Spread Eagles | Golden Skate

Spread Eagles

SarahSynchro

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Country
Canada
Just for some background, I've been a figure skater since I was eight, skated singles in the StarSkate stream from age 8-20, took a year off and then started synchronized skating at age 22; I'm 30 now and I skate on an adult synchro team in Canada.

I've never been able to do an outside spread eagle. What's the secret to them? Is it true that some people's hips just don't have the required turnout and its therefore impossible to do a spread eagle? Or are there stretches and off-ice technique that could be done to achieve one? What does it feel like on-ice when you're doing an outside spread eagle?

I have a fairly decent right outside ina bauer, can't do one on my left.

I can stand in "second position" (ballet terms) off ice on the floor, but I do find I feel wobbly after a few seconds and start losing my balance.

Anybody have any advice? Please and thanks. :)
 

Sequinedream

Match Penalty
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
As Karne said, that's the cold hard truth unfortunately.

And as you said, if you have a hard time with ballet position 2 on the floor, don't even attempt it on the ice.

Yes, you can try stretches etc for turn out but if you body isn't built for your hips to eventually naturally do that, then it's not going to happen.

It feels amazing, almost like you are just free and flying.

I prefer inside edge ones. :)

And I wanted to point out something you said about being able to do an Ina on one side and not the other, and that's more than likely because most of us have one side of our body that's favored esp on the ice.

Good luck if you continue trying to achieve the OE Spread Eagle!
 

vlaurend

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
If you can do a right outside Ina Bauer, you can probably do a right outside spread eagle. Here's how I learned mine: First, stand on the ice facing the boards and--holding onto the boards--get onto a right outside edge, literally leaning on the outside of your right blade. Now point the toes of your left foot, turn it out at 45 degrees and slide the heel of your left foot into the instep of your right foot. You'll see that the left foot falls in line with the right foot on an outside edge at 180 degrees. Do this little exercise until it's in muscle memory, then try it on the open ice at very slow speed, making sure to first get onto a really deep right outside edge. It's OK to look down at your feet to make sure you're bringing the left heel into the right instep, but once your left blade locks into that outside edge, look over your right shoulder and keep your right shoulder pulled back to keep you on that outside edge. Two stretches that helped me keep my hips open: (1) butterfly stretch (http://kungfoody.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/butterfly_stretch.jpg) (2) plies against the boards while on the ice at the rink. Stand on the ice in front of the boards at your rink, bend your knees and turn your feet out so they are right up against the boards, then bend down deeply and slowly straighten your legs--keeping your knees facing the same direction as your toes at 180 degrees--and keep pushing your pelvis toward the boards. Ultimately, you should be in spread eagle position with straight legs, pelvis pressed against the boards, and leaned back while holding onto the boards. Repeat this stretch until you feel your hip joints loosening up. I always do this stretch after warming up but before doing any spread eagles or Ina Bauers. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
 
Top