Are you a jumper or a spinner?

[Jskate]

I was wondering about other skaters. Are you better at spins or better at jumps? And does body type have anything to do with it?

I'm a pear, small frame, HUGE backside. I can kick and launch myself into the air with relative ease, and my landings are secure 90% of the time, yet when it comes to spinning, i always end up on my toepick.

Others?

Jamila
Design diva

[TheGr8Sk8er]

I am more of a jumper, but my site spin is good. I'm not sure if body type has anyhting to do with it, but it might.

[KtSk8t]

I'd say I'm more of a spinner. They come easier to me and I'm usually better at them.

[Victoriacai]

I'm more a spinner. I can do beillmans on both legs and pick of spins and Y spins.

[aehodman]

...when competing in ISI, I was definitely a spinner. I have a pretty darn good scratch spin that even impresses my coach (and that's saying something! :D ), a really solid sidespin, and a mean changefoot spin. When I moved over to Adult Bronze, somehow I became a jumper instead. My best jump is a lutz/loop but I sure do struggle with that danged sit spin, though. Sometimes I look like a geriatric Magilla Gorilla when I do it in practice....:(

[Jskate]

I spend most of my time practicing spins and they are awful. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. Even a relatively simple scratch spin makes me look like the hunchback. I got the lutz on my first try and I've never fallen on it. But I almost always fall on spins. Remember that belly flop Maria did at Worlds? That's me on a spin. My coach sez that one day I'll just get it and because of my long arms and legs I should achieve some nice positions. I am patiently waiting for that day to come.

I can also say I'm more of a toe jumper than an edge jumper. I tend to cheat the axel and the sal if I don't have enuf speed going into it.

[Deetlebug]

Jskate,

I thought I'd pass this along, just in case it helps you feel better about your spins. ;)

Since you said your best jumps are toe-pick jumps and your weakest jumps are the edge jumps, that would explain, in part why spins are not as easy for you, since spins require good edges.

I bet if you work on your edge jumps as hard as you do your spins, you'll find that your spins will improve too.

[DeetleBug steps off her soapbox now] 8)

Anyway, hope I didn't step on your toes. Keep working hard and you'll get there. :)

[Jskate]

Thanks for the tip. Not a toe-step at all. I appreciate all advice.

Happy skating!

[Deetlebug]

Jskate,

Thanks for the re-assurance. :)

I stopped posting on this board for a while because it seemed like almost every post I made seemed to bring whatever topic I posted in come to a screeching halt. Seriously. For a while, you could check my last posts and it seemed like no one ever came back to post anything after me. Could be that I was just hitting the topics late, and everyone was already moving on to something new, but I was beginning to feel like I must be really saying some bad stuff. So bad that people didn't even want to bother to jump all over me like a troll.

Anyway. I'm glad you don't mind what I said. Thanks for letting me know.

d..b (=DeetleBug)

[Hadas]

LOL deetlebug, although i am new, i don't think anyone thinks that!


As for am i a spinner or a jumper, i could spin all day and STILL want to keep going! my best spin is my sit and also my scratch.

[twixbar000]

I'm definetely a jumper, I hate spins, I'd rather jump all day than have to do a sit spin or something.

[Figureskates]

Still trying to both!!!

[GMAN]

I`m a jumper but I really love both. I love practicing jumps and spins. I love doing the sit spin! That`s my favorite spin and my favorite jump is the lutz:)

[scheherazade]

I was a spinner...I loved the flying camel and illusion spins. When I was younger, I was a jumper, and then I don't know quite what happened... ;)

[candygirl559]

more of a jumper than a spinner, although I get very nervous when I do a waltz jump. I've only been able to do it one time. I've only been able to do 3 1/2 revolutions when I spin and I get dizzy easily.

[Jskate]

Candygirl:
First, hi and welcome.

To combat dizziness, try chewing on a few gingersnaps before you practice, it helps keep the stomach in check. I still get really dizzy but not so much that I lose my center. A couple of times I ended up puking all over the ice. My granny suggested that I take a little ginger (either by drinking ginger ale or eating cookies) and that really helped. My spins are still pretty mediocre in comparison to my jumps but I can do a really pretty layback and I no longer need the sick bag.

Most coaches say that your brain just has to get used to the dizzy feeling.

Hope that helps!

[Coach Beth]

i love both but i'm definatly a better jumper than i am a spinner!!

[sunnybunny]

I can't spin to save my life! We spend over half of each lesson working on spins and I still don't have them. Deetlebug hit the nail on the head - I don't have good edges - at least not with my left foot - which is the one I need for my spins! My left ankle has always been really weak and I just can't hold edges on it very well - it always falls in and we have already moved my blade. I keep trying to talk my instructor into letting me go the opposite way!! I could jump all day long! Any advice you spinners have is quite welcome!