From forwards to backwards -- how?

Question
Hi Pat,

Well that worked! I thought I was going to be scared and fall spinning around, but I practiced it very slowly and it worked and became natural. I still have to practice a lot. I can add that it helped to practice crosswise to a slight incline where downhill is the shoulder and hip you turn. Makes the turn go faster at first.

Follow-up question is kind of predictable: now I'm going backwards and I want to turn to forwards again without losing momentum. Can you give me insructions for that too? (I thought about it a bit and somehow just thinking "do the same in reverse" isn't enough, so that's why I'm asking.)

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Followup To

Question -
Adult with inline skates for about a year, based on childhood experience ice skating. I can skate forward. I can skate backwards (slowly).

I want to be skating forwards, then spin around to continue backwards without losing much momentum.

How?

Can you point me to free video online, or alternatively, a short step-by-step (glide-by-glide?) procedure?

And what skills do I need to practice first (e.g., skating on one foot? other?)

I successfully learned how to stop just from online free videos and text explanations.

Thanks!

Answer -
Hi Tom,
  To turn from forward to backward you have to put the weight on your right foot, then move your right shoulder and right hip to 12:00 (12:00 would be directly in front of you)  You should be on a slightly bent right knee and as you go to turn, start straightening the right knee.  That will turn you around.  

   If you want to turn the other way....just put the weight on your left foot, then move your left shoulder and left hip to 12:00 while straightening the left knee.   

   At first you may lose momentum but if you practice and get the rhythm of the turn it will become very smooth and you won't lose speed.


   If you can skate forward and backward, that's the only skills you will need to learn this maneuver.  Just make sure when you go to turn around that you're standing up straight and not tilting forward.

   I don't know of any free video's online but these instructions should work pretty easily for you.

   Good Luck and let me know if there's anything else you might need.

Pat


Answer
Hi Tom,
  Glad it worked for you.  You said you were afraid that you would spin and fall down.  The only time you will spin is when you rotate your body past 12:00 for this type of turn.  Just make sure you wear protective gear so you don't get hurt.

Like you said, it just takes time and practice to control the turn for both uphill and downhill.  You have to remember than anything down hill naturally makes you go faster.  You might want to try a small 2 footed jump when you turn to backwards going downhill.  That might work better than the way you turn when going up hill.  Of course you can use this technique up hill too if you want.

  It really works the same by moving the hip and shoulder forward but before you move them you need to keep both feet on the ground, bend your knees and as you are jumping up, move the hip and shoulder forward but make sure you move the shoulder all the way to the other side, rather than to  12:00 like I mentioned before.  For jumping you need to rotate the body further than 12:00.  Just make sure you don't over rotate or it will turn into a spin.

If you are turning towards the left:
   Feet together, bend both knees and as you rise, bring your right shoulder & hip over to where the left side was. (If you are facing 12:00 you will rotate to (9:00)  For jumping, this works for both forward to backward and backward to forward.

And yes, you were correct about turning backward to forward (not jumping)  You do the same thing as you did when going from forward to backward.  The only difference is that you are now facing a different direction....but the move is exactly the same.  Where ever your body & toes are facing is always 12:00.     

Good Luck I hope this helps.  I'm always around if you need any other tips.

Pat