Basic 3

As usual, I am way behind in writing here. I passed Basic 2 with flying colors. Now I am in Basic 3 and already have figured out that I would like to take it twice. It is much harder and I have not had much practice time. I am the only Basic 3 with a Basic 4 student. So student to instructor ratio is excellent. Especially since last week it was just me and I had a private lesson. It was a fun class.
I learned forward progressives. This is basically a fun forward skated with a crossover thrown in every 3 steps. I find it fun to do and it looks harder than it is. It is also graceful looking. I am also trying to do a mohawk. This is when you go around a curve on one foot but turn quickly and finish the curve on the other foot. Not so easy. At least not for me. I need more help with my one foot backward glides. I am also working on my backward crossovers and am just starting to get the hang of them. I keep getting told that when I finally learn these moves that I will think skating backwards is more fun than forward. We shall see.
I am loving my new skates. They finally are feeling broken in and I have learned not to lace them so tight. Makes for better skating.
Was sick last weekend and family in town this weekend so not sure if I will get to practice at all this week. Work has been busy and not been able to find the time to go to the rink, since they are only open in the evenings on Wednesday. Really, they need better hours for those of us who work.
Anyways, I am plugging along and enjoying my class. Hope you have found a fun and fulfilling challenge as well. Best of luck, Lisa

New Basic 2 class

Here I am in the second week and haven't updated my blog. This class is so different from the first. Last time there were 4 of us and I was the only basic 1. It was kind of an easy class for me and I just did the basic 2 stuff along with the rest. This time I am the only basic 2 in a class with 4 basic 1's. But it is a different instructor. She has us doing things way beyond basic 2. I hope I pass this class. And of the 4 basic 1 students only 2 really are. Two ladies are from Australia. They have great accents! Anyway one has been figure skating for 15 years and can do anything you think of. She only took the class to be in with her friend. Her friend has been playing hockey for years so she has a good sense of balance and going fast on skates. Our instructor is only 20 years old, but very nice. But she is pushing us because of the advanced students. I don't mind but do feel bad for the 2 very beginners. On the first day she was expecting them to go backwards and do pivots. They can barely stand up! I only have had a chance to go to the rink for an hour of practice. I will have to try to go tomorrow or I will fall behind. She looked at me last week and told me to try and do a one foot spin. I looked at her like she was crazy as I can barely do a two foot spin! But she told me to keep practicing the two foot and then just lift one foot up for a second and put it back down. I need practice, practice, practice. But I love it and it is going to be a huge challenge this time around. So hopefully I will get more comfortable with this as it isn't going to be the breeze the last class was! LOL Just when you think you're hot you get humbled! Good luck with your challenges. Lisa

On to Basic 2

I had my last ice skating lesson in the Adult Basic 1 class. I did receive a patch too, but it looks different from the one above. So now I am proficient in snowplow stops, forward one foot glides, forward and backward swizzles, right and left pumps, and forward pivots on each foot. Of course I learned all this by the third lesson but practice is always good.
I am finding that learning to skate backwards is not so easy for me. In Basic 2 I will have to skate backwards and do backward pumps. Also will have to glide on one foot backwards. I have a feeling I will not be whizzing through those sessions. I am trying to teach myself some of these things so I don't look to "duh" in class. Of course the class size isn't too big. I was the only basic 1 student this time so they combined me with basic 2. Hopefully I won't be the only basic 2 student.
It is a lot of fun and is the only exercise I get. I go and practice about once a week for an hour. I know I should go more, but I am still not used to going out in this cold weather! Brr. I also have been working on my resume and looking for a job. Not to mention I'm still unpacking boxes! Looking forward to my next set of lessons. We skip a week before they start. So, for now I will continue to practice and look forward when I can actually place a video on this page of me doing any type of jump or spin! Lisa

