- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
Shawn Sawyer is extremely flexible, especially for a man, but he's always had troubles with his 3A. I read an expert comment that it was exactly due to his flexibility that he had jump problems. Can't remember who said that.
Slutskaya's Biellmann would not count as a Biellmann under today's CoP: the held skate HAS to be over the head. Irina was not flexible enough to do that: rather than holding the blade in both hands, she held it with one hand and grasped her wrist with the other hand. That way, her skate was back behind her head, not above it.
That's correct (even if that CCoSp would be good enough for a level 3 at least, today: she performed positions in all the three basic positions on the same foot and she held the first Biellmann for two revolutions I think), but I think that back in 2002 she was flexible enough to hold a 3-revolutions Biellmann (but it has never been so graceful, and I don't really like the held-leg's position), but she lost it during her last seasons...She doesn't hold the position long enough, for one thing, not even one full revolution for each, so it wouldn't count under today's CoP. And that was in 2002. By 2006, she struggled to get each leg into position and the skate never got above her head..
Gaak. I hope we haven't reached the point where good layback = includes Biellman.
I dislike that spin position intensely. There are other ways to get the level 4, right?
She doesn't hold the position long enough, for one thing, not even one full revolution for each, so it wouldn't count under today's CoP. And that was in 2002. By 2006, she struggled to get each leg into position and the skate never got above her head..
Gaak. I hope we haven't reached the point where good layback = includes Biellman.
I dislike that spin position intensely. There are other ways to get the level 4, right?
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angela_Nikodinov_2.jpg
Michelle and YuNa both tend to have toes pointed down to the ice and more bend in their knees.
http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/c...3-3787-4771-layout46-129898-news-item,00.html
Here is a similar shot of Yuna from yesterday: http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab219/YunaBliss/20130315034707945_zps74e42d6e.jpg
An acceleration would do it, but few girls can pull that off.
The core must be TIGHT. Basically, a really great air position should be elongated like a diver as much as possible. As the skater returns to the ice in this elongated diver position and feels the toe pick hit the ice, the knee bends to roll the landing foot down from the toe pick onto the edge while maintaining a strong core. The arms also check out to stop rotation.Can anyone who knows the physiometrics of skating tell me about the role the core plays in all of this? I would think having a limber back would also mean having a core that is relaxed and not triggered (like you're trying to poop, is the best way I can describe it)... and that seems diametrically opposed to landing a jump where you want to be able to be both triggered in your core, but soft in the knee and control that edge with your free leg and body.
Intersting thought about ankles - I'll watch more closely. I was wondering more about hip flexibility - how open or turned out they are. That a tighter, less flexible, plevic area may help in jump stability, but hurt some positions.
Angela Nikodenov is always who I think of with a great layback - free foot parallel to ice, leg lifted from hip, rather then just bent at knee. In this pic I would say her shoulders should be more parallel to ice.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angela_Nikodinov_2.jpg
No, you can have a flexible back and a strong core at the same time, and actually having a strong core and a flexible back can help avoid a lot of injuries. This website has some really good articles on off ice training: http://www.sk8strong.com/articles.htmlI'm no scientist, but it seems possible that having a very strong core could make it more difficult to have a flexible back. These two muscle groups work in opposition to each other, no?