It requires a different set of flexibility and strength to be able to both bend your head, neck and back backwards, THEN lift the free leg up to meet them at attitude position. Michelle, really tried in the first 3/4th of her career to get that classic layback, but if she put her free leg up, her back wouldn't bend, or vice versa. Now I'm not a biophysicist and I haven't studied Michelle personally, so I can't tell you why her body wouldn't cooperate. She did not lack flexibility in many other moves such as her split falling leaf, her charlotte spiral or the improvement on her arabesque spiral over the seasons. But being flexible in one way doesn't guarantee that one is flexible in every way.
Oh boy, we've gone way off topic. To bring it back to the men, but in keeping with the topic of flexibility in spins, I predict we will see more and more flexibility demonstrated by male skaters in spins, especially newer generations of skaters who will grow up under the newer COP rules. In fact, starting with the 2011-2012 season, the rules regarding spin levels have been slightly restricted (two kinds of level features have been restricted, while another one has been liberalized, but on balance, still a restriction overall when it comes to getting those spin levels up), which means that male skaters who want to get level 4 on all their spins may have to look towards trying out some bendy positions. Already, we see quite a few male skaters going for the donut spin in their camels. The COP mercilessly exhort difficulty in every area, and flexibility is one such area and the men will not be spared.
In the future for the same pic they ll say this is Mrs Obama with First Lady Michelle Kwan. Or if you are the President yourself you are not called First lady but they call your husband First Man?
