Freeskate 3 - Lesson #4

There are only five lessons in this session so that makes today the lesson before the test. I had a very uneventful practice in the public session before my lesson started. I really tried to focus on the two things that may cause me some problems on the test - BI three turns and the backspin. 

My RBI three turns are fine. I am able to do them consistently. This is supposed to be my bad side but for some reason CW back threes are easier. It's the LBI three turn that is giving me grief. The problem I have with these is that I am able to do the turn but then I lose all momentum coming out of the turn because I am forwards on the toepick. My "down-up-down" movement is not quite there. 

I did a few backspins and I must say that these have come a long way since I learned them a few months back. I was reading past journal entries from when I started learning the backspin and I could not even get a half rotation. Now, I am consistently getting 3, sometimes 4, revolutions. I'm really proud of that. I still need to work on my arms and making this spin look more deliberate, though. 

So, the lesson started off with Gigi asking me what I would like to work on for my last lesson before the test. I, of course, said back three's and backspins! She wanted to look at the BI three turns first on my most comfortable side. She pointed out that after I turn, I switch my arms. This is causing me to curve too deeply on an outside edge whereas, if I do a proper check, I will be on a slight outside edge and it will look nicer and will be more controlled. She had me practice my good side for a little bit before moving on to the bad side. With the LBI three's, she basically told me what I already knew - that I am not getting a good "down-up-down" movement and that I am too far forward after the turn. I did a few while really concentrating on these two things and reeled off a few that were really nice. I know I can do them. It's just a mental thing now. I just have to think harder on these - or not think at all, maybe. 

Next, she looked at my backspin and noted that I made quite a bit of progress on these since she last saw me two weeks ago. She says they are good enough to pass the test but agreed that they still have a long way to go. Since I have the revolutions needed to pass, she worked with me on getting the exit down. The way she described the exit is to rise up a little on your toepick as if you were going to go into a three turn and then exit out on a deep BO edge. It looked easy enough when she demonstrated it but doing it myself was another story. I'll have to practice this a lot more. 

Test next week!