Skating update, year 6

[skategeek]

Skating update, end of year 6 (posting a bit late this year).  I kicked off my skating year last summer by doing a weekend skate camp in Lake Placid.  I was just about the lowest level skater there but I had an awesome time.  I also did two one day workshops this year (edge work with JoJo Starbuck and the same figures workshop I did two years ago) and a group number in the winter show (to “Jingle Bell Rock”).  I’ve been taking two classes a week, plus a weekly private lesson.  Basic/Adult levels 5 and 6 are still a work in progress, but at least there’s been some progress.  (I'm still a tortoise, not a hare.)  I’m also focusing more on compulsory/school figures, including a weekly class.  I love how figures let me focus on improving all the little technicalities of skating (without the fear factor!).  I wrapped up my year+ with my second Lake Placid camp- a very full weekend of amazing skating instruction capped by an incredible visit with Olympic pairs skater Oleg Protopopov.  The plan for the coming year is to focus on back edgework and those darn back crossovers.  Maybe another holiday show and who knows, maybe another competition?

Links to previous updates:
Year 5: http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=7706.0
Years 1-4: http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=7237.0

[Bill_S]

You are SO organized! It's good to keep track.

I really should do a workshop. You description sounds like it is highly-motivational.

[skategeek]

You are SO organized! It's good to keep track.

I really should do a workshop. You description sounds like it is highly-motivational.

It really is.  Just being with other motivated skaters and getting the perspectives of different coaches is fun.  (Every coach seems to have their own "this is the one thing you need to know about skating" schtick.)  I figure I skated about 12 hours in 3 days.  Normally I skate 3-4 hours a week, so this was like compressing 3 or 4 weeks into a single weekend.  (On the other hand, I know how little I visibly progress in a typical month of skating, so I can't expect miracles...)

[infinitespiral]

The weekend skate camp sounds great; I'd love to do something like that someday. And figures! I really would like to try figures eventually, maybe when I'm a little more secure on my edges. I'm a little below you, working on Adult 4 right now, but that's something to look forward to! 

[skategeek]

The weekend skate camp sounds great; I'd love to do something like that someday. And figures! I really would like to try figures eventually, maybe when I'm a little more secure on my edges. I'm a little below you, working on Adult 4 right now, but that's something to look forward to! 

Think of it the other way around... figures will help you *get* secure on your edges!