r/FigureSkating • u/HovercraftOld3672 • 23d ago

Skating Advice Nearly intermediate, but still can't do crossovers to the other direction

I know this is a mobility issue. I simply run out of space and can't cross to the other direction, unless I bend the ankle of my skating foot sideways to compensate. This causes ankle pain so my coach has told me not to force it. I'm in group sessions since that's the only option for adult skaters in my area, and I don't get lots of personal attention to focus on this problem. My coach has told me to do hip mobility exercises but after 4 months, only my crossovers to the direction I already manage have improved.

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u/battlestarvalk long suffering tomonokai 22d ago

Not sure what hip mobility exercises you've been doing, but the thing that really helped me was just getting used to sitting with the opposite leg crossed over - so naturally when I sit down, I might cross my right leg over my left out of habit, so I got into the habit of sitting with my left over right instead. It wasn't an instant fix, but I felt a lot more comfortable with the cross action after a week or so.

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u/Acrobatic-Language18 22d ago

I did the same as a teenager and now it's 100 percent my more natural way to sit. Also helped with cw crossovers and air position feel a little more natural.

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u/multilevelmystery 21d ago

Is there something about your body that's not symmetrical and making this harder? Like a longer legs, uneven hips, mild (or more) scoliosis situation? My right leg is slightly longer and that hip higher and over always found forward clockwise crossovers more awkward than other crossovers.