Improving turnout on ice

[renla]

Hello!

I have recently become concerned about my difficulties with turning out my feet on ice. My line of thinking was that since I have no problem with it off ice, it wouldn't be a huge obstacle while on ice and some diligent practice would solve the issue. But when I'm on ice, I'll turn one foot out fine and when I try and turn out the other, my first foot turns inward. Is this a common problem? I think it's impacting my ability to do mohawks, and I would like to work up to spread eagles one day since my coach says I have the hips for it. I'm not sure if there's a better way to go about practicing or if I just need to put in the hours and wait for gradual improvement.

Any insight would be appreciated!

 

[Sam L]

I think your edge is not strong enough. I used to have the same problem with inside edge spreadeagles but they’re a lot better now. I’m now working on outside edge spreadeagles I’m finding the same thing. I think you just have to get used to being on a deeper edge when going into it. I used to do a lot of ballet so I have good turnout but it doesn’t quite translate into skating yes.

 

[Mussique]

Yes, having strong edges will help you for your mohawks!
But if your other feet is turning when you're doing mohawks it's a sign the weight transfer is not being correctly done either: it's a step on which you're first on the skating leg (your weight is all over it) and then transfers to the other one in the instep. It helps practicing it off ice but it needs to have the whole rebending the knees and doing the actual step/"push" motion.

For the inside and outside eagles your weight needs to be between your foot, and your body straight. This is more easily said than done, specially on the outside eagles. Two tips that really helped me with those were: to get into them backwards (since it's the way to keep opening my hip from my good side), to warm up in the wall first, and to put my weight towards the heel of the skates. The last one was very weird at first, but it really made a difference.
For the inside ones, holding them trying to "keep" a mohawk and then straightening your legs is...not a good idea (and can also hinder your mohawks). Mostly try to go into them with the forward skate and straighten your other leg behind, keep your upper body open.
My evolution with eagles was: really closed inside eagle-open inside eagle- shaky outside eagle-outside eagle. I do still have some troubles with straightening my legs, but I've been told that will come with more practice.

 

[cl2]

With mohawks, you really don't need a whole lot of turnout to execute them properly. What you do need is to engage your turnout muscles. If they are weak, you will end up with bad edges and alignment and screwing up the turn. Practice plies off-ice. Setting up the turn should feel like a plie, and, I reiterate, it does not have to be super turned out, but only as turned out as your natural plie turnout is. The rest of the turn is taken care of by the depth of edge, knee and ankle bend, and hip rotation. My natural turnout is limited, but I can do mohawks and choctaws with just a slightly more than 90 degree turnout, and strong turnout muscles.

 

[renla]

Thank you everyone, I hadn't factored edges into the issue, and I definitely wasn't thinking about where my weight should be. I'll continue to practice with that in mind. Hopefully I'll see some improvement with my mohawks soon! Learning it is my current hurdle since they seem to be used a lot in basic step sequences and I'll be learning my first program soon.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Edges, weight movement, and core control will all help you. Have fun and good luck! And please update us all when you have those amazing mohawks mastered!