# First Turns · Figure Skating Level 2: Elementary

Figure Skating · Level 2: Elementary · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/figure-skating/level-2/first-turns/)

First Turns in Figure Skating (Level 2: Elementary) on Insporta: 30 sourced facts behind 3 tests. Covers: two-foot turns and the three-turn.

Two-foot turns, three-turns, the mohawk and the mohawk step sequence.

## Test 1: Two-foot turns and the three-turn

- The hips turn 180 degrees while the upper body counter-rotates against them into a checked position. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.6: Badge 6)
- With knees bent, rotate the shoulders against the hips and rock slightly forward on the blade to turn backward. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.6: Badge 6)
- In the backward-to-forward turn the blades rock from the balls of the feet toward the heels. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.7: Badge 7)
- A forward outside three-turn goes from the forward outside edge to the back inside edge, on the same foot. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- The inside three-turn mirrors the outside one: in on an inside edge, out backward on the outside edge. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.10: Badge 10)
- Raising the skating knee slightly rocks the skater forward for the turn; the knee bends again after it. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- Falling off the edge is corrected with a strong counter-rotation, hips against shoulders, in the check after the turn. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- From a T the skater rides the outside edge, rotates the upper body, rises to turn the hips 180 degrees and re-bends into a checked back inside edge. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- The two-foot turn on the spot is badge 5, the gliding one badge 6, the outside three-turn badge 9 and the inside three-turn badge 10. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.5-5.10)
- A is one line that turns with a small point into the curve, like the figure 3. B changes feet, C keeps two blades on the ice, D never turns. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)

## Test 2: The mohawk

- A three-turn stays on one foot; in a mohawk the weight passes from one foot to the other as the skater turns. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- The free foot comes in at a right angle, its heel close to the instep of the skating foot. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- A mohawk keeps the same kind of edge, inside to inside, while the weight passes to the other foot. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- The skating foot slides quickly along its line and is lifted as the hips come round to face it. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- Rotate the upper body and the free foot so that the heels point towards each other. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- The guide compares the mohawk's checked finish to the end of the forward outside three-turn. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- Badge 12 asks for the mohawk step sequence counterclockwise and clockwise. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.12: Badge 12)
- The skater glides on a forward inside edge, winds the upper body in, brings the free heel to the instep and changes feet onto a back inside edge. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)
- The counterclockwise sequence runs LFO, RFI crossover, LFO, then the RFI mohawk to a left back inside edge. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.12: Badge 12)
- In C one line ends and a second begins beside it, carrying on backward: the turn changed feet. A turns on one foot, B on two, D runs straight. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.11: Badge 11)

## Test 3: Turning on a circle

- The upper body rotates about 90 degrees into the circle and the hips follow before the check. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.7: Badge 7)
- The weight transfers to the front of the blade when turning so the skater can glide backward on the circle. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.7: Badge 7)
- The free leg stays at the skating heel through the whole three-turn, head up and back straight. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- The check holds the shoulders back with the outside arm in front, so the upper body faces the inside of the curve. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- After the inside three-turn the check turns the upper body to face the outside of the curve. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.10: Badge 10)
- Use the correct knee action at the turn, rocking slightly forward to the ball of the foot as the turn begins. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.9: Badge 9)
- Holding the shoulders against the hips after the turn is the check, which keeps the skater on the new edge. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.6: Badge 6)
- Gliding on the circle, the upper body turns in, the hips follow against the shoulders, and the skater checks and glides backward. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.7: Badge 7)
- First a push from the T onto the inside edge, then upper-body rotation, a rise to turn the hips, and a checked glide backward. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.10: Badge 10)
- D shows two lines side by side that turn together, both blades on the ice. A turns on one foot, B changes feet, C runs straight. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 5.7: Badge 7)

Sources: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), badges 6-12 and the competition levels; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered ISU rules belong to the rules categories.

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