Last night's practice was sobering. My coach and I went over what needed to be incorporated into a competitive program, and let's just say it leaves me with a lot to work on.
Combination spins still leave me dizzy to a fault. Jumps are still inconsistent. And I can't make the extra time during the week to commit to off-ice training. I just can't. I'd be neglecting my child if I did! So it's going to be a long fall/winter to get my act together, and I really have my work cut out for me.
I made my coach take video of some of the things I need to work on. I've always found watching myself helpful. Sometimes a coach or observer can only describe your flaws so much to convince you to correct your technique. You need to see it for yourself.
So here are two videos: the first is a sit-spin combo I've been working on. The second position is one that I've had to learn, because it was never done when I was competing before. As you can see, it makes me incredibly dizzy, and the exit needs a bit of work.
The second is a 2flip-2toe combo. I can usually nail this, but the landing on the second jump went awry. It's hard to tell if you're off-center when you're doing it, but really easy to spot it when you're watching it. This is a good learning tool for me.
Of course, it's really easy to say: my jumps aren't big, my spins aren't fast, what the heck was I thinking in trying to compete??? But who am I really comparing myself to here? The answer is me. My former self. The one who could spin off double axels and triples and 4-minute programs like it was nothing. I'm not that skater anymore. I have new challenges brought on by my adult, post-baby body and added pressures brought on by the realities of adult life off the ice. It dawns on me now that the need to maintain perspective is going to be as, if not more, important to my preparation for competition this year as perfecting technical elements.
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