The reason why the inside plain circles forward are easy, is found in the fact that the natural balance of the body, poised on either skate, has a strong tendency to the inner curve. The weight of the body is in the inside of the circle which it is proposed to execute, not outside, where a pull out of the direction of right progress is constantly at work.
On the inside edges the body has opportunity to swing as a pendulum in a natural curve which has a tendency to end in a spiral. The fact that a spiral almost invariably results from the uncorrected inside edge serves to prove that the stroke is a natural and correct skating position. But since the spiral is the very thing that must not be permitted to enter into the execution of the plain inside circles, at least until the skater has fully mastered all the school figures, there must be careful correction of the balance to round out the inside edges into full circles and prevent them from becoming spirals.
The outside edges which we studied in the last lesson are hard. The inside edges are much easier. But there are certain fundamental things to remember in the inside edge circles. And unless they are remembered the figure cannot be executed properly. The circle will insist upon becoming a spiral in spite of all the skater can do unless these few foundation principles are mastered. An excellent method for learning to skate, seen constantly on the skating floors of Europe, is the little book or even the page from the book, held in the hand of the skater and studied constantly as the figure is practised. It is difficult to remember the various poses and changes of carriage.
The most important item to remember in the inside forward edges is the carriage of the shoulders and the manner in which they are slowly turned during the execution of the circle. Next to that in importance is the carriage of the balance leg. Here let me repeat that it is almost invariably true in skating that the correct balance as well as the most graceful poise is found when the arms and hands are used to compensate the weight of the balance leg. If the balance leg is inside the circle which is being skated, the arms will generally be carried outside and vice versa. When the balance leg is forward of the body there will be a slightly backward poise; when the balance leg is carried far behind the body there will be a strong forward leaning of the body. If this general principle is remembered by the ambitious beginner much will be gained in progress toward correct carriage.
Now start out on the right inside forward circle. Start from the push of the left skate squarely pressed against the ice, not from the toe of the skate. Bend the skating knee considerably, take a firm hold of the ice with the inside edge of the skate, lunge strongly forward with the leg carried well behind, knee bent and toe turned out. The shoulders, at the start of the figure, should be twisted toward the right, which will bring the left shoulder forward; this position is maintained for about one-fourth of the circle, when the shoulders are slowly brought square with the print and from this point to the end of the circle the right shoulder continues to be brought forward until, at the end of the circle, the shoulders are almost in line with the print.
When one-half of the circle has been completed, the balance leg, which up to this time has been carried well behind, is slowly brought forward and carried past the skating leg, the body meanwhile swaying from a forward to a backward balance to compensate the weight of the leg in front. As the balance foot passes the skating foot the knee of the balance leg is well bent, the toe turned out, and the foot carried as close to the skating foot as possible. Then the balance leg is carried well to the right, across the print and considerably elevated above the skating knee.
The arms, which were carried on the right of the body, well elevated, at the start of the figure, are slowly swung across to the left of the body as the balance leg swings forward and across the print. The close of the figure is one of the most striking and effective poses in the whole list of school figures. Unless the balance leg is carried well forward and across the print, the body straightened up and the arms carried across simultaneous with the bringing forward of the balance leg, the figure will degenerate into a spiral. Finish the figure as close to the starting point as possible. Do it at least three times on each foot and practise most on the weaker foot.
CHAPTER 5.
Outside Circles, Backward.
