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Back Camel Tips (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues working with a skater on a variety of spins. In the previous videos the focus was on sit spin and camel spin and layback spin. In this video, Charyl tackles the back camel. She has the skater start at a standstill and she holds on so the skater rides the […] Continue reading →
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Back Sit Jump to Front Sit (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues a lesson with an advanced spinner, focusing here on unusual combinations and flies. (See the earlier parts of this lesson here: Part 1, Part 2, Part3, Part 4 and Part 5) In this part of the lesson, Charyl teaches a back sit spin jump to front sit spin. […] Continue reading →
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More Advanced Spins – Adding Difficulty (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues a lesson with an advanced spinner. In the previous part of this lesson, Charyl worked on this skater’s jump within a spin, going from a forward camel to a flying sit spin. That base is the foundation for the additional difficulty added in this part of the lesson. […] Continue reading →
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Some Advanced Spins – Jump Within a Spin Options (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch works through a variety of change foot spins, focusing on the change from forward spins to back spins, including “jump within a spin” options. She begins with camel change camel, and Charyl explains the process of placing the free toe into the ice (“almost pigeon toed”) and performing a […] Continue reading →
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Beginning Death Drop (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues a spin lesson (see first part of lesson here and second part of lesson here) by teaching the beginning stages of a death drop. She begins with what she calls a “kick turn” which simulates the entry edge and take-off movements, including an exaggerated kick with the free […] Continue reading →
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Advanced Skater Spin Lesson – Part 2 (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues a spin lesson with an advanced skater. In Part 1 the focus was on foundational spins in preparation for the more advanced spins in this video. The video starts with the skater performing a back layover camel spin before then attempting the “Hamel camel” which is a back […] Continue reading →
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Flying Reverse Sit Spin (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan teaches the flying reverse sit spin to a class of advanced skaters. She begins by having the skaters perform the basic movements at the wall. These movements start with a jump and a straight kick through in front, followed by “kick yourself in the butt” with the take-off foot (the tuck) […] Continue reading →
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Death Drop – Part 2 (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan continues working with an advanced class of skaters on the death drop. In Part 1 Kim taught the class a basic exercise at the wall to learn the necessary movements, as well as an illusion exercise to get used to the movements on the ice away from the wall. In this […] Continue reading →
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Death Drop – Part 1 (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan teaches an advanced class of skaters her approach to the death drop. Even though this a class of advanced skaters, Kim teaches the skill “from the beginning,” initially focusing on fundamentals and exercises. She explains that a death drop has “3 axises” or basic positions. She also contrasts the scissors-like motion […] Continue reading →
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Flying Camel – Part 3 (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan continues her seminar class on flying camels (see Part 1 here and see Part 2 here). In this video, Kim troubleshoots some specific issues and offers some very helpful tips. After watching some attempts, Kim focuses on arm details, particularly the need to land and spin initially in a standard or […] Continue reading →
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Flying Camel – Part 2 (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan continues her seminar class on flying camels (see Part 1 here). She continues with the walk-through at the wall that she introduced briefly in Part 1. This is one of the best ways to learn to fan the take-off leg after simulating the take-off. Kim warns against the common errors of […] Continue reading →
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Advanced Spin Examples and Program Strategy (Rohene Ward, Kori Ade)
Coach and choreographer Rohene Ward (with insights from coach Kori Ade) gives an advanced skater a spin lesson, focusing on the spins in the skater’s program. Rohene makes some comments during the spins, and there are technical details to be found from analyzing these quality spins. One important tip is remaining on the “sweet spot” […] Continue reading →
