Help!!! LFI3 | Golden Skate

Help!!! LFI3

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
As I posted in the practice thread, I have to face my demons with the LFI3, my nemesis move, this Sunday. Coach and I are going to start it over from the beginning. Suggestions, please, for inside three turns!!!! Thanks in advance.

Yaz :)
 

icenut84

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
1) Make sure you step onto an inside edge. Seriously. I mean, don't just skate forwards on a flat.

2) Remember the down-up-down motion. Down in the knee for the FI edge, raise up for the turn, down in the knee again for the BO edge.

3) Practice both LFI and LBO edges on their own, just to check you're comfortable with them.

4) Try not to swing the free leg too much, so as not to throw you off balance.

5) Keep your arms out to the side for balance. Start to rotate your arms/shoulders a little just before the turn, then check the turn afterwards.

Hope that helps! :)
 

icer

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
FI 3's are also one of my nemeses- although I've gotten much, much better with lots of help and patience from my coach. They usually work best when I am very aware of the circle I'm skating on, when I pay attention to what my arms are doing, when I don't look down (!), when I remember that it's not just getting through the turn, it's actually gliding out of it, and when I don't go into it scared. How's that? (pretty much, they work when I do what my coach tells me to do and I don't psych myself out). I also find that the 3 I do for the toe loop is MUCH swingier than what works on a controlled edge- for me what I focus on for the toe loop is so different than when I'm working on them on a controlled edge that they are almost different skills.

When they work, they just work so well I can never figure out what the secret was.

Let us know what you learn this weekend!
 

jessyxyz

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
A thing that my coach said I should do for forward 3 turn practice is very similar to waltz 3's. To make it easier to explain, i'll just use the lfo 3 turn as an example: do the 3 turn, then push your right toe pick in the ice directly behind you. Pick up your left foot and continue repeating those steps. For more practice, do three 3 turn-step consecutively then push on a back outside edge, step forward, then do the 3 turns in the opposite direction.

Once you've got the inside 3 turn down, it'll be a good idea to do that exercise! :)

Jessica
 

luenatic

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Yaz,

Try to hold the LFI a little bit longer so that you're riding on a solid LFI. Don't rush the turn! For good exercise, hold the LFI for a quarter of the circle then do the 3s. Hold the LBO for another quarter after the 3s. That makes up half a circle. Try to make the half circle as big as you can: deep knee bend will increase the size of the circle!

Of course, this comes with all the usual 3s tricks: deep knee bend, down-up-down, check...

Edit to fix typo.
 
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Figureskates

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Luen,

Are you sure you and my coach have not undergone a mindmeld?

Those are almost her exact same words she uses on me.

Problem is my mind knows what to do, the skates don't!!
 

luenatic

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
FS, you're funny :laugh:

No, I haven't talked to your coach and we didn't have a mindmeld :laugh:

They're my personal experience. I helped several adults in the rink to do LFI 3 and that's why I remembered what to do (and what not to do) when doing LFI 3.

When you're holding your LFI longer, it gives you time to bend your knee and balance yourself. If your knee is bent, you'll be skating in a deep curve. Eventually, the rocker will kind of "clicked" and the turn happens. At that precise moment, it's the "UP" moment.

During the "UP" moment, pull your arms back to the sides of your body. Don't swing your arms like a wind mill. That will totally pull you into a over the top deep curve and makes it hard to check after the turn.

Instead, the shoulder should be stable, just bring your arms back to your sides in a scissor motion. Now, you are kind of like standing up with your arms on your sides like a good little soldier. Remember, this all happens very fast (in less than a second). I'm just doing a slow-mo here. A common problem at this moment is the "shoulder". Don't let your left shoulder swing too far ahead to force the 3 turn.

Right after the turn, "CHECK". And remember to bend your knee (and in strong check position) so you can finish your 3 turn in style!
 

Summerkid

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 8, 2003
On any turn -- three turn, mohawk, bracket, etc -- you have to lift the free hip on the exit edge. If you don't you will either pull around in a small circle and not be able to hold the edge or you'll probably have to put the foot down immediately after you do the turn.
 
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