Spin positions we love and hate?

[GF2445]

What are you favourite and least favourite spin positions that you see today?
Also, are there any beautiful spinning positions that have disappeared since IJS's inception?

 

[karne]

I've always loved a good, stretched out camel with a toe pointed, like Plushenko (especially circa 2001-2002).

I loathe butt spins, ugly catchfoots-for-the-sake-of-a-level, and non-catchfoot laybacks.

Something that really concerns me is watching all these young men straining themselves to grab the foot for another level. There is going to be a huge spate of back injuries and related problems from this issue, mark my words.

 

[96skiluvr]

In Sasha Cohen's Nutcracker FS, in the final combo spin, one of her positions was a stunning layback which I love. I also love Sasha's layback spins

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Not all of these are from today, but my faves/least faves:

Favourite spin positions:

Sasha's layback
Shawn Sawyer's split spin (the hardest spin I've ever seen a male do)
Julia Lipnitskaia's Biellmann and I-spin
Caroline Zhang's Pearl
Nagasu's Biellmann where she pulls the leg over her shoulder at the end
Kexin Zhang's donut spin with her arm wrapped around her leg
Courtney Hicks' donut-sit spin
Hanyu's crouching sit spin where he gets great speed and them puts his arms to the side
Chan's sideways sit spin
Mao's Y-spin
Sandhu's camel spin - love the extension
Yu Na's sit spin with her arms behind her back pointing up (Kozuka does it too, along with other great sit spins)

Ones I'm not a fan of:

Sandhu's (or anyone's) A-spin... That spin where you're bent at the waist hold your leg out to the side with your butt sticking out
Plushenko's cannonball back sit spin (it looks so awkward and strained, especially compared to his better positions)
Daisuke's layback... points for originality, but it looks like a headless spin trying to be a layback and the sideways position at the start of it isn't very attractive either
Lipnitskaia's contorted sit spin with her leg over her shoulder -- although it's really impressive and original, it also looks awkward and not very attractive
Any of the 8-revolutions in one position (particularly the sit spins with the leg tucked behind that take forever)

 

[mskater93]

I loathe butt spins, ugly catchfoots-for-the-sake-of-a-level, and non-catchfoot laybacks.

Have you gone back and watched Nikodinov, Cohen, and SHughes do non-catchfoot laybacks? Their back and free leg positions are WONDERFUL as are the overall effect of the spins.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Have you gone back and watched Nikodinov, Cohen, and SHughes do non-catchfoot laybacks? Their back and free leg positions are WONDERFUL as are the overall effect of the spins.

I agree. And on that note, strained catchfoot laybacks are the worst, too, along with strained Biellmanns. If you don't have the flexibility, you can still do a lovely layback or even if you don't have as much leg height or back arch, at least make it an elegant layback with your hands like Rochette or Kwan.

 

[lcd]

Agreed on Nikodinov, Hughes and Cohen.
My favorite layback though was from Janet Lynn!

 

[mskater93]

I agree. And on that note, strained catchfoot laybacks are the worst, too, along with strained Biellmanns. If you don't have the flexibility, you can still do a lovely layback or even if you don't have as much leg height or back arch, at least make it an elegant layback with your hands like Rochette or Kwan.

But to get your levels, you have to hoist your foot up there, even if there's going to be long term damage to your person...

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

But to get your levels, you have to hoist your foot up there, even if there's going to be long term damage to your person...

The onus is on the skater then. A Biellmann is only 0.3 points more... if the skater feels it's worth that risk, then that's on them. Same if a haircutter is difficult for them but they do it anyways to get the level -- it could cost them on GOE if that's hard for them and so they make a mistake.

It should be noted that the difference between level 1 and level 4 in most spins is just 1.2 points. A level 2 spin puts you less than a point from a level 4. A level 3 is just 0.3 points less than a level 4 layback, so if you get a +1 or +2 on your LSp3, it will score higher than a 0 or +1 (respectively) on a LSp4. If you can't execute a Biellman easily or nicely, then it's not worth your effort to go for those extra 0.3 points.

