Spinning Rides

cofan, just because you're a figure skater doesn't mean that you're the utmost authority in the sport. I just did a web search to confirm my stance on the issue, and found several news article that mention how some figure skaters and dancers use "spot" techniques to avoid getting disoriented.

I just spoke to my wiffle ball coach. He told me that if you concetrate an outer rim or fence during a game, that you might get hit with the ball.

I have always used a breathing approach - especailly on a monster ride or something that goes up and down in a circular motion. As it goes up, breathe in. Time the breath so that you exhale on the way down. THis is physics as you will have less mass when you need it as your lungs deflate. Like a pregnancy class.

It doesn't work with food or liquids though.

I once heard of a story of kid who got sick on a fast spinning - circular ride. (It might have been Round Up). Anyway, as he was "blowing chunks," the centrifical force was sending his payload back to the direction it came from. Unfortunately, by that time, the sick kid was gone and someone else was taking his place on that position on the circle. In other words - everyone else was getting "Spad-dapped. As the ride lifted, swirls were...well you can figure out the rest.

When it was all over the majority of the riders wanted to beat the Cr*p out of him, but it was too late. There wasn't much left in him.

By the way - the sickest spinning ride (Non lifting motion) I've ever been on was the Break Dance at Coney ISland. Their program ran for about 10 minutes, with different motions and actions changing at minute intervals.

Breathing...It's a good thing!

I would say Catwoman's Whip at SFNO is the sickest spinny I've been on. I can't remember if it's a Huss ride, but it's like a breakdance with cars which are free to rock in a head over heels motion. You don't quite go upside down but very close. That rocking motion combined with the horizontal spinning is extremely intense in that New Orleans heat! Or else I'm just a wuss.

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cofan101 said:
They don't. You all don't skate so you all don't know! I skate I know. You don't follow seats or dividers. You spin to fast. You have to use your balance to spin and jump. That's it. That is the first thing you learn is balance on the ice. Then you start with swizzles. Then you go to spins and relying on your balance and body position.

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You keep saying that you just focus on your balance, but you don't explain how you come out of a spin and not fall on you butt or become dizzy. I nearly fell over last week getting off the Break Dance at Coney Island. How do you come out of a spin and smoothly go into a linear motion without becoming dizzy? I am more curious then criticizing.

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Coaster Lover said:
Try this next time you want to try a spinning ride but are too afraid you'll get sick. Instead of keeping your head fixed, find something to look at off the ride and keep watching it until you cannot turn your neck any farther, then find something else to look at and repeat. This is essentially the technique that figure skaters use when they are spinning on the ice and I've found it works great on certain rides, especially scramblers and round ups. I've found I can once again ride and enjoy those rides if I follow that technique. Teacups I'm fine with, as long as I at least have a little control over the spinning. It's still been a while since I've been on a tilt-a-whirl though.

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thanks. I'll try that.

i don't know I guess after reading all the posts im not sure what I'll do.

It only makes me a little bit sick so I think when I am at the ride I'll see if I'm up to it.

When I was a kid, I had no motion sickness problems. Hydra is still the only coaster that gets to my stomach at all. But I'd better remember my dramamine before I ride flats. Even then I need to pick out where I'm going to collapse before I ride those teacups. They put me down for 10-15 minutes any time I ride them.

i like the feeling of tilt-a-whirls though.

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Austin said:
i don't know I guess after reading all the posts im not sure what I'll do.

It only makes me a little bit sick so I think when I am at the ride I'll see if I'm up to it.

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Dramamine may be your best bet. I don't have problems, but one of my friends doe (even some coasters do it to him), so he takes the stuff before he gets to the park and he is fine all day. You can pick it up anywhere, it is over the counter.

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Cyclonic said:

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cofan101 said:
They don't. You all don't skate so you all don't know! I skate I know. You don't follow seats or dividers. You spin to fast. You have to use your balance to spin and jump. That's it. That is the first thing you learn is balance on the ice. Then you start with swizzles. Then you go to spins and relying on your balance and body position.

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You keep saying that you just focus on your balance, but you don't explain how you come out of a spin and not fall on you butt or become dizzy. I nearly fell over last week getting off the Break Dance at Coney Island. How do you come out of a spin and smoothly go into a linear motion without becoming dizzy? I am more curious then criticizing.

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You do something called a check out. Your body's spin is governed by your arms. When your arms are out, you wont' spin. When you check out, your arms and leg come out. This stops your rotation.

oh so that's why they spread their arms out...

what is dramamime? *** Edited 3/27/2005 10:12:06 PM UTC by Austin***

One difference though is that for figure skaters, ballerinas and other dancers who spin, they are turning about their own bodies, i.e., their body is the axis. This is true whether they stay in one place or move across a stage or rink.

In a moving, spinning ride, your body is actually still and you're in a vehicle that is both rotating and revolving (and possibly even moving vertically) about a point in the center of the ride. The techniques that would help maintain your equilibrium in one instance may not necessarily help you in the other.

That's why "spotting" helps a skater or dancer, but wouldn't do a person on a ride much good. The spot has to be in the same place all the time, which only happens for a fraction of a second once every revolution on a spinning ride.

Continuing the subject of spotting stationary objects, this assumes that the initial accelerations to top speed or any undulating or flipping motions themselves haven't also induced illness. A few examples follow:

• Tilt-a-Whirl--this one's easy! Spot the floor where the lap bar is mounted, and lean the body into the spin while keeping the head looking forward and down.
• Teacups type rides--another easy one. Lean forward, spot the wheel while turning.
• Wipeout, Trabant--looking to the inside often helps during the maximum speed spinning portions, sometimes I'll spot two cars over if I can still notice the spinning blur.
• KMG Spinout, KMG Afterburner 24, Chance Revolution--sit back, look straight ahead, spot row of 4 seats/riders directly across, especially try not to look down at the spinning platform on Spinout.
• Round Up type rides, Gravitron--look directly across at the pillar straight ahead (turning the head seems to be a bad idea on these rides). Gravitron has additional spot points--spot the center operator booth, or even look at the TV's if they have videos playing.
• Hard Rock, Experience, Mondail Shake, Tango--these are fairly mean three dimensional spinning and flipping rides. Try to sit back, and look slightly down while flipping in all directions, but there really isn't a whole lot to spot with all that flipping and spinning. Experience is heartlined, while Hard Rock and Tango tend to be stomach churners. Shake is just chaotic, but the front of the car is somewhat of a good spot point.
• Orbiter, Remix--another one with not a whole lot to spot, but just sit back, and keep the head looking straight ahead. Orbiter is much more dizzying, while Remix is more forceful. A potential spot point on Orbiter is the floor of the car, but it spins very fast at top speed and the blur is still visible even when looking at the floor.