adult skater - question about forward inside 3s

[Mistletoe]

Due to pronation issues I have a great deal of difficulty with turns ending on outside edges. I am terrified of inside 3s (which end on outside edge of course). Particularly the forward inside as you turn on one foot to a back outside edge. I can do a tiny waltz jump yet am unable to do the inside 3. Any ideas from anyone who has conquered this turn and was afraid of it?
Thanks!

 

[mskater93]

Do you wear orthotics? If so, you should definitely wear them in your skates.

 

[silver.blades]

try focusing on your knee bend and keeping the skating side high on the exit. If necessary try leaning towards the free side to counteract the lean of the outside edge. Also keep your arms and particularly shoulders facing into the circle through the entire turn. Hope that helps some.

 

[Mistletoe]

Thanks!

Thanks for replies thus far! Yes I have custom skates with orthotics built into them!
I will try silver blades advice and thanks very much!

 

[mskater93]

Part of your issue is that you are afraid of it. Attack it with proper form that your coach has shown you and take a couple falls, figure out what isn't right that caused the fall and master it! It's much easier said than done and the older we get, the harder it is to master new skills because we get more afraid of busting our butts (ask me how I know - darn double toe loop!)

The other thing to consider is that perhaps your blade is in the wrong place for your particular balance. Can you skate on a straight (flat) line without fighting to get there on one foot both forward and backward? If not, have a skate tech look at your balance and move your blade.

 

[gkelly]

I learned the forward inside three in my good direction as a kid and it became second nature. I didn't really start trying the one in my bad direction until I was in my 30s and after more than 15 years of working on it, it still is a nemesis element for me.

Are you taking lessons? Group or private?

One thing that can help is to have a coach hold your hand while you try the turn. Even if you just rest one finger on their hand and they make no effort to help, that can give a tiny extra little bit of stability that can make a difference.

If you don't have a coach, try a friend's hand -- just make sure the friend can adjust their speed to your and stay steady on two feet.

To start out with you could try putting your hand on the wall while you do the turn slowly on shallow edges, but that will get you into some awkward positions (you'd probably need to switch hands once you get onto the backward edge) and once you try to do the turn really moving across the ice you need a support that can move with you.

A coach could also look at what you're doing that's causing problems and offer the specific corrections you need, which we can't do from miles away, sight unseen. They could also make a better evaluation of whether there's a problem with the placement of your blade.

Tips that help me in trying to get the FI threes on my bad side closer to the quality on my good side:
*Prerotate the leading (skating) arm and shoulder into the circle as soon as possible. When it's time to make the turn, think of the trailing (free) shoulder initiating the quick extra bit of rotation.
*Cross the free foot behind the skating foot as far as possible before the turn and try to keep it there during and afterward. (I find this is easier for me if I have the foot crossed wide and slightly below knee level, toe pointed, but I'm sure it looks awkward that way.)
*The skating knee action should be down-up-down with the actual turn happening on the up, a little further forward on the ball of the foot than the edges in and out on the downs. (Don't shift your weight all the way forward to the toepicks!)

And also get comfortable with the back outside edge from waltz jump landing, or forward outside three and change foot, or just pushing onto it from a standstill or from back crossovers. Find the checked position of the upper body that gives you control of that edge without the three, and then try to get right into that position as you exit the three.

Good luck!

 

[blue dog]

Thanks for asking this question. I am fine with the counterclockwise forward inside three, but the clockwise forward inside three just gives me trouble every time. My arms always throw me off!

 

[mskater93]

How is your RFO 3 turn, blue dog? If you understand the arms on that one you can do the LFI, just switch your feet.

 

[Aliyahsk8]

OP- are you blades mount properly for your feet? I have flat feet and overpronate as well. I always had to "fight" for my edges. I got my blades remounted yesterday and it I can't even begin to tell you how much easier things were on the ice. Just a thought, they may need to be moved in a bit.