Camel spin

A spin held with the free leg extended behind and the free knee above hip level.

Also called camel, parallel spin or arabesque spin. Other names.

Not checked yet. The mechanics on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.

The free leg extends behind and the body folds forward over the skating leg to counter it. What the ISU asks for is the free knee above hip level, which is worth knowing: the definition is a knee height. Most people picture a flat horizontal line.

It is the slowest spin there is, and for a reason you can see. You are stretched along a line at right angles to the one you are turning about, so the shoulders and the free foot each travel a wide circle every revolution while the hip barely moves. Reaching further out slows it further still, and drawing the arms in is most of what you have left to speed it up with.

A camel a little off centre does not wobble on the spot. It travels across the ice, and that is why this is the position where centring gets learned.

Derived

Build on

• Upright spinThree or more revolutions on one back inside edge with the skating leg straight.
• SpiralA held glide with the free leg extended at or above hip height.

Off the ice

• Holding spin positionsThe sit, camel and layback shapes, held still for longer than a spin lasts.
• Spotting and rotationTurning quickly without dizziness, and seeing straight again when the turning stops.

Leads to

3 elements in the guide are built on this one.

• Combination spinOne spin passing through more than one basic position, each held for at least two revolutions.
• Flying camel spinA flying spin that lands in a camel, the free leg back and above the hip within two revolutions of landing.
• Flying spinA spin entered with a jump, with no turning on the ice before the take-off, named by the position it lands in.

From LBI

• Left backward inside edgethe plain edge, with no turn on it
• Left backward inside push backexits RBO · changes foot, the edge changes, the direction holds, the lobe continues
• Left backward inside step wideexits RBI · changes foot, the edge holds, the direction holds, the lobe reverses
• Left backward inside change of edgeexits LBO · same foot, the edge changes, the direction holds, the lobe reverses
• Left backward inside three turnexits LFO · same foot, the edge changes, the direction reverses, the lobe continues
• Left backward inside rockerexits LFI · same foot, the edge holds, the direction reverses, the lobe reverses
• Left backward inside bracketexits LFO · same foot, the edge changes, the direction reverses, the lobe continues
• Left backward inside loopexits LBI · same foot, the edge holds, the direction holds, the lobe continues
• Left backward inside choctawexits RFO · changes foot, the edge changes, the direction reverses, the lobe reverses
• Left backward inside counterexits LFI · same foot, the edge holds, the direction reverses, the lobe reverses
• Left backward inside mohawkexits RFI · changes foot, the edge holds, the direction reverses, the lobe continues

Clusters from LBI

• Left backward inside double threeLBI → LFO → LBI
• Left backward inside counter-mohawkLBI → LFI → RBI
• Left backward inside rocker-mohawkLBI → LFI → RBI
• Left backward inside rocker-choctawLBI → LFI → RBO
• Left backward inside counter-2½ twizzleLBI → LFI → LBO
• Left backward inside bracket-cross rollLBI → LFO → RFO
• Left backward inside bracket-counterLBI → LFO → LBO
• Left backward inside counter-threeLBI → LFI → LBO
• Left backward inside rocker-counterLBI → LFI → LBI
• Left backward inside three-mohawkLBI → LFO → RBO
• Left backward inside choctaw-three-rockerLBI → RFO → RBI → RFI
• Left backward inside double three-mohawkLBI → LFO → LBI → RFI
• Left backward inside rocker-counter-double twizzleLBI → LFI → LBI → LBI
• Left backward inside 3-turn-change of edge-double twizzleLBI → LFO → LFI → LFI
• Left backward inside triple threeLBI → LFO → LBI → LFO

Appears in