Skating technique: Forward Spin - change of position

I needed to include a spin in the Solo Free Dance program I was having choreographed. I can do a forward spin, a forward scratch spin and a forward back spin, that's it... The choreographer wanted a little bit more...

The idea was to have an interesting position, and we choose to bend the skating leg while having the free leg at the back of the skating leg knee. So not a sit position, but an intermediary one. 

Then we wanted to change the position maybe into a scratch spin, but I couldn't exit with enough speed from the fancy position to give the scratch a dignified speed. Then I've tried the scratch first and then to change the position into the fancy one... no go... I had too much speed, and I was too forward on my blade to be able to uncross the foot and place in at the back... I was rocking on the blade when I was changing.

So, what I can do... Is a regular forward spin, then change into the fancy position. 

But surprise... I had to work on centering the forward spin. I was lately only doing the scratch spin, and the intention of crossing the free foot made me push the free hip forward automatically. For the regular forward spin, I left the hip back, so I was not square. I also had to develop awareness of what spot on my blade I was spinning on, and to maintain it while changing the position.

I asked my regular coach to look at the forward spin, to see why I'm not centering, and, as always, he said to hold the entrance longer. Then he said the free foot was late coming from the back, it has to swing forward as I turn the 3-turn. The biggest issue was that "I didn't let the free side come around". As I knew, I left the free hip back, but it seems I left the free shoulder back to... So hopefully that will fix it.

When I center the forward spin, I can transition to the fancy position easily. I hope I get a chance to film it too see how it looks.

Skating technique: Twizzles

Twizzles! I've tried them twice in the group class environment few year ago and... they seemed quite impossible. I mentioned to my coach that I wanted to learn them, and he seemed to brush off the idea. It kind of gave me the vibe that he thought they are over my ability at that point, being that I'm working on Pre-Juvenile moves and they are required on Intermediate moves.

But I needed  twizzles for my solo free dance program. The requirement is a minimum one revolution twizzle...That is very different from the 2.5 revolution required in the Intermediate moves test... It should be achievable.

The definition of the twizzle in the USFSA Rulebook is: "A traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations, which is quickly rotated with a continuous uninterrupted) action. The weight remains on the skating foot with the free foot in any position during the turn, and then placed beside the skating foot to skate the next step. 
A series of checked three-turns is not acceptable, as this does not constitute a continuous action. If the traveling action stops during the execution, the twizzle becomes a solo spin (pirouette). The four different types of entry edges for twizzles are: (1) forward inside (FI); (2) forward outside (FO); (3)
backward inside (BI); (4) backward outside (BO)"

I first try twizzles in group classes, then I've got instruction from my regular coach, not much, just to start me, then, after a week both him and the new choreographer/coach kept adding. Here it goes for a Right Inside Forward Twizzle, for left side it's all reversed:

- In the group classes we haven't really got much instruction, it was monkey see monkey does approach. I was doing something on my right foot (CCW rotation that is my comfortable skating direction) and I was getting stuck on the left, on CW rotation. So I remember being told to not check the 3-turn but to allow/ more force... the left shoulder to stay forward)
- I also remember hearing the "biggest tip about twizzles at the skating seminar about moves" and that was to practice the 2 foot spin from early on not only CCW andbut also CW, so the upper body gets used to keep going and not check out of the rotation, for CW...

- Here is my regular coach instruction: intro step, to get some speed in and set the next edge is an Left Inside Forward Edge. I keep the right ankle near the left ankle for stability. At the end of this edge the upper body faces slightly towards the right side, and the left hand is in front. My regular coach said that he likes his students to start more square, so the upper body won't destabilize the entry. All other coaches actually instructed to use this left hand forward twist...
- Right Inside Forward Edge on a bent knee, allowing the upper body right side to go towards the left, to square the upper body over the hips and help the rotation
- Just before the turn (that is like a Right Inside Forward 3-turn), you rise on your knee and you don't rebend... as for the 3-turns. The twizzles can be done on a straight leg or a slightly bent one, but they shouldn't bounce up and down as the 3-turns

(This was all the instruction I was given on the first lesson about twizzles. I had troubles at first to feel the entry edge with a bent knee and get high on the knee and not rebent after the turn, so I needed few days of practice just to get some body awareness and memory of that). This twizzles are usually practice using the length of the rink alternatively on right foot and left, finishing forward and using the upper body twist from the exit from the previous twizzle to start the next. I haven't really got the hang of that, so I practiced on foot, then the other. I did turn forward but I was feeling that I'm falling off the edge.)

- The next instruction came from the choreographer/coach and it was to fell after starting the twizzle that I've stacked myself/ lift over/ align over the right side hip.
- Also, they are not done on a straight line, but on a curve... and she asked me to try them on a small circle. I immediately felt few that haven't fall to the inside when I finished.

(I was so excited at this point, only to see that in choreography she was exiting the twizzle bacward, so she did 1.5 rotations. I asked if one rotation isn't enough for the test, she said that as per rules yes, but sh thinks I can do the 1.5 one. I thought thanks for the vote of confidence, but that's not gonna happen any time soon... I mean is the same exit as for the backward spin, and I haven't progressed on that at all, I'm just hopping, I'm not pulling out of it.)
So I practiced staidly on the next two weeks worth of sessions without really seeing any more improvement, though definitely getting more comfortable and fast with the entrance and all the motion. looked at how other skaters trained twizzles, on the long axis and they seamed to do 2 rotations and still finishing forward. So, even if I put my foot down, I allowed/ forced myself to continue turning...
I usually ask my coach for new correction when I feel stuck on something, or I feel i incorporated the previews corrections/ instructions he's given me. I haven"t asked now, I think because it felt hopeless not stuck. But he did ask to see them... and gave me new instruction...)

- While the first forward to backward turn is on the ball of the foot, when you are on the back edge you settle on the middle of the blade, and you stay there, for all next rotations. You do not rock back and forth on the blade as for 3-turns...
- After the first inside edge, you don't bring the free foot in from lateral, but from the back. I don't understand this one exactly. I feel it has to do with the foot throwing the alignment off balance.
- Also, for the RFI twizzle, push the right shoulder forward to continue the rotation, not stop it like for checking out of the 3-turns, but also push the right hip forward.

(I hit some that he liked, but I personally wasn't too enthused. I usually ask questions, now I had nothing... I think i was so sure in my mind that it's gonna take a long long time, that I unconscionably didn't bother to think on what I need to improve... I did mentioned that that exit backward after 1.5 rotations seems impossible to me (backward spin exit), and I think I'll get 2 turns and exit forward before I'll be able to do that 1.5 and exit backward and that I try to get the 2 rotations even if I put the free foot down. He said that the backward exit is not the pulled backward spin exit but feels more like a jump exit, and that the 2 rotation with the free foot down is a good idea... that gave me hope... but not much honestly. I also didn't want to obsess with the twizzle and the free dance, all related with the free dance is something to give me joy and be a reward and a distraction for when I feel frustrated and unmotivated by working to hard on moves and pattern dances

But... just before the free dance choreography lesson I've had some extra time. I've already finished working on everything else I planned to and I've already also worked on twizzles, like just go trough them few times on the length of the rink. So I started to work at them again, this time one at a time and on a circle. I also tried to feel my body alignment. And I've realized that after the first turn, so when I've got backwards I was leaning outside the circle, so, of course, turning forward I was not stable. I thought I'll do few quick and tight double 3-turns so I can feel my upper body lean into the circle. After few of those, for RFI twizzle I've tried to push the the right shoulder and hip forward, then tried to pull the left shoulder back... to keep the rotation going...

And you know what? Yes, it worked! I've got few 1.5 RFI twizzles! Then I gave them a break, then I've tried again. They worked again, well not every single one, but enough to get the feeling of them. I was even able to show them to my choreographer!

What I would add, is that they felt slower then when I first tried to do them, making me think that at first I was "spinning" them, probably also forcing the entrance. Also, they happened when I put them on a circle, never on a straight line. Now, I have to get the left side... )

I've got the Twizzle on last Friday, and I couldn't wait to try them again and see if I still have them. And I do! I was even able to include them in the program,  from almost a stop but still....

Dropped 3-tuns, new corrections for Ice Dancing intermediate level

I've had few new (and old) corrections on yesterday private lesson.

Firstly, you know how I was saying in my last post, that I feel my skills for the Ten Fox are good enough for the level, and all I need is to put a little more power and pay attention to partnering? Actually, it seams that I scrape the 3-turn... badly. May coach showed me the tracing on ice (in the Ten Fox pattern) and it was soo bad. That would be a good reason to fail the test. When I do the dance on my own, I'm never able to find the tracing. When I do the 3-turns on their own, I can find the tracing and it looks correct more often then not. But in the dance, I do the 3-turn after steps harder then and outside stroke, plus I have more speed, so it is a more difficult set up. I have to fix this before thinking of testing.

