Things you think about in the middle of a spin

[CanadianAdult]

I had a spin lesson the other day, since I seemed to have forgotten how to spin completely we didn't do combination spins and instead went back to forward scratch. I can do about 12-15 revolutions pretty consistently so after I remembered how to spin we were working on leg positions.

So, a spin lasts what, 8 seconds? In that time, I enter the spin, rotate for a bit in the open position to figure out how what position I want, cross my leg, fool around with my arms for a while and then I'm just spinning around until the spin feels like it's over.

8 seconds is a lot of time because maybe about halfway through, I start thinking about................. what I'm going to make for dinner..........


What do you think about when you're spinning?

[looplover]

isitcenteredisitcenteredisitcentered OH MY GOD I THINK IT'S CENTERED oh crap there it goes I'm traveling is some high level kid about to skate into me ok done

:P


I had a spin lesson the other day, since I seemed to have forgotten how to spin completely we didn't do combination spins and instead went back to forward scratch. I can do about 12-15 revolutions pretty consistently so after I remembered how to spin we were working on leg positions.

So, a spin lasts what, 8 seconds? In that time, I enter the spin, rotate for a bit in the open position to figure out how what position I want, cross my leg, fool around with my arms for a while and then I'm just spinning around until the spin feels like it's over.

8 seconds is a lot of time because maybe about halfway through, I start thinking about................. what I'm going to make for dinner..........


What do you think about when you're spinning?

[mikawendy]

I usually think

position--is it low enough in a sit; is my free leg turned out and pointed in a camel; is my skating leg straight in a camel; are my shoulders in the right place in a layback (attempt)

centering--I try to figure out if I'm using my core right or if I'm all over the place. As far as whether the spin is centered or travelling, usually it feels centered and then I can't tell until I step out

arms--am I pulling in to my center or am I pulling myself off center

change of foot--I try to sense when it feels "right" to switch feet (speed not slowing too much) and figure out where I need to place my shoulders and foot; only successful soemtimes

exit--usually I push out but I try to sense whether anyone is skating nearby; there have been times when I've chosen not to push to an exit edge and been really glad as someone skated by really close

and for layback (attempts) :lol: especially, I try to figure out whether I'm doing the position properly (hips forward rather than shoulders just leaning back) and I *try* to sense whether my weight is too far back--I've had a couple of close calls!8O :lol:

for catchfoot (attempts): I ESPECIALLY THINK "don't stab your hand!!!" 8O because I did that about a week ago experimenting with a catchfoot spin (I entered it like an attitude spin, then reached down and back for the free foot with the opposite hand and promptly stabbed my palm. It didn't bleed much, but it kept splitting open as it healed--not fun!

[dbny]

Control the force, control the force, control the force. Darn! I'm tilting to the right again, pull left shoulder back, aah, that's better.

[samba]

I hope I come out in the right direction

I hope no-one skates into me

I hope my nose doesn't run 8O 8O

[Mercedeslove]

the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round.

[Sessy]

My thinking on the scratch and 1-foot: Hips in, chest out, neck long, push on the inside/outside of the ball of the foot, keep hips closed, keep square, look in the direction you're going, keep tensing those belly muscles, keep it keep it! one more revolution! now one more! Another! Push and check out! Lean more forward, don't get on the back of the blade! Free leg higher, hollow your back! Okay you're done. Whooo check out the world spinning around me!

Sit spin: Swing around higher! Darn. Okay let's try again. HIGHER! That's right. Keep those knees together. Now turn the foot down and sit lower... lower I said... even lower... I said lower. Lower, darnit! Even lower. Turn it out more. Keep the back straight. LOWER. Even lower... What part of lower don't you understand?
And then either: 1. AUCH. Okay get back up and try again. or 2. Get back up and check out before you run out of rotational force entirely. Push. Free leg higher, more hollow to the back and get off that back of the blade, do you WANT to fall like that again?

[Scarlett]

For anything other than a forward scratch:
Lookatmelookatmelookatmeaaahhhbooomow

Forward scratch:
He probably wants me to push my leg down..push your leg down...leg down...ok I'm down and out

[airyfairy76]

Haven't started spinning yet, but should think it will be along the lines of:

OMGeverythingsallblurryican'tseenothing andiambeginningtofeelverysick andihaveonlydonethreerevolutions ineedtogoandhavealittlesitdown.....

[Bill_S]

Looplover nailed it from my perspective. (Great post!)

