Thursday training

Tried to think what was most outstanding at this training....
I guess - a lot talking with coach (between elements) - she gave me a rest this way.
And another one - bang my right knee (fall down when I was doing cross overs in circle and tried to do it fast, lost concentration and now my knee blue-red colour. Not too bad, but feels a little pain when walking.
I not put ice on it straight (what each adult skater need to do!), just fast get up from ice and continue skating, showing that nothing happened (stupid thing to do!). Who bother about my brave show of? :) Health much more important but we often forget about it.
Anyway it ok. Just not pleasure detail. Training actually was positive enough.
We did cross rolls, cross overs, lie step with double inside 3turn and Mohawk. Czech step,
new step - 3 turn forward outside, change edge, keep free foot in front and do 3turn backwards. Next change foot - 3turn forward inside, change edge, and 3turn backwards without changing foot.
Then spins - upright (I keep doing spin without proper entrance, too fast trying spinning when not get right point). Sit spin - a little better but still not get position, and even move on the foot forward and back (like on swing :). need fix body better.
And at the end - loop jump. Get coach comment about hands work, and did it right with next attempt :)

So not bad training - some positive moments and some sad (like my poor knee - I bang it so many times!)

Interesting that while I became do more elements on training - jumps and spins - I really want more practice fore get better results. Hope soon I could do more practice (not only once per week).

Good luck everybody with your training and achievements!

Weekend

Just come to put some pictures from my busy weekend:
Auckland botanic gardens with family
and Manukau lighthouse and regional park.

Tomorrow next training. Catch thinking that I was too lazy (tired) all week, not done any exercise, no any minute off-ice training. Bad girl! Need improve myself.

Oh! And I got first job in New Zealand! Just one evening a week for few hours - general sale person in one of biggest fashion store in New Zealand. Good for start :) Ability at least cover figure skating trainings price. And convenient hours for family. :) First day this Friday. Excited!

Positive look in future :)

Thursday trayning

Today I was really late, arrived just before training. Even no time for warm-up.
But its ok. I did warm-up at start of training - some change edge on one foot all ice line, lie step, double 3turns forward and back, inside and outside. and Czech step.
Was a little hurry so not control body, then slower done it with good quality :)

After basic steps tried to do camel spin. Oh-oh! I just start learn it. And at this moment main problems - good entrance and fix position right.
At entrance I need find point and spinning on the top point of foot inside, move into spin with body down, push left leg body up, keep right hand behind and then move left hand there too.
Too much small details and sometimes I think about one detail and forget about another,
But 1-2 times I feel that I close to spinning, just need fix body parallel to ice.
Just time and practice help with it :)
Next - loop jump. Today I feel good about it. But not all attempts been successful, only first. Coach put my attention for hand positions in jump and after (keep left hand in front).
Then we first time tried loop-loop. Few times was ok, just need longer sit before second jump, I always try jump straight away after landing (that's not good).
And...I not expect but we even tried flip jump. I showed how I jump it and then coach showed me new entrance with few steps, what made me confused, and I spend rest time of training for tried understand entrance :) Yes, that's me :)
Cross overs back, left leg in front, than Czech step, Mohawk, move on right leg outside and then did step forward for flip. I cant did any times flip with this entrance. not understand connection and how move on right leg outside, take speed for flip.
Hope next time I will be more successful with step understanding :) and with spin and jumps, of course :)

P.S.
when I cant get entrance steps, coach asked me how I did steps in my previous programs, is there was only cross overs ? :)
I said no, and promised send video with my past programs.
I did it, watch again video with critical eyes. And actually not sure what the reaction gonna be, is it really so terrible how its looks for me ...

Behind training

Im not wright any post about my last Thursday training because actually not much to tell.
I been really tired, exhausted (even before training).
Did some steps, struggle with my sit spin.
Main opening for me - about entrance - tried in upright position move free hand and leg in front and only than try to sit.
Its new experience for me, because all years I was learn that need sit and move leg at the same moment (for fast, time economy etc).
But of course I heard about other variant, just never tried befor.
I realized that pretty hard change technique. You body automatically try to do old variant but not new what coach ask you to do.
That's the main problem...

