Amy Brolsma explains how she teaches back inside three turns. This is a continuation of Amy’s discussion of the forward inside and outside three turns and back outside three turns elsewhere on the website.
Amy describes the development of the turn in detail. She starts by making sure the skater has correct balance, position and control on the back inside edge. She focuses on alignment as well as where the weight is on the blade.
She explains that a common problem is “too much rotation going in and not enough rotation coming out. Rotation in and rotation out on every turn should be equal.” This is one of those golden rules of skating.
She addresses knee position, thigh position, and hip position. She wants the knees together, the thighs together, and the hips level.
Another common problem is sticking the butt out and leaning outside the circle. Amy addresses this by having the skater “stretch” the skating side from the shoulder to the hip. This creates the proper alignment and lean into the circle. She says to keep the “skating side tall throughout the turn.” She uses the concept of a flag pole which skaters will remember and apply. As with the other turns, Amy uses the hula hoop to develop the back inside three.
Amy also describes head position for all three turns. It’s important that skaters get used to constantly looking in the direction of travel. The head continues to look in the direction of travel both before AND after the turn.
At the very end of the video, Amy mentions that she teaches all the lower level USFS Moves in the Field patterns with the feet close together rather than using stretched positions. This is a great tip for coaches and skaters as it will generally improve control and alignment.
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4 responses to “Ice Skating Turns: Back Inside Three Turns (Amy Brolsma)”
Amy, I love your tips! Stretching the skating side and using the flagpole reference is great! I also teach the turns as we did in figures, keeping the thighs and feet together. Also, I have been using a hula hoop for turns lately and it is a big hit! It helps my students understand the turns better and they have so much fun! Thank you!! lsussman (laura?), I have always taught the turns looking in the direction of travel from my figure days. As far as salchows and toe loops, it is different. I have them learn the jumps on a line and look back at the stripe on the wall from which they just skated away from (does that make sense?) when they check their turn before they jump-so they are looking straight ahead. (Does everyone have to get up from the computer and do a walk through while trying to describe something in skating-I think it is funny!). Anyway, I hope that is clear enough. It is hard to describe how you teach in writing. This is good for me!
I thought this was a great presentation on the back inside three turn. The only question I have is about head placement on the forward three turns mentioned near the end of the video. If we do a salchow from an outside three turn or a toe loop from an inside three turn, we don’t want students looking behind them after the turn do we, even though that is the direction they are moving? Shouldn’t they be looking straight ahead after the turn and keeping the head still prior to take off? Therefore, is this keeping head moving in the direction of travel just for doing the turns for moves purposes rather than doing the turns for jump purposes (speaking about forward turns specifically)? Also, I find that a lot of my students first learning forward outside and forward inside three turns naturally keep looking backwards after the turn but that this keeps them from completing it and that when I tell them their head is attached to their body and should turn with their body (snap in one motion as they turn) that they are able to complete the turn without getting stuck. I’d appreciate any insight that anyone has to offer on this, especially if I just misunderstood what was being said, as I want to be teaching these important turns correctly! Thanks so much!
Hi Amy, as you have mentioned in Backward Inside 3 turn, to keep the “skating side tall throughout the turn, the concept of a flag pole”…can this be applied to the Backward Outside 3 turn too? Thanks!
Hi Amy, loved this series on the 3 turns. Found the tips very appropriate and effective. Hoop and flag pole also very useful for jumps preceeded by 3 turns.
Also, the concept of hips control is the same in ice dancing (closed 3 turns should be worked at lower level than open hip 3 turns, such as in European waltz versus American waltz).
Thanks!