I'm lucky if my spins are reasonably centered, so I'm always correcting position and paying attention to centering adjustments. No time to think about what's for dinner.

[TimDavidSkate]

Funny thread :lol:

"Why am I traveling?" , "Eh, not too sharp of an entry" , "ooh, Im spinning" :halo: "ugh, Im dizzy"

[jskater49]

Last week in my lesson when I actually snapped into a scratch spin for the first time and it really worked just like my coach said and I'm really spinning I was so shocked I said out loud what I was thinking..."HOLY CRAP!"

j

[Sessy]

Haven't started spinning yet, but should think it will be along the lines of:

OMGeverythingsallblurryican'tseenothing andiambeginningtofeelverysick andihaveonlydonethreerevolutions ineedtogoandhavealittlesitdown.....

It's actually not blurry, you get a real good view of the rink but you do feel sick from it yeah... Me and my motion sickness have at some point decided we really hate the spins actually. :lol:

[techskater]

Last week in my lesson when I actually snapped into a scratch spin for the first time and it really worked just like my coach said and I'm really spinning I was so shocked I said out loud what I was thinking..."HOLY CRAP!"

j
I've had holy crap moments too in spins.

After hanging around with one of my favorite masters men, I try and think about breathing. So on the way in I think, "in, ouuuuutttttt, change in, ooouuuttt"

[*JennaD*]

hmm very interesting things go through my head when i spin!! but I am mostly like:

"one rotation two rotations three rotations holy crap too fast too fast too fast too fast crap i lost count too fast too fast too fast holy crap i hope i dont fall on my head"

(the fall on my head part is for laybacks lol)

[Skate@Delaware]

Ha! Ha! This is a funny thread!

When I'm with my coach (and she is yelling stuff to me), my thoughts are: "What? I AM stretched up...What? my leg IS straight!! Crap, there's that stupid toepick!!! BAIL OUT"

Whem I'm by myself it's either: "Dang, I hope that little kid doesn't skate into me-crap-here they come BAIL OUT!!!" or "WEEE! I'm going soooo fast DANG! THERE'S THE TOEPICK BAIL OUT!!!!' 8O

:lol:

[Ice Dancer]

The first time that I done a four rev one foot in front of my coach it was "what the hell was that" as she was clapping!

Generally I don't think anything though.

[doubletoe]

isitcenteredisitcenteredisitcentered OH MY GOD I THINK IT'S CENTERED oh crap there it goes I'm traveling is some high level kid about to skate into me ok done

:P

ROFLAMAO!!!!!!:lol:
Yeah, that's pretty much me, too. I try to just stay focused on the ball of my blade and keep monitoring how controlled and balanced I feel (or not). Oh, and I'm listening to my music trying to gauge whether I'm on the music or whether I need to cut the spin short in order to keep from getting behind it.

[peanutskates]

regular 1 foot spin: yaaaay I'm spinning!
backspin: omgomgomg i'm doing it look!! omg
scratch spin attempts: get that leg over, come on - WHOAAAAAH too fast, don't get the leg over
sitspin attempts: don't hold the back edge long, hold the entry edge, swing, bum DOWN, DOWN oh crap... *thud* eeeew. (that's me falling in like a DITCH full of water... no really, I have to wring the water out of my clothes. it's so annoying. why can;'t the ice freeze??)

and mostly just, oooh everything is so blurry...

[Morgail]

Hehee! Some of these are hilarious:lol:

On the forward scratch, I usually think "center center pull in tight center center".

Backspin, it's "stand up straight! Don't bend forward!"

On the sit spin, I usually wonder when I can get up again:halo:

Change of foot spins, I think about changing feet at the right time.

Camel spins- once I actually get the spin going, it's a fight to keep it balanced over my left side. So that's usually what I'm thinking about.

[doubletoe]

isitcenteredisitcenteredisitcentered OH MY GOD I THINK IT'S CENTERED oh crap there it goes I'm traveling is some high level kid about to skate into me ok done

:P

ROFLAMAO!!!!!!:lol:
Yeah, that's pretty much me, too. And I try to just stay focused on the ball of my blade and keep monitoring how controlled and balanced I feel (or not).

[Ice T]

OK, let me first start by saying that I am a lousy jumper, but a fantastic spinner, so when I hit a really good one I think:

"Wow! This is an AWESOME spin. Is anyone watching?" :P

[Jeanne D]

What do you think about when you're spinning?

