learn to ice skate backwards

There’s a great couple vids on this on expertvideo.com: this is the one I used to learn. It’s easy to get started once you get the hang of backward swizzles (with 2 feet, then you just do it one foot at a time to properly start pushing yourself backwards…then you can start gettin’ snazzy.) I know I couldn’t ever do this as a kid so it’s extra fufilling to get it down now.

Video:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/1419_backward-stroking-advanced-ice-skating.htm

and I was actually much better than I remembered myself being last year when I first tried to learn. Getting my skates sharpened for the first time in 20 years might have been part of it. I’m glad I got out because the rinks are about to close here and then I would have had to leave this on my list for another whole season.

don’t just use your legs.. the bum wiggle is crucial.
also, skating backwards is especially rewarding because it’s easier to do crosscuts backwards than it is forwards.. and once you get that figured out you’ll look like a superstar!

I have my friend’s, her little mentee’s, and my own skates. I’m bringing these in tomorrow to get sharpened and I know this will help a lot when I get back out on the ice.

when you’re doing backwards swizzles lean on the front of your blades and push through your knees. these are the two key things.

it’s soo…. liberating… lol i dunno i just love it, being able to glide around like that.. oh yeah and i wanna be able to do it backwards… dont ask me why lol.. but i havent been ice skating in like a year i soo badly wanna do it again i’m like craving it lol

I went ice skating last weekend, and even though I fell four times (and have the bruises to prove it), I semi-learned how to skate backwards and I’m excited to go back.
I’m going to let my bruises heal first though O:-)

I just need more practice on the ice!

My friends said they’d teach me… now we just need to go ice skating…

I can ice skate pretty well going forwards but I’ve never been able to go backwards and I would like to do this to make my granddad proud. He used to ice skate every week and performed in ice shows to raise money for charity. Unfortunately he broke his hip last year and had to have it replaced. This means that he can’t ice skate any more and he misses it a lot. He used to try and teach me tricks and I know it would make him smile if I showed him I could actually skate backwards. If anyone has any hints on doing this they would be very much appreciated :)