Plan of the Cross Outside forwards. The stroke is given on the outside. The dotted lines and small arrows represent the gradual course of the unemployed after the stroke until it becomes in its turn the employed. Aa, Aa, a different course for the unemployed foot, used in combined skating.

so as to make the utmost use of the weight and momentum of the body. When this is done, the impulse is very considerably increased.

We have also to bring into more important action the hitherto unemployed leg, which must be gently and evenly swung round the employed one in such a manner that it arrives exactly at the proper time and angle to be put down, and so become the travelling one (Fig. 20).

Besides these matters, we must look to the proper alternation of the sideways attitude, which in this movement works in admirably.

When the skater has become somewhat proficient in these cross movements, he must begin to learn to disguise the act of striking as much as possible, so that they may be skated without apparent effort. Now to do this requires a particular degree of tact, which pages of writing cannot exactly explain. The power is there; it lies in the angular position of the cross; it wants developing by a certain amount of the most careful practice, particularly directed to the setting down of the striking foot so accurately at the angle of the circle to be described, that it shall want no after alteration, dropping, as it were, on to the proper edge at the proper curve. Unless this is done, the power of the stroke is lost in a moment. Another essential point to be remembered is the application of the weight of the body on to the stroke, and in the direction of the curve to be de

scribed. By such means the skater will acquire the art of sustaining, on good ice, the back 8's for an indefinite number of times, a feat which is well worth the practice required, it being the most difficult movement we have yet arrived at ; it is a grand lesson in the art of preserving and maintaining impulse under a new and most difficult position-in short, another test figure. We therefore consider the cross movements a very fine study. They cannot be learnt in a short time; to be perfectly learnt, the skater must be prepared for an energetic and persevering practice of them, as, unless done with apparent ease to the skater, they are ungainly and worthless.

We now proceed to describe how to carry out

THE CROSS OUTSIDE FORWARDS.

O.F. R.

Travelling slowly forwards on the ordinary outside of the left leg, let the skater swing the right gently round in front of and across the left, and, placing it down in the position applicable to the curve to be described, strike from the outside of the left; now, travelling forwards on the outside of the right, let the left leg be swung gently round in front of and across the left, and placed down in its turn, and so on. The practice will naturally be small at first,

FIG. 21.

L.F.

R.F.