Test: Bronze Dances (Willow Waltz)

I gave myself an early Christmas present and passed the Willow Waltz on December 23rd. Here is the description of the dance written as I was learning it.This Is the second of the Bronze Pattern dances I tested. The first one is the Hickory Hoedown, that I passes in January. As I was mentioning in a post before, this was a lower key testing session covering dances just up to Bronze Dances. I tested in this session before and I felt less intimidated as there were younger skaters (kids) that weren't stronger skaters than me, testing mostly Preliminary and Pre-Bronze Dances.

Not this time... There were 3 groups of skaters testing Bronze. At my rink kids have to take Preliminary and Pre-Bronze Dances as prerequisite to be in the syncro teams. So they do them while quite young usually in group classes. Then, the majority of them lose interest in dance, as they consider it boring. They come back to it after years, as teenagers, either to improve their presentation in Freestyle, or because they get stuck in Freestyle, or to test towards achieving the Gold medal to put in their collage applications. And that's why there were lots of strong skaters (way stronger then me) on this session, testing Bronze as me.

The weeks before the test I was working into building confidence and presenting. As I was hurt in March and lasted 6 months, I couldn't work on power and extension so I think that made me look a little hesitant. But I felt good and confident the day of the test. Now the test was at 6 pm and while I wasn't nervous I was a little tired from all this holiday preparations. I went half an hour earlier and skated on a public session for 15 minutes. It was crowded and the ice was bad but I've got my knees and ankles soft and I put in some 3 turns and the mohawk. As our session began I found out I was in the first group.

As I stepped on the ice I found myself holding my breath as the teenagers started to warm up fast as the wind. They were all doing the power crossovers. My first thought was "Don't get intimidated...." but as I was watching them, I realized "I can do this...". This power crossovers pattern I prepare for my MITF test and my coach said it's good enough to test, so I let myself go as fast as they went, well, maybe not as fast as them, but fast. And I felt great! Then I warmed up my backward skating as I couldn't in the public session. Then, I was ready to put a solo pattern in and that felt good. There was no music playing, maybe it was for the best, why?, read here. And here is my solo warm up.

As the waltz music was playing my coach partnered me and that felt good too. I was the second one to test. I wasn't nervous, maybe a little hyper. While waiting for the music my coach cracked a joke (like on the previous tests) to relax me. You can see me laughing just before starting (look at my left shoulder). I couldn't think of much during the test, usually, during practices, I could. I was on autopilot and before I knew it the 2 patterns were done. My coach said good job and ran to his next student. I couldn't think of anything that I did wrong. I thought it's gonna be a matter of having shown enough power, as I test standard not adult track. When I've got the test form the only suggestion from the judge was to extend the extensions. I passed with one point over the passing average.  I'll take it!

Skating technique: spins - Forward One Foot Spin

spins - part 2

It was 5 years ago when I've first learned the forward spin. It was in the group class. I don't remember every single challenge, but I remember it was a big challenge. I actually stopped skating for 6 months because I felt stuck (on the spin) and I didn't enjoy it anymore.

I wasn't taking videos of my skating at that point, but I have some clips from skating while  in skiing vacation (2014). I count 4 revolutions on both tries, but I was able at my indoor rink to usually get 6, as needed for passing the test ISI FS2. 

