Smooth or clunky: 22-28 July 2007

[Mrs Redboots]

In honour of my new computer, with Windows Vista, no less (which, so far, I am loving). I also have a new e-mail address; please pm me if you need/want to know it and I haven't already told you.

Smooth: Coach1 caught me trying 3/bracket/3s, and although he teased me for being clumsy, he said he was glad I was trying them.

Clunky: Husband's spins!!! Ah well.....

[looplover]

I've got to start with clunky:

Clunky: Practiced backwards perimeter stroking incorrectly for an hour yesterday. Oops. :twisted: Also bronze pattern 4, whatever it is called, practiced it incorrectly - was facing wrong axis. Grr. :twisted:

Smooth: Was corrected on this today and I think it'll be pretty good, but session ended and I didn't have time to practice the back edges w/crossovers the right way so I have to work on that. Oh wait that should be in clunky. Well - smooth - my 5 step mohawk is pretty good.

Clunky again: My brain does not seem to learn moves patterns easily so I always have a shoulder or two or a face going in the wrong direction!

Smooth again: I have a month before the test so if that's the worst problem I have it's fixable before I go see the judges. Am not lacking in speed or power once I'm mechanically doing the thing correctly! (grr) (I am the person in the aerobics class who goes left when everyone else is going right...)

[Laura H]

Had a really nice skate yesterday, even got a short private (DS got double lessons, and I took 15 minutes for myself). I didn't waste any time and told her "show me how to do a backspin!!" ;)

Smooth: Thanks to some great SF tips, waltz jump felt GREAT . . . got a raised eyebrow from coach!! (it was better than she had expected!) :twisted: Also got a compliment on backwards crossovers, she said I was really pulling through on them instead of doing the little choppy ones (we saw several kid figure skaters doing those!). I told her it was from hours of practice on the bad ice when I was afraid to do anything else!! :lol:

Clunky: my landings were a little scary at times, but we determined that I just need to sink into a bent knee . . . fixable!!!

Somewhere in between: the backspin - I actually had a couple of times where I got a few rotations and I didn't fall out of any of them this time (well, not that I couldn't catch myself, anyway ::oops:: - I'll take a CONTROLLED fall as progress!!). I have found that if I pay a LOT of attention to posture, it significantly decreases the scariness of my backspin. So anyway, I think I do understand what to do, just have lots of practice!!

AND . . . I landed a recognizable Salchow in front of the coach .. . .woo hoo!!! DS isn't convinced I'm doing it right, but after watching his, I realized that I'm just holding the check from the "3" a little longer . . . coach assures me that it is still a Salchow!! Did a whole bunch of them . . . and even a few where I really scooped up and off the ice . . they felt great!

But my DS was the one who was really floating . . . cause he finally landed his Axel!! He was awfully close in his lessons (trying from a standstill) but wasn't putting everything together; either he jumped high enough and didn't pull in, or he pulled in great but didn't get high enough to get all the way around. (landing it 1/4 cheated). But as public session ended, he and I took our time getting off the ice (they hadn't come out yet to chase us off) and somehow we had the idea that he would try it from the backwards crossovers like a waltz jump. . . those weren't perfect (two footed landings) but you could see that he was finally pulling in and feeling the rotation. And he was really excited, because he was finally "getting it" - and then he tried once more from a standstill and darned if he didn't get all the way around with a one foot landing . . . and then we looked over to the observation area and his coach was right there with a thumbs up - she saw the whole thing!! (it's kind of a running joke with us - if you do something right, the coach NEVER sees it). So we were ALL pretty excited - of course now we will have to see if he can get it NEXT time . . . why do these things always have to happen as we are getting off the ice?? 8O

[liz_on_ice]

smooth - coach liked my 9-step, which I've been working on, also the 1/2 flip.

clunky - Always the backspin. They are marginally better than last week and actually, he didn't have much in the way of corrections, I just need to do it about a half a million times more. Salchow is also marginally better but far from "there".

