3rd week of July

I'm starting to write with a heavy heart... there is not much ice available this week, and even less the following week. I will also be busy with work. So, I'm emphasizing... the goal is to keep skating, do NOT take a break!

 After skating last Sunday, my muscles felt tired so I took a break on Monday and skated on Tuesday. I did a bit of everything, alternating slow and fast skills. The Tenfox 3-turn worked better at the be beginning of the session, then I guess as my muscles got more tired I was slower. I worked also on double 3s, twizzles, spin, a lot on B Xtrokes (I need those on Foxtrot) and Foxtrot and European Waltz. I skate longer sessions than before and push harder and work on extensions. My muscles feel tired and it is taking longer to recover. I hope that my muscles will strengthen... For now I don't really have a choice on it, because there is not much ice, but I want to observe this.

Wednesday there is was no ice. Thursday - dance lesson. I felt I skated to little to show much in the lesson, but also there was no ice anywhere else so I was happy to go there. The coach asked if I wanted to try the Tenfox on music, and of course I did. I started of time but I got better. Even the 3-turn was on time... once (or twice). Anyway, she suggested that next week we should start partnering. I take that as a vote of confidence, a recognition of some improvement. My confidence decreased when I saw myself in a video I took while practicing, but trustfully I know there is improvement. The coach suggested I work on the BPr and BSwR on music to get quicker and confident there... and build from that. I think it is a good suggestion. I also asked her opinion one the end pattern FPr, I felt a bit behind the music and I felt I was "jumping" the steps if I made them faster, she said they looked good.

We also worked on B XStrokes, I suspected something is wrong with my posture and yes, she said I'm leaning forward while I push, and try to have a stronger push. As she demonstrated, it looked like she pushes from the ball of the foot and maintains the tension and that gets transferred into toe pointed extension, while I felt I was pushing from the middle of the blade.

I had work the rest of the week, including the weekend. It would have been some ice available Sunday 5.20 pm but I just couldn't find the energy to go. And like that, this week I skated just twice, one time being the lesson. I am grateful I have these lessons to keep me going...