During the time I learned it in group classes, I had few different instructors. They offered different entrances and everything I'll describe is for a CCW rotation.
From a two foot spin that was entered from a pivot, just lift the right foot up at the ankle of the left foot with the tip to hold the arms to the sides to balance. That never worked for me... I don't remember, once, the weight transfer to have been mentioned in group classes. You need to have all the weight transferred on your left hip. I remember being told to lift the right hip, that theoretically would transfer the weight but in the video I shared I see that my right hip is lifted but my weight is not transferred. Another thing I didn't hear in group classes was to press into the ice. We were instructed to engage our core but I know now that that means to engage the core (abs and hips ) to lift the upper body from the ribs while grounding (so pressing into the ice). That is the ballet posture, but I didn't know that either.
From a pivot is like I described for the two foot spin but without doing the two foot spin. On the second part of this video (starting at second 1.35), is explained very well how to center if entering a spin from a pivot. So don't move while pushing, push around one point, your left foot.  Also, bring the right foot, that does the pushing around, in, near the left foot, before lifting it up. If you pick it up while is shoulders apart you would throw your upper body of center. The first part of the video is about entering from an forward outside edge that I'll describe next.
From a Left Forward Outside Edge (like the first edge of the 3-turn). The instruction here was: enter with the left arm forward  and hold the edge for a long time making it tighter. At the point you  would turn the 3-turn you swing the left arm to the left, and the right foot from back to forward (ideally you hold it there, in front, to help you balance and then you bend the knee and bring the right foot at the ankle of the left foot) having now the upper body square and arms lateral to balance. You spin on the ball of your foot.  That never worked for me either.... I think I was afraid on even trying to deepen that outside edge. Plus I suspect I didn't swing the left arm and right leg properly and at the same time.
Update 11/24/2019 In the group class I take now we reviewed the spins and I've finally got a correction that helped me with this entrance. It was to keep the free leg back until really turning into the spin. It seams I was letting it come around a little so when I was ready to actually swing the free leg around, it wasn't in a stable point and I wasn't stable on the outside edge also. It is the same for the next entrance too, but for some reason I was doing with this entrance.
From Winding up from CW Back Crossovers. Surprisingly, what is considered the more difficult entrance work best for me. Now I'll go crazy and share every single tip I remember. Some of them I've learned more recently, working with my private coach at the scratch spin, so they may not be doable for beginner.
- The wind up: As the right foot crosses over the left (the second edge of the crossovers) you wind up your upper body to the right (or outside the circle), right arm and shoulder is back and you look outside the circle (or over your right shoulder) holding the left foot (extended and pointed) underneath you to balance on the right foot that is on an bent knee on and back inside edge. One weird thing I was doing and had to correct was keeping the left foot on ice while gliding backwards as you can see in my video. Here is a link to a video that iCoachSkating.com shared on Facebook. The instructor calls the bringing the left foot (from the back) near the right foot that is the skating foot a "curly cue". She advises to square the hips and deepen that back inside edge and so you create a curl on the ice. I didn't here this as a beginner but now I like it, I feel it gives me a better balance and makes me press into the ice without thinking at it.
- Step on the left foot on a deep outside edge. I heard instructions to step int the circle (so not going back on the previous tracing of the back edge, or step perpendicularly to the tracing, but that makes me hesitate. They are all instruction to set your left foot on the outside edge anyway. Then press into the ice and make the edge deeper.
- The arms: In the video I shared from the icoach, the instructor advises to enter with the upper body square, so right hand in front, that reducing the chance of getting of balance while adjusting the upper body later. I still enter with my left hand forward and swing it at the same time as the right leg from the back forward to start the spin. Now if the left arm is used I heard to first squish it across your body during the wind up and from there to swing strongly... My coach had me holding the arm in a nice curved (like ballet) position and asked me to trow flowers when I start the spin.
- The hook: (none of my instructors used this term, but it is used in the icoach video) is the point where you would turn the 3 turn. The icoach instructor advises to create an axis composed of bent ankle, bent knee and sternum (created by bending on the hip too) before the hook.  I was advice not to think of it as a 3 turn, but more as lift over the hip.
- The swing of the back leg is immediately after the hook and at the same time with the left arm swing if used. I was instructed to swing around to create centrifugal force. I have the feeling that thinking of swinging around makes me break at the hip. The icoach instructor says to lift the leg at the hip level before the swing to maximize the distance of the between the foot and axis. I tried that cautiously as my hip was hurt but I felt I got it once or twice and I was surprised of how much power I got into the spin. It also made me stay over the left hip.
- Center the spin: by holding the arms to the side to balance. I heard from many instructors to keep the left knee bent until centered, especially as beginners. My coach, now, instructs me to press into the ice and keep lifting over the hip. That works better at this point for me. Also one day recently when I wasn't centering I've got the correction press into the edge immediately after turning the 3-turn. But if I have a day when I don't center I do play with bending the knee. I feel it brings awareness. My says that there are different techniques, and not one is right. Different things work for different people. The next thing that helps balancing is holding the right leg extended to the front (like 1 o'clock) but I couldn't do that as a beginner. I had the feeling that that you would hold that free leg at a 45 degrees but I was corrected to bring it more forward. I think bringing it more forward makes you close the hip and not "drop" it. I'm starting to work on that as it is part of the setting for the scratch spin.
- Spinning: is kept balanced by engaging the core. By bringing the arms in, the spin will go faster. My new coach instructs in pressing the arms down, or to the chest. I do that for the scratch spin, but for the regular spin I don't actually feel I want go that fast. I like to hold the arms like I would hold a beach ball. And I was instructed to bring the right knee (and foot) up. The spin definitely looks better compared with the right foot coming at the ankle of the left foot.
- Exit by putting the right foot down and pushing on it on a back outside edge with the left foot (like a landing position). Always finish with a strong exit. I've got into the habit of checking the spin if it's centered while exiting and I have to say I sometimes have to fight to finish pretty.

