From what I can tell, the spin entry for a camel is slightly different than for an upright spin (from back crosscuts, for a camel, you step out of the circle onto a new one, whereas for an upright spin, you step into the circle you've been making, almost in the direction you just came from).

So what is the actual physical reason for this? Is it because in the camel more of your weight is farther from the center of the spin?

I haven't learned the camel spin yet, was just wondering...

Thanks!

Well good grief, no wonder my camel stinks. I enter it pretty much the same as an upright.

Um, I wouldn't make any judgement yet. All spins should be entered as if you're stepping into the circle.

I agree with MQ. The main difference is that in a camel you are already in a semi-camel position as you step into the circle, sweeping (or clearing the table) with your leading arm. You keep down in the knee until you are in the spin, then come up fully with the leg skating leg straight and the free leg out.

Entry to the scratch spin is the same, except you are in an upright position to start the spin instead of a semi-camel position.

Hope I explained that correctly - I find it hard to put into words what my body knows how to do -- which is probably why I don't coach .

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I'll have to agree with the spin entry being the same independent of whether it's a scratch or a camel. On days where I have a good scratch spin day, I would have at least a decent sit spin day. If I have a really good sit spin day, then THOSE are the days I would get my camel!

Sorry, i don't have any good tips on camel spin other than the fact that you REALLY CAN'T cheat that spin entry. There are SO MANY things that will screw up a camel.

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Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

ITA with the camel being the same entry.

My 'problem' on it is that I tend to rush the entry, I slow it down and finish the edge and VOILA .... a camel!

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Well, I thought they were essentially the same....just waiting to hear it from all of you!

I always enter a camel spin in pretty much the same way as an upright spin, just the upper body position is different.

Nicki

i would say it is different entry because when u do a camel spin more of your weight is forward and it is different so that u can get more momentum when u lift your leg and get enuf speed to actually spin without falling

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Although I hook all of my spins, I think hooking may be more critical for the camel than others. A good anchor is absolutely essential. The camel leaves less margin for error than other spins. I know my blades need sharpening when my camel starts to slip. It really is a precise spin. All of you have probably read this before, but the Lussi spin tapes are excellent for camel demos and instruction. He teaches an advanced FO edge camel, but the entrance is applicable to the basic BI edge camel.

Kay

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Okay, looks like I may be wrong... (and like I said, I don't do camel spins yet)

But when I watch skating on TV, it seems like when a BI-FO entry is used for a forward spin, the entry to a camel is slightly different than the entry to an upright spin--in terms of the relation of the BI and FO edges to each other.

For the camel, it seems to me (again I could be wrong) that the FO edge is almost onto a new circle, so that the skater appears to be making an S (or backwards S): BI for the first half of the S and FO for second half of the S.

Maybe it's what Kay mentioned--hooking. Maybe the camel takes a longer FO entry to get the hook just right, making it look to me like it's different when it's not really...

Into the circle? My spins (from back crossover entry) step out of the circle.......from RBI edge to LFO edge, which takes you outside of the circle into the 3.

For the camel, Kristi Y, in"Skating for Dummies", suggests you can "think of it kind of as a lunge"

I'll have to look through some of my books to see if I can find something with more detail.

My coach is always making us focus on stepping back into the circle on all our spins. He must have told me at least a million times so far!

One more expert opinion: in his fabulous book, Petkevich states that you step back INTO the circle for all spin entries.

My coach always tells me to step INTO the circle rather than out.

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