Circle-8's!
We officially started working on the bronze moves after my recital (must remember to still practice program sometime, I still need it for a future unknown competition). I've already learnt the forward and backward perimeter power stroking, and the power-3's. The 5-step mohawk I've tried and can do (but not well of course). So we spent our lesson checking the stuff that I know, teaching me the beginning and end steps, and then the newest addition - the circle-8! (I've yet to learn the back x-overs to back edge.)
Oh my, it is difficult.
Coach told me that no matter what, do not flap around as I will lose all of the little speed I have. Naturally, I flap. I can barely get up to three quarters of the circle, it's such a big circle! Coach basically has to "sail" me the last quarter, as in she literally pushes me forward while I'm on my one foot posture, so I can get back and move on to the next circle. When I practice by myself, I have to nudge myself along the ice with the free foot toe pick (cheat).
Tension and extension is what coach said. I feel like every single muscle in my body has to be working in this move, and I felt all weak afterwards the day that I practiced this a lot. It's a hard move to practice though. It takes up so much space right in the middle of everything, and it's slow, and you can't deter from the exact pattern to avoid people either. Since it's spring break right now and the rink is more crowded than usual, it's impossible to practice. How do people who aren't as lucky as I am for uncrowded freestyle sessions practice?
I don't have a very strong opinion on whether or not figures should still be around. All I know is that if it was still around, I would suck big time at it! Every one of these moves that require steadiness and exact tracings (waltz-8, forward/backward edges, and now the circle-8) I find the most difficult. Coach said "wait till you get to the backward circle-8's"! Sigh.
We're very tentatively aiming to do the bronze moves test in June. After seeing my circle-8's though, coach was like, hmmm June might be a problem. Oh well, I'll practice what I can, but if it's not good enough soon enough, taking the test in September is fine too. The circle-8 is definitely my biggest hurdle right now.
Bronze moves? So exciting! The backwards circle 8s are hard but doable. My coach gave me a good tip for the circle 8s that I hope will help you. Starting in a t position (like a t stop), bend your knees and ankles and give one big push from one side of the boards. You will be gliding on one foot across the ice See if you can make it to the other side of the board in one single push. Try the other foot. If you can make it on both feet, then you have enough power to get around the circle 8s. You will just need to use the same thinking to transfer to the 8s as you did when pushing across to the boards. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteThankfully I don't have to worry about the backwards circle-8s yet, they're not in bronze. That sounds like a very good tip! Can't wait to try it out. I might have to wait till after spring break when the freestyle session is less crowded though, otherwise that would be like crossing a busy road not at a crossing! Thanks for the advice Eva!
DeleteAnytime! I really hope this tip helps! I am working on the backwards circle 8 as part of gold moves. They were hard at first but now aren't so bad after figuring out how to push with power (like the forward ones).
DeleteI don't have any advice for you (obviously), but I can wish you lots of luck!! Hope your gold moves go brilliantly!
DeleteSmall steps! I did figures....boring as all get out but they weren't impossible. I'm not one of those bring back figures to improve skating folk. The way we do the turns now is so much different from how we did them in figures. Now we do them at higher speeds and links to other elements. Not the same thing!
ReplyDeleteI feel like figures in moderation would be helpful in someways, at least it makes you learn control over everything. But I don't know if it is really that necessary or worth the time that needs to spent on it.
DeleteThis blog entry has reminds me so much of me and my figures - I never realised how inaccurate I was until my coach started to measure tracings out. Sometimes I swear to god I must be doing them with my eyes closed.
ReplyDeleteOh I don't even want to imagine what my tracings would look like! All over the place, no doubt!
DeleteI did the bronze test before it had a figure eight. Now I'm working on the gold moves which has a backward inside and outside figure eight. Took a lot of work to get the back inside push, it's not totally reliable but it worked for the test. The figure eight actually went better than a lot of the rest of it, gotta keep working on the brackets and double three turns and re-test when I'm ready for another go at it.
ReplyDelete