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Flying Camel – Part 1 (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan teaches flying camel spin in a class at a seminar. She begins by explaining that a skater really needs to have a good camel spin and a good back camel spin before they’ll create a good flying camel. She demonstrates and explains what happens throughout the entry and fly part of […] Continue reading →
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How to Practice Spinning (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan explains how to practice spinning, including how much to practice. Kim recommends training spins 15 minutes during every 45 minute to 1 hour on-ice practice. The 15 minutes should be focused and continuous, and not just a bunch of random spins throughout the practice that totals 15 minutes. For skaters that […] Continue reading →
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Champion Cords for Various Camel Spins (Sheila Thelen)
Figure skating specialist coach and Champion Cords inventor Sheila Thelen demonstrates the benefits and uses of Champion Cords for 4 different camel spins: the regular forward camel, the back camel, the flying camel, and an inside camel. The Champion Cord creates a helpful sensation of pulling the opposite hand and foot (free foot) together, which […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin Lesson – Part 2 (Kim Ryan)
Figure skating spin specialist Kim Ryan continues a flying sit spin lesson with a skater who is familiar with the element but not proficient. In Part 1, Kim covered the entrance and initial fly, including arms and the leg tuck. At the end of Part 1, Kim was trying to get the skater to feel […] Continue reading →
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Polishing Spins for Competition (Kori Ade)
In this short video, World and Olympic coach Kori Ade reviews her skater’s program spins and offers insights and suggestions. This is a continuation of a previous video on program improvement. The first spin is a spin in one position. The position is camel, and specifically it’s a flying camel, switch to inside edge, layover, […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin Lesson – Part 1 (Kim Ryan)
Figure skating spin specialist Kim Ryan gives a flying sit spin lesson to a skater who is familiar with the element but not proficient. After having the skater attempt one as a baseline for the lesson, Kim has the skater come to the boards and use the doorway to practice the desired air position and […] Continue reading →
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Spin Tips – Big Toe, Little Toe, and Toe Pick (Charyl Brusch)
In this short video, spin specialist Charyl Brusch talks about a variety of toe concepts for spins. She begins the video by addressing where to step into a backspin from a forward spin and noting that she does not typically ask a skater to put the pressure on the little toe which is commonly taught. […] Continue reading →
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More Butterfly Details (Amy Brolsma)
Coach Amy Brolsma continues her discussion of the butterfly. In the first part of this discussion, Amy shared a detailed step by step approach to learning/teaching the butterfly. In this video, she offers more insights, covering a wide range of relevant details. She starts by recommending a camel, back camel, back sit spin combination spin […] Continue reading →
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Butterfly Spin Entrance – Step by Step (Amy Brolsma)
Coach Amy Brolsma shares a process for teaching and learning the butterfly flying spin entrance. This step-by-step guide starts assuming the skater has no knowledge or experience with the butterfly, and by the end a skater should be able to do a basic butterfly. Amy starts with the skater facing the wall with hands on […] Continue reading →
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Fixing a Flying Sit Spin Take-Off and Tuck (Bobbe Shire)
Figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire shares insights about how to fix a flying sit spin that spins too much at take-off so the skater cannot get proper lift. It is very common for skaters to either create too much rotation on the entrance edge or too little. In this case, the skater is creating […] Continue reading →
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Fun With Advanced Layback Spins (Bobbe Shire)
Figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire talks about using the layback spin to maximize IJS points and simply to have fun with. At the beginning, Bobbe discusses trying to get a level 4 call for a layback as a spin in one position with a change of foot. Before beginning, Bobbe discusses the importance of […] Continue reading →
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Building a Butterfly – Part 2 (Robert Tebby)
World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby continues his presentation on how he teaches a butterfly flying spin entrance. In Part 1, Robert shared a detailed, step-by-step process to learn the butterfly. Here in Part 2, Robert addresses two of the most common issues skaters face when learning a butterfly, namely the challenge of creating enough […] Continue reading →
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Building a Butterfly – Part 1 (Robert Tebby)
World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby shows how he teaches a butterfly flying spin entrance to a group of skaters. This is an excellent presentation that offers a large number of tips that allow a skater to learn this difficult skill relatively quickly. As Robert notes, the butterfly is considered a “difficult fly” in the […] Continue reading →