Here is the post I wrote about the dropped 3-turns. I'll go over the mistakes I make often now, and what I should be doing correct them:
- good forward outside edge on the entry stroke. That would include a good push from underneath yourself, so re bend on the skating foot, but then flip it on the inside edge as you actually put the new foot down. This will make space for the new foot to be set on an outside edge. I am able to do this consistently, but I'm not doing it in the dance... the problem I think,  is rushing, getting overexcited or nervous, and actually stepping, not pushing from underneath.
 - maintain this outside edge, not flatten it. Well, firstly, if I don't set it on an outside edge to begin with, it's kind of impossible, at least for me, to fix it. But let's say I do that right. To maintain the edge I should keep on the back of the blade (and I often find myself forward, again probably from the bad push) and press into the ice keeping the knee out. Yes, I'm letting the knee fall in, then of course the edge will flatten. It's possible I do this even worse with the partner as I may worry I'll hit his knee with my knee. But even on my own, this is not a skill I do without really concentrating on it. Another reason I think I lean forward is that I know I have to get closer to my partner just before turning the 3-turn, so leaning forward does get my upper body closer. I have o get closer with all my body, including the lover body.
- rise over the skating hip, lifting the rib cage. I feel I'm not doing this good enough, but my coach says that what it's messing me up, is in fact that I re bend while still turning (rushing again), and that it is what takes me out of the alignment and making me lean outside the circle not inside as I should, and this is making me scrape.
- another mistake I make often, is allowing the left shoulder forward. I am conscientiously twisting my upper body, but the left shoulder block my, and I am not aware of it while doing it.
- of course I have to turn my head with the turn...
- the old mistake was that I was pushing back after the 3-turn while re bending. It seams I fixed that by re bending even sooner (joke on me), instead of after the 3-turn...

The second correction I've got it was about the back push, and that translates into all backward skating so I'm very excited about it. It will be one of my next posts.

Then we did partner Ten Fox again and again, and I still do all kind of mistakes. There is this expectation that the coach helps the student during the dances, including during the tests. But these things eventually need to be corrected. And I think I have enough corrections for a whole post, so again, I'll come back to it  in a new post soon.

Corrections Jan 2020
- I worked on these for half hour on the next two sessions I was on ice. I went trough all the corrections, and I found the one mistake that ruined it even when everything else was right. This is the LFO 3-turn, so I have to twist the upper body towards the left. Well, I do, but I'm also pushing the left shoulder forward, so I'm blocking the twisting...
- Then on my next lesson, the coach said that even if I'm twisting toward the left, I'm still not aligned over the left hip, I should think of pushing the left hip forward (until now he was saying butt in)
- I was saying that holding the 3-turn entry edge on an outside edge was a problem mostly in the solo pattern dance. I realized that I wasn't finishing the previous lobe correctly, I wasn't twisting while rising towards the inside of the next circle, as I was explaining here. I should finish the previous lobe with the right hand forward and left shoulder back, ready for the 3-turm. I finish sometimes square and sometimes with the left hand forwards, that also means the left shoulder forward and that is a problem even when I do the 3-turn on its own, setting it like this in the pattern is doubling the same mistake!
- But I'm able to correct these, so I need to practice them enough to became body memory. And the dance was already better.... 

And here is a video with my dropped 3-turns done in a circle, both directions

Update from end of January: The dropped 3-turn definitely got better, I would even dare to say good, when I do them slowly. When I go faster into them I still skid, but not as badly as before. I was complaining to my coach about maybe feeling scared when having more speed and he asked if I felt is the velocity that scares me or the quickness. Good question... I wasn't differentiating between the two, and I thought is the velocity, but now I find it's actually the quickness. And it's not even fear, it's more that I'm not quick enough to find the right alignment over the hip when I go faster. So, as my coach says, I need to drill it, for that alignment (that I have when moving slower, because I have the time to think about it) to became muscle memory. I also feel confused about the timing of it, I'm so busy aligning I'm waiting to feel that alignment and there is just no way I can also think about putting it on a count. Back to work then...

Corrections 2023:

- twist the upper body while rising (I was stroking, rising then twisting) and bring the free hip along, don't leave it back. And I figured the stroke-rise and twist is a continuous move. I also figured that with a deeper knee bend in the stroking I have more flow/ inertia into the rise and twist

- let the foot turn  (don't stop it) and don't turn it yourself. I was stroking, stalling and then force the foot to turn, as I can see in the 1st 3 in the video

- Note from my own observation to check with my coach... Today I suddenly scraped the 3s (they were fine for a while now), and I think it is because my muscles were tired and as I stroke the outside edge I leaned forward, so when I raised and twisted I didn't have more space to go forward on the blade ti turn cleanly...

Intermediate Backward Skating and Backward Swing Rolls

I've worked on the Swing Rolls (both forward and backward) very little since I've hurt my hip (a year and a half ago), because I feel that when I hold the extensions I put more strain on the hip muscles. But I need the Backward Swing Roll in the Ten Fox, so I have to work at it a little.

I've wrote a post about the Backward Swing Rolls not long ago, here, but I feel I've got enough corrections for an update:
- Push straight back, find a good edge with a good, high extension of the free foot forward.
- After the push, the free leg ending a little away from skating knee (free foot is 6 inches away from the edge's tracing)
- Level shoulders, don't drop the free hip back, pointing the free foot's toes forward, helps keeping the free hep forward.
- Rise over skating shoulder, draw free foot towards the skating foot.
- Don't swing too late, swing at middle and quickly
- Press into the ice, straighten the skating leg and push the hips forward
- Free shoulder very back over skating hip
- Feel the weight over skating side 
- Free leg very back, don't let the hip open

I've written here about how I plan to work more on my backward skating and I'm doing it... Every single day I'm on ice, I do these (boring and frustrating) backward exercises as much as my patience allows me. Some days it is not much, but some days I've stuck with them for half hour. My coach's wisdom (all coaches' wisdom) is that after you've understood how to do something correctly (and that can take a while), do it a thousand times (yes this can take a long, long time), so it becomes body memory. To bring my backward skating to an intermediate level I feel I need to look and feel more confident and that implies finding my balance quickly, good erect posture, high extension on the free leg forward, no wide stepping, comfortable speed.

Backward stroking concentrating on:
- going slowly
- look up and straight posture
- re bending before pushing (my coach asked me to actually stay few seconds in the bend position). If I rush, I bend forward as I push back, then I loose the press into the ice as I straighten and I don't have a strong push.
- holding the core engaged. I think I'm overdoing this, I feel tense and I think I look tense, but generally it seems it helps me to overcompensate for a while and then pull back to a more balanced approach so after the push the whole body moves like a block, doesn't twist
- not allowing the pushing foot hip to go back after the push, pointing the toes forward help too
- not allowing the upper body to twist after the push, hold it square
- press into ice as I rise (on the front of the arch foot, or just back of the ball of the foot)
- bring the free foot in tense, as I would have an obstacle in it's way, like the arms of a scissor
- feel the boots touching
- re bend
I think my biggest problem is the rise while pressing into the ice and holding the balance and posture... and that will affect the re bend so the push, so, everything....

Backward Chasses on a circle:
- posture (straight, almost back, with the shoulders rolled back)
- pushing the heals back (to the direction of traveling) to balance the shoulders rolled back
- touching the boots
- pressing into ice and pushing from the ankles. For the chasse you push just from the foot outside of the circle you are creating, the foot that is towards the inside just lifts of the ice and goes back on it. The pushing foot is always on an inside edge, and the foot that does the chasse is on an outside edge. It is a good exercise to train this push from the pushing leg that is on an inside edge to the other leg that is on the outside edge. That includes holding the boots pressed together so you can place the foot towards the inside of the circle on an outside edge.
This is a good exercise to teach your body to push from an Backward Outside Edge to an Backward Outside Edge as you have to do to change the lobes on Backward Chasses on alternating lobes exercise that I described here. And the secret is that as you rise to finish one lobe on the BO edge, you flip that foot on an inside edge just before pushing on the other foot BO. Holding the boots together while flipping the pushing foot on the inside edge, puts the other boot in the perfect position to be placed on the outside edge on ice. Again I think I'm not always balanced as I rise, and that makes re bending hesitant so I rush and I put the free foot down. That inevitably is a wide step and an inside edge. It's gonna be a long road to do this correctly.

Skating Technique: Intermediate Dropped 3-Turns (Ice Dancing)

I'm working lately a lot on 3-turns. I do the Ice Dancing  dropped 3-turns, and also the ones for the MITF Pre-Juvenile test (Forward Outside to Backward Inside and Forward Inside to Backward Outside. I had a post describing Beginner Forward 3-turns (FO 3-turns and FI 3-turns), and I kept writing the new instruction I've got in different posts.

Today I'm writing about the Ice dancing Forward Dropped 3-turns. I've done one Left, or ccw, as part of the intro steps to the Swing Dance, the same one in the Hickory Hoedown, the on Right or cw, in the Willow Waltz, and there are two Left ones (one as intro step and one in the dance), in the Ten Fox. They are getting better, but after I'll test the Ten Fox I'll start working at the Pre-Silver Dances, and the European Waltz is basically just 3-turns... And they have to be good.

