How to do a rocker

[Simon_skates]

Hi
Im training on a forward outside rocker.
After the turn i come out on the BO edge,
like ur suppose to, but I cant seem to hold
for long and then end up on a BI edge.
Its like my body still has some rotational
momentum left after the turn, that forces
me to go on the the BI edge.
Maybe I need to check better?
Anyone have some ideas?

/Simon

[Skate@Delaware]

Try checking really hard, and also if you put your weight over that hip (stick it out a bit more) that helps. Also, watch the position of your free leg-it shouldn't be out to the side at all.

[jenlyon60]

Yes you need to check better. Think of checking the exit edge the same way you check the exit from a bracket turn.

for LFO rocker (exiting on LBO edge), the way my coach taught me was that both your right hip and right shoulder should be checked back (think of having the whole right side aligned over or slightly inside the tracing).

Some of the other folks with more Rocker experience than me may have different approaches.

[coskater64]

I have 2 different rockers with the same idea I lead w/ the same arm as my free leg, I keep my arm low, very low my free foot either swings, for the swing rocker, or gently kicks. I have also found waiting for the turn to happen helps, if I have set a good edge going in...I usually have a good edge coming out.

I find the rocker pattern easier than the swing rocker in the r foxtrot. Mind you this is what works for me and I have probably confused you more.8O

[daisies]

Work on forward inside to back outside brackets -- a rocker is basically "in like a 3-turn, out like a bracket," so the back outside edge you achieve from a forward inside bracket should feel about the same as the back outside edge you get from a forward outside rocker.

[skating_life]

try keeping your leg and arms out to the oppostite side that you are turn just until you get the hang of it.

[jenlyon60]

I just started working on the LFO rocker for Rocker Foxtrot and coach #2 is having me learn the check by learning an LFI bracket first.

Work on forward inside to back outside brackets -- a rocker is basically "in like a 3-turn, out like a bracket," so the back outside edge you achieve from a forward inside bracket should feel about the same as the back outside edge you get from a forward outside rocker.

[Chico]

I was going to suggest trying brackets. I learned these at the same time as a rocker and could do a bracket before a rocker. Well, holding the back edge. Learning how to hold the edge with brackets helped with the rocker back edge. Worth a try. Good luck.

Chico

[Simon_skates]

Thanks for all the good tips.
I tried yesterday checking harder like u guys
said. Before my RFO rocker turn i put my
shoulders, hips and arms as far to the right
as i could. And then during the turn I swung
them as much as I could to the left.
I think it helped a little but still ended up on
the BI edge.

Ill have to practice on that RFI bracket.
Maybe thats a good first step to later managing
the rocker.

/simon

[Mrs Redboots]

My coach looked at my rocker this morning and was not complimentary! I now have to finish it with my free leg in front, which I find much harder..... But it's that or a RFI 3 in our free dance, and the LFO rocker is more convenient!

[daisies]

I was going to suggest trying brackets. I learned these at the same time as a rocker and could do a bracket before a rocker. ... Worth a try.


Yep, definitely worth a try. There's a reason that in figures we learned brackets on the 4th test ... and then rockers weren't until the 7th test. Everything built on what was learned before.

Bring back figures! :)

[icedancer2]

Bring back figures! :)

I totally agree -- BUT it would be really nifty if we could have figures AND MITF as part of the test structure -- some of the kids at one of our rinks are doing some figures and it really helps with the Moves. They are not doing figures exactly the way we do -- neat centers and all that, but getting them to understand how everything is built on the circle is really really helpful when it comes to the Moves (and it gets reflected in their freestyle and dance as well!).

(icedancer2, another figures lover, even if her figures aren't that neat!)

[Chico]

I would be willing to learn figures! I've learned so much learning moves...and yes everything does work together in skating. Kinda cool. =-)

Chico

[coskater64]

I'm all for figures but I think they should let the circles that loops are on be about 10% bigger, I'm too tall. Other wise I love them.

[Skate@Delaware]

Our skating director has been thinking about adding a "figures" class in the fall, but for now she has been teaching us rockers, brackets, counters, etc. Except I'm confused between them all (except rockers, I remember those).

Isn't the Waltz-8 from the days of figures? I think it is.

[daisies]

I'm all for figures but I think they should let the circles that loops are on be about 10% bigger, I'm too tall. Other wise I love them.
Huh? Your circles for both "big" figures and loops are supposed to be proportionate to your height. Not everyone's loop circle is the same size. You simply make yours bigger to accommodate your height.

[Mrs Redboots]

For those of you who are figures addicts, don't forget that the Mountain Cup (http://barbara.standke.free.fr/cdlm2006/coupewelcome.html) still has several Figures events - one of the very few, if not the only, competition that does.

Skate@Delaware, I was taught that:

A 3-turn turns into the circle and changes edge (eg. LBI to LFO)
A rocker turns into the circle, but does not change edge (eg LFO to LBO)
A bracket turns out of the circle and changes edge (eg. RBI to RFI)
A counter turns out of the circle, but does not change edge (e.g. LFI to LBI)

And, of course, each turn is done on each of the 8 edges, making a total of 32 turns. I can do about 3 of them well!