Flying Reverse Sit Spin, Also Known as the Axel Sit (Charyl Brusch)

Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch gives a lesson on the flying reverse sit spin to a skater who has never attempted one. The flying reverse sit spin is sometimes called an axel sit spin. It is characterized by taking off into a forward flying sit spin and then quickly switching feet and landing in a back sit spin. Because the demonstrating skater has never tried one before, Charyl starts right at the beginning of the development process with the skater doing an exercise at the wall.

Charyl teaches the flying reverse sit more like an axel than like a flying sit spin. She has the free leg bent and she keeps it bent throughout the take-off. Right after take-off the skater should tuck the take-off leg. Charyl has the skater extend the take-off leg prior to landing and after the tuck. Away from the wall, she has the skater start from a standstill and she draws the take-off edge on the ice to ensure the skater brings the edge around far enough.

At first Charyl has the skater simply walk through the take-off, starting with the arms in front. After that, she let’s the skater hop into the air and land on the other foot, ignoring the tuck. When adding the tuck in, the skater makes the common mistake of not waiting for the hook (Charyl says, “You were a little early.”). At this stage, she has the skater landing in an upright backspin. After the skater can jump and execute the tuck while spinning in the air, Charyl has the skater use a back crossover entry to add more energy.

After the skater can do this, the next step is to land and go directly into a back sit spin. The demonstrator exhibits the common error of landing heavy and flat footed rather than correctly on the toe. Charyl has the skater do a solo back sit to experience the feeling of hitting the toe pick on the three turn as a way to understand the feeling of landing on the toe.

To end the video, Charyl spends some time talking to us. She says, “I feel like what they’re really looking for on this one is both legs tucking, not just jumping up and over to your other foot… to get the front flying sit position and the back flying sit position, all in one. So it’s got to be really quick.” To get the quickness she continues, “I don’t teach by thinking a lot about tucking as much as stepping up.” She also explains why she likes skaters to bring the leg through bent. She also clarifies the timing, explaining that the legs are “both kind of tucking on the way up. So on the way down the left leg comes in front so they’re in position for the back sit.”

She also notes that although she teaches the flying reverse sit to all of her skaters, it really is most appropriate for the best athletes.