I stopped doing spins and jumps almost 3 years ago as I hurt my left ankle and it wasn't healing. I kept skating but doing Ice Dancing and MITF. I started working a little on Freestyle again with my private coach one year ago, and we've got to review the forward one foot spin and start working on the scratch spin. Then I hurt my left hip and stopped again :(  I still do a couple of them almost each day I'm on ice so I won't loose the progress and the comfort with dizziness. Supposedly the only way to train not felling dizzy is spinning more. I'm working more at the back spin now, as it's on the other hip.

Here is how my Forward One Foot Spin looks now:

Searching for confidence to test the Willow Waltz

I'm registered to test on December 23rd, that's this coming Sunday, and I haven't felt fully confident yet. But I think I've found out why and I fixed it, hopefully... And that's besides dealing with the hip injury for the last 6 months that made it difficult to work on power and extension.

Before I was skating myself I was thinking of skating as floating, like few long steps (strokes) that go on (float) forever. When I started Ice Dancing I was shocked of how qick the steps were one after the other. And they still float! I don't know if that makes sense... Anyhow, the pattern dances have a set rhythm and tempo. When we first learn them, we count, and then we use music that has the required rhythm and tempo. When we count we can re adjust the counting if we make an error. When the music plays if you make an error you are gonna be late (or early), then you'll have to adjust the skating. Now, honestly I never focused on doing the pattern dances on music on my own. I mean, I tried but not very successfully.  I felt I was concentrating on learning sooo much and I was able to follow my partner/ coach when we were doing the dances as partners so I let it go. I thought it will come later kind of on its own or at least easier.

When I tested the first bronze dance, The Hickory Hoedown, in March, I went in quite confidently. I didn't get nervous while waiting and the first part of the warm up was fine. Then they played a song in the rhythm of each dance was being tested by the group on ice, so I tried the dance on my own. I fell behind the music and I panicked. Luckily my coach realized and partnered me (it was a different rhythm but he counted) and I relaxed. I did well on the test and passed and I didn't think of that moment of panic again. But I think I unconsciously worried about this solo music thing because I never solved it. I just realized this last week, as I was still searching for my confidence to test the second bronze dance, The Willow Waltz.

I had a lesson on Monday that went well. Tuesday it's a day when the ice is fairly empty and I can play my music without worrying I bother people.  So I decided that is the day I'll conquer the solo dancing on music. I dug deep to remember the instruction and corrections I had from my coaches in time. One was from my previous coach and it was to count the correct rhythm but at a slower tempo and progressively to increase the tempo. Actually she counted and clapped the hands, and asked me to count and to go when I feel I can keep counting on the same tempo. Then she increased the tempo. It took her 4 patterns to get me to the right tempo but amazingly, it felt easy. I'm not sure I was very precise in doing that on my own now but I did the best I could. The second correction was from my current coach. He said my counting is off. I need to relearn to count with the music playing to get the right rhythm and tempo. So I spent the whole Tuesday session working on all these. I must have done 50 patterns (some double as the test requires) and I don't think I usually do more than 10. I was sooo tired but I felt I was starting to get it. I was waiting for my next lesson, on Thursday, to see what my coach's thinking. I skated on Wednesday too and I was as I expected quite tired. All those patterns I've done on Tuesday really killed my quads. Thursday I was still hurting but my solo dance on music was perfectly fine! My coach seemed surprised I made such a big deal about it so there wasn't too much celebration about me conquering my fear of solo dancing on music. Maybe that's why I'm writing this. It was a big milestone for me so here I am celebrating! And I suppose I should take my coach's reaction as a vote of confidence, that he knew I could do it. Working on the dance partnering my coach, he kept pushing me to put more power into each stroke. I thought I was tired and I tried not to let my confidence slide again. And I was right. Skating on Friday almost brought me to tears from the quads pain. I took it easy and it mellowed towards the end of the session. Can you believe I took Pilates after?

