Traumatic first practice

Despite my frantic protests, coach J decided that I needed to try out that first half of my program that I've learnt to music on the rink speaker. I wanted to run away, or at least borrow Harry Potter's invisibility cloak so no one can see me. I had tried it a handful of times to music in my headphone (I have it in one side only), but I could not do it up to speed yet. I didn't think I was ready to try it in full view of everyone. Coach J was adamant and so I reluctantly went to tie on the "I'm-in-a-program-with-right-of-way" belt for the first time ever.

My program, unfortunately, starts on something I find extremely difficult at the moment. My starting pose is with my left foot picked and right foot crossed in front. It's supposed to be that the right foot is perpendicular to the body with the heel to the left (like a tango stop), and the left foot with the pick in the ice, heel towards the right. Basically, something that requires good turnout, of which I lack, so I couldn't even hold this position steadily. From this I'm supposed to slide the right foot forward and back with left foot picked (lots of people seem to open with this!), which is kind of hard to do if you're not good at pivots. From this I turn around and go into a LFO3, right toe pick push and another LFO3 and so on. All this has to be done very quickly in order to do my jumps at a certain musical cue.

So there I am in the middle of the rink, with the program belt on, in my very awkward opening position, nervously waiting for the music to start. The notes tinkle, I try my best to do the pivot slide thing, turn around to do the first LFO3 - and I trip. Yes, 5 seconds into the music I trip. It was quite a feat to not have gone splat on my face really. Now I'm so desperately behind the music, which I could never catch up to in the first place , and I'm trying super hard to be able to follow my coach who's doing the program with me so I don't lose where I am. Everything was just super rushed and I glossed through a whole bunch of things just so I could catch up. I just wanted to dig a hole and cover myself up when I was done, I sincerely hope no one was watching that dreadful display. To sum up in one word that first practice ever with music on rink speakers - traumatic. I didn't feel any "real skater" moment out of it at all.

We tried it one more time at the very end of the lesson, because coach J said I'd never try it myself (she's quite right!). It went much better since I managed to not trip anywhere, but I'm still quite behind the music. This still needs a lot of work, plus I still have the last 40 seconds to learn!

I registered for the recital today, so I better work hard to be ready in time!

Beginnings of a program

Today has got to be the most exciting lesson I've had so far! We started working on my very first program! Coach J showed me the whole program before teaching it to me and so I got to hear for the first time my music on the rink loud speaker. I love my music and love the program that coach has choreographed.

Here's another new "I'm a real skater" milestone! Having a program music CD and hearing it played over the whole rink!

I was getting quite worried last week, realizing that I only have a little less than two months till the rink recital, and we haven't started anything on the program, except to decide which jumps we want to put in. I was also getting rather confused, not knowing how a program should be built. I wondered if it was the norm for a skater to be choreographing with the coach, or if the coach does all the work. I certainly hoped it was the latter since I have no idea how and what to choreograph, but due to the lateness (in my mind) of starting, I was worried if coach was expecting me to do something. Well, for all new skaters out there with their first programs coming up, don't worry, coach does it all.

So I went to lesson today and coach had my entire program choreographed. So happy! And I feel a lot less worried now, I'm remembering the choreograph faster than I expected. I learned 1:00 out of the 1:40 program in our half-hour lesson today, so I should be okay in terms of remembering the program. Of course, making it look pretty is another matter. I even drew a test-booklet-style diagram of the first minute (I go around the rink once in this time, I'll need a new diagram for the next half.), so I won't forget:

It's not very to scale since the paper is the wrong ratio for the rink, should be a little longer I think.

Overall, I have four jump passes in the program: salchow-toe loop, waltz-loop, toe loop, loop, and two spins. Currently the spins are just a one foot spin and a two foot spin, since my spins suck and I can't do anything else. I'm hoping very much that I can exchange the two foot spin for a sit spin. I practiced sit spins a little today, and they actually felt better:

Before I would always enter the spin and be on the toe pick (leaning too forward). Today I managed to stay on the sweet spot and it felt good. I managed about 4 revs here too, even though that's barely sitting at all lol. I'm going to practice extra hard on sit spins now!

I'm sooooooo excited to be doing my first program!
Can't wait till it's all complete!

2013 resolutions

Well, at the top of my list for my new year resolutions, is that I will strive to be less lazy. Judging from the few times I have skated up to now and the fact that I'm posting my "new year" resolutions in the middle of January, it's not working out very well. Still, here is my list of skating resolutions for 2013:

General:
Be less lazy!
- Wake up earlier so I can get to my morning private lesson 10-15 minutes before instead of barely on time so I can actually warm up.
- Practice at morning freestyle besides lesson day, more than just "occasionally"
- Stretch more for better flexibility
- Do core strength exercises - planks & sit-ups

Events-wise:
Perform at rink recital
Do one competition at pre-bronze
Pass bronze MITF
Pass bronze FS (This seems unlikely for the end of the year. Probably early next year)

Skills-wise:
Very good loop jumps - my favourite jump!
Consistent flip jumps
Consistent lutz jumps
Start working on axels
Good scratch spin (first I need to stop being afraid of it)
Good sit spin
Good camel spin
Good back spin
More height and extension on spiral


I've discussed a little with coach J what our plan is for the year, and it seems like it will be:
Rink recital - beginning of March
Some competition - between March and September
*Maybe* rink recital again - June
Bronze MITF test - September (test session isn't out yet but there should be one)

So the immediate goal is to work on my first program, for the March rink recital. It's less than two months away and I'm starting to get worried. I hope I can get it together in time!

