More Choctaw Drills and Exercises – Part 1 (Karen Olson)

This figure skating video is the first of two on teaching choctaws. Karen Olson shares a number of helpful exercises for teaching choctaws required for the USFS Junior Moves in the Field test. Compare this presentation to that of Amy Brolsma teaching choctaws.

Karen begins by addressing the common misconception that skaters with closed hips cannot do choctaws. Although skaters with natural hip turn out have an advantage when it comes to learning a choctaw, when done correctly all skaters can do choctaws.

The first exercise Karen demonstrates is a backward pivot starting from a backward outside edge. Pay attention the free foot position as she drags the toe and turns her body all the way open while entering the pivot. Karen mentions a common error when skaters are trying the more challenging side. Typically skaters won’t twist their upper body all the way outside the circle. Notice that Karen has her free leg pulled behind her standing leg as she demonstrates the exercise. She explains that this leg position allows the skater to step onto a forward inside edge from the backward outside edge. This is a great exercise because it requires the skater to have the correct upper body and free leg position for beginning a choctaw.

After skaters have mastered the pivot exercise, Karen has them do another exercise that involves the transition from the backward outside edge to the forward inside edge. Starting backwards, the skater will do a backward outside edge, then step onto a forward inside edge and hold it for several seconds maintaining good edge quality and control. Karen wants the skater to try to keep the shoulders parallel with the goal line at the opposite end of the rink during the transition.

Once the skater has mastered the backward outside to forward inside edge, she continues by adding a step from the forward inside edge to the backward outside edge, again holding the final edge. A common error skaters make on this exercise is lack of knee bend, which leads to poor edge quality.

The final exercise Karen shows helps with the cross in front transition in the moves in the field pattern. It is a forward inside edge, backward outside edge and a cross in front to switch sides. Karen stresses the importance of keeping the feet wide on the transition. As the skater builds skill and becomes more comfortable, they will be able to bring their feet closer together.