Forward crossovers on a circle: outside foot over the inside foot, inside foot pushed underneath. With circle drills, milestones and typical mistakes.
The honest answer first: in a crossover you place the outside foot over the inside foot and push the inside foot through underneath your body on its outside edge, out to the side [1]. That is how you gain speed in the curve without standing the blade up. In the curricula forward crossovers clockwise and counterclockwise are an element of the fourth of six levels [2].
The curriculum says it openly itself: forward crossovers need a lot of practice [1]. That is not a hint about talent, but about repetition. Once you have it, you use it in every curve.
A note up front: we found no measurement study on crossovers on ice. That is why this guide relies on the curricula and practical experience. That is more honest than inventing numbers.
Skate counterclockwise on the outside edge of the left foot and keep the upper body strong over the curve, shoulders open and following the circle, right arm in front [1]. The circle is wide and calm. Milestone: you complete a full circle on the outside-edge curve without wobbling.
Skate on the left foot, knee slightly bent, and place the right foot over the left into the circle [1]. This is the decisive change. Put the foot down calmly, not like a step but like a blade rolling onto the ice.
Shift the weight onto the right foot and glide on its inside edge [1]. The left hip area slides slightly under the right. Both feet are now crossed. Keep the shoulders in the circle and do not tip the upper body inward.
The left foot now pushes outward with its outside edge, under the body, until fully extended [1]. Then you stand it up again. Milestone: you skate half a circle with five clean crossovers in a row.
Repeat the sequence fluidly. Then you change direction and skate clockwise, with mirrored feet [1]. The curriculum requires both directions [2]. Only when both sides carry are you really secure.
A note on learning: if you concentrate on the result while practising ("I push the ice away and glide through the circle"), you learn better than with a focus on single body parts, according to a meta-analysis with 566 participants; the studies were small, though [3].
We cannot back a fixed duration. Realistically the first direction works after a few sessions, while the second takes considerably longer (experience, not a study). That is no sign of lack of talent: almost everybody has a favourite direction. So plan each session so that the weaker direction is practised first and longer. With the camera you see whether your trace draws a clean circle on the ice or whether you keep drifting outward. If the trace drifts, your circle gets too big or your weight moves too late.
Skate the circles wide and only where others do not cross. With too much speed in the curve, centrifugal force arrives and the blade slips away. Wear a helmet and, if you wobble, let yourself fall sideways onto the hip (see the guide "Falling and Getting Up on the Ice"). This guide explains and motivates, it does not replace supervised training.
Practise the figure eight: two circles one after another, one in each direction. At the crossing you have to change the direction of rotation, and there you learn how much control you really have. Whoever skates the eight cleanly has a feeling for both sides.
You skate a curve, place the outside foot over the inside foot into the circle, shift the weight and push the inside foot through underneath the body on its outside edge [1]. Then you put it next to the other. You repeat that fluidly.
Usually because the upper body does not stay over the curve or you place the feet like steps. Keep the shoulders open, follow the circle and put the foot down quietly [1]. Also practise the weaker direction first.
The curriculum describes the exercise first counterclockwise and then requires both directions [1][2]. Start with your easier side and change early. For the weaker side you need more repetitions.
In the Learn to Skate USA curriculum, forward crossovers in both directions are on the fourth of six adult levels [2]. They follow forward edge curves and come before backward crossovers and three-turns.
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