Backwards skating

[Chara3 0]

I would imagine that it's very hard to teach me skating techniques over the internet but give it a shot anyways :) I know how to skate backwards the basic way (just pushing out with my legs) but I wanted to learn how to do the backwards cross-overs. I was wondering if anyone had any tips they could give me for doing this.

[AtlantaThrashers01 0]

practice makes perfect...its really hard to teach someone with towrds but backwards skating is just like forwards skating movment except instead of pushing ur fee backwards, push them forward. the best way to start out is to do a "s" pattern with both ur feet not moving much but side to side.

[Nacho 0]

I'll try my best to give it a shot. For straight on backwards skating you want to keep one of your legs underneath your shoulders at all times. When you push the other leg out make sure that you get a full extension and dig your toe into the ice when you're pushing away. Do a "c-cut" with your pushing foot and pull it back under your shoulders. Repeat with your other leg. With all backwards skating you have to keep your weight back more on the center of your skate blade, the opposite of forward skating, when your weight has to be more at the toes of your skates. Always keep a low knee bend because the lower your butt is to the ground the farther you can push your leg out to the side. (More power) For cross overs it just takes practice. It's a simple concept with bringing your foot over to the direction that you want to go. (Right foot over left skate if you want to move to the left, left skate over right skate if you want to move to the right.) Just keep working on it and it will come. Just keep your knees bent and you will stay lower and more stable. I hope this helps.

[Chara3 0]

Makes sence, thanks guys.

[Chadd 916]

Assume for a moment you are on the right D position and you need to crossover to gain speed and come to the middle of the ice.

Your left leg is the key to acceleration in this case as you really pull to the middle with this skate, using your outisde edge. You then step over with the right leg and push out to the right with your inside edge.

Hopefully that helps a little.

[2-Keys 1]

go to a laura stam skating camp. they help a ton

[Nacho 0]

go to a laura stam skating camp. they help a ton

Or The Edge Of Excellence Skating School.

[Neo5370 132]

go to a laura stam skating camp. they help a ton

Going to a camp is the best yet most expensive option.

I always tell people starting out to not be shy and ask the figure skaters or anyone else who knows what he/she is doing at open skate for advice.

I'd say more than half the people there will be personable enough to help you out.

Or if you want something to read, buy "Power Skating" by Laura Stamm if you can't afford the real thing. I love it.

[delpiero81 0]

A good exercise that helped me a lot when i was learning:

Take one of the circle (it's your preference if you like red or blue lines... :D ) take some speed following the circle and then try to follow it with only one foot on the ground (the inner one), this may help you with stability.

Once you have practiced with that try to do slow crossovers on the circle putting the inner foot inside and outside the circle as you are doing crossover.

Hope that i explained me right.

Remember to do slow crossover, and of course practice a lot because it's the only way to learn!

[sonsplayhockey 0]

In addition to what everyone else said:

Laura Stamm book goes into some analogy of weight distribution.

The Laura Stamm DVD has some basics balance excercises.

Buying both or one you will not be dissapointed.

I find the following works well for some:

Find a circle and start skating backwards around it. don't do cross overs yet. Just get the feel of the circle. Go slow at first. Now add an outside foot C cut. Keep your inside knee bent well as you cut. That will then get you feeling the outside edge of that inside let. You can't maintain that circle at speed doing the C cut without getting onto that outside edge of the insde leg. That will get you ready to cross over. If you feel like you can't cross your outside leg over first, try pulling your inside leg in (ALA-figure skater).

[Chara3 0]

Thanks alot guys, really good tips. I appreciate it.