[liz_on_ice]

AND . . . I landed a recognizable Salchow in front of the coach .. . .woo hoo!!! DS isn't convinced I'm doing it right, but after watching his, I realized that I'm just holding the check from the "3" a little longer . . . coach assures me that it is still a Salchow!! Did a whole bunch of them . . . and even a few where I really scooped up and off the ice . . they felt great!


sigh. can't wait till I get some of those. Mine are still very much struggled through. You are giving me hope :)

[chantelly]

Smooth Ooh Saturday was the best skate ever! I had a club competition and a test session combined. I was really stressing out as in total that made 6 compulsories to muddle up! and I PASSED! Level 5 compulsories and Level 2 Variation! I came 2nd in the couples compulsories and 4th in the Drawn Partners and got one of two skater of the day trophies! Not often things go my way! :)


Clunky My variation was hideous! I was out of time down one side, but the atmosphere wasn't very suitable for tests, there were loads of people clapping and i'm not sure they even knew it was a test so I was a bit put off but I scraped through! The judge said my willow looked like it didn't fit in the rink (it only just does!) but my 14 step was better. I'll just have to keep working on them! :roll:

[Laura H]

sigh. can't wait till I get some of those. Mine are still very much struggled through. You are giving me hope :)

This has been the most awkward jump for me!! There are a lot of good tips in a thread somewhere around here that I started (pleading for help). I still can't adequately put into words what the difference is, but there's a certain tension when I get the checking/inside edge right, and then I can actually JUMP out of the entrance . . . my natural tendency is just to start spinning around on the ice!!! ::oops:: (in retrospect, maybe I was flipping over onto my outside edge at some point? that would explain the "spinning").

ETA - here's the post I was thinking of . . . http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=23557&highlight=salchow

[phoenix]

I mistakenly posted this on the old thread, so I'm moving it here because I'm excited about it! :P

Smooth! I'm still revelling in being back on the ice from injury, and finally able to skate hard for a sustained amount of time, pain free!

I was kind of sick of my Int. moves, so I went through the book and carefully went through all the Novice Moves elements! I was pretty surprised that I could do all of them. I always assumed Intermediate might be the limit of my ability for passing moves tests, and thought Novice was probably beyond what I can do. But they weren't that bad--not like I was skating with any power whatsoever, but I could actually *do* all the exercises, and I can see that with a lot of practice, they would get better & faster. It might be possible! So that was very fun.

And in general, I skated like a rock star all weekend!

The other fun thing was that there was an Irish Folk Dance competition going on at the rink this weekend--fun to watch. They used live music a lot, fiddlers, flutes, accordians. And pretty dresses. What really caught me by surprise was that every. single. girl. had her hair (or more often, a wig) in tight Shirley Temple curls--I guess to accentuate the bounciness of the dancing. Picture hundreds of children who look like this: http://www.irishdanceshoes.org/wigs.htm
Pretty interesting, though you get used to it after looking for awhile. As one of the coaches put it, after walking through the crowds to the ice, "This little culture makes our skating world look a whole lot more normal!" :mrgreen:

[Petlover]

smooth: skated my program and it went really well, even the change foot spin.

clunky: My back spiral was great in the program and went downhill from there.......

[jazzpants]

Clunky:

Well, I guess given this (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?p=331188#post331188) (read the ETA part), I should count myself pretty lucky that I am back on the ice skating!!!

But darn it! My loop and flip sucks right now!!! But I CAN blame it on Auntie Flo though. Yup! She was waiting outside the rink!!! Got to me on my way home!!! :x :evil: No wonder my energy SUCKED!!! I barely had enough energy to skate thru my program twice and only b/c I was "borrowing" energy from a bunch of very strong and talented kids who were skating with me on the Club Ice session. Their energy just feeds into me! (Alright! Alright! Having secondary coach around to watch my FS program for the very first time sorta forced me to be on my best behavior too! The woman still scares me after all this time (over 3 years!!!) working with her! LOL!!! :twisted: :lol: )

Smooth:

Primary coach finally got my FS program well enough to end before the music ended. Of course, on both run thrus, it was about 5 seconds too soon, though on the second run thru, I just prolong the final scratch spin 'til it was time to come out of it and do my final pose!!! LOL!!! :lol:

Clunky again:

THIS won't last long!!! Now he has to figure out how to get the program to alternate directions so it doesn't just go CW around the rink.

Very smooth:

Primary coach's Luau party with his students the day before -- especially his BBQ chicken!!! Mmmmm Mmmmm!!! :yum: Just right!!! Good marinade with a good hint of lemon, rosemary and garlic (the first two from his garden) and cooked just right with the skin crispy and the meat cooked well but not over cooked or dry!!! Everything else is great too!!! Jay is an EXCELLENT COOK, I tell 'ya!!! :bow:

[liz_on_ice]

And in general, I skated like a rock star all weekend!