I'm happy I did this fixing of solo dancing on music, and I'm also happy I didn't do it on the last week to get myself that tired just before the test. And I'm so very happy my hip holds up fine with all this work.

Yesterday's lesson was good. I definitely feel more confident with the Willow Waltz. The only correction from my coach today was to sell it, look up and smile. And I still have a lesson on Thursday. I don't know how to train this week yet. I don't want to over train. I plan to listen very carefully to my body, and take as easy as I need too.

Coach's critiques

I saw recently a post in a skating group on facebook of somebody that felt that the Coach critiquing every little thing with no encouragement made her feel like a failure as a skater and everything that she was doing was ugly and bad and she almost wanted to quit. There were answers ranging from saying to fire the coach, to advising that some time personalities of the coaches and students don't match, to pointing out that that's what we pay the coaches for: to critique us...

I started learning skating in group lessons of 4 to 8 people. There wasn't time for much individual critique. There wasn't much time for much instruction either. When I started private lessons I was craving and got instruction, lots of it! And then came the corrections, lots of them... Let's see how many corrections I can come up for the Forward Stroking. 1.Posture, 2.Shoulders back 3. Chin up, 4.Look over the glass boards, 5. Press into ice 6.Bend the knees 7. Bend more... 8.Free leg goes laterally after stroking 8. Extend the free leg higher 9.Hold the extension 10. Free leg straight, don't bend the knee 11. Free foot pointed 12. Free foot turned out 13.Free leg is to lateral now, a little back 14.Don't lean the upper body forward when you stroke 15.Re bend with the weight on the skating hip 16.Feet in V before a new stroke 17.Keep knees separated before the new stroke 18. NOOO, don't collapse on the knew skating leg before the push 19.Soft arms 20.Look up (I know I said it before but I hear this a lot). My coach could add to these, I'm sure. Now, I don't think I heard all of them at once, but 15 of them wouldn't be unusual. And that's just for a 2 min exercise. There are 28 more minutes in the lesson.... After the lesson I write down all the corrections I remember, and I don't remember all of them. I'm panicking... Then next day I'm on ice I try to incorporate the corrections I remember, then I go and read the notes and work on more corrections. Damn! there are too many.

I honestly had moments when I felt exactly as the facebook skater. I was brave for maybe a month after I started with my private coach and then I told him that I cannot handle so much instruction and corrections. He said, "Oh, no! I don't expect you, or anybody, to work on (or to remember) all the corrections at a time. The reason I give so many corrections is because different people pick up different things to correct and get stuck on different things. Just choose few of them, 3 maybe, and correct those, then I'll give you the rest of them again, and... add to them. Aha!

A few weeks ago, I did mention it at the time, my coach said that I hit some milestones to my forward chasses in alternating lobes. Not easy, beginner stuff, but more towards intermediate, like lean and correct change of lobes direction. And immediately he said in a devilish, satisfied that he can pick on something, voice "but your free knee is bent". Thoughts were running trough my mind: "No my knee is straight, I corrected that a year ago".  I had to work hard not to burst into crying. Actually it wasn't like that at all, but that's what it felt like :) In reality, he was very excited about my progress and said in a neutral voice that my knee is bent... He didn't even say straighten your knee, it was obvious that I can and I will. Me wanting to cry, that's real. After few minutes of gathering myself, I thought to ask why I don't do the things I CAN do? He said that when I concentrate in doing a specific correction I let go on the things that are not yet body memory. It seems that it takes an even longer time than I thought for some skill to become body memory...

