Spinning the normal way after all!
I have been spending a lot of time playing around with spins. Not forcing myself into it, just letting it happen and I am happy to say that I do appear to be a CCW skater after all. Which is good news for my coach! I have got back up to two revs fairly consistently now, from doing a T-position start, and have finally got the hang of letting the leg swing around in the hip (whereas before it was kind of getting stuck behind me!). So I am very happy with that.
Back to synchro on Thursday after being unwell, but my upper right arm is still not better. I did the first wheel of the session, and having had pain in my upper arm (just over the deltoid), it made my entire arm down to my hand start hurting. Oh dear. I just went through the steps of the program on my own in the corner, and then did some drills with the rest as long as I was only holding on with my good arm. Problem is now, I am not sure what to do - do I keep going and pottering through the steps, or wait until my arm has healed before going back? Hmmmm . . .
Lesson was good this week - my coach is going to California tomorrow for four weeks (sob!) so a lot of it was going through the stuff she has outlined for me to practice, to make sure I am clear on it. Some highlights:
Double 3's: Hehehe. As long as I am holding on, they are actually happening, but not on my own yet. So D has shown me how to do the first forward 3, and then two foot the backward 3, working up to one footing it.
Dutch Waltz: So along with the Canasta Tango, she is very happy with the progress on this. That means both of my compulsories are at basic competition standard, so lots of time to refine them before the BAC's next year!
Music for my FD: Yes, I have music!!!! This is so exciting! She put it on the sound system and it was great to hear it over the speakers, and much better than when I was listening to the whole track on my laptop some months ago. She's done a fantastic job on cutting it as well - the joins are indiscernible. It's worrying to hear how fast the step sequence section is though :)
So I have stuff to work on for the next four weeks, with strict instructions to email my progress at least twice a week. Two things I really have been focussing on personally is spins as mentioned, and working up backward speed. I now spend considerable time doing laps of the rink backwards, with Russian stroking down the long axes, and BXO's around the short axes. This HAS to help me build up speed!!!
I was debating dragging myself up to Oxford today to go and watch the Adult Open but was enjoying my lie-in far too much this morning . . . blush . . . so best of luck to all those people I know who are competing today!!!!
3 comments:
Just some words of wisdom from one fellow synchro skater to another.
I skated as a reserve for an Adult synchro team last season. I was a reserve as at the beginning of the season their footwork was too hard (back inside double 3 straight into back inside double 3 appeared constantly during the program, even pass throughs, and I was still struggling to do a back double 3 at the time. Not to mention doing 1 1/2 rotation twizzles at speed at the end of step sequences) Not too mention my lack of power in comparison to the rest of the team. Even doing a basic block of russian stroking I used to fall out as my feet couldn't move enough!
I was so motivated though by the fact the coach wanted to give me a try though, that I continued going, week after week practicing in the corner whilst the rest of the team skated with such speed and grace, that I was sure I would never get good enough. However I started getting the double 3 double 3 bit, and at the same time started to notice that a lot of the team were actually 2 footing their turns and the only difference then between them and me was the power. By xmas I had learnt all the foot work, which impressed the coach, but I still didn't have the power which would me the coach would never consider letting me skate in block, (by this time you have to rememer that the rest of the team had too improved and the goal post kept moving!)
I asked the coach what I could do about my power when she suggested a power circle exercise, I started working on this and although at first I couldn't see how it would help I did then start noticing a difference.
After xmas competition season was upon us and I knew then I would never be skating in block before the end of the season, this was when I became most depressed and thought about giving up, I think the coach also noticed I was giving up, so there were a few words of encouragement, and I was back practicing again. The team ended up coming 1st at regionals and Westerns and 6th nationally.
Spring skating was soon upon us and this was when I realised how much I had improved, I could stay in block and keep the speed up during the russian skating exercise and when we did drills of footwork I could not only do the footwork but keep up. I obviously still have things to work on, you don't go from being level 3 to Gold standard over night! But feel so much more confident about my skating.
I know you have your shoulder issue to think about, but if this is likely to be a temporary complaint, perhaps suggest to the synchro coach you do more practicing out of block with a goal of being a real member of the team next season?
Thank you for such lovely encouragement! I do find it frankly terrifying, but it hasn't quite put me off yet. I am annoyed by my shoulder pain, but yes, in time it will pass.
That is wonderful hearing about how much it has improved your skating - very uplifting! Although luckily, double 3's are only an issue in my private lessons - we don't use them in synchro :)
You might find this website useful for getting started in synchro.
http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_synch/synchronized_skating_primer.htm
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