Turning in Circles... | Golden Skate

Turning in Circles...

Which way do you spin?

  • Clockwise

    Votes: 15 28.8%
  • Anti-clockwise

    Votes: 25 48.1%
  • I can spin either way without effort.

    Votes: 3 5.8%
  • I can spin either way but I prefer clockwise.

    Votes: 3 5.8%
  • I can spin either way but I prefer anti-clockwise.

    Votes: 6 11.5%

  • Total voters
    52

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
My coach apparently had an epiphany (after we changed direction practicing back crossovers, which I'm just learning, and I went from getting it to getting my feet tangled and nearly wiping out both of us) and said, "You're a 'lefty', aren't you?" Meaning I favor clockwise turns and spins, though since that's towards my right hand, I'm not sure why 'lefty'. And thinking about it, I do prefer turning clockwise, or moving my weight to my right leg in a direction change. I also remember when I was watching "Ice Princess" (I know, I know) with the DVD commentary and one of the girls commented that she spun one way while her double spun the other, so she had to relearn her spins to match it. I'm not sure which is more common, so I thought I'd take a poll out of curiosity. So if you are/were a skater, which way to do you spin, clockwise or anticlockwise?
 

Teresa Dawn

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
I was the odd one at the rink... maybe because I am ambidextrous lol, but I would do some of my spins such as the sitspin in "lefty" style and ones like the layback in a "righty" style LOL :scratch: (and yes, the others thought I was crazy) :rofl:
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I am a southpaw or lefty therefore all my skating moves work best to the left. I did almost master a one foot spin on my right, but it feels strange. I don't enjoy cross-cuts going right, but do make myself practice.
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
My coach says that you will have your "natural direction" which will tend to be sloppy and the other direction will tend to be technically perfect...if that makes sense. After a while, I realize she is right! I skate more relaxed in my natural direction, but the other direction (my anti-direction) I'm more precise and careful.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
See, when I'm moving the way I'm comfortable (spins and backwards, this seems to be clockwise, forward stroking or crossovers it's anti-clockwise) I go easily. I don't tense, I don't worry about tripping over my own blades and I relax and skate well. If I move the direction I'm NOT comfortable in, I get so hung up worrying about being off-balance, I end up not extending or shifting my weight the way I should. It's getting better, and I force myself to warm up the 'bad' way longer than the 'good', but it's still annoying.
 

singerskates

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
When doing my programs and my own training, I spin and jump counter-clockwise. But when I am teaching CanSkate (learn to skate in the US), I jump and spin both ways because some of the kids are lefties and some are righties. Mind you, I'm not doing sitspins, camels or laybacks clockwise or jumping anything more than a toe loop clockwise. But I can do my waltz jumps, toe loops, salchows, two foot spin and a simple forward spin in both directions. I just can't see me doing a loop, flip or lutz clockwise.

Right now, I'm off of the ice not jumping or spinning at all. It will be interesting to see if I still want to jump and spin counter-clockwise when I have healed up from surgery to correct the two herniated discs I have in my neck (work related injuries).

singerskates
 

Spiral_Marty

Spectator
Joined
Oct 3, 2005
I'm a lefty, (left handed and I spin clockwise) out of about 70 people in my skating commuity , my coach and I are the only ones who spin "wrong".When I first started jumps and spins i tried to do them counter-clockwise, (like everyone else) but then and to re-learn them when I found it was easier the other way. Find your direction first before you start on spins and jumps!!
 

Dutch Skater

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 3, 2005
i'm a lefty.. But, unfortunately we don't train spins a lot.. We focus on the show skating.. But when we do.. I always go left ;)

I'm now beginning to learn a crossover-spin (is that a name?! hehe), but I find it really hard to ''put/pull (don't know the word) in my leg at once'' can explain it in good english hehe! But i'm really excited to learn a good crossover and i'm going to try a right one next training, maybe thats better with me!
 
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WeirsAngel

Rinkside
Joined
May 16, 2005
I can spin either direction...but I prefere the left side...It's really scary to do sitspin clockwise...:laugh:

Skate@Delaware said:
My coach says that you will have your "natural direction" which will tend to be sloppy and the other direction will tend to be technically perfect...if that makes sense. After a while, I realize she is right! I skate more relaxed in my natural direction, but the other direction (my anti-direction) I'm more precise and careful.

Are you skating in delaware, connecticut???
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
WeirsAngel said:
I can spin either direction...but I prefere the left side...It's really scary to do sitspin clockwise...:laugh:



Are you skating in delaware, connecticut???

No, the state-Delaware! I've actually skated a few times at The Pond (Newark DE) where Johnny skates, but have not seen him there:frown: .
 

WeirsAngel

Rinkside
Joined
May 16, 2005
Skate@Delaware said:
No, the state-Delaware! I've actually skated a few times at The Pond (Newark DE) where Johnny skates, but have not seen him there:frown: .

Wow...Well I hope you'll see him one day:) I guess that's just something I can do in my dreams...:rofl:
 

Skittl1321

Spectator
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Right now I only do two footed turns but my natural direction is clockwise. Since I'm such a beginner, I'm going to really force myself to learn counter-clockwise before my skating gets "set"

I'd really like to do Pairs later in life (if I could ever find a partner) or synchro- so I think it's best to try to learn like everyone else.

(I'm a right handed person, but I think the clockwise spinning comes from ballet. I'm a very heavy right turner because that's the side I spot best on. In skating I don't need to spot, so once i convince my body that I think i'll be able to turn counterclockwise)
 

peachy

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 25, 2006
I skate clockwise... I'm one of only three skaters at my club who skate this direction, it can get annoying when you're trying to jump but everyone is going the other way around the circle!!
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Not that it matters..

..I have always heard "counter clockwise," is this something that the "real" coaches call it?:scratch:
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Means the same thing. I suspect 'anti-clockwise' is not as common in American English and I picked it up from a European.

I wish I could change my answer...now I've started working spins more seriously, my coach and I have decided my bias is so minimal she'll teach me both directions, which should make it easier when it comes to partnering. Which makes sense, I suppose, since I can use my knives, shoot, and block-print with either hand.
 

MsLutzy

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 16, 2006
I'm anti-clockwise for everything. That's how I started to learn my jumps and spins and it's not going to change. I've tried doing spins clockwise, and it felt super weird. I've also done clockwise jumps off-ice for fun. It's a nice change.
 

Rusty Blades

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
When I skated the first time as a teenager (1960s) I worked on being ambi-spin-erous :rofl: despite being a leftie and having a better CCW spin. Returning now, only CCW feels "right". When I get more accomplished at the basics again, I'll see if I can still spin both ways. (Right now spins lead to a dizzy skater and snow-in-the-pants syndrome!)
 
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