Spin specialist Kim Ryan continues her presentation on opposite direction spins. In Part 1 she explained the concept of spin gateways in IJS and worked with the class on basic spinning technique, and in Part 2 she taught an exercise that allows skaters to repeatedly perform opposite direction upright spins without stopping. In Part 3 she had the class do repeating opposite direction sit spins, and in this video the focus switches to opposite direction camel spins. Much of the value in this video is the individual instruction and feedback based on common errors by each of the skaters she focuses on.
Kim’s primary advice for opposite direction camel spin is to enter the camel spin with BOTH arms/hands in front (which is also how she teaches the basic camel spin). Most coaches teach camel spins with skating side arm in front, while most of the rest teach free side arm in front. Relatively few teach both arms in front, but Kim explains it really helps with balance to be able to hold the forward outside edge in the opposite direction. The entire exercise as explained in the previous videos is a continuously repeating process of spins in one direction and stepping to the opposite direction. As with the sit spin in Part 3, it is important to come back up after the camel spin into an upright position (Kim uses the skinny-v) to get complete control (“finding your balance”) before opening up and passing the free foot back and stretching the free side behind while on a back inside edge before gathering the feet and putting the arms together in front and stepping into the next camel.
The skaters in the class struggle quite a bit with this exercise, partly as a result of not having very strong regular camel spins. But common errors are not gathering the arms together and stepping with both arms forward and not coming up to the basic upright with the free foot in front (skinny-v) and incorrectly doing a one-foot spin with a free leg tuck. Also notice how they struggle to control the back inside edge stretch which is the exit for each spin. Kim encourages the skaters to “follow your arms around the corner” to help get a complete entry edge. She also says, “On the camel spin try to have airplane wings, nice and equal.” Kim finishes by explaining how much working on this will help skaters develop better edge control in the opposite direction for their general skating turns and moves in the field.
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