Learning Crossovers

[coco]

Hello all ;) Perhaps you could help an old "rookie".

I recently started skating and I have questions about crossovers. One side is way better than the other, which doesn't surprise me, but I also have a certain problem that shows up on each side.

Once I've crossed the outside leg over, the back leg seems to go up on the toepoint. Is it a flexibility issue? Or is it my "paralyzing" fear that's causing me avoid leaning (ie, staying on the flat of the back leg as opposed to being on the outside edge).

Any clues? I have very tight hips, especially the hip flexors, so that's why I asked about the flexibility thingy.

Also, I'm much better at gliding on my right foot then on my left, but oddly enough my left outside edge crossover (when the right leg is crossing over in front) is way stronger then the other one. I've got a weak/tight right hip so I figure that's why it's easier for me to hold up my left free leg (hence the right leg being better for gliding), but I can't figure out why the lfo edge crossover is better.

I'm just trying to get a sense of what muscles are used in what moves so I can tell what to work on.

Thanks for any pointers!!

[singerskates]

Are you right handed or left handed?

Have you worked on forward inside and outside edges on each foot? This will assist you with your crossovers.

Also, are you placing yoru hands/arms in the correct positions while doing your crossovers. When doing crossovers where you go to the left, you need to place your left arm behind you and your right arm ahead of you. Likewise when you are going to the right, you need to place your right arm behind you and you left arm infront of you. This helps you to get on the correct edges because your body won't be fighting to balance. Secret is this, which ever direction you are going to do a circle doing crossovers backwards or forwards, always place your inside arm (the one closest to the middle of the circle/dot) in behind you and your outside arm goes infront of you. You might like to try to do your crossovers in slow motion mode to gain control of them. This means holding all the positions in the crossover longer. Try to do only two crossovers per circle. Then go for speed afterwards. You'll feel the difference.

Brigitte

[jenlyon60]

and... BEND YOUR KNEES.

but... DON'T Bend at the waist.

Think about your arms hugging a huge beach ball that's the side of the circle.

[Elsy2]

I'm right handed, and clockwise crossovers feel less natural, but my coach says they are better 8O There is a certain "flex" of the ankle and foot that you can achieve to keep off the toepoint on the crossovers. It's sort of a pidgeon toed in with ankle cocked up and inward when the freefoot is off the ice. I hope this makes sense, as it's certainly way easier to be shown than to describe it! Kneebend is also a part of it. Make sure you are looking into the circle too. You can slow everything down to try and achieve a good crossover....crossover and then hold.....flex the freefoot in and up off the ice and hold this as long as you can. Do them slowly and then add more speed. Good luck!

[dbny]

Everyone has one side better than the other. Sometimes it is different depending on the move. Your better side is the counter-clockwise one, which is the way most public sessions run, so that might explain it.

To be sure of always getting your arms in the right orientation, start by facing into a hockey circle, then stretch your arms out and "hug the circle". Keep your arms and shoulders in that position while you turn your lower body and head to face one way or the other. If you let up on the twist in your mid-section, your shoulders will become squared to your direction of travel and it will be very hard to do a crossover, so keep hugging the circle.

Off ice, preferably in a mirror, get into crossover position and actually do the crossover. Hold that position with both feet on the ground. Now, taking the back foot (the one that will now leave the ice/floor) turn it up at the ankle so the length of the foot is parallel to the floor, ie the toe and heel are the same distance from the floor. This is the position that will keep you from catching a toe pick and will also become another push, as you become proficient at crossovers.

Modeling the correct positions in mirrors has helped me tremendously on both front and back crossovers.

[melanieuk]

I am right handed.
I jump/spin in a clockwise direction.
My best crossovers are the CCW going forwards, and CW going backwards.

Coco, if you feel your back leg is on a flat, I'd say it was just lack of confidence, rather than any physical hindrance. You do have to lean into the circle a bit, or you will end up fighting with your body to get it to go in the direction it's supposed to go in!

Assuming forward crossovers in CCW direction, when you cross over in front, try to extend the back leg out to the outside of the circle (on deeply bended skating knee). Your weight should be over the right foot, the one that's crossed in front. Then when you step to bring the left leg forward * remember those arms*, (HUG the circle) on to the flat is ok, but push that right leg back and out to the side before you cross over in front.

Sorry if this is wrong, I apologise.....just home from a nightshift! 8O

[coco]

Thanks all!! They went better this week. On my good side, I think I fixed my toe pick problem by crossing the front leg (right leg) farther over by about 2 inches - is that ok? That let's me feel safer to committing to the left outside edge and it felt much smoother in general.

as for the other side, my right hip and shoulder are so tight I can't hug the beach ball on the right hand side (there's probably a joke in there about passing the duchy on the left hand side, but I can't figure it out!) Not being able to have your upper body in place makes it dang near impossible!

All your tips helped me figure out where my mistakes/weaknesses were - thanks!

[flippet]

Originally posted by coco
Thanks all!! They went better this week. On my good side, I think I fixed my toe pick problem by crossing the front leg (right leg) farther over by about 2 inches - is that ok? That let's me feel safer to committing to the left outside edge and it felt much smoother in general.



That's definitely ok! :) In fact, something that often helps beginners with crossovers, is to think of crossing the thighs over, not just the feet. In order to cross the thighs properly, you've got to get more knee bend--which is also correct. The more knee bend you have, and the farther over you cross, the more correct you are. The idea is to eventually have two 'pushes'--the first push is by the crossing leg on the stroke out before you cross, and the second push is by the leg underneath, pushing underneath, and happens while you set the crossing foot down. If you're getting the two distinct pushes, then your feet will naturally be further apart at the time of crossing, and with that and good knee bend, you should avoid scratching the toepick.

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by flippet
That's definitely ok! :) In fact, something that often helps beginners with crossovers, is to think of crossing the thighs over, not just the feet. Indeed, and crossing the thighs is something that will come in very useful when you learn cross-rolls - according to a friendly judge of my acquaintance, one of the distinguishing factor of a cross-roll (as opposed to a cross step) is that the thighs are crossed. In a cross step, apparently, the crossing should be below the knee. Hmmm.