Forward one foot three turns. Actually I've not achieved these for a number of weeks now. Today at my lesson was the first time since I started a year ago that I had to keep reminding myself that skating is meant to be fun when all I wanted to do was cry and I ended up stumbling around. Instead of my usual one hour of practice after my lesson, I left the ice after 10 minutes. Fingers crossed next week is better.
I think for almost everyone learning to skate is a process of some steps forward and some back, and in the dark moments you could remind yourself of where you started from. I've been skating a long time and still have moments when I feel like a clumsy oaf. I strongly feel part of the learning process is learning to remain calm in those moments, knowing when to not be so hard on yourself, maybe go back to a very basic element that you feel more confident with, breathe, feel the movement, feel the ice, rebuild belief. It's as much a test of patience as anything else. We're all different - some may find it helpful to have specific goals, or tests, or be very intense and have very high expectations, for others (like me) that seems to work less well. I improve most when I just try to enjoy my skating and relax - but obviously you still need to know what you're meant to be doing and be receiving good input.
Some less philosophical things to try:
- Two-foot three turns, done really well, really feel the outside edge. Do them on a hockey circle. They are harder than people imagine.
- Improve your forward outside edge, hold it for longer, forever, for a full circle. Feel how you can control the edge by holding your free side back. Stand up tall, don't look down. Feel how when you let your free side come round, it's the start of a three turn
- Improve your back inside edge, hold it for longer, for a full circle if you can
I think if you have excellent forward and backward edges, 3-turns are easy, or at least much easier. If you're uncomfortable with either the entry or exit edge, the turn is unlikely to go well.
If your rink lets you, stick inspiring music on your headphones.