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