And another thinking after training - that I don't have any time for ice skating practice, just 30-45 min per week. So what I expect from this small amount of time, what progress can be?
Just really slowly! :)
So now I not expect much and move all my plans, expectations (program, competition etc) really far in my mind.

But I can say that I had great weekend :)
I was show my relative from Russia country and been away from home, kids and family all weekend - that's was great, refreshing, interesting and nice ability have rest. My husband was looking after kids and sent some happy pictures, what made me feel good and not worry about anything.
We visited Hamilton gardens, Rotorua, lakes, geysers, Waiotapu thermal wonderland, and Hobbiton (famous place for Lord of the ring fans :)

Pictures here:

Thursday training

New week - new training.
Its come unexpected because I all week been organise staff to spare room (furniture, decoration) - my cousin today coming from Russia to visit me and see New Zealand (he 10 years younger and we seen each other only few times in my life because he lived at another city, where I was born - Krasnoyarsk. later I moved with my mum to great city Saint-Petersburg. memories :)
Another thing - I just yesterday visited one job interview. Nothing exciting - just weekend and late hours retail job. I guess anyway good start from blank page in New Zealand (its not so easy find first job without NZ education and experience and doesn't matter what my background - PhD, administration work at university, lecture, geography teacher, and some retail experience at student years :)
So mentally I not been totally ready for skating and feel tired after not sleeping night with kids (one wake up at 12, another at 2am, first one want been feed at 3 am and then nearly 5.30 they both awake. Happy mummy! They don't want miss any sunlight and all exciting around. Poor me! :)
But just before training I was concentrated, did some off-ice warm-up at car park (while baby was sleep and I have some time before skating). Than worm up at ice and training.

Training:
1. Cross overs (circle). 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5 forward to back with Mohawk change legs. First in one side, then opposite move on circle.
2. Lie step (I gave description before).
3. Cross roll, cross roll, double outside 3turn and continue again with other foot.
4. Czech step. (on this step after half way through I became really tired and first time ever feel that I cant move legs or all body. Coach seen it, said something and made me move faster :)
5. Spirals. First time after break I did spirals and it was really unexpected! Especially way how to do it - not in circle how I use to do it but straight line with moving on half circle. Without any cross overs just good push on each leg - forward and back outside spirals both legs and then inside spirals (it was much harder and I cant get pushing step (on back spirals - with leave leg forward on push and then lift it behind)
6. Sit spin. Tried improved but not so successful. Main thing - entrance. Sometimes I hurry.
7. Loop!!! Ta-Dam! tried it again after my big break with baby born. Not bad. But coach said that I jumping it only with my power but not with good technique. And sometimes - I don't know why I doing it from two legs, not quit sitting on right foot before jump. and need all body work (make spinning top part and then jumping). Not great attempts but good for practice.
That's all!
I walk away from ice rink tired with really red face - sign of good training :)

P.S.

our new guest room.  Welcome! 

Junior World

Interesting was just before this weekend to know about Junior World Championship what going on right now at Sofia, Bulgaria.
Im usually not watch junior competitions, more interested in senior skating and programs, but this time after Olympics really miss watching skating. I know World Championship coming soon. But Im not patient person :)
I visited one of Russians figure skating forum (to see discussing, results) and accidentally find link for online watch competition. Because I was laying in bed by this moment and check it out with mobile phone, I get link for Live+ apps and watch it online straight at this moment (on this website not only figure skating, but other sports too, and some archive).
Cant describe how its cool - watching ice skating Live with great quality picture just from your mobile phone (I just at Christmas holidays get from my husband new mobile phone Samsung Galaxy III. And if before I was thinking that I no need anything from mobile phone - just call and text, now Im really enjoying all abilities of this device like Facebook, Instagram, Navigation, Tapatalk and others apps.
And now even can watch figure skating LIVE! That's amazing :) (another lifesaver thing - Youtube apps - put some cartoon for kids while driving long time and they became unsettle :)
So I move exactly on girl short program - that was great! Three Russian girls finished on 1, 2, 3 place - E.Radionova, S. Sahanovich and E.Medvedeva - very promising girls, I hope they move through grow up without lost. Not far from them girl from Japan, and 2 girls from USA.
Today gonna be free skating. Hope its will be great performances and strongest sportsmen will win :)
Its amazing how light, easy little girls doing all elements. Like jumping beans :) Live energy, positive emotions, exciting - all this elements with them. And make you just smile :)
Girls only don't have real women skating but its coming with time and grow up.
Anyway interesting to watch them and see maybe somebody will be same good skaters like Y.Kim, M.Osada, C.Kostner (her lines and skating wonderful)...
Time will show...
But we can watch their start on big skating way to be champion.
That's inspiring. And interesting to watch all figure skating elements, how they doing them (when you yourself learning jumps, spins, steps)