Goodbye 2012

This is my last post for the year, my first full year of skating. I won't do a 2012-look-back here, since I just did in November on my skating anniversary. But come 2013 and I'll write about my skating resolutions for the new year.

I skated for the last time on the day when the world was supposed to end (again). The ice was sooooooo nice it was like silk, I felt bad skating on it even. I really like practicing those power stroking and power 3-turn moves. I tried out the 5-step mohawk as well even though coach J hasn't taught them to me yet (hope I'm not developing bad habits by myself!)

Waltz jumps felt wonderful. I was really pushing through the ankle and I could feel that extra push right through to the last pick of the toe pick. I wish I could have videoed myself so I can see if it was really as high as I felt, but there were quite a few skaters and I felt too self-conscious. Loop jumps however, felt a little off. I ended up falling more on loop jump tries than actually landing them. My gloves got really wet and freezing cold, and now I have a slight bruise on my trochanter, despite wearing hip pads. I really don't understand how higher level skaters who fall from huge doubles or even triples don't get seriously injured.

Got another unexpected bruise on my left foot toe from working on toe loops. They're less of toe-waltzes now, but I guess the continued picking kept banging the toe on the top of the boot and it bruised. I think I've seen gel pads for toes before and wondered what they're for. Well now I know, and I'm contemplating getting one myself. I hate getting bruises so easily, it makes me feel like I'm fragile, but I want to be strong!

I'll be off-ice for almost two weeks, I hope I don't forget any skills, or lose any muscles!

Happy holidays to everyone, and a happy new year : )

I'm a real figure skater

That feeling of finally being a real figure skater has occurred so many times as I progress that it's kind of funny. My standard for feeling like a real figure skater keeps going up and up.

I remember the first time I felt like I was really skating was when I figured out how to do a two foot turn by myself, and then also doing crossovers.
After that, the times when I felt "now I'm really a figure skater!" were:

Doing my first jump ever - a waltz jump
My first full rotation jump - toe loop jump
My first pair of real white leather skates!
My first real full rotation jump - loop jump. There's too much room for pre-rotating on toe loop and salchows that I felt the loop jump was the first big girl jump. Yes I do realize that if I'm pre-rotating on those two then that's my problem and I should be fixing it. But the loop just feels like there's much more rotation going on in the air.
First time on freestyle session
Having my own private coach
First time I had the full sheet of ice to myself one day (for three glorious minutes before closing)
First time out in full skater regalia - leotard, skirt, tights and a bun
Passing my first tests

I know the next time I'm going to feel like a real skater is when I perform my own program in a skating dress. Then the next time after that is probably far off - when I can do an axel!

I wonder at what point will I be satisfied that I'm really a figure skater?

2012.12.19 Practice video

I got up super early today to drop a friend off at the airport, and then have time to go to the ice rink for a one-hour freestyle as well.

Rink was nice and empty : ) A total of six people on the ice. Spent quite some time going through the forward and backward power perimeter stroking and the power three turns, they're fun. I want to have a lesson so I can know if I'm doing them correctly.

Spent the next bit of time working on making toe loops less like toe waltzes, but didn't get much headway. Then worked on salchows to not have them so swingy. I tend to over-rotate if I don't seriously check the FO3 before the jump, but then if I do check and hold the BI edge, I scratch with the toepick as I try to jump. It's easy to do these jumps, but it's hard to do them nicely.

Worked on sit spins a lot and decided to video myself. I already cut out many, many failed attempts. I know precisely what I'm doing wrong yet it's so difficult to not do it! I lean too much forward and so go on the toepick and catch myself on the ice. Also I really need to turn out that free leg. Coach J has mentioned this before, telling me to think of slicing through the air with the heel as I bring the free leg in, and I thought I was somewhat doing this. Until I look at the video. Nope. Need to work on that turnout flexibility (or rather, flexibility in general).

Loop jumps felt really good, they're my favourite jump. I thought I was doing everything I'd been told to do, but looking at the video, there's still more! For one, I don't know why my skating leg is bent as I go into the jump preparation, I meant for it to be straight and bend only as I jump. And then I think my upper body is still pre-rotating a little bit. Also need to keep left arm and shoulder more forward for checking the jump.

All in all, it was a pretty good practice. I wish I could have skated longer, I didn't get round to practicing flips or back spins. I need to be a lot more worried about sit spins and back spins if I'm planning on taking the bronze FS any time soon!

Laziness

Why do I like to sleep so much : (

I had everything packed and ready to go to go skating at freestyle before going to lab today, but then I just could not get up! I absolutely hate getting up in the mornings. Usually the only day I manage to go for morning freestyle is the day I have my private lesson, so I have to go. But even then, I'm always just there barely on time (I was late the last time...). When I don't have a lesson, I just can't make myself get up.

I'm sure if I went to bed earlier it would be easier, but for some reason, I always go to bed late. It's not like I'm busy or anything.

New year's resolution - Go to bed earlier and wake up earlier so I can get some skating practice!