Some random things different coaches said, related with critiquing...
- well, sometimes you have to take it with a sense of humor (the temporary failure in doing something, and the repeated corrections/ nitpicking)
- the hardest part in a coach's job is to trick the student into doing something she doesn't want to do

To draw some kind of a conclusion, nobody likes to be criticized, it's important to think at these coach's critiques as corrections or constructive criticism. Also, the coach cannot know how you feel if you don't say. So the student should say if she/ he is overwhelmed, or needs encouragement. I've got into the habit of asking my coach if I improved a certain skill. I ask specifically about something. For example, it seems that I grossly misjudge my speed and flow (power) improvement. As I test at standard level I need to show power. I'm always on the hunt of that, especially because it's against my personality. It seems that I improve steadily, and I don't realize because I'm comfortable and in control skating with this increased speed.

I also do agree that not all personalities work together. I believe that sometimes, despite everybody's best intentions and effort a relationship doesn't work. On the other side of too much criticism, I would mention that I had a coach that was so nice that I didn't feel she was drawing out of me all I could give.

Skating technique: spins - Two Foot Spin

spins - part 1.

I was surprised that the spins were taking me longer to learn then the jumps (that is single jumps... small jumps). I spin CCW (counter clockwise) so I'll describe that.

Two foot forward spin for beginners, this is not gonna give too many rotations around as it has no push from the feet and the only wind up is from the upper body (core, shoulders and arms).
1. start, with feet shoulder width apart on the flat of the blade.
2. wind up the upper body towards right, that's both arms toward right keeping around a 90 degrees between them, right shoulder back, core but also  the right hip and foot towards back/ right and bend the knee, press the feet into the ice.
3. unwind towards left with a swinging motion using the arms, core and bring the hip around to square
4. balance, straighten the knees with the arms hold out to the side, press the feet into the ice, keep the body square, head up, lift from the core, shoulders down.
5. spin, after felling balanced bring in the arms like holding a beach ball, then pull them in front of the body across the chest. As a beginner I was instructed to hold the feet in a pigeon toe position but that never worked for me. Instead I had the left foot on the ball of the foot and right foot towards the back of the heal of the blade on a inside edge (I guess you do pigeon the right foot so the foot and hip doesn't get left behind). Try off ice to find these points where you press into the ice. Press into the ice, keep the bode square, head up, lifted from the core, shoulders down, elbows up.

Two foot forward spin from pivot: (I'll describe the 3-turn entrance and the wind up from back crossovers when I get to the one foot spin)
1. start: from a left forward pivot using both the upper body to wind up and the free foot to push around
2. spin: when you bring the feet together, bring your arms forward like holding a beach ball, square the hips, engage your core, lift your upper body up but not the shoulders, while pressing the feet into the ice (left foot on the ball, right foot on the heel of the blade) and... you'll spin toward the left!
3. exit: bend the knees and with the left leg push around onto a right back outside edge, left arm lateral-forward at 10 o'clock, right arm to the side.

I learned the two foot spin in group classes a while ago and I don't remember exactly what my struggles were. I think they were the exact ones my beginner friends have. And that is how to get enough momentum to start the spin and how to balance so you don't stop the spin. For passing the test you need 6 rotations...  I do remember it took me a long time to get those 6 rotations. And I remember that when I passed I wasn't comfortable with the spin. It finally made sense and get comfortable after I've got the one foot spin...

