Hectic Skating Day

First of all, it was up to Ally Pally this evening for my usual skating class. I did:

Backward Chasses: Felt good and secure apart from one when I thought I was going to trip . . . but didn't. Finding it easier to maintain longer one foot glides now, and backwards skating and chasses are beginning to feel more and more comfortable, as well as getting significantly speedier.
Continuous Curves: Always like doing these, but my skates were a little skiddy. Really, really must go and get my skates sharpened!
Forward Inside 3-turns: As before, the entry part is feeling much more stable than it used to, but still doing some weird skiddy thing on the turn. First of all the coach has got me to bring my hand over to touch my opposite shoulder on the entry to make sure I am rotating my shoulders fully. She also told me to bend my skating knee more, so I don't go so far forward on my toepick. I might be mistaken, but I think I actually did a turn! It didn't go anywhere, but it felt like the turn on a FO3, so I am feeling much encouraged.
Backward Crossovers: It is very frustrating when you see Level 6'ers starting them and giving them a go, when I can do them pretty well but freeze up. The coach did some with me and there is an improvement - my hand is resting on the back of hers with the lightest of touches now. And I almost, almost felt brave enough to lift it off . . . I have been getting lots of advice of the Skating Forums as well today - what lovely, helpful people they are!

The coach also got me to try a change of edge on one foot today, which I absolutely loved! Skating forward on an outside edge, swinging the free leg through to the front as you continue on the outside edge, and then swing it behind you moving onto an inside edge, making an S shape on the ice. First time I was "Eh?", and the second time I got it. Fabulous!

Forward drags were also mentioned, but didn't actually try one myself. I'm a bit worried about what these will do to my slightly temperamental knee. I think I will practice the position on the kitchen floor, before I try it on the ice and in skates - at least there is not far to fall!

And then, after my lesson, I zoomed off down to the Littlest Rink for another hour of skating, where Stacey was practicing what I had showed her on Monday and had "encouraged" her fiance to join her! Practiced everything I had done today as well as showing Stacey the beginning steps of backward skating.

I have always avoided Wednesday nights at the Littlest Rink as it is "Beat Night" or some such other funky name. But actually it was really, really quiet with only about eight people on the ice, three of those being myself, Stacey and aforementioned fiance. If she continues going on Wednesdays, then I might well carry on joining her/them there - it is nice to practice after my lesson. After all, as I keep reading, all ice time is good ice time!