Welcome back to AKCstyle, the place for figure skaters who want to learn how to skate their hearts out, compete at their highest potential, and spend as much time practicing their inner work as they spend physically training on the ice.  Today, we’re chatting about practicing forward inside and outside edge spirals.  This is going to be a little bit of a shorter post than I usually write because spirals are not my favorite element to practice when I’m on my own.  However, mastering all kinds of spirals is essential to any figure skater’s success.  So, we have to make a habit of practicing them correctly and as frequently as possible (weekly is best).  I’ll give you some quick tips to help you during your own spiral practice, and maybe you’ll start enjoying spirals more than I do 😉.

Want a Better Spiral?  You Better Start Stretching!

When you’re working on your spirals, I suggest spending a significant amount of time stretching.  My spirals used to be a little higher than what you see on my YouTube videos now because I was always stretching as a teenager.  As an adult skater, I have to make time in my day to stretch before I put my skates on and while I’m on the ice too.  All these stretches help me get my free leg a little higher than my hip, which is the minimum standard for spirals at all levels.  This is why I always have my skaters practice their spirals (even when they moan and groan about it).  It's an element that I wish somebody made me practice more when I was younger.  There are several on-ice and off-ice exercises and stretches I can share with you as you prepare for your spirals.  Let me know if you’d like to try these drills and I’ll share them in an upcoming post.

3 Ways to Make Your Spirals Look Polished

Keep reading for three quick changes you can make on your spirals to look more polished at any skill level.  When your spirals exceed expectations, your audience enjoys watching you skate more than before.  You’ll notice your other skating skills start progressing faster and look more advanced too.  The first way to improve your spirals in practice is by fixing your posture. The second enhancement is understanding the height and position of your free leg, (is your leg behind you?).  The third proven way of achieving a better spiral is to point your toe.

How to Fix Your Posture in Your Spirals

If you’re struggling with your posture, here are a few tips that will help you find the right position in your spiral. Think about having your chin parallel to the ice and fix your gaze forward. This will help you lift your chin and allow your upper-body to find the perfect position.  Next, think about bringing your chest down low to the ice.  Avoid diving forward, which is what some skaters tend to do when they're trying to lift their leg up higher. The final posture tip is to imagine you're squeezing your shoulder blades together which helps you find the best arm and shoulder position for your body.

I know this seems like a lot of things to remember while you’re trying to hold your spiral and travel down the ice.  But, if you focus on one tip at a time during your practice, your spiral will quickly improve.  Remember mastery in skating takes time, but I know you can do!  If you find this post helpful, tell me on Instagram.  Take a screenshot and tag me @akcstyle so I can see and hear from you.  Have fun out there and I'll see you at the rink.