EDUCATION Carol Rossignol, MD, MS, MG, MPD, MFF
Spins with Janet Champion B Y T E R R I M I L N E R TA R Q U I N I W I T H J A N E T C H A M P I O N
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“center” is defined as the middle, the heart, the part where things go on around it. So it is with figure skating spins. “For centering spins, we can learn a lot from the print we make on the ice,” Janet Champion said. “The best print for spin entry edges is half a heart shape. Strong edges are essential for fast and centered spins.” A child skating star with the Ice Follies and Holiday on Ice starting when she was nine years old, Champion is a widely acknowledged specialist in spins, holds three master ratings, is a frequent presenter at PSA conferences and was inducted into the PSA Hall of Fame in 2012. Her wealth of skating knowledge comes from coaches Edi Scholdan, Eugene Turner, mentor Eugene Mikeler, and all the many PSA educational opportunities she has attended over the years. When she first started coaching, Champion and Ronnie Robertson, an Olympic silver medalist and spin master, skated together, sharing spin ideas and techniques. Coaching grassroots to elite athletes since 1968, Champion has been coaching in Colorado since 1987. She has seen new spins born since the IJS system was developed, but spin basics remain the same. “Centering a spin and creating the force with which to spin fast is the same now as when Ronnie Robertson was the fastest spinner in the world,” Champion said.
TWO-FOOT SPIN At the beginning levels, learning a two-foot spin is a good way for a skater to feel how to press their feet and edges against the ice to make a spin start. Starting with a toe pivot around the left toe, the skater will press the right foot against the ice like in a one-foot swizzle. When spinning, the skater’s feet should be shoulder width apart and it’s really important that the feet stay on opposite sides of the spinning circles. If you bring your feet too close together, you are going to trip. To start the toe pivot, I like to anchor the left arm in front and let the right arm sweep from the back around in a wide circle into the front while the right foot is pressing against the ice. As the skater starts spinning, their arms will be rounded to the front of the body, which I call “hug a tree.” Pulling the arms all the way in at this point can cause a loss of balance. Let’s
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get the hips and feet spinning before pulling the arms in. Remember, arms don’t make a skater rotate, but they can make a skater rotate faster when used with correct timing. Rotating counter-clockwise in the two-foot spin, the left foot is traveling backward on the ball of the foot, which is known as “the sweet spot.” The right foot is traveling forward on the middle of the blade. The skater should be revolving around the spinning circles smoothly and evenly.
ONE FOOT SPIN Continuing when the two-foot spin is fast enough, the skater can pick up the right foot and bring it to the inside of the knee on the left spinning leg. Voila- there’s your first one-foot spin! From there, I teach the one-foot spin from a forward outside edge starting on a hockey line. The left arm is in front and the right arm is back at the start. Using the hockey line, the skater can learn the half-a-heart shape. Start on the line, spin on the line. On the entry edge, the free leg must stay back until the hook of the three-turn. Again, timing is essential. If the free leg is allowed to start swinging to the side before the point of the three-turn, the spin will start too soon (before the hockey line) and travel in little loops, instead of centered circles. The skater should be on the middle/back of the blade on the entry edge with the body weight leaning into the circle. Ankle flexion and knee bend should increase to create the hook into the three-turn. At the point of the three-turn, the free leg will then swing wide from the back to the side. At this point, the skater is spinning for a moment with the arms and free leg out. I tell the skaters to feel like they are making themselves big before pulling into a smaller position. When the three-turn hooks and the free leg swings, the skater should relax for a moment to allow the centrifugal force to pull their free leg out, then resist the force by pulling the foot in and gain speed in the process. I like to help skaters feel this by having them hold onto the wall with their left hand. I take their right free foot skate and pull it out to the side. By doing this, I’m the centrifugal force. First, the skater has to keep their hips still and relax their leg so I can pull out on the free foot. Then, I have the
