How to do a one-foot spin?

Question

This is crazy, but I can jump and do spirals fine and yet I still can't do a simple one foot spin. I've been trying forever, by now I should be well past this... I can spin w/ two feet but the minute I go on one foot I seem to lean forward and my toepick digs into the ice; I can't for the life of me stay on the middle of my blade. I've tried it both with the entry and standing in place. Does anyone know/suspect what I'm doing wrong?

Answer 1

Try hold your spin open once you've stepped into it i.e. hold your leg to the side so you can find your center before you pull in. Also make sure when you step into a spin that you push round and not forward like with a 3-turn if you do this you may also go up on your toe pick.  hope it helps.

Answer 2

Well, my definition of "trying forever" may be different from yours, but I learnt it the hard way. I had a friend who will sign me when I don't go into the spin with a semi circle [when doing from standstill], or when I don't point, and stuff like that. Of course, I learnt before my coach taught.

He corrected these that I had been doing wrongly:

-Let your free leg be out for about two revolutions, turned out

-When going from standstill, swing with strength and not just bringing the leg to the front.

-Bring your arms in after your free leg is in.

-Make sure your free leg is about knee level when drawn in.

-When you're bringing your free leg in, make sure that the knee of the skating leg is slightly bent, then slowly straighten but don't lock.

You can try posting a video on youtube and try asking! =)

Remember, always go on to the ice with "I can do it!".

Answer 3

It will be easier if you learn it with the entry. Then once you do that long edge into the entry, make sure you hold it long enough. By this i mean you shouldnt force yourself to spin, you should just automatically spin.

Use your arms! Wind them up, then during the entry edge push them around. This willl help you start spinning. Once in the spin, bring them in like your squeezing the air out of a beach ball and then hold your hands together between your b***s. Start this pulling in a little bit after you start pulling your leg into the position.

Foot position: Its all about control! If your just flailing around, your gonna have troubles centering that spin !On the long entry edge, (im assuming your a rightie)hold the right foot a little back and to the side. Once you start spinning,DONT try to pull in immedietly. Keep that right leg out to the side, then once you feel centered  and your on your "sweet spot", pull it in by putting your ankle somewhere around your knee, and make your thigh parallel to the ice (like your making a table with your leg)

Alot of it is practice. Make sure your torso is perfectly straight, and keep those core muscles tight. Dont feel afraid to lean your body back to stay off your toepick. Really find some good core excersises to help with this.

Its going to be easier later when your doin scratch spins and such if you practice the correct entry now. (with the long, semiscircle edge)

Answer 4

Okay, I still struggle with spins but one thing that has helped me was the realization that I was viewing it as a foot/leg problem when really it was my body alignment that was stopping my spin.  So what helped me was:

- keeping the arms open longer, not whipping them in quickly so that you lose all your momentum

- good shoulder rotation on the windup, but then squaring your torso for the spin (I was winding up, then twisting too much the other way into the spin)

Having someone watch you or even film you so you can see what your body is doing during the spin will help.  Good luck!