Tracing is not optimal compared to drawing what you observe. Tracing may give you insights to some things, but I think you only recognize them when you've been drawing from observation regularly. Not only that, but observation gives you the skills to draw figures more spontaneously, such as a person sitting across the room from you.
I wouldn't say never trace again ever, but observational drawings will help you so much more in the future.
That said, I like your lines of action, and I think you have an eye for finding some of the more basic shapes of the figure. Take that and try your hand at drawing observationally. The results may not look as polished at first, but with hard work, you will improve, and so will your drawings!
