Layback Spin Technique Video: Part 2 (Bobbe Shire)

Bobbe Shire continues her explanation of the layback spin.  Make sure you watch Part 1 of the layback presentation here.  In part 1, Bobbe focused on stretching and creating a good foundation with an attitude spin with the hips forward and a correct free leg position.

In this video, Bobbe first sees how far back the skater can bend while not spinning.  Most skaters will be cautious so Bobbe offers a hundred dollars “safety” money in case she drops them on their head.  (See her skater give the thumbs up for $100.)  The skater then feels compelled to push the position to the limit and Bobbe and the skater both know what the potential is.

Pretty much all skaters have a tendency to raise the skating shoulder in a layback.  And Bobbe deals with this using a simple (in concept) drill.  She uses a two foot spin and takes the right arm to the left shoulder to help the skater understand the concept of level shoulders.  This is a brilliant teaching tip (use it!).  Next she has the skater do the same drill in the attitude spin.  Then she uses the same movement with the full layback.

Bobbe never initially teaches the layback with the arms up.  She feels that with the arms up, the skater cannot figure out just how far back they can go and they will always have a tendency to tilt (i.e. raise the skating shoulder).  Initially she teaches the full layback with the free arm touching the skating shoulder as in the above drills.

She works on this for a very long time to ensure that the skater will always have level shoulders in the layback, before moving to various arm positions.

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