This has really been bothing me. It seems the cardinal rule is that you should spin the same direction as your jumps. I on the other hand spin clockwise, spinning on my right foot, yet I jump as most do, landing on my right outer edge. I know the purpose is that when you start with more compex jumps, you should be able to spin in the same direction to save yourself from biffing-it. Do you think that it's that big of a deal. Yesterday, I tried practicing spinning counter-clockwise, and could not even set myself up for a scratchspin--it's like my brain and habits keep me from doing it. Do you thing that I have developed a bad habit, and should try to break it now??

I have been really discouraged by my spins nevertheless. I cant seem to straighten myself enough, and tend to lean forward. When I concentrate on standing up straight, I end up falling off the rocker on to the back of my blade and fall backwards. I think that the problem might be that my boots arent broken in enough (I have only skated on them for about 6 hours total), and they are too stiff on the anckles.

Any advice please!!!

I started off spinning clockwise, too. In the end, my coach said I had to learn to spin anti-clockwise (and anyway, I needed it for our couples' spin), but to keep the clockwise spin going as well, as being able to spin in both directions sometimes looked really good at the end of a programme.

So I did. And although I wanted to put a change-foot spin at the end of this year's Interpretive, the coach said it wasn't yet good enough, and said I was to spin in both directions, instead. Both spins are pretty awful, but I usually manage 2 revolutions each way.

So what I am saying is, work on your anti-clockwise spin, but don't lose your clockwise one!

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I spin clockwise! It's all fun!

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For some reason, many people who teach themselves to spin do so clockwise. I'm one of them, I admit it. I would glide forward and whip into a CW spin. But I just couldn't do a one-foot spin, only two footed spins. After I relearned spinning on my stronger left foot, I did very well and I have a very strong back spin on my right foot.

I can do a two-foot spin in either direction and a decent one-foot spin CW, but my strongest spins are CCW. I jump CCW as well.

There are some people who jump in one direction and spin in another, but they are rare. I think there are one or two on this board, so hopefully you'll get some feedback from them regarding how to manage it, especially during lessons. Many high-level coaches will insist that you jump and spin in the same direction. Some are more willing to work with you than others.

Here's a test: drop a glove on the ice. Stand facing it. Now, gently give it a kick. What foot stayed on the ice? If it's the left one, take the time to relearn spinning CCW. If the right one stayed on the ice, start learning to jump the other way. Or, do it your own way and hope for the best.

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I naturally spin CW, but my right side is clearly the dominant side.

Between the thought of having to fight to spin CCW or have to land jumps (if I ever get there) on my left leg, I would much rather learn to spin CCW.

I guess I'm just lucky I figured this out at the beginning.

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Been there, done that! Learn to spin CCW! I had one coach for the first 2 or 3 months who let me get away with jumping and spinning opposite ways, the next coach put a stop to that in the very first lesson I had with her - as I recall she stopped me midway through the first spin I showed her and said "we are going to learn to spin the other way". It was a good move!

If you jump naturally CCW then you will be able to learn to spin CCW. In time you will be able to spin far better CCW than you ever would have if you had stuck with spinning CW. Moreover the technique from spinning CCW wil aid your jumps. To be brutally honest it doesn't sound from your post like you are having a huge amount of success with CW spinning so cut your losses and go back to the beginning with CCW. Later, if you get that far, there are of course flying spins to contend with. It becomes particularly to combine a jump with a spin if you do them in opposite directions.

John

p.s. You are in good company, John Curry used to spin and jump in opposite directions even when at quite a high level. However early in his career he was not very consistent with his triple jumps. His coach (Lussi/Fassi maybe, can't remember) made him learn to spin the other way which helped fix his jumps and the rest is history.

I spin clockwise, what decided this was my backspin. I could do upright spins in both directions as well as waltz jumps in both directions but the backspin was impossible ccw. So if you don't want to spin ccw, then start jumping cw. See what feels right for you.

I think it depends on what your goals are. If you want to take your jumping as far as you possibly can, you need to commit to a single direction. Most coaches will say to let your more secure landing foot while jumping be the deciding factor. The fact that you are more comfortable jumping CCW suggests that with a little effort you should be able to convert to spinning that way too. If you are totally right dominant - writing, vision, cartwheels, golf, shooting pool, everything - CCW spinning will almost certainly be better in the end. But spinning in both directions can be a nice little novelty in your programs if that appeals to you.

