Author Topic: What did you do in today's lesson?  (Read 354161 times)

WednesdayMarch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
  • Nicer when fed...
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3410 on: October 21, 2019, 08:42:53 am »
Must be something in the water these coaches are drinking, mine had me attempting backwards cross rolls too!

Coaches don't drink water, darling...   ;)

Group was a session on mohawks and choctaws. Hmm, not a fan really but was good fun.

Mohawks and choctaws are great once you get the hang of them.  They are really, really useful - and beautiful - ways of turning from forwards to backwards and vice versa.  In order to give yourself the best chance of mastering them, practice your edges every time you skate and also work on your knee bend both on and off ice.  Forward inside open choctaws are particularly good fun, once your brain has stopped going, "Excuse me?  You want me to do WHAT with my feet?!"  :D  If you want to see those done wonderfully, have a look at Natalia Bestimianova and Andre Bukin's 1988 Kilian on YouTube.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

VisuallyImpairedOnIce

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1034
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3411 on: October 21, 2019, 10:45:27 am »
Coaches don't drink water, darling... 
Ah, silly me. Mine runs on coffee, but I'm sure I've made him turn to something stronger at times 😂
Inclusive Skater :)
IS Masters FD World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Pairs Level 2 World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Free Skate Level 3 Bronze Medalist 2021 🥉

Leif

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 643
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3412 on: October 21, 2019, 08:08:11 pm »
I feel your pain Leif. I too am currently struggling with crossovers and cross rolls both forwards and backwards. I really think the coach expects my legs to be made out of spaghetti! In my head, I know how it's all meant to look and I've been watching loads of you-tube videos, but getting my legs to cooperate is another matter. Especially with backwards, my legs and blades are constantly getting all tangled up together. But a few months ago, I couldn't even figure out how to skate backwards so I'm assuming it'll all come together eventually with more practice.

Sounds like you are progressing. What I am learning from my coach is the importance of body mechanics. Essentially putting your body parts (arms, legs, shoulders, hips, head) in the correct position(s) and then trying and trying until you get it. But you won’t get it if you don’t get the correct body part placement. For backwards crossovers, put your body into the “having a poo in the woods” position and keep your centre of gravity over your feet ie don’t try to lean in. She had me doing some weird exercises which quickly got me into the correct stance with my legs moving sort of right, and now it’s a case of improving until she approves. What she does is all very mysterious. Must be that special water she drinks.

Incidentally my coach has a habit of skating alongside me while I do crossovers, sometimes holding one of my hands when she wants to show me the correct position for my arm (an odd sight since I am in full hockey kit) and having someone skate so close unsettles me, but as I’ve often said, I am impressed by the ability of good figures skaters.

WednesdayMarch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
  • Nicer when fed...
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3413 on: October 21, 2019, 08:21:33 pm »
Incidentally my coach has a habit of skating alongside me while I do crossovers, sometimes holding one of my hands when she wants to show me the correct position for my arm (an odd sight since I am in full hockey kit) and having someone skate so close unsettles me, but as I’ve often said, I am impressed by the ability of good figures skaters.

Don't feel too unsettled.  Figure skaters don't much go for body checking.  (Unless you spill their special water...)
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 643
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3414 on: October 21, 2019, 09:58:22 pm »
Don't feel too unsettled.  Figure skaters don't much go for body checking.  (Unless you spill their special water...)

I’m not scared of my coach but rather that my lack of control might injure her, if you catch my gist.  :)

WednesdayMarch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
  • Nicer when fed...
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3415 on: October 21, 2019, 11:02:36 pm »
I’m not scared of my coach but rather that my lack of control might injure her, if you catch my gist.  :)

I honestly wouldn't worry too much, Leif.  She sounds like she knows what she's doing.  Coaches value their limbs and livelihood and are therefore pretty conscious of who and what might injure them. 
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 643
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3416 on: November 16, 2019, 07:18:40 pm »
Another lesson today, with a two week break as she’s on holiday next week. She had me doing lots of drills, but the best was three turns, a new one for me. I skated on a small semi circle, on an outside edge, then did a turn half way round, rotating CW when skating CW and ACW when skating ACW. I could do the turns, but not keep control afterwards. It was fun though, and although I did badly, I did better than I expected. I will be well pleased if I learn this. One to practice tomorrow, and Tuesday. One foot slaloms are poor, but better. Backwards CW on the left foot is poor but better. I managed a half circle before collapsing into a heap.  :) I find this very hard and scary. My coach said small children are fearless, but not adults.

