Backward Outside Loops Revisited – Part 3 (Amy Brolsma)

Amy Brolsma continues her discussion of how she has changed how she teaches figure loops as part of the footwork and USFS moves in the field patterns. In the first video of this series, Amy explained why she has changed how she approach the loop and she showed how she builds a loop from the beginning. In the second video, Amy focused on developing more speed and flow and proper loop shape.

Amy recommends that most skaters start by learning the left back outside loop first, because it’s typically harder for the skater. Then she shows a series of drills that build outright mastery of the loop. These drills are hard and require strength, control, and proper technique and rhythm.

For the first exercise, Amy has the skater do repeated alternating back outside loops with only a push between. The next drill is simply a back outside loop without the arms switching. This helps the skater build the control needed for the delayed arm movement associated with the edge change that often comes after the loop, particularly in some of the additional drills that follow. Amy adds to that drill by specifying when the skater should change edge after the loop.

Next, Amy has the skater do repeated alternating loops. To do this drill, the skater enters by pushing onto a back inside edge, changing edge into the loop, and changing edge after the loop before pushing onto the back inside edge on the other foot to repeat the process. Amy has the skater do this exercise down the long axis of the rink and the added distance allows more repetition and faster progress and mastery. Amy notes that it is possible to modify this drill slightly if a skater needs extra work on only one foot (extra reps on the “bad” side).

In the next drill, the skater does repeated back outside loops on one foot with only a power pull between them. This builds leg strength and balance and requires mastery of both the loop and power pulls. In the final drill, Amy has the skater do sequence consisting of a back outside loop followed by a back inside loop on the same foot, repeating. This again taxes the skater’s leg muscles and builds strength, endurance, control, balance, and proper alignment.