Look at this video, these are really good ones. She is an Olympic medalist in Ice Dancing...

Instructions:
Stroke (not step) into the 3-turn, hold the outside edge and extension and pressure into ice.
As you rise:
- keep pressing into the ice
- turn the head into the circle and look up
- turn the upper body toward the center of the circle, lean in the circle
- feel the inside shoulder scapula going back
- bring the free foot near the other foot (some do a T at the back).
- bring the hips around.
- don't think and try to turn backwards, just 90 degrees, the rest is done automatically by the blade sliding and body inertia
Turn and Check
- roll to the front of your blade (the ball of your foot)
- boots are touching
- the turn is happening from the knee,
Hold the Back Inside Edge for a little
- after the turn, balance on the front of the blade
- press into ice
- the boots are still together
- hold posture, butt in, look up
Re bend holding the weight on the skating foot
- press the foot into ice by feeling the shoulder pressing down (and lift from the rib cage as for plie in ballet)
- press the boots together, creating tension. The skating, pushing foot is on a back inside edge and as the free foot boot is hold pressed on the pushing foot boot, it is getting in a goot position to be placed on ice on an outside edge
Push to a outside back edge straight back
- keep the pushing foot pointed forward, don't let the hip go back, that will make the upper body twist

 And for 3-turns done one after the other
- Rise on the back edge with the back  align over the circle
- Re bend
- Open the feet on a T position
- Stroke into a new 3-turn , push forward without leaning forward

Tracking the partner:
- you stroke towards the inside of the circle.For a ccw 3-turn that is towards the left of the partner. It is counter intuitive, because the partner feels in your way, but trust me it is gonna work. It was proven to me by my coach, by drawing it on the ice, demonstrating with another skating so I can watch, and doing it with me at vary slow speed... yes I was very stubborn in my disbelieving
- as you rise, look up, at the partner, lean towards the partner, don't stick the butt out, and square the shoulders with the partner
- the turns happens by itself....

I had to fight hard to do every single line I wrote in the instructions. I'm still not always looking into the circle before the turn, even when I do the 3-turn on its own not in a dance. In a dance, I still do randomly all the mistakes that I thought I've fixed long time ago. Instead of stroking I was stepping and not holding the extension and not pressing into the ice.  But you need a good outside edge and reasonably fast, the extension and pressure into ice hold that outside edge. Then keep pressing into the ice. Then twist the upper body, then lean into the circle...I'm still not holding the exit edge and I rush to push what it should be backwards but it is in fact a hook around, while breaking at the waist (butt out). And don't ask me about partnering... some days I do it, and some days I'm just not. I mean, I am getting better, but painfully slow.

Update on dropped 3-turns on Jan 2020 here

Progress... slow progress

I haven't really worked at my skating skills and for progress, since the beginning of the summer. The reasons were the lingering pain after the small hip injury, getting upset and put off by the politicking in the skating world, to what it was added the inconvenient summer ice schedule. As a result of all that, I've got both unmotivated and out of my skating rhythm. I've tried to get them back in the fall and I just couldn't find a way. So I've decided to skate for my own enjoyment, which I have lost when I was working too hard, for progress, and I wrote about it here. Ideally would be, of course, to work for progress and enjoy the process, but I couldn't find a way to do that just yet.

I wrote here, over a year ago, about progressing from a skating Beginner level to a High Beginner level. I though at that point I was at a High Beginner level, and I think I was right. I was wondering then and I'm still wondering, how to push into an Intermediate level (a beginner Intermediate level). I think I'm at the threshold. I need just a final push to get over it. And I think working towards finally testing the Pre-Juvenile MITF and the Ten Fox will finally get me there. So I'm trying to pump myself up to work for testing. And I'm shooting for testing in mid January. There are few test sessions in mid December that that's after the week and week end I'll be busy with the Nutcracker on ice, so I expect I'll be too tired. Testing  though, is just a symbol of passing a threshold. What I'm wondering is what skills should be acquired for a skater to be (look like) an Intermediate level skater.

I'm so grateful to my coach that he asks and listens about me feeling stuck and unmotivated, not confident even, and trys to help. Lately, instead of going trough the MITF exercises and the Ten Fox, he actually went for skills developing exercises. I mentioned them here and here.

So, just to review what I need to work on with awareness:
- posture and looking up,
- alignment over edges,
- pressure into ice
- touching the boots before pushing (so no wide stepping)
- bending into the ankles at pushes
- pushing perpendicularly away from the axis
- holding the whole body engaged (I think of it at tense, but is more like core engaged, upper body lifted, keep the tension after the push to have straight knee and pointed toe for the free leg.
- speed

I feel quite solid on forward skating. On backward skating I still don't find the balancing point quickly, I feel the push on the left outside edge is "empty". I immediately loose the good posture after the push and I'm not always on the edge. Theoretically I know I have to work on all the things I mentioned, and allow them to became body memory. So I plan to do lots and lots of backward stroking, chasses, progressives both on a circle and on alternating lobes, swing rolls. And of course, the turns (the dropped 3-turns from Ice Dancing and the forward to backward 3-turns from the moves) will get better when the back edges will be better.

Skating technique: Intermediary skating skills (power, press, alignment, lean)

I usually have my private lessons on Monday and I get to skate before the lesson, so I'm warmed up already. I cannot skate next Monday so I asked for an extra lesson this week. It was on the first hour of the "Freestyle practice ice" so i had to start with a warm up with my coach watching and obviously helping and correcting.

After slalom forward and backward I did the forward outside edge presses. First the forward outside. My coach said that the hip is sticking out. That is the hip inside the circle. I am supposed to lean into the circle, with the shoulders parallel with the ice, but the rest of the body being a straight line. Like here. I tried and tried again and we ended at the boards looking into the glass and modeling my body to achieve the hip in, so the straight body line, the lean into the circle. This lean should be achieved on all edges forward, backward, outside, inside and it is always the same visual of not having the hip inside the circle sticking out. Another way I was asked to not stick the hip out was to feel, to make a hollow, that somehow doesn't work for me. I was even allowed to look down, at the hip... blasphemy! I've learned that the hip that is mentioned in the skating instruction is lower then I thought of it. That may make a difference in trying to align it. One other words I remember I've red about this hip in, were to push with the hip from inside the circle into the hip from the outside of the circle. Whaaat? No, actually that made sense when I've tried it, that's why I'm mentioning it here. To add to that is to make a hollow under arm of the arm towards the inside of the circle. That is to help the lean but I suspect also to not drop that shoulder. And also, on all the edges the upper body should be align over the circle.

After this anatomy (or contortion) lesson, I did the crossovers to inner edges from the PreJuvenile MITF test as my next warm up. My coach said to press into the ankle, so ice, the inside edge on both forward and backward. Not to just glide there. Use each step energy into the next step. We've run this 3 times. But it seams the coach was happy seeing that I was able to incorporate some of these corrections (that I've heard many times before), so he decided to continue with all this concept of power in skating. I mentioned the concept of power in skating many times, like here. The first step in building power in your skating is the correct push, (from underneath you, and pressing into the ice, that I described before (forward and backward)

So  we've continued with the rest of the MITF test exercises. Next were the power pulls. There, the biggest correction today was on the backward ones to align the upper body over the circle (the edge) so on the back outside edges pull the opposite shoulder back to lead with it, and on the back inside edges, the same side shoulder. Obviously on the power pulls you press into the ice. The 3-turns had less corrections then usual! But the focus was the same, the same alignment over the circle and lean into the circle. And then it was mentioned probably the biggest component of power on ice, the speed. I have to put more speed into the 3Turns. But generally, speed goes hand in hand with feeling confident in the edges, lean, alignment, press into the ice. You cannot have speed without having the others, and I think when all these "others" work, the speed increases automatically.

Back circle 8, you've guessed, we've insisted on the exact same points... On the inside ones I'm leaning out of the circle as I bring the foot in at the top of the lobe,  then I'm twisting too much facing inside the circle  (that would be not align over the circle) and that's slows me down. I worked at this alignment over the circle when skating backwards mostly trough backward edge presses, that I'm realizing I've never described, but I will soon...

I'm very happy with this lesson. It made me feel that I'm on track to getting the power.

Skating technique: Intermediate Chasses and Progressives (Ice Dancing)

As I didn't work much on Ice Dancing lately, it seems I regressed. My coach said so, but I do feel it myself. I don't balance the positions as fast as before, or at all. 

My coach starts every Ice Dancing lessons with 15 minutes of some the basic steps, whatever the time allows: stroking,  chasses, progressives, swing rolls, 3 turns... And on my last lesson we did forward and backward chasses and progressives. Seeing my disappointment after so many corrections, my coach said that some of these, are new corrections, plus he's asking more from me then before (extension, timing, geometry and better transitions between lobes). That may be so (it is so), but even not trying to incorporate these new corrections, I felt unsure. Luckily I have my notes (on paper and here on the blog) and as I went back and review them, I was able to correct many things.

