DOUBLE THREES BACKWARD.
The second half of the double threes are skated backward. That is, both
parts of the lesson of the day start backward. Double threes have the
interesting peculiarity of finishing on the same edge and in the same
direction as they are started. They are clover leaf in pattern, and
should be skated with great care to have the leaves equal in size and
accurately placed as to the axis of the two large circles of which they
form a part. The placing of all school figures is most important and is
the basis of the marking which obtains in European competitions.
Start the figure on the outside edge backward, with a fairly strong
thrust from the foot on the ice. The general position is that which has
been described for the outside backward circle of three, with a little
less turn of the shoulders away from the centre of the circle. Gradually
turn the body so that, as the first three is being made almost the right
position for the second curve, on the inside edge forward, is obtained.
As the first three is performed, the balance foot should be in front of
the body, over the print and not far from the skating foot. A slight
swing of the balance foot is customary as the first three is performed,
but the balance foot must not be permitted to stray from the skating
foot, or there will be a tendency to revolve the body from the right
position for the second curve.
The balance foot is carried forward of the body during the second curve
in the customary position during the inside forward circle and up to the
moment when the second three is performed, when it should be brought
close to the skating foot and directly over it. There should be
considerable bending of the skating knee as this second three is made.
The balance foot drops slightly forward of the body after the three is
made, as in the usual backward outside edge circle, and the figure is so
finished.
The inside backward double threes are started as for the inside backward
threes, but with more vigorous thrust and more bending of the skating
knee. The balance foot is carried well across the print up to the moment
of the first three, when it is brought close to and over the skating
foot. After the three is made there should be general straightening of
the skating knee and of the body, which will greatly add to the
momentum. The second curve of the figure, on the outside forward edge,
furnishes one of the places where much power can be added during the
execution of a figure. The second three is performed exactly as
described in the forward outside three and the figure finished on the
inside backward edge.
Many skaters find that the double threes are easier than the single
threes, and that a series of threes are easier than a single three,
carried out correctly to the starting point. Such skaters should not get
the bad habit of doing the more elaborate double or chain threes to the
neglect of the fundamental single or double threes. In time ignorance of
the right balance for the simpler figures cannot fail to get the skater
into trouble.