LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

Can anyone explain what Malcolm was saying on Sunday about crossovers? I thought it was along the lines of "start with the left foot", but on further thought I can't work out how to start on the right foot: until the left leg is safely out from under the body there's nowhere to put the right foot. So maybe it was "start on the right foot" and the bit I missed was the explanation of how it works. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

(This description assumes a left turn, yes)

More generally, and this is a stupid question, but: anyone recommend any good crossover/cornering drills? Not being something I've needed to do much while street skating, all my previous practice has been small (and fairly slow) circles on the serpentine road. I found some Matzger-stuff at http://www.snapsite.com/guests/sk8ctrl/public/custom/articles/inline.magazine/better.crossovers.html
which looks useful, but I'd definitely welcome any other advice on not being overtaken by seven year olds ...

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

The first stride of the crossover is the one on the inside foot putting it onto the outside edge. It gets you into the "falling" position faster than rolling onto the outside edge. Falling is pushing with all your bodyweight, in crossovers you are falling the whole timr to the inside.

My problem is less with initiating the turn or being in it than with exiting. I have started experimenting with over turning then maybe doing a crossover back the other way to straighten up to see what that does. I'll try and watch the cat 1s on Sunday too.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4107

From what I understand Malcolm is an old school quad skater, and apparently crossover technique is significantly different between quads and inlines. Well, I couldn't comment on what's right in quads anyway.

Your first stride starting crossovers would be with the right foot (i.e. a normal push on an inside edge). If there's a bit of spare time and I'm in the park I'll be happy to show you a drill or two.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

You just said the same thing anyway. A normal push with the outside leg is the same as saying that the the first thing done differently is with the inside leg where you put it down on an outside edge for a underpush. If you were there you might have understood. Malcolm was demonstrating that you don't crossover the outside leg until the inside skate is on an outside edge and the quickest way to get it there was to put it there rather than glide it into the right position.

He's not that old school, he is one of the top inline coaches in the UK. His training methods are more track oriented than anything else. Where as Eddy's training methods are more distance oriented. One method is about power and explosive acceleration the other about efficiency getting the most speed from each stroke while using the smallest amount of energy. If you want to skate well then you need to have a range of skills from both camps and use them when appropriate.

Last registered user on the forum is a Malcolm so it is possible that you might get a response from him anyway.

Xia · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 874 Location: Geneva (Suisse)

My take on it:
you approach the corner without crossing over until mid part (apex) At that point to accelerate, you first use your left leg by lifting it and droping it inside the corner. The right leg doesnt cross over yet. Use a first push from the left leg then, get your right leg in front the left and do normal cross overs. I did find that method faster when I did it BUT it was knackering me, forcing me to recover in the straights.

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

Get Gav to show you on Saturday. The way he demonstrated it, it's as easy as pie Very Happy

Hans · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 1:44 pm Subject:

And fast as well....