Figure skating spins
Spins are an element in figure skating in which the skater rotates, centered on a single point on the ice, while holding one or more body positions.
[1] According to world champion and figure skating commentator Scott Hamilton, spins are often used "as breathing points or transitions to bigger things".
[2] Spins were performed in the early days of pair skating by more skilled and experienced skaters, often as conclusions to their programs.
The spins performed by Norwegian skater Sonja Henie, which can be viewed in her films made during the 1930s, often reached 40 or more revolutions and were "usually well-centered, fast, and as exciting to watch today as they were then".
[5] Canadian figure skater Olivia Oliver holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest spin, 342 rotations per minute, which she completed in Warsaw in 2015.
[5] World champion and commentator Scott Hamilton reported that Robertson would spin so fast that he would break blood vessels in his hands.
[1] Ruh, however, suffered from chronic nausea and dizziness, and would regularly lose consciousness during practices or in hotel rooms.
Ruh also later stated that the rotational speeds she was able to maintain and the long hours practicing and performing them most likely contributed to the severity of her injuries.
[1] According to Scott Hamilton, spins are often used "as breathing points or transitions to bigger things"[1] and are more difficult to explain to the audience "because there is so much going on".
[1] Hamilton stated that explaining the intricacies of spins, like edge changes, is challenging because they are difficult to see.
The absence of angular momentum means that fewer variables, or vectors, influence the resulting motion, so if the center of gravity is maintained, spins should be easier to perform than other elements such as jumps.
[19] The entry phase of a spin produces a logarithmic curve with an indefinite number of radii, smallest at the end and largest at the beginning.
When the entry curve radius is decreased, the skater will change the angle of their ean towards the vertical axis, gradually reducing the velocity/speed.
The curve ends with a 3 turn, then the center of gravity is slightly lower, resulting in the skater beginning to spin.
The skater's center of gravity must be directly above theie base of support (for example, where the blade is in contact with the ice) in order for them to execute a balanced spin.
This is done by bringing their arms and free leg closer to their body, in line with the vertical axis.
The force created by the spin is generated outward and upward, or via the path of least resistance, as their speed increases.
It takes practice to train the eyes to return to normal, which dissipates the experience of dizziness.
[33][23] It is difficult to learn, requires a great deal of energy, and is not as exciting to perform as other elements, such as jumps, but it has variations that make it more creative and pleasurable to watch.
[2][35][36][29] Writer Ellyn Kestnbaum speculates that the camel and layback spins, which "heightened the visual function of the skater creating interesting shapes with her body",[35] were, for the first ten years after their inventions, performed mostly by women and not by men because it was easier for women to achieve the interesting shapes the camel spin creates than it is for men.
[38] The camel spin is executed on one foot and is an adaptation of the arabesque ballet pose to the ice.
[41][38][42] The flying sit spin was first performed by Buddy Vaughn and Bill Grimditch, who were students of figure skating coach Gustav Lussi, but Button and Ronnie Robertson made it famous.
It consists of a take-off from both feet, a body position horizontal to the ice, and a landing in a back spin.
Fluctuations in speed and variations in the positions of a skater's arms, head, and free leg are permitted.
[19] The solo spin combination must be performed once during the short program of pair skating competitions, with at least two revolutions in two basic positions.
The rules surrounding difficult variations, which also apply to single skaters and to both partners, are also worth more points.
Pair teams cannot, except for a short step when changing directions, stop while performing a rotation.
[60] Fluctuations of speed and variations of positions of the head, arms, or free leg are allowed.
[61] The ISU also states, "It should be performed on the spot around a common axis on one foot by each partner simultaneously".
[64] Both their entry into and out of their spin, immediately before entering and exiting the spin, must both include a "continuous combination of different creative and/or difficult and/or intricate steps or movements or a continuous combination of both creative and/or difficult and/or intricate step(s)".
