Figure skating spin specialist Kim Ryan shares a process for developing and mastering the off-ice forward camel spin on a spinboard. You can learn more about spinboards here and purchase a spinboard directly from Kim. Kim recommends a standard spinboard upright warm-up before working on camel spins.
Kim begins with a reminder of how to properly stand on the spinboard, with the shoe hanging over the front of the board by about a half inch. Next she walks through the basic camel, starting with the “hinge position” with the body well forward and the hands together in front and palms up, then a half turn and then balancing in the camel position on the spinboard for 10 seconds. Kim wants skaters to always come back to the “skinny-V” position to exit the spin.
To create the rotational energy for the actual spin, Kim has the skater think of “swiping the table clean” in a smooth and aggressive motion. This “swipe” is a full half turn before pressing up into the camel position. Kim reminds us to keep the head up and flex the free foot to ensure there is tension in the free leg (straight free leg!). Mastering this basic camel on the spinboard may take some time, but definitely master it before going on the more difficult features.
For a catch foot camel, Kim teaches a “catch foot camel no catch” where the free leg is bent (foot still flexed). Skaters should actually spin multiple rotations in this position without the catch in order to learn the balance. Once a skater can do the catch-foot-camel-no-catch, it’s time to do the actual catch and learn to spin in that position as well. All spins should be under full control and finished with a skinny-V.
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