Jumpin' Joe

Today I went to the rink to practice and got a nice surprise. Jumpin' Joe Sabovcik was there apparently giving a lesson to someone much more advanced than myself! There are two ice sheets at the Salt Lake City Ice Rink and the advanced skaters use the first rink. So I mosied on over to the second rink and had it almost to myself. Jumpin' Joe's wife, his younger son and only one other person were on the ice. It amazes me not to have crowds after being in LA for so long. I practiced for an hour but was having a hard time because my left skate needed to be sharpened. I was too lazy to go out and switch skates, so it kept slipping without getting a good grip on the ice. I practiced crossovers, and backward skating. I need much more practice with the backward skating! But since I have only had 5 lessons I guess I can't complain. It will come.
Just wanted to give an update on sharing a rink with an olympian! Have a lesson tomorrow which I believe is the testing to see if you go on to the next level. I already know I am and signed up for the lessons already. It is great exercise and great fun! Why not give it a try? Lisa

Lesson Four

Tonight was my fourth lesson. I didn't learn anything new though. My instructor told me I have already learned everything in the last three lessons that would normally take the six that make up Adult Basic One. So tonight I just practiced the things I have already learned. I started out with gliding on one foot, backward swizzles to backward skating, two foot turns, and crossovers on a circle.

We also practiced pivots which is my favorite. It turns you in a circle as fast as you choose to go.
I mostly noticed that I am feeling more comfortable on the ice. I didn't feel like I lost my balance at all. That shows me how much I have improved. If the next two lessons are the same and I just learn to feel comfortable moving on the ice then I know that the lessons were well worth the time.

I was a little hesitant going today because it was only 24 degrees out today. The thought of going to a cold ice rink wasn't too appealing. The cold kept me from practicing this week. I was a wimp. But I just made sure to dress warmly and keep moving.

I will try to get a practice in this week. I am hoping that it will help keep me trim! Always a bonus if you are having fun as well. Hope you are inspired to try this or a new interest as well. Until next time, Lisa

Learning to Skate

I have recently started figure skating lessons as an adult. I have had three lessons already and am going to write down my progress after each lesson. Obviously I will have to discuss my first three lessons a bit differently since they have already passed. But I want to show that you are never to old to learn something new and also how much fun it can be.

I have always thought that figure skating is such a beautiful, graceful sport. I love to watch it on tv and am so impressed with those who make it look so easy. I never had the opportunity to take lessons and actually have very little experience skating at all. I probably skated a total of 5 times in the last 30 years! I have roller bladed about 8 years ago, but that isn't quite the same. I recently moved to Salt Lake City, and there is a local rink, so yea, I get to live out a fantasy (I hope) that I will be able to learn to do a spin and maybe even a jump!

I am actually progressing quite nicely. I went to the rink for a couple of hours before my first lesson so I wouldn't look like a complete fool. I practiced not falling and imitating those who looked like they knew what they were doing. It gave me confidence. When I did show up for my first lesson I was only one of five adults. I was also the only one in Basic 1. Two others are in Basic 2 and two in Basic 3. The rest of the students are about 3 feet tall! We get seperated into groups and scatter about the ice. They have my instructor teaching me and the Basic 2 class at the same time. I have already had my midterm last Tuesday evening. I have already learned to fall and recover, glide on one foot, do forward swizzles, dips and snowplow stops. That is all I should have learned by now but I watch the other students and imitate them so I can also do a few other moves as well.

For now I am trying to keep my feet under me and have been successful as I have not fallen yet. But I probably just jinxed myself! It usually takes me at least 15 minutes of skating in circles before I start to feel comfortable on the ice so my half hour lesson is usually almost over by the time I am not feeling akward! But so far it is so fun.

If I can do this then so can you! I try to go to the rink one time during the week to practice for an hour before the next lesson. I am cheating and am practicing backward swizzles, backward skating (not so easy for me) and pivots (the beginning of a spin)! I know, I know, I shouldn't jump the gun. I need to stick with the basics first! But it is more fun to challenge myself! My instuctors who are young enough to be my children, tell me I am the quickest study they have had. But that is because I have a passion for it!

More to come after my next lesson this coming Tuesday. Find a passion and learn a new skill. You are never too old! Lisa