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Love2Smile
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Posts: 771
(8/3/05 12:56 am)
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Okay, here's a spot to talk more about footwork.
First, I'll answer Karen's question (or at least, what I remember of it, which was that she wanted to know what a choctaw is... Please let me know what the others were if you like, Karen )
*A choctaw is a step in which you start by gliding on a backward outside edge. You then step forward onto a forward inside edge on the opposite foot, and often this step is repeated two or more times in a row. It looks alot like mohawks, but the edging and placement of the feet are slightly different.
Often this step is performed by dancers at the end of their footwork sequences...
~Love2Smile!
Blue Bead
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Posts: 319
(8/10/05 5:46 pm)
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Since compulsory figures have been eliminated from competitions, what incentives are in place for competitive skaters (or for that matter, recreational skaters) to learn good edge control?
I also was reading about something called a natural rotational edge. Is that just some fancy explanation for something that has a simpler name? LOL The material I was reading also made mention of "body preparation" for that "natural rotational edge." What were they talking about, and what is a "counter rotational edge"?
Mary C.
Love2Smile
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Posts: 798
(8/11/05 12:07 am)
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It sounds, to me, like what you were reading was referring to the natural direction for a skater to travel, and "counter-rotational" would be the less natural way to go... Like a right handed person more naturally writes with the right hand, a normal rotator (skater) more naturally turns/goes to the left. That's what it seems to be saying, IMO, but then I haven't heard it specifically stated that way before, either, so I could be wrong...
But if I am right, the "body preperation" referred to should be the twisting of the waist, placement of the arms, body lean, etc. needed to get you where you need to go on the given edge.
About figures and learning edges....
US Figure Skating (USFS, formerly known as the US Figure Skating Association, the main association for figure skating in the USA) has replaced figures with Moves in the Field exercises that skaters must test before testing freestyle. Moves in the Field are designed to teach the skater controlled edges, extension, power, quickness, etc., by the precise skating of set patterns that are stated/explained in the USFS Rulebook. There are 8 levels; Pre-Preliminary, Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior, to coincide with the freeskate test levels. For example, you must pass Senior Moves in the Field before you can even attempt to test the Senior freeskate. (I know I explained some of that before, but thought I'd explain it further in this thread ) Through this, US Figure Skating is trying to provide training exercises to ultimately help the skater to be a well-rounded athlete, with the ability to skate deep edges, have greater control over movements, with good extension and speed, etc., to go along with the jumps and spins of freeskating.
(I don't know if any other organizations/associations from different countries have anything similar to this, but this is an example of what USFS has done to replace figures.)
~Love2Smile!!
SheenaVivien
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Posts: 704
(8/11/05 10:38 am)
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In the UK the old school figures have also been replaced by 'Moves in the Field'. Stuart, my teacher, was always good at "figures" so he was a bit uncertain about the new version, but he now likes it as he thinks it teaches the edges in a more natural way. In the old figures you used to do everything in a small area, from standstill....
Sheena
Love2Smile
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Posts: 800
(8/11/05 10:56 pm)
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Yes, I really like how you can actually move while doing Moves... It makes it much more interesting IMO.
~Love2Smile!
Love2Smile
Member
Posts: 823
(8/16/05 11:18 am)
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I thought I'd move on to Counters and Rockers.
**Keep in mind that regular 3-turns go from outside edge to inside edge, or from inside edge to outside edge. Also, every 3-turn makes a mark on the ice that "points" in one direction or the other... Picture a big "3" mark on the ice- see the middle line/point of the number "3"? That's where the turn takes place. A regular 3-turn makes a mark that looks exactly like a 3, with the outside edge entry, the turn, then the inside edge exit (if you are doing an outside 3-turn). But if you look at the markings of a rocker or a counter, it'd be like looking at a "3" with the top half of the 3 being flipped around, or going in the opposite direction... (you could also envision it to be like the figure 8 shape, but with, for example, the top right half and the bottom left half of those two circles being cut off to make the marking of a rocker or a counter...) Hopefully that's not too confusing!
*In an outside edge counter or rocker turn, you turn going from an outside edge to an outside edge.
In an inside edge counter or rocker turn, you turn going from an inside edge to an inside edge.
The difference between the rocker and counter is that a counter's turn points toward the direction of travel, and a rocker's turn points away from the direction of travel. Remember the middle "point" of the shape of the number 3? take that point and point it towards or away from the direction of travel, then add the correct edge markings, and you'd have the markings for the counter or the rocker.
Those details, the edges entering and exiting the turns, and the way the mark of the turn is pointing, are what seperates these turns from regular 3-turns.
~Love2Smile!
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Gislaine