I didn't think rock stars were generally known for skating <ducks and runs for cover>

[doubletoe]

I mistakenly posted this on the old thread, so I'm moving it here because I'm excited about it! :P

Smooth! I'm still revelling in being back on the ice from injury, and finally able to skate hard for a sustained amount of time, pain free!

I was kind of sick of my Int. moves, so I went through the book and carefully went through all the Novice Moves elements! I was pretty surprised that I could do all of them. I always assumed Intermediate might be the limit of my ability for passing moves tests, and thought Novice was probably beyond what I can do. But they weren't that bad--not like I was skating with any power whatsoever, but I could actually *do* all the exercises, and I can see that with a lot of practice, they would get better & faster. It might be possible! So that was very fun.

And in general, I skated like a rock star all weekend!

The other fun thing was that there was an Irish Folk Dance competition going on at the rink this weekend--fun to watch. They used live music a lot, fiddlers, flutes, accordians. And pretty dresses. What really caught me by surprise was that every. single. girl. had her hair (or more often, a wig) in tight Shirley Temple curls--I guess to accentuate the bounciness of the dancing. Picture hundreds of children who look like this: http://www.irishdanceshoes.org/wigs.htm
Pretty interesting, though you get used to it after looking for awhile. As one of the coaches put it, after walking through the crowds to the ice, "This little culture makes our skating world look a whole lot more normal!" :mrgreen:

Hey, that's very encouraging about the Novice moves. I am also just below passing on the Intermediate MIF right now, and it's been hard to maintain interest in testing them for a second time.

I've often thought about skating a program to Irish folk music. Heck, the thought of actually having an excuse not to be doing anything expressive with my arms. . . LOL!

[Morgail]

Smooth:
-Flips - I got my "magic flips" back yesterday:) They are huge and controlled, and I did some with a toe loop or a loop at the end.
-Moves were good. 8-step Mohawk is still a little scratchy, but I'm happy with the way it's improved. 3-turn lobes are getting to be about the same size.
-Dances were good.

Clunky:
-Camel has deserted me. I had been doing really good ones, but then we deconstructed it to figure out how to get my legs straighter, and now the whole thing has gone out the window. I've heard that sometimes you have to get worse before you can get better...I hope that's true.

[Terri C]

Clunky:
My spins at the beginning of practice today,as I had not skated since last Wednesday.
We also had a collision on the ice. One of our coaches was demonstrating choreography to a student of hers, when one little, clueless tot skated right under her feet from behind and got knocked over. Needless to say while little one was fine, it was the end of skating today for her and her sister, who is just as clueless and scare both of me when they are on the ice.


Smooth:
Got the spins back in order in time for lesson with Secondary Coach, and SKATED A CLEAN PROGRAM RUNTHROUGH!! It was the best I have ever skated this program!!

[double3s]

From my lesson today:

Smooth: Rhythm Blues and ChaCha are ready to test (assuming we EVER get another low level test session at my rink).

Clunky: Banged heads with my coach on Swing Dance - literally - somehow I knocked my forhead against his cheekbone. Owie!

[FallDownGoBoom]

Wait. Shouldn't this thread be titled "Voldemort or Harry"?

Or "Slitherin or Gryffindor"?

[*JennaD*]

Smooth: my axels felt really high and big today :)

Clunky: I felt kind of sick towards the end of practice so didn't get to try any double salchows.

I also had a dance lesson and did the slowest, scrapiest, ugliest harris tango of my life !!! BUT...

Smooth: My coach was like..."Well, that sucked, but your timing was PERFECT!!" And my American has improved. My coach said that I used to (apparently) do 12 bad 3 turns and 1 good one...whereas today, I did about 7 good and 3 bad !! :)

[flo]

Clunky - knee still a bit off, started PT last week. Not going to the Peach.
Smooth - had a good practice last night, lots of fun kids on the ice.

[Mrs Redboots]

Clunky: Nearly everything! It was one of those skates - somehow, all the exercises I had to do in my lessons, and almost all the things I practiced out of it were clunky and not as they should be. Sigh. That's because I was working mostly on weight transfer exercises, and these are not my strong point, to put it mildly!