Here is a review of beginning technique of these steps:
Balance point on blade for forward skating is the back of the arch of your foot and for backward is the front of the arch of the foot. This I do.

Posture: lift ribs up, ached back (push shoulders back) and core engaged. AND look up...And keep a controlled tension (engagement) in all the body.
Posture forward: torso a little forward, allow the lower back to curve to accommodate the leg rise back
Posture backwards: torso straight, feels like leaning back, lower ab engaged, butt in, like ballet, push the heals back to balance, after push, don't let the free hip go back.
This I've lost and I really feel that nothing will work if this is not "on"

Stay square on the circle you are forming (mostly square, just a little twisted into the circle, more like lean into the circle then twisted). I've allowed myself to twist too much into the circle, as for crossovers, and then I cannot untwist it all, and twist it all the way for the next lobe when I change the lobes without loosing balance.

Press into the ice. This would help with keeping the tension in the body.

Bend the knees more! HaHaHa... and more... That actually made a difference in stability

Press the boots together before each push, helping with the tension...

Push the whole body, like it is a wall.
-Forward: feel that the push forward pushes the knees, tailbone, middle of ribs 
Backward: push from the upper thigh, feel that the push backward pushes the heels, tummy (lower -back sides), shoulders blades, don't let the free hip go back after the push.
- push perpendicular away from axis
- at top of lobe push along the axis, don't hook

Geometry of the lobe and timing (count 1-2-3,4 and 1-2-3,4....)
- initial push is before the axis
-  second step is at a quarter of the lobe at count 1
- 3rd step is at half, top of the lobe, at count 2
- start rising approximately at an eight till axis
- at "and" re bend and push before reaching the axis

Extensions: HOOOLD...
- hold each extension, on each step

Re bend before the push
- re bend while on one foot, then push, or don't re bend while you push
- keep the weight on the pushing foot
- Forward: after re bending, flip the pushing foot 45 degrees  so you can push  on an outside edge


And particular corrections for each step...
Forward Chasse:
- hold the first extension extension longer1 beat
- lift the chasse foot higher and hold one beat
- start rising at a eight till changing lobes,
- change upper body while rising
- re bend after rise
- after re bending, flip the pushing foot 45 degrees  so you can push  on an outside edge
- keep the weight on the pushing foot

Forward Progressives:
- geometry
- push perpendicular to axis and along axis at middle
- hold first extension 1 beat
- start the under push while still extending, and "fall" on under push, let the hip go under
- hold under push
- under push not lateral but to the back
-  under push extension not lateral (as for crossovers) but more to the back to match the partner

Backward Chasse:
- geometry and push
- finish perpendicularly to the axis of travel
- push straight back, perpendicularly to the axis, not around
- step on outside edge (keep weight on the other foot until pushing)
- rise on the outside edge to bring free foot at ankle
- flip on the inside edge, bend into the knee and ankle and keep the weight on inside edge until push
- inside edge bring boot higher (sole of free boot over the skating boot)
- don't lean out of the circle on inside edge, feel the weight under your armpit, like somebody pulls your arm
- change arms between lobes while rising
- extend higher

Backward Progressive:
- same...
- point the toes on both inside and outside pushes

Skating technique: Back Pivots

For the "Skating technique" I'm following the ISI levels, I started with the beginner classes and I progress in difficulty. The Back Pivot (on an outside or inside edge) is part of Freestyle 3. I think is usually done just in the direction of the spinning, that's CCW for most skaters.  And as level of difficulty, it is an intermediate skill .

The Back Right Outside Pivot it's done from a Right Back Outside Edge.

I learned it from a Right Forward Inside 3-turn (so Right Inside edge, turn and finish on an Right Back Outside edge. The 3-turn is checked with the Left hand and shoulder in front but if the back edge continues the Left hand will go back and the Right hand forward).
- as you ride Right back outside edge (Left hand back and Right hand forward), the back will be align with the circle you make with your edge, in other words will be over the circle
- you bring the free foot (Left) to the ankle of the right foot and then back into the circle
- transfer the weight between the legs (50-50) while you put the Left toe pick in the ice
- bend strongly into the right ankle, turn out the right foot
- have the right heal "drive" pull forward or lead with the right heal, push inside of the heal out
- I vaguely remember you have to hold the thighs together (I'm not doing it in the video)
- you need 1.5 revolutions, I've just red that, I thought was just one full revolution, so I'll have to work on it.

Here is mine:

And here is the Back Pivot done after a forward spin finished in a landing position so on a Right Back Outside Edge. On the first example, I had the weight more on the right foot so it made the pivot stop. The second one is a little better but it could be hold longer. I had this spin finished with the back pivot at the end of my program.

And I found an example of back pivot on youtube, not concentrating on the technique for the pivot but using the pivot to work on the alignment for the back outside edge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qYDV7DHF64

The Back Left Inside Pivot could start from moving bacwards but also from standing.
-the left hand is hold forward and the left laterally
- you plant the toe pick from the right foot in the ice and transfer the weight on the right foot, on a bent knee while moving the left arm laterally, to start the rotation
- on the same time the left foot presses into the ice to start the rotation and then keeps pressing into ice

The back inside pivot it's used to start the back spin.

Ice Dancing: Ten Fox pattern dance

This is the last dance from the set of three Bronze Pattern Dances. Here is a link to the Judge's Form where you can see the drawing of the pattern and the expectations for the dance. It has a 4 bit count and it feels fast to me. There are 2 different holds used, the waltz one like in the Willow Waltz also called closed hold and then an open hold. In an open hold the partners are lateral to each other, hips are parallel and hold square to the direction of moving but the upper bodies are towards each other and the arms like the waltz hold.

I use the next image to help me describe the direction of movement. And the dance I describe in groups of steps (that I put numbers for and the music bit count) that form lobes.

Intro steps: starting on the end line (near South to South West), not on the hockey circle as the others, 3 forward strokes towards East: Right (not starting with the regular left here), Left, Right, the last one on a slight inside edge to get you to the circle where you do a Left dropped 3-turn, on the circle, taking a quarter of that lobe. My challenge here is that I've got used to direct the 3-turn towards the opposite end of the rink, to the North, I hook it and that messes up the next step and the interaction with the partner. The 3 turn has to start with an outside edge going towards East, curving and then after the turn you end up moving towards North East not North.
1.2.3. RB Backward Progressive (4 beats, rhythm 1-1-2 in closed, waltz hold) Starting toward North East and finishing towards West. The second step should still go towards North East and my mistake is that I tend, again, to hook it to get me around quicker. Actually that makes the lobe shorter, and the upper body pre rotated and less efficient in checking to be ready for the next lobe and that messes up the next step (see the pattern here? just as the 3-turn messes up this progressive). This lobe doesn't go from starting towards East and ending towards West as regular lobes on axis. As I was saying, this is a fast rhythm, so the lobes are a little more flat than let's say the Willow Waltz.
4a. LB Backward Swing Roll (4 beats, closed hold). This has to be a correct Swing Roll, otherwise, you probably guessed, is gonna mess up the next step! So it has to start with a push straight back towards the West, and maintain a square upper body to the hips, don't allow the upper body to rotate after the push, let the lean and edge create the curve of the lobe. The free leg extend forward but knees are apart, so it looks forward- laterally. Rise on the skating hip at the top of the lobe and keep your weight over it and swing the free leg back, not laterally.The feeling is that you bring your right shoulder aligned over the left hip. The swing roll starts going deep into the middle of the rink and ends around the dot near the blue line, not farther away toward the board, so you have enough space for the next step. Update 9/9/2019 correction: sit on the left foot at the end of the edge (re bend) so you can stroke on the next inside edge not step onto it.
4.b Open Choctaw (that is while on the LBO edge bring the right foot at the instep of the left and step on a R Foreword Inside Edge (2 beats). The reason this step is called 4b not 5 is that the partner does only one change of edge step during the woman 4a and 4b. I usually enter a FI edge with the opposite shoulder forward, but in this case is important to get used from when you learn it solo, to enter with the same shoulder forward as the foot, so the right one, to accommodate the arm hold with the partner.
5.6.7 L Forward Progressive (4 beats, 1-1-2) going from parallel to the long boards (north) to the middle of the rink (west). This Progressive continues the lobe started with the FI edge. Update 9/9/2019 correction: press the edge at the end of progressive, gather and re bend to be able to place the right foot on on outside edge on the next step and stroke into it.
8. R Forward Outside Edge (4 beats)with a rise on the skating leg while bringing the free foot down at the middle of the lobe. This is to match the partner feet while he is doing a dropped 3-turn and a BO edge. On this edge my coach cautioned me to keep it straight at the top of the lobe, don't rush the curve, because right there he is doing the 3-turn so I shouldn't cut his way. Update 9/9/2019 correction: press the edge at the and of lobe, same correction as before
9. L Outside 3-turn (2 beats). This is the step I'm having the most difficulty  I'm not finishing the previous step perpendicular to the long boards, I suppose because I feel I'm late, but more probably because I'm anxious about it, and I'm not gathering so I can push into the 3-turn. I'm kind of dropping into it... Instruction: don't forget to flip the right foot on the inside edge before pushing to the left.
10.11.12 R Backward Progressive (4 beats 1-1-2)
13,14,15,16 Two L Forward Progressives of just 2 edges, so left, right, left, right (4 beats, 1-1-1-1) Here, the hips are square, upper body twisted outside (towards the partner). Corrections: don't drop left shoulder, push from the right shoulder...
17,18, 19 L Outside Open Mohawk into a L Backward Inside Edge (4 beats, 1-1-2)

