Hi all! When doing a FO3, are you supposed to keep your free leg extended and in back or is it ok to keep the free leg knee flexed and and resting against your skating leg??

thanks and happy skating to all!

Your free leg position will probably be determined by what you're doing it for---a jump entrance, part of choreography, part of a MIF exercise, or are you just learning to do it as an individual element right now?

Free leg position on 3 turns is optional, but different positions work better in different circumstances. When I teach FO3's as just a 3 turn, I like the free leg extended--but that's my preference--other coaches may have other preferences.

I have been taught always to have my free foot in a "T" against the ankle of the turning foot. This is correct in many dances, with the exception of the American waltz - and even there, the turn is done with the feet together, the extension is afterwards.

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Mrs Redboots
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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

It depends what you are doing it for. I know that when I took my Inter-Bronze field moves test and had to to consecutive FO3's, I was advised to keep my free leg extended, and often in my programme I keep it extended, but there are other times when it should be tucked in. So in short, there's no right or wrong way!

Nicki

If I'm doing a FO 3 as an entrance to a flip, my leg is right out there, I'm using the momentum to hit the toe pick. My freeskate 3's are all wild, generally.

Every other 3 turn I do is with the foot tight against the leg, like figures. That doesn't mean the whole turn is with the foot there, it's just there at the moment of the turn. Stretch, extend the leg, pull it in for the turn, extension afterwards. It gives the nice up down up down look to threes.

I do dance mostly, like Mrs. Redboots and tight 3's are de rigeur.

It's easier to learn a 3 with the leg extended, it whips you around, and it's harder at first to do them tight because it's all about your hips, but the ones with foot tight to leg have better control and snap. Mohawks are the same, dance mohawks are these tight things of beauty, freeskate mohawks are big gawky steppy change of feet mostly.

take a few dance lessons!

I have learned to keep the free leg tucked in toe to heel in the context of MIF. This way there is less movement in the free leg to maintain balance...At least that is the idea... now if I would just keep from putting my free foot down I could pass pre-bronze.