Struggle in learning backward crossover

[thevaliantx]

My coaches have been introducing the backward crossover to me for about a month now (over a period of 3 lessons) and I'm just beginning to find my balance in gliding backwards on one foot. I am getting A LOT faster in doing backward twizzles. What I'm having a problem with is the transition from a twizzle to crossing that free leg over the other one. I end up coming to a grinding halt with my toe picks. In doing the forward crossover I don't have a problem crossing the legs. Why is this? Am I leaning forward too much (fear of falling?), are my legs somehow too fat at the inner thighs for me to crossover going backwards (though my wife claims I have chicken legs)?

 

[mskater93]

I believe you are doing swizzles, not twizzles if you are learning back crossovers. Twizzles are an advanced turn and really good ones are hard to do unless you're Meryl and Charlie or Maia and Alex. You are probably sticking your butt out and pitching at the waist instead of bending your knees (common error) which is putting your weight over your toe pick.

 

[silver.blades]

It's most likely because your weight is too far forward on the back cross cuts. You want the weight on the middle back of the blade. The easiest way to get there is to pretend you're sitting in a straight backed chair. Bend straight down and lean slightly back. The more you bend the easier it is to cross the cross over.

 

[thevaliantx]

Next time I will tuck my butt in, keep my back straight and bend more. The first of my two coaches had me picking up the free leg and crossing it over, the second coach had me trying to glide the leg over, which I found difficult. In the midst of gliding on one leg it seemed like an eternity trying to get that free leg's foot to point away from the circle.

 

[silver.blades]

Gliding the leg over is definatly the more difficult way to do backwards cross cuts. The general concensus right now is that the gliding is better technique, but it really comes down to style and preference. Both are definatly worth learning.