Tips:
- The pivot has to be controlled. That means it should be centered. Don't push to hard into it. That's counter intuitive... right? You want to push hard so you have enough speed to go around 6 times. But if the push is to much for you to control and is not centered you won't balance and it will make you stop... Do keep the weight on the toe pick. Don't pump repeatedly into the pivot, that will make you keep shifting the weigh and de-center you. Don't make the pivot too wide, just hips apart is enough. Bring the foot that goes around closer to the foot that has the pick in, smoothly. If you bring it in too fast or from to far away it will de-center you. Don't release the toe pick too soon, just when you are ready to start spinning.
- The upper body and arms release after wind up has to be controlled. Again don't push too hard. Do engage the core and stop the rotation when the shoulders are square with the hips. And hold arms balanced and tense in front of your body (like holding a ball).
- Find the balance points on your blades. I spin on the inside edge of the ball of the left foot and the inside edge of the right foot. The right foot is pushed forward so the hip doesn't lag behind (coaches say pigeon toe...). Do press into ice!. Again, this sounds counter intuitive to me, wouldn't that friction stop the movement? But pressing allows you to stay on the balancing points, wobbling on the blade would  create more friction and stop the movement...
- Keep your body tense and strong, so you keep the balance. That is keep the upper body engaged, both core and shoulders and arms (don't lift the shoulders, coaches say to press the hands down to help). Also the pressing into ice helps keeping the body tense. In ballet that is lift your body up from the rib cage up, while pressing the feet down (try it off ice).
- I recently red that in order to get more rotations you should try push down lower with a quick pull up to spin and try to get 1-2 revs before pulling your arms in. So, when you start spinning, your arms should be stretched out to the sides parallel to the ice, stay like that for 2-3 revolutions and then slowly pull in. I would think holding the arms to the side longer will help the centering and puling them in will increase the momentum and being that you are centered just that should give you few good rotations...

Skating technique: Inside Pivots

The Inside Forward Pivot is a skill taught in ISI Freestyle 1. If you'll read my thoughts about Figure Skating Levels, you'll see that I call the first level Intro to skating, and that covers basic skating skills. The next level, that includes the skills from ISI FS1 and FS2 are included here and USFSA standard Pre-Preliminary MITF and Freestyle (or adult Pre-Bronze MITF and Freestyle I call a Low-Beginner.

Forward inside pivot (Pivots are done in both directions, I'll describe just the CCW): 
1. stand with the feet shoulder apart,  or moving slowly on a right inside edge, arms to the sides
2. bending the knees, place the left toe pick into the ice while to transfer the weight to the left foot, and push around with the right foot on a forward inside edge straightening it after the push, in an increasing radius circle. Basically the right leg is doing the first part of a swizzle and then doesn't come back to meet the left leg but stays apart in a lateral lunge position. Keep the left knee turned out, the arms out to the sides, shoulder height, keep the core strong.
3. hold the circling around, maintaining the width between feet, at least 1.5 revolutions in a continuous motion, while keeping the core and the inner thighs very engaged.  No extra pumping or stopping allowed.
4. exit by drawing the right foot in near the left foot (like it's doing the second part of a swizzle) and straightening the left foot. Again, you are using the core and inner thighs.

I like the demonstration here. It gives an exercise to prepare for the pivot (pumps with a foot around the other foot that's on the toe pick). It shows how to have the  knee (and hip) of the leg that's moving turned out. You can see that that moving leg is slightly dragging behind the upper body and hips block.  I found the most important thing was to move the weight TOTALLY, on the toe pick (and hip) of the leg that makes the axis, left leg in this case. Don't drop the left shoulder and stick the hips to the right. Push the hips to the left, to feel you are over the left hip. Another way I heard it said is push into the left hip. The foot and shoulder form like an axis (a vertical bar) that you rotate around.

Backward inside pivot CCW is very similar with the  forward inside pivot:
1. stand with feet shoulder apart, right arm lateral left hand in front
2. bend the knees, place right toe pick in the ice and push around back wards with the left foot while transferring the weight onto the right foot toe pick and straightening the left foot. The left arm helps the rotation and comes lateral, so both arms end laterally.
3. hold the circle 1.5 revolutions
4. exit by drawing the left foot near the right foot.

Working on the pivot, I think the most important thing to understand is  the weight transfer. The weight is kept on the skating foot (toe pick) and hip, if the weight shifts from the skating hip, the pivot will wobble of center and stop. This weight transfer skill will be used over and over again in edges, spinning, jumps, EVERYTHING...

Monthly skating review: progress and goals adjustment

I usually skate Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. That's 4 sessions a week, while last year I was skating 7, 8 sessions a week. I would have the time to skate more, but I felt it was best to let the hip injury heal. At the beginning of the month the rink was closed for renovation, then there was just public ice on Veterans day and around Thanksgiving. So I was skating even less and that translates in less progress...

