Help with Edges

[Keely]

Hi. In our lessons we learned FI and FO edges (I'm an adult beginner) and I want to practise BI and BO edges during the break (lessons don't start again until mid-January.) I have Petkovitch's book which describes all of this but it's confusing to visualize and I'm unclear on something:

When we did forward edges, the upper body position after the push-off was always turned "out of the circle" so to speak (For either a LO edge or a RI edge, the shoulders would start out rotated CW, left arm in front, right arm back.) With me so far? Does that sound right?

The upper body position --relative to the semicircle -- is the same whether doing an inside or outside forward edge... and then the free foot and shoulders/arms change position during the arc in preparation for the transition.) Yes?

With the back edges, I'm getting confused as my book seems to indicate that BI and BO edges don't follow the same system. When I do a BI edge, after the pushoff, is my upper body rotated to face out of the circle or into the circle? When I do a BO edge, is it the same? Petkevitch seems to have BI one way and BO the other way and I'm not sure why.

If this question makes no sense to anyone I totally understand. I just read it over and it seems incomprehensible. But I want to practise these over the break. (I've had a devil of a time mastering the movement for the forward edges because I worked so hard at my crossovers... my arms/shoulders want to hug the circle as this feels more natural and the "formal" edges feel like I'm twisted the wrong way.)

Any insight?

[techskater]

I'll try to explain them but not on those terms as you are describing because I don't understand quite what you are getting at.

When you push for a right back outside edge, the left arm starts in front, the left foot is in front, and the head faces into the circle. As you rotate around the circle (edge), the left and right arm change places, the head rotates so that you are looking under the left arm and the foot passes to the back.

For the right back inside edge, the left arm is again in front, the head is outside the circle, and the free foot is in front. The arms change, the head turns so you are looking inside the circle, and the foot passes back.

For outside edges, your body weight should be inside the circle. For inside edges, your body weight should be outside the circle.

If you have questions, I would check out Don Korte's website because he either has pictures or links to video.

Hope this helps.

[dbny]

Speaking in your terms, and using the RBO and RBI as examples, you are right, that one of them is different. For the RBO, your shoulders are facing into your circle until the top of the arc, when you rotate your shoulders and pass your free leg through. At the beginning of the RBO edge, you should be looking into your circle, after rotation, your free leg should be extended and turned out, your hip open, and you should be looking over your shoulder to the end of the arc (on the line). Rotating puts you into the correct position to begin the next edge on the other foot. You should stroke to the next edge at the line, crossing the line at a right angle.

[Keely]

Originally posted by techskater
I'll try to explain them but not on those terms as you are describing because I don't understand quite what you are getting at.
Darn :)

Eg. if your left arm is forward, right arm back, your upper body is sort of facing to the right. Right? If the circle is to your right, you're facing into it, and if the circle is to your left, you're facing out of it (I probably shouldn't say "facing" because I just mean your shoulders/upper body) I'm ignoring the rest of the stuff like free leg and head position for now. But that's what I'm describing when I say facing in or facing out.

When you push for a right back outside edge, the left arm starts in front, the left foot is in front, and the head faces into the circle. As you rotate around the circle (edge), the left and right arm change places, the head rotates so that you are looking under the left arm and the foot passes to the back.

For the right back inside edge, the left arm is again in front, the head is outside the circle, and the free foot is in front. The arms change, the head turns so you are looking inside the circle, and the foot passes back.

So when you do a BO edge, you start with your body facing into the circle. For a BI edge, you start with your body facing out of the circle. Is that right?

When we learned Forward Edges, BOTH FO and FI start with your body facing out of the circle. This is why I'm wondering if that's even correct... I guess I'm too obsessed with symmetry. It seems like the BO edges should start with your right arm in front so that ALL the edges start facing "out."

Edit: Okay thanks, I saw dbny's reply after I posted... I may be incomprehensible but thank you people, both your answers helped me. So BO edges are the only ones that start facing "in", the other 3 start facing out. I can probably memorize that.