Front Open Lion S – Right foot
Front Open Lion S – Left foot
Front Open Lion S – Description
This combination trick is a sequence comprised of a Front Open Lion and then a Back Closed Lion, all on the same foot. The trick is especially challenging because the rotation goes one way and then back the other way. It requires strong edge control and deliberate use of the raised leg for counter-rotation.
Key things to focus on:
- Minimize the entry time of the Front Open Lion and maximize the exit time. Make sure you don’t wait too long on the forward inside edge – transition to the backward outside edge as soon as possible.
- During the forward to backward transition of the Front Open Lion, make sure to keep the raised leg close to the skating leg.
- The further apart the knees are during this initial move, the harder it will be to counter your rotation.
- The closer they are, the more you’ll be able to use your raised leg to counter the rotation when you extend it.
- Once you’re going backwards, extend the raised leg in the direction of travel. Widening your form should stop the initial rotation, then you can imagine reaching toward the Back Closed Lion with the raised leg and pulling yourself back around to forward
- Envision lateral movement across the overall trajectory of combo. You should be able to draw a distinct “S” shape on the ground with your rolling skate. A deep outside edge between the Front Open Lion and Back Closed Lion is a great way to achieve this.
- To encourage front to back transitions without as much rotational energy, some skaters will swing their raised leg forward prior to the Front Open Lion, while their rolling foot is on a forward outside edge. You can imagine the raised leg swinging twice in the direction of travel, like a pendulum: one time during this initial forward outside edge, and then again after the Front Open Lion, as your rolling foot is backward on the outside edge.
Eccentric Inline - Turn On, Lean in, Drop Down 