after I get back from holiday, I think I'm going to try a catchfoot spiral on ice.



I can get an OK-ish position off the ice, and with my skates on too (by that, I mean that my free leg is fairly high). The only problem is, my fingers really hurt holding the blade.

I guess I can wear gloves, but what do you guys do for competitions and that? can you put tape or something on that area of the blade?

Also, do you think it could be that I'm trying too hard to get my leg up high? Should the hand be pulling the leg up or simply supporting it a little (in which case it might be pretty pain free)?

thank you

P.S a question... on a catchfoot, is your upper body facing to the side? any pics? thanks

__________________

I put tape around my fingers.

like sticky tape?

and even on competitions?

__________________

The thing I hate about catch-foots/Biellmanns is that every new pair of gloves becomes eventually torn in shreds...

__________________

Do you grab your foot with the same side arm or the opposite side arm? Either way, you need to pull back with the shoulder of the arm you are grabbing with, otherwise you can't grab your foot and pull it up. So yes, you have to rotate your shoulders toward the side you are grabbing with. But even though you rotate your shoulders, try not to let one shoulder drop lower than the other one, since that will put you on too deep an edge and make you lose your balance (especially if you grab your foot with the arm on the same side).

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Like skin coloured sticky tape yeah, only for tests and competitions actually, else I use gloves... Well it's not like anyone sees that half inch wide tape around 1 finger? If they do, boohoo. Though I guess if I really wanted to look pretty for one, I'd just do it without anything round the fingers and take the blister for love. I have grown some pretty decent thick skin there from grabbing it in very thin gloves all the time, so I can grab it like 3-4 times without any damage, after that, it gets red and starts to hurt with each spiral.

That's an interesting idea. I suppose a band-aid/adhesive bandage would work, too then, since they are flesh-colored. I'm trying to put two catch-foot spirals in my program--one on each side--so now I'm visualizing myself with band-aids all over the fingers of both hands, LOL!

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I actually thought about putting Band-Aids too for my catch foot spirals too!!! I can't think of any other way of grabbing the boots w/o fearing getting blood on my arm! LOL!!!

Here's some pictures from the previous Bielmann Spiral threads:

http://www.skatingforums.com/showthr...208#post320208
http://www.skatingforums.com/showthr...202#post320202 (Me in Still picture)

And a video of how NOT to do a catch-foot spiral!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xOjgihWBXE

(Okay, it's not that bad but... )

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I guess it's different for a Bielman, but for ordinary catch-foot positions, my coach insists we grab the heel of the boot, never the blade.

As people have commented, grabbing the blade can cause injuries. Apart from that, if your hand gets caught between blade and boot and you can't get it out if you lose balance, that could cause a really nasty injury.

So to begin with anyways, consider grabbing the heel or side of the boot.

__________________
Karen

I skate - therefore I am

Haha the only catch foots I try is working towards a bielman so hmm And yeah you fall really nasty if you can't get your hand out of your blade as you fall.

The gloves get ripped because the blades' factory finish isn't smooth there.
Just wrap clear packing tape over the catch area and cut to fit neatly. Don't cover the business part of the blade.

While I also teach the catch-heel for beginners, we eventually end up with a blade grab. It's just so much easier and secure.

__________________

would it be a good idea to sand that rough area to get it smooth?

__________________

Well, you don't want to also catch an edge there either.... LOL!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!