Smooth: Er - well, one of the skaters who has an allotment (which means a lot to her) brought me some beans and courgettes (zucchini, to some of you), which will be lovely! And my foot hardly hurt at all today so that for the first time in ages I could stay on for 2 hours, even if some of that was spent discussing the new Harry Potter with my coach and another of his pupils!

[Scarlett]

Smooth- Flips, Loops, and Lutz were clean. I really enjoy the lutz. All three jumps were clean. Not necessarily pretty but clean.
Camel spin is really coming along.

Clunky- Sit spin. I have more of a broken leg sit coming. I cannot seem to get my legs together nor keep my leg turned out. It is a nightmare. I will take any and all suggestions.

Salchow- How is it that I am now consistently landing a lutz yet I can't do a decent salchow?

Toeloops- I'm still taking memberships in the I hate toe-loops club.

[looplover]

Smooth-
Toeloops- I'm still taking memberships in the I hate toe-loops club.

Can I join? I don't know why, but I really hate these. They always feel off. I guess I'm just doing it wrong because I know that's a lot of people's first double jump, but I get zero height and I can't imagine doing a double! I'd probably get a double loop first (oh, if only)(I overrotated a loop on Monday so one can dream).

[*JennaD*]

Clunky: My dance coach was in a very bad mood for some reason so my dance lesson wasnt too great...I want to test 2 dances in the next few weeks but I think he might have pulled me out for my Harris tango because I did it today with him and it was crap...but itsn ot normally that bad!! So I guess I'll speak to him about this on thursday when he's in a better mood.

Smooth: had an AWESOME freestyle lesson! Landed some axels...one double sal..i think..and learned double toe! And my coach might teach me double loop tomorrow :)

[xofivebyfive]

Clunky: Ever since I've started attempting the double loop, my single has gone insane. It's so messy! Also, my skates are being a biotch. My ankles wobble back and forth in them. I think they're too skinny(my ankles). I don't really know what to do about it. I just helped the problem with my heel and now I have this to deal with. It's keeping me from landing my axel and double loop tries on one foot because I'm afraid I'll break my ankle or something landing.

Smooth: My 2loops are about 1.75 loops. LMAO. So that's good. I think I'm getting more height and jumping up more. Camel spins are so much better than they used to be. Reason? More speed and more crossovers going into it. Imagine that.
Oh and split jumps are way too much fun. I just learned them yesterday and they're still teeny, but they're cute and I love them.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zXvm8n2FZ6Q

[kander]

Clunky: My consistency is terrible. Didn't try any axels because of my back

Smooth: Despite problems, I did at least one good example of everything.

[tidesong]

Clunky:
decided not to jump because of knee pain

smooth:
managed a layback change to sideways ...

wierd:
I could feel the force pushing my lips around as i leaned for the sideways spin... i was thinking oh no i must look like a camel then I closed my mouth shut tight so my lips wouldn't wobble... lol!!!!

after that the ice moved up and down ... i dont recall it doing that, it only goes around when I was dizzy previously...

[Mrs Redboots]

Smooth: Everything went a lot better today.

Clunky: Not that this meant it went well, you understand, just better!

[Skittl1321]

Smooth Group (well, just me) lesson on spins. She showed me a totally different way of getting into my backspin, saying it's a much harder entry but you're guaranteed to be spinning if you get it. Rather than keep my free leg along side of me she had me trail it well behind my skating leg, to the point where it was crossed. When you pop into your spin, it pops too and you are right in a backspin position. It was a fantastic entry, and I'm really going to work on it. She was suprised I was able to get into a spin the first time I did it.

She also gave me some tips about my scratch spin, things I'm sure my coach has been telling me, but in a little bit of a different way. It was a good lesson for spins.

Clunky Wasn't feeling well, so I just went and did my teaching and took my group class. My coach is gone this week- so no lesson anyhow, but I probably should have stayed and practiced. Oops.

The group lesson was weird- it was a new coach, and just me. So it's like the first ackward private lesson. I co-teach with this gal for snowplow sam, so it was ackward to show how bad of a skater I was. We ran through jumps and I got some good tips from her- although they came down to bend your knees and look up. Things I already know- but from a different angle I guess. She showed me a different set up for a loop (just skating backwards rather than 3-turn) and I don't think it's gonna work- but I guess I'll keep trying it. She also gave some tips for skating into toe loops- and SCARY! but I've got to try jumping from moving rather than from standstill.

