I stretch everyday and I can do the position off ice just fine on both legs. I can hold the position for at least 10 seconds with no problem. I even tried it with my boots on so I know which part of the blade to grab. But when I'm on the ice, I just get so freaked out just lifting my knee and going for my blade, let alone stretch out my leg. I guess I'm terrified of what kind of fall I would get. Any tips?

With the regular spiral, you can just not lift your leg as high when you are starting out, and just keep raising it higher and higher till you gain more confidence, and strength/flexibility from off ice exercises...but for the y spiral it's not like you can just halfway stretch your leg right?

Thanks!

Hey there.

Before skating, make sure you practice the position off the ice, and tell yourself that's what you're going to do. After wearing your skates, try holding onto the railing and do a Y spiral. Note whether you're leaning forward or back on the blade. Try letting go of the railing for a second or two to see if you can balance.

Then when you're going to do without assistance, decide if you're going for a forward or backward Y. I personally love back Ys because I don't dare to lift up while going forward! Well, when you're travelling on a comfortable edge at a good speed, try lifting your free leg up, but don't extend it. Meaning, you grab the skate, but you don't straighten the leg or extend it. I don't know how you grab your skate -- by the heel or by the toe? I do it by the heel. I would have my free thigh parallel to the ice, blade facing the skating leg (bent at the knee). Just grab it to see how you're feeling, to see if your balance is affected.


.........../...|
........./.....|
Knee/__ #| Grab the blade
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One thing that I find common with people who can't lift the free leg up is that they bend down to grab the blade, instead of lifting the leg up to where they can grab it. When you bend down, it may be hard to find the balance and strength to come up again.

When you're comfortable with grabbing the blade and holding it there without extending the free leg, you may want to ask a friend to hold you while you try to pull it up for the first time. Let me tell you it's not that hard to pull it up if you've enough flexibility and balance. It's all in the head. It's quite easy to abort too. Just don't sit too behind or lean too forward. I normally go into an edge when doing a Y. I find it easier, but it depends on you. The opposite leg's hip adductor (outside of your thigh) should not be weak so that you can hold it.

Just do it. Nothing too bad will happen. At most you'll fall, but skaters fall all the time anyway!

I've actually tried this one although I clearly do not have the stretch for it. This is as high as it was when I started trying.


I started on a right back outside edge because I felt most comfortable with that. Essentially I started out with my left thigh all the way up along my body (I do have the stretch for that) but with my left knee bent, holding my foot. Then slowly tried stretching the left knee through as much as I could. It was surprisingly easy eactually. Although I didn't have a very straight line in tracings on the ice, I ended up on a pretty deep edge each time, so my "line" curved in a circle.

Took a few falls on my butt doing it, nothing serious. Very unexpected each time though. I'd suggest padding up previously to trying.

Start by stretching in skates off ice. Then lift your leg (on its own) and hold the blade, but keep a bent knee. Feel that balance.
It's easier to do when you're going fast. Build up speed, and skate near the barrier, skimming your hand along it to feel more safe (I did). Do a y spiral, just like off ice.
If you feel like you're losing balance let go of your leg and bend your skating knee, a) to reduce the chance of falling and b) to land more gently.
Eventually you will get the confidence to go fast, without support. Just take your time to feel the balance, don't just hoik your leg up there!

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I do the Y-spiral in my singles and pairs program. I learned it progressively over the years off the ice before I would try it on the ice. Right now, I don't do it off the ice because I rely on the speed on the ice to get the stretch.

The reason I mentioned pairs is that, if it is possible, you can have someone hold you or you can lean on someone and then you can try the Y ("try the Y"--I like the sound of that!). It sounds counterintuitive, but I find it easier to do this stretch on ice when you have speed. This allows you to lean back a bit. I agree that the back Y-spiral is easier because there is no toe pick to trip over, and you can control the speed by pressing slightly on the toe pick.

(Not sure if the link will work, but here is a photo of my Y.)

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Thank you so much for your tips. I can't wait till Saturday to try them out I am psyched now but I hope I don't freak out again by then

Nova Sk8r--that was a beautiful Y spiral!

I agree that it's a good idea to try it backwards first, and try to scrape your bottom pick on the ice a little because that will ensure that you don't slip and fall backward.

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Nova Sk8r, apart from the beautiful Y - congrats on your wikipedia ref!
And check this out: http://xkcd.com/548/

Wow, I've been doing this for years and never ever even THOUGHT about doing it backwards! I'll have to try it today.
I always grab the heel of the boot--never the blade. Of course mine looks more like the top half of a k (lowercase!) than a Y anywhere!

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

Y'all got longer arms than me then! I don't know why but I can grab my tennis shoes from the heel when I do my Y-spiral off ice... but on ice? I really tried for the botton of the boots but end up grabbing the ankle of the free leg.

BTW: I still don't have enough flexibility (never mind strength of leg) to pull the free leg up higher...yet. For that training, I suggest 5 lbs ankle weights (or your own skates with blade guards on it.) Just a little each day... I say that b/c even though it's still sucky in the video, it was a lot worse when I first tried that in 2006.) And it's better now in 2009... well at least off ice. I haven't tried it on ice in a while...

I know. It looks more like a martini glass than a Y, but as NoVa would say... after a few martinis, who CARES about a spiral???

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Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

You ARE flexible. Have you tried that position in a combination spin as well?

Yes. I can *sometimes* do back camel-back sit-back Y-change edge. The back Y is hit or miss. In my pairs program, partner and I try to incorporate the Y in our side-by-side spin combo (flying camel-back sit-back Y-change edge-forward scratch-reverse scratch).

Oh, here's a clip of me trying the Y-spiral (from last May). I still dip my body to grab the boot, but I'm hoping to increase my strength and raise the leg first.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

hey guys, I was able to do a few y-spirals today! I am doing it forwards actually, on the flat for now, but maybe will try backwards next week. With more confidence I will also try going for it in a curveI started by doing it with one hand on the railings gliding along. My right leg is more flexible so that's what I held out. and with the right leg I didn't have to bend down to lift up which was what I have to do with the opposite side (where I didn't successfully stretch out all the way. I can do it off ice, but on ice you can't be hesitating of course). Anyway I was successfully able to let go of the railing for about 3 seconds but since I wasn't going to fast I had to put my leg down since I was losing the glide. I also tried not holding onto the railing at all, but again with the lack of speed I had to put the leg down again after a few seconds. But...I'm happy that I finally got over the fear!

I did fall once but like you guys said it was kinda happening in slow motion so it was more my ego that hurt lol

Thanks everyone for the tips and encouragement!

LOL I have that problem too... must be that my legs are longer than my arms!
This video is one of my early attempts at both the change-edge & the y spiral... and its before baby - not sure how it really looks now

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congratulations
make sure you practice your weaker side equally, if not more than, the 'good' side, otherwise before you know it, your good side is really good, and then it's even more embarassing to practice the bad side.

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The "long legs, short arms syndrome" can be solved with stretching and grabbing while in a good position and having good arm and leg strength. When I was in my school's dance, the instructor will do make us do it over and over again. Some people get it fast, others, with practice. She said it's nothing to do with length of limbs!

I very very much agree. As with all other elements, perfect what is great, but better what isn't. I remember my Y-spiral at its best was those you can grab with the other hand. Ta-da, I recently tried to pull up the other side and it was hideous. Granted that's the first time the leg actually went up. But it was a guts thing instead of ability...

yep will definitely be stretching out my weak side more...it just takes me an extra second or so to stretch it out unlike the right one off ice, then i can do it and hold the position...but on ice, well we all know in the ice just how much taking that extra hesitating second or two will cost