She wants me to extend the right leg instead of tucking it, which makes it more difficult. My right foot to left foot mohawk is pretty awful. I have so much problem with remembering which direction to go, I have to take off from the line as if doing consecutive edges to make sure I am going the right way. My edges are good, so I don't understand this at all. Never the less, I did one or two, which is better than normal.
It was not a good boot night. I thought after last week my boot troubles were over, at least for half hour skating- but last night my feet hurt pretty badly. I am starting to lace tighter since I am jumping, so that might be part of it.
Overall, I'm not sure I want to continue group lessons. I probably will, at least one more session- but I'm not really feeling like they are the best setting for me. Of course with public ice going up 75 cents a session if they don't raise the price of group lessons again (they shouldn't since they just did) maybe it is worth it.
