How about a Tips thread?

We all have different little quirks and ways of doing things that may work for others.
If you've got a suggestion for a move or spin/jump, put them here!

Backspin

This helps me a little...
* After the 3 turn "rock" forward on to the front part of blade - CAUTION...beware the sneaky toepick!
* Press the arms down. For CCW, keep right arm behind; CW keep left arm behind - until you are ready to pull in.
* Turn the free hip out.
* Push down with the free heel when pulling in.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Well I am not sure I qualify to give tips but here goes..........

Spirals -
If you find you cannot hold your spirals for long or cannot get good extension here are a couple of things to think of -

1) are you looking up and ahead and NOT at the ice and your feet?

2) are you squeezing your shoulders together and down your back?

3) are you abdominals pulled in tight to balance your body (your balance is in your stomach, note the 6 pack on most skaters particularly Michelle Kwan)

4) and are you THINKING of extending and elongating your body

Okay, that's all I got, the one thing I do well and am complimented on are my spirals.

I love tips!

Ok, well with spins I prefer to:

1) keep my free leg aligned with my arm (ie, for cw I keep my left leg aligned with my left arm and pull them in together)

2) I also find that to help me with keeping on the outside edge, I bend my knee more, right up, so my free knee comes up to about hip level.

3) As you gradually (for scratch spin) bring in and the free leg, ONLY cross it over at the knee and no lower! the higher you cross it, the easier it is. (ever thought of crossing it at your shin? no chance!)

erm thats about it...for now, hmm cant think off the top of my head RGGR!

-figs-

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-figurebabe-
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/205269

Don't fall over on back 3's and break your wrist

Try and keep your knees soft and bouncy on back 3's as keeping your legs stiff COULD result in the above

To get a better FO edge place yourself on a hockey circlr, push onto a FO edge and gently increase the depth of edge until you are spiralling into the centre. If you practise this you will find that your control and depth of edges increases enormously

Lx

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The best whisper is a click

Some epiphanies that took me forever to realize, LOL...

Backspin

• Finish that initial 3turn. Sometimes I'd under-rotate it and then my skating foot would be turned out when it should have been pointing straight ahead. (My upper body would be spinning ahead of my leg. Baaad thing...) That's usually the first thing I think about when I have a bad backspin.
• "Push" away from you with the free leg/hip. When you start the spin, it's kind of like a kick out to the side. The trick is to let your body use that momentum to spin instead of flopping over, LOL. It's kinda scary at first, cause if I don't catch my balance right away..FOOM! Bodyslam! But it's really a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.
• Be straight and square! I think this is true for every spin, LOL.

Sitspin

• Turn out and extend that free leg, then swing it all the way around on the entrance. Sometimes I'd play chicken and try to go into the position without stretching out and then my spin would travel badly and I wouldn't get into the position anyway.
• Straighten the back. Sit means "sit," not "reach down and touch your toes."
• Try to bring your legs together - it'll make the spin faster.

Scratchspin

• Swing that free leg all the way from the back. Don't be afraid to use it, LOL. It's when I use it halfway that I start traveling badly.
• Straight and square, as always.

Loop

• It's fun to go into it fast. Not sure if that's a tip, but it's true.
• Lean back to the heel before taking off. When I take off from a bad toe scratch, I never get around well, LOL.

It's funny, cause spins are not really my strong suit, but at least there's more time to think about what I'm doing.

Anita