Subcurves...

In compulsory figures, a wobble was also known as a subcurve. In skating, all movements (with a few exceptions such as the slides on the Paso Doble) are done on curves, or edges. Skaters are judged on how well they skate these curves, meaning they should be continuous, deep and round. If the edges contain subcurves, the skater is not securely balanced over the blade, causing it to wobble.

I don't yet have the leg strength or control to push down through my hip, knee and ankle to make the blade contact the ice securely. This means that my blade does not grip the ice well, I don't get "into" the ice, and I skate on insecure edges. In other words, I wobble all over the place.

Remember Weebles? They were toys from my childhood, and as the jingle goes, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down."

Well, so far, I am a Weeble ... I'm wobbling but I haven't fallen down yet. Which is a good thing because, as another famous slogan goes ... "I've fallen, and I can't get up." It's only a matter of time.

But back to today's skating saga. I went to the group moves in the field class taught by coach R., who used to work with me privately. She knows me and is also very motivating, so I figured this was a good place to start.

We started doing swizzles. I was way behind the rest of the class speedwise, but did two laps eventually and these didn't hurt my hips too much. We then did 3 turns. I started on two feet, but eventually was able to do them on one foot. I am still not into the ice so they aren't secure. I actually wish I could use more speed since that would help, but I am not there yet.

I did alternating 3s to the center on half circles. I had to put my foot down on the BI edge back to center most of the time, but did manage a few where I didn't. And doing the choctaw step forward from BI edge to FO edge was next to impossible due to my lack of turnout. I was able to force a couple from my better hip ("dumb") but none from my less better hip ("dumber").

Speaking of dumb and dumber, I could really tell the difference between my 8 month old right hip and my 4 month old left hip in strength, balance and flexibility.

So tonight there was incremental progress - a good thing.