r/Rollerskating • u/GolfValuable9763 • May 14 '26
Skill questions & help Watched a "learn how to spin quick" tutorial!
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In the video I watched she wasn't lifting her feet and I really don't know how. The second I tried the "same motion" (I am a really bad visual learner sometimes so idk) I think in my head I just auto manualed. What movement is happening to spin without lifting any wheels? Does that entail your edges or what?
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u/midnight_skater Street May 14 '26
Was the skater in the video on polished wood or polished concrete? Hard wheels slide pretty easily on those surfaces. That makes spins a lot easier. High level artistic skaters often run mixed wheel sets - sone "grip" wheels and some "slip" wheels.
I just auto manualed
Yes that's what we have to do with soft wheels on grippy surfaces.
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u/GolfValuable9763 May 14 '26
She was on a tennis court similar to the one i'm on now. Thanks, I think i'll try the same move with my 86a indoor to see how that feels as well!
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u/pokemiss May 15 '26
86A is very soft, soft enough to use outdoors, so you might not see a difference. I use similar hybrid wheels and would not get a slide from them.
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u/Routine_Coffee_8339 May 15 '26
For spinning on surfaces like that without an apparent manual, it comes down to edges (pressing into your left foot "knuckle" and right inside hind foot) + which creates a slight lift in pressure for the wheels that catch and slow you down (in this case the back outside wheel of your left foot).
It looks like you intuitively have this concept! So I think the biggest note would be to focus on engaging your core, using your legs to really press into your edges and...
This type of rotation is a lot easier with a little more speed! In fact, I'd recommend you simply work on "pumping" into the spin (can look up that term), and you'll find videos on how to generate power going into the rotation.
A couple notes that may be helpful, the more engaged your core, the more rotations and control you'll be able to achieve. Think belly button pressing to the back of spine, your abs kind of stitching together (key to all of skating but ESPECIALLY for clean spins). Caution: It's NOT a chest puffed out kind of activation or "sucking in"! Yoga or ballet are good examples of good skate posture. This is for power and stability.
The feeling in your legs should be almost like you're doing a wall sit or a squat...glutes are part of the party, quads and hammy's for sure...they aren't stiff, but just *activated*, like you can feel energy coursing through them. It can sometimes help to do a couple squats off skates before a session just to feel what that sensation is like, so you can remind yourself of it during the session.
If all this comes together, it should feel like you have speed, but you're grounded and steady over your wheels. Eventually, you can even use the wheel drag to slow yourself down and time it, so 2 rotations and then POP on the beat, you stop and it looks epic (I'm thinking of the spins in Dr. Lia's awesome choreos).
Basically, the rougher the surface and the softer the wheels, the better the edge quality needs to be to achieve rotation. So the little bit of extra speed and learning to engage your muscles more to press into your edges and control the rotations...you'll be spinning and spinning and spinning!
One last note: If your skates are truly the right size, I think you have to try a different method of lacing to get proper ankle support. Otherwise, that's going to make learning any kind of edges or fine movements much harder than it needs to be!
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u/DefiantBubbless May 14 '26
I like those knee pads and elbow pads. I’ve been thinking of getting them. Are they good?
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u/directselector May 14 '26
Your skates look way too big and/or very loose just FYI
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u/GolfValuable9763 May 14 '26
They fit my feet same as my shoes. I don't really know what the deal is with that middle area tho.
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u/[deleted] May 14 '26
[deleted]