Back scratch spin help

[pandask8]

I've been having this problem for a while now. I can't get my back scratch. I always end up coming to a stop cause my blade gets stuck in the ice or I go onto the inside edge. I feel like this shouldn't be a problem like this especially since I have a great forward scratch, camel, and sit. For reference, I have all the single jumps except the axel. So my question is, is this my fault? Am I too weak to control the back scratch? What should I do? Is it my boot/blades (as in readjusting the blade on the boot). Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[LilJen]

It can take a looooooooonnnnnnnng time to get a backspin. It's very common to fall to the forward inside edge when learning a backspin. It's just a totally different feel from any sort of forward spin. Only tip is to keep doing a lot of loop jumps and a lot of simply holding the backspin position while going backwards on that outside edge. Also, how's your backward pivot? I barely had my backspin before I got injured in May. Hoping others have some more tips.

[Aussie Willy]

A lot of people when they start learning back spin inadvertently push onto the inside edge instead of the back outside - it actually quite common, not unusual. My first coach couldn't teach a back spin for peanuts. All her skaters spun on the inside edge. My next coach was determined to correct the problem so I understand it really well.

One of the exercises that got me on the right edge was to stand on the spot with the weight over the skating foot. My crossing foot was touching the ice with my toepick and was to the side. My arms had the left arm in front and the right arm to the side (to help wind up the spin). When I started spinning, as I turned around on my ball of my skating foot (you actually want to start on the flat of the blade), my free foot would then cross in front, which then helped the weight move to the the back edge of the skating foot. Be very very careful you do not push the skating leg to go forward, that is how most people get onto the inside edge.

Eventually you should then start getting the back edge happening.

I hope that makes sense.

[pp55]

A few other tips.
- how to start a backspin -- many skaters start with gliding forwards doing inside 3 turn. It's OK if you have a good blade control. You can try another way, as an exercise, from standstill, just push backwards to start a back spin (after push move the free leg in front).
- blade control - you can try to "tilt" the hips, this way you can "move" the body weight more forewards. The arms - you can hold your arms down, so they will pull your shoulders down - the effect is similar as tilting the hips.

[treesprite]

i could do back scratch spins easily when doing a change foot spin, but it took me a while before I could easily do them without already having the spinning motion going. Of course now I have to re-learn them....

[Aussie Willy]

I practised my backspins today after this thread after not doing them for ages. I can still do them (somewhat).

[misskarne]

One of the exercises that got me on the right edge was to stand on the spot with the weight over the skating foot. My crossing foot was touching the ice with my toepick and was to the side. My arms had the left arm in front and the right arm to the side (to help wind up the spin). When I started spinning, as I turned around on my ball of my skating foot (you actually want to start on the flat of the blade), my free foot would then cross in front, which then helped the weight move to the the back edge of the skating foot. Be very very careful you do not push the skating leg to go forward, that is how most people get onto the inside edge.

Holy crap, that's exactly how my coach taught me the backspin!

My coach is also always yelling at me to be strong through my core, which I fail spectacularly at most times. And she really emphasises that when starting from the position Aussie Willy describes, it shouldn't be a big shove with the toepick.

[leafygreens]

You have to press way onto the pinky toe to hold the spin center. That's the best tip I've gotten.

It took me a very long time to get a backspin.

[pandask8]

Thanks guys! This has been helpful!