It was 5 years ago when I've first learned the forward spin. It was in the group class. I don't remember every single challenge, but I remember it was a big challenge. I actually stopped skating for 6 months because I felt stuck (on the spin) and I didn't enjoy it anymore.
I wasn't taking videos of my skating at that point, but I have some clips from skating while in skiing vacation (2014). I count 4 revolutions on both tries, but I was able at my indoor rink to usually get 6, as needed for passing the test ISI FS2.
During the time I learned it in group classes, I had few different instructors. They offered different entrances and everything I'll describe is for a CCW rotation.
From a two foot spin that was entered from a pivot, just lift the right foot up at the ankle of the left foot with the tip to hold the arms to the sides to balance. That never worked for me... I don't remember, once, the weight transfer to have been mentioned in group classes. You need to have all the weight transferred on your left hip. I remember being told to lift the right hip, that theoretically would transfer the weight but in the video I shared I see that my right hip is lifted but my weight is not transferred. Another thing I didn't hear in group classes was to press into the ice. We were instructed to engage our core but I know now that that means to engage the core (abs and hips ) to lift the upper body from the ribs while grounding (so pressing into the ice). That is the ballet posture, but I didn't know that either.
From a pivot is like I described for the two foot spin but without doing the two foot spin. On the second part of this video (starting at second 1.35), is explained very well how to center if entering a spin from a pivot. So don't move while pushing, push around one point, your left foot. Also, bring the right foot, that does the pushing around, in, near the left foot, before lifting it up. If you pick it up while is shoulders apart you would throw your upper body of center. The first part of the video is about entering from an forward outside edge that I'll describe next.
From a Left Forward Outside Edge (like the first edge of the 3-turn). The instruction here was: enter with the left arm forward and hold the edge for a long time making it tighter. At the point you would turn the 3-turn you swing the left arm to the left, and the right foot from back to forward (ideally you hold it there, in front, to help you balance and then you bend the knee and bring the right foot at the ankle of the left foot) having now the upper body square and arms lateral to balance. You spin on the ball of your foot. That never worked for me either.... I think I was afraid on even trying to deepen that outside edge. Plus I suspect I didn't swing the left arm and right leg properly and at the same time.
Update 11/24/2019 In the group class I take now we reviewed the spins and I've finally got a correction that helped me with this entrance. It was to keep the free leg back until really turning into the spin. It seams I was letting it come around a little so when I was ready to actually swing the free leg around, it wasn't in a stable point and I wasn't stable on the outside edge also. It is the same for the next entrance too, but for some reason I was doing with this entrance.
From Winding up from CW Back Crossovers. Surprisingly, what is considered the more difficult entrance work best for me. Now I'll go crazy and share every single tip I remember. Some of them I've learned more recently, working with my private coach at the scratch spin, so they may not be doable for beginner.
- The wind up: As the right foot crosses over the left (the second edge of the crossovers) you wind up your upper body to the right (or outside the circle), right arm and shoulder is back and you look outside the circle (or over your right shoulder) holding the left foot (extended and pointed) underneath you to balance on the right foot that is on an bent knee on and back inside edge. One weird thing I was doing and had to correct was keeping the left foot on ice while gliding backwards as you can see in my video. Here is a link to a video that iCoachSkating.com shared on Facebook. The instructor calls the bringing the left foot (from the back) near the right foot that is the skating foot a "curly cue". She advises to square the hips and deepen that back inside edge and so you create a curl on the ice. I didn't here this as a beginner but now I like it, I feel it gives me a better balance and makes me press into the ice without thinking at it.
- Step on the left foot on a deep outside edge. I heard instructions to step int the circle (so not going back on the previous tracing of the back edge, or step perpendicularly to the tracing, but that makes me hesitate. They are all instruction to set your left foot on the outside edge anyway. Then press into the ice and make the edge deeper.
- The arms: In the video I shared from the icoach, the instructor advises to enter with the upper body square, so right hand in front, that reducing the chance of getting of balance while adjusting the upper body later. I still enter with my left hand forward and swing it at the same time as the right leg from the back forward to start the spin. Now if the left arm is used I heard to first squish it across your body during the wind up and from there to swing strongly... My coach had me holding the arm in a nice curved (like ballet) position and asked me to trow flowers when I start the spin.
- The hook: (none of my instructors used this term, but it is used in the icoach video) is the point where you would turn the 3 turn. The icoach instructor advises to create an axis composed of bent ankle, bent knee and sternum (created by bending on the hip too) before the hook. I was advice not to think of it as a 3 turn, but more as lift over the hip.
- The swing of the back leg is immediately after the hook and at the same time with the left arm swing if used. I was instructed to swing around to create centrifugal force. I have the feeling that thinking of swinging around makes me break at the hip. The icoach instructor says to lift the leg at the hip level before the swing to maximize the distance of the between the foot and axis. I tried that cautiously as my hip was hurt but I felt I got it once or twice and I was surprised of how much power I got into the spin. It also made me stay over the left hip.
- Center the spin: by holding the arms to the side to balance. I heard from many instructors to keep the left knee bent until centered, especially as beginners. My coach, now, instructs me to press into the ice and keep lifting over the hip. That works better at this point for me. Also one day recently when I wasn't centering I've got the correction press into the edge immediately after turning the 3-turn. But if I have a day when I don't center I do play with bending the knee. I feel it brings awareness. My says that there are different techniques, and not one is right. Different things work for different people. The next thing that helps balancing is holding the right leg extended to the front (like 1 o'clock) but I couldn't do that as a beginner. I had the feeling that that you would hold that free leg at a 45 degrees but I was corrected to bring it more forward. I think bringing it more forward makes you close the hip and not "drop" it. I'm starting to work on that as it is part of the setting for the scratch spin.
- Spinning: is kept balanced by engaging the core. By bringing the arms in, the spin will go faster. My new coach instructs in pressing the arms down, or to the chest. I do that for the scratch spin, but for the regular spin I don't actually feel I want go that fast. I like to hold the arms like I would hold a beach ball. And I was instructed to bring the right knee (and foot) up. The spin definitely looks better compared with the right foot coming at the ankle of the left foot.
- Exit by putting the right foot down and pushing on it on a back outside edge with the left foot (like a landing position). Always finish with a strong exit. I've got into the habit of checking the spin if it's centered while exiting and I have to say I sometimes have to fight to finish pretty.
I stopped doing spins and jumps almost 3 years ago as I hurt my left ankle and it wasn't healing. I kept skating but doing Ice Dancing and MITF. I started working a little on Freestyle again with my private coach one year ago, and we've got to review the forward one foot spin and start working on the scratch spin. Then I hurt my left hip and stopped again :( I still do a couple of them almost each day I'm on ice so I won't loose the progress and the comfort with dizziness. Supposedly the only way to train not felling dizzy is spinning more. I'm working more at the back spin now, as it's on the other hip.
Here is how my Forward One Foot Spin looks now:
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