SIT SPIN - help

[miraclegro]

Okay ya'll, i don't think i have posted this before, but lately i'm finding i'm repeating myself. maybe it's pre-menopausal memory lapses. Ugh

Anyway, I have really decent spins, but i am really frustrated with my sit spin in as i want to get it even lower and not look so much like an adult spin, but when i try, i seem to come off the rocker because i try to press my butt down more. Before, i was reaching fwd too much and thinking i was getting lower, but it just raised my rear end higher.

How do i get lower and stay on the sweet spot? I have a lot of speed, but want to LOOK really good! Thanks!

[*JennaD*]

What I do is I think "butt down" but at the same time, I try to touch my toes, so I stay more forward on my blade! Kind of like what you said you used to do and what you do now combined...lol

[mikawendy]

I also think about bending the skating leg A LOT, starting from the moment the FO edge for the spin entry starts. I do the "start out low" version of the sit spin, rather than starting the spin from an upright centered spin and lowering myself into it. I find that I have lower spin by starting out low in the spin entry.

[Terri C]

My sitspin is now under reconstruction, thanks to the IJS. My coaches are after me to start low, like mikawendy is doing and while I'm doing that, I'm almost always ending up on my butt (but my coaches are applauding!).
Sometimes we think we are bending at the knee, but are actually bending at the waist and that is something we need to watch!

[miraclegro]

Thanks, ya'll, i now have stuff to "think" about while i'm spinning...haha, like we were laughing about in the other thread....

And i guess i have to start low, i'm not sure if i am already. That seems like it would be harder on one's knees!

But, today i actually grabbed my skating leg - my goal is to get LOWER and eventually be able to press my face down to my leg while grabbin it - but i am 46 years old and not sure how this will work!

Thanks again.

[techskater]

Have you tried reaching down your spinning leg?

[doubletoe]

Here's the tip that lowered my sitspin from a squat spin to "parallel" in just 5 minutes: Once you get your free leg all the way in and turned out and you start sitting down into your spin, lower your butt and push your free leg forward until you feel the calf of your spinning leg pressing against the inside of the thigh of your free leg. If you can feel that, that means your spinning thigh is parallel to the ice and your weight is forward enough so that you shouldn't fall back on the heel. Try the position first on a backwards shoot-the-duck and try to make sure your weight stays on the ball of the blade, so that you get just a little toepick scrape happening. All spins must be done on the ball of the blade, so the back shoot-the-duck is a good way to practice the position before trying it in the spin (but it will be easier in the spin because the centrifugal force will help you!).

[Skate@Delaware]

Thanks, ya'll, i now have stuff to "think" about while i'm spinning...haha, like we were laughing about in the other thread....

And i guess i have to start low, i'm not sure if i am already. That seems like it would be harder on one's knees!

But, today i actually grabbed my skating leg - my goal is to get LOWER and eventually be able to press my face down to my leg while grabbin it - but i am 46 years old and not sure how this will work!

Thanks again.
I'm 45 and trying to GET a sit-spin! You are WAY ahead of me! If you need to develop more strength, here is a thread I started earlier:
http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=24094
with resources for an exercise that helps. Bottom line: the tips from doubletoe and the others are worth every $$$$$!!! That, and just practicing!
(and not being afraid to wipe out in the process-something I had to admit to recently!)

[SynchroSk8r114]

i seem to come off the rocker because i try to press my butt down more.

Okay, well in a sit spin, the rocker problem isn't necessarily solved simply by pushing your butt down more. What you should be focusing on are bending not only at the hips but at your ankle and knee as well. Push only your butt down and you may find that you're going to end up on it because you'll be too far back on your blade and therefore off the rocker, like you are now, which ultimately slows you down. See my diagram for where to focus on bending:

Secrets of a Sit Spin:
http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/SynchroSk8r114/Skating%20Exercises/?action=view&current=SitSpins.png

Before, i was reaching fwd too much and thinking i was getting lower, but it just raised my rear end higher.

To solve this, you can still think of reaching forward, but don't think of just using your arms/hands. You should also focus on your lower back. I tell my students to think of someone pushing in on the small of their back. That gets rid of that nasty humpback that some people develop. I tell them to also think of trying to sit in a chair that's too far back and your butt is reaching for it, like it has to be the first thing that touches the chair. It may seem silly, but it works! Also, bend that knee and ankle! That'll help line you up correctly for the spin. You can even do this off-ice for added benefit or if you don't feel so sturdy on-ice.

There's a few points on your body that should line up if I was to...say, stick a shish kabob through your head. Graphic, but bear with me here, hahaha! :lol: You'd want that pole to run from the top of your head, through your breastbone, through your skating knee, and finally through your toes. I've included another diagram to help you get the picture:

Sit Spin Shish Kabob:
http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/SynchroSk8r114/Skating%20Exercises/?action=view&current=SitSpinPole.png

How do i get lower and stay on the sweet spot? I have a lot of speed, but want to LOOK really good! Thanks!

Doing everything I mentioned above should solve this. Also work on shoot-the-ducks, not going down all the way and sitting on the back of your boot (the lazy man's way...), but only going as far down as you do in a sit spin. Gradually work on going lower and lower using your thigh muscles to get you up and down and balance you in the sit position. Over time you'll get stronger and be able to go lower and survive.

Best of luck!

[kander]

I think practicing shoot-the-duck is the best excercise. When I'm all the way down in a sit spin I'm actually sitting on the heel of my boot. Maybe thinking about sitting on the heel of your boot would help. Couldn't hurt to try.

Kevin