Free skating involves jumps, spins, various artistic movements and steps to music. It is usually performed individually, but it is also a part of pair skating If you are interested in free skating, then you will need to buy the right equipment. Strong boots and specially designed blades with a good series of toe picks (the serrated points at the front of each skate) are essential for the more advanced movements of the type seen on television. Although there are a few movements you can try without lessons.
Most jumps on ice, involve taking off and landing backwards (almost always on outside edges). Skating jumps also involve rotating in the air (either clockwise or anti-clockwise according way you prefer), and taking off and landing on one foot. Single jumps have one turn, doubles have two and triples three. (The exceptions are the axel jumps which involve one-and-a-half turns for a single, two-and-a-half for a double and three-and- -a-half for a triple.)
Spins form an important and very beautiful part of free skating. It is usual to spin in one direction (either clockwise or anti-clockwise and usually rotating in the same direction chosen for the jumps)and on one foot only. There are quite a few spins involving different positions, combinations of positions and jumps into and from spinning positions.
Before you attempt a spin you should try to determine your natural spinning direction.
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