-stroke LF outside edge
-rise on left foot over the left hip, using inner thighs, align back to circle, arched back, push left shoulder forward, right shoulder back, butt in, like not falling forward over a cliff, let foot come at instep not in front, don't rush!
-step on right pinky toe, free foot at back ankle, ideally feet parallel, pull left shoulder back, push right arm forward. Update 9/9/2019 correction: after setting the right foot on ice, lead with the right heal (push it towards your forward left (north west corner)
It took me a long time to get this. What finally made me do it, was the coach request to just do the L Outside edge, bring the free foot at the instep and hold it. This was as a result of me complaining that I never feel I'm totally ready to transfer on the new foot... In fact, I wasn't holding the weight on the entry edge... I suppose, as with the 3-turn, I was too anxious and so I rushed into allowing the weight to shift towards the new edge. During the exercise I also felt the free hip, totally opening before stepping on the free foot. The last piece of the puzzle is the strong and quick check into the turn and out of the turn, in fact it may be the first piece of the puzzle, you need this check when you bring the free foot in after the first edge...
There are two more little tricks here, at the last step. Firstly, because you step from an outside edge to an inside one, you shouldn't step too closely. You have to step few inches away so you can transfer the weight in a controlled manner. Secondly, the upper body is facing the outside of the circle during the mohawk and the last step. Now, as you rise on the BI edge you square the upper body on the hips, and you twist the upper body towards the inside of the circle as you re bend to push into the RB progressive of the new pattern.

My coach told me to think about these beginner dances as a way to build skills. A new skill that's introduced with the bronze pattern dances is the awareness of what step is the partner doing, as I mentioned few times during this post.

Corrections 03/07/2019
- flatten all the lobes a little to fill the rink, think go long
- I start to far, start closer to the middle so the 3 turn starts  at the long axis on the hockey circle
- let the first part of the swing roll go towards the center so it comes back to the axis and not crosses the axes, finish around the dot
- while re bending twist the upper body to the right, to face the long boards for the step forward iside edge
- finish the progressive around the next dot
- don't hook the 3 turn so you can keep going long with the forward steps
- don't rush the end steps
- good mowhak :) I liked this one...

Corrections 6/27/2020

- dropped 3-turns; get on that skating hip, don't leave free hip behind, don't block with upper body (push skating shoulder back)
- finish backward swing, hold the weight on skating side and rebend for a good push into the forward inside edge, perpendicular to axis
- take progressive deeper into circle to have enough space for double knee bend that now runs in boards
- don't open hip on double knee bent, push free hip forward, don't concentrate in bringing the free foot up but on bringing it down, scissor motion, lifting over skating foot
- re bend while holding the weight on skating foot, but flip from outside to inside edge
- bring progressive more around and hold weight on skating side as stepping to stroke forward
- after mohawk step near foot, don't let free foot go back

Skating technique: turns - Forward Inside 3-Turn

turns - part 3

Read about the Forward Outside 3-Turns here and Forward Inside Mohawk here.

The Forward Inside 3-Turn goes from a Forward Inside Edge to a Backward Outside Edge, on the same foot. I found it scarier than the outside 3-turn. And it's because you finish on an back outside edge with back and weight towards the inside of the circle and the free foot on the outside of the circle. So, if you would loose your balance after the turn, towards the inside of the circle, the free foot it's not there to "fall on it". It goes like this:

- stroke on an Forward Inside Edge from a T-position, with the same hand as the skating foot in front, skating knee bent. The alignment should be the imaginary neck zipper, in line with the belly button,  in line with the back of the arch of your skating foot, where your weight should fall when skating forward. You can ride the edge with the free foot extended back over the circle tracing that you skated or you can bring it immediately at the back of the skating foot. For "figures" style the free foot boot is perpendicular on the skating boot, for a more relaxed skating like MITF could oblique near the skating foot boot like here or here. For a Freestyle 3-turn, used before jumps and spins, the free leg stays extended, like here. The idea for a beginner is to not keep the free foot boot parallel with the skating foot boot, because it will make the turn harder. One tip I've got was to keep the knees open, that would keep the free boot back and oblique not parallel with the skating boot.
- to turn, twist the upper body towards the inside of the circle (for beginner until the hand that was in the front points to the center of the circle) and look towards the inside of the circle, while rising on on that foot (so straightening the knee) to bring your weight over the skating hip. One thing I'm careful about is to press into the ice during the initial edge and the rising on the skating hip and foot, until I'm ready to turn on the ball of the skating foot when I release the pressure into the ice.
- after the turn you'll be on a Back Outside Edge on a bent knee again and pressing into the ice again. You have to twist the upper body the opposite direction from what you twisted before the turn to check the turn. I feel I have to push back the skating shoulder. And you have to stay over the skating hip, ideally leaning toward the inside of the circle. A correction I still get is to not drop the free hip, that makes the skating hip to stick out.

Important to all the turns is to not rush the turn, at the beginner level that usually means that the upper body is not rotated enough.

If you'll continue holding the BO edge, after the check you'll allow the arms and shoulders to move so you will be with the back at the circle, so the skating arm will be to your front and the free arm to your back, leading the way as you go now backwards. Also is important to allow your head to look back, meaning, outside the circle.

This is all there is to it :)

Skating Technique: turns - Forward Outside 3-Turns

turns - part 2.

Disclaimer: this is my understanding of the technique and my experience in learning skating, could be not the correct one...

The Forward 3-Turns allows you to go from skating forward to skating backward without changing feet, so you stay on the same foot. It is called a 3-turn because it make a mark on ice resembling the figure three. As I was saying in the previous post about the Forward Inside Mohawk, it is not an easy skill. I actually don't find it a beginner's skill. At this level you get the idea, and you do it better and better as you progress.

When I learned these in my group class, the only instruction I remember I was given, was:
- to go on an arch (lobe), so outside edge turned at the top of the lobe into an inside edge,
- start with the opposite hand than foot in front,
- twist the shoulders towards the inside of the circle
- turn on the ball of the foot
- twist the shoulders back (to check)
And it was demonstrated. I was saying before, the group classes were more "monkey see, monkey does"... While I understand that beginners can be overwhelmed by too much instruction I wish I knew a little more. Like:
- to keep my weight on my skating hip (that usually translates to me in don't drop the free hip)
- twist your shoulders is actually twist your upper body (from the waist up, so the core, rib cage and shoulders) while engaging the core and keeping the upper body connected with the hips. I had a breakthrough when I was told bring the hips around too, but it may be a correction just for me because I have open hips, and I used to really leave the free hip back...
- you turn on the ball of your foot to lift the rest of the blade of ice so it won't scrape and stop the turn
My private coach says for 3-turns you should work on 4 things
- head (turn your head first)
- upper body (that I explained already)
- bend- rise- re bend, that is you ride the edge with the knee bent, you rise to bring your weight on your skating hip and the ball of your blade, then bend again after the turn to hold the inside edge
- AND LEAN. I mentioned the lean when I was talking about edges, and I was saying that that's more an intermediary requirement, because it wasn't mentioned to me as a beginner. But I think the beginner should be aware about the lean and start working on it

The most interesting fact that I learned about the 3-turns was that the turn is done from the skating knee. This may an intermediary level information, so as a beginner maybe ignore it...

