Help with spirals?

Question

So I can lift my leg up really far like to my head in the front but when I lift it in the back it does not go far at all. Does anybody have any stretches or advice to help? Thanks!

Answer 1

You need both flexibility and strength for spirals.  Working on splits will help with the flexibility part.  But for lifting up your leg higher, you need strength.  

One of the simplest strength exercises I ever learned was this.  In a spiral position, prop your leg up to a level you are comfortable with - a couch arm or sturdy low table - it doesn't have to be high.  You can hold on to a chair in front of you if needed.  Now with the propped leg, push DOWN and hold for a few seconds.  Relax.  Repeat.  Eventually prop your leg on higher levels . . . like the back of a high couch (I used a piano - hee hee) . . . all the way to the point where you can use a doorway or wall (as many have already pointed out).  Remember to push that leg DOWN for resistance.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

spirals are tricky if not flexible but you can work on it, like someone said do some off ice spirals by holiding onto something lowering the upper body and bringing up the leg but try not to lift your hips and keep both of them square and aim to get the foot higher than your hip. and also get some one to help you by getting them to push your leg up further deep breath then go higher this helped a lot when training, and splits on the ground and up the wall.

Answer 3

Check out this youtube video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ptH1Dn49x-0

This is a teenager who worked on her flexibility and had great success!  She made a video that shows the different stretches she did, but read the comments.  She's just demonstrating the stretches, not how long she held them.

Answer 4

Try the spiral position off ice. Over time, you will get more flexible and be able to lift it higher. Ballet also helps. Good Luck :)

Answer 5

stretch a lot everyday, like splits

also it helps to practice spirals holding onto the wall and having someone pushing your leg up to get maximum stretch.

i use a wall and then stretch myself to into a vertical split spiral

a flexible back helps too, bridges and such help.

Answer 6

I got my calssic spiral really good by doing the splits up a door....lol. Yh it sounds weird but it works wonderers. Try and stay in the spiral postion with you leg up the the door, and push towards the door with your hips. DO THIS EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK AND YOU WILL START TO NOTICE A BIG DIFFRENCE.

Answer 7

It also depends at what level you are at- at the prelim you have to have your spiral at hip level. My spiral was bad so i tried different types of spirals like catch foots. A lot of people were jealous after I started doing them. Another thing I tried was using under armour pants instead of skating skirts. This gave me more stretch then before and when I tried a dress again, I could get my leg higher. stretching normally helps a lot too.

Answer 8

Flexibility in spirals and variations is obviously important, but a lot of strength is also needed.  Work on building up your thigh muscles (inner and outer) and your hip flexors.  Not only work on stretching the leg higher and higher, but also press down with the leg to build the strength to hold the leg in the position -- I usually use ankle weights to help with this to simulate the weight of my skate.  Usually at the rink, when stretching at the wall, I will put my spiral leg on the wall and bend down on my skating leg to stretch and put resistance on the muscles of my spiral leg.  Good luck!