Figure Skating Spins – Camel Spin Part 2 (Kim Ryan)

Spin specialist Kim Ryan continues with her class on camel spin. In the first camel spin video, Kim focused on the entry and positions of the camel without actually winding up and doing a spin. In this video, the class tries to put these ideas into practice.

As in many seminars and clinics, the skaters are clearly confused, or at least they are overwhelmed by all the information and cannot make some of the simple changes that Kim is requesting. So Kim breaks it down further and adds more explanation. She wants the two hands in front just before stepping forward into the spin from the windup. To exit, she wants the free leg to come around wide into the upright position with the “skinny V.” She reminds the class that when doing a solo camel spin, the skater cannot spin for more than 3 revolutions in the upright spin or it will be marked a combination spin.

In the demonstration by the skaters in the class, you can see that the skaters seem unable to step forward with both hands in front, and then cannot resist doing their normal entry into their “normal” spin position with the hands back. Further, they tend to bring their feet together to exit rather than bringing the free foot around. (To see this better, rewind and watch different skaters in the class, not just the skater in the foreground.) Kim provides further explanation about the exit including reasons for why the free foot should go around. She says, “The camel itself, you want to create speed and momentum on that exit so you look strong, and most of the time you’re going to use it in a combination.”

Kim reminds the class to keep the hands together and in front as they step forward and ride the edge. Skaters that lead with only opposite hand tend to swim with the skating arm. Kim describes it as “stirring the arm” which tends to shorten the entry edge. Kim wants the upper body and hips to move together as the skater rides the entry edge. Skaters that “stir” tend to twist the upper body ahead of the hips. Kim also reminds the class not to pull the arms back in the basic spin. She says “you look like human penguins” and she explains why she does not like this as a “base camel” position. Kim also describes the entry as having a delay before the spin in an attempt to get the class to hold the entry edge longer.