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Tips and Guidelines

Here are some general tips and guidelines to keep in mind when you are attempting to perform the escalopter. There is a lot of variability to consider because of the wide variety of escalator architecture.

1. Distance - The closer together the handrails, the better. In fact the further apart they are, the more impossible the escalopter becomes because more of your body will fall into the gap and force you to exert a lot of manual force to keep spinning. (And as we all know, points are deducted for that.)
   
   
2. Baby Gap - The only true escalopter attempts are those which are performed on handrails that are separated by empty space. Some escalators have their handrail walls joined with a metal barrier which can be used as support during the escalopter. It's not cheating, but it's more of a baby's escalopter; it's sort of like using training wheels on a bike or bumpers in a bowling lane.
   
   
3. Top or Bottom? - When considering if you should use the stretch of flat handrail space at the top or the bottom of the escalator, it's best to use the top because at the bottom the ascending handrails can get in the way of your feet while spinning.
   
   
4. Hands Free - When pulling off the smoothest of escalopters, your hands should never be required to help you maintain position and spin. Your hands should be at your side or doing something creative in the air, but never pushing or holding the handrails beneath you. Of course if you're doing a more creative escalopter your hands may be required to pull it off; in such a case points are not deducted.
   
   
5. Posture - Your body should be stiff as a board with straight legs inline with your straight back like a helicopter blade. This is partly why handrail distance is important. Less skilled escalopteurs tend to arch their back or legs upward, but this will always result in point deduction unless you're doing it in the course of performing a more complex escalopter.
   
   

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