'okokokokok..get the free leg in front stand up straight push into the ball of foot .... abort crossing foot! abort crossing foot! stork spin stork spin stork spin .... great'!

That's pretty much it. Next time I will listen more closely. :)

[Bill_S]

"Wow! This is an AWESOME spin. Is anyone watching?" :P

Why is it that anything done exceptionally well never gets seen by anyone else? :frus:

[techskater]

Because then you wouldn't have to do it again! LOL!

[miraclegro]

Well, i've enjoyed reading this, and laughing a lot!

1) i NEVER think about what's for dinner. That one made me totally laugh!

2) Lately i am trying to get lower, so it's: "how far can i try to get my butt down without losing that sweet spot!

and 3) why does this feel so low but look so NOT?

but i always laugh because of the ones about the kids getting to close and you all saying to yourselves "pull out! or ABORT" we've all done those! hehe

[chowskates]

Ok, I haven't been doing much lately, but in recent months...

In an upright, I think "are you watching!!??" - that's cos these days I really do a forward upright only to show my students.

In a sit, I count revs: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 OK, now I can change position...

In a camel... actually i haven't done a forward camel for a looong time

Layback: "Ooh, i'm so surprised this still works!" (this was since I didn't do laybacks for some time due to recurring back problems)

Back camel: "argh, this is going to damned slow!"

Back sit: "i don't think this is low enough" (and of course it isn't)

Back upright: "this can't be centered" (but it would turn out to be)

AND occassionally, when the public skaters get intrigued and start crowding around: "omg why is everyone standing so close? where can i exit without kicking someone? oh i think here's good, ok exit... NOW!"

[Rusty Blades]

As a "spin-beginner" (and a blond!), with only 2 revolutions and trying for three, my thoughts are pretty simple, "That's it! HOLD IT! HOLD IT! Awe sh@#!" :roll:

[Morgail]

AND occassionally, when the public skaters get intrigued and start crowding around: "omg why is everyone standing so close? where can i exit without kicking someone? oh i think here's good, ok exit... NOW!"

heehee...I deal with that one sometimes too. My answer is usually to just stab my toepick in the ice to stop. I'm too afraid to do a real exit with anyone standing too close!

[CanadianAdult]

Well, i've enjoyed reading this, and laughing a lot!

1) i NEVER think about what's for dinner. That one made me totally laugh!



and the answer to that question was.... Indian butter chicken.

Mostly I'm thinking about whether I should really pull my leg over and go for the scratch spin, mostly it's oooooohhhhhh too fast, don't like this, balance don't fall over, aaah slow down, okay done. Yeah, I say done too.

I've also thought while spinning "how the h*ll do those teenagers do laybacks, there is NO WAY I'm putting my head back" ....

[tidesong]

It depends... if its going well its like "wheee nice"
if i'm tired but hit a nice spin esp on the layback I'd just try to catch a few winks...
and then if I have stuff to do like change position, change edge etc I'm usually too busy remembering what to do to have too much extra thoughts.
I think in general for skating I don't think too much about non skating things... even for spirals that are quite long I just concentrate on holding the position (albeit for those i have to constantly check if someone is going to plummet into me or me into someone)

[chowskates]

heehee...I deal with that one sometimes too. My answer is usually to just stab my toepick in the ice to stop. I'm too afraid to do a real exit with anyone standing too close!

LOL, i have to do the "emergency stop" too if there are too many of them...

And I forgot, that combination spin where I go the other way at the end - I always wonder... who am I going to run into this time? On more than one occassion have I skaters who weren't expecting me to step out in that direction...

[looplover]

During a sit spin:

lowerlowerlowerlower shoulderblades right hip ok would Darryl approve of this one oops slowing down now get the heck out of this thing before I flop over*


*Darryl is another adult skater who does sit spins so low and fast that any further and he'd be sitting on the ice - drew admiration from Paul Wylie - he always told me to go lower

[liz_on_ice]

I love this thread!

I'm usually in the "isitcenteredisitcenteredisitcentered?" camp. Once in a blue moon when it really is, it's "ohwowI'mjuststandinghereandtheworldiswhirlingbyewh eeeeeeeee!"

[Careygram]

Don't throw up Don't throw up (urp...) don't throw up.....8O

[Petlover]

Recently, I just think about my arms - are they wimpy, are they strong, are they pulling me off, am I doing the pizza thing.....