[Terri C]

Smooth:
My compulsory moves program for competition is going very well!!
Coach says that I'm skating stronger than I ever have been since I've been taking from her (I've been with her for a little over two years).

Clunky:
The loop and sitspin failed to appear during program runthrough today!:x

[*JennaD*]

Clunky: No dance lesson today :(

SMOOTH: My freestyle lesson was sooooooooo good today! I worked on my axel...landed some...still a bit flat footed though...but they are better better than before!! My double sal was ok...then worked on double toe and double loop...which were...interesting! But I'm glad I got to learn/work on them in my lesson today!

I'm super happy because I have improved SO much this summer because I've been skating way more than I usually do:)

[Kim to the Max]

Smooth
Landing my flip and loop again.
Skating 2 days back to back and not dying.
Scratch spins.
My boots feeling comfortable.

Clunky
Feeling uncomfortable doing a lutz.
Thinking about attempting to try an axel.
Back spins. I can't seem to get on the right spot on my blade.
Knowing how to do things, then not being able to do them :cry:

[Kim to the Max]

Deleted because it was a duplicate.

[sk8_4fun]

Clunky: After 10 days off my dance lesson was shockingly bad, thats all I need to say! :cry:

Smooth: The fact that I managed to get to the rink at all with it being school holidays! AND, after about a year of trying trying trying, I CAN SPIN!!! OK, they travel a bit and are a bit scratchy but finally I have something that resembles an upright spin and it felt so good I did it over and over again just to make sure!!! :D

[bruingrl]

Can I join? I don't know why, but I really hate these. They always feel off. I guess I'm just doing it wrong because I know that's a lot of people's first double jump, but I get zero height and I can't imagine doing a double! I'd probably get a double loop first (oh, if only)(I overrotated a loop on Monday so one can dream).

I'm throwing my hat into the toe-loops don't work right club. It's supposed to be one of the easiest jumps... but why is it that I can only ever get any height if I do one as the second jump of a combination? Blech. At this rate I won't ever be doing a double toe. Ha.

[tidesong]

I had so much trouble with the toe loop but I want out of the club... have been working hard on it this year with a new coach and but my knee just decided to give problems so no toe loops or jump in general for now

smooth:
layback from back to side variation is much better today.

clunky:
knee still hurts so can't do the jumps
after change of edge my spiral = slower than a snail lol... have to figure that out eventually

[Terri C]

Today was all clunky for me.
We had our freestyle on the ice that is all muck when it's humid outside. I had the speed of a turtle when I did my compulsory moves program. Sitspin was the s$%^spin today. Coach checked my blades and determined that my skates need sharpening.
Another thing that I'm considering is that I had three lessons in one week with Coach, yesterday and today being two straight days in a row. Methinks I'm pooped- with these lessons, I'm always coming off the ice sweating and achy.

[SynchroSk8r114]

Smooth: Double salchows were flying high! Thanks to half the rink being at ISI Worlds in Chicago this week, the ice was nice and empty, and I was able to actually do my double salchows in my program without having to worry about running over a little kid.

Axels were also pretty nice. I nailed every one of them in my program, but without the music because I didn't work that section to music today.

Sorta clunky: Dance coached is being super picky on my Paso and Starlight because I'm testing August 15th and she always goes, well...kind of pyscho before test sessions. It's for the best though, so I just do as she says. :twisted:

[*JennaD*]

Smooth: had a good dance lesson on my American and Harris Tango

Clunky: I could not do an axel for my life...I hope I am not losing it because I was JUST beginning to get it really solid this week:giveup:

[liz_on_ice]

smooth - I'm making headway on my two nemeses. I've finally got a feel for the salchow, a few more practices and I should really have it. Backspin also, it's not there by a longshot, but I have a better feel for it. About a zillion more tries should do it.

not much clunking today at all. I'm flying!!!!

[singerskates]

You could say I had the CLUNKS.

Wednesday I stayed home from the rink to rest my hip and I had a huge headache.

