Activities Sports & Athletics How to Do a Camel Spin in Figure Skating Share PINTEREST Email Print Sports & Athletics Skating Lessons Basics History Gear Famous Skaters Inline Skating Baseball Basketball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Extreme Sports Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Jo Ann Schneider Farris Jo Ann Schneider Farris was a silver medalist in junior ice dancing at the 1975 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships and is the author of two books on skating our editorial process Jo Ann Schneider Farris Updated February 15, 2019 01 of 08 Step One JO ANN Schneider Farris A camel spin is a figure skating spin that is done with the same body position as the spiral (arabesque). This tutorial shows the basic steps required to do a camel spin. The camel spin is commonly entered by first doing a few back crossovers in a circle. 02 of 08 Step Two JO ANN Schneider Farris After doing a few back crossovers in a small circle, the last back crossover sort of "winds ups" the skater. 03 of 08 Step Three JO ANN Schneider Farris The skater steps forward into the center of the circle that was created by the back crossovers, reverses direction, and then pushes into the camel spin. 04 of 08 Step Four JO ANN Schneider Farris As the skater enters a camel spin, the skater should step onto a strong and deep curve. The skater's shoulders should be level. The skating knee should bend deeply as the skater leans forward into a spiral position. 05 of 08 Step Five JO ANN Schneider Farris Some skaters straighten the skating knee quickly as the spin begins; others rise up slowly. The weight of the foot must actually be on the ball of the skate and not too far forward over the toe pick. The skater's back should be arched. The head should be held up during the entry and also during the spin. 06 of 08 Step Six JO ANN Schneider Farris Skaters should try to spin for at least four revolutions in the horizontal camel position. 07 of 08 Step Seven JO ANN Schneider Farris Some skaters will go right into a forward scratch spin from a camel spin. 08 of 08 Step Eight JO ANN Schneider Farris Skaters usually push out backward onto a strong back outside edge to exit the camel spin.