I think this is a good time to say that, surprise!, there are different types of forward outside 3-turns...
The "figures" style 3-turn is an oldie but goldie or goodie. This would be done at slow speed in a controlled and exact manner. I don't think this is a beginner turn but maybe it should be...
And here is a link to an old book I found online. Do notice that what they call spirals are actually edges: http://iceskatingresources.org/Chapter3FO3Turns.html
This 3-turn relies in the understanding of edges done using the lean. And the free foot is kept at the back of the skating foot (in a T-position) and the free hip hold back (that I was saying I was corrected to not hold back... as a beginner). The foot and hip in this position help to hold the back inside edge, more precisely to do not over rotate it after the turn. And the turn is done by shoulder rotation, leaning and turning on the ball of your blade while being align on your skating hip. They also mention to press into the ice. That would be bend-rise-bend that happens a lot in skating.
The Freestyle 3-turn (before jumps or spins) is faster, straighter and with the free leg extended.
Ice Dancing 3-turns that I know are the dropped 3-turn and the American Waltz 3-turn. They are exact, compact so the partners can do them together, they have a very specific count and they are very pretty :)
The MITF 3-turns are a little bit of everything. Plus each level of testing asks for the 3-turn to be put in a different combination. One of the skills in the first test (Pre-Preliminary) is the "waltz eight", and while there is no specific requirement about the 3-turn, is customary to be done with the free foot extended on the exit edge, to look waltzy... I think this is the easiest, the beginner, waltz eight 3-turn and goes like this:
- stroke on an outside edge from a T-position. Opposite hand is in front, the skating hand laterally-back. The skating foot is bent and the free foot is extended as long as comfortable then brought near the skating foot, laterally, not in the back. This helps keeping yourself over the skating hip. Also it brings the hip around, which ideally would be done with the core being engaged during the upper body twist, but I feel beginners don't engage the core properly.
- twist the upper body until facing the inside of the circle, the free hand should point to the center of the circle. Press into the ice with the skating foot while still bent and when you feel the twist is almost turning straighten the knee and get on the ball of your foot while still pressing into the ice. Then release the pressure into the ice to allow the foot to turn. The ball of your foot is the axis of the turn, the heel of the foot will make an arch.
- check the upper body after the turn (twist the other way so the skating hand is now in front), press into the ice again and extend the free foot back to help with the check. The skating knee should bend again to have a better inside edge. I was kind of snapping that free foot back while holding the lower back and buttocks tight, and while it helps with the check it flattens the edge... The alternative was that I couldn't hold the exit edge at all, I would have put the free foot down immediately, so while not ideal, it was helpful. I also could't bend the knee until I was stable on the edge.

The 3-turns are hard!!!

Skating Technique: turns - Open Forward Inside Mohawk

turns - part 1.

Turns are what allows you to skate from forward to backward and backward to forward. Disclaimer :) this is my understanding of the technique...

Looking back, I'm surprised that the 3-turns and Mohawks, which are turns from an forward edge to a backward edge, are covered by ISI before the actual edges. They are covered in Delta and Gamma levels, which are the last to level of the Intro to Skating (read my view about skating levels here). More then that, my backward skating, when I started learning these turns, was less developed that the forward one. But, as I said two posts ago (Beginner Forward and Backward Skating), the backward skating takes time to develop because anything that messes your posture, messes the balance point on the blade. One thing that messes the posture is the backward push. From this point of view, the 3-turns and Mohawks are just another way to start going backwards, instead of the push... It will be equally hard, but they'll develop at the same time, and at the same time as the edges.

I vividly remember when I was first taught these turns, that I was laughing inside at the "crazy" idea that I will ever learn them. But I did... And I wish I've known at that point, that there are levels of precision expected for any skill, turns included. You first get "the idea" of them, you "kind'a... sort'a" (this is how an instructor in dance class was asking if we've got the choreography) do them. And then you improve them, and improve them more. My coach says that you still improve them on the expert level.

For me the Mohawks came a little easier so I'll start with those. I looked on youtube and most of the instructions there, are for a more intermediate quality, like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p-nKfrM2PU&t=29s
The instructions for a correct Forward Right Open Inside Mohawk (this is the easier side for me, the left one is the same but on the other side) are:
- stroke on an RFI (Right forward Inside) Edge on a bent skating leg with the free leg extended, facing the imaginary circle the edges curves on, right hand forward, left hand back, hugging the circle and hold the stroke for a length equal with your height
- at the point you want to turn rotate the upper body so the right arm and shoulder point towards the center of the circle, the left arm and shoulder press back. The skating foot increases the pressure into the ice at this point as you rise into your knee and bring your free foot at the instep of the skating foot. As a beginner I was bringing the heels together, not the heel to the instep. One tip I've got that helped me correct this was to bring the foot a little more forward then the instep. It helped at the time, but I have the feeling that messed up the turned out of my free foot and I started to bring the knees together too. Now, I'm trying to think of turning the foot out as I take the first stroke, and to lead with the heal when I bring the foot in and keep the knees separated (another tip I heard is make a diamond with your knees)
- immediately bend both knees, as a mini ballet plie, and put the left blade down on an backward inside edge (LBI), pressing into the ice and rising a little, then bend again to hold the edge. The right leg could be extended or kept at the back of the ankle.  At the same time, the upper body checks the rotation, so the right hand and shoulder goes back and the left ones in front, hugging the circle and still looking inside the circle.

Finally I found one video showing exactly what I was doing as a beginner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHCmI7tAc94 
- stroke on RFI edge, right hand forward, left one back, on top of the circle
- turn out your free foot as much as you can, don't mess up with the upper body
- just put the left leg down on a inside (LBI) edge somewhere where you are comfortable, it's ok if it's a blade length apart from the other blade, and it's ok if it's more near the heel than the instep... for now... Now extend the right foot between back and lateral, like 45 degrees  (if it's back it won't hold the inside edge. And really tighten the right side of your lower back and buttock. And push your right arm and shoulder back.

The ISI Delta level also asks for this Mohawk to be put in a 7 step combination:
1 left LF stroke
2 right RF stroke
3 left LF stroke
4, 5 right Mohawk RFI to LBI
6 push with the left inside edge into a RBO
7 turn around keeping your weight on your right hip and step on a LFO

They call the steps 6 and 7, so the RBO to an LFO, a backward outside Mowhak. and while everybody agrees it is a Mohawk, nobody calls it a Mohawk, but simply "step forward", being implied that is from an back outside edge .

Ice Dancing: how to work on a specific skill and on a part of a pattern

After my private lesson on Monday, my coach said excitedly that I've hit few milestones that day! That was about edges, posture, lean, lobes transitions on backward chasses, progressives,  coordination on backward swing rolls and extension on forward chasses. Plus ankle press on everything... I knew I was close.

There is a point in my learning process when i understand exactly what I have to do, I just cannot do it. So I keep "working" on it. That means I tweak it... change different things that I remember from my lessons. Where the weight falls on the blade, posture, look up, bend the knees more, bend the ankles too, press into the ice, lean, look up (again, because I already don't do it), keep the core engaged, hold the extension, point the toes, timing... the list feels infinite. The skills I'm referring to are simple stroking, dance steps (progressives, chasses, swing rolls), turns (3 turns, mohowks), spins, jumps, every single thing you do on ice.

One thing my coach said is that  a skill is gonna happen (a jump or just stroking) when 80% of it components are happening at the same time. There are moments when I hit the skill accidentally. I feel it, but I cannot repeat it immediately. I'm trying to be aware when those accidents start happening of what exactly made the difference, and to work on that.

Another thing my coach said, when I asked frustrated why I do "that" mistake again because I corrected it and I'm aware of it, and I can do it!, is that it didn't become body memory. So while I'm "working" on other things, "that" mistake will resurface. But worry not, being aware of it makes it easily fixable. The lesson here is repetition, repetition, repetition... But it has to be the correct form of the skill.

I've got into the habit of asking one question per lesson, and allow the coach the rest of the time to get me to work on what he thinks I need. This week I was asking about the upper body placement on the end pattern of the Ten fox. He mentioned something a week before that I didn't register. The answer was that the hips are square to the direction of travel but the upper body is hold laterally. Very logical, because when dancing with a partner that end pattern is done in fox hold.

But that gave him the opportunity to try to teach me (again) how to work at a section of the pattern. Because, I was comfortable doing the dance for the beginning, and couldn't pick it up from a particular spot in the pattern (like many other beginners he says). And that is a problem because most of the time I don't get to finish the dance (because I make a mistake and stop, or somebody crosses my way and I stop), so I don't work so much at the end pattern.

He wanted me to start from the 3 turn. I knew from the previous attempts that  he means to start with one step before that, and that is a RO edge for 4 beats, with a knee bent on the 3rd beat. That was flimsy, gave me no speed into the 3 turn, so everything was flimsy. He said to do just a stroke or two before the 3 turn, from an oblique direction, to give me the best opportunity to work on the 3 turn on the pattern. That would be not to drop on the back inside edge after the turn. And not to lean forward when I start the back progressive and then struggle to reposition... Because on the 3 step of progressive I have to turn forward. The lesson here is to take a simple, comfortable, strong stroke, or two, into the pattern... Surely he told me that before, and thinking of it is logical, we start the pattern dances and MITF with intro steps... Just another reminder that learning skating is a process, a long, long process.

Skating technique: edges - Deep Forward Edges Outside and Inside

Edges - part 3.

I plan to use the section "skating technique" as a journal. I'll start with what I know, but I will keep updating as I learn more. Disclaimer: this is my understanding of the technique, it may be or not the correct technique.

Continued from the previous blogs where I covered the importance of Edges and Lobes, and the Basic Forward Edges.

