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View Full Version : Help on Teaching F XO's


dbny
02-07-2006, 10:32 AM
I thought I was taught to have the leading arm over the circle, and that's what I've been doing and teaching. Last night, though, I watched Charlie Butler's "Physics on Ice, Vol. 1", and he says the arms should extend from the shoulders in a straight line and the shoulders should only be slightly twisted into the circle. I tried it this morning and it was fine, but I think beginners will do better with leading arm over the circle. What do you all think about this?

phoenix
02-07-2006, 10:39 AM
I kind of let the student put their arms where ever it's comfortable for them. I show them w/ outside arm leading, & w/ shoulders more squared. Personally I find the squared shoulders easier & that it allows for better edges, but I wasn't taught that way until I had a Russian coach--before, I was always taught that the shoulders should be REALLY turned into the circle. So now I give my students the choice-- so far it seems most of them like it better w/ the shoulders squared off.

garyc254
02-07-2006, 11:51 AM
I think that when you're first learning, "hands over the circle" works best. I even tell new students to look at the dot in the center of the circle.

Most people aren't used to that twisting their body like that.

8-)

Isk8NYC
02-07-2006, 12:15 PM
Well, if you're using squared shoulders, you WOULD have to have better edges, so that makes sense.

I teach forward crossovers with the cue of "hands inside the circle" which amounts to their keeping the upper body slightly twisted. I also teach them to keep their hearts (chest) facing the center of the circle: "hearts to the heart of the circle."

While the upper body position IS HARD to hold, we use it a lot in skating: three-turns, edges, and crossovers all use that upper-body twist. They've got to learn it sometime, so I introduce it from the start, with swizzles on the circle. Hopefully, it'll stick!

How do you teach the weight shift and underpush?

dbny
02-07-2006, 12:18 PM
Ah, thank you all. I was suddenly very afraid that I had been teaching entirely wrong. I think the less rotated shoulders and arms straight from shoulders is more advanced technique and harder to manage when first learning F crossovers.

JumpinBug
02-07-2006, 01:02 PM
Hmmm... I start with walking crosscuts, and then fairly squared shoulders on a large circle. It isn't until they get comfortable with the crossing over that I ask for changing where the arms are, since most spend a lot of effort fighting to keep them there, particularly the little ones.

As for weight transfer and underpush, I make them stop at the cross and glide on two feet, crossed over. It's a lot easier to get it from that point, than from the whole.

Mrs Redboots
02-07-2006, 02:55 PM
I've been taught to do this both ways - facing into the circle, and facing out of it. One exercise was to do 4 facing into the circle, then change your shoulders/ribcage and do 4 facing out of it. The instructor said to drop your arms while changing your shoulders or you flail....

Of course, when you are doing them with a partner, it's a whole nother ball game!

sk8nlizard
02-08-2006, 09:05 AM
The way I teach the arms on forward crossovers is to tell the kids to pretend they have a string coming out of their belly button that is connected to their hands and that is where the hand goes on the circle. THe same thing with the back arm. By physically touching their belly buttons and then pulling an imaginary string in line with their hands seems to help them get the idea as to where to put their arms.

For the actual cross over I teach it standing still. They have to cross their feet over and stand there to get the feeling of where the should be on the blades. It's harder than it sounds. I also emphasize making the pinky toes "kiss." Though this isn't what happens in actuality, I find it helps the kids actually cross their feet as opposed to just kind of setting it down in front. When they are comfortable with the basics we do it on a three part count. 1. Push back 2. Cross over 3. Two feet. I call this out, and they must do it when I say the words. This helps them slow down and forces them to shift their weight. Obviously these are very basic crossovers and when they get more advanced I start emphasizing the under push. But this is just the basic idea.

Schmeck
02-08-2006, 06:52 PM
I was taught (by all the coaches in our basic skills program) to 'hug the circle, love the circle', LOL! I guess that would mean having the front hand over the circle, as well as the back one.