What did you do in today's lesson?

[caffn8me]

This is possibly more appropriate that "What did you achieve this week?".

In today's lesson (30 minutes, private, on patch) I did the following;

Start with two laps around the rink skating forwards as fast as possible

Backward skating around the rink (not as fast as possible but with crossovers at the corners)

One foot backward glide - free foot against the knee of the skating leg.  I can exceed the Skate UK required distance of my height easily but need to concentrate on keeping things in a straight line.

Forward crossrolls

Continuous forward inside edges down each side of the rink concentrating on holding the free leg extended to the rear for longer before swinging through to the front and crossing the skating leg

Continuous forward outside edges as above

Forward crossovers in both directions around a circle concentrating on improving posture and free leg extension

Backward crossovers in both directions around a circle

Backward crossovers into landing position, again looking at posture

Forward crossovers into a figure of eight in both directions (we didn't do the same backwards this week but it's the only thing missing)

Forward spirals in a straight line half way down the rink before changing legs and up the other side.   This was the first time he'd asked me to do spirals and they went reasonably well.  He didn't ask me to do anything differently

Forward skating into forward drag.  I did these once back in April as a bit of fun during my group lessons.  They're better now

All that in thirty minutes - so much more than I could get done in a group lesson

He seemed to think I'd made progress, which was nice to hear as I'd had much less practice time than usual and was expecting a much worse lesson.  He's also suggested I join a small mixed ability group he takes once a week for a lesson and I think I'll do that as it will get me learning other things too.

So, what grade am I working on?  Answers on a post card as he hasn't talked about grades or testing at all   I can do all of the things listed above, it's just a question of tidying them up.

Please feel free to post your lesson's contents as well.

Sarah

[scotlandsk8r]

you get a double lesson yeah? I  wish i could get that, my coach only does that for girls that are competing seriously and testing.

[caffn8me]

He does lessons up to an hour but at the moment thirty minutes is right for me.

Sarah

[eunicexie]

In my lesson of 30 minutes private ice yesterday, I did the following

a.) forward crossovers in both directions
b.) backward crossovers in both directions
c.) waltz 3 turns (basically doing continuous 3 turns in both directions, with the landing position)
d.) change foot spin
e.) one foot spin (or else called scratch spin, with right leg open wide)
f.) change foot spin again (this time with the third spin to be the scratch spin)
g.) 3 jump
h.) toe loop
i.) salchow
j.) salchow toe loop combination
k) backward inside pivot
l.) modifying the program (which is bronze level)

So I think that it is about the same amount of things that Sarah did in a half hour lesson. You can learn a lot if your coach really concentrates on you only.

[tharr]

Had a private lesson on patch (nothing like patch to make you feel lead footed ay?) yesterday afternoon, assume you were AM Sarah? Seems those spirals of yours weren't a one off then;)

Went through level 1 stuff (with appalling spirals & 'spins' I was a very boy) as listed above ^^^ BUT when doing a (fortunately small) Salchow I NARROWLY avoided crushing a national ice skating treasure - landed cms apart from her - she let out a small scream.

Felt like such a pariah even though I'd adjusted & missed her...could have been pitchfork time in Streatham otherwise!

[caffn8me]

LOL@tharr!  Yes, I was there at 7.30 and had to leave to go for a gym session so was gone by 9.15.  No afternoon patch session or even the empty public session for me.

I do know what you mean about feeling as though you have leaden feet when on patch.  I feel that way too and worry that I'm nowhere near good enough for patch!

Luckily, when I had my lesson, the ice had few skating on it apart from a top dance pair - with whom I nearly collided as they rehearsed one of their dances.

Sarah (not crashed out yet!)

[hanca]

you get a double lesson yeah? I  wish i could get that, my coach only does that for girls that are competing seriously and testing.

You are doing double jumps and still have only 15 mins lessons? I wouldn't like to have my lessons so short. That wouldn't be enough for me. But you must be a very quick learner then!  I am quite opposite, a very slow learner. 

You are competing. Would your coach be willing to give you longer lesson if you started testing?

[eunicexie]

Hi

 Seriously, 15 mins is never enough for a private lesson. It usually lasts 30 mins, for private lessons, in the rink in Hong Kong and Singapore. However, the coach does give me private lessons twice a week, meaning that I have an hour lesson still in a week.

 My coach did give me about 7 minutes extra lesson on Thursday.

Eunice Xie (aka londonicechamp)

[Daydreamer]

I had a lesson at Queens on Wednesday, as my ususal rink is taking a break for the summer.  The problem I now have with Queens is I don't know which ability group I belong in.  I think I can do everything that's taught in Group 2 but I'm not good enough for Group 3.  So, in my (Group 3) lesson we did:

1) Forwards crossovers in both directions - this was the warmup and the only time I felt I wasn't obviously the worst in the group.
2) 3-turns while doing fancy things with the free leg - incredibly frustrating.
3) Backwards crossovers - at which point I had a huge panic.  Everybody else started skating round in a circle backwards with their legs crossed with practiced ease.  I'd never done a backwards crossover in my life.    

[icebaby]

I passed Skate UK level 10 in my lesson today 

I have a 30 min lesson which is just right - I need the time to talk through the things I am attempting and to get loads of encouragement from my coach (not possible in 15 mins or group lessons really). So, once I finished my step sequence I could get on with Bronze properly. Am starting with Dance - so had a go at all 4 elements of bronze. Found the progressive runs OK because my coach pushed me so much to get good elementary cross overs right from the start; consecutive 3 turns are OK but ragged at the moment; my barrel rolls are embryonic . My favourite is the crossed chasses as I fully expected to fall over backwards lol but managing fine! I am really motivated now which is great. I haven't done bronze singles moves in my lessons although have done at Camp.

[iSk8]

We have two sets of 30min+ lessons with different coaches on different days.
One set can be variable depending on other people's lessons.  Can be 45-mins.


This week:
Usual warmups first - skate round - edges - turns - a few dances

Willow Waltz - work on man's mohawk followed by lady's 3-turn
Golden Skater's - cover more ice, deeper edges
Starlight Waltz - work on lady's inside open mohawks and  the following change hold 3-turn - dancing it together.

14-step - body positions - lady's foot position on step to forward - timing together on man's mohawk
Riverside Rhumba - pattern shape, edges, timing together, rondé
10-Fox - edges - especially into man's 3-turn.

Phew!  Got an early morning session this week to practice all that.  Starlight Waltz needs lots more work on timing and pattern as well as the steps.  As you can see from the variety of levels, still lots of work to do on basics.