princessthumby's sig file made me laugh as I am in the process of working on a layback myself. One thing I have noticed among some of the teenagers and pre-teens at my rink who are performing laybacks are doing so with the so-called "lazy leg"--the position where the skater lays back but does little if anything with free leg extension. I think these girls have learned the spin this way; I have seen very little practice in the way of the proper extended leg position. Is this "lazy" position in style now, or something? :? Recently, on layback attempts, I have just kept the free leg "lazy" in order to get used to laying back, but I do try to strive for the proper extenstion. Have good arch, but just need to get that leg up!

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I don't care for the drooping free leg in the layback. My other gripe is when skaters do what we call the "look up" spin instead of the layback, LOL.

I like both the classic style (for example: Sarah Hughes and Angela Nikodinov's) and the dropped leg style (ie: Lucindah Ruh and Michelle Kwan) both very much.

What I hate is anything inbetween. When they're too lazy or not properly trained enough to get it all the way up and turned out, or don't have the skill and guts to drop it, and the leg just hangs there looking ugly and being totally ineffective (ie: Maria Butyrskya and a painfully long list of others)

I think everyone *should* learn it properly the classic way, and then make flattering variations from there.

[quote:980bb60721="manleywoman"]I like both the classic style (for example: Sarah Hughes and Angela Nikodinov's) and the dropped leg style (ie: Lucindah Ruh and Michelle Kwan) both very much.
[/quote:980bb60721]

One of my first instructors told me to either strive for the classic style or keep the leg straight and extended. In her opinion, if I could not do either (whether because I was just learning or lacked flexibility) to try the dropped leg style. She viewed this as easy. I never had to use this style becuase I could always do the extended method. This leads me to question how hard the dropped version is. Another style this particular coach warned against is the dangling leg with the bent knee. I do not like this look and plenty of elite skaters do it.

Kay

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the poorly positioned freeleg (the droopy ones), in my view, represent a poorer technique. as mentioned before, this positioning is often an indicator of lesser flexibility, but furthermore I think it can hamper one's balance in the spin. When a skater has a good arch in the layback, their head is lying away from their spinning center, and the freeleg and foot, when in a proper position, provide one with a sort of counterbalance.
As to why some elite skaters/very good spinners get away with this position is beyond me--i guess it isnt worth as much to them as being able to do a better triple or more footwork--but aesthetically i do not like how those laybacks look and it makes me cringe!

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Actually I have to differ with some of you on one point...

I do both layback styles: classic and the leg tucked down next to the other leg**. And both are difficult, though for different reasons. For both you need back flexibility. For the classic style, you need a lot of strength to get the leg up and turned out and hold that position. But when the leg is tucked down next to the other leg, remember that now the skater will spin MUCH faster, which takes some getting used to, plus the freeleg no longer offers a counterbalance to your back. So the center of gravity shifts, and it is difficult to hold that position and keep it centered. So it is difficult.

(**edited to clarify: when I say "the leg tucked down next to the other one", I mean where the ankles are together, like Kwan's or Ruh's layback's, NOT the droopy lazy leg kind where it hangs in limbo.)

But absolutely, any leg that is just hanging somewhere inbetween, droopy and neither turned out nor placed all the way down next to the other foot, is lazy positioning and much easier to perform. And I think all skaters should strive to learn the classic style well.