HI, i just restarted skating and i'm doing really well. i just want to no. can anybody give me tips on spinning and spirals?? if u can great!!!! please post.

Welcome to the boards!

I'm working on those too! For spins, here's what I've been doing:

1. keeping my head up

2. spinning on the ball of my foot rather than on my toes

Spinning on a not-so-sharp edge may work better when you are first learning, so you might want to try that too.

Also remember to pull your arms in when you found your center.

As for spirals, have you been taught the "basket- open" method yet? My coach taught it to me this way: Make a basket using both your arms. When you are ready to lift your leg, "open" the basket, and simultaneasly* lift your leg, slowly.

Make sure your toes are not pointing down, but rather, pointing sideways.

Practice lots, and you'll get them.

Good luck!

For the 2 foot spin keep your feet slightly like this / \. It will keep you more centerd.
as for your spirals. Try holding onto the edge of the ice rink.. the wall thing, and do your regular spiral. When you are doing it while moving, use your arms to push your back down or lower back. I think it will help your leg get higher.

For spins: Make sure that you don't rush the entrance edge and make sure that you don't swing your arms around to try and help you spin as it will only throw you off your centre.

For spirals: I found the back spiral easier to get as it felt safer. For the extension think about reaching back and upwards diagonally (think of your foot being pulled into the top corner of the rink) with your toe as though someone is pulling at your foot. This gets better extension, better height and is better for your back and you don't crunch your spine. Keep your back strong and look up. If you've got one arm forwards think of stretching this out too. Enjoy, I love spirals

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The best whisper is a click

Spinning and spirals are my favourite just now!!

For all spins as others have said dont rush in to them or swing too much, you want to be able to control the positions you are going in to!
Use your first revolution to get your position as its important that you feel comfortable and balanced (not like me in my layback!!!)

Spirals are great as they can add different character to your skating depending how you use your arms!
Use your inner abdominal muscles whilst your extending your leg back and up (i didnt do this for years as I cheated by just trying to get my leg as high as I could and am now paying for it!!) Remeber to use your arms to balance you and to make the spiral your own!

Belle

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Keep Smiling!

Thx!!! u guys r awsome!!!! i haven't gotten the chance to try these tips yet but i will soon.

o. just so u no. i'm not exactly taking classes. this one counsler at camp is helping me out a little and might become my coach.

Lessons probably probably aren't so important now (maybe up to Freestyle 1, as long as you can do everything from Pre-Alpha up to then) , but if you decide to start skating competitively, I'd get one.

k. also i have skates that don't support my ankles and i can't skate in them so i always have to get rental skates. do all skates not support ur ankle or are mine just twistedly weird??????

If your skates don't give you ankle support, then they're either too big (about 2 fingers should fit in a properly sized boot), or broken down (the top of the boots flops around when you take them off). Ankle support is a definite must for ice skating, as many injuries can occur without it. Also, it'd be extremely hard to learn new things in them.

Thx. thx a lot!!!! cuz im gonna learn how to jump today (maybe) and if i don't get rentals ill break my legs in 5555555555555555555 different places!!!!

Well, I just want to yes.




Seriously, though...please refrain from using txtspeak or teenspeak here. English is the common language of the board, so do your best to use that. Thank you.

~flippet

Have you learned the basics like crossovers and edges yet? You should probably be taught that kind of stuff before you start spinning and doing spirals. Is your counselor actually a competitive skater and coach, or just someone who took some lessons and can do a few fancy moves? If you plan to skate seriously or compete, it's really important that you be taught good basics like stroking and crossovers before going into spinning and jumping. Unless your counselor was a really good skater with some coaching experience, I'd look into real lessons before doing this kind of stuff.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

yes i have and yes she is. she has been doing private lessons for 7 years and has traveled half way around the world for competitions.