As I was saying, the deep edges are not a beginner figure skating skill. I would say it's a intermediate level. They are a basic skill for Ice Dancing and are done on deep lobes. For Freestyle, good crossovers can use them as a foundation. I also see Freestyle skaters using a version of them called edge rolls, as a warm up. These are done quickly and on straighter and smaller lobes.

This is how Deep Forward Outside Edges should look like. Now, they are national ice dance competitors, what I'm doing is not quite that. I think is fair to say I'm working on it...

These are the differences of forward outside deep edges from the basic edges.
1. More speed, way more speed. You start with taking 2 strokes along the end of the rink to get some speed and you do them on alternating direction lobes on the length of the rink.
2. It's all about the lean: blade into the ice, ankle and the whole body are leaning towards the inside of the circle. The body should look like a straight line, tense, core engaged, hip shouldn't stick out. To achieve this takes probably years, so practice, practice, practice...
3. At the beginning of the lobe the body is positioned with the chest towards the inside of the circle (like crossovers), not with the back towards the circle as the basic edges.
4. The extension is held from the initial push to I would say 3/4 of the lobe, and it is not on top of the tracing of the lobe, but 45 degrees laterally towards the outside of the circle, to give you balance for the body leaning towards the inside of the circle.
5. You finish the lobe with a very quick roll from the outside edge to an inside edge... whaaat? This took me a while to understand, and it's a work in progress.
So... When there is a 1/4 left of the lobe you start to rise/ gather/ draw the free leg in, while still on an outside edge. This is coordinated with an upper body counter movement. It's important to stay on the outside edge until the axis. It actually feels like I'm deepening the edge and I'm crossing the axis to continue the circle. Then, as you are on the highest point of the rise, while still keeping the weight on the skating foot!!! very important, you roll/ flip from the outside edge to an inside edge and press and re bend to have a strong push. And here is what the ice dancers say.
Update 4/20/209: The point of balance for these is, as for all forward skating, the point of the blade align with the back of your arch foot. The body alignment is an imaginary neck zipper over your skating foot.

And here are the Deep Forward Inside Edges.
3. On this, you start the lobe as on the basic edges with the back at the circle (more like the free shoulder forward).
4. The video shows the free leg brought at the ankle of the skating leg, but it could be extended too.
5. There is no roll when you start the new lobe. The trick here is to and to have your weight over your skating hip and foot and allow some space between the skating foot and where you place the new foot and not to drop the weight on the new foot too quickly.

I like to remember the important points on each skating skill. On deep edges they go hand in hand... Still, they are: speed, lean, pressure into ice, square body (perpendicular to an imaginary tangent to the circle) while riding the edge, posture. Roll on an inside edge before you push on an outside edge. Be sure to place the blade on an outside edge to start with. The point on your blade where you feel the weight of your body is still on the back part of your arch of the foot.

Skating technique: Posture, Forward Stroking, T-position and Push

I plan to use the section "skating technique" as a journal. I'll start with what I know, but I will keep updating as I learn more. Disclaimer: this is my understanding of the technique, it may be or not the correct technique.

Stroking! Every single skill in Freestyle, MITF, Ice Dancing starts with a stroke on ice. I wish I understood sooner the implications of good posture with the core engaged all the time, the importance of  skating into the ice (pressing into the ice), that bending is not referring just to the knees but to the ankles too, and the concept of skating underneath you (keeping the weight over the skating foot), while stroking and while skating in general. You have to work on all these plus extension, pointing the toes, hands carriage until they become body memory and stroking is the perfect exercise for it. Stroking is practiced every day, by beginners, intermediate, advanced and even by experts skaters.

Forwards stroking is part of the Pre-Preliminary MITF Test and Adult Pre-Bronze MITF Test

Right handed people usually start stroking pushing with the right foot onto the left foot.
Start from a T-position, it loos good and also gives you good balance. The right foot is behind the left, perpendicular to the forward axis, the left foot is at the instep of the right foot,  pointing forward, so the feet are at 90 degress. The weight is mainly onto the right foot. The body is held in a ballet posture. Core engaged, pelvis pushed forward, chest lifted, shoulders down, arms held on the side a little lower then shoulder height with a little tension in them, and feet pressing into the ice. There is a T-position on the other leg.  Now, most of the times I don't use a perfect T but more of a more comfortable T toward V....

1. Bend/ Press/ Push: starting from a T-position bend the knees and ankles like a mini ballet plie pressing the blade into the ice. The knees are apart not together. With the weigh onto the right foot!!! important!, press and push quickly with the middle of the blade on an inside edge, not the toe pick, away from the ice, with the right foot at a 45 degree angle from the forward axis, onto the left foot while transferring the weight onto the left foot. The left leg has a bent knee and the direction of gliding is at a 30 degrees angle from the axis. The right leg got straight and the toes got pointed as it pushed, maintaining the tension from the moment of pressing into the ice. Keep a straight posture before and after the push, don't allow your upper body to reach forward. That will surely happen if your weight is transferred too quickly onto the new skating push, being refer to as dropping onto the skating foot.

2. Hold the extension: The weight is transferred onto the left foot and hip. The right leg will maintain the tension, straightness and the pointed toe and will hold this extension at the same 45 degrees at which was pushed, knee align over the ball of the foot. This refers at alignment as angle, it doesn't mean the knee cap cannot go over the toes, as I thought for the longest time. Actually, for a higher extension of the free leg you have to bend the skating knee more then over the toes. The left leg will remain bent at the knee. The posture is erect, core engaged and chest lifted, shoulders down, lower back curved to allow a higher extension of the foot extension towards back. The point on the blade where you feel your weight is at the back of the arch of the foot, or middle back (many call it the back of the blade).
3. Gather/ Rise/ Draw: You "rise" as you straighten the left leg pressing into the ice and "draw" the right leg near the left in using the inner thighs, keeping the core engaged. The weight stays onto the left foot and hip. This will "gather" your legs, hips, core into the starting position.

Repeat: 1. Re bend, form the V (more of on Y because you allow the the foot that's gonna become the skating foot to be a little forward, at the instep, as the T was, so the heels are not together) with your feet, flip skating foot on a slight inside edge and  push from a slightly pressed edge (back of arch of foot) 2. Hold the extension 3. Gather

The steps 3.Gather and 1. Bend/ Push melt into each other in a smooth and continuous movement. The energy from the "gather" is used to press into the ice and push. The knees act as a hydraulic pump and never lock into a position.

This Gather/Bend is what's bringing the weight over the skating foot. Than you hold the whole weight onto the skating foot until you push with it. Only then you transfer the weight onto the new foot (though it feels simultaneous). That will ensure that you will have a strong push. Also you won't fall out of balance onto the new foot. Update Aug 8, 2018 In other words you stroke sending energy onto skating side rib cage (align over hip and foot) and keep the weight there until you re bend for the next stroke, you go on neutral quickly and repeat on the other side.

Here is a video explaining the posture and forward stroking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC3fRRHC5ew

A stroking exercise I do by myself and with my ice dance coach as  a partner is called 4-2-4.
- start at the middle of one of the short boards with LF  stroke, RF stroke, LFO crossover
- do 4 strokes (LF, RF, LF, RF) along the long board to the end of the rink, then 3 LFO crossovers
- do 2 strokes (LF, RF) along the long board then 3 LFO crossovers
- do 4 strokes (LF, RF, LF, RF) along the boards then 3 LFO crosovers
- finish with one stroke

I think the most important think about stroking is to keep the weight onto the foot your are going to push with. Otherwise you get no power into the push so no power into the stroking.

Update July 17, 2018
Last week I met for a lesson one of my old coaches, as she was in town visiting. She happen to have had hip strain few years ago and she remembered how she didn't like to extend that leg. But she said that you can still work on pointing the toe...
I was avoiding  forward stroking, because I felt I cannot work on it. But pointing your toes it's something I could add safely.
I haven't have a chance to work on my regular coach's latest correction that was to allow the knees to go forward. As I mentioned in instruction 2nd point, I was trying to keep the knee over the ball of your foot. That made me struggle to find the right posture, it made me be stiff, not allowing the lower back to curve. Surprisingly I could add that to my stroking without feeling any strain.
Actually these 3 corrections (point the toes, allow knees forward and the lower back to curve) gave me a fluidity that I never felt before, and the height of the extension was good too, without any strain!!!

Ice Dancing: Willow Waltz pattern dance

As I'm working on this and have the instruction fresh I thought to write it down.
This is a bronze (or 3rd level) dance. I think of this level as an beginner-intermediate. It is done in a waltz position with a partner or can be done solo. Here is a link to the judges form with the pattern:
https://www.usfigureskating.org/content/willow-waltz.pdf

Starting point: facing the short board and having a third of the length of the rink  in front of you (you are on the blue line) and a third of the width of the rink on your right (where the red X is).

