Skaters........?

Question

hey skaters! i need help! everytime i'm in my Beta lesson every saturday, and we work on backwards crossovers, t-stops, bunny hops, lunges, etc. so when my coach asks me to do a t-stop, my foot just steers the wrong direction to the left and then i twirl!! how do i keep myself from turning all over the place, and just go straight?!

Answer 1

When you're doing your t-stop, tell yourself this. Stop looking at the ice.

You're most likely using your inside edge for the leg that is forming the horizontal of the T. You have to use your outside edge. Bend both knees like you're doing backwards crossovers and put your weight on your horizontal of the T. Arms out by the side.

Just keep practising. i stepped on my blades a dozen times and fell once or twice. You'll get it with practice!

Answer 2

make sure your back leg is a little bit bent. bend your back leg backwards so your legs are not completely straight. make sure your blades are sharpened and your skates are on tight enough.

Answer 3

I know you understand better if you see visuals, so I'll give it a shot here for you.  

Your shoulders are like your steering wheel.

If you keep them straight, you should go straight.  

If one shoulder is in front while the other one is in back, that means your upper body is turning . . . and the rest of your body will want to go that way too (to cause that "twirl").  

Pretend you are holding a broomstick straight across in front of you (like the way tightrope walkers do) when you do a T stop or lunge or even one foot glide.  

Keep it there . . . don't let it veer to the side, or you'll going to lead your body to go that way too.    

Watch the guy in the red jacket doing a T stop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrCoE8csJ...

He is keeping his shoulders straight and still.  His back foot for the T is on an outside edge - going straight.

Watch the same guy doing a T drag (like a lunge not all the way down):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNYSxgYn...

He is keeping his shoulders straight and still.  His back foot for this T is on an inside edge - still going straight.

My point is, KEEP THOSE SHOULDERS STRAIGHT and level to go straight.  Turn them, and you turn too.  

:)

Answer 4

You need to use your outside edge more (on the foot that is in back that you are trying to stop with) so that you can help stop yourself, and make sure to keep your upper body steady and don't rotate yourself so you end up spinning. Good luck!

Answer 5

U need to practice way more!!!! and ps u r not a figure skater!

ur sn is a fake

oooh!

Answer 6

Make sure your back foot or the "top" of your T is right up against your front foot, but be careful not to step on your blade.  I'm assuming you're working on right foot T-stops, but the same idea goes for both right and left.  Keep your feet close and don't drag your back foot behind you.  Keep your arms out for balance, bend your front knee and lean back a little...but not too much!  :)  All of your weight should be on your back foot (top of your T), so that when you stop, you're using your left outside edge.  Good luck!

Answer 7

it looks like you are on the wrong edge. this can be easy to fix. you may not have ankles strong enough to hold the edge. ask your coach for some simple exercises that could help you. you want to make sure that you square your hips and shoulders( make sure they line up ). next try to shave the ice with your blade. after a wile add more pressure to the back foot but don't try to stop right away or you may find your self on the ice.hope I helped good luck and remember to have fun

Answer 8

bend your knees as you go into the stop.

first practice the position at the boards then try doing it with barely any speed then slowly do it with more speed

lean hard into your outside edge.

practice practice practice, the Tstop is hard at first but you'll get it. also be careful not to step on your blade (i did that once  and fell backwards and it really hurt)

as far as the 'twirling' its probably because you are on an inside edge instead of an outside. ask your teacher/coach for help to

Happy holidays and happy skating