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The Butterfly Spin Entrance – Part 2 (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues her presentation on the butterfly spin entrance. This video clarifies some of the concepts covered in Part 1. Charyl discusses leg fanning, second leg timing (starts up before second leg drops), a strong back, the importance of taking off and landing on the toe picks, strong inside edge take-offs, low […] Continue reading →
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Illusion Into Flying Sit Spin – Part 2 (Sheila Thelen)
Figure skating coach Sheila Thelen continues her lesson with a skater on an advanced spin that the skater wants to get Level 4, but it’s getting called as Level 3. In Part 1, Sheila focused on the spin entry and overall speed of the spin. In this video, Sheila is helping the skater make an advanced […] Continue reading →
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The Butterfly Spin Entrance – Part 1 (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch gives a step-by-step process for teaching and learning a butterfly. The butterfly is a relatively complicated skill to learn, so it’s hugely beneficial to see a presentation like this. The demonstrator in the video knows the exercises well, but has not yet mastered the butterfly itself. Charyl begins at the wall […] Continue reading →
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Using a Jump Rope to Train for Skating (Michelle Leigh)
World and Olympic coach Michelle Leigh continues a multi-part series on off-ice jumping and training. In Part 1 she focused on some basics and the axel. In Part 2, she discussed the salchow and some drills to improve landings. In Part 3, she addressed issues with the off-ice toe loop, and in Part 4 she covered […] Continue reading →
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How to Improve a Flying Camel (Kim Ryan)
Spin specialist Kim Ryan gives a flying camel lesson. She begins by sharing a standstill drill that helps a skater develop an understanding of the proper movement of the hips and legs. She starts by having the skater in a forward camel position against the wall. She uses an imaginary “fence” that runs perpendicular to the […] Continue reading →
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Flying Spin Lesson – Death Drop Drills, Flying Camel Insights (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch gives a skater a lesson on death drops and flying camels. Although this skater is challenged by these skills, this video offers insights into some of the drills Charyl uses to correct these problems. On the death drop, Charyl starts with “kick turns” to develop the basic feel for the element. With […] Continue reading →
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Butterfly Flying Spin Lesson – Common Problem (Kim Ryan)
In this figure skating spin video, spin specialist Kim Ryan is working with a skater to improve her butterfly. If you are looking for information about the basics of a butterfly, check out these two videos: Butterfly Entrance and The Butterfly. The video below focuses on one very common problem with the butterfly. Due to the focus […] Continue reading →
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Teaching Methods and Learning Methods (Bobbe Shire)
In this video, figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire discusses teaching and learning methods in the context of skaters trying jumps within spins. In particular, Bobbe has her demonstrators attempt forward sit, jump into back sit. Notice that initially she provides no instruction so the skaters need to try to figure it out themselves. After […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin: The Tuck – Part 2 (Robert Tebby)
World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby continues teaching a class the flying sit spin. In Part 1 he focused entirely on “the fly” or the jump. In this part he talks mostly about the tuck and the rest of the spin. He begins by noting that a flying sit spin does not spin much in […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin: The Fly – Part 1 (Robert Tebby)
World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby teaches a class the first part of a flying sit spin. He begins by explaining that the element happens just the like the name implies. He says, “You have to fly first, you have to sit second, and you have to spin third.” To teach the fly, Robert wants […] Continue reading →
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Back Camel, Jump to Forward Sit Spin (Bobbe Shire)
Figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire teaches 3 skaters the back camel, jump to forward sit spin. None of the skaters had attempted this before this lesson so you get to see the typical learning process. Bobbe calls the jump between the spins a “hitch kick” (back camel, hitch kick to forward sit). She begins […] Continue reading →
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Death Drop (Robert Tebby)
World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby teaches a class the death drop flying spin entrance. As Robert notes, a good death drop briefly gives the illusion that the skater is in danger of falling on her/his head. In reality, the dynamics of the movements associated with the death drop make it a very safe element, […] Continue reading →
