wa_skater, I've been having the same problem. My BI-FO choctaw comes to a gridning halt at the change of foot (and I haven't practiced it recently b/c I've been babying my knee with tendinities). See dbny's advice to me in an earlier practices/lessons thread:
http://www.skatingforums.com/showthr...&threadid=6349

(If you read past her post, you'll find that a few others have posted on the topic, too.

Good luck. I for one can't wait til I get this skill so that I can "wind up" into a spin with more momentum than from a pivot.

LOL, my current problem is that I can't handle all that momentum, and I have more than I can deal with no matter how slowly I do my crossovers and step into the spin.

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I alternate my spin entrances all the time to see what is working on that day On the back crossover entrance, you really have to bend that skating leg way more to stop grinding to a halt. Try a RFI to LFO 3-turn into your spin. This entry can be as slow or fast as you like, and is a good alternative to those who don't like the momentum generated by the backcrossover entry.

I've got major problems with this one too. Pivots are fine, but 'real' spins... as you said "just aren't happening". My problem is that instead of going into a spin I do a 3-turn (and then perhaps go into some sort of spin much too late)... Any suggestions what to do? My coach says I should try to make a hook instead - but how?

(Haven't quite grasped the concept of curves' sizes yet. My edges are ok and I pay a lot of attention to them, but I don't really get what to do to make them more curved/flatter without loosing the edge. I wolud love to do real spreadeagle in stead of just a circle )

It's good to hear that this is such a difficult move for many of us and that I am not alone

My coach has me try to do the LFO entrance from a standing T position with my arms wound up to the right ready to let go to the left as I go forward on the outside edge. But I can't seem to transfer my weight onto that LFO edge - or when I do, I just go into a 3 turn including checking.

Now my coach says I need to work on transferring weight in general and that it will help with the spin entrance and stepping into the waltz jump from back crossovers - which I can do now, but my entrance isn't very brave and I jump immediately after stepping forward.

I've been watching video clips of the scratch spin in slow motion over and over (if you haven't seen the technical figure skating site with videos of jumps and spins, go to http://www.northstarnet.org/eakhome/skating/kevinnew/). And when I watch the Dorothy Hamill clip of her scratch spin, she really lets go and does the entrance without hesitation. And that may be what's holding me up. I'm trying so hard to move my arms at the right times and so careful about entering it at the right time with the right positions. I think for me that I need to let it go more and let it happen. But we'll see on either tomorrow or Wednesday when I practice again if that is a possibility.

Try to make sure that you keep your knee bend deep when you are going into the spin. If you pop up too early you will not be able to get into the spin itself- without seeing you do one, I'd guess that is why you are doing the 3-turn with delayed spin instead.

From last back crossover, hold the back inside edge, then step almost back the way from which you came, onto the forward outside edge of the spinning foot.
This edge will go round in a tight, small half circle.

Don't rush it from there.
Don't try and swing around too much.

You will skate a 3 turn before you start spinning on the spot.
You'll be spinning on a back inside edge, just behind the toepick.
Keep your weight over the ball of your skating foot

Just bring your free leg around and to the front, in a steady motion.
Keep your skating knee soft and bent.
When you are steady, slowly bring in your arms.

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MEL
Absolute Skating

Alternating entrances is a good thing. Especially since so much of this is timing!

Besides from a stand still and the back crossovers, another entrance that has helped me (my problem is not bringing everything around) is a right inside three followed by a mohawk. This builds up a little more swing. (it is commonly used for flying camels, I think)

Of course anyone who has seen me spin knows that you shouldn't take spinning advice from me! ;-)

Good luck Hugs!
Danielle

Be sure your shoulder is checked on the spin entrance! Another bad habit I see is to forget the check once ready to spin. They keep their shoulder checked until they start the spin and then they let that shoulder fly open at this point. It's a shift NOT a swing.

Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."