Does anyone else have problems exiting spins going in a specific direction? In practice, I usually just end a spin when I lose steam or can feel my balance shifting. But when I'm doing choreography for a program, I want to exit facing one direction or the other, so I can continue on with the steps and set up the next element properly. I spin pretty fast and it's hard to see landmarks, and my eyes don't focus quickly on exiting a spin.

Tips anyone?

I have been working on upright spins for a few months now and it is only recently that I am gaining more control in the spin (being able to correct if the spin starts to get off centre). Although I don't spin very fast, I can't landmark either (yet) but I am getting better at being able to extend or shorten the last revolution to get closer to where I want to exit. Once you start to open up the spin, you should be able to reacquire your landmark.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I have a hard time with this too. I can never seem to exit in the direction I need to in a program. It takes a couple seconds for my eyes to focus and I end up adding in some crossovers to get through that and to get to where I need to be. I've tried to slow down the last few revolutions in order to exit in the right spot, but then I lose the pacing with my music and end up trying to catch up.

It's important to pick a BIG, colorful landmark and look at it before your program. For example, "Zamboni door" isn't enough - white is white - you have find something major to scan for that doesn't require focus. For example, the flags at one end of the rink, or the bathrooms - think big.

It also helps to turn your head AWAY from the direction of the spin for split-second before you exit. Somehow, it's easier to see when you're looking where you've been rather than where you're going. Don't overdo it because you don't want to bring on a dizzy spell or throw off your balance.

Just out of curiosity, do you wear contacts?

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I absolutely do have the same problem! What I've done in my program is to put a slower spin on the end of my combos, ex. Y-spin and FI edge backspin. This gives me time to get undizzy (which is also a big problem for me) and slows me down so I can see where I'm exiting.

If you've got a spin that's fast all the way through, I second Isk8NYC's advice of picking something big and colorful to use as a marker. I use my rink's bleacher's because they're darker than the wall on the other side. Then, practice, practice, practice to get the timing from when you see the landmark to when you push out.

I skate public session a lot and there's often a dire need to exit away from approaching small children, which I can do pretty okay for some reason, despite not having great spins.. I think it's just a skill you can practice, like centering spins etc.
Of course approaching small children are relatively big, contrasting-color objects.

I just push off onto a RBO edge and let it curve around until I'm facing the right direction. Or I end in a RBO pivot, which lets me practically stop and then step out whatever direction I like. If all else fails, I do a 3-turn after the exit of the spin to get myself turned around to face the right direction. If I remember.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I had this similar problem when I was learning my program. One of my spins isn't in the center of the ice but it is closer to the boards. So I use that board as a visual reference. Some of the boards have advertisements on it so I can use the color as a reference. When all else fails, I'll slow the spin down towards the end so that I can get my bearings and figure out which way I'm facing. One of these 3 things helps me get out of my spin facing the right direction.


BlackManSkating

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Proud to be one of the few black men out on the ice

Goals
Pass my Silver Moves Test
Finish Choreography for Silver Program
Land a Clean Double Toe and Double Lutz
Work on Double Axel and Rockers
Speed up back Camel

It's good that you have a reference in your own rink. When you test or compete in other rinks, you have to "pick your target" during the warmup. Especially if you want to place things in certain spots for the judges.

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That's a very good idea. That's something I never thought about on the warm-ups.


BlackManSkating

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Proud to be one of the few black men out on the ice

Goals
Pass my Silver Moves Test
Finish Choreography for Silver Program
Land a Clean Double Toe and Double Lutz
Work on Double Axel and Rockers
Speed up back Camel

That's SOOOOO true! If I'm competing at another rink, I can very easily find myself disoriented when I come out of a spin because I don't have the familiar visual cues. Putting a spin in the middle of the rink would make it even harder to figure out which direction to go after exiting, so I never put a spin right in the middle, LOL!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I too use to have this problem with exiting spins in the direction in which I had planned. I now usually think about getting out when I hear the correct note played during my program and if I'm getting out on the wrong side of the rink, I just curve my RBO exit edge more to get to where I need to be to go straight into my footwork. That's right, I've got footwork directly coming out of my sit/broken sit spin which goes diagonally down the ice into a lutz, so I have to get myself to exit close to where I need to be to start the foot work. My other spin doesn't really matter when I exit because I just put my free foot down and then slowly spin to a stop in the other direct to end the program.

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Hmmm there's this one rink in the Netherlands that has no boardings at all, but just audience area starts right away. All the other ones have at least partial boarding or nets. Apparently a *lot* of kids who skate competitions there, even more advanced ones, get lost halfway through the program and suddenly start skating in the other direction and things like that...

I typically plan mine so that I exit from the opposite direction that I step in. In this way I don't need a landmark, as they are always different from rink to rink. In pairs we do the same thing so we exit together, and of course, watch eachother!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

True... one program of mine had spins only at either end of the rink - that way I only needed to think of not skating into the boards after the exit!

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My coach always asks me which direction I will exit...and where I will look for my mark (like the flag, bleachers, etc.)

If I don't see them when I exit my spin, I take an extra step, while looking with only my eyes until i'm lined up again. Practice this and it will become second nature. Granted, I'm not a fast spinner, I just get dizzy and need that extra step to settle and not topple over !

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!