Forward stroking

The push itself: one blade drives against its inside edge while the other glides away, first out to the side, then from a T.

Also called stroking or forward skating. Other names.

basic

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.

shoulder to hip —on the —

the side push · heels together, the right foot turned out and driving out sideways · rising into the glide. Negative twist means the shoulders are held back against the hips, which stores rotation before a takeoff and checks it on a landing.

shoulder to hip —on the —

from a T behind the gliding heel · two strokes, one on each foot, each curving the other way. Negative twist means the shoulders are held back against the hips, which stores rotation before a takeoff and checks it on a landing.

Push with the inside edge of one blade and glide on the other, then bring the pushing foot back. The push comes off the inside edge, never off the toe pick, a rule Ice Skating Australia repeats.

Beginners push out to the side. Bend both knees, heels together and the pushing foot turned out, so the feet open like a book, then drive that leg out sideways until it is straight. Rise into the glide, then bend and bring the free foot back beside the gliding heel. Arms go forward in a low V, hands at about rib height. Australia wants at least six strokes.

The progression is the T: the pushing blade set behind the gliding heel and square across it. It looks more elegant, gives more power and puts every stroke on an edge, so each one curves slightly and the next, on the other foot, curves back the other way, as the second figure shows.

Build on

SwizzleLearn to Skate USA teaches the swizzle at its first level and stroking at its third. Ice Skating Australia teaches half swizzles, one foot at a time, in between.
Two-foot glideEach stroke finishes in a glide, and every programme teaches the glide first.
Scooter pushesA scooter push repeats one push from a glide; forward stroking, a level later in Learn to Skate USA, alternates it between the feet.

Off the ice

A deep, soft kneeThe bend skating lives on: strength to hold it, and an ankle that uses all the boot allows.
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.

ProgressiveA progressive is a stroke on the same lobe: the new foot passes the skating foot and gains some impetus from the edge of the foot becoming free, in U.S. Figure Skating's definition.
Slip stepBritish Ice Skating's slip step keeps the weight on the skating leg as the free foot glides forward along the ice.
Cross strokesThe forward length of U.S. Figure Skating's Bronze cross strokes is forward stroking with the push taken from the outside edge of a foot crossed above the knee.
Left forward inside edge, Left forward outside edge, Right forward inside edge, Right forward outside edgeAn edge is a stroke held on one foot round a curve. Ice Skating Australia already asks for each stroke to be held for the skater's height.
Left forward inside step wide, Right forward inside step wideA wide step changes feet as a stroke does, with the new foot placed out to the side and nothing crossing.
Left forward outside chassé, Right forward outside chasséBritish Ice Skating defines a chassé as two edges, the free foot put down next to the skating foot for the second and then lifted with its blade level.
Left forward outside cross roll, Right forward outside cross rollBritish Ice Skating's cross roll brings the free foot in from the side and past the skating foot onto the next outside curve, the weight rolling across with it.
Left forward outside slip chassé, Right forward outside slip chasséBritish Ice Skating's slip chassé is the chassé with the free foot sliding off the ice in front on the second step.

Appears in

In the USA's grades