Drawing 1: Figures - Structure

The previous sections of my course are in my logbook and sketchbooks but I thought I'd transfer to a blog halfway through. So here I am, at the the 2nd of 5 sections of the course. This one is Figure Drawing. I thought this section would be my favourite but I've actually found it quite frustrating. I think this is mostly because I have taken a year off to have my baby and only briefly looked at the course during that time. Anyway I'm trying to get into it again so hopefully practice makes perfect!
I've just finished the section about Form which I quite enjoyed when I got into it. Much better than the section about Gesture which was hard. I didn't enjoy the speediness of the sketches which is strange because I'm always struggling for time. The main problem was getting a recognisable human being in that time I think! It always takes me a few goes to get the proportions right and 2 minute sketches don't really allow for much detailed measuring.
So this section is Structure. I've read over it and it involves 3 main drawings, a standing, a sitting and a lying pose. Before I start I have to study the skeleton and muscle structure and make sketches etc. Then I should decide on the pose and do some sketches before I embark on he main drawings, each taking no more than an hour.
Ok so the 1st bit. To study the structure in books and make sketches. I have a degree in human anatomy so I should be better placed than most in this respect! I have to say I don't feel its ever really helped me when I'm doing figure drawing but maybe it has and I'm just not aware of it. I still manage to get all the proportions wrong! I guess I know the underlying muscle structure but unless you have a bodybuilder for a model its unlikely that you'll be able to see much! Luckily my husband is a long distance runner so has good muscle tone, especially in his legs. However he's not the most patient model and is fast running out of whatever patience he had.
I find thats been one of the hardest things in this chapter so far, getting a model for all of the sketches. I wonder how other people have managed. I'm lucky to live with someone and thus I've got a potential model there all the time (when he's in). Seems to be a bit difficult if you live on your own. I can't imagine a life drawing class would fit in with what the course requires all the time.
Right so I better go and do some sketching then! So much easier to sit here and blether!