Thursday I woke up thinking I was OK. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. I was slow moving and was too late to make it to my first session of the day so I just took my time and met up with my friend and had brunch (Orange Juice, French toast and lean ham). That went fine. Then made it to the rink in time for my second session only to find out that it was test day (I didn't have any tests ready to test because I'm at this point far from my prelim FS and my ice dance partner hasn't made it to the rink in weeks so the Prelim Creative dance wasn't up either.). So then after changing in to my skirt and tights and back again. I left to go back home to prepare for my church's music practice later on in the day. On my way home, my left ear started to bother me. So then I went to the walk-in clinic to be checked out and found out that my left ear was full of fluid and bulging out. Turns out I got another infection. Got the meds, went home practice the music I was to practice at church with the band, packed my car full of my instruments and gear and then tried to eat lunch. Found out that the rye bread I was eating was bad, so I had to throw out the rye. It seems that every time I have a music purformance I get an infection of some sort. Why?

Smooth: The only things smooth Thursday was my song performance during music practice and that my husband took me out for dinner after music practice.

Oh well, next weeks skating will be much better since I'll be there for all three days and both of my sessions each day. Now what I do on the ice, that could be another story. I don't know the future.

[mikawendy]

Wednesday I stayed home from the rink to rest my hip and I had a huge headache.

Singerskates, I think I got your headache--I had a huge headache on Thursday. (I hope yours is feeling better.) Mine started while I was at the rink, and by the time I was done for the night, I was so nauseous I thought I would toss my cookies right on the rink floor. I couldn't figure out what was causing it, as I was not dehydrated, and not low on salt/potassium as far as I could tell from what I ate. I just went home and went to bed after that.

[singerskates]

Singerskates, I think I got your headache--I had a huge headache on Thursday. (I hope yours is feeling better.) Mine started while I was at the rink, and by the time I was done for the night, I was so nauseous I thought I would toss my cookies right on the rink floor. I couldn't figure out what was causing it, as I was not dehydrated, and not low on salt/potassium as far as I could tell from what I ate. I just went home and went to bed after that.


Hope you're feeling better now.

[Mrs Redboots]

Singerskates, I think I got your headache--I had a huge headache on Thursday. (I hope yours is feeling better.) Mine started while I was at the rink, and by the time I was done for the night, I was so nauseous I thought I would toss my cookies right on the rink floor. I couldn't figure out what was causing it, as I was not dehydrated, and not low on salt/potassium as far as I could tell from what I ate. I just went home and went to bed after that.

Sounds like a migraine. I get them once in awhile and they are dreadful - all you can do is lie down.

I didn't skate yesterday as Husband didn't feel so great - he had a bad throat. Meant to go to the teatime session but was too busy.

[Scarlett]

Clunky: Started prepping for my preliminary ice dance test. Those dances look easily but are quite difficult. I feel the dutch waltz is going to be my nemesis. The rhythm and blues and canasta tango are much happier.

Smooth: Managed a couple of clean lutzes and loops.

[mikawendy]

Hope you're feeling better now.

Thanks, I woke up the next morning and was feeling much better (though I was wiped out when I woke up).

Sounds like a migraine. I get them once in awhile and they are dreadful - all you can do is lie down.

Yes, that's what I thought, too. I've only had a few other headaches this bad in my lifetime. The odd thing was that I felt better while skating, but between ice cuts and after the session I felt the worst.

Mrs Redboots, I hope your husband is feeling better soon!

[icedancer2]

Clunkier than Clunky: I went to a lovely party in a garden last night, tripped on something, went flying and twisted my right foot - in a different place than my healing fracture/strain/torque, but it hurts and it totally ruined my night.

Of course I'm worried I won't be able to take my Bronze Moves in two weeks... too bad because I am really in shape and was skating pretty well for me... we shall see. Getting some acupuncture this afternoon may help - working with my PT on Tuesday, other treatments -- I have got to take that test!!!!!!!

Smooth: Not a whole lot right now.:giveup: :x

[looplover]

Clunky: I hold my shoulders incorrectly in all of the bronze moves patterns. I still struggle with clockwise crossovers and that affects my perimeter stroking. My RFO power turns are kind of wild and uncontrolled...blargh!

Busy public session today so had to work on things in chunks.

I'm not banking on passing bronze moves the first time...but I have a month until the test so there's a chance (slight)

Smooth: I don't know why the only good moves pattern I have is the 5-step mohawk sequence...but I'm grateful that I have one of them down!

Good sit spin today, fast.