This lark is hard.

On a rather sad note I heard today that someone who coached the first hockey team I was in for a year, took his own life last Tuesday. He had had a heart lung transplant some years ago, and suffered depression. Very sad, he wasn’t a good teacher, but he was a good motivator and encouraged many people.

WednesdayMarch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
  • Nicer when fed...
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3417 on: November 16, 2019, 09:21:00 pm »
Oh Leif, that is sad.  I'm so sorry to hear that.  Poor chap.

Three turns are great!  You're going to love the inside ones even more...
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

VisuallyImpairedOnIce

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1034
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3418 on: December 15, 2019, 11:02:14 pm »
This weekend's skating has been fun.
Yesterday me and another adult had a group lesson, and coach decided we'd do some dance. We had a go at the Rhythm Blues - I caught a toe pick and went splat :( After checking I was OK we carried on and had a play with the Fiesta Tango. Main coach may cry - I actually enjoyed these dances, with no pressure trying to get them competition ready. Maybe I'll give pattern dance another go at the Inclusive Championships...


Today was my lesson with my main coach. We did Level 1 field moves to warm up, then looked at my 3 jump and toe loop. I landed a 3 jump-toe loop combination which I'm rather happy about :) Then we worked on spins, front upright is getting 3 rotations now but not consistently, backspin is improving albeit very slowly it feels. I'm either going to stab my leg with my blade or get my feet tangled together with this spin, I can see it now... We ran through everything on Bronze, everything is showing improvement, which is nice.
Then had our regular footwork group, only me and another chap in tonight, we did twizzles, cross rolls, cross behinds, then we got to make up our own routines - coach gave us each an emotion and a few things it had to include, and 10 minutes to fit it all together. Great fun, apparently this is to get us used to thinking on our feet during programs. Finished with his horrific cardio/endurance exercise - laps of slaloms, cross rolls and lemons, then when the music changes, 3 jumps from 5 back crossovers. All set to "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac. I'm starting to really dislike that song...
Inclusive Skater :)
IS Masters FD World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Pairs Level 2 World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Free Skate Level 3 Bronze Medalist 2021 🥉

VisuallyImpairedOnIce

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1034
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3419 on: December 21, 2019, 07:47:54 pm »
Today was SO, SO good!
So, group lesson we did some edges, then had a play with the Fiesta Tango again (including with the music, which was... interesting!). Then I had an hour lesson with my coach as we're not in tomorrow. We did some work on generating an underpush on my crossovers, then looked at spirals, both forwards and backwards. Backwards spirals are improving but are still terrifying. Then we did some work on my drags, and we finished by looking at salchow. I'm definitely a fan of the mohawk entry - it's not landing yet but it's so close! Did a couple of program run throughs as well. I'm tired  ;D




Inclusive Skater :)
IS Masters FD World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Pairs Level 2 World Champion 2021 🥇
IS Free Skate Level 3 Bronze Medalist 2021 🥉

FootsieDAX

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 25
Re: What did you do in today's lesson?
« Reply #3420 on: December 22, 2019, 07:47:06 pm »
Hi there, sounds like you had a great time :). I find backwards spirals really hard, I cannot keep my outstretched leg straight in the air, which means I don't glide in a straight line. As for the salchow jump, well, I am still trying to understand mentally where I am supposed to jump! In classes two weeks ago, the coach was trying to break it down for me in separate bits, and when it came to doing the last part, I stepped, rather than jumped. For some reason, my brain finds it really hard to understand when to actually command my foot to jump!



 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy