The half-ass layback position

[Sasha'sSpins]

Don't get so defensive with the rolleyes when it come to Kwan. Geez. I'm sure she would be the first to admit that she wasn't good at everything on the ice. Yes, I'm aware that Michelle attempted the standard layback position, but IMO her back was still too straight up to be considered a clasical layback, and she soon drop back to her leg down position.

I agree.

Sasha Cohen of course has one of the best laybacks in the business:
Sasha Cohen 2004 Worlds - SP

[Macassar88]

http://youtu.be/ywSCdwT0hxw?t=3m13s
Slutskaya had a nice one when she put her mind to it

[floskate]

Of all those examples, Dorothy's is by far the best for me. Such arch in her back and wonderful speed. She was a wonderful spinner. She and Peggy have it all over the rest IMO. Nikodinov's is beautiful too but she doesn't have the arch that Peggy and Dorothy had.

[skateboy]

I always felt Sarah Hughes had a beautiful layback spin.

[bardtoob]

I love these layback spins.

- Dorothy Hamill
- Peggy Flemming
- Janet Lynn

[CantALoop]

Kyoko Ina had an excellent classic layback position, which is even more surprising considering she was more of a pairs skater and started out skating for Japan.

[nubka]

Don't get so defensive with the rolleyes when it come to Kwan. Geez. I'm sure she would be the first to admit that she wasn't good at everything on the ice. Yes, I'm aware that Michelle attempted the standard layback position, but IMO her back was still too straight up to be considered a clasical layback, and she soon drop back to her leg down position.

...

[briancoogaert]

Kyoko Ina had an excellent classic layback position, which is even more surprising considering she was more of a pairs skater and started out skating for Japan.

Not just that, I didn't remember she was so solid with triple jumps.

[DBZ]

I know she never really attained a classic turned-out foot, but this is one time I simply don't care.

This layback is still gorgeous IMO, no matter what Dick says.

Lucinda Ruh - 1997 Worlds SP

And no woman can match the arch in Lucinda's back.

Here it's practically parallel to the ice.

Lucinda Ruh - 2000 World Pro

[leapfrogonice]

Great laybacks in my opinion ... Janet Lynn, not just for her free leg position but also her awareness and use of arms which made her upper body just as much a focus as the leg lines. Sandy Lenz had a wonderful layback. Very strong free legs also achieved by Angela Nikadinov and Sarah Hughes, though they lacked the similarly balanced brilliance with their arms.

Always surprised that Michelle never really got her layback to become as masterful as the rest of her skating. It was a clever solution to have her do the "leg down" arms stretched behind her position, which ironically became a bit of a signature, and also seemed to enable her to actually increase the speed of the spin over the course of the spin, which today would be helpful to GOE I am guessing.

Another disappointing layback amongst the top ladies - Ya Na. Really a horror that broken hammer free foot. Cringeworthy.

[bartek]

I consider Sasha's classic layback position to be absolutely the best. I know that Dorothy and Lucinda had a little bit better arch in the back but neither of them could achieve the perfect leg posistion. Sasha had brilliant arch in her back, one of the best, and her leg was absolutely spot on. Just perfect, very close to her back with beautiful turned out foot.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFtGt_s0JSY&t=3m48s

[orbitz]

There's a heaviness to Sasha's layback that I don't like. It doesn't look easy for her to get into that position.

[ks1227]

Oh how I love any excuse possible to post this vid!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGsMDXLyXxs

Ladies, study this position.

Thank you !
And what about this one ?
Angela has a perfect layback.

I know that Cohen is supposed to be the standard, but in my book Nikodinov at her best is the ultimate layback spinner!

[Karpenko]

Sasha's layback always irked me a bit.

The leg position is beautiful.

The back position is beautiful.

But those two beautiful positions, didn't look beautiful together. I always wanted Sasha to either arch less, or turn her back leg inward just a bit more. She had a great layback, but her basic position was over-done IMO. I still liked Angela's, she had just the right amount of arch and turnout.

[Ozzisk8tr]

Sasha's layback always irked me a bit.

The leg position is beautiful.

The back position is beautiful.

But those two beautiful positions, didn't look beautiful together. I always wanted Sasha to either arch less, or turn her back leg inward just a bit more. She had a great layback, but her basic position was over-done IMO. I still liked Angela's, she had just the right amount of arch and turnout.

Many critics complained about Sylvie Guillem (probably the best ballet dancer the world has ever seen) that she was too flexible and was just showing off. I never understood those comments (likewise I don't understand yours about arching less and not turning out so much. Not a dig, I just don't understand . To me it's like saying Patrick Chan's quad is too high or too clean). Every dancer I know would kill to have Sylvie Guillems technique/flexibility/body. I can pretty much guarantee that 99% of girl skaters would kill for Sasha's flexibility/body/layback.
Near the beginning of this video Sylvie dances. My jaw dropped the first time I saw her dance. I was a professional dancer and you know how you see some people and they inspire you? She made me want to give up.
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/art...bejart.fr.html

[RockTheTassel]

I consider Sasha's classic layback position to be absolutely the best. I know that Dorothy and Lucinda had a little bit better arch in the back but neither of them could achieve the perfect leg posistion. Sasha had brilliant arch in her back, one of the best, and her leg was absolutely spot on. Just perfect, very close to her back with beautiful turned out foot.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFtGt_s0JSY&t=3m48s

I agree. Sasha's layback is my favorite. I love how she manages to have an impressive leg position and arch in her back. Absolutely beautiful.

[Coco]

I feel silly for saying this, but I always liked Katarina Witt's layback and the way she got into the position with her arms. It as was though she was opening up like a flower or something.

[skateboy]

I feel silly for saying this, but I always liked Katarina Witt's layback and the way she got into the position with her arms. It as was though she was opening up like a flower or something.

No reason to feel silly. Katarina had some great qualities to her skating.

[Marco]

Funny someone brought up Yuna.

I know many people care a lot about the leg and foot positions (and Yuna's sucked), but to me the essence of a layback spin is the arch, and Yuna did have great arch to her layback spin. That, combined with the speed and centering, makes it a good layback spin for me. It's not pretty, but it's technically good because of the arch.

Similarly, Kwan's crescent moon position allows her to have better arch (and speed), and was a better position (for me anyways) than her 2000 position with the nice leg position but with no arch.

The same (although to a much bigger extent) extends to Lucinda Ruh and Yukina Ota.

[Karpenko]

Many critics complained about Sylvie Guillem (probably the best ballet dancer the world has ever seen) that she was too flexible and was just showing off. I never understood those comments (likewise I don't understand yours about arching less and not turning out so much. Not a dig, I just don't understand . To me it's like saying Patrick Chan's quad is too high or too clean). Every dancer I know would kill to have Sylvie Guillems technique/flexibility/body. I can pretty much guarantee that 99% of girl skaters would kill for Sasha's flexibility/body/layback.
Near the beginning of this video Sylvie dances. My jaw dropped the first time I saw her dance. I was a professional dancer and you know how you see some people and they inspire you? She made me want to give up.
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/art...bejart.fr.html

It's because you can't appreciate the full position right away, it's not a dig at Sasha at all. It's a beautiful layback spin!!

But she arches so much and the leg is turned out but somewhat to the side (instead of inward right behind her back), instead of more inward like Angela's, so you can't appreciate the full position right away. Your eye dances because you are trying to find her leg and she has it turned out instead of in (which is fine).

With Angela's layback I see the leg and the arch right away, there's a center-ness to the position of the spin that Sasha's doesn't have because she arches so much and doesn't put her leg in more. This is why I slightly prefer Angela's, even though Sasha's in more flexible. Her bodyline between the leg and back doesn't have that perfect C arch that Angela's has.

Although to be fair to Sasha, we are comparing just the basic layback position here, if it were a full-on layback spin with all of the features and level 4 criteria, she'd probably beat Angela hands down. But then of course I would bring Caroline Zhang into the discussion.