A layback spin is a variation of the

upright spin The upright spin is one of the three basic Figure skating spins, figure skating spin positions. The International Skating Union (ISU), the governing body of figure skating, defines an upright spin as a spin with "any position with the skating le ...

, a spin in figure skating. British figure skater

Cecilia Colledge Magdalena Cecilia Colledge (28 November 1920 – 12 April 2008) was a British figure skater. She was the 1936 Olympic silver medalist, the 1937 World Champion, the 1937–1939 European Champion, and a six-time (1935–1939, 1946) British n ...

was "responsible for the invention"Kestnbaum, p. 107 of the spin and the first to execute it.Hines, p. 112 Colledge's coach, Jacques Gerschwiler, who was a former gymnastics teacher and according to Colledge "very progressive in his ideas", got the idea for the upright spin while watching one of Colledge's trainers, a former circus performer turned acrobatics instructor, train Colledge to perform backbends "by means of a rope tied around her waist". The upright spin has long been associated with women's skating, but men have also performed it. Skaters include it in their programs because it increases their technical content and fulfills choreographic needs. The layback spin is executed by holding the free leg in a back attitude position and arching the head and upper body backward so that the skater faces up towards the sky, ceiling, or further.Kestnbaum, p. 281 The free leg position is optional. A variation of the layback spin is the

Biellmann spin The Biellmann spin is a difficult variation of the layback spin in figure skating. It was made popular by world champion Denise Biellmann. Description The Biellmann spin is a difficult variation of the layback spin in figure skating. It is exe ...

, made popular by world champion

Denise Biellmann Denise Biellmann (born 11 December 1962) is a Swiss professional figure skater. She was the European and World Champion in 1981 and won the Swiss Championships three times. Career Amateur career Born in Zurich, Biellmann won her first in ...

, which the

International Skating Union The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Net ...

(ISU), the organization that governs figure skating, considers a difficult variation of the layback spin. It is executed by the skater grabbing their free blade and pulling the heel of their boot behind and above the level of the head so that their legs are in an approximate full split, with the head and back arched upward. The spin "requires much strength and extreme flexibility".Hines, p. 227 Other difficult variations of the layback spin are the full layback (the upper body is arched sideways with the upper body bent to the side from the waist towards the ice or arched back from the waist towards the ice) and when the skater's upper body is arched sideways or arched back, with their free leg almost touching their head in a full circle. In ice dance, difficult variations of the layback spin include a split, with both legs straight and the boot of one partner's free leg held up higher than their head (which can be supported by their partner) and leaning away from the other partner, with the axis to their upper back to the knee over 45 degrees.

Gallery

File:European 2011 Denise Biellmann 2.jpg, File:2019 Grand Prix Final - Yuzuru Hanyu EX (3).jpg, File:Catch foot layback.jpg, File:Mirai Nagasu Spin 2007 JGP USA.jpg, File:Zhang 2008TEB by Carmichael.jpg, File:Angela Nikodinov 2.jpg, File:Alissa Czisny Layback.jpg, File:Bereswill 2008JGPFgala by Carmichael.jpg, File:Jennifer Kirk Layback 2003 NHK Trophy 2.jpg, File:Kim 094cc by Carmichael.jpg, File:Rachael Flatt Spin 2009 World Team Trophy.jpg, File:Wagner 2009 WJC Layback spin.jpg, File:Rohene Ward Layback.jpg, File:Catch foot layback.jpg, File:Diane Szmiett Spin 2008-2009 JGPF.jpg, File:Haircutter spin.jpg,

References

Works cited

* Hines, James R. (2006) ''Figure Skating: A History''. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. . * Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). ''Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning''. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press. . {{Figure skating Figure skating elements