Figure Skating Spins Video: Flying Sit Spin (Bobbe Shire)

Bobbe Shire gives a thorough explanation of the flying sit spin.  The flying sit has been a challenging spin for skaters and coaches for years.  Interestingly, very few skaters continue to perform this spin after they’ve passed the test that requires it.  It has made a small comeback recently thanks to the IJS rules.

In any case, Bobbe explains how she teaches the flying sit spin and how the entrance differs from herstandard spin entries.  She wants the skater to still create a good hook but not have so much rotational energy that they can’t jump up in the air.  She has her skaters take the wind-up edge half way between a spin and a jump.  And instead of stepping into the circle, she has her skaters step on the circle for flying sit.

She also has the skater step with the skating arm in front and let it drift back before driving both arms through strongly for the jump.  The arms should go through to “10 and 2” o’clock position.  The skating thigh comes up and the skater should try to kick their butt in the air.

In this video, we’re lucky to be able to sit in with Bobbe working with a skater that had never done a flying sit before.  So you get to see the initial attempts and Bobbe’s corrections.

Bobbe also shares her wall exercise to help the skater feel what the movements will feel like.  Notice that Bobbe is not trying to get her skaters to completely close their legs together while in the air.  Instead she leaves some space (at 4:45).  This is one of the biggest misunderstandings in flying sit as many skaters and coaches are trying to reach a final sit position while in the air.  That is not necessary or desired.  Pulling the legs all the way together causes the flying sit to rotate too fast while in the air which makes landing and centering very difficult.

Another key to good flying sits is the need to turn the free foot open at take-off.  The free foot should be flexed as well.

Bobbe has started to have her skaters work on flying sits that travel in the air.  She has observed that nobody is particularly impressed with a common flying sit so she decided to make it more like a jump.  It’s an old-fashioned way to do the flying sit, but that’s the only way people are impressed.

Add to “My Favorites” (Beta testing)