 Intro steps:
1. LF stroke toward North-West corner
2. RFO swing roll with the edge starting towards North and finishing towards East
3. LFO dropped 3turn starting towards East and finishing towards North
4. RBO progressive starting towards North, finishing towards South

The pattern dance: It's easier for me to remember the lobes than the steps, so here are the lobes with the numbers representing the steps:
1.2.3 LB back chasse (6 beats, rhythm (2-1-3) starting towards South, finishing towards North, the second step should happen at middle of the width of the rink. On both back chasse and progressive I get the corrections to lean into the circle, to hold the extension and to finish the lobe.
4.5 RBO to LFO turn forward (6 beats, 3-3) starting towards North, finishing towards South
I had problems with this lobe for a long time because of 3 errors. First, my back outside edge wasn't strong enough (see the description on the previous post on the outside Mohawk). Second, I didn't understand how to gather/ draw my feet underneath me when going backward. While rising and  pressing with the skating foot  into the ice again, with the weight onto the skating hip, you engage the core and the abductor muscles (inner thighs), so the free foot comes in effortless. Third, I wasn't re-bending  underneath me, I was rushing and dropping forward out of control and blocking my partner. Another constant correction was to first turn forward just the upper body, while gathering/ rising over the feet and then re bend while still directed backward, just then step forward (so turn) the left foot.
Update Dec 26, 2018. I've got a new correction to this step forward, and that is to step on an outside edge, that's the point of all the other corrections...
6.7. RFI slip chasee and stroke LFO (6 beats, 3-3) starting towards South finishing towards East. Again I had to learn to draw/ gather/ rise when finishing each step and re-bend underneath me so I can have a strong push into the next step, especially important before the 3 turn
Update Dec 26, 2018. It seems that my slip chasse was usually flat not on inside edge, so to correct that I was advised to use the upper body, push the right shoulder forward.
Update Aug 27, 2018. Tracking is a tearm used when partnering so one partner leads (the one that goes backward sets the pattern) and the one that goes forward follows. The follower tracks don't go over the leader tracks. They are all curved as the edges, and they start on the inside side of the leader tracks, they meet at the top of the lobe, and, then they go towards the outside tracks of the leader. On Step 7 the woman stroke stars towards left , Step 8 (the first edge of the 3-turn) towards right.
8.9.10.11. (9 beats) 3 turn and back progressive This is a bigger lobe than the rest. 8. RFO dropped 3 turn (2-1) starts towards East and finishes towards East. Whaaat??? It is counter-intuitive for me but works. My coach says not to turn around, just  backwards. And hold that RBI, don't drop (collapse) the dropped 3 turn second edge. After the initial stroke (that should be a stroke not a step), you gather/ rise and twist the upper body toward the inside of the circle on the count 2 1/2. The 3-turn turns on the 3rd beat. Then continue towards East the first edge of the 9.10.11 LBO progressive (2-1-3), which ends towards West.  Say again??? Again, it works. You'll change direction after you start the edge, not while you start the edge.
A thing I don't like about this dance is here, it changes the waltz 6 count and rhythm during the progressive.
12.13.14.15. (9 beats) back chasse and stroke forward Again a bigger lobe.12.13.14 RBO chasse (2-1-3) starts towards West, finishes toward South, along the long board.  And again it's important to draw/gather/rise and re-bend after the last step of the chasse to be able to step forward in a controlled way. You gather pointing towards East, then you step forward 15. LFO (3 beats) towards South finishing towards East- you stroke towards the middle of the rink.
Update Dec 26, 2018.To control the step forward, i was advised to step with a squared upper body, so right hand forward somehow, then use the upper body to check the finishing of the outside edge
16.17 two forward  strokes RFO to LFI . 16. RFO starts towards East, finishes toward South. 17. LFI starts toward South, finishes toward West. Very important to draw/ gather/ rise and re-bent after each step. After 16 there is an outside to inside transition and after 17 an inside edge to inside edge transition and you cannot bring the feet very close together as on outside to outside transitions. After 16 you need to either flicker a little the right foot from the ankle towards right as you push, either to kind of cross forward like in a progressive the left foot. Finish the inside edge (17) with the foot pointed at the boards. Is important to bring the feet together before the Mohawk and bend so you can get an inside edge.
18-19 RFI open Mohawk (6 beats 3-3) starts going toward West and finishes toward South. I was obsessed with this open Mohawk when I was doing the Swing Dance, a pre-bronze, level 2 dance. At that point I was transitioning from my 2 young coaches (one girl and one guy as partner) that were moving away to my 2 experienced coaches so I was asking them all but I didn't really get it. To my disappointment, my main coach ended the chapter saying that what I was doing was acceptable for that level. But he promised we'll fix it in the Willow Waltz. I was doing a Free Style kind of Mohawk, where the free foot doesn't really touch the arch of the skating foot. What it came down to was when to press into the ice and when to the rise... again.
So you have to press into the ice and rise on your knee as you bring the new foot in, and at the moment of transfer do a little, but tiny, plie (basically a  re-bend), then rise again on the new foot. My main coach doesn't really do a plie, he seams to be in control from maintaining the pressure into the ice with the leg straight. Maybe I just cannot do it his way, still, I achieve the exit from the mohawk on a straight leg and I like the plie...
Update Dec 26, 2018. Guess that, at some point I lost my beautiful Mohawk, so I had to correct it again. Firstly I wasn't using the upper body to hold the first inside edge. As on the slip chasse, I had to make the right shoulder go forward. Then, I stopped doing that mini-plie so after I changed the edge I was left on an bent knee and not a beautiful extension of the free leg. That plie gives me a moment to press into the ice, so then I can straighten the skating leg knee and use it as a lever to hold the extension on the free leg.
20.21.22. RBO back progressive (6 beats 2-1-3) starts towards South, finishes towards North.

Exit steps: After you finish the back progressive you skate just the first edge of the chasse, then you step forward.

Looking back, when working on the 2nd level dances, my biggest problem was skating backwards.   Skating with a partner in a waltz position felt like I was being pushed back, because I wasn't' skating backwards strongly enough. On this 3rd level dances, I had to strengthen both my backward skating AND forward skating, what was "acceptable" at the previous levels didn't carry my trough this level. It is all that draw/ gather/ rise and re-bend to push stronger.
Update Dec 26,2018. Close to the test I"ve got lost of correction on holding the extension both higher and for the correct amount of beats.

Ice Dancing: weekly private lesson

This week I took my first Ice Dancing private lesson in 2 months. I used to take one weekly before getting hurt. It's a 30 minutes lesson and it goes fast, but I cannot concentrate trough more.

We always start with some exercises like stroking, progressives, chasses, swing rolls, dance 3 turns, edge presses. This is both to warm up, and to work on basic technique like alignmet, posture, edges, lobes, lean into the circle, partnering. Then I work on one or more dances on my own, with lots of correction, basic technique, pattern, timing. When I do well enough on my own, my coach will partner me. at this point there is no music and no counting of the beat. We often stop the dance to work on specific steps. Then we graduate to counting the beat, and then, on dancing on music.

Before the lesson I was complaining to my coach that I lost my "flow" on ice, so instead on giving me the usual corrections on everything, I think he decided to partner with me so I would readjust my rhythm and power.

We did 4 warm up exercises, one length of the rink for each: forward and backward stroking and forward and backward chasses, by myself and with my coach in a waltz position (so when one partner goes forward the other goes backwards). Then we jumped into the partnered Willow Waltz.

Before hurting myself I was working on testing the bronze level dances, or 3rd level. I just tested and passed the Hickory Hoedown, I was ready to test the Willow Waltz, and I was still working on my confidence on the outside mohawk in the Ten fox.  I was happy to see that the Willow was not completely gone. It was a big bust in my confidence and that always helps. We worked on a specific step, an inside edge toward the end of the dance and ran the dance 4 time counting the beats.

With 5 minutes left, the coach asked if I had questions, and I asked to work on the Ten fox outside Mohawk... This also is tested in Juvenile MITF (4th level standard track) and Adult Silver MITF (3rd level adult track) but I'm not there yet. I did learn it in my Freestyle group class, but not at the quality required in Ice Dancing.

So, left outside open Mohawk is a two foot turn that goes from an LFO edge to an RBO edge bringing the free foot at the instep of the skating foot and in Ten fox has to be done in just 2 beats.
My first problem was that my back outside edges weren't strong enough, I wasn't leaning with the back into the circle and the hips underneath me. I was sticking the butt out, so I needed to learn to engage the core, press into ice, have the hip underneath me and arch the upper back towards back, into the circle. After improving the edge quality, I was able to do the Mohawk correctly at a low speed and rhythm, taking my time to bring the feet together. I was doing in in a 3 beats: edge, change of foot and edge. This week correction was again,to not bring the free foot (right foot) forward, there is no time for it. But how? The coach said to draw onto the skating foot (left foot) so that the right foot will come automatically at the instep, and cutting that 3rd beat. It worked... so hopefully I'll be able to keep it working...

And we had 1 minute left to run a solo pattern of Ten fox. I got a posture correction for the first 2 lobes, not to lean forward...