Trying to get more "oomph"

After being absolutely furious yesterday, after going stir crazy waiting in ALL afternoon for Virgin Media to come and fix my telephone line and then not turning up, it was nice to get up to the rink today.

Skated for about an hour before lunch and 45 minutes after - it might have been longer, but in the half hour lunch break, they were doing something with the lights and didn't bother with the usual Zamboni, so it was feeling somewhat rough this afternoon.

So, it was a little tricky today as it was quite busy with little hockey munchkins, but I did spend some time throwing myself around to get the aforementioned "oomph" into my skating. I don't find it a problem when I am doing vanilla stroking, but still not getting it into my crossrolls. I just can't feel where the power is meant to come from . . . something to continue bashing out.

Otherwise, I did quite a few things:
Perimeter Stroking: I really concentrated on getting my toes pointing in the right direction on the FXO's, and they did feel a little smoother. I shall have to remember 3turns tip about pointing my knees in the right direction, rather than just my toes.
Russian Stroking: Did this for the FXO part really. Felt quite good.
Open Chasses: This was to work on lifting the foot parallel to the ice rather than pointing the toe, and not having any push behind it. Feeling better.
BXO's: Need to remember to "sit" back into the BXO, otherwise I occasionally end up on my toepick.
FI3's: Not bad. Happening both sides at least. I am still in disbelief that I actually worked these out, as they gave me massive headaches at the time!
Drags: Proud to say, not only a bit of snow on the sole of my boot, but actually all over the bottom of my jogging pants! My knee now lets me go ALL the way down! Mind you - i'm not getting up too elegantly at the moment :) But thrilled - a simple thing, but I did doubt whether I would ever find it possible.
2-foot spin: Didn't quite get to a one foot spin today, but worked out the arms (well, on the ice and on my kitchen floor as well). I can feel where the arms give the impetus for the spin now, and my 2-foot spin is feeling . . . spinny.
3 jump: Remembered about pulling myself upright after the jump, and it feels . . . okay. Scary to go into, and obviously I am still doing these on the barrier, but working. I think I will take my time on these!
Crossrolls: As I said, still not getting much power into these. I am wondering whether I should make the curves a little smaller, so I haven't come to a grinding halt by the time I do the next cross.

So I managed to fit quite a bit in, around the little hooligans. My legs are pleasantly achy from all the drags and "oomph-ness" I was doing and I feel like it was a good practice!