Even though I'm also guilty of having done this, it's kind of ridiculous when people try to differentiate skaters by what levels they hit. "She had better spins because she had all but one level 4, and so and so had all but two level 4s, so the first skater's a better spinner". It's like "Great, so they earned half a point higher in base value" and that makes them the better spinner. Same in the ISU competition reports -- they never criticize if "the skater only did a solo 3L and not a solo 3F/3Z", but they do point out when a skater's spins "were only one level-4 and the rest were level 3", when it amounts to the same thing.

 

[plushyfan]

Did you forget Lambiel????? I love his every spins! He is the best!

 

[gmyers]

The absolute worst is the standing shoot the duck. If you do that go all the way down to the ice!

I like the camel the best

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Did you forget Lambiel????? I love his every spins! He is the best!

I love Lambiel's overall quality of spins much more than most of the skaters I mentioned, but moreso due to speed, centering, rotations and variety within the spin rather than the actual positions he hit. His twisted upright spin was my favourite, though.

 

[plushyfan]

And Alyssa? No Alyssa on the list???

---
I hate that spin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdT_2eE9gfw 2: 37. I don't know what is the name of this spin, but awful, every skaters are so ugly in this spin.

 

[uncchristine99]

Oksana Baiul - Donut Spin: Loved this and she was the first skater I saw do this so in my mind, this is her spin. Plus the extra arm variation was perfect for Swan Lake.

Oksana Baiul - Layback: I didn't even like her layback in general but she did one particular variation that I just LOVED! It's in the middle of this combination spin--it's so pretty and stretched out.

Caroline Zhang - Catch-Foot Layback: Caroline can hit some amazing positions period but I really, really loved this particular spin. There are several versions of her YRMU program but this is the only one with this particular spin. It's so pretty and effortless.

Sasha Cohen - Forward Sit: She did this particular variation throughout her career but I never minded seeing it over and over because it was so beautiful.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Nice, I love that catchfoot layback of Caroline's, and Sasha's sit position is really lovely.

I should also say that I hate the broken foot sit spin. Some people like Mao and Akiko can make it look alright but most skaters make it look awful.

 

[noskates]

The Bielmann. By anybody, including Bielmann. I think it is the most ugly position to be in. The next ugliest would be the Sandhu "A-spin" or whatever it's called. Again, a truly ugly position for any skater. Also not a fan of the sit spin with the arms sticking down through the legs.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

The Bielmann. By anybody, including Bielmann. I think it is the most ugly position to be in. The next ugliest would be the Sandhu "A-spin" or whatever it's called. Again, a truly ugly position for any skater. Also not a fan of the sit spin with the arms sticking down through the legs.

I think some Biellmanns are actually quite lovely. Radionova's double catchfoot layback and Biellmann position I forgot to include in my original list http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvgEAJan0nw&t=1m57s

As I mentioned, Biellmanns are just ugly when they look strained (ideally, both hands are around the blade and the back is arched with the head back).

 

[jenaj]

Least favorite: I-spin by anyone except Sasha Cohen
Butt/A-spin
Cannonball sit spins
Most Biellmans

Favorites:
Beautiful, non-catchfoot laybacks
All of Alyssa Czisny's and Stephan Lambiel's spins
Michelle's corkscrew spin and her Martini spin
Sonja Henie's lightening-fast, stop-on-a-dime scratch(?) spins

 

[Mathman]

I think some Biellmanns are actually quite lovely. Radionova's double catchfoot layback and Biellmann position I forgot to include in my original list http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvgEAJan0nw&t=1m57s

I think only a fourteen-year-old can do that!

Michelle's ... Martini spin

But this is another one that is really for a very youthful skater (or Rudy Galindo. )

 

[GF2445]

I love Yuna's trademark combination spin at the end of every program. Its not the best spin there is but nonetheless whatever music you set it too, it works beautifully.