Edges, Edges, and More Edges But No Height!
After starting a new job as a Revenue Manager my lessons have been up and down of late but have resolved to having my two lessons week regardless. This means this week working from 3:00pm to 11:pm then up at 4:am to go skating at 6:00am and be back in work for 8:00am - crazy but worth it! And what a better way to wake me up in the morning.
After two months of working on nothing but edges and field moves I have realised that my jumps have all lost height. Need to work out a new gym program to work on the height issue - any one have any goo exercises they know of?????
But on a success note my outside edges are not smooth, strong, and a good deep(-ish) edge and flow, the insides are ok but not as good - keep closing my hips and dropping my hip - dam it it!
I have also learnt that the transition from forward crossovers to back crossovers on field moves has to be done using a Mohawk. Not usually a problem nice easy turn. BUT it is at high speed and in my 'un-natural', awkward direction. This has turned out to be quite terrifying. For some reason instead of heal to instep like you would usually do on a inside Mohawk I keep holding heal of the free leg to the heal of my skating foot. And to make matters worse position the free foot to place down on an outside edge - which means it would be a change of foot and edge a Choctaw. It feel terrible, it looks terrible, and can't do it???? No! - it has left me feeling useless. But in the other direction my natural direction all is good, practise, practise, practise, I guess - c'est la vie!
My spiral are coming along slowly but surely - my old bones and joints are bearing up - well maybe not old I'm still young compared to the long view of things. Also why is it I can hold a better position in my camel spins than in my spiral - crazy.
Sit spin while rubbish and still not at 90 degrees and no long rise up on my leg when I step into the spin, so I guess I am keep lower.
Leg cross over in my scratch spin a lot better, getting that cross over early before the spin gets going has worked a lot better. Otherwise once the spin is in motion properly it feels like fighting a brick wall to bring the foot over and down.
So really my jumps have reduced to only half their height they once were CAN ANYONE HELP PLEASE?????? - though my jumps are of consistent height in jump sequences.
Off to practise tonight so will take some video footage or photos to upload, my aim is to take photos each time and video to monitor progress. Also to help correct my rounded shoulders and arms / finger position. Also to save my coaches voice of having to shout across the rink - ARMS!! FINGERS!!! SHOULDERS!!! SHOULDERS!!!!!
Also need to get a move on with my program - will not be taking part in the nationals this year as my coach has attended the course this year - but more time to prepare for other competitions I guess.
Also anyone know any fancy and spectacular looking foot sequence or linking footwork??? - will research and upload some suggestions, fell free to add them.
Jumps to date:
Three Jump
Salchow Jump
Toe-Loop (Cherry Flip)
Loop Jump
Flip Jump
Lutz (very badly)
Axel - preparation stages (dam that hip flick)
