National level coach Jackie Brenner offers some tips for improving the butterfly flying spin entry. Note that this video is not an instruction video for how to do a butterfly, but it provides some suggestions that will make a solid or even good butterfly great. Jackie begins by asking her 2 demonstrators what they think of when doing a butterfly. Both skaters give good answers (but different), and this highlights how everyone has different issues and needs a different focus. Jackie shares a bit of nearly-forgotten history and discusses the “picture moment” which is at the peak of the fly with a stretched out position, a strong back arch, the head up, and a smile. She says, “I like to introduce the butterfly at a young age because I think it really takes a while to develop. I think it takes a while to get the timing and the feeling of flying.”
Next Jackie notes that she wants skaters to think of a butterfly as going from high to low, preparing high with the non-axis arm “waving” very high before the drop to the low point prior to the explosive fly. She describes it as “waving to mom” and then a “hair-raising drop” where the head drops very quickly toward the ice. She also demonstrates the desired “cross body” position before the fly and kick. She encourages both demonstrators to exaggerate the high to low before the next attempts, and she reminds them that the axis foot heel drives upward on the kick, so the hip is not turned out. After the next attempts she focuses on reaching more for the high position for one skater and slowing the tempo of the of the arm movements for the other skater saying ,”Time your arms to be a little bit slower so that you can jump from your legs.”
Sorry, this content is for members only.Click here to get access.
Already a member? Login below… |
Add to "My Favorites" (Beta testing)
