Does anyone have any tips for keeping up the momentum after back three turns? For example, when I do RBO 3 turns I don't really feel like I gain any power from the turn. I usually feel like I need a push right after the turn, or I just go straight into a mohawk. So when I do RFI/RBO double 3s, they're not really the "long, sweeping" turns, but more like cheated twizzles. Is there anything I can do to make my backward turns more powerful (I'm thinking knee bend?)

Bend knees and stand up straight (don't bend at the waist)

Checking the first turn strongly will help stop you from rotating too early and forcing the second turn. Practice doing a FI 3-turn, then waiting for a long time before doing the BO 3-turn.

You need to have your weight on the back of the blade after the turn. I can't do them, either, and I know this is what I'm doing wrong.

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Mrs Redboots
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I absolutley HATED backwards three turns with a passion! But now I don't mind them because I can do them. I'm no good at explaining directions, but I'll try anyway.
Let me think now...er...If you go right, on your right foot, and push off in a semi circle curve, with a bent knee, and when you're ready to turn, put your weight on the back of your blade, and rise on your knee when you do the turn, and bend your knees again once you've done the turn.

I bet that didn't make ANY sense whatsoever did it? I'm sorry!

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Any tips for arm placement?

Can you actually get to the point where you can pick up or at least maintain speed during a 3-turn? That would be really cool, as I could just keep doing them indefinitely. I managed to pull off 5 once starting off at a good speed with a lot of practice first, but usually only manage 2 or 3...

I've found that for forward 3-turns I put the weight on the ball of the foot, and for backward 3-turns the weight shifts to the back of the blade (else it fails).

I've wondered about arm placement and more importantly *movement* myself, because to successfully pull off multiple 3-turns, I have to keep rotating my arms around and I think it probably looks horrid.

A three turn won't give you an increase in momentum. The exit edge can become an accelerating push if you want it to as you take the next step, but the turn itself has no push to it.

It definitely sounds like you're coming out of the turn weighted too much to the front of the blade, which has the dual result of instant slowing, and forcing the second turn or some other form of step-out.

Focus on correct posture through the turn, especially on looking up instead of down on the exit. Your shoulders will rotate first (pre-rotating your upper body) and then the foot turns. Also remember to rebend into the exit after the turn. Make sure you don't drop your forward arm on the exit, which will also tip you onto the front of your blade.

If you're doing continuous 3 turns, you do have to check between each one, but as you get more proficient, you'll do that more with your torso & less with your arms, so you arms end up being more or less square all the way through the series of turns, rather than having to keep rotating them so much.