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Jumps Within Spins (Bobbe Shire)
Figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire explains how she teaches the camel spin jump into flying sit spin combination. A jump within a spin can add an IJS level to a spin and Bobbe shares her favorite way of taking advantage of this rule. For the camel into flying sit, she tells her skaters “the […] Continue reading →
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Strategy for Maximizing IJS Spin Points (Bobbe Shire)
In this video, figure skating spin specialist Bobbe Shire offers many insights for maximizing IJS points for spins. This is a long video with lots of ideas. The specific rules and point values may have changed by the time you are reading this and watching this video. The video was recorded in December 2013 but […] Continue reading →
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How to Spin Fast – Figure Skating Spin Speed (Bobbe Shire)
Spin specialist Bobbe Shire answers the age-old question about “how to spin fast.” This is one of the most common questions we receive here at iCoachSkating.com, especially by adult skaters and young coaches. Right off the bat, Bobbe notes that spin speed is generated by pushing strongly into the spin and having a good “hook.” […] Continue reading →
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Flying Back Sit Spin from Forward Inside Edge (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch gives a lesson on the flying back sit spin from a forward inside edge take-off to a skater who has never attempted one. This spin entry has only recently become somewhat popular as a result of the rule changes associated with IJS. Traditionally it was not popular because it […] Continue reading →
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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 […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin – Part 2 (Charyl Brusch)
Figure skating spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues her discussion of the flying sit spin. In this video, she works with another skater and shares additional insights to help those teaching and learning this advanced figure skating spin. Here we get to see Charyl “give a lesson” and she talks with us as observers about what […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin – Part 1 (Charyl Brusch)
In this figure skating spin video, spin specialist Charyl Brusch teaches a flying sit spin from the ground up. To start the lesson, Charyl has the skater perform an upright flying spin from a standstill. This approach ensures the skater can work on the correct timing (not a flying waltz jump as a result of […] Continue reading →
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Figure Skating Off-ice Training: Flying Spins (Kori Ade)
This video is a continuation of a multi-part off-ice jump class by Kori Ade. In Part 1, Kori had the class do heel clicks and air turn variations. In Part 2, Kori has the class do exercises for rhythm, quickness, and balance. In this video, Kori does exercises designed to improve flying spins. The first exercise […] Continue reading →
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Figure Skating Flying Spin – The Butterfly (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch explains how she teaches a butterfly. This discussion contains further details from Charyl on this spin as she already discussed the butterfly here. The butterfly is often confused with an Arabian. Charyl explains the difference and notes that almost no figure skaters actually do an Arabian. [Editor’s note: This is just […] Continue reading →
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Figure Skating Flying Spin – Death Drop Details (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch answers a broad array of questions regarding the death drop flying spin. This video is a continuation of Charyl’s previous video on introducing the death drop. The death drop has become one of the most popular flying spins in recent years thanks to the changes in the rules brought on by […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin Development, Figure Skating Spins – Part 2 (Kori Ade)
Kori Ade continues her demonstration of how she introduces the flying sit spin. In the previous video, Kori used one-foot waltz jumps, one-foot waltz jumps with a tuck and a walk-through exercise into a back shoot-the-duck to prepare the skater for the flying sit. In this video, Kori begins by working on the arm movements. […] Continue reading →
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Flying Sit Spin – Creative Introduction to This Flying Spin (Kori Ade)
Kori Ade shows the process she uses to introduce a flying sit spin to a young skater. This is a creative approach to teaching this element and builds the flying sit up using familiar concepts and easy drills. Notice how Kori keeps this lesson fun. She starts by asking for a basic “boring” sit spin […] Continue reading →
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Flying Camel Landing Tips (Charyl Brusch)
Spin specialist Charyl Brusch continues her explanation of how she teaches a flying camel. In her introduction to the flying camel, she worked directly with a skater on the basics of learning the spin. In the second video covering flying camel improvements, she discussed how to build the flying camel with more speed and energy. […] Continue reading →
