National level coach Jackie Brenner shares some helpful tips and insights for the Biellmann spin (upright spin variation). In previous videos of this series, Jackie covered basic spins and layback spins. In this video, Jackie begins by explaining a common error for the Beillmann spin which is not grabbing and gathering the free foot close to the skater’s head before getting the second hand grab and pushing overhead. Jackie says, “I talk to the athletes about pulling it up (close to the head) and almost feeling like their hip unit goes back… and that their hand goes forward over their nose (when pressing overhead).” This approach keeps the position more compact and counteracts the “centrifugal forces trying to pull the position apart.” Only after the skater presses the hands up and forward overhead should the head drop back and the chest open into the final Biellmann position.
Jackie has both skaters do a Beillmann at the same time, and the taller skater hits a classic position while the shorter skater struggles with the free foot position that Jackie just talked about. She explains that if the free foot is far away from the head it puts a lot of extra pressure on the “lumbar” portion of the back. Because of the potential for lower back injury with this spin, Jackie recommends only doing 5 a day (maximum). Jackie describes the entire process:
- Grab with two fingers underneath the middle of the blade
- Do a bicep curl to get the free skate close to the spine/head while allowing the hips to drift back slightly
- Pop the elbow upward and grab with the second hand (grabbing the wrist of the first grab, the hand of the first grab, the boot, or the blade)
- Do a tricep curl to push the foot forward and upward
- Drop the head back into the final position
On the next attempt, the shorter skater does a better job of pulling the free skate close to the head just after the grab, but instead of pressing forward and up she mostly just pushes upward so the free foot is still too far back in the final position. Jackie notes that this is happening mainly because the skater dropped her head back a little too early. The taller skater performs a nice spin to use as a model regarding the technique described. Jackie finishes this part of the lesson with a standing lower back stretch/relax and then “just roll it up one vertebrae at a time.”
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