In Which Direction Should a Figure Skater Jump and Spin?

Most figure skaters jump and spin in the counter-clockwise direction, but some figure skaters make moves in the clockwise direction. How does an ice skater determine which way to do figure skating moves?

Being a right-footed skater means that the jumps rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and are landed on the right foot. Most skaters enter a spin on the left foot and exit out of spins on the right foot.

They jump and spin to the right, land jumps on the left foot and exit out of spins on the left foot because they are left-footed.

First try everything right-footed. If you notice that your left foot seems stronger when you glide backward, there is a good chance you are left-footed. Note the direction in which spinning seems more natural to you. If your left foot seems more stable and you like entering spins with the right foot, you are probably left-footed.

Some people are right-handed and left-footed. Some skaters are right-handed and right-footed. Some skaters are left-handed and right-footed

If you prefer landing on your right foot, you must spin with the left foot and exit out of spins on the right leg. You have no choice; otherwise, when you get to more advanced moves, nothing will work properly.

All skaters need to master the back spin before doing an axel. If a skater is not comfortable spinning backward in the same direction he or she will need to do when spinning in the air, the difficult jumps will never be mastered.

The choreography of a skating routine will look lopsided and wrong if the spins and jumps are done in different directions.

Even if you skate just for fun, don't mix up your spinning and jumping direction.