Backward stroking

The push off the inside edge, travelling backwards, with the free foot carried in front.

Also called backward skating. Other names.

Not checked yet. The mechanics on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.

Travelling backwards, you push with the inside edge of one blade, glide on the other, and change feet. Ice Skating Australia describes it: the push comes off the inside edge without the toe pick, each stroke is held for two to three seconds, and the free foot travels ahead of the skating foot, above the line it is drawing. It asks for at least ten strokes.

New Zealand’s KiwiSkate names the shape of the push: a C. Its 2008 badges build it in two stages, first alternating C sculling with neither foot lifted, eight push-and-glide sequences, then C pushes pushing and gliding on each foot in turn. The current rules assess the second, C pushes with the foot lifted. The toe pick is ruled out going backwards as it is going forwards.

Build on

• Backward swizzleIce Skating Australia teaches backward swizzles, then backward half swizzles, then backward stroking, and rules out the toe pick in all three.
• Backward two-foot glideEach backward stroke finishes in a backward glide.

Off the ice

• StaminaEnough endurance that the last third of a programme is skated as well as the first.

Leads to

15 elements in the guide are built on this one.

• Cross strokesThe backward length of U.S. Figure Skating's Bronze cross strokes is backward stroking with the push taken from under a crossed leg.
• Left backward inside edge, Left backward outside edge, Right backward inside edge, Right backward outside edgeIce Skating Australia holds each backward stroke for two to three seconds with the free foot ahead above the line, and its backward edges keep the free leg in the same place.
• Left backward inside push back, Right backward inside push backA push back is a backward stroke taken from a named edge onto the other foot's outside edge.
• Left backward inside step wide, Right backward inside step wideA backward wide step changes feet as a backward stroke does, with the new foot placed out to the side and nothing crossing.
• Left backward outside chassé, Right backward outside chasséBritish Ice Skating's chassé, skated backwards: two edges, the free foot set down beside the skating foot on the second and lifted again.
• Left backward outside cross roll, Right backward outside cross rollBritish Ice Skating's cross roll, skated backwards: the free foot passes the skating foot onto the next outside curve.
• Left backward outside slip chassé, Right backward outside slip chasséBritish Ice Skating's slip chassé, skated backwards, slides the free foot off the ice to the back on the second step.

Appears in