Monday Recap

Skating practice has moved from Tuesday nights to Saturday mornings, thanks to changing schedules at local rinks. Ergo, my Wednesday recap has turned into a Monday one (Sundays are my day off).

This was my first practice post-show. I'd hoped for ice time earlier this month, but it seems like a lot of rinks either close down or limit their hours during June. As a result, the Saturday session was super crowded. I haaaate super crowded sessions. The output of my practice is halved when there are a million people on the ice. All skaters have to be super vigilant, and those with prima donna tendencies (I'm not excluding myself historically speaking here), tend to turn up the 'tude when other skaters get in their way.

Despite the obstacle (also, it was FREEZING in this particular rink), my first time back on the ice in a few weeks went well. My primary goals this summer are to improve my spins and to get back my double axel, a jump that has vexed me on and off since I was about 12. I attempted a few under the watchful eye of my coach, who provided some much needed input on the way I was approaching it.

My problem--and the problem for many adult skaters and multi-rotation jumps, I'm told--is the snap that needs to happen in the rotation in the air. It's kind of like driving a standard transmission car. You know it's time to shift gears when you feel that subtle surge in the engine. With my double axel, I'm feeling the surge, but I'm not shifting the stick. I made some promising attempts though, and I think I'm close. I used to have it down, but the intervening years of driving automatic transmission cars (i.e. not skating, if you follow my metaphor) have dulled my senses.