Basic spin help needed

Emilia · Oct 6, 2014

Hi Goldenskate,

I am sorry to annoy you with beginners questions but nonetheless hoping that someone can help me.
Some time ago I started to take classes in ice skating but then relocated to an "non-ice-skating-area". During my last lesson (one year ago) I tried to spin and that is, what I have been doing since then... trying...

On good days I can turn about three times (at a really slow pace) but I always struggle with my balance and (?) body tension.
I spin to the left and tried a basic two foot spin as well as a basic one foot spin (as my weight feels like beeing mainly one my left foot in a two foot spin-try).

Are there any tips for spinning a real spin?
Is it better to bend the knees slightly or to hold the legs stretched?
What about the back? More hollow-back-like or the other way around?
Or are there some exercises?

Thanks a lot to everyone for reading this

CanadianSkaterGuy · Oct 6, 2014

Not annoying at all! Welcome to the forum.

Some tips for spinning:
- keep your spinning leg straight (it should only be bent when trying sit spins) - your leg should almost "lock" so it feels strong and straight
- use your arms -- start them outstretched and pull them in as you execute the spin, like you're hugging a teddy bear
- as for your free leg in a one foot spin, start with it out to the side and once you have the spin centred, then you bring it in to speed up the rotation.
- keep your core strong (that's where body tension comes into play)... the hardest part of spinning is keeping it centred, and this is balance-based.... if you keep your midsection strong, then you'll be less prone to wobble all over the place which throws the spin off -- off ice, there are a variety of exercises that can build your core, Pilates is great for it
- when doing a basic forward scratch spin, your back should be straight (don't slouch your shoulders)

For off ice, trying getting a "spinner" it's a plastic piece that you stand and spin on to get used to centring your spins.

Littlerain · Oct 15, 2014

Icoachskating has a great spin how to video. I can't seem to get the link in here but it is from Bobbie shire

Myblade · Feb 22, 2015

Actually, when you said to keep your legs locked, that. Is not true. Keeping your legs locked could throw you off balance. But I'm not a pro so what do I know? Lol

Tavi... · Feb 22, 2015

Not sure if I'm misunderstanding, but for a 2 foot spin you start with bent knees and straighten them as you pull your arms in to spin, no?

mcsquared · Mar 14, 2015

Hi, I've just started learning a basic one-foot spin (coach and I gave up on trying to get the two-foot to work--I managed it about twice successfully and the one-foot seems to be working better), but I have trouble keeping it on the inside edge and staying off my toepick. Also, when I look at the tracing it looks like a series of 3-turns rather than circles. Can anyone help? Thanks!

cl2 · Mar 18, 2015

One tip from a coach that helped me was to press down on the ball of your skating foot, at the base of your second toe, around portion of the blade with the middle stem. That will help to center the spin and align your body, and also applies to other positions (sit, camel, layback).

Also important is to keep a strong core during the spin to maintain the spin position and alignment, so any exercises to work your core muscles should help you. Don't be bothered by slow rotation for starters, it will improve as you develop the right technique.

uhh · Mar 18, 2015

mcsquared said:
Hi, I've just started learning a basic one-foot spin (coach and I gave up on trying to get the two-foot to work--I managed it about twice successfully and the one-foot seems to be working better), but I have trouble keeping it on the inside edge and staying off my toepick. Also, when I look at the tracing it looks like a series of 3-turns rather than circles. Can anyone help? Thanks!

The usual cause of people going onto their toe pick is because they've dropped their head & it takes their whole weight too far forward. Keep your eyeline up, make sure you're holding your head well and not letting your chin fall down towards your chest. This will also help with your whole upper body position & make it easier to stay on the right part of the blade!

vlaurend · Mar 19, 2015

mcsquared said:
Hi, I've just started learning a basic one-foot spin (coach and I gave up on trying to get the two-foot to work--I managed it about twice successfully and the one-foot seems to be working better), but I have trouble keeping it on the inside edge and staying off my toepick. Also, when I look at the tracing it looks like a series of 3-turns rather than circles. Can anyone help? Thanks!

The series of 3 turns means you are not centering your spin. In order to center your spin, you need a deep, round entrance edge that gets tighter (like a snail shell pattern). The two things that will help you with that are to (1) go in on a *very* deeply bent knee, as though you're going into a sit spin, and (2) Looking over your leading shoulder (your left if you are doing a CCW spin on the left foot) almost like you're chasing your tail. Stay down low with your free leg extended way behind you and let that edge curl until you feel like you've drawn a small round circle with your edge (although if you check your tracings, it will be a half circle). As you do this, focus on keeping your head and shoulders level and pressing the ball of your blade into the ice so you don't get pitched forward and hit your toepick (as already mentioned by d2).

Stay down and let that edge curl with your free leg extended behind you until you feel like the edge has finished and the spin is hooking itself. That's when you bring the free leg through to the front and rise up a little. Not a lot. Never completely lock your knee out. Keep pressing the ball of the blade into the ice and pushing your hands and shoulders down to keep from rising up onto the toepick once you're in the spin.

mcsquared · Apr 1, 2015

Thank you so much everyone! I'll give these a go the next time I head to the rink.
And if I could trouble you guys for one more piece of advice--I somehow got the 2-foot spin to work, but my left toepick keeps dragging and I have trouble not travelling. Will the tips above help with that too?

vlaurend · Apr 2, 2015

mcsquared said:
Thank you so much everyone! I'll give these a go the next time I head to the rink.
And if I could trouble you guys for one more piece of advice--I somehow got the 2-foot spin to work, but my left toepick keeps dragging and I have trouble not travelling. Will the tips above help with that too?

It's hard to say without seeing it, but it sounds like you don't have your weight balanced evenly on the 2-foot spin. Based on the fact that your left toepick is dragging, I'm going to guess you have too much weight over the left side and may also be twisting your shoulders to the left a little without realizing it. Try pulling your right shoulder back and keeping your left arm in front of you and pressed down a little and see what that does.

cl2 · Apr 10, 2015

This website has a compilation of skating tips from top coaches. The videos require paid subscription, but there is also a text summary. Here, Charyl Brusch talks about the sit spin, which you may find helpful.

http://icoachskating.com/charyl-brusch-sit-spin/

mcsquared · Apr 29, 2015

Good news: I got the one-foot spin! Thank you all for your advice. It's a bit hit-and-miss, but it's there. However, I find that it's rather scratchy and tends to travel more often than not. Any ideas on how to remedy this? Also, the ball of my left foot/toes tend to hurt a lot after trying the spin a couple of times. Is this normal?
Sorry, I realise this makes me sound like a very troubled beginner skater, but I really appreciate all the help.

mcsquared · Apr 29, 2015

mcsquared said:
Good news: I got the one-foot spin! Thank you all for your advice. It's a bit hit-and-miss, but it's there. However, I find that it's rather scratchy and tends to travel more often than not. Any ideas on how to remedy this? Also, the ball of my left foot/toes tend to hurt a lot after trying the spin a couple of times. Is this normal?
Sorry, I realise this makes me sound like a very troubled beginner skater, but I really appreciate all the help.

Forgot to add- if it helps, I'll get someone to film it so you can have a look.

Basic spin help needed

Emilia

CanadianSkaterGuy

Littlerain

Myblade

Tavi...

mcsquared

cl2

uhh

vlaurend

mcsquared

vlaurend

cl2

mcsquared

mcsquared

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