This video clip depicts a young skater performing the front scratch spin, one of the first spins that beginning skaters learn. Scratch spins can be beneficial as a warmup because they allow for additional practice of entering the spin, centering the middle, and exiting in a landing position.
The typical entrance edge to a scratch spin lasts three quarters of a circle; notice how the skater starts facing to the right of the screen (having pushed onto the entrance edge on her left foot just before the video begins) and maintains the counter-clockwise edge until she is facing the camera.
She then assumes the “skinny V” position around 0:01 in the video, referring mainly to the position of her arms: the bottom of the V is her chest, and its two tips are her hands. Her free leg (her right leg) is now positioned in front of her.
Next, she closes the “skinny V” by bringing her hands together while keeping her arms straight, and she brings her free leg in so her right foot is poised near the outside of her left shin. Her hips are fairly closed here, meaning her ankles and toes angled in the same direction and her right knee is reasonably straight in front of her, not pointing off to the right.
Finally, she pulls her arms to her chest and pushes her free leg downward until her feet are side by side, ideally with the right heel flexed; her centered spin increases in speed and she holds this position. When she is finished, she pushes out into the landing position.
