Spinning but not feeling dizzy.

[londonicechamp]

Hi

My husband and some of my non skating friends are amazed at how the number of revolutions (over 10, now I can manage even up to 16), but do not feel dizzy whilst doing them. 8-)

My mom's logical conclusion is that it is coz I am used to the spinning, and I practise them a lot. ;)

londonicechamp

[jp1andOnly]

thats right :)

introduce a new spin you havent done or take a break from skating and when you come back often the dizziness is there for a short time

Hi

My husband and some of my non skating friends are amazed at how the number of revolutions (over 10, now I can manage even up to 16), but do not feel dizzy whilst doing them. 8-)

My mom's logical conclusion is that it is coz I am used to the spinning, and I practise them a lot. ;)

londonicechamp

[londonicechamp]

Or when I am fatigue, then I will feel the dizziness.

londonicechamp

[sdfigureskater]

Hi there!
I skate with an MD who claims that it is a mystery to the medical world as to why figure skaters do not get dizzy. Apparently, no one knows why! I learned this about a year ago and thought it most interesting :)
I'm 43 now... Skated for nine yrs from 7-16 and returned to skating after 27 yrs. When I first started I got really really dizzy... soooo dizzy that I could barely stand after doing a moderately fast scratch. Now the dizziness is less severe lasting only about four seconds or so. I've been getting around it by drawing out my check.... that is, I slightly bend my knees and sort of make the check position last as long as poss before going into a full one foot check RBO edge position. I hope that makes sense... Just something I learned from one of the other adult figure skaters at my rink... ( a 50something yr old who spins like a dream and lands beautiful high doubles! What an inspiration!!)

[katz in boots]

Hmmm? I thought that it wasn't that you stop getting dizzy, you just get used to being dizzy? I've heard/read that over & over.

[sk8joyful]

My husband and some of my non skating friends are amazed
at how the number of revolutions (over 10, now I can manage even up to 16), but do not feel dizzy whilst doing them. 8-)

My mom's logical conclusion is that it is coz I am used to the spinning, and I practise them a lot. ;)

Well, my hat's off to you, for getting to 10 rotations :bow:, let alone over 15! :bow:
Pretty soon you will just keep spinning....... :mrgreen: so, what makes you stop, anyway :?: & yes, this is an intelligent ;) question.

re dizziness: How is it that we can spin fast on the floor, seemingly forever -
but sometimes we fall over (lol) from dizzy; but on the ice you don't fall over. How does that work?

(on my very-1st. attempt, I managed 2.5 revolutions, never been able to duplicate, the operative word being yet -
I think, trying way too hard does it: 'do this, then do that, move this, then move that' :frus: nonsense. - What do you think? )
.

[londonicechamp]

Hi sk8joyful

The one foot spin will stop when someone suddenly gets in my way, or it will just automatically stop after about 14 revolutions (I count myself lucky if I can manage 15 or 16 revolutions). Or if my arms suddenly open, the the spin will stop too; though sometimes the spin still continues. I knew of a man in his early 20s in the rink that I go to in London, and he can manage over 20+ one foot spin revolutions. He is amazing, as he does the spinning and jumping, with the headphones on. That, I definitely will get distracted. :D

No despair for you yet, I managed to get to my current level of one foot spin after about practising them for a million times, seriously. 8-)

Well, I think the trick to not feeling and getting dizzy, is not to focus on one particular spot (also called spotting) when you are doing the spinning, and just let the spin happen. It is not that I am used to that dizzy feeling, it is just that I do not feel dizzy at all, which is still a total mystery to me. :)

I agree with you that sometimes trying too hard does not work. Sometimes the fall is to do with a mind thing. I used to fall a lot when I first try to go down low in my sit spin, as my mind is telling me that in order to get down low, I have to fall. Now I can get down low (but my coach said still can go a lot lower) but reduce the number of falls. :?:

[Isk8NYC]

Getting dizzy from spinning isn't really a medical mystery. I read an explanation in Marilyn Vos Savant's column a few years ago. She writes a column for Parade magazine that's filled with explanations and brain teasers. Very smart woman.

I found it: http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2004/edition_01-04-2004/ask_marilyn_0

The performance of ice-skaters never fails to amaze me. How are they able to spin so much and then suddenly stop without getting dizzy?
—Tim Fensch, Walterboro, S.C.

Their brains learn to ignore certain signals. This is called “habituation.” Some people would say, “They just get used to it.” Here’s the science behind that statement: The fluid-filled canals of the inner ear help us maintain our balance. Spinning sends the fluid into motion in such a way that the sensors in those canals are tricked into sending incorrect signals to the brain. This causes a dizzy sensation. But, as rehabilitation specialists know, the brain can learn to ignore incorrect signals. In fact, people who suffer from certain kinds of dizziness (such as the kind that results from damage to the inner ear) may improve their stability with exercise regimens that train their brains to do just that. Not that it’s easy. Even ice-skaters in fine physical condition suffer on their way to better form. It doesn’t come naturally.



When skaters practice spins over and over (on ice or off-doesn't matter) ignoring the dizziness, the brain starts to ignore the signals. That's how we're able to spin really fast and come out of it on one foot without falling down.

If you have problems with spin dizziness, practice spinning around and around in an open, off-ice area wearing sneakers. Do it several times a day and you'll eventually start to beat the dizziness.