Ice Dancing: I had 3 private lessons (my private lesson is on Thursday and I lost 2 lessons because of the ice schedule). We worked exclusively at the Willow Waltz as I want to test it. And we decided to register for the December 23rd test session. That is an hour session that goes after the Ice Dancing group lessons 2 months classes to allow the students to test what they've learnt. It covers just up to bronze dances. I love these sessions as they are less pressure then the 3 hours long sessions. So, I was ready to test this dance in March (and I didn't test because I've got injured), and I was confident about it. Where did that confidence go? My coach says that my skills are improved, and I agree. I think that protecting the hip I lost the tension in my body that makes somebody look sure of themselves... I'll have to find it quickly...

MITF: I didn't work on these with my coach in months. Again, these Pre-Juvenile MITF were close to be ready for testing in March, when I couldn't work on power because of my injury. I occasionally ask him to see one move if I have questions. At some point I lost my backward circle eight so he helped me adjust the weight on my hip and I got it back.The power crossovers with inner edge he likes. On the power pulls I do well, except the the back ones on the hurt hip. But they are coming along. The 5 step Mohawk was always good. All it's left is the forward to backward 3-turn... And I do them fine! Except when I try to put a little speed in them. I think again it's about not tensing my body enough. I tried to have my coach look at them and I did way worse then I do on my own. He couldn't really correct anything because I was not doing them. Usually he corrects the timing as i was turning before reaching the middle of the lobe. The he always finds some weight over the hip adjustment. The only thing I could take away was to look up. I look down after the turn. I think the thing I need is that confidence back.... because honestly, I CAN do them.

Freestyle: This month I had 2 lessons with my new Freestyle coach. I described the Freestyle lessons here. Last lesson was about going faster and going bigger. When I hired him I thought I was going to like him, and I do like him even more than I expected. And here comes the BUT. I like all he is teaching me and I respond well to his instructions. And I agree I need eventually to know all these. BUT, I hired him to do a program for me, 2 moths ago. I want my program! I know I'm being childish, but am I? The program should be a Pre-Bronze one for testing, not competition. So it doesn't need more difficult skills than I already have. He brought up again the back power 3-turn, that are next level MITF. And while I can do them, I kind of don't want to work at them. I didn't do Freestyle in 2 years and I don't have allocated time in my week for it. I have to make room, so to take away time from dance and moves where I already feel I have less time than I want (like 8 sessions a week,  before injury). Now to be honest, each day on ice, I do have "I don't know what to work on" moments. So why wouldn't I work on the back power 3-turn. I'm definitely being childish, trowing a tantrum instead of working on things as an adult.

Last thing I'll mention is my hip pain. It is mostly good. I did hurt after jumping a whole session, but it went away during the long Thanksgiving weekend. I'm giving Thanks for that! Then I've fallen again on that side but I was wearing the gel hip pad, and while the fall hurt a little, I think it didn't add anything to the previous injury. Thanks for that too... Something new, I took a pilates class that is offered just after the ice time on Friday. It was my first time talking pilates and while I expected a good core workout (and sore muscles), I was surprised of how much it made me work the hip muscles too, so I may continue taking it. A physical therapist was also taking the class and she joined the conversation I was having with the instructor comparing yoga and pilates . They both consider that pilates is more beneficial as a core and hip strengthening and stabilizing exercise while cautioned me about the risk of injury if yoga is not done properly.

The plan for next month, if I feel no hip pain, is to skate Monday trough Friday and have 2 private lessons with my old coach, one Monday after my regular skate and one Thursday. That would give me more instruction for the dance I plan to test, plus would bring me to 5 and a half sessions of skating per week. BUT, if I feel any pain I plan to be on the cautious side and cut back on skating. As I'm registered to test the Willow Waltz I'll have to prioritize to work on it. The problem is that I need fairly empty ice to be able to put in the whole pattern and keep the beat. Usually the beginning of the sessions are emptier, so I'll have to work at the dance first.  The big disadvantage of this is that Ice Dancing makes my muscles tired because of the continuous bending and rising of the knee. That definitely affects my jumping negatively. But if I'm able to skate 5 1/2 sessions per week I'll have time to start incorporating some Freestyle in my training. I might not take any freestyle lessons, to keep the skating budget under control, or I'll go crazy and spend, thinking of it as a holiday gift...