Lesson 3: I left
the back and forth from one side of the rink to the other and
graduated to the circle to practice the preliminary steps to the
crossover. Skate right, left, glide lift right leg. Skate left,
right, glide, lift left leg. My balance was wobbly at first but with
more revolutions, my moves smoothed out. My body began to recognize
the moves and weight adjustments, so I could relax and not try so
hard.
As my body went
around in circles I could feel my mind wander in a wonderful,
meditative way. I reflected on the surprise comfort and enjoyment all
of my physical activities on the 40/40 list have provided me in the
past year. It turns out there IS an athlete inside this body. This
bookworm does like the experience of being in her body after all. I
needed a framework and an excuse to trick me into trying out these
new adventures.
I marvel at how
much I have liked each one (minus the trapeze) and how I can see
incorporating them into my “regular” life at different times in
the coming months and years. I really believed that I would do each
one of these things, check them off the list and never revisit them.
I cannot believe that I want to keep learning and improving.
Lesson 4: That
night was a reminder about not being a perfectionist in the early
stages of learning something brand new. I am benefiting from being
in a class with women who are more advanced than me because my
teacher brings me along to learn what she's teaching them. She drew
two half circles on the ice with a thick tip marker and wanted me to
practice edges and turning while edging. I felt really awkward and
not at all like I was going to get it. I heard inner monologue
chatter away about how I wasn't getting it and how I should do it
better and then I stopped and reminded myself that it wasn't
reasonable to get this skill mastered after just a few minutes. My
teacher can do it beautifully and make it look easy because she has
done it for a long time. There was a time when her moves were not
smooth and graceful and controlled.
She came along and
watched me fumble through the edging drills. She smiled and said I
was getting it. She moved me back to the big circle where I began to
practice the crossovers for real. Again the first few times were
wobbly and clunky and not at all pretty. But then things started
clicking and again my moves smoothed out and I felt steadier on the
ice.
I am adding ice
skating to the list of physical activities that can become forms of
moving meditation just as I found running and rock climbing.
Lesson 5: I was
introduced to spins! With each class I'm getting closer to having the
tools to look like I really know what I'm doing on the ice. I still
haven't fallen, but I came closest to wiping out in lesson five.
Spin practice lends one to feeling dizzy and less steady on one's
blades.
Laurie arrived and
took photos and one video of my practice. As with each class, when
I'm first introduced to the new skill or drill I think, “I'm never
going to get this down.” And then with steady practice, I begin to
feel my body doing what it's supposed to in the sequence that it's
supposed to.
This class reminded
me of tennis lessons. There are just so many things that have to be
considered that I never knew before I stepped on the court or the
rink. It's this realization that makes what the pros or at least the
proficients do look so easy. And why when I've made any progress at
all, I feel so accomplished.
I have a cold and
it lingers and will not let go of me. I wanted so much to leave work
and go to bed, but then I thought about skating and I didn't want to
miss my class, so I persevered through the day. When I was on the
ice, I mostly forgot about the cold except for my chapped lips caused
by the congestion and mouth breathing.
It's so nice to
have hobbies that for a little stretch of time helps you forget about
real life. When I'm on the ice I am singularly focused. Do not fall.
Improve my awkward moves into something that looks graceful.
I love how these
activities continue to encourage a meditative practice. Moving
meditations. The best thing for minds that will not quiet. That
chatter away. On and on.
My teacher
reiterated that I'm doing advanced level work. I've moved through
five levels and the spins fall under the category of freestyle level
one.
Lessons 6 and 7:
These last two classes have been the most challenging. I'm finally
entering what feels like the “fancy moves,” but there's nothing
fancy about my moves. The front crossover is still vexing to me. I
have this curious little bad habit of digging my toe into the ice,
which doesn't feel right, but so far I haven't been able to correct
it.
I'm going to have
to up my yoga game to help me on the ice. There's a great need for a
strong core for executing the moves I'm learning now. In lesson
seven, we determined that I am an ambidextrous skater. This means
that some moves are comfortable in one direction while other moves
are more comfortable in the other direction.
With the completion
of lesson seven, I can officially cross this item off the 40/40 list.
I have signed up for another eight-week session, so this should help
me stay active during the cold, dark winter months and then I'll be
ready to begin running regularly again.
No comments:
Post a Comment