Backward one-foot glide
Backwards on one blade in a straight line, the free foot carried at the skating knee.
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.
One blade running backwards on a straight line, the free foot carried beside the skating leg at the inside of the knee with its toe pointing down, as on the forward glide. Learn to Skate USA brings it in at its third level on either foot and asks for both at its fourth. Ice Skating Australia’s measure is about a metre on each foot; New Zealand’s 2008 KiwiSkate badges asked for a glide as long as the skater’s body.
After the straight line, New Zealand moves the glide onto a curve and then right round a circle, holding a back outside and a back inside edge the free foot first ahead and then passing behind. That is where it becomes the backward edges. On Australia’s backward edges the free leg stays ahead of the skating leg, above its line.
Build on
- Backward two-foot glideThe same straight backward glide on one foot. New Zealand and Ice Skating Australia both teach the two-foot glide first.
Off the ice
- Balance on one legStanding on one leg with the ankle correcting all the time, as every edge asks.
Leads to
7 elements in the guide are built on this one.
- Power pullsPower pulls are skated travelling backwards on one foot throughout.
- Left backward inside edge, Left backward outside edge, Right backward inside edge, Right backward outside edgeNew Zealand moves the backward glide onto a curve and round a circle, which is the backward edges. On them, Ice Skating Australia keeps the free leg ahead, above the line.
- Change of foot spin, Upright spinIce Skating Australia's two-foot spin exits on a back outside edge, and its first one-foot spin carries the free foot at the side of the knee, as this glide does.