Directions

[Luckster013]

A few weeks ago i started learning scratch spins, going to the right, because that is the way i did my two foot spins. They started out pertty good, but the more i practiced the worse they got. One day i did one in the other direction and it was so much better, so my coach had me change the dirction of everything else, so i could spin that way. The spins in that direction haven't gotten much better or worse, but then yesterday i did one the way I used to and that one was way better. Which way an I supposed to go? I'm left handed, so would that have anything to do with it? Has this happened to anyone else?

[sue123]

I believe traditionally, if you're left handed, that normally makes you a CW skates, so when you spin, you go to the right, clockwise. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. For me, I'm a mix of both, when I'm spinning and jumping, I go CCW, but when I do crossovers or 3-turns, it's easier for me to go in the direction that would come easier to CW skaters.

But spinning and jumping wise, pick the direction that feels most natural and go with that. Spins for me at least tend to come and go, one day they're just not htere, the next, I feel like I could spin forever. They must be tempermental.

[badaxel]

I'm right handed, and when I started, I didn't realize you were supposed to have a direction. So, I spun CW and jumped CCW. When I figured out that this was a problem, somewhere around the loop jump, I reversed my jumps to match my spins. BIG mistake. Now I've been struggling with the axel for almost two years. But, I am a great spinner... My advice would definitely be to go with the way you jump- there is much more technique involved(in my opinion) in jumping, especially in the axel and doubles. I You see people all the time learn to spin in the other direction to raise the level of their spins, but when was the last time you saw someone do a backwards axel? Or even a waltz jump, for that matter? I say go with your jumping direction. It may be too late for me, but you can still save yourself!

[frbskate63]

My coach makes me do waltz jumps, toe loops and salchows in both directions - and I'm sure that he'd make me do loops in both directions as well, if my normal direction loop were a bit stronger. I don't mind the waltz and toe loop, but wrong way salchows are horrible. (Really make you appreciate doing them the right way round, though!)

I think quite a few elite skaters jump the wrong way as a training exercise, but there's no point in including it in a program, because it won't look as good, and they won't get credit for the extra difficulty.

Fiona

[techskater]

I know a Masters level skater who spins CW and jumps CCW and has a very nice 2A.

[Mrs Redboots]

Although you will get extra marks for difficulty if you can spin in both directions. I, too, started off spinning clockwise and jumping anti-clockwise, but had to change my spinning direction to match my Husband's when we started to learn couples' spins. So I can now spin in both directions, rather better clockwise than anti-clockwise, and my coach makes me put a bi-directional spin in the end of my programmes. I wanted to put a change-foot spin last year, but he said my bi-directional was better. Neither is good, you understand.... just rather less horrible!

[Isk8NYC]

I have two students that are brother-and-sister. Both are CCW spinners/jumpers.

However, the brother can jump in both directions, but his spins aren't as strong. His program includes a waltz-toe loop-side toe hop combination in both directions.

The sister can also jump in the opposite direction, but she loves spinning so she worked really hard this year to improve her spins. In the holiday show last weekend, her program included a lunge-backspin, a flip-backspin, and a CW-CCW spin combination.

The brother's decided to work harder on his spins!

BTW, the ISI has opposite-direction jumps as requirements for their higher-level freestyle tests.

Back on topic: Luckster13 - practice both directions, but concentrate on the one that matches your jump direction.