One other note: if you get dizzy on the ice after a spin, just turn the other way once or twice. It stops the dizziness.

[Mrs Redboots]

The dizziness doesn't bother me too much (sometimes, if I haven't skated for a while, or if I haven't done that particular spin for awhile); what does is the "floaters" that spinning stirs up in my eyes and I see specks in front of them for the rest of the day!

[Query]

World class skaters avoid jumps just after spins, so they must get dizzy too.

Some of my spinning dizziness comes from holding my breath. Lots of people tend to do that when doing anything hard.

A coach gave me a brilliant solution: "Remember to breath." :bow:

Can anyone jump high enough that they stay in the air long enough to get dizzy on rotating jumps?

[Skate@Delaware]

hmmm, I never thought about holding my breath contributing to me getting dizzy! I do admit to holding it from time-to-time tho. When I do, I tend to hunch my shoulders up as well.

I'll have to try exhaling out forcefully next time I spin and see what happens!

I don't get enough air time when I jump to get dizzy....I only jump singles.

[BatikatII]

World class skaters avoid jumps just after spins, so they must get dizzy too.

Some of my spinning dizziness comes from holding my breath. Lots of people tend to do that when doing anything hard.

A coach gave me a brilliant solution: "Remember to breath." :bow:

Can anyone jump high enough that they stay in the air long enough to get dizzy on rotating jumps?

I'd have thought that was more a case of making a well-balanced programme and the requirement that jumps come off 'steps'. You spread the elements out with linking moves rather than having the spins and jumps (which are the highlights) crammed together.

I have no problem jumping after spinning and happily end a fast multi rev upright spin with a 3-jump straight after. Other jumps require a set up in the way of a few steps (3 turn for example) to get the jump right rather than anything to do with dizzyness.

[techskater]

I'd have thought that was more a case of making a well-balanced programme and the requirement that jumps come off 'steps'. You spread the elements out with linking moves rather than having the spins and jumps (which are the highlights) crammed together.

Elite skaters seem to cram two spins of a different nature together a lot, though in program. Of course, it doesn't require as much set up/speed to enter a spin as it does a 3 or 4 rev jump, but, still.

[doubletoe]

I have no problem jumping after spinning and happily end a fast multi rev upright spin with a 3-jump straight after.

But I don't think any skater could do a triple jump (or even a double axel) right after a spin. Even though seasoned skaters don't get as dizzy as beginning skaters, they still get a little dizzy, especially when the spin has changes of position and/or a change of foot (any change in spinning center--including traveling--will make you dizzier). And the faster a jump rotates in the air, the more perfect the skater's axis has to be. A slight misalignment would be fine on a waltz jump, or even a single axel, but would be certain death on a double axel or triple jump.

I think the trick is to fake it when you are actually dizzy, and to figure out how to unwind as quickly as possible. In my program, I come out of a combination spin and have to do an axel just 13 seconds later. I can get "unwound" just in time by pausing for a second, then doing a big LBO 3-turn that rotates me slowly in the opposite direction from the spin.

[fsk8r]

But I don't think any skater could do a triple jump (or even a double axel) right after a spin. Even though seasoned skaters don't get as dizzy as beginning skaters, they still get a little dizzy, especially when the spin has changes of position and/or a change of foot (any change in spinning center--including traveling--will make you dizzier). And the faster a jump rotates in the air, the more perfect the skater's axis has to be. A slight misalignment would be fine on a waltz jump, or even a single axel, but would be certain death on a double axel or triple jump.

I think the trick is to fake it when you are actually dizzy, and to figure out how to unwind as quickly as possible. In my program, I come out of a combination spin and have to do an axel just 13 seconds later. I can get "unwound" just in time by pausing for a second, then doing a big LBO 3-turn that rotates me slowly in the opposite direction from the spin.

In was beginning to think it was just me who had problems with spins in the program. My coach has me toe to stop the spin to give me a pause before I skate off again. I don't really get dizzy spinning but it's enough to make me a little wobbly to do anything more complicated than a 3 turn in the opposite direction. And the current program I can normally unwind in time for my single jumps but I've had the odd run through where I've spun faster and go into the jump dizzy, I've no problem doing the jump but it just doesn't feel "right."

[BatikatII]

But I don't think any skater could do a triple jump (or even a double axel) right after a spin. Even though seasoned skaters don't get as dizzy as beginning skaters, they still get a little dizzy, especially when the spin has changes of position and/or a change of foot (any change in spinning center--including traveling--will make you dizzier). And the faster a jump rotates in the air, the more perfect the skater's axis has to be. A slight misalignment would be fine on a waltz jump, or even a single axel, but would be certain death on a double axel or triple jump.
.

Well I'll never be able to do a double so will take your word for it!:) 8-)

[londonicechamp]

Hi

I tried a new entry position during my lesson with my coach today. Tended to hold the leg out for not too many revolutions, at most 2, then crossed the leg for the one foot spin. Also had tendency to cross immediately.

I did try once during practice after my lesson, which I managed to hold my leg out for 3+ revolution, and then do the one foot spin with about 12 to 14 revolutions.

Something amazing happened. When I was not particularly paying attention during my practice, then I even ended up a 19 revolution of a one foot spin. Same old question, no dizziness, just stopped after 19 revolutions. :mrgreen:

londonicechamp