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Dear Yahoo!:
Why don't figure skaters get dizzy when they spin?
DeShaun
Brooklyn, New York
Dear DeShaun:

Experienced ice skaters work on their spins for years. Over time, they become desensitized to the feeling of dizziness. Olympic skater Sasha Cohen says she's so used to spinning that she never gets dizzy.

The World Figure Skating Blog explains that novices often become dizzy due to poor technique. They either look down or look up when they start revolving, or rock their bodies. The blog recommends a few tips for steadying your twirl:

  • Focus as normally as you can, straight out at eye level.
  • Keep your body and head still.
  • Keep your shoulders level.
  • "Stop your spin with a jerk, jabbing one toe point in the ice and giving your head a definite toss to clear away the cobwebs."
  • Don't eat heavily before spinning. (Just kidding.)

According to a Recreational Figure Skating FAQ, mild dizziness after a series of revolutions can also "be quickly overcome if you skate off or do one or two turns in the opposite direction." So get centered, and choreograph with a plan to shake that spinning feeling. The judges are watching.

 
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