Skating skills and moves in the field specialist Karen Olson discusses and demonstrates important insights related to forward spirals. As she notes, a forward spiral pattern is part of the US Figure Skating Pre-Preliminary Moves in the Field test, although the details provided in this video are focused strictly on how to perform and teach a spiral to a beginner skater.
To begin, Karen has her students think about their spines. She compares the spine to a “bendy straw” and explains how a strong back extension is helpful for creating the necessary back arch needed for spirals. She describes this extension as “standing up as tall as you can” or “reaching for the ceiling” with the top of the head. She then discusses the arch and stretch needed from the top of the head through the foot on a good spiral.
At the wall, Karen has the skater stand tall and simply fire the glute muscle and lift the free leg as far as it will go without leaning the upper body forward at all. Once a skater can hold this position, she has them tip over through the hip, keeping the position and tension in the back arch and glute engagement. This typically requires some re-balance of the hips and the need to allow the hips to “settle” back (Karen says “hips forward” by mistake in the video) in order to balance over the blade in the final spiral position. Skaters that have a “bump” in the middle of their spiral at the hips are not using the correct muscles. Use the exercise at the wall to ensure correct muscle engagement. Karen explains how free leg position in the standing drill affects the final position, so make sure the leg position is correct (directly behind the hip, locked knee, foot turned out as much as possible).
Many coaches may note that doing good spirals requires some level of flexibility that beginner skaters may lack. Karen agrees and explains that usually it’s an issue with calf and hamstring flexibility and this should be addressed off the ice. Developing the necessary muscle engagement and range of motion in the entire rear kinetic chain (back, glutes, hamstrings, etc) can also be worked on off the ice. She recommends off-ice back bends, assisted if necessary, to help develop the needed strength and mobility.
Karen ends this video with a discussion of the need to be able to fire the glute muscles properly. Many skaters will incorrectly try to raise the free leg using muscles above the hip, which causes pain and looks terrible. A great exercise is simply to raise the leg correctly at the wall using the glute muscle, and hold it. This is a challenging exercise for most beginners (and some advanced skaters as well). Karen notes that a lack of core control, strength, and engagement can cause similar issues with holding the free leg in forward or side positions (as well as the back position needed for spirals).
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