How to improve my skating spiral?

Question

i can almost do a split its like 2 inches away. but my spiral still sucks. how can i make it better? thanks!

Answer 1

To JONAS LOVER: First of all, it doesn't matter her age, everyone starts at different ages! Wow that just sounded horribly shallow. Just because you had your spiral at 5, doesn't mean it was a nice 180 degrees, sasha cohen spiral now was it? I think not. Especially at 5, you should be STRUGGLING to get that 7 pound boot and your leg up in the air. I hope it was just 2 inches off the ground and you called it a "spiral." Plus she said how to "improve" her spiral! Everyone has room for improvement, and -gasp- even you too!

Okay now my answer. Good job, keep practicing those splits but just because you have your splits it doesn't mean your spiral will become alll pretty because there is still that heavy skating boot, on average around 7 pounds! So make sure you work on strength too.

Answer 2

dont listen to jonas lover. she just lies a lot about everything and she has nothing to show for it, i know her and she is lying about everything.

you dont need someone to help you make your spiral.

just find a chair to hold onto and do a spiral for 20-40 seconds a couple times a day. your muscles will get better and be able to lift your leg higher the more you strain.

also, i just bought the maxiflex and its helping me stretch the spirals, splits, and beilmans. its nice because i can stretch more than a split so instead of 180 i can do 200 degrees.

my spirals definitely improved.

Answer 3

Ohhh, Spirals! I love to do those.

When I started skating I used to stretch all the time. Usually about 30 minutes every night. To gain height for your spiral stretch regularly, every night for a certain period of time. That way you will create a habit of stretching, so it doesn't feel like extra work, it is just part of your regular schedule.

It is actually suggested that you do not stretch before you skate. When you skate, especially in jumps, you need a quick snap, like lighting reflexes. But when you stretch your muscles too loose it looses some of that *SNAP*, so you are not a sharp and quick. This is why you should stretch at night.

Also, you should work out, run, or just be warm before you stretch. You don't want to stretch with cold muscles otherwise you will be more at risk to over stretch, or strain something. Get your body temperature up, then stretch. It will be less painful when you stretch, and help you stretch farther.

What I do for stretches are ballet stretches. This is a good video that demonstrates ballet bar stretches. You don't need a barre bar, you can just use a couch edge, or something similar.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/36079...

I also do stretches where one leg is tucked next to the other, so you make a sort of 4 shape with your legs. Then I lean over and stretch for 30 seconds or so, then do the other side.

I do other stretches as well, but here are two sites that will help:

http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/sportsci/st...

http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/sportsci/st...

I hope this helps. And after you stretch, try your spirals. They should be higher that before.

Good luck!

Answer 4

how old are you??? you should be way past spirals if you are like 13 or 14. I had my spiral when I was 5. But practice off-ice and push your leg up or have a friend help you and push your leg up for you.

Answer 5

Off ice put on either your skate or a light ankle weight and practice holding a spiral position.  Start with 30 seconds and work your way up to a minute or more.  It's ok to hold onto a table or something while you do this.  Another thing that may help is when you're on the ice, make sure you get really warmed up first, then go stretch on the boards before doing your spirals.  Hope this helps!

Answer 6

bend the leg ur gliding on more that helps with balance!!!