Basic Ice Skating Spins

Ice skater performing in an arena

rbv / Getty Images 

Here are some of the basic ice skating spins. Many of the spins advanced figure skaters do are variations of the basic figure skating spins listed below.

01
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Scratch Spin

A Figure Skater Doing a Spin
Soren Hald / Stone Collecton / Getty Images

One of the most basic spins figure skaters do is the forward scratch spin. During that spin, the free foot and free leg crosses over the skating leg. Sometimes the skater seems to almost become a blur since a scratch spin can spin so fast.

02
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One Foot Upright Spin

A girl doing a basic Upright One Foot Spin

William R. Sallaz / Getty Images

The basic forward upright one-foot spin is the first one-foot spin new figure skaters learn.

03
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Sit Spin

A Young Figure Skater Doing a Sit Spin

JO ANN Schneider Farris

In a sit spin, the skater bends the skating knee while spinning and sits down during the spin. The free leg points out in front.

04
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Camel Spin

A camel spin is a figure skating spin that is done with the same body position as the spiral.

05
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Attitude Spin

Attitude Position illustration
Illustration by Larisa Gendernalik

An attitude spin is an upright ice skating spin where the figure skater spins with the free leg in an attitude position.

06
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Layback Spin

Painting of a layback Spin

Painting by Larisa Gendernalik

In a layback spin, the skater bends backward while spinning. The free leg is held in the attitude position.

07
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Flying Camel

Flying Camel illustration
Illustration by Larisa Gendernalik

In a flying camel, the skater jumps from the forward camel position, changes feet, and spins on the other leg in a back camel.

08
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Bielmann Spin

World Junior Figure Skating Champion Caroline Zhang Doing a Bielmann Spin in 2007
Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images

The Bielmann spin is a spin where the skater lifts his or her leg way above the head and grabs the figure skate blade while spinning.

09
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Back Spin

Fumie Suguri of Japan doing a back spin

Brian Bahr / Getty Images

A backspin is done on a back outside edge.

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Flying Sit Spin

Jennifer Don Doing a Flying Sit Spin

Vesperholly / CCA by SA 2.5

The flying sit spin is similar to a sit spin, but the skater first jumps into the air and then lands in the sit spin position and completes a sit spin.

11
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Death Drop

Ryan Jahnke Doing a Death Drop

CCA-SA by 2.5

A death drop is a figure skating move that is a cross between a jump and a spin but is really considered a flying spin. The skater first jumps up like an Axel and then kicks the take off leg backward. Then, the skater lands in a back sit spin position and does a back sit spin.