How to Do a Camel Spin in Figure Skating

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.

After doing a few back crossovers in a small circle, the last back crossover sort of "winds ups" the skater.

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.

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.

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.

Skaters should try to spin for at least four revolutions in the horizontal camel position.

Some skaters will go right into a forward scratch spin from a camel spin.

Skaters usually push out backward onto a strong back outside edge to exit the camel spin.