Progress?

Busy week!

Sunday Practice - I'm always better on fresh legs so 15 minutes into my session at the Y, I put my Free Dance music on. This is fine. It's ready to test. I'm kind of tired of hearing this music every practice for the last year. So ready to move on. I cooled down for another 15 minutes while I worked on spins, jumps and footwork for my Free Skate and, feeling ready, I put that music on and ran that as well. I didn't have the best camel spin during my run through but everything was okay, not great but okay. It definitely shows that I put it on the back burner for two months when I was prepping for Nationals. With my programs out of the way, I focused on Gold Moves, Bronze Pattern Dances, and the new little bit of dance choreography that Christopher gave me. He also gave me some spiral homework to do. My new Free Dance needs a short edge element and I really don't want to do the same backward catch foot spiral I've been doing from this last program so I played around with a forward catch foot spiral. This is infinitely more anxiety inducing than going backward but I was able to do it. My kingdom for a spread eagle or one of those really long dramatic Ina Bauers. Sigh. 

Monday Lesson - In practice, I felt like I had a breakthrough on my Flip jump and was really excited to show it to Christopher to see if I'm finally doing it correctly. It felt bigger so I thought I was finally getting that vault from the toe pick. Alas, he saw it and confirmed that it was higher but still incorrect. So, I was basically just doing it wrong differently. Ugh. We spent some time on it and I had one that had the proper pick in and a bit of a draw but then I freaked out mid-jump and landed it two-footed. It was a shame because that would have been an almost properly done Flip. Stupid brain freaking out over doing a good thing. We moved on to looking at some camel spins and these were looking better than usual today! I just need to still arch my back and straighten my spinning leg a smidge. My attitude spins were looking pretty decent as well so he put the music on and I ran the Free Dance. It's looking good, just need more expression (which I am able to do just fine when it counts but struggle with during practices). Finally...backspins. Lots of them! These were better. I was able to get my leg crossed on all of them but I struggle with crossing tight at the ankles like I need to for the Axel. But like, they had the proper checkout and everything which was nice because I've never really been able to do that. Yay progress! So now, Christopher wants me to really work on those Axel walk throughs with the waltz jump into the backspin. Yikes. 

Anyway, things are progressing albeit at a glacial pace. I'll take it. It's better than nothing :)