Swizzle

Both blades on the ice throughout, drawing two mirrored curves that open and close.

Also called lemon, sculling or forward swizzle. 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 —

both blades on the ice, pressed apart on their inside edges and drawn back together, four times. Negative twist means the shoulders are held back against the hips, which stores rotation before a takeoff and checks it on a landing.

Both blades stay on the ice. Starting heels together, you turn the toes out and press the feet apart, then turn the toes in and draw them back until they meet, and the two blades trace a lemon shape. Learn to Skate USA asks for six to eight in a row at its first level, and Ice Skating Australia the same, from a run-up of three to five steps. New Zealand calls it forward sculling.

Australia’s description has three points to hold: the heels and toes meet at the end of each swizzle, the knees stay slightly bent, and the arms are held out at ninety degrees to the body. The meeting is the measure, so each swizzle finishes with the feet together. Before it, Australia teaches the rocking horse, one forward and one backward swizzle movement in place, so that both feet learn to turn out together.

Leads to

3 elements in the guide are built on this one.

Backward swizzleThe same in-and-out movement on both feet, travelling backwards. Learn to Skate USA teaches it one level later.
Forward strokingLearn 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.
Half-swizzle pumpsHalf a swizzle: one foot makes the in-and-out movement while the other glides. Ice Skating Australia teaches it in a straight line and then on a circle.

Appears in

In the USA's grades

Learn to Skate USA: Basic 1 to 6: Basic 1