How do you change foot in a spin? Rules from the ISU handbook, a safe build-up with a coach, typical mistakes and hints on when you should leave it alone.
The honest answer first: in the change-foot spin you rotate on one foot, change to the other foot in the middle of the rotation and rotate on there. In the ISU rulebook, the change of foot must be preceded and followed by a spin position with at least three revolutions; otherwise the spin is "No Value" in the short programme and marked with a "V" in the free skate [1]. The change of foot may be executed as a step over or as a jump [1].
Two further rules from the handbook matter to you as a learner: with a clear weight transfer the spin ends and only the part before the change is called [1]. And if the spinning centres before and after the change are too far apart and an exit and an entry curve are visible, only the part before the change is called as well [1].
Honestly: the change-foot spin is not a required element of the Learn to Skate USA adult levels 1 to 6. The rulebook describes what is scored, not how to learn it. The hints below are practical experience, and the jump variant of the change belongs exclusively in a coach's hands.
Spin upright spins on one foot and on the other, each with at least three revolutions [1]. Without both sides there is no change of foot. Milestone: you spin three clean revolutions on each foot three times in a row.
The change of foot is a weight transfer onto another edge. Practise with the coach at the boards where the change happens in the rotation and how the spinning centre behaves. A phone video from the side shows it.
Spin at least three revolutions on the first foot [1]. The spin should be cleanly centred, otherwise the centre drifts away.
The change is made as a step over onto the other foot, transferring weight without breaking off the rotation. Your coach shows you exactly how to execute the step over; the jump as a change is exclusively a matter for the coach.
After the change, hold at least three revolutions on the second foot [1]. Milestone: you spin three revolutions, change and spin three more without the centre travelling.
Count two numbers in every attempt: revolutions before the change and revolutions after it (rule of thumb, not a study). If both reach at least three and the centre stays in one place before and after the change, you are on the right track. A phone video from above or from the side shows whether the two spinning centres lie close together.
This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training. The change of foot brings a loss of balance at rotation speed: that is a moment of increased fall risk. In a video analysis of 216 ice-skating falls in children the head hit the ice in 13% of cases [2]. So wear a helmet. If you learn the jump variant, it belongs exclusively in the hands of a coach. Stop immediately if you feel dizzy and do not practise at peak times.
Practise the change first as a weight transfer in a slow rotation, with only one revolution before and one after the change. When the centre does not travel, increase the number to three and three, as the rulebook demands [1]. This is practical experience that makes the change manageable.
After at least three revolutions on the first foot, a step over or a jump onto the other foot follows, then at least three more revolutions [1]. You let your coach show you how to execute the change.
According to the ISU handbook, the change of foot must be preceded and followed by a position with at least three revolutions [1].
With a clear weight transfer the spin ends and only the part before is called. The same applies if the spinning centres are too far apart [1].
No. The change may be executed as a step over or as a jump [1]. You learn the jump variant only with a coach.
The Jump Combination: Linking Two Jumps Directly