The Axel is back...

Skated again today, and again was determined that I would work on the Axel.

When I started with jumps, I did tons of Waltz jumps and semi-attempts at the Axel, i.e. I wanted to attempt the Axel but changed my mind when stepping into the entry. The first real attempt (finally!) was rotated, landed, but collapsed on the butt. My knee just wasn't ready for the landing! The second attempt was landed, on a very low knee and boy, it was all I could do to pull out of it. Popped quite a few after that before finally getting a few more landed.

Another thing I was determined to do today, was to get up from the sit spin. And I did! Just attempted one, though...

Regrettably, my camel spin has disappeared. Come to think of it, I haven't actually worked on the forward camel for eons - I didnt' have that in my last program! The silver lining is that I did a semi-decent back camel today. Just one - the rest just didn't have the right balance.

Anyway, the L4 spiral sequence and the layback variation that I concocted at the beginning of my pregnancy still work! *YIPPEE*

Axel today?

Another practise session today... On the way to the rink, I decided that I have to try the Axel today. I got to the rink to find that there was a school group in lesson preparing for the Inter-School competition next month. Oh well, no big deal, I thought, since they were beginners and really didn't move fast (or much at all).

I warmed up around the group, then did forward double 3s. It so happened that the group was in a block along my axis, and I managed to work one lobes around them. Later, I was told to "wait a bit before I do my stuff" since they "could not do their pattern properly" while I was skating! Now, was it because the kids got distracted by my skating, or did someone complain??!! C'mon, I kept out of their way, and they weren't even moving anywhere when I skated my lobe around them! Of course I didn't think much of it then, but it must not have been kosher that that lobe happened to go between the group and their coach! (oops! and oh dear, I'm already complaining just 3 weeks back on the ice!)

Somehow I felt more tired today than the previous session. Rather, my legs felt weaker. My left blade still felt like it was slipping away under me, so Waltz jumps just didn't seem stable. I was reconsidering my Axel decision...

Double toes and double Sals weren't that great either. Decided instead to work a bit on layback. That seems to be the only element that's normal right now. I managed to grab my blade and pull it to my hair without getting on the pick nor falling back on my head!! Then I tried the side-lay to back-lay to haircutter. It wasn't too bad, just really slow...

OK. Axel time. I suppose I do have to try it sometime... To my surprise, I actually landed the first one! It was nowhere near pretty, but was fully rotated, on one foot - and I didn't fall! Attempted many more, some successful, some steppec out, some 2-footed, some landed on the butt cos my knee gave way. Well, I'm sure it will come back in due course. :-)

Doubles... maybe not too long...

Another skating session - I'm slowly feeling stronger, but my left blade still feels a little strange. Anyway, my blades probably need a good sharpening - I feel like I'm skidding all over the place!

After some stroking to warm up, I started with jumps. Spent lots of time on the Waltz jump... somehow I couldn't find the pick on the takeoff. Or perhaps I skid because of blunt blades?

When I got to toe loops, I somehow got the idea that it was time to see if I still have the double toe. The first few were pathetic, to say the least, but the fact that I could almost get all the way around was encouraging. Soon I had a few that were fully rotated - but try as I might, they were all badly two-footed!

I later did a rotated but two-footed double Sal. I suppose I need to get my sense of balance back!

Sit spin is still in the can-get-down-cannot-get-back-up stage... Ok, I'd admit - today, it was more of a "dont-want-to-get-back-up" rather than "cannot-get-back-up". Then I thought I'd try the sit-back sit, but the back sit was horribly high. I tried to get lower, and ended up on the ice.

I still do not dare to try the Axel! *sigh*