Hello, LBI

Due to the Broadmoor Open this week, our rink has drop-in sessions during my Thursday skate so I won't be going to practice on Thursday morning. To make up for missing that practice, I went to a freestyle session at the Sport Stable today. I saw some familiar faces including an upper level skater from my club and another adult skater that occasionally skates at my rink for practice. With the exception of the one skater who planted herself in one of the lutz corners and didn't bother moving for anyone, it was a lovely session with decent ice and courteous skaters.

Turnz - I decided a couple of weeks ago that if I make it a goal to get back one backward 3 turn each week, then in four weeks I'll have all of my backward 3 turns. The first week, I got my RBO and last week I got my RBI. Time to work on my left leg. Ugh. Again, I started with two foot turns and then went over in my head the things that Christopher told me during our last lesson. After some time attempting them and putting my foot down after each turn, I was finally able to do the full thing! For the first time in 13 years, I did an LBI! Exciting stuff! It didn't came back as easily as the RBI and I was only successful in about 50% of my attempts, but they happened! Do you know why this is such a big deal?? Ok, two reasons! Reason the first: I got over the fear barrier with these and was brave enough to just do them! Reason the second: since BI 3 turns are part of the Bronze Compulsory moves for the Adult Competition Series, I now feel comfortable registering for the ACS and competing as a Bronze level skater for this upcoming season! Of course, I still need to pass my Bronze Free Skate test next month to be officially Bronze'd but once I do that, I'll feel a bit more like I am able to compete at this higher level. The BI 3 turns have really been stressing me out for this reason. So, I'll keep plugging away at these and next week I'll work on the last of the four backward 3 turns, the LBO.

Movez - I touched on each of the 6 patterns but felt like I really made some progress on the 8 step mohawk. It definitely feels better going clockwise so I didn't spend too much time on that but instead worked on the counter-clockwise direction and that damn outside mohawk. I was able to speed things up a bit but I'm still not able to do the full pattern. For now, I'm just working around the center hockey circle. It will get there though and eventually I'll be able to make it bigger. The cross strokes are feeling a bit better than they have been but I would still like Christopher to look at them to make sure I'm on the right track. I know they are still not entirely correct but I have a better feel for them at least. The 3 turn patterns got worked on as much as I could given the fact that my back 3 turns are still kind of raw at this point but the fear is mostly gone so that's progress. I'm still not placing them at the top of each lobe but I'm doing them and that's more than what I was able to do a few weeks ago. Power pulls are still not happening going forward but I made some progress with the backward pulls because I was able to do some weak ones with my left leg. The right leg feels more comfortable too. Finally, spirals. I'm feeling a bit more confident bringing my chest down parallel to the ice but I've been having some hamstring pain lately on my right leg that isn't getting better and I feel like it's hindering progress. It's been going on for a couple of months now and I should really go to the physical therapy clinic attached to my rink but, honestly, I'm scared of what they will say. It's not getting better and sometimes it hurts pretty badly. I can't avoid it forever, though. I'll get it checked eventually.

Jumpz & Spinz - Same old routine. I ran through everything but worked my salchows the most. My attitude spins are looking better these days as are my sit spins. My husband was at my practice and he has confirmed that it's a good bit lower than the last time he saw it. Yay! All of the tortuous ankle stretching is paying off finally!

Programz - I really wanted to run the full program with music but other skaters were running theirs and I felt pretty inadequate compared to them. I let my fear of embarrassment get in the way once more. I really need to fix this. I should be testing this program in four weeks and I haven't skated the full thing with the new footwork to music yet. I need to get on it. Without music, though, I'm feeling okay with things but as you know, music changes everything. I'll do it on Tuesday to music if I can manage to get my CD in the queue somewhere in between all of the little kids running their programs. They aren't embarrassed. Why should I be, right? Right.