Swizzles draw a lemon shape on the ice: heels together, blades apart, back together. Learn forward and backward swizzles with clear milestones.
The honest answer first: swizzles are the first movement that gives you speed without run-up steps. You start in a V position, press both feet on the inside edges about one foot apart and bring them back together [1]. A lemon shape appears on the ice, hence the name.
The adult curriculum asks for forward swizzles, four to six in a row, already on level 1, and backward swizzles (also four to six) on level 2 of 6 [2]. The Learn to Skate USA leaflet suggests six to eight repetitions in a row for practice [1]. Both figures are practical benchmarks of the governing bodies, not study results.
Why is it worth it? Swizzles train exactly what counts later in the snowplow stop and in edge curves: pressure on the inside edges, bent knees, a calm upper body.
Put the heels together and the toes slightly out. Slowly bend knees and ankles and press inwards so that the feet begin to move forward [1]. Milestone: you stand so calmly that you hold the V position for a few seconds without holding on.
Let the feet glide apart until they are about one foot (roughly 30 centimetres) apart [1]. The force comes from the inside edges, not from pushing away with the heel.
Straighten the knees, bring the toes together until an inverted V forms, and go into a two-foot glide [1]. Chest and head stay up, both arms extended to the sides for balance.
Repeat the movement rhythmically: apart, together, apart. With every lemon you gain a little speed [1]. Milestone: four to six lemons in a row without stopping, as the curriculum asks on level 1 [2].
Start in an inverted V with toes together, knees and ankles bent, pressure on the balls of the feet [1]. Press the heels apart with the inside edges until the blades are one foot apart, then rise and bring the heels together. Repeat six to eight times [1]. Milestone: four to six backward swizzles without stopping [2].
Plan a fixed session for swizzles (rule of thumb, not a study): first five minutes of glides to warm up, then ten forward swizzle series of four to six lemons each, with a short break after every series. Once that works, add three to five backward series, preferably along the boards. Keep the series short and clean; as soon as the lemons become uneven, stop. A phone video from the front and from behind shows whether both blades move apart evenly. Also check that after each series you roll out in a calm glide instead of breaking off in a hurry.
Measure your progress with numbers you can count yourself (rule of thumb, not a study): how many lemons do you manage before you put down? How far do you roll out afterwards? If after six lemons you still move into a calm two-foot glide without your arms searching for support, you are ready for the snowplow. Note the number after every session; that motivates more than a gut feeling.
Think of the image ("I draw a big lemon on the ice") rather than of joint angles. In a review of 12 studies with 566 participants, an external focus was on average more effective than an internal one for skill acquisition, although the studies were small and the result should be read with caution [3].
This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training. In swizzles you are more likely to tip sideways when the feet glide apart: if you notice the legs going too far, get low and fall sideways, not backwards onto the tailbone [1]. Wear a helmet; in a video analysis of 216 ice-skating falls in children the head hit the ice in 13% of the falls [4]. Do not practise in dense crowds, because lemons need room at the sides.
Practise swizzles first between two lines: find two parallel grooves or lines on the ice and let the lemon form exactly between them. That gives you a measure for an even distance and trains the symmetry you will need later for the snowplow and for skating backward (practical experience).
Start in a V position with the heels together. Bend knees and ankles and press inwards so that the feet glide about one foot apart. Then straighten the knees and bring the toes together [1]. You repeat this rhythmically.
The adult curriculum lists four to six forward swizzles on level 1 and four to six backward swizzles on level 2 of 6 [2]. The leaflet recommends six to eight in a row for practice [1].
Usually you are not pressing on the inside edges and not straightening the knees at the end of the lemon. Bend knees and ankles, press inwards and rise as you bring the feet together [1].
Yes. Backward, you start in an inverted V with the toes together and press the heels apart with the inside edges [1]. Practise forward first until you stand calmly.