The pizza thing was very well explained to me by a 12 year old buddy several years ago - put your arms around the pizza, shove the pizza into your mouth, push the pizza down into your stomach, bring the pizza back up, throw your arms out to get away from the pizza!

[NoVa Sk8r]

Don't throw up Don't throw up (urp...) don't throw up.....8OI'll have to remember to wear protective gear the next time we skate together! 8O :P

[Ice T]

The pizza thing was very well explained to me by a 12 year old buddy several years ago - put your arms around the pizza, shove the pizza into your mouth, push the pizza down into your stomach, bring the pizza back up, throw your arms out to get away from the pizza!

That is TOO funny!!

One of the things I love about skating so much is that when I am on the ice, I do not think about anything else but skating. My entire life and any problems or worries just goes on hold. It is very freeing and relaxing to have time like that every day.

[looplover]

Recently, I just think about my arms - are they wimpy, are they strong, are they pulling me off, am I doing the pizza thing.....

The pizza thing was very well explained to me by a 12 year old buddy several years ago - put your arms around the pizza, shove the pizza into your mouth, push the pizza down into your stomach, bring the pizza back up, throw your arms out to get away from the pizza!

LOL!! I thought you were thinking of lunch! Hey, I like that pizza thing (and lunch too)

[mikawendy]

That is TOO funny!!

One of the things I love about skating so much is that when I am on the ice, I do not think about anything else but skating. My entire life and any problems or worries just goes on hold. It is very freeing and relaxing to have time like that every day.

Yes, there's nothing like trying to stay vertical that lets one be in the moment! :lol: :lol:

[Careygram]

I'll have to remember to wear protective gear the next time we skate together! 8O :P

Honestly, the closest I ever came to yakking on a partner was the time when Tim and I did this pair spin over and over and over and I kept looking at our feet and I was spinning in his direction and I got kind of green. As long as I don't spin for hours and look at our feet I should be fine....I think.....maybe....um.....where is that garbage bag??:roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Honestly, the closest I ever came to yakking on a partner was the time when Tim and I did this pair spin over and over and over and I kept looking at our feet and I was spinning in his direction and I got kind of green. As long as I don't spin for hours and look at our feet I should be fine....I think.....maybe....um.....where is that garbage bag??:roll:

Been there, done that. We're working on a couple of new spins at the moment, and they both make me horrendously dizzy, so I have to tell the Husband that I have Done Enough, as I know from experience that if I don't, I'll feel faint afterwards, although not usually sick.

But today, having told him I'd done enough spinning for one morning, that was okay - until my coach decided to make me do the one exercise guaranteed to make me dizzy ("Ignore the dizziness, I want you to carry on by instinct", to which I replied "Yeah, right, if you want me to throw up on the ice!").

[Sonic]

If it's a good crosstoe 'whhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!'
If it's a good camel or sit 'hey, I could just settle here for-ever-errrr'

S xxx

[jazzpants]

"Hmmmm, am I centered?"

If No: "CRAP!!! I'm traveling again..."
If Yes: "WHEEEEE!!!!"

On sit spins: "Am I low enough? Is my free foot turned out?"
On back sit spins: "Am I low enough?" and "AUUUUGH, going on the inside edge again... :frus: "

On camel: "Am I spinning on the FO edge?" "How's my position?" and "DRATS!!! My free leg is going on the side again!!!" :frus:

[Emberchyld]

:lol: I love reading this thread.

Yesterday and today were "focus on spins" days, so I tried remembering what I thought, and:

Me, it usually is along the lines of:

"Don't spot... DON'T spot.. oh @#$#, I spotted... #@$#, again... get that free leg forward... diiiiiizzzzzzyyyyyy.... whew, I didn't fall!

I had a little shadow following me around, so it was a lot of "Abort! Abort!", too!

[myste12]

I love spinning, and I used to think one thing which was, WHHHHEEEEEE!!!

Now with IJS, my coach wants me to be doing high level spins which means I think one of two things... Either "oh god, please don't let this kill me" or "I hate my coach, I hate my coach"...

(Just for the record, I love my coach, but I swear she comes up with these crazy combos just so she can laugh at my sad attempts.)

[Mrs Redboots]

As I tend not to practice my solo spins as much as I should, it's mostly our couples' spin. So very often I'm thinking, "Oh, this is working, where's my free leg, where's my head?" but just sometimes it's "What the [expletive deleted] does that man think he's doing?"