ROCKERS; OUTSIDE FORWARD AND OUTSIDE BACKWARD.
The rockers are very hard figures to learn, but they are very beautiful
and very delightful. Perhaps the big soaring rockers are the most
fascinating of all skating figures. Many of the champions of Europe use
them as opening figures in their competitions where judges of skating
are marking points. I select figures less technical for the purpose of
interesting a general audience.
The rocker is a comparatively new turn which has only within recent
years been introduced into school skating. Northern Europe originated
it. Even to-day there are strong differences of opinion as to the
execution of some of the rockers. Probably these differences are based
on physical preferences of skaters.
Rockers are natural turns—that is, they are rotations of the body in the
direction which it is inclined to take, like threes. But the same edge
is employed after as before the rocker, as right outside forward to
right outside backward. Flexibility of the hip joints and courage to
take a strong if apparently dangerous change of position are the chief
requirements to the mastery of the rockers. The body and shoulders are
often required to maintain one position while the skating leg from the
hip down is being twisted into a different position in readiness for the
new curve which finishes the figure. Again, as in brackets, the aid of a
partner is most useful in learning the rockers. But the assistance
should be merely a touch of the fingers to give confidence at the
critical moment, not a firm support or guidance. To know that after one
of these difficult turns there is a partner’s hand waiting often greatly
stimulates courage.
Jerkiness and noticeable pause in the execution of the figures are bad
form. The momentum should be continuous and even. Unless it is, the
figure will be badly done and the balance interfered with. The whole
print of the complete figure should be in the mind of the skater before
he starts. Room for its execution should be found and even a clear idea
of where the prints are to be made on the ice should be in mind. Regard
rockers as a series of closely related movements forming a continuous
whole and the work will be easier and more perfect.
Start the outside forward rocker as for the outside forward circle with
a strong edge and twisting the shoulders toward the circle. The balance
foot should be brought up close to the skating foot just before the
rocker and be almost over it when the rocker is made. The turn is made
on strong edge in every case. The arms should not be allowed to spread
or they will swing the body at the turn. The rocker is made by the
strong twisting of the hip joint and skating foot at the moment of the
turn, the skate making almost a complete reversal of position from
forward to backward. The head should look in the direction of motion
before and after the rocker. The glance may be directed to the place
where the rocker is being made at the moment of its execution, but
afterward the head should be carried erect.
At the moment of the turn the body and shoulders are twisted back into
the position for the second portion of the figure, the skating foot is
turned well outward as for a “spread eagle,” the balance foot is brought
behind and inside the print and the arm over the balance foot extended
well in front in the direction of the circle. The head is carried erect,
the glance toward the direction of travel and the figure finished as in
the position of the outside backward circle.
The complementary half of the figure is the outside backward rocker,
which is in many respects the easiest of the rockers. The main
difficulty is to get adequate start for the figure, for all rockers
require speed. Start as for the outside backward circle, twisting the
body and shoulders toward the direction of the curve. The skating foot
therefore will be in line with the shoulders in a “spread eagle”
position. At the moment of the turn the skating foot should be directly
under the body and the balance foot close to it and slightly behind. As
the turn is made, bend the skating foot momentarily, straightening up
immediately afterward. The balance of the curve to the completion of the
circle should be done as in the outside forward circle, but to carry the
curve out in large shape the balance foot must be carried outside the
print and the shoulders turned well away from the centre.
[Illustration:
Beaks, Open.
]
[Illustration:
Beaks, Closed.
]
[Illustration:
Beaks, Cross-cut.
]