My CW daughter is right handed, but left-eyed and and a lefty for shooting pool and cartwheels. For golf and soccer looks she nearly ambidextrous. She practices jumping and spinning in her weaker direction just for her own amusement and her coach is completely fine with that. If she gets serious about singles, she will have to focus on her dominant direction, I guess. If she gets serious about synchro, she will have to work on CCW jumps and spins. If she just wants to skate for fun, with no real competitve goals, she can do whatever she likes. Regardless, it's her goals and not some all-purpose formula that will define her focus.

When I first started skating I learned to do a two foot spin clockwise but once I started jumping the CCW way was so much easier so I learned to do a two foot spin to the left. To this day I do a better two foot spin to the right but I can't imagine trying to do any other element to the right at all. It won't be that hard to learn to spin to the left, it'll just take some patience and practice.

p.s. I'm a lefty when it comes to handwriting but I'm fairly ambidexterous in all other areas.

I'd say sho whatever feels comforatble, but by having different directions for spinnign and jumping you are kind of inhibiting your progress a little. Better stick to one side, especially if you are very serious about skating.

I'm right handed but I jump and spin clockwise. When I started skating I didn't know which direction was the "right" one, so I just started doing what felt right. Only later did I realize that I wasn't going in the usual way. It isn't that unusual for a righty to go CW or a lefty to go CCW, but I agree with the other posters that it is a bad idea for the same skater to jump and spin in opposite directions. Of course, having a few tricks the wrong way can be cool, a la Michelle Kwan, Ilia Klimkin and the German pairs team in their spins.

Now that I skate and understand all this CW/CCW stuff, I realize that I have other lefty tendencies. My backhand in tennis is much stronger, I cartwheel like a lefty, would kick with my left foot, jump a hurdle lifting my left leg, and deal cards and talk on the phone with my left hand. The things you don't even notice ... There are a lot of lefties in my family, so I think I should have been one. I always struggled in sports and nobody ever thought to have me try the other side. Grrrr. To this day I can't throw a ball ... I had learned with my right arm and it feels like writing w/ my left hand. Now I can't throw lefty either, but maybe I could have learned that way.

Doing pairs with righty partners adds a whole new element to all this. I turn the lifts, do the throws and the death spiral all CCW, and now can't imagine doing those things my own way. Pairs spin goes my way, though. Equal time, man.

Tim

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I jump and spin CCW. I'm left-handed so most people would expect me to spin and jump the other way but I simply got taught the CCW when I was in Learn to Skate lessons. Some years on I was still struggling with my spin so my coach suggested I try spinning CW. I did and actually it didn't feel as weird as I was expecting. However I then suffered an injury (not spin related!) and so was off the ice for some time. Shortly after my return I had the fit of my boots checked and discovered that the reason for my spin problems was that I was in a boot and therefore a blade too big. I got re-fitted with the correct size and hey presto, I found I could spin CCW. I therefore never went back to spinning CW, but I really don't think it matters if you are a solo skater. It's definitely worth a try at spinning the other way and persevering with that. I would also stress the importance of wearing correctly fitted skates as well though. If your boots are too big and your blades too long, your weight isn't over the spinning part of the blade and trying to spin is virtually impossible, as had been the case with me.

Nicki

I am right handed, and when I started skating, in group lessons, I was spinning CW and jumping CCW. No one told me that was not a good idea. When I realized that you are supposes to do both the same way, I just figured that it was easier to fix the two jumps I could barely do than to fix my spins. I think that was a HUGE mistake. I wish I could go back in time and do everything CCW. I wish the person who led my group had asked me if I was a lefty or righty. It didn't bother me for a long time, but I think this is part of the reason why I struggle with the harder jumps. Essentially, I am doing them backwards, because I should have been a CCW skater. My advice is to go with whatever your body feels more comfortable doing. IMO, whatever it takes to backtrack and relearn the skills that are the wrong way, will be worth it in the end. It's too late for me, but maybe you can save yourself! Good Luck!

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I am going to lay off the CW spins now. It feels more natural to spin CW, but I can already see problems with it--it is really hard for me to waltz out or stop while spinning. And everyone is right: it's early enough for me to learn CCW.

When I try to position myself for a CCW scratch spin I cant seem to get it; it feels backwards. My left leg seems so unstable compared to my right leg. But with practice I can make it happen. I am one of those super determined people that will spend 3 hours straight practicing one thing, so I think that I will be up for the challenge.

Maybe in this case, a spinner would be appropriate.

With practice, you left leg will get stronger. Since I started jumping, a lot of things on my right leg (my landing leg) are much stronger than they were before.

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