Clockwise or Counter-clockwise? | Golden Skate

Clockwise or Counter-clockwise?

eleonora.d

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Hi everyone, I don't know if there are other topics about this.. I wanted to ask you guys a question.

This my problem : I started skating a year ago, had a few lessons with a coach and I'm skating only once a week since the rink it's quite far.

What I learned until now, by myself and with the coach, are just a few things like crossovers, back cross overs , 3 , waltz jump, forward cross rolls, mohawk..I tried the toe loop.. but I'm doing everything quite poorly, and many of these things still clockwise only.

Everything I try is A LOT easier skating clockwise, but off ice I do almost everything with the right hand, I'm righty but I feel more comfortable skating clockwise.

Lately I started doing some two-foot spins (clockwise) successfully. A friend told me it's impossible for one to write with the right hand and skate clockwise at the same time and made me try a counter-clockwise spin but I don't feel comfortable with it.

Is it true? Should I re-learn everything,spin and jump counter-clockwise?

p.s. sorry for my poor english :(
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Of course it is not impossible. You should learn to skate in the way that you feel comfortable. My mom is a very right handed person, but she skates to clockwise. Any coach should tell you the same.
 

nadster

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
I also write with my right hand and I jump and spin clockwise. I know several others who are the same. I also know left-handers who jump and spin counter-clockwise.

I once read somewhere that your handedness has nothing to do with which way you will find rotating easier. I heard that eye dominance ( which has nothing to do with handedness ) is more of a factor.

Just stick to what is more comfortable.
 

gsrossano

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Just stick to what is more comfortable.

Exactly right.

You are probably ambidextrous and never noticed it till you started skating. My sister writes lefty, but played tennis right handed.

At one point in his career Todd Eldredge would include both righty and lefty Axels in a program!
 
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nadster

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
You are probably ambidextrous and never noticed it till you started skating. My sister writes lefty, but played tennis right handed.

At one point in his career Todd Eldredge would include both righty and lefty Axels in a program!

Personally I am not ambidextrous at all. I can't use lefty scissors with my left hand to cut paper ( I have tried this several times). I also can't write at all with my left hand.

I rotate clockwise but would play racket sports with my right hand as well as write with it. I also throw and bat right handed.

Even when I took ballet classes, ( where we were trained equally in both directions) I still favoured clockwise over anti-clockwise turns.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
I'm mainly ambidexterous--I can print with both hands and sometimes use tools with my left--but my preference is right, I'm right-eye dominant, and I spin clockwise by preference. (I can do both but if I were told to do a spin without thinking, I'd go clockwise.) In ballroom, I have to turn both ways, but I prefer spinning to my right (thank goodness the two hardest spins I have to do, in the bronze swing routine, are both clockwise by nature.) In skating, skaters are expected to have a preference for one or the other, and neither is 'correct.'
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
A few years ago - actually when the great Karen Magnussen (of Canada) was a competitor - it was thought that a skater developed better physically by doing everything clockwise and counterclock wise. Karen could do all her jumps and spins equally well left or right. Of course, in those days, figures were a main feature of figure skating so skaters learned to do figure eights counter clock and clock wise. This also helped in a skaters development and control. Today without the benefit of tracing figures many skaters miss out on developing this part of their skating skills. It is not totally necessary to learn how to jump or spin in both directions however stroking around the ice in both directions and doing crosscuts is good for a skater's development. I would encourage you to keep practicing crosscuts and stroking (forwards and backwards) in both directions. I always favored my left because I am left handed; however, I make myself skate to the right as well (though not my favorite direction!!).

Hope this helps
 

penguin girl

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
I'm a clockwise skater as well, as well as a lefty. But most everything else I do with my right hand. Coaches prefer that you rotate counter-clockwise (most coaches do and it's hard for them to show you the other direction). That never bothered me b/c I just converted it in my mind.
 

eleonora.d

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Thanks to all of you for your contributions. Since I'm just a beginner, I'll try to do a bit of everything in both directions, or al least I'll try. At the moment I really can't manage to spin counter clockwise.
 

Lumi

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2006
I have also practiced littgle more skating sine last winter, and I feel best jumping clockwise and spinning counterclockwise... I can't decicide what should I practice... :laugh:
 
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