Pain, The Great Instructor

Saturday morning, that means get up early and get your butt on the ice!! well, for me any way. So dispite the fact that i fell asleep sometime between twelve thirty and two- i have no idea when i actually fell asleep- I got up this morning at six thirty and dragged my self to the rink again. I did it for the love of Axels, but I didn't get to do an Axel today, but I had fun any way.
I did all sorts of warm up moves for the Axel. Outi added a new one. she has been having me do a two footed sort of a 180 hop on a circle, I guess today I was jumping high enough she let me do 360s.it was fun, like my roller blading days again. Apparently though she normally wouldn't let me do that on the ice unless she had seen me do it off ice, but I had built enough confidence in her in my abilities to safely perform this task that she let me. she even said i could do it next week when she is not there as long as i warm it up off ice first. normally that is a no. However, and this is the first time in my life I have reached a level to be told this, I am not to even attempt the Axel if she is not there. Well, obviously, I haven't done the Axel off harness yet, so there is no way I would have even considered doing that!!! but someday I will be there. So any way, we did that, and some back spins and then we were possibly going to do the Axel.
Now, here comes into play the title, Pain, The Great Instructor. My arms were being crazy and above my head as usual today, so Outi decided to strap on me what are called "Champion Cords" they are basically thin bungie cords with a carabener attached at the bottom and a loop to put around your hands. you carabener the cord which is wraped around your skate (through the between boot and blade part) and then you strap the loop on your hands. what this does, is forces you to know where your arms are because it creates tension. i had to skate laps like this, and it wasn't a big deal at first, but then my shoulders started to burn. We took them off, and voila!! my arms were less stupid, and more in position. can't accomplish that without a little pain. later on, pain instructed me again. we never got to the axel, because I tried to Hockey stop without turning side ways. This is called falling on your butt, Hard. but the worst part, I didn't tuck my arms, so i landed on my hand funny and luckily just bruised it. I got to spend the rest of the session doing sit spins because of that. so Pain taught me today- put your arms in the correct place or you are getting the cord young lady!! as well as, turn your skate blades side ways when you are trying to stop, and tuck your arms when you fall moron!! Yay for learning!! I love skating. Rock on!!