Improving Edges

[gardana]

Hi,
Lat time I skated-I noticed how weak my edges were-too much skating on the flat.

Are there any tips to improve your edges? Or is it more a matter of practice?

Thanks so much.

[TashaKat]

Hi

Yes, lots of practise, I used to start my session with edges every time I went on. Then, of course, you can ask your instructor to teach you some moves and practise those (I among the people that hate, loathe and detest them but can see their worth so practised them anyway).

When you're doing your edges push it a bit more every time until you're comfortable doing a deeper edge (my coach used to say that you should feel as though you're about to fall over ..... I wouldn't go QUITE that far but I understood what she meant, it was scary at first but it DID increase you're bravery for doing a deep edge!).

Another exercise my coach gave me was to start on a hockey circle, give a decent push onto an outside edge and then (without stopping or putting your foot down) spiral it down and down and down ....... this makes you WORK your edge and makes you keep your position! When you get to the end of the edge you 'naturally' want to 3-turn (shows that you don't have to force the 3-turn and how 'easy' it is if you get the entrance edge correct).

Apart from that ...... practise!

[slusher]

Every skating session I start with 2 laps of swizzles(lemons bubbles) backwards then forwards, Then a few laps of outside edges and trying to go from the boards to the marked off middle, so these are big wide swing rolls really, then inside ones, then turn backwards and do backward swing roll/progressive sequence (like fiesta tango, but roll, steps, roll, steps) for another lap to warm up the backwards.
I have a problem with one of my back outside edges so do this exercise, to keep it in control, on the hockey circle similar to the spiraling one, but I try to drop my knee down lower and lower then up up. The knee bend forces the edge as well as the spiraling. Bend knee, lean, more bend more lean, then up again. I do at least 20 minutes of edge work before I start anything, and since I ice dance, that's just more edge work really. I think about rounded lobes and lean on everything.

Actually that's a thought. Take some ice dance lessons.