And maybe I too old (just over 30 :) but for me all this modern technologies looks just amazing, cant imagine me watching figure skating just from mobile device. Cool! :)

So this evening girls free skating. Don't miss!
(all results on  ISU website)

P.S.
At Live+ website you can also get archive with figure skating competitions (that's really useful!), not only Live watch.

Update:

three Russian girls stayed at the same first positions after free skating program. Congratulations, especially for first place - Elena Radionova!

Thursday training

Today I been totally relax- no any worries,  everything in time. Kids at pre-school and child minding.
Funny enough I even not think about training before because too much going on around at this moment. So no time think about ice skatinng (all my thinking at this momemt more about future job- what direction to choose,  what the best opportunity,  work at weekend or part time during the week, half day all week or full day but just few days per week, move kids to childcare or not.
Too much thinking and every day different ideas.
Really don't know what the best option with kids and ability having hobby- ice skating.
(At this moment I just sending CV and visited some interview. So will see how its goes :)

About training:
Freezing at ice rink. Closer to winter :)
Warm up. Simple steps. At the end I remember steps what I not often doing- Waltz step and loop step. I just love doing Waltz step, its make me feel skating with music at some ball, romantic atmosphere. Loop step been good but need more control and deeper sit.
Actual training-crossrolls forward and back 2 lines each, lie step with 3turn entrance in different directions (legs), new step- cross roll back inside 3 times and then 3turn back inside and continue with another leg cross rolls and 3turn, Czech step (was hard to remember it).
New step combination- in circle- 1 forward cross over, Jackson step, double 3turn back inside and step forward. I did it 5 times and then we plus to it bracket (when at end combination you doing step forward move free leg in front, shoulders look outside the circle and do bracket- change edge and direction).
And...time for spins:)
First upright spin. I did few times but it feels not so good like before.  We move to sit spin.  Did a lot attempts and only at the end get something close (I at least feel how to do strong move with free hand and leg. Coach other comments was about longer entrance, keep right hand behind, keep body position correct, not move on the sides, free leg stright).
And something new-today first time tried camel spin (before the break I just start learrn it and cant get correct position and spinning). Today it was hard to do too. But at least I tried few times. :) my mistakes was with wrong entrance and wrong hands position. I even was moving backwards but not spinning!
So need hold left hand in front, right back when move to entrance,
When stand in spinning position left hand move behind to the right hand.
At this moment left leg stretching with push, knee- body up. Need feel this moment.
and of course free leg go up like on spiral.
So I need work with entrance and body position.

Its made me excited- we move forward and try something new. But it was not end of the training yet- last surprise - try to do Salhow! First time jump on my training after break (I start training at middle of January, so its 2 month time with once per week training, not bad :) )!
Need to say that's Salhow my less favorite jump (I like to do Flip and Loop jumps, even if they been hard to learn. Have no idea what the situation with this jumps now - after big break). But anyway good start doing jumps :)
My main mistake with salhow - I move free leg too close to another leg, but need go around, keep her freedom. It's hard to do when you few years did wrong. Its always hard change techniques with different coach.
We did just few fast attempts at last minute of training and coach promised next time give me salhow and toe-loop.
Good news and good training.  Not perfect but good enough.  And surprising how much elements we done for the same 30 min. Maybe my skating speed getting faster or my brains became use to it and think faster, I get steps without too much explanation.  Who knows... anyway its positive changes.
Hope next time will be same positive :)

P.S.
I was wright this post from mobile phone (when baby was sleep near) - hard job! never do it again :) Now from computer will try delete mistakes :)